Thursday December 4, 2014 Vol. 2, No. 41
The Weekly Post
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Elmwood nursing home welcomes first residents By JEFF LAMPE
ELMWOOD – Irene Gibson celebrated her 89th birthday Monday in her new home and couldn’t be happier with the change of scenery After years of fretting with yard work, cooking and housework, Gibson shed those worries two weeks ago when she moved a few blocks from her Palm St. home in Elmwood to the new Country Comfort Retirement Home. Gibson is one of the first three residents in the new 16-bed facility on ElmWeekly Post Staff Writer
wood’s northeast side, joining Earnestine Bateman of Elmwood and Norman Ford of Farmington. “I’m glad to have this here in town, because it got to where I couldn’t take care of my yard work any more,” Gibson said. “It’s great in here, the food is good and the Gibson people can’t do enough for you.” That’s the goal according to Country
Comfort owner Sherry Pettet, who stresses smaller, more personal care in her three nursing home facilities. “Everyone here seems thrilled with the service so far,” Pettet said Tuesday, in between washing dishes and cleaning in the kitchen. “Not only is the living environment smaller, but our services go above and beyond what other facilities provide. It’s such a different ballgame. “We have 24-hour (Certified Nurses Assistants) and a nurse on call who is actually in the building.” Country Comfort has two eight-bed
CHRISTMAS WALK SATURDAY IS COMING
wings, one offering assisted living, the other focused on memory care. Private and double occupancy rooms are available. Common rooms are tastefully decorated with a mix of antiques (some from New Orleans, some from Europe) and newer furnishing and there is even an on-site beauty shop. All services are provided, from housekeeping to laundry to meals to bathing assistance and daily wellness exams. Pettet said Country Comfort’s approach in its Memory Care wing is Continued on Page 8
Administrators split on school funding reform By BILL KNIGHT
The Illinois House of Representatives last month re-started debate on addressing the way schools are funding, but a chief co-sponsor of the bill doesn’t think the discussion will amount to much. “I don't think Senate Bill 16 is going anywhere in the House,” said Sen. David Koehler (D-Peoria), who helped its passage in the Senate in May. “So it will be revisited, and probably gutted.” Introduced Jan. 9, 2013, by State Sen. Andy Manar (D-Bunker Hill), SB 16 is considered the most serious school-funding reform legislation in more than 15 years. “There have been a great number of legislators throughout the years who have said they are concerned about how schools are funded, but Sen. Manar has actually put forth the effort to try to rectify a funding system that rewards the wealthy and punishes the poor,” commented Farmington Superintendent John Asplund. “He and the children of Illinois deserve our support.” The bill would require schools to show need to receive state money, so districts with more valuable properties could get less state aid, and districts with lower property values could be helped more. The Senate approved the bill 32-19, with 6 voting “present,” and Sen. Darin LaHood (RDunlap) voted against it. “The easiest solution is to fully fund For The Weekly Post
Lighted trees and a warm fire lured folks in at last year’s Brimfield Area Christmas Walk. Photo by Bill Knight.
Christmas events abound By JEFF LAMPE
Anyone looking for the Christmas spirit need search no further than this weekend, when a variety of holiday events are scheduled in the area. Major Christmas walks are planned for Saturday in Brimfield, Elmwood, Canton and Princeville. There are also various craft fairs, open houses, home tours, card exWeekly Post Staff Writer
changes and ornamentmaking events scheduled this weekend and in the weeks to come. Here’s a look at some of the planned events. s Brimfield – Brimfield’s Area Christmas Walk is Saturday (Dec. 6) from 5-7 p.m. with a variety of activities. Highlights include Santa, a large fire pit, hayrack rides, a complimentary meal at the American
Legion hall, luminaries, musical performances, a community sing at the Union Church at 7 p.m. and much more. s Elmwood – Elmwood’s Christmas Walk is Saturday (Dec. 6) from 47 p.m. Highlights include Santa and his elf, a Disney’s Frozen character costume contest at 4:30 p.m. at the Palace Theatre, a model train set on disContinued on Page 2
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