The Weekly Post
Thursday August 28, 2014 Vol. 2, No. 27 Hot news tip? Want to advertise? Call (309) 741-9790
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State seeks revocation, fine from Billtown EMS By BILL KNIGHT
WILLIAMSFIELD – The Williamsfield Fire Protection District and its ambulance program face a $90,000 fine and revocation of its license to operate for not meeting requirements concerning oxygen tanks, according to the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH). The agency notified the services on Aug. 4, giving them 21 days to respond. The IDPH also seeks to reFor The Weekly Post
voke licenses held by EMTs Ty Landon and Jamie Klein (also Williamsfield’s Fire Chief) and ambulance coordinator and founder Janet Collopy. The state claims that the WFPD, starting in 2005, installed an air-tank system for firefighters’ use that was room air (21 percent oxygen). Its EMS vehicles are required to carry “medical grade” tanks of 100 percent oxygen. However, the State alleges, the program instead used tanks
Inside
• The Elmwood School Board is happy to see an increase in attendance. See Page 7
filled with room air – except for its Oak Run vehicle, which carried the required medicalgrade, 100-percent oxygenfilled tanks. Since different fittings prevent transferring contents between room-air tanks and 100-percent oxygen tanks, ac-
cording to IDPH, unnamed personnel apparently fabricated an adapter to fill the medicalgrade tanks with room air instead of the mandated 100-percent oxygen, the agency charges. The origin of the complaint apparently didn’t come from patients or their families. Instead, according to the IDPH, the EMS System brought the matter to the State’s attention. OSF St. Mary Medical Center is the EMS System’s Re-
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Brimfield OKs donation of grassy lot
PRINCEVILLE HERITAGE MUSEUM
Princeville museum a hidden gem
By TERRY BIBO
BRIMFIELD – A donated lot will come in, despite concerns from Brimfield Unit School District 309 Superintendent Joe Blessman and three board members. A Booster Club bylaws change was left out, pending more discussion of the proposal to have coaches ensure more volunteers. And the idea of barriers around the playground leaves the school board itself on the fence after its regular August meeting, even though there have been unusual incidents in the news of late. 219 Clinton In May, Anita Cotter had offered a lot adjoining school property for $20,000 – or free, if the district would keep it green, maintain a fence and designate it in some way for her father, Willard Hasselbacher. Blessman said he’d initially been enthusiastic about the gift, but later worried it might curtail options for the future. Board member Constance Johnson agreed, saying she appreciates the offer, “but if we own it, it could be anything.” Other board members felt the stipulations may not be ideal, but could be workable. Ultimately, the board voted 4-3 to approve the donation. Johnson, Maribeth Dura and David Harmon voted against. Mark Hoerr, Dan Heinz, Scott Bauer and John For The Weekly Post
By CHERYL HARLOW
PRINCEVILLE – Nestled against wheat fields and a subdivision on the east side of Princeville is an often overlooked gem, the Princeville Heritage Museum and Akron Townhouse School. The museum is 30,000 square feet spread between three different buildings displaying antique agricultural equipment, steam-powered threshers and local artifacts. There is also a genealogy library located within the museum, which is a great resource for researching local family histories. The Princeville Heritage Museum’s grand opening was in 1999 and came as the result of a publicprivate partnership between the Village of Princeville, the Princeville Civic Association, the Historical Association of Princeville and area businesses and individuals.
source Hospital for Williamsfield. Melissa Stokes, OSF St. Mary’s EMS System Coordinator, declined to comment. A confidential note may be at the root of the allegations about the tank usage, which one person close to the situation characterized as “unintentional.” IDPH attorney Jonathan Gunn in an email obtained by The Weekly Post said, “It is difficult to conceive how a system comprised of a high pres-
For The Weekly Post
A display in the Princeville Heritage Museum features this nostalgic schools exhibit. Outside, prairie flowers surround the one-room Akron Townhouse School. Photos by Cheryl Harlow.
Current Director Julie Delbridge said the museum is funded by membership fees and donations. Adult annual membership is $20, youth annual membership is $5, family membership is $50, and adult lifetime membership is $200. Forms are available at the museum Website, www.princevilleheritagemusuem.com. There is no fee to visit the museum, but a donation is suggested.
“We want to show kids that history happened in their own hometown,” Delbridge said. “We plan to host more programs and hopefully get more people to come out. We want people to be aware that we’re out here and have lots to offer.” The main building of the museum houses a log-cabin exhibit, a local military and past war exhibit, a nostalgic Princeville schools exhibit, and antique toy and lamp exhibit, a genealogy library and a large conference room that is available for rent. Delbridge said the room is often rented for family reunions, class reunions and work trainings. There is a Continued on Page 13
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