The Weekly Post
Thursday August 17, 2017 Vol. 5, No. 24 Hot news tip? Want to advertise? Call (309) 741-9790
“We Cover The News of West-Central Illinois With A Passion” Serving the fine communities of Brimfield, Dahinda, Douglas, Duncan, Edwards, Elmore, Elmwood, Farmington, Kickapoo, Laura, Monica, Oak Hill, Princeville, Williamsfield and Yates City
Football led Asbell to Sheriff
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BUILDING UPGRADES
By BILL KNIGHT
BRIMFIELD – Due to an increased workload, Brian Asbell may not be at his customary position holding the sideline chains at Elmwood-Brimfield football games this season. But he knows he wouldn’t have come up through the ranks to become Peoria County’s new sheriff if it weren’t for friends he made at two-a-day practices when Brimfield first fielded a football team in a co-op with Peoria Heights in 1988. “We started football my junior year,” says the 44-year-old former tackle, who on Aug. 10 was confirmed as sheriff by the County Board. “My job goes back to football. One of my football buddies had Asbell a dad who worked at the sheriff’s office, and when I got out of the Army and was looking for work, he suggested applying, and I got hired.” Starting as a corrections officer in 1995, Asbell rose through the department: jail sergeant, patrol division, detective, then an undersheriff starting in 2009, when he became jail superintendent. “I guess I’m sort of that guy who started in the mailroom and ended up being CEO,” he says, laughing. Asbell, who lives in rural Brimfield with his wife and two sons, comes from a large Brimfield family that has farmed in the area for decades. For The Weekly Post
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Back to (remodeled) school Elmwood, Williamsfield open doors on renovated buildings construction STEM science room – all part of a project slated to cost Going back to school has created even more ex- $486,100 for the offices and water-line work and citement than usual this $354,193 for the STEM week in Elmwood and Remodel. Williamsfield. In Elmwood, Those two where school local schools Inside does not start are both un• Local school suuntil Friday, dergoing perintendents say changes were major facility they can stay open more far reachrenovation for a year or more ing. All but one without state fundand construcing. Page 12-13 high school tion projects classroom was that, while remodeled, halls were still underway, have aldramatically changed and ready made significant new commons space was changes as school starts. added under a $7.1 milWilliamsfield students lion project. returned Tuesday to find There’s also much more new administrative ofwork still to be done at fices, several remodeled Elmwood, where a new classrooms and an underBy JEFF LAMPE
Weekly Post Staff Writer
main entrance, district offices, band room, concession stand and bathrooms are still to be completed. At both schools, the superintendents involved are excited about what the changes will mean for Continued on Page 2
Bright new flooring colors and repainted ockers are a major change in the hallway of Elmwood High School (above left) where classrooms have also been remodeled. Much work is left on the new entryway and commons, though (above right). At Williamsfield, a new board room (above) should see plenty of use by staff and students as a meeting area. Photos by Jeff Lampe.