Thursday Dec. 24, 2015 Vol. 3, No. 42
The Weekly Post
Happy Holidays!
“We Cover The News of West-Central Illinois With A Passion” Serving the fine communities of Brimfield, Dahinda, Duncan, Edwards, Elmwood, Farmington, Kickapoo, Laura, Monica, Oak Hill, Princeville, Williamsfield and Yates City
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Area Troop produced nine Eagle Scouts this year By BILL KNIGHT
BRIMFIELD – Two parks and an area church benefited from more than 1,300 hours of work by nine young men in a productive year for Boy Scout Troop 352, which this month recognized its eighth and ninth Eagle Scouts in 2015. Collin Chaney (from Elmwood) and Bradley Grothaus (Edwards) on Dec. 14 earned their Eagle Scout rank in a Court of Honor by Troop 352, sponsored by Brimfield Evangelical Free Church. They follow fellow Troop members Kelby Barnewolt (Brimfield), Dean Burwell For The Weekly Post
Collection bins take donations elsewhere
(Elmwood), Ben Camp (Springfield), Matthew Gerontes (Brimfield), Austin Golemon (Brimfield), Hayden Golemon (Brimfield) and Elijah McKim (Hanna City, now London Mills). The highest advancement rank in Boy Scouting, the Eagle rank is attained by just 7 percent of Scouters, according to the BSA. To earn the rank, Scouts must progress through five other ranks, earn 21 merit badges in subjects ranging from “Citizenship in the Community” and “Family Life” to “Environmental Science” and “Personal Management,” and develop and lead an ap-
proved service project. Troop 352’s nine Eagle Scouts from 2015 earned a total of 252 merit badges and completed the following projects: • Barnewolt worked with others to build a picket fence at the schoolhouse at Wildlife Prairie Park south of Edwards; • Burwell organized construction of a Rosary garden at St. Patrick’s Church in Elmwood; • Camp led a group in rebuilding the West Trail to Walden Pond at Wildlife Prairie Park • Chaney worked with volContinued on Page 2
Nine members of Boy Scout Troop 352 earned Eagle Scout status in 2015: Top row (left to right): Elijah McKim, Ben Camp, Matthew Gerontes and Hayden Golemon. Front row (l to r): Bradley Grothaus, Collin Chaney, Kelby Barnewolt and Dean Burwell. Not pictured: Austin Golemon.
STAR WARS DEBUTS
By TERRY BIBO
For The Weekly Post
Continued on Page 10
BRIMFIELD – After months of uncertainty, Brimfield Union School District 309 Superintendent Joe Blessman’s contract was renewed – for one year. Dozens of onlookers applauded after the 7-0 vote at the Dec. 16 meeting. The board had moved into the cafeteria/common area, expecting a large crowd, but Greg Micklos was the only person on the agenda to speak. “Mr. Blessman has shown he has the expertise to balance all these items,” Micklos said, citing BUSD’s budgetary, sports and academic success. “I ask you make the right decision by extending his contract.” After a relatively brief executive session – about half an hour, compared to multi-hour sessions earlier in the year – the board did so, quickly For The Weekly Post
By BILL KNIGHT
ELMWOOD – West-central Illinois charities say some steel bins placed in area parking lots to collect clothing and shoes may not help the needy as much as people assume. The donations are more likely to go to for-profit ventures since many such collection boxes are operated by companies that sell the donated material, usually to foreign markets. One of the largest such forprofit enterprises is USAgain, which has about 10,000 bins in 17 states, and 20 in the area, including the east parking lot at the Elmwood school district, the Edwards Tap and Korean
Brimfield OK’s one-year deal for Blessman
Members of the Casey family of Princeville were among those who dressed up for the premiere of “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” last week at Peoria’s Carmike Theatre at the Shoppes at Grand Prairie. From left to right are Josie Casey (Jedi), Kim Casey (Princess Leia), someone dressed up as a Wookiee, William Casey (young Jedi) and someone in a Storm Trooper costume. Photo by Collin Fairfield.
Continued on Page 2
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THE WEEKLY POST • Thursday, December 24, 2015
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SCOUTS: Most Eagles in a year Continued from Page 1
unteers to rebuild the East Trail to Walden Pond at Wildlife Prairie Park, • Gerontes led others in repairing a train and swing set at the Wildlife Prairie Park playground; • Austin Golemon organized the rehabilitation of the Kickapoo Park concession building in Kickapoo; • Hayden Golemon led a project to landscape and repair bricks at Wildlife Prairie Park; • Grothaus finished an effort to build a cable fence in the Pioneer Area in Wildlife Prairie Park; and • McKim made major improvements at two campsites at Wildlife Prairie Park. Beyond building, their projects required planning, fund-raising and managing their projects, giving them experience valuable in coming years. The nine also are planning their futures. • Barnewolt is considering studying law or business management at the University of Iowa; • Burwell wants to major in Computer Science toward a career in Reliability and Test Engineering; • Camp plans to go to Chicago’s Sec-
ond City Theater to take courses in improvisation and creative writing; • Chaney wants a career as a traveling Registered Nurse; • Gerontes has received scholarship offers and chose the University of Iowa to study Chemical Engineering; • Austin Golemon received a scholarship to Western Illinois University, where he will double major in Spanish and German to become a translator; • Hayden Golemon plans to attend the college on a track/academic scholarship and major in biology, with an interest in orthodontics; • Grothaus wants to attend college to become either an engineer or orthodontist; and • McKim plans to take construction and maintenance courses at Illinois Central College. Troop 352 Scoutmaster Paul McKim, who’s been a Scoutmaster for 55 years, said 352 since it was formed in 1982 has produced 41 Eagle Scouts but never more than three Scouts achieving the rank in a calendar year.
BLESSMAN: 2016-17 salary $116,639 Continued from Page 1
and without comment. Contacted later, Blessman was pleased. “I don’t know what to say,” he said. “I’m thrilled to still be working at Brimfield, a community I love and my family loves.” According to the new contract, Blessman will continue to be both the high school principal and
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school superintendent until at least June 30, 2017. Blessman’s annual salary for 2016-2017 will be $116,639, plus benefits. Including 9.4 percent contributions to the Teachers’ Retirement System, his total compensation is closer to $129,000. He gets 15 days of vacation, exclusive of legal school holidays, 12 days
of sick leave and two personal days each year. Blessman can participate in the district medical insurance plan and the district will pay membership fees to professional groups such as the American Association of School Administrators. In return, the contract is performance-based, listing goals such as annual evaluations of student performance on standardized tests, curriculum reviews and reports to the board. More specific goals and indicators will be developed as an amendment to the contract. Initially, Blessman had sought a three-year agreement. “That’s OK,” he said. “I’m going to keep doing what I’m doing ... It’ll be fine.”
TERRY BIBO can be reached at
terry.bibo.freelance@gmail.com.
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THE WEEK AHEAD HOT PICKS This Week!
s Christmas Service – First Presbyterian Church of Farmington candlelight Christmas Eve Service is Thursday (Dec. 24) at 11 a.m. s Christmas Celebration – Dahinda Methodist Church Christmas Eve Service and celebration is Thursday (Dec. 24) at 9 p.m. s Coloring Class – Adults welcome at Brimfield Public Library on Tuesday (Dec. 29) from 12-7 p.m. to color stress away. Supplies provided.
visit redcrossblood.org or call 1-800733-2767. s Karaoke Night – Karaoke night at s Fiction Addiction – Teens welcome the Princeville VFW is Jan. 1 from 8at Brimfield Public Library on Jan. 14 12 p.m. from 3-4 p.m. to talk about books, s Knitting Guild – Heart of Illinois movies, music and get advance copies Knitting Guild meeting is Jan. 5 at 9 of soon-to-be released books. a.m. in the Community Room at Maple s Preschool Screening – DevelopLawn Homes in Eureka. All knitters mental screening for children up to age welcome to bring unfinished knitting 5 for Elmwood School District is Jan. goodies to share and 19 and 20. Located at materials to knit a hat, Publicize Your Event Brimfield E-free scarf or dish cloth for church. Appointments Call us at (309) 741-9790 the community. Call required. Call (309) or email information about (309) 472-7085 with 697-0880, Ext. 200. your upcoming event to questions. news@wklypost.com. s Book Club – Book s NAMI Meeting – club at Brimfield PubNAMI Mental Illness lic Library is Jan. 26 Education meeting is Jan. 7 from 7from 1-2:30 p.m. in the Library Study 8:30 p.m. Speaker is Dr. Jane Room. New members welcome. Larouche. Located at ICC North, s Library Painting – Luau theme and Poplar Hall, Room 129. kiddie cocktail bar at LME Library on s Blood Drive – A blood drive is Jan. 30 from 10 a.m.- 12 p.m. Limited scheduled for Jan. 11 at St. Patrick’s to 20 people, registration required. $20 Catholic Church in Elmwood from 12:30 to 5:30 p.m. For an appointment, per painter. Call (309) 385-4540.
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The Weekly Post The Weekly Post is published every Thursday (except the last weeks of December and June) by Lampe Publications LLC, 115 W. Main St., Elmwood, IL 61529. All phone numbers listed are in area code (309). Postmaster - Send address changes to The Weekly Post, P.O. Box 745, Elmwood, IL 61529 Phone - 741-9790 Fax - 741-9365 Email - news@wklypost.com Office Hours - Mon-Wed 9-3, Thurs 9-12, Fri 9-3 News - Jeff Lampe 231-6040, jeff@wklypost.com Classifieds - Shelly Brodine 741-9790 Advertising - 741-9790 Subscriptions - Subscriptions $50 for 50 issues. Deadlines - News due Tuesdays by noon. Retail ads and classifieds due Mondays by noon. Quotable – “We must accept finite disappointment, but never lose infinite hope.” – Martin Luther King Jr. Illinois Press Association Member
Of nests, ‘Elf’, Galadriel and Xro-nia-po-la
Rambling through central Illinois pondering how Santa is going to enter our house now that we removed the chimney. uuu Christmas came early for me last week when Terry Runyon of Elmwood dropped off three hornet nests he had collected this fall. They are in varying stages of decay and have added some character to the already eclectic Weekly Post office – not to mention a new aroma. So far, and don’t tell my Jeff wife or office LAMPE manager Shelly this, I’ve only seen one hornet flying around. ... That reminds me of the cold day when my brother and I collected a mess of wasp nests we shot out of Grandma’s eaves with a Red Ryder BB gun. We put all the “dormant” nests in her warm garage. You know what happened next. uuu When I allow it, hope overcomes everything else. The sadness. The fears. The regrets. The options, as I see them in blessed moments of
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clarity between deadlines, are: 1. to give in to pessimism and doubt, or, 2. to embrace hope. Well, dang it, I’m going all in on hope for 2016. There’s no other way to approach a New Year. It will be better. It will. ... Among the reasons not to watch television are this: “Peek, Peek, Peek A Boo!” ... My middle son told me his class watched “Elf” at school the other day. The old man in me thought, “What the heck?” Then I spent a few hours watching “Elf” after a long stretch of too much work and I realized a teacher made a fine decision. Thank you. uuu Thanks also to the e-mailers who replied to my question about a cryptic line from a few weeks ago. The winner of a $20 first prize (to be paid in cold libations) was Bernie Barton of Elmwood. He correctly identified a mangled quote from Galadriel in the Lord of the Rings trilogy which I twisted to my own uses. Yes, I realize how obscure and weird that sounds. No, I don’t care. Robert Plant sang about Mordor and he’s way cooler than any of us. And “Star Wars” is a mere shadow of the genius that is “The Lord of the Rings.” ... Thanks also to Kevin Hoffman and Ron Cluskey and the
anonymous e-mailer (who let me know what an idiot I am) who hazarded guesses at cryptic comments that ranged from “lions and tigers and bears” to Lou Reed. Apparently this space is very cryptic. ... Given that, here’s a toast to our buddy Dimitri Beres. “Xro-nia po-la.” Or as they say in the old country, Happy New Year! ... Just a reminder, our second best issue of year (or so says The Mayor of Oak Hill) comes out next week, when we do not publish. Speaking of The Mayor, he now asks that you refer to him as, “The Big Buck Slayer.” uuu You may have read several letters to the editor regarding Williamsfield in the past few months, including one today. We print letters and – pro or con – the letters do not mean we favor one side or the other. But I can tell you this: We do not favor cowards who throw nails or tire jacks in driveways to cause flat tires. That’s lame. ... The older I get, the more I appreciate Jimi Hendrix. ... Parting shot: Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to anyone who took the time to read this far into another collection of scattershots. Contact Jeff Lampe at 231-6040 or jeff@wklypost.com
This column could spoil your Christmas
I should warn you. This column may spoil your Christmas. It comes from my collection of “Everything You Know is Wrong” collection of stories. A few years ago, pastor Mark asked me to help put together the Christmas Eve Jon service at our GALLAGHER church. He knew my penchant for doing research, and he knew I could string together sentences in a somewhat
logical order so he asked that I write some “mini” stories about the holiday. I had heard the story of how the beautiful hymn “Silent Night” came to be. Since it was probably my favorite Christmas carol, I thought I’d retell the story. According to legend, the lyrics to the song were written in 1816 by a young priest named Joseph Mohr. He had be appointed to the St. Nicola parish in Oberndorf, Austria, in 1818 when he went to the church organist, Franz Xavier Gruber, and asked him to compose the music for accompaniment by a
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guitar. According to the legend, the church’s organ had broken down on Christmas Eve, and rather than cancel the service or have a traditional hymn sung with no organ, Mohr would lead the congregation in singing his new song. It’s a fine story and was the subject of a Hallmark Channel movie, one of those that give you a warm fuzzy feeling after watching it. Unfortunately, it’s not true. When I began researching the hymn, I found that many people disputed the glorified version of Continued on Page 6
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THE WEEKLY POST • Thursday, December 24, 2015
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GUEST VOICES
May Your Every Wish Come Tru T ue. Tr
Banks case resulted in loss of teachers
To the Editor: After reading an article about Williamsfield Schools being sued by former employee Ann Banks, I felt compelled to offer my explanation of the mystery of Banks’ reported improprieties. Besides being a phenomenal, dedicated and caring teacher, Ann Banks is innocent. In late December 2014, Banks was called in by Superintendent Tim Farquer for questioning on specific tweets he found on her personal Twitter account. These tweets related to topics such as the Chicago Bears, Blue Moon and not owning a firearm. These were part of a personal Twitter account that did not give her name or any indication she worked for Williamsfield Schools. When she was called in, Banks was given the choice to either resign or be “investigated,” even though it was made clear no charges were being brought against her and there were no parent or student complaints. Banks did not resign and was investigated. The difficulty and stress these circumstances created for Banks and her family were unimaginable. The overwhelming support Banks received from parents, colleagues, and students at the special December 2014 board meeting was seemingly ignored by the superintendent and the school board. The “investigation” was complete in January 2015 with no charges or documented reprimands. Banks, after seeking private counsel, was presented with the option of separating from the district with her full salary, benefits and a recommendation letter, or continuing employment. She chose to leave the district and
moved her family out of town. As she was attempting to move on and put the hurt behind her, she discovered an employee of the district, Amanda Secrist, had made potentially slanderous statements about her which ultimately led to the pending litigation Williamsfield Schools is currently facing. Since the news of the civil lawsuit broke, Williamsfield Schools continues to stand by Secrist, as she is still employed as a middle school cheerleading sponsor. This begs the question: Why is Secrist still employed after making statements about Banks on social media when Banks was more or less forced out over her personal Twitter account? Why does the school administration pick and choose when they do and do not follow their social media policy? (A policy that was not made known to the staff until after Banks was called in for her alleged violation.) Because of similar challenges, Williamsfield lost many valuable, educated and experienced female teachers last year. It is both sad and a waste of resources to continue to spread negativity about former staff members when the focus should be on the students. – Becky Blankenship, Yates City former Williamsfield teacher and former WEA executive board member
Informed citizens can change gun laws
To the Editor: I write in response to Gene Vaughan’s December 17, 2015 article, “Cain did not own a gun”. I would suggest that if he (Cain) were a U.S. citizen today he would have, for there are enough guns in our country to arm every
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man, woman, and child. As Vaughan rambles to offer reasons why guns should not be thought of as killing machines, he does so with the same pitch that we get from the NRA, the gun lobby and right-wing politicians: he speaks as if guns were all one type. There is no guilty relationship between all the gun violence in this country and that person’s first gun, a single-shot 22-caliber rifle, or great-grand pappy’s double barrel, passed down through the generations like some religious icon. I would encourage Vaughan and young voters to check out the statistics on what happens when you bring a handgun or assault rifle into your life. There is a mountain of evidence to show that these two types of guns will lead to murder, suicide, or a tragic accident. Vaughan should not worry about our present President or a wouldbe President taking a serious stand against pistols and military-style rifles, for if that type of political courage could be mustered, it would have happened several years of mass murders ago. Only when the American public becomes informed as to the violent role that handguns have in our society (a child, under the age of 12 dies every other day as a result of gun violence, mostly due to handguns) or that of assault rifles, which have no place but on the battlefield, will we reduce the killing in our shopping malls, churches, and schools. It will take informed citizens to champion this change and there will be little help from Hollywood, TV dramas, or politicians. – George Tanner, Yates City
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THE WEEKLY POST • Thursday, December 24, 2015
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GALLAGHER: Roaming priest penned ‘Stille Nacht’ Continued from Page 5
the story, saying that it was just too perfect of a story. I figured it was just another of those Christmas miracles we hear so much about, but I continued digging. My search brought me to Franz Schafer, a curator at the Stille Nacht Chapel in Oberndorf (he may have been assigned to me because he was the only one who read English). He gave me the REAL story. It seems that the priests in the early 1800s were required to go from town to town and preach God’s word. Farmers and peasants in the smaller towns didn’t venture to the larger villages much, and there weren’t enough priests to go around to cover all the little hamlets of the Austrian countryside. When the priests roamed like this, they took their entire service with them. Since Mohr would have had a heck of a time loading a large, heavy pipe organ onto a wagon, and even a worse time try-
ing to find a pair of horses or mules to pull said wagon, it was easier for him to take along his guitar. He had written the words to “Stille Nacht” two years previously, when he was still just an associate priest. Once he got his own church, he was anxious to “make his mark,” and had Gruber compose a hymn he could play on his guitar. Schafer wrote to me confirming the later story, but said that the broken organ story was very popular. He said that they get several hundred requests a year, most from around Christmastime, for more information about the broken organ I suppose that Schafer could be tired of answering emails and just made up the story about the guitar-playing priest himself, just as his own personal little joke, but I don’t think so. His “real” explanation makes too much sense. Lots of things are like that. Legends supplant the real story and
PUBLIC RECORD
NOTE: Charges are merely an accusation. All suspects are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
Sheriffs make DUI arrest after car crash
KICKAPOO – Steven Mitts, 21, of Peoria on Dec. 20 was arrested for Driving Under the Influence after the 2004 Mazda he was driving westbound on Illinois Route 8 in Kickapoo Township left the road, knocked down a sign and came to rest on the east side of the highway, according to the Peoria County Sheriff’s Office. The accident occurred about 2:30 a.m., and Mitts told police he was had become nauseous and
threw up out his window and didn’t navigate a curve. No injuries were reported, said police, who also ticketed Mitts for failure to reduce speed to avoid an accident.
Peoria juvenile injured in one-car accident
BRIMFIELD – A 16-year-old Peoria girl was injured Dec. 13 after she lost control of her car, eastbound on U.S. Route 150 near Philander Chase Lane in Brimfield Township, skidded on the highway and left the road to the south, according to reports. The vehicle hit a culvert and
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suddenly, the fictionalized version becomes the accepted “true story.” Remind me and someday I’ll blow your mind about the “Sound of Music” and the real Von Trapp Family Singers. You can choose to believe the broken-organ story if you like. You can choose to believe the traveling priest version. It doesn’t take away the fact that “Silent Night” is one of the most beautiful Christmas songs ever written. On another note, thank you for another wonderful year here at the Weekly Post! I’ve enjoyed visiting with many of you about some of the silly things I write and hope to be able to continue to entertain you for quite some time to come. I wish all of you the Merriest of Christmases and a Wonderful New Year. Or Happy Hanukah. Or Happy Kwanza. Or Festive Boxing Day. Or Happy Whatever it is you Celebrate or Don’t Celebrate Day. I’m easy to get along with.
flipped into the rough nearby, police said.
AMT transported her to OSF St.
Mary’s Medical Center in Peoria.
Police Reports
• Amanda Coulter, 32, of Farm-
ington on Dec. 19 was arrested for outstanding warrants from Peoria
County (for Failure To Appear on a larceny charge) and Tazewell
County (for Failure to Appear on a driving while license is suspended charge), and transported to the Fulton County Jail.
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Edwards church auctioned off By BILL KNIGHT
EDWARDS – The building that housed the Bethel Bible Church for 66 years fell silent after the last church service on Dec. 7, 2014, but it may once more echo with the sounds of faith as a Bartonville woman successfully bid on the property at a Saturday morning auction there Dec. 19. The woman, who declined to give her name, told seller Jerry Trecek of Peoria Rescue Mission she hoped to start a children’s ministry and related activities at the 3,200 square foot structure at 9728 W. Powder Mill Rd. here. The sale price was $55,000. “We had it on the market for about a year,” Trecek said. “The proceeds will go to the general operations of the Rescue Mission and help us recoup some of our costs since we took possession, like insurance and so on.” Auctioneer John Leezer of Maloof Farm & Land in Toulon, explained the property was sold in as-is condition, but noted that the water had been tested For The Weekly Post
Jerry Trecek of the Peoria Rescue Mission, seated, on Saturday accepted a bid from this unidentified Bartonville woman, who bought the former Bethel Bible Church for $55,000. Photo by Bill Knight.
and was satisfactory, as was the plumbing and septic system, roof, furnace and various fixtures. A $5,000 deposit was required, the buyer signed a purchase agreement with Jim Maloof realtors, and closing will occur within 30 days, when the buyer will be public record. Maloof Commercial Real Estate had listed the property for $149,000. Fifteen people attended the auction, which lasted about half an hour. Although the full kitchen remains intact, a few items had been donated to other churches in recent months, Trecek
said. “We gave part of the sound system to a mission in New York, and a few pews to Grace Church in Morton,” he said. “And we took a table and some chairs to Victory Acres [the Rescue Mission’s camp off Cameron Lane north of Mapleton]. But it’ll still be perfect for a country church or a wedding chapel and the like.” The old story is that the congregation, organized in 1936, bought and moved the old Orange Grange building to the site in 1949. Now the property could have a new life, and make new stories.
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THE WEEKLY POST • Thursday, December 24, 2015
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Xmas trees, wreaths have Roman roots By RON DIETER
By now most everyone who wants a tree or a wreath in the home for the holidays has the job done. These decorations are traditions that have evolved over the centuries to become important parts of our celebrations. In Roman times, the wreath was used as a symbol of victory. Roman heroes and athletes were often depicted with wreaths of gilded leaves about their heads. Wreaths made of greens were used during holidays to symbolize the power of life overcoming the forces of winter. This tradition made its way to the pre-Christian German people who used evergreen wreaths and fires as signs of faith and hope in the coming of spring. Later, as Christianity spread throughout Europe, wreaths became important religious symbols. The unending circle of the wreath symbolized God without beginning or end. The evergreens symbolized mankind's immortality. Green is a color used by Christians to symbolize hope and new life. By the 16th century, German Christians refined the symbolism by creating the Advent wreath. The circle of evergreens was decorated with four candles, three purple and one rose. Sometimes a white candle was placed in the center, representing Christ. The purple candles represent penance, sorrow and anticipation, and were lit during the For The Weekly Post
first, second and fourth weeks of Advent. The rose colored candle, lit in the third week, the halfway point of Advent, stood for the hope and joy to come on Christmas Day. Each day during the Advent season the candles were lit, perhaps before the evening meal, one candle the first week, and then another each week until Christmas. A short prayer would accompany the lighting of the candles. The white candle, of course, was lit on Christmas Eve to celebrate the birth of the Savior. Today the tradition of the Advent wreath is still important to many Christians. With increasing secular pressures on the family and society, the Advent wreath affords a chance to stop and consider what Christmas is really all about. The traditional Christmas tree has its roots in Roman history as well. Romans decorated trees with small metal ornaments during Saturnalia, a winter festival to honor Saturnus, the god of agriculture. In the middle ages, German Christians decorated an evergreen, the Paradise tree, with apples as a symbol of the feast of Adam and Eve held on Dec. 24. The tree was the scenery used in a popular religious play which told the story of Adam and Eve and their expulsion from the Garden of Eden. The play ended with the prophecy of a coming Savior, and so was frequently presented during Advent.
The Paradise tree became a popular symbol and was often set up in churches, and eventually in private homes as well. Later it became a symbol of the Savior. German and English immigrants brought the Christmas tree to America in the early 1800s. German glassblowers produced fragile, lightweight glass ornaments to replace heavier, natural decorations. Lights and decorations became symbols of the joy and light of Christmas. The star that topped the tree symbolized the star in the east. Americans have embraced the tree as a holiday favorite, making it a part of national traditions. Thomas Edison’s assistants came up with the idea of using electric lights in place of candles on Christmas trees, enhancing the chances the local fire brigade would be able to spend more time at home with their families. Franklin Pierce, the 14th President, brought the Christmas tree tradition to the White House. In 1923, President Calvin Coolidge started the National Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony. Today the Christmas tree, like Christmas itself, has lost much of its meaning. Tree ornaments depicting cartoon characters and sports figures abound. The Advent wreath, on the other hand, has remained a treasured symbol for Christians celebrating the birth of the Savior.
Williamsfield renews insurance By BILL KNIGHT
WILLIAMSFIELD – The Board of Education of Williamsfield C.U.S. D. 210 at a special meeting on Dec. 17 unanimously approved a tax levy OK’d by consensus three days before. The Board also approved renewing the District’s commercial and workers compensation insurance policies with the Rick Brown Insurance Agency of Williamsfield. The levy is $3,415,286, which Superintendent Tim Farquer said will mean a $4.22 tax rate – 16 cents lower than last year. As expected, the Board also unanimously approved moving the process For The Weekly Post
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forward on summer building updates to prepare for bidding the work that is to be done. The District’s proposed summer 2016 facility renovation plan is estimated to cost $430,000, which would include a more secure south entrance, upgrading the French and Music rooms, a new security camera system, and a new STEM (Science-Technology-Engineering-Math) lab. The Board also hired Mike Weitekamp as varsity baseball coach and Tim Brown as junior varsity baseball coach. The next Williamsfield Board of Education meeting is scheduled for Jan. 11 at 6:30 p.m.
THE WEEKLY POST • Thursday, December 24, 2015
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Thousand Dollar Road done for now By BILL KNIGHT
JUBILEE – It wasn’t yet the night before Christmas, but all through area townships, few were stirring. Some didn’t make public information available, but most were merely at a slow time of the season. In Jubilee Township, its intergovernmental-agreement project with Peoria County is finished for the season, according to Supervisor Steve Garnett. “Thousand Dollar Road is complete until next year, when it will be sealcoated after it settles and compacts,” Garnett said this last week. “Final bills have not yet been received.” Jubilee’s approved 2015 tax levy is $68,750 for the Township and $192,300 for the Road For The Weekly Post
District. In other Township news: • Kickapoo Township Supervisor Karl Koy on Monday said rough estimates for a Kickapoo Park building project are higher than anticipated, but none have responded to specific bid requests. Asked whether a public meeting for community input might occur in January or February, Koy replied, “Yes.” • Radnor Township on
Dec. 14 passed its taxlevy ordinance for next year. “We adopted the levies for 2015, collectible in 2016,” said Supervisor Philip Cornish, “no change from last year: Township: $130,500; Road: $361,300.” The Township property has been officially annexed to the Village of Dunlap ahead of steps for a new administration building under Dunlap zoning regulations.
24001 W. Farmington Road, Farmington, IL 61531
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DONATIONS: Company sells donated items Continued from Page 1
Presbyterian Church in Edwards, and Doubet Seed Co. in Hanna City. Based in West Chicago, USAgain reportedly collects about 30,000 tons of shoes, clothes and various textiles a year. “I know in our Kankakee area, they have had some struggles with people maybe mistaking them for us or Goodwill,” said Rich Draeger, Assistant Director of Development for the Salvation Army’s Heartland Division, an area of 65 counties stretching from Kankakee to Keokuk, Iowa, and Waterloo, Iowa, to Danville. The for-profit companies make money by bundling clothes and then selling them in bulk to recycling companies that export them, where they’re re-sold as apparel, turned into rags, or repurposed as insulation or padding for furniture. In Elmwood, school Superintendent Chad Wagner explained its participation. “The District will receive two cents a pound of all donations,” Wagner said. “Not a big deal, but I noticed that Farmington had a couple, and wanted to offer a similar opportunity for our community to be able to drop off clothes and shoes, and in the process, maybe keep people from making the drive to other communities – where they would possibly spend their dollars there when they could instead stay in Elmwood and shop and eat here.” It’s not illegal to collect donations and resell those goods for a profit. But USAgain has been criticized for misleading the public or not having proper licensing. The company also been tied to a Danish group, known as Tvind or the Teachers Group, which has been prosecuted for fraud in Denmark, where officials allege it to be a mul-
This USAgain collection bin is located east of Elmwood High School’s parking lot.
timillion-dollar global business misrepresenting itself as humanitarian group, according to investigative reports by KIRO-TV 7 in Seattle or other news outlets. USAgain’s collections can hurt donations to area agencies that need them to fund operations. Besides the Salvation Army and Goodwill, west central Illinois has a program that not only accepts donations of clothes and shoes, but gives them away: Dream Center Peoria (DCP), a mission of Riverside Community Church. “We are the only place in town that offers free clothing,” says Matt Larson, DCP executive director at its downtown location. “A lot of people face difficult choices – ‘Should I buy food or a shirt for my kid?’ – and a lot can’t afford to even pay $7 for a shirt from Goodwill.” DCP has its HOPE Store, which gathers clothing and other household items that have been donated to them for free and, in turn, distributes them to the needy for free. The store is open from 9 a.m.-noon on the first Thursday and the third Saturday
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each month. “We get 70, 80 people every day we’re open,” Larson says. “It’s run like a store. We let so many people in at a time, they get 30 minutes to shop, and when they ‘check out’ – it’s free.” Commercial clothing recyclers say they help prevent unwanted clothing from winding up in landfills. However, many people may prefer their donations help people in their area. The growth of collection bins has resulted in some communities trying to control them, citing concerns like some boxes placed in locations without property owners’ permission, or untidy areas where boxes weren’t promptly emptied. In Illinois, Cicero and St. Charles regulate them, and Schaumburg prohibits them. Draeger and Larson aren’t advocating that, but they hope people become not just “smart shoppers,” but smart donors. “Well-intentioned folks need to do a little investigating as to where their donations go,” said Draeger, of the Salvation Army. “We take coats only at our downtown location. Otherwise, people would take items to our Thrift Store on Allen Road, or look for a Salvation Army drop-box – our collection boxes are clearly marked in red and white, with appropriate Salvation Army signage.” Larson agreed. “I’m not opposed to helping others in other countries,” he said. “At the same time, we’re really still in a recession, a difficult time. When your house’s budget is in ruins, it’s difficult to help anybody else. I hope people would at least think about splitting up their donations, so some sells maybe, but some is given out to people. “Whatever’s collected in [those] bins doesn’t come here,” he added, “and it’s not given out here.”
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BRIEFS Farmington to take sealed bids on library
FARMINGTON – The Farmington City Council will accept sealed bids in the sale of the former Carnegie library. Appraisal One of Galesburg put the fair market value of the 266 E. Fort St. building at $50,000. By law, the building can sell for no less than $40,000. Sealed bids are also being accepted for the sale of the old Ward School building and should be opened at the council’s Jan. 18 meeting. The council also: • Approved releasing $30,962.56 in surplus Tax Increment Finance funds to Fulton County. • Approved paying Farmington CUSD 265 a total of $19,896.42 from TIF funds. • Approved paying $35,000 to the Bank of Farmington for a loan for
A group of 84 fifth- and sixth-grade students from Elmwood surprised Gene and Shirley Wilson on Dec. 17 by arriving at the Wilson’s home east of Elmwood to sing Christmas carols. Because a cold wind was blowing, students came into a heated machine shed to serenade the Wilsons. “What a treat this was and we thank Wendy Coulter (and all the kids) for putting it all together,” Shirley Wilson said.
creation of the TIF district. The balance is $33,004.68, which the council expects to pay in 2016.
Et cetera
More than 100 youth members of the Young Marines, including Sgt.
Maj. Lucas Ward of Farmington, visited Pearl Harbor from Dec. 5-7 to honor veterans. The group cleaned a beach, dedicated a memorial stone and led the Pearl Harbor Memorial Parade in Honolulu.
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The family of, SFC John F. Petit III, would like to give their thanks and heartfelt gratitude to all those who helped us through the trying times of the loss of our beloved John. All the outpouring of condolences and offerings of past memories will be appreciated forever. The memorials for the Elmwood Education Fund and Wounded Warriors Fund were more than we could have ever anticipated. Your contributions to the memories of our fallen soldier will serve deserving people with needs. We would like to offer our special thanks to all the service organizations from Elmwood and surrounding communities that provided military honors for John at the funeral home and cemetery. The sight of all the flags and former members of the military that gave the salute at the gravesite will always be held in our hearts with the highest regards. A soldier had fallen, and all proper military rites were accorded. A special thanks goes out to Mike Egan and the Patriot Riders. They were at the church when we arrived and were there to provide an escort for the journey to our loved ones final resting place. Once again, a soldier was given the respect of his fellow Americans in a manner that befitted his long and honorable service. A simple thank you is not enough for all our friends who tried so hard to ease the pain of the loss of one so dear to us, but please believe us when we say we could not have gone through this again without the outpouring of love and support. Thank you all so much. We love you all. Finally, a thank you is not enough to offer Debbie Glenn of Oaks and Hines Funeral Home. From meeting us at the funeral home at 1:30 in the morning on our return from North Carolina, to all the phone calls made to assure that our requests for military rites were given, you showed us how much you care for the families under the most difficult circumstances. Please know that you will always hold a special place in our hearts for all that you did to assure that John’s final journey was done with respect he deserved, Thank You. Please forgive us if we have forgotten to offer our thanks to anyone. This has been an incredibly difficult time for us, but know that all that was done for SFC John F. Pettit III will be forever in our hearts and memories. Thank You.
Christy and Liam Pettit John and Gerri Pettit Tami and Guillermo Romo Meika Pettit Connor, Lexi, Scott, Ellie, Memin, and Angela
JOE MERRICK
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NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING BEFORE THE CITY OF ELMWOOD ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS ON AN AMENDMENT TO THE TEXT OF THE ZONING ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF ELMWOOD, ILLINOIS The City of Elmwood Zoning Board of Appeals will hold a public hearing on Tuesday, January 12, 2016 at 7:00 p.m. at the City of Elmwood City Hall, 201 W. Main Street, Elmwood, Illinois, with respect to a proposed amendment to the text of the City of Elmwood zoning ordinance which would revise the language in the Table of Classifications for Home Occupations. A copy of the proposed amendment is available at the office of the City of Elmwood City Clerk, Elmwood City Hall, 201 W. Main Street, Elmwood, Illinois. By Order of the Zoning Board of Appeals of the City of Elmwood, Peoria County, Illinois.
NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING ON APPLICATION FOR AN AMENDMENT TO A SPECIAL USE PERMIT GRANTED TO DAVID W. WILTZ, TO THE CITY OF ELMWOOD ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS The City of Elmwood Zoning Board of Appeals will hold a public hearing on Tuesday, January 12, 2016 at 7:00 p.m. at the City of Elmwood City Hall, 201 W. Main Street, Elmwood, Illinois, on the application of David W. Wiltz for an Amendment to a Special Use Permit previously granted in connection with a room addition on an existing residence on the property commonly known as 106 W. Ash St., Elmwood, Illinois (Parcel Identification Number 11-07-278-002), with frontage on W. Ash St., and legally described as the ‘TOWN OF ELMWOOD NE ¼ SEC 7-9-5E E 75’ LOT 2 & E 75’ N ½ LOT 3 BLK C’ of the City of Elmwood, together with adjacent rights of way. The applicant is the owner of the property. The applicant has requested an amendment to a previously granted Special Use Permit with respect to the rear property setback requirement for a primary structure. By order of the Zoning Board of Appeals of the City of Elmwood, Peoria County, Illinois.
(309) 645-0643. • WOODEN TABLE: Antique wooden drop-leaf table. $30 OBO. (309) 231-3350. • VINYL FLOORING: Designer’s Image Platinum Series self-stick 16x16 floor tile, 412 square feet, 12 boxes, 20 pieces per box. (309) 741-9790.
FOR RENT • HOUSE: 4BR, 2 BA, two stall garage, between Kickapoo and 74. Brimfield
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HELP WANTED • PHONE SALESPERSON: Part-time advertising sales position. Phone skills a must. Flexible hours. Send resume to: PO Box 745; Elmwood, IL, 61529.
WANTED • HUNTING LAND: Seeking land to lease for waterfowl, turkey or deer hunting. (309) 231-6040.
CLAIM NOTICE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE TENTH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT OF ILLINOIS Peoria County, in Probate In the Matter of the Estate of RONALD L. ROHRER, 15-P-559 NOTICE OF CLAIM DATE Notice is hereby given to creditors of the death of RONALD L. ROHRER. Letters of Administration were issued to SUSAN L. ROE, whose address is 304 N. Ellen Ave., Princeville, Illinois 61559, as Executor, whose attorneys are CORDIS & CORDIS, Attorneys at Law, 129 North Walnut Street, P.O. Box 445, Princeville, Illinois 61559. Claims against the estate may be filed in the Circuit Clerk's Office, Peoria County Courthouse, Peoria, Illinois, or with the representative, or both, on or before the 17th day of June 2016, or if mailing or delivery of a notice from the representative is required by Sec. 18-3 of the Probate Act of 1975, the date stated in that notice. Every claim filed must be in writing and state sufficient information to notify the representative of the nature of the claim or other relief sought. Any claim not filed on or before that date is barred. Copies of a claim filed with the clerk must be mailed or delivered by the claimant to the representative and to the attorney within ten (10) days after it has been filed. Dated: December 14, 2015 . SUSAN L. ROE, Administrator of the Estate of RONALD L. ROHRER, Deceased Cordis & Cordis Attorneys for Executor 129 North Walnut Avenue P.O. Box 445 Princeville, Illinois 61559 309.385.46l6
By: /s/ Kerry R. Cordis Attorney for Estate
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OBITUARIES Ronald Lee Howard
DAHINDA – Ronald Lee Howard, 62, of Galesburg, formerly of Dahinda, died Dec. 14 at Heartland Health Care Center of Galesburg. Survivors include daughter Laura (Kyle) Sauter of Peoria; son Tyson Howard of Peoria; grandchildren Kenley and Kaiden Sauter of Peoria; sister Judy (Dale) Lambert of Dahinda and brother Scott Howard of Galesburg. Funeral services were Dec. 17 at the United Methodist Church in Dahinda with burial at the Trenton Cemetery, rural Dahinda, with military rites by Williamsfield American Legion Post No. 371. Condolences may be left online at www.hurdhendricksfuneralhomes.com.
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Donna Brewer, Local Representative (309) 742-4661
KICKAPOO – Lucy Ann Humbles, infant granddaughter of a Kickapoo resident, died Dec. 12 at her home in Chicago. Born in Chicago on July 10, 2015, to Eric and Lori Stenger Humbles, she is survived by her parents; her sister Violet; grandparents Frank and Dorothy Ludolph Stenger of Kickapoo, and Patricia Humbles-Pegues (Alvin Pegues) of Los Angeles, Calif.; her greatgrandmother, Betty Humbles of Peoria; her godmother, Shirley Ludolph of Kickapoo; uncle Todd Stenger of Peoria; aunt,Julie (Tom) Zielinski of Cary; and cousins Connor and Ryan Zielinski of Cary. Cremation has been accorded and interment of ashes will be in a private graveside service at St. Patrick’s Cemetery in Kickapoo.
Niven McVey
ELMWOOD – Niven E. McVey, 85, of Elmwood died Dec. 12 in Florida. Survivors include children Brian (Candy) McVey of Farmington, Penny (David) Farley of London Mills, Rodney McVey of Ocala, Fla., and Valerie (Charlie) Jordan of Moweaqua; five grandchildren; five great-grandchildren; and brother David McVey of Maine. Services were Dec. 18 at Anderson-Sedgwick Funeral Home in Farmington, with burial at Trivoli Cemetery.
This Week’s Obituaries • Ronald Lee Howard, 62, Dahinda • Lucy Humbles, infant, Kickapoo • Niven E. McVey, 85, Elmwood • Simon Melz, 88, Farmington • Raymond Powell, 79, Yates City • Troy Sprout, 51, Farmington • Ramon Streitmatter, 84, Princeville • Molly Sweeney, 34, Princeville • Peter Yancick, 80, Farmington
We print basic obituaries for free. Longer obituaries cost $1 per column inch;$5 per picture. Call (309) 741-9790.
Condolences may be left online at www.sedgwickfuneralhomes.com.
Simon Melz
FARMINGTON – Simon F. Melz, 88, of Washington, formerly of Farmington, died Dec. 16 at UnityPoint Health-Proctor in Peoria. He was born on Sept. 28, 1927, in Trivoli, to William and Ida (Roelf) Melz. He married Edwanna Wright on Nov. 1, 1952, in Glasford, and she survives. Also surviving are children Crystal (Jim) Larkins of Chesterfield, Mo., and Candy (Patrick) Simon of East Peoria; three grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren. He independently worked in plumbing and heating in the Farmington area for more than 50 years. Services were Dec. 19 at Anderson-Sedgwick Funeral Home, with burial at Penn Ridge Cemetery in rural Trivoli. Condolences may be left online at www.sedgwickfuneralhomes.com.
Raymond Powell
YATES CITY – Raymond L. Powell, 79, of Yates City, died Dec. 17 at OSF St. Francis Medical Center in Peoria. He was born on July 15, 1936 ,in Keytesville, Mo., the son of Raymond L. and Ruby Echols Powell. He married Alma J. Westfall on Aug. 20, 1993, in Macomb. He was preceded in death by his parents and four brothers. Survivors include sons Raymond Allen Powell and Douglas Lee
Powell, both of Galesburg; stepsons Dewey (Becky) Collins and Larry Collins, both of Galesburg; one grandchild; one great-grandchild; four step-grandchildren; and five step-great-grandchildren. Funeral services were Dec. 21 at the Hurd-Hendricks Funeral Homes & Crematory in Knoxville, with interment at Westfall Cemetery. Condolences may be left online at www.hurdhendricksfuneralhome.com.
Troy Sprout
FARMINGTON – Troy M. Sprout, 51, of Peoria, brother of a Farmington man, died Dec. 16 . Survivors include his wife Maryann (Burley) Sprout; parents Orlo and Charlene Sprout of Peoria; children Sara, Malone, Rachel and Travis of Peoria; and brothers Mark of Farmington and Steve of DeKalb. He worked as a Heavy Equipment Operator for Local 649 Operating Engineers of Peoria. He served in the United States Army from January 1954 to January 1957. A funeral Mass was Dec. 19 at St. Philomena Catholic Church. Cremation rites were accorded. Condolences may be left online at www.wrightandsalmon.com.
Ramon Streitmatter
PRINCEVILLE – Ramon Lee Streitmatter, 84, of Peoria, a Princeville native, died Dec. 19 at his home. Born May 7, 1931, in Princeville to Raymond and Leona (Kegebein) Streitmatter; he married Bernadine Dubois on June 27, 1981, in Peoria. She survives, as do children Pamela Cottingham of Peoria, Janet (John) Schuster of Washington, David Streitmatter of Dunlap, and Leonard (Rachel) and Robert Streitmatter, both of Peoria; six grandchildren; and sisters Peggy (David) Schauble of Tennessee, Alice (Raymond) Dubois of Metamora, Patricia Hay and Diann Anderson, both of Peoria. A funeral Mass was Dec. 23 at St. Mary's Cathedral in Peoria, with burial at Parkview Cemetery. Condolences and memories may be shared through www.DavisonFulton.com.
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OBITUARIES Molly Sweeney
PRINCEVILLE – Molly R. Sweeney, 34, of Washington, daughter of a Princeville woman, died Dec. 12 in Washburn. Survivors include sons, Micah, Caleb and Noah; mother, Karen (Dion) Miller of Princeville; siblings, Chris (Shari) Sweeney of Marquette Heights, Josh (Katie) Sweeney of Round Lake Beach, Nate (Monica) Sweeney of Centerton, Ark., and Amy Sweeney of
Washington; stepbrothers Cole Miller of East Peoria and Jake Miller of Princeville; and stepsister, Jessie Miller of Princeville. The funeral was Dec. 18 at Deiters Funeral Home and Crematory in East Peoria, with interment at Glendale Cemetery in Washington. Condolences may be left online at www.deitersfuneralhome.com.
Peter Yancick
FARMINGTON – Peter F. Yancick, 80, of Morton, formerly of
Farmington, died Dec. 15 at home. Born July 30, 1935, in Farmington, the son of Mike and Pauline (Almasi) Yancick, he is survived by children Paul L. Yancick of Peoria, Angela M. (Yancick) Hub of Morton and Matthew B. Yancick of Pekin; two brothers and five grandchildren. Cremation has been accorded and per his wishes, no services will be held. Condolences may be left online at csmico.com.
Leitch honored for work with mental health
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SPRINGFIELD – State Representative David Leitch (R-Peoria) was honored on Dec. 14 with the President’s Award from the Community Behavioral Healthcare Association (CBHA) in recognition of his advocacy on mental health and substance use issues. “This recognition was awarded to Rep. Leitch by the CBHA Board of Directors as the first time the award has been presented since 2008,” said CBHA CEO Marvin Lindsey. Leitch was awarded the recognition at the CBHA Conference in Chicago. A primary focus of Leitch’s public service has been attempting to reform Illinois’ mental health system in favor of building a model community-based system. To that end, he convened community-based providers and formed the Central Illinois Coalition for Mental Health Recovery over 14 years ago; among its accomplishments have been a mental health court, psychiatric residency at the University Of Illinois College Of Medicine in Peoria, and a Crisis Center designed to divert atrisk individuals to treatment rather than emergency rooms or jail. “I am especially humbled to be honored by the CBHA and I share this award with the outstanding group of providers and advocates we have in the Central Illinois region who are diligently focused on improving behavioral healthcare services to those we serve,” said Leitch.
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AREA CHURCHES BRIMFIELD St. Joseph Catholic Church Father John Verrier 314 W. Clay, Brimfield (309) 446-3275 www.stjosephbrimfield.org Sat. Confession: 3:30-4:45 pm Sat. Mass: 5 pm Sun. Mass: 10:30 am Daily Mass: Tues.-Fri. 8 am Christmas Eve: 4 and 10 pm Christmas Day: 10:30 am
St. Paul’s Lutheran Church The Lutheran Church Missouri Synod “Preaching Christ Crucified” “Liturgical & Reverential” Pastor Michael Liese 204 W. Clay St., Brimfield (309) 446-3233 Sun. Divine Service: 10 am
Brimfield E-Free Church
Pastor Donald Blasing 11724 Maher Road Brimfield, IL 61517 (309) 446-3571 www.brimfieldefree.org Worship: 10:30 am Sunday School: 9:30 am AWANA - Wed. 6:15 pm, for ages 3-12
Brimfield United Methodist Church Pastor Leonard Thomas 135 S. Galena St., Brimfield (309) 446-9310 Sun. Worship: 9 am Sun. School: 9 am Thurs. Bible Study: 7 pm
Union Church at Brimfield United Church of Christ Pastor Stephen Barch 105 W. Clay Street, Brimfield (309) 446-3811 Sunday Worship: 9 am Tuesday Bible Study: 6:30 pm
First Sunday each month is Communion Sunday (gluten free communion offered)
www.crossroadselmwood.org Wed. Worship: 7 pm Sun. Worship: 10:30 am
Sat. Mass: 4:30 p.m. Sun. Mass: 10 am Tues. Rosary: 8:15 am
EDWARDS
Elmwood Baptist Church
Bethany Baptist Church
Pastor Dennis Fitzgerald 701 W. Dearborn St., Elmwood (309) 742-7631, 742-7911 Sun. School: 9:30 am Sun Worship: 10:30 am, 6 pm Wed. Prayer Meeting: 7 pm
United Methodist Church of Elmwood
7422 N. Heinz Ln., Edwards (309) 692-1755 www.bethanycentral.org Sat. Evening Worship: 6 pm Sun. Worship 8:15 & 11 am Wednesday Awana: 6:15 pm
Christ Alive! Community Church Pastor Lance Zaerr 9320 W US Hwy 150, Edwards (309) 231-8272 www.christalivecc.com Sun. School: 9:15 am Worship: 10:30 am
ELMWOOD Crossroads Assembly of God Pastor Tim Cavallo 615 E. Ash St., Elmwood (309) 830-4259
First Presbyterian Church of Elmwood Reverend Marla B. Bauler 201 W. Evergreen, Elmwood (309) 742-2631 firstpresbyterianofelmwood.org Sun. Worship: 10:30 am Sun. School: 9:30 am
St. Patrick’s Catholic Church Father Paul Stiene 802 W. Main St., Elmwood (309) 742-4921 Sat. Confession: 3:45 p.m.
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Pastor Bradley F. Watkins II 821 W. Main St., Elmwood (309) 742-7221 www.elmwoodumc.org Sun. Worship: 9 am, 10:30 am Youth Sun. School: 9 am Adult Sun. School: 8 am
FARMINGTON First Presbyterian Church of Farmington Reverend Dr. Linda Philabaun 83 N. Cone Street, Farmington (309) 245-2914 www.firstpresfarmington.com Sunday School: 9:30 am Fellowship: 10:30 am Worship: 11:00 am
New Hope Fellowship Assembly of God
Pastor Tom Wright 1102 N. Illinois Route 78 Farmington (309) 245-2957 Sun. Worship: 10 am Wed. Worship: 7 pm
PRINCEVILLE Princeville United Methodist Church Pastor Ken Dees 420 E. Woertz, Princeville (309) 385-4487 princevilleumc@mediacombb.net Sun. Worship: 9 am Sunday School: 10:15 am
YATES CITY Faith United Presbyterian Church Reverend Marla B. Bauler 107 W. Bishop St., Yates City (309) 358-1170 Worship: 9 am Sun. School: 10:15 am Thurs. Choir: 7 pm
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THE WEEKLY POST • Thursday, December 24, 2015
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TRIVIA TEST By Fifi Rodriguez 1. TELEVISION: What is “Jeopardy!” host Alex Trebek’s country of birth? 2. ANIMAL KINGDOM: What is a group of bacteria called? 3. SCIENCE: What is converted into alcohol during brewing? 4. PSYCHOLOGY: What is it called when someone has a phobia about touching money? 5. MUSIC: How many members are in the Mormon Tabernacle Choir? 6. MYTHOLOGY: What was the domain of the Roman goddess Trivia? 7. GENERAL KNOWLEDGE: What was Canada’s first national animal? 8. LANGUAGE: What does it mean to be flagitious? 9. ENTERTAINERS: What age did comedian Jack Benny always claim to be? 10. GEOGRAPHY: Where is the island of Alcatraz located? Answers
FOR ANSWERS SEE PAGE 12
1. Canada 2. A culture or colony 3. Sugar 4. Chrematophobia 5. 360 6. Sorcery and witchcraft 7. The beaver 8. Wicked 9. 39 10. San Francisco Bay (c) 2015 King Features Synd., Inc.
MOVIES 1. The Hunger Games: Mockingjay — Part 2 (PG-13) 2. In the Heart of the Sea (PG-13) 3. The Good Dinosaur (PG) 4. Creed (PG-13) 5. Krampus (PG-13) 6. The Night Before (R) 7. Spectre (PG-13) 8. The Peanuts Movie (G) 9. Spotlight (R) 10. Brooklyn (PG-13)
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GIRLS: Farmington falls in Knoxville title game Continued from Page 16
with Knoxville. Farmington finally fell off in the final quarter of a 5737 loss despite 21 points from Megan Gilstrap. “We stayed close, but just couldn’t get over the hump,” Jordan said. “(Knoxville’s) Megan Axcell is a nightmare to guard. She can beat you up top and by posting down low.” The Lady Farmers did punch their ticket to the championship game on Thursday with a 42-38 win over United 42-38. Abbey Brown was the scoring leader with 12, and Julia DePriest had 10.
“Julia is really coming on strong for us,” coach Jordan said. Last Wednesday Farmington beat ROWVA 48-10 in a situation in which lowest points allowed could determine the team’s spot for final play in the tournament. The Lady Farmers were very balanced with 11 from Brown, nine from Meghan Wherley, Gilstrap’s seven, six from Morgan Powell and DePriest’s five. On the season, Brown at 9.8 and Gilstrap at 9.4 are top scorers, while Gilstrap is the top rebounder at 7.8. Brown is the assists leader at 2.1. Farmington is at the 24-team Beardstown Tournament Monday,
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seeded in the middle of the pack. Princeville Princeville (6-6) heads to its tournament after a 54-38 loss to Illini Bluffs last Wednesday, which came despite 15 points from Jessica DeVries and 10 by Lucy Waid. The Lady Princes are led by Waid (12 ppg,11 rpg) and Natalie Cokel with 2.6 assists per game. Princeville meets Roanoke-Benson Dec. 28 at 10 a.m. plays BPC Dec. 29 at 10 and Elmwood Dec. 30 at 10. “This tournament should be up for grabs. We could go 0-3 or 3-0,” Princeville coach John Gross said.
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THE WEEKLY POST • Thursday, December 24, 2015
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BOYS: Brimfield has won 7 of last 8 at P-ville Continued from Page 16
the Macomb-Western Holiday Tournament. Brimfield Unbeaten Brimfield (90) will take its 29-game winning streak into the Princeville Holiday Tournament next week. The Indians are defending champions and have claimed seven of the last eight Princeville titles. Idle since a 70-58 win over Wethersfield on Dec. 15, Brimfield should be well rested. Elmwood Following its loss to Farmington, the Trojans (5-5) have had plenty of practice time to redis-
cover their offensive flow heading into a Dec. 28, 3:30 p.m. matchup vs. DePue at Princeville. Princeville Princeville (5-4) saw a four-game win streak end Tuesday in a 58-51 loss to visiting Peoria Quest. Nick Kraft led with 14 points, Brendan Streitmatter added 13 and Noah Bauman tallied 11 for the Princes. Matt Thole was out with a shoulder injury Tuesday and coach Jeff Krazter said his starter may return for next week’s tourney. Next up for Princeville is an 8 p.m. game on Dec.
ATHLETE OF THE WEEK Morgan Ledbetter, Elmwood
Morgan Ledbetter has played basketball, softball and volleyball for all four years of her Elmwood High School career. Being a three-sport, four-year athlete is very rare and takes a tremendous amount of effort and dedication. After high school, Morgan plans to attend Culver Stockton College in Canton, Mo., where she will study athletic training. While at Culver Stockton she also plans to play softball. When she looks back on her athletic career Morgan said she has learned, “You have to work hard and be a good teammate by picking up your teammates when they’re down and having a positive attitude when confronted with obstacles.” One of the memories of her high school sports career that Morgan will never forget was when, “I was able to make a game-winning three-point shot during a basketball game earlier this season. There were 20 seconds left in the game and Jordan (Jones) passed me the ball at the top of the key. I was able to get the shot off and it went in. As soon as the shot landed everyone was cheering.” When asked about a teammate she relies on, Morgan said, “Allie Meyers. She is a really good player and I know I can count on her to score when we need it. She is a great teammate and encourages us when we are down.” Many have said the same about Ledbetter, a dedicated athlete. – Erik Davis
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Your Professional Independent Insurance Agency Farmington sophomore Judd Anderson defends Elmwood’s Isaiah Groeper in last Friday’s 55-39 Farmers victory. Photo by Dave Giagnoni.
28 against North Fulton at its annual tournament. The host is seeded second. ROWVA-Williamsfield The Cougars (9-1) have won three straight with Tuesday’s 45-42 win over North Fulton and last Friday’s 60-46 victory against Stark County. Garrett Wight led the
Cougars with 20 points against Stark County and at North Fulton. But the Cougars trailed by as many as seven points in the fourth quarter before rallying to top North Fulton. The Cougars are off until a Jan. 5 game at Wethersfield.
Galva out at Princeville PRINCEVILLE – Todd Hannam’s resignation has had repercussions beyond just Galva, where he stepped down as boys basketball coach last week. As a result of Hannam quitting, the Galva School Board opted to take its team out of the Princeville Holiday Tournament, according to Princeville athletic director Jeff Kratzer. Galva (2-7) was seeded sixth and had been scheduled to play Henry at 6:30 p.m. on Dec. 28. Hannam was 2-25 at Galva last season. With just days until tipoff, Princeville administrators faced an unlikely prospect of finding a replacement varsity team. Calls made to several larger schools inquiring about sophomore teams were to no avail, Kratzer said. As a result, the Princeville frosh-soph team will fill in for Galva.
• Past winners – Brimfield leads the field at Princeville with seven titles in the past eight years. Here’s a list of winners since 1991: 2014 – Brimfield 2013 – Brimfield 2012 – Elmwood 2011 – Brimfield 2010 – Brimfield 2009 – Brimfield 2008 – Brimfield 2007 – Brimfield 2006 – Henry 2005 – Princeville 2004 – Princeville 2003 – Peru St. Bede 2002 – Orion 2001 – Delavan 2000 – Delavan 1999 – Stark County 1998 – Elmwood 1997 – Princeville 1996 – Stark County 1995 – Stark County 1994 – Princeville 1993 – Stark County 1992 – Princeville 1991 – Princeville.
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THE WEEKLY POST • Thursday, December 24, 2015
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Weekly Post Sports
88th ANNUAL PRINCEVILLE HOLIDAY BOYS TOURNAMENT Brimfield (1)
December 28-29-30 At Princeville H.S.
GAME 1 Monday, Dec. 28 2 p.m.
Lowpoint-W (7) GAME 5 Tuesday, Dec. 29 2 p.m.
Elmwood (4)
CONSOLATION CHAMPIONSHIP
GAME 12 Wednesday, Dec. 30 8 p.m.
CHAMPIONSHIP
GAME 3 Monday, Dec. 28 6:30 p.m.
Princeville JV (6)* GAME 6 Tuesday, Dec. 29 3:30 p.m.
Princeville (2)
GAME 8 Tuesday, Dec. 29 8 p.m.
GAME 4 Monday, Dec. 28 8 p.m.
North Fulton (8) CONSOLATION THIRD PLACE
GAME 9 Wednesday, Dec. 30 2 p.m.
The top team in a bracket is the home team.
GAME 11 Wednesday, Dec. 30 6:30 p.m.
THIRD PLACE
* Galva was seeded No. 6 but dropped out and was replaced by the Princeville JV team.
Brimfield girls take third at Knoxville By PHIL JOHNSON
A perfect record came to an abrupt end for the Brimfield girls basketball team last week in a 56-34 loss at Knoxville. But Brimfield (15-1) bounced back with a 65-59 win over Illini Bluffs last Saturday to place third at the Knoxville-Abingdon Tournament. Kennedy Dura, the Knoxville tournament most valuable player, led the Lady Indians with 28 points in the win over IB. Prior to the loss to Knoxville last Thursday, Brimfield had raced past winter rival Elmwood 64-23 on Wednesday, with Dura scoring 20, followed by 14 from Kenzie Schlipf and 10 by Nicole Thurman. Approaching the halfway mark of the season, the Lady Indians are paced in scoring by and assists by Dura with 19.9 and 6.4, respectively. Next up for Brimfield is a trip to the prestigious State Farm Classic. Brimfield’s first game is on Dec. 28 For The Weekly Post
Dura
Schlipf
at 4:30 p.m. against Kankakee Bishop McNamara in the U.S. Cellular Coliseum. Elmwood Elmwood (8-4) placed seventh at the Knoxville-Abingdon tourney last Saturday with a strong defensive effort against Monmouth United in a 39-29 final. Sophomore Grace LaFollett was big for the Triojans with 13 points, followed by 12 from Regan McFall. Previously, the team fell to the Brimfield juggernaut last Wednesday 64-23. The rival match up again on Feb. 1 at Brimfield. So far this season, the Lady Trojans are led in scoring by Allie Meyers at 15.1 , Rachel Jacobson’s 9.9, and McFall at 6.6 points per
Farmington ‘D’ stops Elmwood FARMINGTON – One year ago, the basketball battle took on dimensions of Isaiah Groeper vs. Eric Higgs. One top sophomore would score and the other would race down the floor and do the same when rivals Farmington and Elmwood tipped off. Not so last Friday in Farmington, when the host Farmers used runand-jump, in-your-face pressure defense to convert numerous Elmwood miscues into an easy 5539 victory. Headlining the defense was 5-foot-7 sophomore point guard Judd Anderson (7 points per game), whose play up top helped break open what had been a 26-26 game early in the third quarter. Farmington (8-2) was particularly stingy in the fourth quarter, outscoring Elmwood (5-5) by a 13-3 margin. Elmwood had 22 turnovers overall and seven in that last quarter. Groeper was limited to seven points while Jake Roberts racked up 20 in the first three quarters, but did not see the ball much down the stretch. “We didn’t go with our run and jump as much in the first half, but in the second half we went back to it and were just running and jumping everywhere,” Farmington coach Jeff Otto said. “Our pressure can wear on a team.” So can Anderson, who Otto said reminds him of a former Farmer defensive Weekly Post Staff Writer
DePue (5) Henry (3)
Text Your Scores To (309) 231-6040 or email news@wklypost.com
By JEFF LAMPE
GAME 7 Tuesday, Dec 29 6:30 p.m.
GAME 2 Monday, Dec. 28 3:30 p.m.
GAME 10 Wednesday, Dec. 30 3:30 p.m.
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game. Rebounding is definitely a strength from Meyers at 10.9 and LaFollett at 10.2. Steal leaders are Meyers at 2.5 and McFall’s 2.4 per game. Jacobson has missed time with a sprained ankle but may return for the Princeville holiday tournament, beginning Dec. 28 for an 11:30 a.m. game with Bushnell Prairie City. Elmwood also plays Dec. 29 at 11:30 against Roanoke-Benson and Dec. 30 at 10 a.m. vs. Princeville. “The teams look to be evenly matched,” coach Gregg Meyers said. “Every game should be close as long as the teams come to play.” Farmington Despite a tough 53-38 Monday night loss to perennial power Havana, Farmington’s young Lady Farmers, (7-8) are progressing faster than should be expected according to coach Jimmy Jordan. The team battled to the title game of the Knoxville-Abingdon Tournament last Saturday. Unfortunately for the Farmers, that was a matchup Continued on Page 14
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Trey Swearingen lays in 2 of his 16 points in Farmington’s win over Elmwood last Friday. Photo by Dave Giagnoni.
ace, Raynor Bourlet. “Judd knows he can effect the game on the defensive end,” Otto said. “He’s a hard-working kid and he doesn’t back down.” Trey Swearingen (20 ppg) had 16 points to lead the Farmers on offense and Eric Higgs put up 14 after seeing more time as he recovers from a broken collarbone. One night later, though, Farmington’s defense earned low marks from Otto in a 74-71 loss at Illini Bluffs. The 6-foot-6 Taylor Bruninga scored 32 points for IB while Swearingen had 24 for the Farmers and Higgs added 18. Otto said Higgs is at about 80 to 85 percent, with the most work left on defense. Farmington shot 35 treys in the loss to IB. Next up for Farmington is a 9 a.m. game on Dec. 28 against Illini West at Continued on Page 15