Thursday Sept. 10, 2015 Vol. 3, No. 27
The Weekly Post
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No decision yet on beer gardens in Farmington By JEFF LAMPE
FARMINGTON – The Farmington Beer Garden Saga continued Tuesday night with a small step toward resolution. While the city council was presented with a new ordinance and heard a first reading of the title of that ordinance, no vote was taken. A second reading, and possibly a vote, is expected at the next council meeting on Sept. 21. After numerous heated discussions on the topic of beer gardens in the past two months, Weekly Post Staff Writer
Tuesday’s meeting was remarkably low-key. Much of the discussion was hashed out Sept. 2 at a special committee meeting. During that meeting, residents and council members asked for changes to a previous ordinance that were integrated into the proposed law distributed Tuesday. Those included altering language for the physical structure of a beer garden and creating a requirement for an indoor entrance to the beer garden, which can have no exterior access. The council had hoped to
stipulate that it would rule on each applicant, but learned that by Illinois state law, final say rests in the hands of the Liquor Commissioner. In Farmington, the mayor serves as liquor commissioner. So the proposed ordinance stipulates that any application for a beer garden will require a public hearing called by the liquor comissioner, during which the council can offer a recommendation. “This has nothing to do with a single liquor establishment,” said Ward One Alderman Matt
Elmwood ups loan program assistance
Ulm, who was acting as mayor in Kent Kowal’s absence. Ulm said the idea is to establish a blueprint for handling applications for beer gardens now and in the future. At least one business plans to apply as soon as the ordinance passes. Marshall Threw, comanager of Whiskey Dixie’s on Cone Street – the focus of much recent discussion – said he will apply as soon as possible. “Absolutely,” Threw said. “We’ll comply with whatever is written.” Continued on Page 2
Whiskey Dixie’s has been a focal point for discussions of outdoor beer gardens in Farmington.
History comes alive during cemetery walk
BUSY WEEKEND
By BILL KNIGHT
By CHERYL HARLOW
ELMWOOD – A successful program to help new or expanding businesses could improve, as the City Council on Thursday (Sept. 3) changed assistance levels for the government-backed Revolving Loan Fund. Set up to fill gaps between private resources and a business development that would create or retain jobs, the Revolving Loan Fund (RLF), helped by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, offers low-interest loans for up to 10 years to qualified applicants approved by a RLF Committee. The Council OK’d making financing of up to 50 percent of project costs. It had been limited to 25 percent. Several local businesses are participating and all are current in payments. For instance, the City received $1,921.44 in loan payments last month. In related action, the Council by a 4-1 vote supported taking steps to help Elmwood’s stop on next month’s Spoon River Drive by having a new feature coordinated through Sara’s Gift Shop: a wine and craft-beer tasting booth. Alderman Kent Stevens (Ward 2) was the dissenting vote; Jared Howerton (Ward 3) was absent.
Have you ever wished you could go back in time and have a conversation with a family member or famous person long dead? Well you will get your chance on Saturday, Sept. 19, as the Elmwood Development Association hosts the first Elmwood Township Cemetery Walk. History will come alive as local actors portray past residents of Elmwood. Seven local actors will portray prominent residents as hour-long guided hour long tours of the cemetery stop at each grave site. The identity of the seven actors is supposed to be a secret, so tour attendees will enjoy a surprise as they recognize familiar faces dressed in period costumes and portraying past Elmwood residents. “The idea for a cemetery walk was the result of a brainstorming session last January to try and have more things going on downtown and to get more people to come and check out town events and visit For The Weekly Post
For The Weekly Post
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Part of the annual Ag Day event in Williamsfield, held this Sunday (Sept. 13), is a ‘Guess the Weight’ contest. This is last year’s picture of a tractor and Williamsfield FFA and 4-H officers that weighed 11,600 pounds.
Fall Festival, Ag Day ahead By JEFF LAMPE
Family activities head the bill this weekend in the The Weekly Post area. Elmwood’s annual Fall Festival opens today (Sept. 10) through Saturday (Sept. 12) in the square downtown with a Harry-Potter-inspired theme of Weekly Post Staff Writer
“Let the Magic Begin.” Then on Sunday (Sept. 13), Williamsfield’s annual Ag Day event will be held at Doubet-Benjamin Park from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. The Elmwood Fall Festival opens at 5 p.m. today with food sales. Musical entertainment for the evening is 22year-old Elmwood
rocker Ashley Bean. The Heartland Cloggers perform Friday at 6 p.m. and West MacQueen Street Band is back in town that same night from 7-10 p.m. on the main stage. Saturday’s schedule includes a 5K run/walk at 8 a.m., a parade at 12:30, a kiddie tractor Continued on Page 7
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