Thursday April 16, 2015 Vol. 3, No. 8
The Weekly Post
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Billtown schools criticized, praised in meeting By BILL KNIGHT
WILLIAMSFIELD – Monday’s school board meeting wasn’t a circus; it was civil. Despite buzz around town predicting a chaotic confrontation between Williamsfield District 210’s Board of Education and administration on the one side, and teachers, parents and virtually everyone else on the other, 77 minutes of public comment from 43 speakers about tensions tied to an ongoing disagreement over teacher For The Weekly Post
evaluations featured calm objections to the management of Superintendent Tim Farquer and Principal Zack Binder. However, for the first time since the controversial resignation of teacher Ann Banks this winter, there also was praise – for Farquer and Binder as well as for teachers and the direction the school is going. Late Tuesday afternoon, an apparent breakthrough occurred, as the school board and the Williamsfield Education Association (WEA) labor union is-
Elmwood native was broadcast pioneer
“I just don’t like seeing my co-workers cry.” – Connie Krans sued a joint statement: “The Williamsfield Education Association and Williamsfield Board of Education have agreed to work toward an amicable solution to address all grievances by June 30th.” Board President Janet Collopy and WEA President Kent
Rigg signed the statement. That followed the meeting Monday, when about 100 people gathered in the gymnasium, where the meeting had been moved to accommodate an expected overflow crowd. A small group of teachers sat in the front row wearing blue t-shirts of the union, and most took turns with brief comments asserting their talents and stating their concerns. Some said the District’s “summative” evaluation plan was not being used to gauge the
For The Weekly Post
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German-Bliss Equipment of Princeville celebrated its 75th year in business last weekend with a free pancake and sausage breakfast for the community. Pictured above (from left to right) are: Peoria County Board member Brian Elsasser, Princeville Mayor Sid Stahl, John Bliss, state Sen. Darin LaHood, state Rep. David Leitch, Chuck German and Greg German. Photos by Collin Fairfield.
Forsythias painting landscape yellow By RON DIETER
If you haven’t noticed the brilliant yellow color splashed all over the landscape this spring, you don’t get out much. Forsythia bushes have burst into golden glory For The Weekly Post
everywhere. This past winter was kind to forsythia flower buds and even many old varieties are in full bloom. The recent dark cloudy days were brightened by the vibrant golden blossoms of forsythias in hedges, parks
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84-year-old ready to walk 700-mile quest
CELEBRATING 75 YEARS
By BILL KNIGHT
ELMWOOD – Ninety-three years ago this week, an Elmwood native launched one of Chicago’s first radio stations and started a long career in broadcasting that still resonates over the airwaves. Hedges William Hedges was born on June 21, 1895, the son of LeRoy and Ida Hedges in Elmwood. At the age of five, he and his family moved to Colorado where he grew up before returning to the Midwest to work for Armour Car Lines and attend the University of Chicago, where he became the campus correspondent for the Chicago Daily News in 1914. Hedges joined the U.S. Army Air Corps and continued to report for the Daily News. He earned a commission as a
program, but to measure individuals’ development – to punish rather than help employees. That threatens staff, some said. “I just don't like seeing my co-workers cry,” said second grade teacher Connie Krans. The WEA filed two grievances about evaluations being conducted without appropriate notification. Those weren’t resolved at the District level, so they’ll be considered by a neutral arbitrator. Another grievance was filed April 1 alleging
and yards. The ancestors of our forsythias are natives to China and Korea and the garden forms were introduced in America in the early 1900s. The shrub was named to honor William Forsyth, a Continued on Page 7
PRINCEVILLE – A long journey starts with a single step, it’s said, and 84-yearold Dean Troutman’s first step in a 700mile walk to raise funds for a park in his late wife’s memory starts Tuesday (April 21). Years after Troutman bought more than five acres of land to set up a park for Princeville in memory of his wife, Dorothy (Peggy) Troutman, he’ll be recognized in a short ceremony at 9:15 a.m. in Troutman Park, and then set off about 9:30 a.m. He hopes to average nine miles a day in his journey and finish in about 75 days, all the while collecting pledges and donations to supplement the $300,000 he’s personally contributed and an additional $65,000 raised in the community. The park has a Little League baseball diamond, a football/soccer field, walking trail, picnic pavilions and a concession/restroom facility, but still needs a playground; activity stations along the walking trail; water fountains; scoreboards, bleachers and enclosed dugouts for the athletic fields; blacktop for the parking lot; and landscaping. Continued on Page 3