The Weekly Post
Thursday April 4, 2013 Vol. 1, No. 7 Hot news tip? Want to advertise? Call (309) 741-9790
“We Cover The News of West-Central Illinois With A Passion”
Serving Brimfield, Edwards, Elmwood, Kickapoo, Laura, Oak Hill, Williamsfield and Yates City
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Eight area elections contested
brook Township Supervisor, Rosefield Township Highway Commissioner and Salem While Tuesday’s Illinois’ consolidated Township Trustees. election shows a long slate of candidates runIn an effort to better inform readning for positions at the municipal, ers about the contested elections, the Election township, school, park, library and Weekly Post on March 25 sent quescommunity college levels, only 8 of tions to candidates in these races. 2013 68 area races are contested. Summaries of the responses proCoverage of The State Board of Elections has area contested vided by candidates can be found inscheduled polls to be open from 6 side this issue on Pages 10-11. races. Pages a.m. to 7 p.m. on Tuesday. Worth noting is that several candi10-11. The contested elections include dates in the township elections did races for the Brimfield School not reply to the questionnaire. Board, Elmwood Mayor, Elmwood Township Overall, light turnout is expected on April Highway Commissioner, Elmwood School 9. Our plan is to provide coverage of election Board, Jubilee Township Supervisor, Millresults in our April 11 edition. By JEFF LAMPE
Weekly Post Staff Writer
County Link growth good, bad By BILL KNIGHT
Ronna Zaidman often needs oxygen for her COPD and asthma, but she still enjoys taking her grandkids to Peoria to shop, thanks to CountyLink. “It makes a difference,” said Zaidman, who also has cataracts and can’t drive. “It’s kept me from being stuck in Brimfield. “They come to your door and take you where you’re going,” she continued. “It’s a life saver.” About 8 miles east, between Oak Hill and Edwards, Betty Delegman talks about her 28-year-old disabled daughter Marta using CountyLink to get to PARC on weekdays. “Without it, I don’t think she could go,” Delegman said. “I’d have to keep her home.” Delegman and Zaidman are two of hundreds of rural Peoria County residents who regularly use CountyLink, which this week marked the first anniversary of operating the rural transit service. It’s been a year of growth: the number of trips and the amount of costs, but also growing accusations and increasing confusion. The county said it wanted more people to use For The Weekly Post
Effective April 20, daily hours at the Yates City Post Office will be reduced to 8 a.m. to noon only. Photo by Jeff Lampe.
New post office hours in Yates City, Edwards
field and Laura post offices do not anticipate seeing any reduction in hours of service. That The impacts of U.S. Postal Service problems will start trick- may change eventually for Laura, which has its own postling down to The Weekly Post master. area this month. In a letter from David J. Starting April 20, window Carvelli, the Yates City decision service at the Yates City Post was said to be based Office will be cut on, “Customer surto four hours per Stories? Ads? vey responses, input day, from 8 a.m. to Visit with a staffer from the community noon only. Previfrom The Weekly Post meetings and operaously service was Mondays from noon tional needs of the available from to 1 p.m. in the BrimPostal Service.” 8:30-11 in the field Public Library’s Postal users had a morning and then conference room. chance to reply to a again from 12:30survey and there was also a 4:30 p.m. town meeting held at the post ofSaturday service will remain from 8:30-10 a.m. and access to fice in February. Survey response was said to be good, but post office boxes will not just two people attended the change as part of the new plan. meeting, held on the day of a Effective April 20, window snowstorm. service at Edwards will also see Jack Himegarner of rural a 30-minute reduction to six Yates City was among those hours: from 7:40 to 11:40 a.m. who filled out the survey and and 1:40-3:40 p.m. said he and his wife prefer Reduced service is also exmorning service. pected in the near future for the “We definitely didn’t want to post office in Williamsfield, close the post office and for us most likely around June 1. Continued on Page 2 So far the Elmwood, BrimBy JEFF LAMPE
Weekly Post Staff Writer
While CountyLink driver Betty Whitehurst was kind enough to smile for this photo, not all passengers of the Peoria County rural transit system are happy with recent developments. Photo by Bill Knight.
CountyLink; that meant more hours of operation. When usage increased, so did expenses, and a projected shortfall from funds paying for CountyLink led to looking for someone to blame. “We just do what the county tells us to do,” said Angel Marinich, general manager at MV Transportation, which has run
CountyLink from its modest headquarters in Bellevue since taking over the troubled service last year. The program is funded by grants from the Federal Transportation Administration (FTA) and the state’s Downstate Operating Assistance Program (DOAP), plus fares from riders. Continued on Page 2
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THE WEEKLY POST • Thursday, April 4, 2013
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HOURS: Massive losses
TRANSIT: County raised fares, cut hours
those were the hours that worked better,” Himegarner said. “The mornings are when we normally come to town.” Not so Dennis Mohn, who paid a visit to the Yates City Post Office Monday afternoon – something he does fairly regularly. “For me I (sell) a lot of items on Ebay so (changing hours) will cramp my style a little,” Mohn said. “I figured it was coming sooner or later.” Mohn wonders if more changes might not also be coming. “How long will they keep this open from 8 a.m. until noon?” he asked.
John Hamann, the county’s rural transportation coordinator, repeatedly warned the Peoria County Board and its Transportation Committee that ridership was growing “dramatically,” starting in the first month of operation, according to committee minutes. Last June Hamann told the committee that ridership gained an additional 12 percent after the first month and could face a deficit of more than $180,000 within two years; last August he again told the committee that a shortfall was anticipated. It took until December 1 for the county to respond by raising fares and cutting hours. When MV started a year ago, the county cut the fare from $12 to $3, and monthly ridership doubled. So in December the county hiked the fares to $6 and reduced routes and hours. Six full-time routes became 2; 8 part-time routes became 12; the daily hours buses run was cut 25 percent. “Once we clamped down, they became more efficient,” said Mark Rothert, assistant county administrator for Economic Development. “That tightening up or streamlining should have been done from the start.” Several Board members have alluded to the county’s role as a “pass-through” agent for the grants funding the program, but that’s not accurate, according to IDOT. Starting next January IDOT will stress that local government recipients must take on greater responsibility, with a “program compliance oversight monitor.” The FTA in an August report conceded that it had provided too little guidance in how grant recipients should oversee grants. “MV’s role is only a ride provider,” said one state official who spoke on the condition of anonymity. “Counties have to properly watch and manage these programs.” In February, the Board OK’d County Administrator Lori Curtis Luther renegotiating MV’s contract. Hours Don’t Add Up Sharon Williams (D-Dist. 1), a member of the county’s Transportation Committee, said, “I have only been on the Board a short period of time [but] the contract with MV is based on hours. From my understanding we take the amount of the grant and pretty much divide it by 12 and come up with the maximum amount of hours the service can provide per month based on the per hour charge by MV.” Indeed, Rothert, Hamann and other county administrators have cited the contract’s annual 12,500 hours. But since CountyLink runs Monday-Friday, that’s 260 operating days. And 12,500 hours divided by 260 is about 48 hours per day. The county owns 10 CountyLink buses that run 5 a.m.5 p.m., so that’s 4.8 hours per bus per day, on average. Not all buses run all day, but the math still seems to indicate the 12,500-hour ceiling was never enough.
Continued from Page 1
Changes are part of an overhaul of USPS made necessary by massive losses. Reports are the Post Office lost nearly $16 billion last year. In February the Post Office also announced plans to end Saturday delivery starting Aug. 5. That move is said to save $2 billion per year. Saturday delivery was started in 1863. Since 2008 the Post Office has cut its work force by an estimated 200,000 workers. As part of a 2006 Congressional mandate, the Post Office must prefund healthcare benefits for future retirees. Jeff Lampe can be reached at
jeff@wklypost.com or 231-6040.
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Plus, the reduced daily hours of 65 is still higher than the contract’s apparent 48-hour daily maximum. Before the county signed the five-year, $2.6 million contract with MV Transportation to provide on-demand rides throughout rural Peoria County, the service was in jeopardy. IDOT said its previous operator, the Rural Peoria County Council on Aging, was out of compliance, failed to keep records, and questioned its driving and spending accountability. Three Proposals An on-demand rural transportation system has existed in Peoria County since 1983. Now, however, the projected shortfall has the County Board weighing three responses: • Proposal 1 would terminate the program. • Proposal 2 would take money from the county’s general fund – about $125,000 and not to exceed $140,000 – to underwrite CountyLink through June. • Proposal 3 would earmark $140,000 from projected surplus property tax income and savings from deferred capital projects to fund CountyLink through June. The County Board is scheduled to meet at April 11 at 6 p.m., when they’ll probably vote. Confused? You’re not alone. Besides asserting – apparently erroneously – that the county was merely a “pass-through” agent for the grant, county personnel said CountyLink was self-sustaining and just needed to promote the service to increase fares. “Staff were urging CountyLink to ‘take ’em all – full speed ahead’,” commented one Board member who spoke on the condition no name be used. MV Operations Supervisor Steve Bernal said, “The demand was there from the get-go. [And] if there was ever any question about whether we should offer a ride, we called the county for authorization.” Bernal and Marinich’s boss, MV’s regional vice president Brian Balogh, told The Weekly Post, “MV provides service as directed by the county and will continue to do so. We provide service at the direction of the county. We do not get involved with funding or procurement.” Meanwhile, bargaining a new agreement is up in the air. “MV continues to be very optimistic that we will be able to amend the contract and continue the service at a high level and help the county control costs and met their budget constraints,” Balogh said. On the other hand, Rothert said, “We have to see what the Board does and go from there. I don’t know if it’s standard operating procedure for MV to blow past the [current] contract.” Board member Allen Mayer (DDist. 6), who introduced Proposal 3, sees both sides of the dispute. “It looks like MV is operating outside the contract,” Mayer said. “That is the primary reason for the approximately $140,000 shortfall
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during the current grant. MV should be able to make that up in future years under the terms of a renegotiated contract. “While the contract could have been managed more closely earlier in the current grant, MV exceeded their budgeted hours,” Mayer continued. “The county will oversee CountyLink more closely in the future.” Matching Funds Another problem is Peoria County’s lack of required matching funds. The federal grant permits 50/50 matching funds for operating expenses and an 80/20 split for administrative costs, according to Ed Heflin, manager of the Rural Transit Assistance Center (RTAC) of the Illinois Institute for Rural Affairs at Western Illinois University. The state grant can help match the federal grant, Heflin said, but the state grant itself has a 65/35 matching funds requirement. Service contracts that the Rural Peoria County Council on Aging previously had weren’t renewed and new relationships haven’t happened. “We’d very much like medical and service providers that get indirect benefits from CountyLink bringing them patients to share some of the costs,” Mayer said. “Many of them are doing well [financially], so it’s frustrating that they’re essentially dumping their people on our service. Statewide, 30 counties had no rural transportation service in 2006; today only one has none: Henderson County. “This is a wonderful program,” said Heflin. “The devil’s in the details. “Certainly, it’s been proven that it’s a net economic development driver, with $3 returned for every $1 of funding. If grantees [like Peoria County] monitor the grants closely, making sure the operators provide the rides, everybody lives happily.” Another Possible Option? Another option could be a Rural Mass Transit District, such as southern Illinois’ successful Rural Initiative Development of Effective Services, which since 1990 has provided rural transportation and now serves 16 counties for fares of $2, 75 cents for children 6-10 years old and free for younger kids. RIDES also is that area’s No. 1 employer. “We’ve assumed the responsibility,” said Board member Brad Harding (R-Dist. 6), another member of the county’s Transportation Committee and the sponsor of Proposal 2. “Terminating the program without exhausting every option would be derelict in our duty, which is serving the public in Peoria County.” Back in rural Rosefield Township, Betty Delegman says, “I worry the County Board will think, ‘Oh, why bother? It’s not that important.’ “But it is important,” she continued. “I hope and pray this will continue. Money is wasted in so many ways. It’d be a shame if they couldn’t find a way to afford this.”
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THE WEEKLY POST • Thursday, April 4, 2013
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THE WEEK AHEAD Community Events
s Story time – Spring Break story time with Sue Benesch will be today at 1:30 p.m. at Morrison and Mary Wiley Library in Elmwood. s Caleb’s Challenge – A fund-raising spaghetti dinner this Saturday (April 6) at the Kickapoo Sportsman’s Club will benefit the family of Caleb Siegel, who has fanconi anemia, a genetic disease with an incidence of 1 per 350,000 births. Caleb, the son of Elmwood High School alums Jack and Debbie Siegel, needs a bone marrow transplant this year and plans are that he’ll travel to Minnesota for the procedure, which will require him to spend more than three months there. The event is scheduled for 12-7 p.m. and will also feature music, a bake sale, a 50/50 live auction and more. All money raised will help with Caleb's medical expenses and recovery time in Minnesota and bills. A previous fund raiser was held in February at the Eagles Club on Peoria’s south side. Donations may be made at any CEFCU location in care of Caleb's Challenge. For more information, call Chuck Traver (309) 370-4742 or Dawn Mennel (309) 303-0564. s Craft night – A mother/daughter craft night is scheduled for Thursday, April 11 at 6 p.m. at Morrison and Mary Wiley Library in Elmwood. Reservations are required, so please call ahead to (309) 742-2431. s Fiber guild – Bishop Hill Fiber Guild will meet on Saturday, April 13 at 10 a.m. at the Methodist Church in West Jersey. All persons interested in fiber (spinners, knitters, crocheters, basket makers, beaders, weavers, etc.) are welcome to attend. A different program, allowing members to learn a new skill or refine an old one, is presented each month. The program for April is Knitting Two Socks, Two at a Time, Toe Up on one circular needle with Elizabeth Wild and a continuation of our Back To Basics Fiber Study for 2013 with a presentation of the Gulf Coast Native sheep breed by Gwyn Krause. A different sheep breed is focused each month, allowing participants to learn the characteristics, qualities, and primary uses of each breed. For more information contact Char Rickey at (309) 472-7085 or email spinwool7@aol.com. s Breakfast buffet – An all-you-can-eat breakfast buffet is scheduled from 7-11 a.m. April 14 at the Yates City Community Center to benefit the St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. The menu will include bacon and eggs, sausage and ham, biscuits and gravy, pancakes and Tater Tots. The price is $8. s Trail race – Registration is open for the 33rd annual Wildlife Trail Classic at Wildlife Prairie State Park on April 20. Sponsored by OSF St. Francis Wellness Services, the event starts at 8 a.m. for the 4-mile cross-country run and 2-mile walk. A children’s fun run starts at 9 a.m. Pre-registration for 4-mile cross-country run and 2-mile walk is $25; for the children’s fun run, it’s $10. Register online at www.wildlifetrailclassic.com. For additional details, call OSF St. Francis Wellness Services at Peoria’s Riverplex: (309) 282-1636. s Dealers wanted – Elmwood Spoon River Drive Committee is looking for artists, crafters, vendors and flea market dealers for the drive this year. Contact Jody at (309) 264-8653. s Peoria SWCD sales – The Peoria County Soil and Water Conservation District is taking orders for fish and prairie plants. To make an order or to received order forms call (309) 671-7040, Ext. 3 or visit peoriacountyswcd.tripod.com. Orders for fish must be made by April 10 with pickup scheduled for April 13. Peoria Co. SWCD is also currently taking orders for its annual Prairie Plant Sale. A wide array of plants are available in the plug size. There are 16 plants including; Brown-eyed Susans, Ironweeds, and Rattlesnake Masters. There are also four grasses; Prairie Cordgrass, Prairie Dropseed, Indiangrass and Little Bluestem. All plugs are being sold for $2 each.
Beer, wine tasting benefit for new shelter PEORIA – Guests will be able to sample different wines and beers provided by local distributors Friday (April 5) at a benefit for the Stray Animal Midway Shelter. The third annual beer and wine tasting event will be held from 4:308:30 p.m. Friday at Barrack’s Cater Inn, 1224 W. Pioneer Parkway in Peoria. Appetizers will also be served during the tasting and guests receive a souvenir glass and can take part in a large silent auction. Tickets are $25 in advance or $30 at the door. No pets or guests under the age of 21 will be admitted to the benefit. To learn more, contact Connie at (309) 6782532 email her at SAMSRescue@hotmail.com or visit facebook.com/sams.rescue. Tickets are also being sold online at SAMSRescue.org. All proceeds help fund a no-cost spay and neuter program through Brown Veterinary in Elmwood and go towards a new no-kill animal shelter in the Brimfield-Elmwood area. Funds are also used to educate people on reasons why euthenization of pets is not the best option. Organizers are hoping to have additional fundraisers in the BrimfieldElmwood area at a later date this fall. From Weekly Post News Sources
- Abby Althiser contributed to this report
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THE WEEKLY POST • Thursday, April 4, 2013
The Weekly Post www.wklypost.com
The Weekly Post is published every Thursday (except the last weeks of December and June) by Lampe Publications LLC, 115 W. Main St., Elmwood, IL 61529. All phone numbers listed are in area code (309).
Postmaster – Send address changes to The Weekly Post, P.O. Box 745, Elmwood, IL 61529 Phone – 741-9790 Fax – 741-9365 Email – news@wklypost.com Website – www.wklypost.com (Under construction) Office Hours – 9-5 Mon-Thurs, 9-4 Fri News – Jeff Lampe 231-6040 Classifieds – Shelly Brodine 741-9790 Advertising – Jeff Lampe 231-6040 Regular Contributors – Mit Beres, Terry Bibo, Keith Butterfield, Melinda Cote, Amy Davis, Kasey Eberle, Jon Gallagher, Bill Knight, Crystal Prahl and Gabbie Sloan Deadlines – News due Tuesdays by noon. Retail ads Mondays by noon. Classifieds Fridays by 2 p.m. Circulation – The paper is delivered via mail for free in Brimfield, Edwards, Elmwood, Kickapoo, Laura, Oak Hill, Williamsfield and Yates City. Subscriptions are available if you live outside the communities listed above. One year subscription $100. Obituaries, Births, Weddings – Forms are available at our office at 115 W. Main St. in Elmwood. Quote of the Week: – “In the spring, I have counted 136 different kinds of weather inside of 24 hours.” – Mark Twain Seen by 10,000+ readers every week!
When Jay Leno had breakfast in Elmwood Rambling through west-central Illinois pondering why so few people vote. uuu We know what makes this country great. Democracy, right? So why don’t you vote? Why not just spare the few minutes it takes to show up at a polling place and vote? If nothing else, Jeff you can proudly LAMPE wear the sticker with the flag that proves you did your part. ... Spent an hour shivering at Brimfield Monday watching the Brimfield-Elmwood softball and baseball teams roll. Scheduling both teams at the same time – as Williamsfield also does regularly – makes so much sense, even if it forces some parents like Emily Roberts to have a split personality while attempting to monitor the progress of kids on both teams. ... For my money, though, I still prefer the Iowa system of prep baseball played in the warm summer. uuu So what about Jay Leno making
fun of Elmwood? Several have asked, after I mentioned that in a previous column. Well, he didn’t really make fun of Elmwood. In one of those little segments where he notes goofy newspaper headlines, he singled out a Journal Star header promoting the Elmwood All Outdoors Show. Said Jay, “Well, what could go wrong here? ‘Live deer, youth archery part of outdoors show.’ OK. Exactly.” Not exactly a hard ribbing. But for once I have to agree with The Mayor of Oak Hill, who found no humor in the headline. Must be some sort of big-city joke. uuu Besides, based on what I learned over the weekend, there’s no reason for Jay to have anything but good memories of Elmwood. Chuck Brannan said he was there one day when Leno came to Elmwood for breakfast back in the 1970s. Chuck was working for Peoria promoter Jay Goldberg at the time and lured Leno – who was a touring comic before he became a famed television host – to Elmwood with the promise of breakfast followed by a prayer at what is now Hick’ry Stick. Leno and his entourage showed up in
On-ramp brush cutting seems uneeded
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To the Editor: I’m glad that you made mention of what has been taking place at the Interstate 74 on-ramp now for many weeks, because it has been bothering me for just as long. My best guess is that the states’ explanation for cutting trees and brush would be that the trees hampered visibility for traffic merging on to 74 east. I have lived close to that ramp all of my life and never had, nor known of anyone having, a problem merging because of the trees and brush. I will admit I’m pro-labor and I’m all for people having good jobs, but when the state is in the kind of financial trouble it is, this just seems like a huge waste of taxpayer money. I would rather see those workers walking the state highways picking up the accumulation of winters’ litter. Finally, what grinds my gears the most about the whole thing is, that area made ideal habitat for wildlife, except for the busy inter-
state, of course. From rabbits to nesting doves I can’t think of a better green-space for small game to find cover and raise their young in a sea of farmland. In a world where safe-havens (no matter how big or small) are becoming increasingly hard to find, it really is not fair to the animals. – Jesse Gilles, via email
A sunny Post outlook
To the Editor: One of my favorite columns in your paper is Jeff Lampe’s insight on recent happenings and other obscure topics. His ramblings in the March 21, 2013 edition got me laughing out loud. He was reminiscing about the variety of music played at his dentist’s office. A few weeks back, I needed to call my mental health provider after hours. The on-hold music was “Here Comes the Sun” by the Beatles. Your dentist may have been able
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two limos and proved to be great guests, paying for the tab for 20 or so and saying hello to every patron who walked into the restaurant. “Jay acted like he knew everybody. And nobody knew him,” Brannan said. “But he kept saying, ‘Some day I’m going to be famous.’” uuu Got a recent report from “Bluebird Herb” Unkrich of Edwards, who tends to an extensive string of bluebird nests around Edwards and Kickapoo. Last year’s early spring helped him fledge 715 bluebirds vs. 412 in 2011. He also set a record for the first egg on March 19. I’m guessing this year’s first egg will be much, much later. ... Song of the Week: “Rivers and Road” by the Head and the Heart, if only to hear Charity Thielen’s voice. ... Parting shot: Here’s an idea for next year’s Elmwood Kiwanis Easter Egg hunt that I like. Amy Davis suggested the hunt could be in Central Park. No doubt this has been proposed before – and rejected. But I can think of no good reason to have the hunt anywhere else. Contact Jeff Lampe at 231-6040 or jeff@wklypost.com
Letter Policy
The Weekly Post welcomes letters from our readers. Email us at editor@wklypost.com or mail to: Letters, The Weekly Post, P.O. Box 745, Elmwood, IL 61529. Include your first and last names, your full home address, home phone and a phone number where you can be reached during the day. Letters should be no more than 250 words and must be signed. Longer submissions of 500-600 words will be considered for our Other Voices feature. Letters will be edited and may be used in print or electronic form.
to play to his mood, but you know the mental health people actually have to put a lot of thought into what they play as their incidental music. Thanks for the laugh and keep up the great work. – Amanda Price, Elmwood
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THE WEEKLY POST • Thursday, April 4, 2013
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GUEST VOICES
Lousy Susans do it to me once again I can’t begin to tell you how many people have come up to me in the past week or so after reading my recent column on those dumb revolving bagging thingamajigs at WalMart and said, “I did the same thing!” or “I’ve left a lot of stuff on those (expletive) things!” Here’s a confession. I wrote that column several months ago for another publication that I Jon was doing some GALLAGHER work for. I reworked it a little (I took out the profanity used by the two idiots in line behind me) and sent it to Jeff to be published in the Weekly Post.
In between the time I sent it and the time it got published, I did it again. I left a couple of bags on the Revolving Carousel of Doom. Now you would think, especially after writing about it a couple times, I’d be smart enough to check the other side of the Lousy Susan Kiosk for extra bags. But no, not me! I’m a glutton for punishment. I enjoy donating stuff I’ve purchased to other people in line behind me. Once again, I left stuff at Walmart in Peoria. I purchased a bunch of office supplies for an office we’re putting together up in Galesburg, so I had a laundry list of little stuff – pens, index cards, receipt books, highlighters and other assorted goodies. I also had a couple of larger things too, but all the smaller
things got put into a bag and rotated to the Bermuda Triangle of the kiosk, and I left without it. By the time I got back to Elmwood, I knew I’d left the bag behind. I knew because getting up my stairway loaded down with bags can be a challenge sometimes, and the only bags I needed to lug up the stairs contained just the two larger items. I called Walmart immediately, ready to fight. I got hold of a nice lady at Customer Service who took my receipt number and verified that the cashier had found my bag. Evidently, if the customer behind you walks out with your bag, you’re out of luck. If a cashier finds it, they take it to Limbo Land where little lost bags with Continued on Page 6
A wonderful trip to Branson’s Sucker City If you go to Branson, you have to go to Silver Dollar City. That’s the mantra we heard from everyone before our family vacation in the summer of 2011. Well, I think EVERYONE is involved in some sort of cruel, inside joke. The owners of Silver Dollar City (we Dean shall hereafter WARNER refer to as SDC) also own a waterpark in Branson called White Water. Our extended family (eight adults and eight children) went to the waterpark and absolutely loved it. When you purchase tickets to the waterpark, you can also get a deal for SDC. We fell for it – pay for two days and have access to the waterpark or SDC for three days!
That’s how they get you. So, after thoroughly enjoying ourselves at White Water, the Clampetts set out the next day for SDC. Do you remember the weather during the end of July in 2011? It was a heat wave. The high temperature for the day was going to be in the 99 to 101 degree range. Perfect. Driving to SDC is an adventure in itself. Traffic can be horrendous on The Strip in Branson, so we thought it would be best to take an alternate route. Our three vehicles set out onto the Shepherd of the Hills Expressway. We wound around hills and dales, and at one point I thought I saw Moses coming down from the mount with two stone tablets in his hands. I should have known that this route would have been the Queen stage of the Tour de France. After climbing and descending the Col du Galibier, the Matterhorn, the
Pyrenees and finishing it off with Alpe d’Huez, we arrived at SDC. Only three kids and two adults were car sick. Not too bad. We then drove through the first two parking lots that were full and found spots in Lot No. 3. Luckily they have trams to take you from the parking lot to the park entrance. Even so, I knew we were in trouble though when we were already sweating on the tram and it was only 11 a.m. We did not have to stand in line for our tickets because we already had them. What smart consumers. Into the park we went. They do have a lot of shade in the park, which is nice. At this point we were still thinking positive and commented that all the shade would help us. Wrong. 100 degrees with humidity is 100 degrees with humidity – it doesn’t matter if you are in the shade.
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Continued on Page 7
Acting as Honor Flight escort was a privilege
To The Editor: On March 26, I had the privilege of escorting my uncle, Henry Peters to Washington DC. This was for the Land of Lincoln Honor Flight (learn more at landoflincolnhonorflight.org) They are taking World War II veterans, and now Korean War vets on these flights. Henry was a Korean vet. There were at least 20 vets in wheel chairs. There were almost 80 vets on the flight. Each veteran was escorted by a guardian. There was no cost for any of this for the veterans, as it was their day. There was also a veteran on the flight with an Elmwood VFW jacket named Don Whelan. It was an honor to be with all these vets. – Lenny Asbell, Brimfield
Honor Flight stories
To the Editor: The recent article in the Weekly
Henry Peters of Brimfield stands in front of the Korean War Memorial Wall in Washington DC.
Post about the Honor Flight reminded me that Marion Pierce of Dunlap is also going on this flight. Marion is a retired Dunlap Firefighter currently living in Independence Village in Peoria. There are current firefighters that go into town and get him for
the business meeting every second Thursday. He likes to stay as active as he can. Marion is an Army Air Corps veteran of WWII. He is also a retired Dunlap High School teacher. My wife had him for chemistry when she attended Dunlap. – Dick Joyce, Kickapoo To the Editor: I thought this may make a good story for the paper. My dad Don Whelan went on the Honor Flight to Washington DC on March 26. My parents Don and Mary (Emery) Whelan grew up in Brimfield and the Elmwood area and lived there until April 2012 when they moved to Chillicothe to be closer to family at their older age. My sister and I both graduated from EHS. We are very very proud of dad for his service in the Korean War and for being chosen to go on this Honor Flight. – Sherry Walter, via email
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THE WEEKLY POST • Thursday, February 21, 2013
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ELMWOOD – Seth Schultz, 24, and Tom Putney, 32, both of Elmwood, were ticketed for disorderly conduct following an altercation outside Elmwood Tap about 1:30 Sunday morning, Elmwood police said. Schultz admitted to police that he had called a woman a name, provoking the fight with Putney, according to police reports. Both men were freed after receiving citations and notices to appear. In the wake of the altercation, the police report noted that patrons carrying beer and drinks from nearby taverns Woppers and Crusen’s spilled into the street, and additional police were summoned. All three bars were closed at 2:42 a.m., 18 minutes earlier than scheduled. Bar closing time had been extended one hour to 3 a.m. for alumni weekend.
Police Reports
• Grave marker theft – Lucinda McIntyre of Tiber Creek Road
outside Elmwood told police that a bronze military grave marker on the grave of her husband, Frederick Beard, has been stolen. Peoria Sheriff’s officers are investigating. • Woman hits deer – Daniellle Robb, 40, of Princeville told police she hit a deer about 7:45 p.m. March 25 on Southport Road just west of Heinz Lane, killing the animal and damaging her Ford Excursion, according to the Sheriff’s department. No injuries were reported.
Brimfield man ticketed on drug charges
ELMWOOD – Chris Koller, 30, of Brimfield was ticketed for possessing less than 2.5 grams of marijuana and possessing drug paraphernalia after police were called about a disturbance near Hawthorne and Magnolia about 2 a.m. Saturday. Police detained Koller and another man, who were loud and walking down the street, according to reports, which noted they seemed intoxicated. After several requests to pro-
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duce identification, Koller and his companion were searched and a pipe was discovered, apparently with cannabis residue, police said.
Sheriff investigating scrap-metal theft
BRIMFIELD – A pickup truck load of scrap metal was apparently stolen from the Kleine Equipment on Maher Road south of Brimfield. The material, mostly recognized as green John Deere metal, was identified by a Kleine employee. Detectives are pursuing suspects for theft, criminal trespassing and obstruction of justice.
Real estate transactions 17604 W. Southport Rd., Brimfield, Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corp. to Katelyn N. Turner, $151,500. Lots 1A & 1B in Eden Lake, Elmwood, Kevin M. and Mary F. Scott to Matthew J. and Melissa S. Alger, $132,600.
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1967 YATES CITY: This picture of downtown Yates City shows the old Feldner’s Food Mart, Stew’s Recreation, a corner building (since town down for the Burt Coyote building) and the corner of the old Standard Station (now the Yates City Deli & Bakery). Photo courtesy of Bruce Howard.
GALLAGHER: 10 percent leave bags behind Continued from Page 5
no owners go. Mine had been returned to the Land of the Lost. I asked if she needed me to come back yet that night (it was after 9 p.m. which means they’d be rolling up my sidewalk very soon) or if I could wait till morning. She told me it didn’t matter because they’d already put my stuff back on the shelves. THEY DID WHAT?! I went back the next day, a little upset that I was having to drive all the way back (that was partially my fault) and having to reshop all the items on my receipt (which was entirely their fault). When I got there, I asked the customer service lady why they put stuff back, especially a half
hour after they discover it. “Because we get so many, we don’t have room for them,” she said rather matter of factly. You get so many of them? How many people leave stuff behind? She told me that out of all the customers who have three or more bags to take out, about one out of every ten leaves something behind. Excuse me. It’s been a long time since my last math class, but if I’ve figured that out correctly, that’s 10 percent. Now what’s wrong with that picture? If 10 percent of their customers with three or more bags are forgetting stuff, then there’s something terribly wrong with their system! That means that a good
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percentage of their customers are probably real ticked off about their shopping experience, especially if someone else walks out with their bag(s). I told her they needed to fix their system. Then again, maybe some genius in their marketing department came up with this idea. I asked how many people come back after their stuff. “Not many,” she said. “That’s why we put it back on the shelf.” No wonder Walmart can sell stuff so cheap. Some of it they pay for once, then sell several times because dummies like me leave it behind.
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THE WEEKLY POST • Thursday, February 21, 2013
Faithful Friends Preschool at the Union Church of Brimfield Is Having A Kids’ Clothing, Toys, and Equipment Sale Saturday, April 20th – 8 am to 2 pm Rent a booth for only $20, bring all of your gently used children’s clothes, toys, supplies, and equipment, man your booth, and keep your own profits OR FFP will gladly accept any donations of gently used children’s items, we’ll do all the work and the money will benefit Faithful Friends Preschool & and UC. Please call (309) 446-9432 with any questions.
THE FARM FIELD
Farm Bill waits for Washington By WILLIAM C. BAILEY Director, School of Agriculture Western Illinois University
There are several well-known plays or movies with titles that start with “Waiting for …” – “Waiting for Godot,” “Waiting for Guffman” and “Waiting for Superman” come to mind. Well, Illinois agriculture is also waiting – waiting for Washington to craft new farm legislation under which Illinois farmers will operate. After an intensive legislative effort last year, new farm legislation, designed to replace expiring legislation, did not get through Congress. As the legislative clock ran down, Congress simply extended current law until September 30. There would be ample time – nine months – for Congress to craft and pass new farm legislation. Problem solved? Not quite. Budget problems have arisen, USDA funding has been sequestered and Washington seems more acrimonious that last year. With such challenges, waiting may seem like the best policy for some. However, this year, as last, the legislative clock is running and September 30 is getting closer and closer. Every four or five years, Congress, normally with the help of the US Department of Agriculture, creates new farm legislation. The legislation is commonly referred to as The Farm Bill, but it always has a much fancier title. The current farm bill is entitled “The Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008.” It was enacted into law in June 2008 and has governed the bulk of Federal agriculture and related programs for the past five years. The Senate last year passed its Farm Bill called “The Agriculture Reform, Food and Jobs Act of 2012.”
But nothing will be accomplished until Washington starts the legislative process for a new Farm Bill. And, at this point, that process remains on the sidelines. Farm groups, conservation groups, energy groups, food stamp and nutrition groups, are all waiting. They have pressured, and are pressuring, for the legislative process to start. But so far, to no avail. The most recent Farm Bill is 673 pages long, authorizes 15 different spending categories and costs up to $100 billion per year. The Bill touches a broad array of issues and commodities from corn and cotton to organic research to food stamps to rural enterprise development. Whether the Congress simply extends the current law or writes new farm legislation, the process is complex. However complex that process, it pales in comparison to what happens if no Farm Bill is passed. Agricultural legislation will revert to what is called Permanent Legislation. That legislation, crafted in the 1930s and 1940s, addressed a very different agriculture and United States than we have today. That legislation was geared toward smaller crop production and much higher consumer prices. In fact, according to the Washington Post, the 1949 law is so inapt for today’s conditions that no one actually expects Congress to let it stand. But it will become the law of the land unless it is replaced by a new Farm Bill. So the drama in Illinois agriculture about the drought is being replaced by drama about the Farm Bill – or lack thereof. While there will be a new Farm Bill, eventually, I am not sure what we might see. I suspect it will be simpler and less expensive than the current Farm Bill. It might even be fewer than 673 pages. We just have to wait.
Re-Elect BILL FRIETSCH For Elmwood School Board
Page 7
IN BRIEF
Dollar General opener early May
ELMWOOD – Dollar General is hoping to have its new Elmwood store open by the first week of May according to Randy Hubbard, developer for the project. “I’d say right at the first of May sometime the store should be open, provided it dries up enough so we can finish the parking lot,” Hubbard said. Work on the inside of the 9,100-square-foot building is basically done, but wet conditions have delayed work on the parking lot and on a culvert on
the property. A 48-inch concrete culvert pipe under the lot had to be custom-made in a plant that was closed for the winter, Hubbard said. Work on the culvert started this week. Hubbard said there is also still landscaping to do around the outside of the building. “We originally thought it would be ready to open April 1,” Hubbard said. “But just with the parking issues and the snow we could not get it done.”
Library offers free delivery service YATES CITY – As a
service to library patrons who are shut-in or can’t get out to pick up books, Salem Township Library offers free delivery of books and DVDs. Call the library at (309) 358-1678.
Grace period voter registration ahead
PEORIA – Grace Period Registration/Voting continues through April 6. Peoria County residents living outside Peoria’s city limits who have not registered to vote may now register and vote at the Peoria County Clerk’s Office in the County Courthouse. Call (309) 672-6070.
WARNER: Head for Silver Dollar City Continued from Page 5
Looking at the brochure you receive when you enter the park (which includes a park map and show times), we noticed the one show we wanted to see was not playing that day. We had done research on the computer before we went to SDC and everyone really wanted to see the stunt dog show. This was the only day of the week that it wasn’t running. Bad omen. God was giving us a signal, but we didn’t recognize it. Should have left then, but no, we have to stay. We have to get our money’s worth. Needless to say, there was a lot of whining, sweating, complaining, and temper tantrums. And that was just me. “You kids are going on rides and liking it. I don’t care that you’re hot, sweaty, dehydrated and delirious from the heat. Now stop your crying and get in line for 20 minutes for a two-minute ride that will make you sick.” I should explain, that’s IF you find
the rides. SDC is a logistical nightmare. There are paths going in every direction. The map is no help because I think it was designed by an 8-year-old girl with spatial relation issues. I knew we were in trouble when a team of Navy SEALs asked us for directions to the WildFire roller coaster. You have to go uphill or downhill to get anywhere, and they try to hide the entrances to the rides. What kind of sick, bastard designed this park? Plus there are about 40 rides interspersed throughout 5,000 acres of shops, food stands, crafters and theaters. I think SDC actually stands for Satan’s Demonic City. I know I have been to the gates of hel and have seen Satan face to face. Hell hath a name, and thy name is Silver Dollar City. I’m not going back! But I will tell anyone going to Branson that they must go to Silver Dollar City. I’m in on it now, suckers.
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Agent Name Agent Name Agent Agent Name Agent Name Name David AgentVaughan Name Agent Name Agent Name Agent Name City City Elmwood City City City City City City City (000) 123-4567 (000) 123-4567 309-742-2411 (000) 123-4567 (000) 123-4567 (000) 123-4567 (000) 123-4567 (000) 123-4567 (000) 123-4567 (000) 123-4567 (000) 123-4567 (000) 123-4567 309-712-3575 cell (000) 123-4567 (000) 123-4567
Bradly Name Coyle Agent Name Agent Name Agent Name Agent Name Agent Name Agent Name Agent Peoria City City City City City City City 309-686-7050 (000) 123-4567 (000) 123-4567 (000) (000) 123-4567 123-4567 (000) 123-4567 (000) (000) 123-4567 123-4567 (000) 123-4567 (000) 123-4567 309-256-4759 cell
I take great pride in our community and our school and hope to have everyone’s vote for re-election to the board!
Agent Name Agent Name Agent Name Chris Peterson Agent Name Agent Name Agent Name Agent Name City Hanna City City City CityCity City City (000) 123-4567 309-565-7313 (000) 123-4567 (000) 123-4567 (000) (000) 123-4567 123-4567 (000) 123-4567 (000) (000) 123-4567 123-4567 (000) 123-4567 (000) 123-4567 309-265-8558 cell (000) 123-4567
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Page 8
THE WEEKLY POST • Thursday, April 4, 2013
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Holocaust survivor to speak in Brimfield By MELINDA COTE
BRIMFIELD – Holocaust survivor Marion BlumenthalLazan will return to Brimfield Grade School on Wednesday, April 10 to speak about her experiences and about the courage to speak out against injustice, wherever it is found. The program begins at 1 p.m. in the Brimfield Grade School gym and is free and open to the public. Lazan spent nearly seven years in concentration camps in Europe. She entered the camps at the age of 4. Living conditions were initially tolerable, but they rapidly For The Weekly Post
deteriorated. In 1944, her family was transferred to the notorious BergenBelsen concentration camp, where they struggled to survive for 14 months. It was here that Blumenthal-Lazan began her search for “four perfect pebbles.” Bergen-Belsen was liberated in 1945 and the surviving members of the Blumenthal family arrived in the United States in 1948, and eventually found their way to Peoria, with the help of the Jewish Community Council. Adjusting to life in central Illinois was no easy task as the family members searched for jobs
with limited language skills. The family persevered, and in 1953 Marion Blumenthal graduated from Peoria Central with a class rank of 8th out of 265. That same summer she married Nathan Lazan, a senior at Bradley University. Together they raised three children. Traveling, speaking about the horrors of the Holocaust, and coauthoring “Four Perfect Pebbles” with Lila Perl has been her passion for over three decades. The 50th anniversary of the liberation of the Bergen-Belsen camp was in 1995. It was the author’s first visit back to her native country.
Brimfield village board hopes for grants By TERRY BIBO
BRIMFIELD – As baseball season gets underway, Brimfield may not be able to bat a thousand. “It’s just not humanly possible to spend that many hours,” said board president Dan Fishel. But pitching two out of three grant proposals could stack up some serious stats later this year. Despite tight timeframes, the village is applying for up to $150,000 in funds from the Community Development Assistance Program (CDAP). And it hopes to garner a portion of the $500,000 awarded to Peoria and Woodford Counties out of emergency funding left over from For The Weekly Post
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Hurricane Ike. “About $170,000 is for community and neighborhood planning of the type Brimfield wants to do,” said Tri-County Regional Planning Commission Executive Director Terry Kohlbuss. Although the money could not be spent for construction, both grants could be used to plan a reworked version of the town’s water distribution system. “It’s all kind of fitting together for us,” Fishel said. “Of course, we don’t have the money yet.” The CDAP grant application is due April 15. The timeline for the hurricane funding hasn’t been determined, but should come up soon. Peoria County is taking ap-
plications for managing that work, Kohlbuss said, and the grant proposals could be about 60 days away. “It’s like everything else in government,” Kohlbuss said. “You take one step at a time.” In other business, the board learned that the American Red Cross will have a disaster preparedness training session from 9 a.m. to noon Saturday, April 20 at Brimfield Grade School. The school has been designated as a disaster center in case of a tornado or severe storm. “They’re looking for people to get trained who live within the village,” said City Clerk Holly Johnson.
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line. Dews removed. $500, 309-678-7004. • VACUUM CLEANER: Kirby Upright Sweeper, Model 610 D, instructional CD, attachments, carpet shampooer, $700. 309-6353791
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RICK LeHEW For Elmwood C.U.S.D #322 Board of Education Vote April 9th
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Thank You
THE WEEKLY POST • Thursday, April 4, 2013
EASTER EGG HUNT
THANK YOU! Thank you for all the prayers during the passing of our father, Harry Nordwall on March 14, 2013. He was a proud graduate of Brimfield High School – 1941. – The Harry Nordwall Family
friendship and support. Jim and his family offer sincere thanks to all for your words, wishes, prayers and acts of kindness.
THANK YOU! Thank you for all the prayers and help during my time in the hospital. I never knew there were so many prayer lines and friends. – Theresa A. Nordwall
A crowd estimated at 100 packed the annual Elmwood Kiwanis Easter Egg Hunt Saturday north of the Elmwood Grade School. That is nearly double last year’s attendance and had organizers, and kids, scrambling to meet the demand for candy-filled eggs.
THANK YOU! Ada Stodgel loved her life in Elmwood, because of the great people who live there and in the surrounding areas. Now her family feels the warm embrace of your
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– Jim Stodgel – Debby (Darrell) Parrish & Fam-
Page 9
ily
– Gianna (Tony) Peters & Family – Bo (Cindy) Stodgel & Family – Andy (Kris) Stodgel & Family – Kathy Stapleton & Family – Florence Richey & Family
– Michele (Jim) Biondi & Family
Happy 67th Anniversary
Heye & Darlene Peters, Sr. April 7th
Page 10
THE WEEKLY POST • Thursday, February 21, 2013
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ELECTION 2013
Davis challenges incumbent Hulslander By BILL KNIGHT
ELMWOOD – The Elmwood mayoral race pits incumber John D. Hulslander against Steve Davis. Davis formerly did work for Farmers State Bank and ran Elmnet for a number of years. He sees his personality, academic background, technical talents and dedication to work as strengths he’d bring to the position of mayor. He is also Elmwood Township Assessor. “I can build contacts with the leaders of other localities to share experience and possibly costs to make our government more efficient and more prominent,” he said. “Elmwood can pursue stable growth so that revenues increase, allowing more services for less cost per citizens, or we can tip in the other direction of slow or no growth [where] services For The Weekly Post
will be cut and the cost per citizen will go up. Now is the time to coordinate our outreach.” Asked whether, if he’s elected and continues as Elmwood Township’s assessor, there’s at least the appearance of a conflict of interest since Township Assessors assess all properties in their townships and therefore influence property taxes, Davis said, “The township and the city are separate government units. Neither position supervises or is dependent upon the actions of the other. I believe there is not a conflict of interest.” Davis added, “I want to [use] the office of mayor to be a full-time ambassador for Elmwood.” Hulslander is a lifelong Elmwood resident and graduate of Elmwood high school, Spoon River College and Western Illi-
nois University. Hulslander worked locally before Caterpillar hired him as a design engineer, and for years has been a volunteer fire fighter here. Sworn in as Elmwood’s mayor in May 2009, Hulslander presided over the recovery from a straight-line windstorm in 2009 and the devastating tornado a year later. “I bring the know-how of working with local community organizations and the proven experience of working with city, state and federal organizations,” he said. “I’m dedicated to progressing Elmwood into the future.” Hulslander lists some accomplishments that he, the council and the community have achieved in recent years, including a 2011 Governor’s Home Town Award, $3.3 million in various grants for downtown repairs and renova-
The following polling places will be open April 9 from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. • Brimfield 1 – W.F. Harding Memorial Building, 106 E. Knoxville St., Brimfield • Elba – Elba Township Hall • Elmwood 1, 2, 3 – United Methodist Church of Elmwood, 821 W. Main, Elmwood • Jubilee 1,2 – Jubilee Township Hall, 12807 N. PrincevilleJubilee Rd., Princeville • Kickapoo 1, 2 – Kickapoo Township Hall, 10025 W. Route 150, Edwards • Kickapoo 3 – Redeemer Presbyterian Church, 2025 N. Kickapoo Creek Rd. Peoria • Milbrook 1 – Milbrook Township Center, 20923 W. Cedar St., Laura • Radnor 1, 2, 3 – Prospect United Methodist Church, 300 E. Ash St., Dunlap • Rosefield 1, 2 – Rosefield Township Building, side entrance, 16221 W. Southport Rd., Brimfield • Salem – Yates City Community Center, 113 W. Main St., Yates City • Truro – Williamsfield Fire Station, 200 E. Gale St., Williamsfield
Brimfield board replacing 60 years of experience
Quartet vie for Elmwood board
By JEFF LAMPE
BRIMFIELD – Four candidates are vying for three seats on the Brimfield School Board vacated by the veteran trio of Jerry Weaver, Roderick Gilles and Sheila Zinser – who depart with 60 years of experience between them. Here are replies from the candidates to the following questions: 1. What do you bring to this position? 2. How do you envision Brimfield coping with delays or reductions in state funding? Dan Heinz 1. I bring dedication and commitment to serving the community on the Brimfield School Board. With two young children I have a vested interest in the quality of education that students receive at Brimfield schools. 2. I think that the school board needs to be fiscally responsible to make sure that the quality of education is maintained, which would require us to budget for the state’s shortfalls to continue the level of excellence we’ve come to expect at Brimfield schools. Constance Johnson 1. I am a passionate educator! I have dedicated my life to education and pursuing a career in teaching. I bring a desire make Brimfield the best place to receive an education. I am receiving my B.S. in Secondary Education in May and have teaching experience in local schools. I am a good candidate because my approach to decision making is realistic and thorough. 2. I envision Brimfield spending conservatively and investing funds where they are most needed. It is the job of the school board to spend taxpayer dollars carefully and prioritize spending so that our students are best served with the money available. Lori Kreiter 1. Having three children in the Weekly Post Staff Writer
By BILL KNIGHT
ELMWOOD – All four candidates vying for the three open seats on Community Unit School District 322’s Board of Education list experience they see as valuable to the position, and share concern that Elmwood schools proceed with a Master Plan with public involvement. In alphabetical order, here’s some background and perspectives for each candidate: • Mark Davis is an engineer at Caterpillar and a deacon at Crossroads church in Elmwood, and notes that his skills at project management, technical expertise, problem solving and fiscal accountability will be important as a board member. “I moved my family back to Elmwood for the education my children would receive,” he said. “It is my duty to give back what has been given to my family. [Elmwood] is a place where folks know their children are getting the best education possible while preparing them to be successful young adults.” Regarding the district’s
tions, “Safe Routes to School” to repair or build sidewalks, and the Streetscape project, a revolving loan fund to help attract new businesses or expand existing ones, and establishing local control of the building code and zoning. “We have more businesses now than before the tornado,” he said. “That [zoning change] helped keep the [Ag-Land] elevator in town.” Asked about how communities might address an increasingly common problem in many small towns, vacant houses, Hulslander said, “Now we can deal with that better because we have our own zoning. Most [such situations] are complaint driven, so the city would respond and inspect and notify the person or bank if there’s a problem to rectify, and, if it’s not, issue a fine or some other penalty.”
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For The Weekly Post
Candidates for the Elmwood Board of Education are (left to right) Mark Davis, Bill Frietsch, Rick LeHew and Fred Paige. Photo by Amy Davis.
Master Plan, Davis added, “Two-way communication between board members and [the] community is key to successful operation of our school system.” • Bill Frietsch reminded voters of his four years of school board experience, which is “challenging but truly rewarding.” Having worked in construction his whole life, Frietsch feels that his background brings balance to a board reviewing a Master Plan and future construction. “The school board should be open to considering any and all suggestions,” he said. “Hopefully, with the passing of a referendum, we can execute a wellthought-out plan and see all of the great ideas brought to fruition.” • Rick LeHew has more than 18 years experience working with a large board of directors and
many committees within his employer, the Chicago District Golf Association. He also has strong ties with leaders of the Illinois High School Association and the Illinois Elementary School Association. He’s also volunteered with organizations ranging from the Easter Seals and St. Jude to the Peoria Area Chamber of Commerce and the River Cup Foundation. “Elmwood schools need to become safe and efficient by updating systems into the 21st century. “We need long-term solutions with wellthought-out plans that are fiscally responsible,” said LeHew, who recalled the school board involvement of Bill Foster, the father of his wife Kim, and her sister Janis Waite-Hayden. Continued on Page 11
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school district, I think I bring a lot of past, present and future experience with the school to this position. I believe that my ideas will be forwardthinking and insightful. I will strive to gain as much information as possible on a given topic so that my decisions can be evidence-based to best serve the school district as a whole. 2. I believe the most important aspect when dealing with this issue will be everyone collaborating as a team. There are a number of people who do not have a complete understanding of the financial picture and therefore have a lot of unanswered questions. I would like to see the school board, administration, faculty and staff come together to understand the current situation. Then we need to formulate a plan that will work best for the school district as a whole. John Moon 1. In my position in the Information Technology field, I think it’s important for technology to support the goals of a business. In education, I’ll bring a unique perspective to the board in this area. Technology is a tool that can be utilized to enhance a student’s education and improve a teacher’s instructional methods. Students absolutely need to be ready to enter a world that is saturated with technology. And technology education must start at the earliest ages. 2. The Brimfield School District often scores at the top of standardized tests in central Illinois. Current and future families should be able to rely on continued excellence. But, financially we are in a difficult situation due to several factors. The school district needs to be disciplined in its approach to expenditures and look for ways to increase revenue without increasing real estate taxes.
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THE WEEKLY POST • Thursday, February 21, 2013
Page 11
Elmwood city council Drainage an issue in Elmwood TWP OKs assisted living plan ELECTION 2013
By BILL KNIGHT
The township scene shows a handful of contested races. Running for Elmwood Township Highway Commissioner, David W. Wagner said he brings 24 years of experience in construction and heavy equipment operation and thinks Elmwood Township’s biggest road need is drainage. “If we can get the water off the roads, the surface will last longer,” he said. “Likewise with ditches, if water can get away from the roadbed our roads will not become saturated and fail.” Current Highway Commissioner William L. Atwood did not respond. • Running for Jubilee Township Supervisor, For The Weekly Post
Stephen Garnett reminded voters that he’s served several terms on the township board, both as Trustee and as Supervisor, and served on the Princeville School Board for two terms. “I consider experiences, desire for public service and integrity to be my strengths,” he said. As far as a need for Jubilee, Garnett said, “The need is to manage spending and levies at a level to maintain this strong fiscal condition while holding township taxes down.” His opponent, Kevin Sandall, did not respond. • In Salem Township, candidate Louis Rogers noted that he’s a lifelong resident of the township with a history of community involve-
ment. “The Salem Township Board of Trustees has an excellent record, and it would be my goal to continue this service to the residents,” he said. “A person has an obligation to be of service to the community in which he resides and to the organization to which he belongs.” Rogers’ opponents – Charles Gene Arnold, Christine Bewley, Norlyn McCormick and Paul Noe – did not respond. Also not responding were Millbrook Township Supervisor candidates Dale Matthews and Danny Powell, and Rosefield Highway Commissioner candidates Michael J. Lafollett and Matthew L. Windish.
ELMWOOD: Paige past board president Continued from Page 10
“I look forward to serving the community and following in the footsteps of my inlaws,” he added. • Fred Paige previously served years on Elmwood’s school board, including several terms as president. “My main contribution was on the finance committee during a time when the district’s total assessed valuation was about $18 million; it’s now almost four times that, but the
state has put much of the burden of righting their ship on the backs of school districts. “Elmwood Community School district 322 will continue to draw residents to our district that put a premium on a quality education and recognize that a district such as ours adds financial value to their residences and businesses,” Paige commented. “I would hope to make the district’s Master Plan something that the district and its residents were both aware and proud of.”
By BILL KNIGHT
ELMWOOD – A development agreement for a $1.1 million assisted-living facility at the west entrance to the Fairground Acres subdivision was unanimously approved by the Elmwood City Council on Tuesday night, when the council also OK’d amending the existing development agreement with Fairground Acres to accommodate a non-residential venture there. The agreement, drawn up by Elmwood’s attorney Michael Seghetti, would have developers Tom Meyers and Fred Paige start construction by August 1 for completion by March 2014. As an incentive to help offset their buying three lots totaling 2.11 acres for $40,000 each, the city will pay them 175 percent of the city’s 25 percent share of Tax Increment Financing (TIF) revenues over time. “The project should generate $32,000, so the city’s share would be $8,000, making the 175 percent about $14,000 a year,” Seghetti said. Over the life of the agreement, the incentive could reach $191,000, but that’s about $120,000 in today’s dollars, he explained. The project would provide resFor The Weekly Post
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idential care for 16 people and be run by Country Comfort Retirement Homes, which has other facilities in Princeton and Henry. Architects will design the building to fit in a residential setting. Separately, the council also unanimously approved Phase 4 of Fairground Acres expanding the development westward, following its previous endorsement of the design plan. Director of economic development Dick Taylor reported that work has resumed on the Whitney building at Magnolia and Main, that Ag-Land FS will install new dryers this summer but plans to wait until after current bins are emptied following the Fall harvest to start on its new, large bin – delaying tax proceeds for a year, and that Laverdiere Construction has started the Streetscape project in the 100 block of East Main. The council also approved Streetscapes concrete colors, which will be visible in a mockup set to be poured today. In other business, the possibility of using a local plumbing inspector instead of a state inspector to improve response time was discussed. And a city budget meeting was set for 5:30 p.m. on April 11.
Page 12
THE WEEKLY POST • Thursday, April 4, 2013
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FAITH MATTERS
New reverend, new look at Elmwood Presbyterian church By GABBIE SLOAN
ELMWOOD – The First Presbyterian Church of Elmwood has a new look and a new reverend. Marla Bauler joined the church as an interim reverend in October and will stay with the church until a full-time replacement is found. Bauler grew up in Little Rock, Ark. and attended college there. She then completed a master’s degrees at Dubuque Theological Seminary. Bauler was ordained in 2006 and now lives in Canton, where her husband Tim is also a reverend. The couple recently celebrated their 30th wedding anniversary. For The Weekly Post
Bauler has arrived at an exciting time for the Elmwood congregation, which opened the doors on its new sanctuary earlier this year. And while Bauler might now have an opportunity to be a reverend, but that hasn’t always been true in her past. She has run into people during her career that did not support her work as a women pastor, particularly when she lived in Georgia. “There are always going to people who feel that women shouldn’t be pastors,” she said, “and it varies by denomination.” Overcoming the way people look at her gender has been an obstacle throughout her life, but Bauler hasn’t
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Edwards (309) 231-8272 www.christalivecc.com Sun. School: 9:15 am Worship: 10:30 am
www.elmwoodumc.org Sun. School: 9 am New Day Worship: 9 am Sun Worship: 10:30 am
Evangel Community Church Pastor Doug Surratt 7614 N. Heinz Lane Edwards (309) 692-2024 Korean Presbyterian Church of Peoria 7910 N. Ford Rd., Edwards (309) 683-8556
KICKAPOO
ELMWOOD
St. Joseph’s Catholic Church 314 W. Clay St., Brimfield (309) 446-3275 www.stjosephbrimfield.org Bible Class: 8:45 am Worship: 10 am
Crossroads Assembly of God Pastor Tim Cavallo 615 E. Ash St. Elmwood (309) 830-4259 Sun. Worship: 10:30 am
St. Paul’s Lutheran Rev. Michael Liese 228 W. Clay St., Brimfield (309) 446-3233
Elmwood Baptist Church Pastor Dennis Fitzgerald Pastor Jay Richerson 701 W. Dearborn Elmwood (309) 742-7631 Sun. School: 9:30 am
Union Church Pastor Stephen Barch 105 W. Clay St., Brimfield (309) 446-3811 Zion Episcopal Church 205 E. Van Buren St. Brimfield (309) 446-3811
EDWARDS Bethany Baptist Church 7422 N. Heinz Lane Edwards (309) 692-1755
Worship: 10:30 am and 6 pm Wed. Worship: 7 pm
First Presbyterian Church of Elmwood Pastor Marla Bauler 201 W. Evergreen Elmwood (309) 742-2631 Worship: 10:30 am
Bethel Bible Church 9728 W. Powder Mill Rd. Edwards (309) 676-3217 Sun. School: 9:30 am Sun. Worship: 10:45 am
St. Patricks Catholic Church Father Paul Stiene 802 W. Main St. Elmwood (309) 742-4921 Sat. Worship – 4 pm Sun. Worship – 10 am
Christ Alive! Community Church Pastor Lance Zaerr 9320 W US Highway 150
United Methodist Church Pastor Mark Graham 821 W. Main St., Elmwood (309) 742-7221
let it hold her back. “All I can do is live out the life of Christ and lead people to Him,” she said. Getting offered a job in Elmwood was a great opportunity for Bauler, since it allowed her to move to join her husband. “Elmwood is nice – a very nice, small community,” she said. For the past few months, Bauler has enjoyed not only becoming a part of the church but also a part of the community. She has spent time at the library, visited local shops and even volunteered at the Elmwood All Outdoors Show. Bauler’s immersion into the Elmwood community reflects the church’s ultimate goals. “A new building is a great opportunity to open up to the community,” she said. The church has several outreach plans for the future. The new building is wheelchair accessible and offers a nursery, sanctuary, many classrooms and a huge meeting room.
Brimfield, Kickapoo churches offer food pantries for needy By KASEY EBERLE
St. Mary’s 9910 W. Knox St. Kickapoo (309) 691-2030
LAURA Laura United Methodist Church Pastor Tim Pearce 20300 W. Walnut Creek Rd. Laura (309) 995-3371 Worship: 9 am Sun. School: 10:45 am
WILLIAMSFIELD St. James Catholic Church 111 S. Olive St. Williamsfield (309) 446-3275 Worship: 8 am @ church (Labor Day to Mem. Day) Williamsfield United Methodist Church Pastor Jennifer Seder 430 N. Chicago Ave. Williamsfield (309) 639-2389 Sun. School: 10 am Worship: 11 am
YATES CITY
BRIMFIELD – Churches in Brimfield and Kickapoo are now operating food pantries, or food banks, to assist local residents in need. The local organizations provide help to by offering free food and other essential items required for everyday living. Area individuals in need have access to these pantries. The food pantry serving the Brimfield area is located within the Union Church at Galena and Clay Streets in Brimfield. Non-perishable items are available upon request for Brimfield area residents. Please contact the Union Church at (309) 446-3811 for additional details or to request services. Also available to Kickapoo and Brimfield area residents are nonFor The Weekly Post
perishable items provided by the Christ Alive Community Church, which is located just one mile east of Kickapoo (even though it has an Edwards mailing address). The Kickapoo food bank is open to the public Monday and Fridays from 9 a.m. to noon. Please call (309) 2318272 for additional details. Items generated for availability through these pantries are made possible by donations from area churches, businesses, schools and individuals.
Faith United Presbyterian Church Rev. Chris Deacon 107 W. Bishop St. Yates City, IL 61572 (309) 358-1170 Worship: 9 am Sun. School: 10:15 am Thurs. Chancel Choir: 7:30 pm
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Besides using the new building to help the community, the church hopes to reach out to youth in the community and to young families. “These people [at the church] are a great, upbeat group that is ready to move forward,” Bauler said. Plans are already set to use the new building for the upcoming Strawberry Festival and next year’s Outdoors show. The First Presbyterian Church of Elmwood’s new building has opened up many doors for community outreach. Every Sunday at least 75 residents attend services, a number that has increased now that the new church is in use. Even though Reverend Bauler is in a temporary position at the church, she is still excited for the future. “Come give us a try and see what we’re all about,” she said Sunday service is at 10:30 a.m. with Sunday school at 9:30 a.m.
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Additional donations are always welcomed to help meet the needs of area individuals. In particular, the pantry in Brimfield is requesting donations of essential necessities such as toilet paper, paper towels, tooth paste, and of course non-perishable food items like sugar, flour, cereals, pasta noodles and canned foods.
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THE WEEKLY POST • Thursday, April 4, 2013
Page 13
1. INVENTIONS: When were the first canvas "sneakers" known as Keds mass marketed? 2. ANIMAL KINGDOM: What is a group of dragons known as? 3. AWARDS: In what field are the CLIO awards given? 4. OPERA: What was the name of the tragic female lead in "La Traviata"? 5. MEASUREMENTS: What is a baker's dozen? 6. FOLKLORE: What tool is Paul Bunyan most often depicted as holding? 7. GENERAL KNOWLEDGE: What is cereology? 8. MUSIC: Who sang the famous theme "Goldfinger"? 9. U.S. STATES: What two states' official popular dance is the shag? 10. HISTORY: Who was the first U.S. president to appear on television?
FOR ANSWERS SEE PAGE 8
Answers 1. 1917 2. A weyr 3. Advertising 4. Violetta 5. 13 6. An ax 7. The study of crop circles 8. Shirley Bassey 9. South and North Carolina 10. Franklin D. Roosevelt (c) 2013 King Features Synd., Inc.
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Page 14
THE WEEKLY POST • Thursday, April 4, 2013
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OBITUARIES
Dr. James Reed, 85, well-known Farmington area doctor By KASEY EBERLE
TRIVOLI – Memorial services are planned in honor of the late Dr. James M. Reed, 85, MD of Trivoli. Born April 15, 1927, Dr. Reed passed away at Methodist Medical Center on Monday, April 1, after a brief illness. Prior to retiring for a second time this Jan. 1, Dr. Reed spent more than 55 years practicing medicine at a variety of levels. After initially retiring in the fall of 2010 from Methodist Medical Group at Farmington – where he devoted several years – he opened his home to the public. For The Weekly Post
Dr. Reed transformed a wing of his house to a setting equipped to treat patients – of all illness and ages – within the comforts of a home atmosphere. He also returned to attending house calls whenever duty called. Dr. Reed is known as an icon throughout central Illinois and beyond. Aside from his devotion to his beloved race horses, his love and passion for helping people also played a large role in the founding of Farmington’s Ambulance Service. With the ambulance he served as “Doc on call” riding in the back of the ambulance during emergency calls in the early years. For years he also served patients of
Farmington’s Country Manor. Among other tributes, the central park in Farmington bears his name. In his memory, his family asks that memorials be made to Farmington Ambulance Service, Trivoli Ambulance & Rescue and to Farmington Country Manor. At press time, arrangements for services were scheduled for this evening (April 4) in the gymnasium at Farmington High School to accommodate the many hundreds of individuals expected to pay
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TOULON– Joan E. McMullenEly, 80, of Toulon, passed away at 10:28 a.m. Sunday, March 31, 2013, at Methodist Medical Center, Peoria. Joan was born July 8, 1932, in rural Bradford, Illinois, the daughter of Curtis L. and Letha Montooth Wilson. She married McMullen-Ely William Keith McMullen on March 2, 1952, in Elmira. He died July 13, 1998, in Peoria. She then married Harold Ely on July 21, 2003. He survives. Also surviving are one sister, Barb (Don) Morrissey of rural Wyoming; one brother, Oliver (Marcine) Wilson of Eldridge, IA; two nieces, Ann (Steven) Jackson of Wyoming, and Kymberly (David) Leyden of Iowa City, IA; four nephews, Steven (Pam) Morrissey of Senatobia, MS, Robert (Nancy) Morrissey of Wyoming, Philip (Jill) Morrissey of Toulon, and Kirk (Lisa) Wilson of Eldridge, IA; several great-nieces, great-nephews, great-great-nieces and great-great-nephews; two step-daughters, Melanie (Tom) Boudreau, and Lorene (Stan) Foglesong both of Toulon; one step-son, Brian (Marilyn) Ely of Toulon; 11 step-grandchildren; and 10 step-great-grandchildren. Her parents preceded her in death. Joan worked as a beautician and a farm partner with her husband Keith. She was a member of the Toulon United Methodist Church and the Christian Women’s Club. Joan enjoyed her faith, family, and friends. She also loved gardening, traveling to Branson, and dancing at the Hub Ballroom. Funeral services are 10:30 a.m.
respects to the hometown doctor. A private funeral service has been scheduled Friday for his family. Burial will take place in Trivoli Cemetery. Anderson-Sedgwick Funeral Home of Farmington is handling arrangements. Dr. Reed was preceded in death by his wife, Jan L. (Myers), and is survived by several children, grandchildren, friends and neighbors. Dr. Reed’s story was featured in the book, “Healer, The Remarkable Life of a Hometown Country Doctor” by Rudy Reed.
toda, at Toulon Funeral Home, Toulon. Rev. Paul Wier will officiate. Visitation was Wednesday at Toulon Funeral Home. Burial will be in Elmwood Township Cemetery, Elmwood, Illinois. Memorial contributions may be made to Stark County Food Pantry, Stark County Ambulance, or the Toulon Public Library. Condolences may be sent to the family via www.toulohfh.com.
Ruth Baylor
FARMINGTON – Ruth “Jeanette” Baylor, 80, of Farmington, mother of an Elmwood woman, died on March 25 at Farmington Country Manor. Surviving are three children, Malana K. (Tim) Dunne of Elmwood, Dr. Mark C. (Julie) Baylor of Farmington, and Marty V. (Kelly) Baylor of McAllen, Texas. Services will be private with burial in Oak Ridge Cemetery, Farmington. Send condolences to sedgwick-funeralhomes.com.
Gerald Crank
PEORIA – Gerald R. Crank, 79, of Peoria, formerly of Kickapoo, died on March 25 at St. Francis Woods in Peoria. Funeral services were March 28 at Wilton Mortuary in Peoria. Interment will be in Swan Lake Memory Gardens in Peoria. Condolences may be made at www.the-wiltonmortuary.com.
Marvin Fitzpatrick
DUNLAP – Marvin E. Fitzpatrick, 81, of Dunlap, father of a Kickapoo woman and brother of a Brimfield woman, died on March 25 at home. Surviving are his wife, Rosie Begner Fitzpatrick; one sister, Ann (Dick) Joyce of Brimfield; one daughter, Lynne (Steve) Gilles of Kickapoo; two sons, Todd (Kim) Fitzpatrick of Elkhart, Iowa, and Rod (Suzanne) Fitz-
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Today’s Obituaries
• Ruth Baylor, 80, Farmington • Gerald Crank, 79, Peoria • Marvin Fitzpatrick, 81, Dunlap • Jane Gainer, 92, Davenport • William Kell, 86, Williamsfield • Joan McMullen-Ely, 80, Toulon • James M. Reed, 85, Trivoli • Ada Stodgel, 71, Elmwood
patrick of Edelstein. Burial will be in Prospect Cemetery in Dunlap. Private condolences may be sent to the family via www.hammitthott.com.
Jane Gainer
DAVENPORT, Iowa – Jane G. Gainer, 92, formerly of Pekin and the mother of an Elmwood woman, died on March 27 at the Davenport Lutheran Home here she’d lived for the last three years. She’s survived by daughter Julie Ann Hauter of Elmwood, son John Larry (Patricia) Gainer of Davenport, Iowa. Another daughter, Jan, died in 2008. Her funeral was scheduled for Monday at Preston-Hanley Funeral Homes & Crematory in Pekin. Burial will be in Glendale Memorial Gardens in Pekin. To express condolences online, visit www.preston-hanley.com.
William ‘Bill’ Kell
WILLIAMSFIELD – A Celebration of Life memorial service for Williamsfield native William (Bill) Edward Kell, 86, of Dahinda, was held on March 30 at the First Church of the Nazarene in Galesburg. Cremation rites were accorded at Knoxville’s Hurd-Hendricks Funeral Home for Kell, who died on Feb. 23 at home. Online condolences may be sent through www.hurd-hendricksfuneralhome.com.
Ada Stodgel
ELMWOOD – Ada M. Stodgel, 71, of Elmwood died on March 27 at OSF Saint Francis Medical Center in Peoria. Funeral services were March 30 at Oaks-Hines Funeral Home in Elmwood. Burial will be at Elmore Cemetery. For Ada's tribute video, or to leave online condolences, visit www.oakshinesfuneralhome.com.
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The Week SCOREBOARD
BASEBALL Saturday’s Results • Brimfield-Elmwood 2, Farmington 1 • B-E 9, Farmington 0 • Williamsfield-Galva 4, United 2 • W-G 8, United 5 Monday’s Result • B-E 17, Kewanee 2 • W-G at Henry, ppd., cold Tuesday’s Result • W-G 6, Princeville 1 SOFTBALL Saturday’s Results • Williamsfield-Galva 8, United 0 • United 22, W-G 11 Monday’s Result • B-E 9, Chillicothe IVC 1 • W-G at Henry, ppd., cold Tuesday’s Result • B-E 9, Illini Bluffs 4 • W-G 2, Princeville 1
ELMWOOD-BRIMFIELD FOOTBALL SCHEDULE Varsity • Aug. 23 – Scrimmage, 7:30 pm • Aug. 30 – vs. Peoria Hts, 7 pm • Sept. 6 – at Abingdon, 7 pm • Sept. 13 – vs. Beardstown, 7 pm • Sept. 20 – at Rushville, 7 pm • Sept. 27 – vs. Knoxville, 7 pm • Oct. 4 – at Farmington, 7 pm • Oct. 11 – vs. Havana, 7 pm • Oct. 18 – at N. Fulton (site TBD), 7 pm • Oct. 25 – vs. Bushnell (Senior Night), 7 pm Junior Varsity • Sept. 2 – at Peoria Hts, 6 pm • Sept. 9 – vs. Abingdon, 6 pm • Sept.16 – at Beardstown, 5:30 pm • Sept. 23 – vs. Rushville, 5:30 pm • Sept. 30 – at Knoxville, 6 pm • Oct. 7 – vs. Farmington, 6 pm • Oct. 14 – at Havana, 6 pm • Oct. 21 – vs. N. Fulton, 7 pm Freshman • Sept. 5 – vs. Lewistown, 6 pm • Sept. 19 – vs. Stark Co. (at Brimfield), 5 pm • Sept. 25 – vs. Farmington, 6 pm • Oct. 2 – at Princeville, 6 pm • Oct. 10 – at Havana, 6 pm • Oct. 17 – vs. Knoxville, 6 pm • Oct. 24 – at Bushnell-PC, 6 pm NEXT WEEK: Baseball and softball scores and even track!
THE WEEKLY POST • Thursday, April 4, 2013
Page 15
BASEBALL: Billtown wins opener
ATHLETE OF THE WEEK
Sams said a key to the offense was that leadoff hitter David Jeffries and No. 2 hitter James Sams combined to reach base in six of eight at-bats, stole three bases and scored five runs. Tyler Doubet followed that with a sizzling 17strikeout performance in a 6-1 win over Princeville on Tuesday.
Brittney Jones, Brimfield
Continued from Page 16
SOFTBALL Brimfield-Elmwood (2-0) and WilliamsfieldGalva (2-1) both opened the season with victories. W-G won the first half of its opening day 8-0 as junior Emma Corkill pitched a no-hitter and allowed just two walks in seven innings. “She was hitting her locations and mixing in a drop ball she’s got that is pretty nasty,” Coach Darrin Peterson said. “She pitched very well for the opener.” Big hitters in the game for W-G were Melanie Edmonds who was 3-for4 and Sam Josephson who was 3-for-3. Lacie Peterson was 2-for-4. The second game was a slugfest that W-G lost 22-11. W-G trailed 10-0 and battled back to an 11-11 tie before falling. “We had some errors
Brimfield-Elmwood junior Bekka Roberts struck out seven batters Monday in a season-opening 9-1 win over Chillicothe IVC.
that kind of bit us in the butt,” Peterson said. “But it was good to finally get out and get some diamond time.” W-G won 2-1 Tuesday at Princeville. B-E also had a strong opener Monday, winning 9-1 against Chillicothe IVC as junior Bekka Roberts struck out seven. Big hitters for the Lady Indians included freshman Morgan Ledbetter, who had a homerun, and sophomore Hannah Baysingar, who had three RBIs.
On Tuesday B-E downed Illini Bluffs 9-4, as Kerrigan Dura went 3-for-3 with two walks and two RBIs. Ledbetter was 3-for-4 with 2 RBIs. Kendra Gorham (1-0) allowed just one earned run in seven innings for the win. “We’ve got a pretty potent offense, we’re going to do well,” Coach Scott Jones said. “IVC and Illini Bluffs are a pretty good test for anybody around here. To beat them both is pretty huge for us.”
RIDERS: Jubilee’s trails scenic Continued from Page 16
“We don’t know,” says Eileen Weyhrich, a rural Elmwood rider and secretary of Jubilee Riders. Jubilee College State Park encompasses about 3,200 acres in Peoria County with numerous outdoor recreational opportunities from picnicking and camping to fishing and horseback trail riding. “The scenery is pretty and there are all kinds of variety of trails,” says Ila Persefield of Brimfield, who produces a publication about horses, the Hackamore Magazine. “It’s just quiet and nice to ride down there.” Weyhrich agrees, but has seen things that could be improved and, now, things that are up in the air. Last year, Weyhrich petitioned the Illinois Equine Promotion Board for financial assistance to improve the trails, and the Jubilee Riders group was awarded $20,000 in grants. “We put [it] into mapping the trails, making maps, marking the trails – and $15,000 went to putting a deep well in,” she says. The Jubilee Riders also have made several improvements for the safety of everyone who enters the park, including mounted 11x17 maps throughout the trails. Plans continue with printing maps on bandanas. “What we were running into was people online going, ‘If you go ride Jubilee, you have to have somebody
who knows the trails or you’ll get lost’,” Weyhrich says. “So, that was the first thing we wanted to address.” With the financially strapped state of Illinois eyeing cutbacks and a fear of it closing the trails, the club is trying everything to keep the park open. Weyhrich’s notion is the more people who use the trails, the better off Jubilee’s trails will be. Marked trails will invite more people to the beautiful winding trails. Weyhrich says she hopes the love of the state park – and horses – will continue to bring people to the park. While the park still doesn’t have a superintendent, there has been talk of the state giving one superintendent management authority over two or more parks to save money. However, even in the absence of a superintendent, the park is scheduled to open on time this month and let riders return to traverse the trails – or come for the first time. Persefield, in rural Brimfield, adds, “The saddle club has been working really hard in getting the trails done. “They got a track master to groom the trails and the park,” she continues, “sponsored by Tractor Supply and the American Quarter Horse Association.” Jubilee College State Park campsites are Class B/S ($10). Overnight campers must self register at the selfpay station or check in in the equestrian campground.
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Brittney Jones, senior co-captain of the Brimfield Lady Indians leaves big shoes to fill according to basketball coach Jim Blane. “Brittney has been an inspiration to our team in her dedication and hard work through injuries, losses and all that she has overcome,” Blane said. Teammates Ellen Kelch and Ryleigh Keith agree she is a source of encouragement and will definitely be missed next year. Brittney started playing basketball in first grade and since then her parents, Chuck and Karrie Jones, have been her biggest fans. During Chuck’s Air National Guard duty in Afghanistan in 2011-12, Brittney sent him clippings of her games. Some awards and highlights Brittney has helped Brimfield achieve is the 2012 Turkey Tournament title, 2013 Prairieland Conference title and 2013 ICAC Conference championship. Brittney was also second team Prairieland AllConference. Brittney tore her ACL in her knee her freshman year. She had surgery that summer, recovered and came back to play as a sophomore. She uses her experience to encourage teammates. “You never know how strong you are until being strong is the only chance you have,” she says. “Being a Lady Indian meant a lot to me. It’s a great program to be a part of, it’s always very successful and I loved being a part of it.” Some of her favorites include: movie, Pitch Perfect; TV show, “Pretty Little Liars;” food, Buffalo Wild Wings. She also played softball for two years. Brittney will attend Western Illinois University and is planning a career in the medical field. In 10 years she hopes to still be in Illinois and maybe she will even be cheering on future Lady Indians. – Jacob Cotter and Ryan Petrakis
Page 16
THE WEEKLY POST • Thursday, April 4, 2013
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Out by a mile? Nope. Brimfield-Elmwood’s Carson Cuevas made it home safely on this play Monday. Photos by Jeff Lampe.
Baseball, softball finally swing into action By JEFF LAMPE
Cold. Windy. But no snow. That’s reason to celebrate for local baseball and softball teams, which are finally getting much-needed time on the diamonds after a wet, snowy spring. Following a stream of postponements, area teams have finally been able to play in the past few days. Here’s a look at how they fared. BASEBALL Brimfield-Elmwood (3-2) bounced back from stiff competition in its first two games to win three straight. The first two wins came Saturday against Farmington, 2-1 and 9-0. Matt Dwyer and Carson Cuevas got the pitching wins for B-E and Nick Groeper delivered a fifth-inning RBI single that was the difference in the first contest. B-E followed that by rolling past Kewanee 16-2 on Monday. Groeper (1-1) got the win on the mound and also went 2-for-3 with a double, triple and four RBIs to fuel an 11-hit attack. Jason Harkness added a double, Nick Jehle was 2-for-4, Weekly Post Staff Writer
Brimfield-Elmwood junior Nick Groeper got the victory in a chilly 16-2 win over Kewanee on Monday.
Sonny Visione was 2-for-3 with a triple and two RBIs and Clay Stage added two RBIs and now has five hits in his last three games. “Clay is hitting very well for us right now,” Coach Steve Paxson said. “And we’re getting really good pitching. Every kid has competed very well.” Williamsfield-Galva (3-0) saw its first action Saturday with 4-2 and 8-5 wins over United in games played at Galva. James Doubet (1-0) got the win in the opener, striking out nine and allowing just three hits in seven innings. He got support from Tyler Doubet who was 2-for-3 with a pair of doubles and Logan Smith who was 1-for-3 with two RBI. “It was key that James kept his pitch count down and got into that seventh inning,” W-G coach Charlie Sams said. In the second game, sophomore Easton Beard pitched five innings to get the win and W-G managed eight hits. Continued on Page 15
PREP SPORTS THURSDAY, April 4 • Williamsfield-Galva baseball/softball vs. Princeville at Williamsfield, 4:30 pm • Brimfield-Elmwood softball vs. Delavan, 4:30 pm • Elmwood-Brimfield girls track at Tremont, 4:30 pm FRIDAY, April 5 • B-E baseball vs. Peoria Christian, 4:30 pm • B-E softball vs. Astoria, 4 pm • W-G softball at West Central, 4:30 p.m. SATURDAY, April 6 • B-E baseball at Peoria Heights, 10 am • W-G baseball at West Central, 11 am • B-E softball at Havana, 10 am MONDAY, April 8 • B-E softball at Knoxville, 4:30 pm • W-G baseball/softball at Illini Bluffs, 4:30 pm TUESDAY, April 9 • W-G baseball vs. ROWVA at Oneida, 4:30 pm • B-E softball vs. Bushnell-PC, 4:30 pm • W-G softball vs. ROWVA at Oneida, 4:30 pm • E-B boys track vs. ICAC, 4:15 pm • E-B girls track vs. ICAC, 4:15 pm WEDNESDAY, April 10 • W-G baseball/softball at Bureau Valley, 4:30 pm •B-E softball vs. North Fulton, 4:30 pm
Jubilee Riders, horse trails both facing unknown future By MALLORY HARTIGAN
BRIMFIELD – Off U.S. Route 150 between Brimfield and Kickapoo is a hidden treasure within a better-known delight: the impressive equestrian facilities within Jubilee College State Park. The 45 miles of multi-use trails stem from the equestrian camping area at the park’s north side. While horses aren’t available to rent, the area includes drinking water, toilet facilities, a shelter house, picnic tables and grills. The Jubilee Riders Saddle Club, For The Weekly Post
founded by Jim Spurgeon in the 1960s, for years has taken a special interest in this aspect of the park. For instance, each spring, the riders hold an all-park cleanup to clear away fallen tree limbs on the trails and camping areas for the trail riders and bicyclists supervised by the Jubilee Park superintendent. This year is different, however. Last Sunday, the Jubilee Riders had to clean the park without a superintendent, who was relocated to another park. A lingering question is: What are the riders going to do? Continued on Page 15
Eileen Weyhrich of rural Elmwood has worked through the Jubilee Riders Saddle Club to map and mark equestrian trails at Jubilee College State Park, but now worries for the future of the park. Photo by Mallory Hartigan.
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