Thursday November 6, 2014 Vol. 2, No. 37
The Weekly Post
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Illinois governor’s race going down to the wire By TERRY BIBO
PEORIA – Illinois’ contentious governor’s race came right down to the barbed wire. At press time, billionaire challenger Bruce Rauner was ahead of incumbent Governor Pat Quinn, 51 percent to 46 percent with 94 percent of precincts reporting. But computer problems apparently meant some polling places didn’t close until 9 p.m. and absentee ballots had yet to be counted For The Weekly Post
Williamsfield board eyes ordinances
Election Coverage Inside
• Local election results. See Page 8 • Farmington passes electrical aggregation referendum. See Page 8 • Mike Unes retains seat. See Page 10 • Too early to call Knox County 9-1-1 voting. See Page 11
State Sen. Dave Koehler (D-46th) said, “I think it’s too close to call. I’m not throwing in the towel. I think Quinn’s going to squeak it out.”
Koehler noted that Democratic challenger Sheila Simon was doing better than expected against Comptroller Judy Baar Topinka. But State Rep. Dave Leitch (R-73rd) predicted that wouldn’t be enough. “She’ll win big,” Leitch said of the incumbent. Although he took 57 percent of the Peoria County votes, Republican businessman Jim Oberweis conceded defeat to incumbent Senator Dick Durbin earlier in the evening.
LAURA WINNERS 4H
“He was getting creamed,” Leitch said. Voter turnout locally appeared to be strong. In Yates City, election judges Jane Clark and Laurel Leadley said the turnout was consistent all morning, and added that by 11:15 a.m. they’d logged 137 ballots cast by Knox County voters. “It’s a very good turnout for a midterm election,” Clark said. Continued on Page 8
Harding wins, retains seat on Co. Board
By BILL KNIGHT
By BILL KNIGHT
WILLIAMSFIELD – From backing Billtown’s Emergency Management Service (EMS) to discussing new ordinances, public safety was on the minds of the Williamsfield Village Board on Monday. Interim Village President Michael Gray and Trustees Leland Wight and Ryan Smith all voiced support for EMS, which the State has accused of irregularities after apparent complaints from an Oak Run resident and an OSF employee in Galesburg, and the Board unanimously encouraged the community to attend EMS’ next meeting, at 7 p.m. Monday (Nov. 10) at the firehouse. (See box on Page 2). Also, James Robertson from Williamsfield’s police department presented tentative ideas for new local ordinances that could permit more flexibility for officers, from nuisances to snow emergencies. “Right now, [situations] can be difficult to enforce,” Robertson said. “If there’s no local ordinance, usually the choice is a state citation or an arrest. Local ordinances give us the option to keep [incidents] local and not forward them to the State. This would help address some things.” Gray said, “We need to give police something they’re comfortable with,
Peoria County Board member Brad Harding on Tuesday was re-elected to represent District 16, defeating challenger Richard Burns 56.31 percent to 43.69 percent, according to the Peoria County Clerk’s unofficial results with all 74 precincts reporting. Unlike Harding’s partisan campaign, which stressed his Republican standing, Harding the incumbent was very conciliatory Tuesday night, voicing his appreciation for Burns as well as his constituents. The final tally was Harding 2,168; Burns 1,682. Burns “First, I’d like to thank the voters of the 16th District,” Harding told The Weekly Post. “The job that we’ve done together, so far, is a great job, but there’s much more to do and I’m ready to go to work tomorrow. “I thought it would be much closer,” added Harding, a 57-year-old Trivoli farmer first elected in 2008. “I’m
For The Weekly Post
Continued on Page 2
For The Weekly Post
Members of the Laura Winners 4H Club made 20 blankets to donate to the Lillie M. Evans Library in Princeville for Project Linus. Pictured are (back row, left to right) Ellie Ferretti, Grace Dearing, Carrie Gill, Anita Routh of Lillie M. Evans Library, Kelly Gill, Ashleigh Brawley, Kristi Smith and group leader Carol Cowser; (front row, l to r) Liam McGrath, Shaelyn McGrath, Grace Dearing and Amber Brawley.
Laura group donates blankets
LAURA – As part of its community service, the Laura Winners 4H Club recently gathered to make 20 blankets to donate to the Bloomington-based Project Linus. Club members met in late October armed with sewing machines, scissors and ideas and had their stack of blankets done within a few hours. The blankets were donated to the Lillie M. Evans Library for Project Linus, which distributes blankets to “children in hospitals, shelters, social service agencies, or anywhere that a child might be in need of a big hug,” according to the group’s Website.
Ellie Ferretti and her grandmother, Lillian Jacobs, sew a flannel blanket.
Continued on Page 9