The Weekly Post
Thursday April 26, 2018 Vol. 6, No. 9 Hot news tip? Want to advertise? Call (309) 741-9790
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Brimfield, Elmwood schools name new principals Richwoods Asst. to Brimfield By TERRY TOWERY
BRIMFIELD – Anthony Shinall, an assistant principal at Peoria’s Richwoods High School, was hired as principal of the Brimfield High School at the April 18 school board meeting. Shinall, who also serves as an Illinois High School Association basketball officials, was approved unanimously by the board. Shinall has been an assistant principal at Richwoods for six years. A native Peorian and the son of two school teachers, Shinall atFor The Weekly Post
tended Limestone High School and Illinois Central College. He received a degree in business management from Eastern Illinois University in 2001. He then received a bachelor’s degree in business education from Illinois State University in 2005. Shinall taught business and computer classes at Richwoods before becoming assistant principal. Prior to becoming a teacher, Shinall interned at Six Flags Great America in Gurnee. He has worked in the box office for the Peoria Continued on Page 9
Almasi has ties to Elmwood By BILL KNIGHT
ELMWOOD – The Board of Education on Monday approved Dimitri Almasi as principal of the elementary school starting July 1. Almasi, 30, is coming from Germantown Hills, where he’s Middle School principal (for grades 5-8). He’s replacing Tony Frost, who last month reached agreement for an early retirement package. An Illini Bluffs High School graduate, he is the grandson of former Elmwood High School coach and athletic director Joe Almasi. His parents, Anthony and Pam Almasi, For The Weekly Post
Almasi
Shinall
Continued on Page 9
Local farmers finally planting
THE BOUNTY OF OUR RIVERS
Rivers helped feed economic growth
Cold spring delayed start By JEFF LAMPE
The welcome arrival of “real” spring weather means different things to different people. Fishing. Working in the gardening. Hunting mushrooms. But to local farmers, penned up for too long by this late spring, warmer weather means one thing: It’s time to get planting. Heading into the weekend, Illinois farmers had planted just 4 percent of the estimated 11 million acres of corn ground statewide. That’s well off the five-year average of 20 percent and is a direct result of temperatures that have been running 10-11 degrees below normal. But there’s no reason to panic, said Patrick Kirchofer, manager of the Peoria County Farm Bureau. “We’re not behind the 8-ball by any means,” Kirchofer said. “We’ve still not passed the prime planting time. Actually, we’re in it right now: the last part of April and the first week of May.” Weekly Post Staff Writer
By JOSEPH BUSTOS
During the first century of the state’s history, the natural habitats along the Illinois River helped spur fishing industries and had places for hunting. The Illinois River was a habitat for bottom-feeding fish such as catfish, common carp and smallmouth buffalo as well as mussels. The abundance of fish led to a commercial fishing industry between Havana
are EHS graduates. Dimitri Almasi earned Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees from Bradley University. He previously taught at Limestone Walters in Peoria. Almasi agreed to a three-year contract at an annual salary of $75,000, said Superintendent Chad Wagner. In academic matters, High School Principal Tony McCoy summarized results from a staff survey and plans for curriculum changes in the fall. Teachers responded that they’d like to see more classes on computer programming, study skills, new electives in English and social
For The Weekly Post
A group of boys with their day’s catch out of the Illinois River. Photo courtesy of the Illinois State Historical Library.
and Meredosia, according to the state museum. Towns had their own markets that processed and shipped fish to large Midwestern and Eastern cities from the 1890s to the 1950s. Sport hunters formed clubs and bought land along the Illinois River to start duck hunting resorts managed by locals, according to the state museum.
However, there also was a demand to be able to transport goods, which changed life along the river. Reports in the 1830s said the river wasn’t navigable in 70 to 80 places during the low-water months. A canal was eventually built between LaSalle and Chicago. Continued on Page 14
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