The Weekly Post
Thursday May 30, 2013 Vol. 1, No. 15 Hot news tip? Want to advertise? Call (309) 741-9790
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Confusion results from flood meeting By BILL KNIGHT
EDWARDS – Edwards residents were worried after meetings with County Board member Brad Harding (R-Dist. 16), who mentioned the possibilities of the government tearing down a levee, elevating structures or closing the town, but local and federal officials say that those claims were exaggerated. “He said the county might tear down the levee, or FEMA might force us from our homes, or we might have to put our houses on stilts or something,” said Edwards resident Carrie Frazer, who attended Friday’s meeting. “He said that one of those things was ‘probably going to happen.’ He definitely gave the impression that For The Weekly Post
Edwards was done.” Other Edwards townspeople were shocked or angered at the picture Harding painted for them. Earlier last month, Harding said, “If FEMA [the Federal Emergency Management Agency] is involved, our understanding is they’re going to have to elevate many of their homes and businesses here – elevate it so the flood 10 years from now doesn’t affect them. The other option is to actually shut the town down. “They are not going to want to help these people ever again,” Harding said. “So if these people choose to stay here in Edwards, they need to realize that we are living in a totally different environment down the road for that next flood.”
MEMORIAL DAY
However, the County has no jurisdiction on condemning the privately owned levee – which was breached by April flooding south of Ill. Route 8 but was not actually damaged at Edwards, where water just came over its top. Further, any attempt to address the levee would probably require an unlikely attempt to seize the property through eminent domain and possibly involve the Department of Natural Resources, the Department of Conservation and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. “The County of Peoria does not have the authority to require or mandate the removal of the private levee in question in Edwards,” said Assistant County Administrator Scott Sorrel. “AnyContinued on Page 6
Strawberry pizzas are among the most popular food items at Elmwood’s annual Strawberry Festival, held Saturday. Photo by Amy Davis.
Strawberry Fest changing venue By JEFF LAMPE
ELMWOOD – For the first time in its 25-year history, the Elmwood Strawberry Festival will be held at Elmwood High School. Organizers made that decision late Tuesday afternoon when faced with a grim weekend weather forecast. “We’ve got too much money invested to risk it,” said Pat McGuire, who along with Greg and Denise Hotz and Diana Ladd has helped run all 25 of the festivals. “The last forecast I heard was we were supposed to have one-half to one inch on Saturday.” Rain like that is not good news for an outdoor festival. So the move will be made, with craft booths setting up in the grade school multi-purpose rooms and in Entertainment hallways as needed. Food Learn more will be sold and served in the about the bands cafeteria. Entertainment will playing at Elmwood’s Strawberry be in the auditorium. Festival. Page 2. Beyond those myriad changes, much will remain the same. For instance, strawberry pizza will still be a drawing card according to McGuire. “That’s the No. 1 thing. But people really like all of it,” McGuire said. “Everybody has their choice. Some like the crafts. Some like the car show. And we have a lot of pretty good entertainment this year.” Providing something for everyone in a family atmosphere has been the secret to success for the Strawberry Fest, which runs from 8 a.m. until 9 p.m. New this year will be a Dancing Dogs demonstration put on by dogs and trainers from the Peoria Obedience Training Club. Also new is Brown’s Oakridge Zoo from Smithfield, which will showcase Weekly Post Staff Writer
WE REMEMBER: Memorial Day services around the area included a gathering in Elmwood Cemetery (above) and speeches at the Elmwood’s Central Park. Among the crowd was Keith Morse, a gunner on a bomber during World War II (right). Photos by Amy Davis. Below left, Pastor Michael Liese of St. Paul's Lutheran Church in Brimfield addresses dozens of onlookers at Brimfield's Roll of Honor monument. Behind him is Lois Hamilton, commander of Brimfield American Legion Post 452. Photo by Bill Knight.
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