Thursday March 12, 2015 Vol. 3, No. 3
The Weekly Post
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Elmwood school board united behind junior high project By BILL KNIGHT
ELMWOOD – The Board of Education at a special meeting on Wednesday unanimously passed a resolution declaring its intent to issue $1.5 million in Funding Bonds in connection with the renovation of the Junior High School. The move follows a 5-2 vote on Feb. 23 to contract with Performance Services, Inc. of suburban Chicago to supervise the project’s first steps for For The Weekly Post
$723,037. After the meeting, Board Vice President Terri Osmulski sounded upbeat. “This is all about the kids and giving the best quality education we can,” said Osmulski, who voted against the pact with Performance Services. “I have never been opposed to the project as a whole; I have had concerns with the process as it was presented and the time line. That being said, the project is going to move forward and I will fully support it.”
The intent to issue the bonds starts a 30-day petition period, and the board is united and confident about the improvements. Last month’s other no vote came from Dean Cantu, who shared some of Osmulski’s concerns. “My vote at the February Board meeting was based on a concern I had with the process, i.e., the means, not with the goal of improving the Junior High School building, i.e., the end,” Cantu said. “All of the members of the Board share the same vision relative to
BEST-SELLING AUTHOR/ILLUSTRATOR
Edwards illustrator Young offbeat, but not off-balance
ing comic books, graphic novFor The Weekly Post els and a variety of art projEDWARDS – New York ects. Times best-selling graphic “I’m hard-core disciplined,” novelist and area illustrator he says. “But I’m not a Skottie Young might be offworkaholic or recluse. I’m rebeat, but he’s not off-balance. ally more of an extrovert, outWhether work and fun, his going and social, in the real job and his family, or words world. People who email me and pictures, through my web Young is about site or whatever balance, despite a might not get a visual style that’s reply and think somewhere beI’m some kind of tween Tim Bura-hole, but I’m ton and Tim just working. McGraw: wild Thank goodness yet homey. for social media Talking after like Twitter, behis five-year-old cause I’m active son went to bed there.” after seeing “The Young’s take on the Tin But “creativity SpongeBob is like a fuel Man and Dorothy. Movie: Sponge tank,” he adds, Out of Water,” Young says his “and you use up what you son enjoys movie studio logos have and pretty soon you’re and “playing” with them as near empty, so you have to re“toys.” plenish it. So it’s a matter of That’s not unlike Skottie, prioritizing time – and having who turns 37 on April 3. He a good time. spent his childhood discover“In some ways it’s like a ing different inspirations – in- Cat worker who works 40 spirations that continue to hours a week on heavy equipdrive his enthusiasm for creat- ment and each weekend
the Junior High School improvement project; my concern was … the expedited process and … time frame. I now believe it is critical to move forward and ensure the actions of the board, relative to this project, are executed in an efficacious manner so that we can realize our shared goal of providing our students with the best learning environment possible.” In other action, the Board unanimously approved a two-year lease Continued on Page 2
Donkeys on guard more often lately By WILLIAM C. BAILEY
Recently I was at a farmer’s market and stopped briefly at a booth to take a look at a catalog describing the beef and pork products available from a local farm. The farm’s emphasis was on the way cattle and hogs were raised – outside as much as possible, pasture grazing for the cattle, and a lot of room for the hogs to roam and explore. As I looked through the catalog, I noted a picture of a donkey. Inside “Do you use Farmington held guard donkeys to a college and caprotect your anireer fair for stumals?” I asked. dents last Friday. It was at that Page 8. point I immediately made a friend of the young man, who was at the booth to sell his products. He said I was the first person to understand the picture was not used to sell donkey meat but to inform people how his animals were protected – by guard donkeys. As it turns out, donkeys have been used to guard cattle, sheep and other livestock for some time. Their use has increased as the demand has grown for local foods, or more naturally raised meat and dairy products. Farming operations that focus on local markets often are smaller than traditional livestock For The Weekly Post
By BILL KNIGHT
Graphic novelist and illustrator Skottie Young of Edwards has had graphic novels on the New York Times bestseller list. Photo by Bill Knight. Graphic illustrations by Young.
works on cars or whatever,” he continues. “I draw and write from 9 to 5, and then, when I’m done and at home when things settle down and my son’s asleep, I grab my sketchbook and write and draw. It’s fun.” Young started writing and drawing as a kid who savored the Sunday funnies, especially “Calvin & Hobbes” and “Bloom County,” and Mad magazine. Continued on Page 9
Young’s drawing of a young Thor.
Continued on Page 2