GREENE PRAIRIE PRESS
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Nov. 3 Don't forget to set your clocks back.
INSIDE NEWS Implementation of Comprehensive Plan outlined. See page A6
SPORTS
Carrollton Council reviews plan needed for TIF district have citizen input. The planning process for the city provides for citizen input early in the planning process, prior to the required public hearing after the plan has been developed. The Community Analysis Component of the plan begins with an examination of population and economic trends and projections. The projections provide an estimate of future population and economic activity, which provides a way to estimate future land use requirements and supporting streets and utilities. The goals and objectives provide a listing of goals and specific objectives for a variety of community develop-
By CARMEN ENSINGER Greene Prairie Press Carrollton City Council met in special session Tuesday, Oct. 22 to review the city’s Comprehensive Plan prepared by Moran Economic Development Group. The city contracted Moran to put together both the comprehensive plan and the TIF plan earlier in the year. One of the requirements for establishing a TIF district is to have a comprehensive plan in place. Preparing a city plan is a structured process, and in order for it to have community support, it is essential to
ment topics and represent the action items and policy positions for the city government to follow. There are several overall goals of the plan, and they serve as the primary basis for adopting the plan. Decisions made concerning development should be based on achieving the following goals: Q Promote and protect public health, safety and welfare of the city residents. Q Protect and enhance the local economic, social and cultural climate. Q Provide for an appropriate amount and arrangement of land uses for the future expansion of the city.
Q Efficiently provide for essential public services and utilities. Some of the goals and objectives developed come from the Carrollton Square Initiative effort which included the development of a planning and economic development strategy to bolster Carrollton’s current assets and support the growth of downtown vitality, attraction and retention of residents, enhancement of visitor amenities and increased investment and tax base. There were numerous goals identified for a variety of areas within the city. (See, TIF, A2)
Families flock to Family Friendly Fear Fest By CARMEN ENSINGER Greene Prairie Press
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Tigers celebrate after successful Hornets matchup. See page A7
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WEEKEND WEATHER FRIDAY, NOV. 1
48 30 High
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SATURDAY, NOV. 2
44 28 High
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SUNDAY, NOV. 3
50 35 High
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IN THIS ISSUE: RUYLE, SULLIVAN
Š 2019
GREENE PRAIRIE PRESS All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
undreds of children flocked to 217 Terror Haunted House Family Friendly Fear Fest this past Sunday in Roodhouse. The event offered children the opportunity to go through the popular haunted house in their Halloween costumes and receive candy. “This gives the children the opportunity to see that what we do is all make-believe and there is nothing really to be afraid of,� Christina Cathers said. “There is no way the little ones could handle our full scare because it is pretty intense. This allows them to go through it and we allow them to touch everything and see that it is not real.� 217 Terror is owned by Adam and Christina Cathers and this is the 14th year that the haunted house has been scaring the pants off of people from all over the state. It is not the first year that they have held the Family Friendly Fearfest but it is the first time that it has been free to everyone. “In the past, we charged an entry fee of $5, but this year and from here on out, the event is going to be totally free,� Cathers said. “This community has been huge supporter of us for the past 14 years, and we wanted to be able to do something to give
back to the community. This is our way of saying thank you for all the support.� The event started at 1 p.m. with the Roodhouse Fire Department bringing the characters from the children’s TV show, Paw Patrol, to the haunted house on the firetruck. “The kids that were here when they rode in absolutely loved it,� Cathers said. “I would say more than 400 kids had gone through by that time – that is not counting the parents who went through with them.� But as entertaining as it was for the kids, it was also an opportunity for everyone to give back to the various charities in the community. This year, the charities included the Roodhouse Fire Department, Mandy’s Whine and Bark Pet Rescue in White Hall and the North Greene Food Pantry. “Those who have shown up have shown tremendous support for our charities this year,� Cathers said. “They have made cash and toy donations to our Roodhouse Fire Department’s annual toy drive as well as donations to the pet rescue and we have a table over half full of non-perishable food items that will be donated to the North Greene Food Pantry.� 217 Terror opened its 14th season on Oct. 4 and has been open every Friday, Saturday and Sunday since that time. Considering Halloween is on Thursday this year, they will (See, FAMILY, A2)
Carmen Ensinger/Greene Prairie Press
Avereigh Northcutt, 4, of Roodhouse checks out the rocking horse in Mad Molly’s Playhouse with a "headless corpse" riding the teeter totter in the background during Family Friendly Fear Fest at 217 Terror Haunted House in Roodhouse Sunday afternoon. The event presented an opportunity for children to go through the haunted house without the associated terrors presented for the adults.
Former State’s Attorney White Hall Community charged in horse abuse case Thanksgiving meal canceled By CARMEN ENSINGER Greene Prairie Press More than a month after four horses were found suffering from starvation on a rural Greene County farm, charges have been filed against the owner, former Greene County States Attorney Kenneth Hobson. Hobson, 61, has been charged with two counts of cruel treatment and two counts of owner’s duties in Greene
County Circuit Court on Oct. 23 relating the condition of the horses. The cruel treatment charges allege that Hobson, between June 18 and Sept. 17 cruelly treated the horses by failing to provide adequate food and veterinary care to a palomino colt and a 15-year-old bay mare gelding in his care, whom both had open wounds that went untreated. (See, HORSE ABUSE, A2)
By CARMEN ENSINGER Greene Prairie Press The Community Thanksgiving Church meal in White Hall, held on Thanksgiving Day, has been a tradition for the past 21 years, but that tradition has ended. This year, organizers announced it has been canceled. “Due to health concerns for both myself and Marsha Baumgartner, we will not be doing the Thanksgiving meal this year,� Kim Carter said. “We have told all of the churches in White Hall hoping that another group would take this ministry over
but not one person or group has yet come forward.� Baumgartner and Carter took over the reigns of the program three years ago. Entire families, as well as secluded individuals and those receiving Meals on Wheels, have relied on the program to supply a complete Thanksgiving dinner. After 21 years, the dinner was almost like a well-oiled machine on Thanksgiving Day seeing roughly 25 to 30 volunteers at one time. “We never lack volunteers the day before or on the day of but we (See, CANCELLED, A2)
Roodhouse amends peddler’s license ordinance
Submitted photo
This photo, posted on Randy’s Rescue Ranch Facebook page, shows two of the four horses seized from the property of Kenneth Hobson in rural Greene County near Eldred. Two of the horses, including the foal pictured, had open wounds that have gone untreated to the point of being infested with maggots and flies.
By CARMEN ENSINGER Greene Prairie Press Roodhouse City Council amended its ordinance regarding peddler’s license fees at the Oct. 23 city council meeting. Roodhouse Mayor Tommy Martin said the reason for amending the ordinance is that there is someone who wants to possibly sell ice cream from a truck next year. “There is a guy from Jerseyville who has an ice cream truck, and he is wanting to run our streets in the summer and sell ice cream,� Martin
said. “Right now, our license is very outdated and since he plans to do the same thing in White Hall and they just amended their ordinance, we opted to set our fees the same as theirs.� The amended ordinance sets the daily fee for a license at $25 per day or a yearly fee of $75. Currently, the fee is $10 a day or $25 for a year. “It’s not like they are going to be going door to door trying to sell stuff like some that do those steaks,� Martin said. “He will be going up and (See, LICENSE, A4)