Thursday July 2, 2015 Vol. 3, No. 18
The Weekly Post
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“We Cover The News of West-Central Illinois With A Passion” Serving the fine communities of Brimfield, Dahinda, Edwards, Elmwood, Farmington, Kickapoo, Laura, Oak Hill, Princeville, Williamsfield and Yates City
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FEMA grant could eliminate 15 Edwards homes for 15 years. “Flooding here is a fact of life. You move to Edwards, you know you’re going to get flooded.” Any future moves, however, may be away from the portion of Edwards along Deer Lick Creek by Illinois Route 8 at Kickapoo-Edwards Road. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) recently authorized releasing about $2.3 million to Peoria County
By BILL KNIGHT
EDWARDS – Sandbags stood stacked east of the parking lot at the Edwards Tap recently, where midday showers peppered the entrance and owner Connie Downard prepped burgers at the grill. Preparation can be key, but local residents aren’t sure how to prepare for the removal of 15 homes damaged in 2013 flooding here. “I haven’t heard a word,” said Downard, who’s owned the tavern For The Weekly Post
under the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program to help pay for threefourths of the costs of buying and demolishing 35 homes. One grant, for $805,791, will be used to acquire and raze 15 residential structures in the Deer Lick Creek floodplain by Edwards. A second grant for will be used to buy and demolish 20 residential structures and elevate one structure in the Kickapoo and Dry Run Creek floodplains in Peoria. Continued on Page 2
Scenes like this from the spring of 2013 could be a thing of the past if grant funds are used to buy and demolish 15 homes in Edwards.
THE HISTORY OF BRIMFIELD’S MURAL
Brimfield mural a lasting gift
By JEFF LAMPE
For The Weekly Post
Continued on Page 9
Crowds figure to be even larger than usual this weekend for the Fourth of July, thanks to a friendly calendar that places the holiday on a Saturday. And folks looking for fun ways to spend the weekend should have plenty to choose from in The Weekly Post area. One big evening show starts around 9 p.m. Saturday in Elmwood, when area communities will come together for the annual Fourth of July fireworks show at Elmwood’s Sweetwater Park. Rain date is Sunday. The show is courtesy of the Elmwood-Yates City-Farmington Fireworks Association, which each year solicits donations to pay for the show. This year the group raised just over $7,000 according to Les Atwood, president of the association. “Thanks to all those who donated, without you the show could not go on,” Atwood said. A concession stand near Diamond 5 at Sweetwater Park will also be open from 6:30-9:30 p.m. and will serve food and drinks. Another big fireworks display is Weekly Post Staff Writer
By CHERYL HARLOW
BRIMFIELD – Bernadine Tucker has left a lasting legacy here. Her gift to the town is the mural on the wall of the Sherman’s Pharmacy building in downtown Brimfield. Tucker was the art teacher at Brimfield High School in 1977 when she drew inspiration from a two-story mural that she saw on the outside of a building during her travels in Central Illi-
Fireworks shows this weekend
The late Brimfield High School art teacher Bernadine Tucker painted this mural on the side of Sherman’s Pharmacy in Brimfield in 1977 with the help of students Laurie Arnold, Cathy Arnold and Jo Ann Foster. Photo by Jeff Lampe.
Troutman to end 700-mile walk at Sunday event PRINCEVILLE – Dean Troutman is scheduled to return home on Sunday, after passing through Hanna City and Kickapoo in the final legs of his 700-mile walk across Illinois to raise funds for a park in his late wife’s memory. The 84-year-old Troutman started his trek on Troutman April 21 and walked as far as Benton in south-central Franklin
County. He averaged over 10 miles a day, walking 17 miles on his longest leg. Family and organizers from the not-forprofit Troutman’s Trek: A Committee for Troutman Park said food will be served from 3-6 p.m. at Troutman Park, where he’s expected to arrive about 4 p.m. In 2011, Troutman bought more than five acres of land to set up the Princeville park in memory of his wife, Dorothy (Peggy) Troutman. The park currently has a Little League ball field, a football/soccer field, walking trail, picnic pavilions and a
concession/restroom facility. Contributions for park improvements such as playground equipment, water fountains, scoreboards and bleachers for the athletic fields and landscaping are still being accepted. To donate, write Troutman’s Trek – A Committee for Troutman Park, P.O. Box 524, Princeville, IL 61559; call (309) 6780736; email troutmanpark@yahoo.com; or visit www.troutmanstrek.com or the Facebook page www.facebook.com/troutmanstrek.
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