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JOURNAL VOL. 17, NO. 44 - 75¢
OCTOBER 30, 2019
Local vineyard doubles last year’s harvest Nov. 3 Don't forget to set your clocks back.
INSIDE NEWS Drivers cautioned after four-car crash. Accident highlights need to slow down on 67. See page A2 Elsah talk to focus on anti-slavery activism in area. See page A3 Area residents exude Halloween spirit in contest. See page A6
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By KRIS SCHEFFEL Jersey County Journal Things just keep getting better and better for local wine growers. This year’s harvest has nearly doubled that of last year’s for growers like the Grafton Winery. The bounty marks a continuation of trends over the last several years which have seen the vineyards produce more and mature earlier. Grafton Winery is the only grower in the Grafton area, said owner Mike Nikono Vich, with three different varietals including Vignoles, Chardonnel and Vidal Blanc that contribute to their locally made wines. According to the Illinois Grape Growers and Vinters Alliance website, these grapes are considered to be three of the six Illinois’ varieties and are a hybrid between French grapes and native American grapes. This means that they are better suited to the climate of Illinois, able to survive harsher winters and ripen during a shorter growing season. Nikono Vich said that the vineyards this year produced roughly 36,000 gallons after pressing, doubling the production of last year. “Believe it or not, that’s about 10 percent of your annual harvest,” he said.
“It was a good year. The fifth season on the vineyards— normally, they say that’s when you should expect your first harvest. This is our third year,” Nikono Vich said. Nikono Vich attributes this year’s harvest to the hard work of Eckert’s Farm, which helps take care of the grapes, and new pruning methods introduced by Brad Taylor of Southern Illinois University Carbondale, and Elizabeth Wahle of University of Illinois Extension. “There was a lot of spraying with all the rain this year,” Nikono Vich said. There were two harvests already this fall to account for the differences between the varietals. The Vignoles grapes were harvested early in September, and the Vidal and Chardonnel were harvested two to three weeks ago, Nikono Vich said. There is still some harvesting left, but it is clear that this harvest has already been a success. “We doubled from last year,” Nikono Vich said. “That’s going to allow us to do a few other things.” With the harvest, he said there is an opportunity to explore new wines such as a dry Vignoles, which would add to the two wines already produced from the vineyard’s grapes for their Vineyard Series wines.
Submitted photo
Those at the Grafton Vineyard get this latest grape harvest ready to be processed.
,OOLQRLV· ZLQH FRXQWU\ LV PDNLQJ D QDPH IRU LWVHOI By KRIS SCHEFFEL Jersey County Journal For many, America’s wine country is synonymous with California’s Napa or Sonoma valleys. However, midwestern growers are surprising many by pro-
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INDEX Court . . . . . . . . . . . . .B4 Editorial . . . . . . . . . .A4 News . . . . . . . . . .A2-3, A6 Obituaries. . . . . . . . . . A5 Our Town. . . . . . A3, B7 Public Notice . . . . . B3-4 School . . . . . . . . . . . .A7 Sports . . . . . . . . . . . .A7 OBITUARIES: CARTER, DEVENING, GREEN, MOSCICKI, WARD. JERSEY COUNTY
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Nikono Vich has felt the impacts of this growing interests with his business, experiencing continued growth year after year. His wine is sold across the state, and he is looking to expand his market into Missouri in the com(See, WINE, A2)
Jersey Deputy named Officer of the Year
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ducing wines that can compete with not just wines produced nationally, but also internationally. Illinois’ wine country has become a featured part of tourism advertising in the state with wineries becoming a popular destination for visitors. Grafton Winery owner Mike
Jarad Jarmon/Jersey County Journal
Meredith S. and Addison P. work on their coin machine at the St. Francis Holy Ghost Catholic School Tuesday. The supplies to construct the coin machine were supplied through a grant.
St. Francis Holy Ghost receives technology grant By KRIS SCHEFFEL Jersey County Journal Students at St. Francis Holy Ghost Catholic School are busy this week building their own coin-sorting machines—only possible through a technology grant the school recently acquired. The program teaches students electronics, mechanics and programming skills as part of a Science Technology Engineering Math (STEM) curriculum, all because of a grant from the Tracy Family Foundation. Jen Gibson, a seventh grade teacher at the school, said the school receives $30,000, which has enabled educators
to reshape their curriculum to focus on STEM. Part of the grant has gone towards a series of projects, which include the coin sorting machine. “They build these creations and actually get to take them home afterwards,” Gibson said. “There are a million things that go on when they do these projects... They are fantastic.” The students recently wrapped up a pinball machine project earlier this year with each student building his or her own machine from scratch. “This isn’t the only thing we bought with this grant,” she said. The school has bought a series of (See, GRANT, A2)
By JARAD JARMON Jersey County Journal Justin Decker said it was cliche, sure. But for the 40-year-old patrol deputy with the Jersey County Sheriff’s Office, it was no less true. “You don’t do it for rewards or recognition,” Decker said. Still, it was a humbling moment for Decker nevertheless when he got the call that he would be recognized this year as the Police Officer of the Year by the Jacksonville Police Department Citizens Academy Alumni Association. “It is definitely an honor and a privilege,” Decker said. “I was floored by the whole phone call.” Decker was among several other officers nominated in the Central Illinois region. Tom Cisne, alumni association president, said Decker’s actions on duty “stood out” this year warranting his selection for the award. The Two Rivers Crime Stoppers nominated Decker among others in Jersey County for the honor. The Sheriff’s Office was not involved in the nomination process— a notion that meant a lot to Decker.
“Not only is he professional, but he wears his heart on his sleeve… He is a true public servant.”
Mike Ringhausen Jersey County Sheriff
Firefighters attack Grafton apartment blaze By JARAD JARMON Jersey County Journal QEM Fire Protection District firefighters extinguished a fire that scorched two apartments in Grafton last week. QEM Fire Chief Gerry New said the bathroom of an apartment at 104 Bradfisch Drive caught fire at approximately 8 p.m. Oct. 22. The fire spread to a nearby laundry room in the unit before the occupant of the apartment extinguished what was visibly on fire in the apartment and called emergency services to the scene to ensure the fire had not spread. The fire reached the ceiling and spread into an adjoining apartment.
Firefighters on scene were able to extinguish the remaining flames soon after. The extent of the fire damage was centralized in the bathroom and laundry space of one apartment and another room of the adjoining apartment with water and smoke damage throughout. No injuries were reported, New said. Preliminary investigations into the cause of the fire suggest it was electrical, but an investigation into the fire is still ongoing. The tenants of the two apartments found arrangements for shelter following the fire. Repairs will have to be made before they could return, New said, based on the damages the apart(See, BLAZE, A2)
“It is a good feeling that the community is behind us as a whole,” he said. Back in March, the academy alumni contacted their liaison and asked if they would submit names of deserving officers as nominees for the Police Officer of the Year award, according to the Two Rivers Crime Stoppers Facebook page Among the daily sacrifices made during a normal shift, Decker was noted for his actions during the flooding in Grafton and during the search of a 14-year-old boy. At the end of March, the height of flooding in Grafton, Decker responded to a call of an elderly man trapped in his vehicle that was partially submerged in floodwaters on State Highway 100 near the Illinois Youth Correctional Center. The man had been trapped in the vehicle for approximately 40 minutes and he had been splashing around in the vehicle. Deputy Decker entered the chest-deep water and was able to get the driver out of the vehicle and secured him in a life jacket. Deputy Decker moved the driver
JUSTIN DECKER to a small strip of dry ground approximately 75 feet from his vehicle. In another instance, Decker was the one to find a young autistic boy that was missing. It was February and below freezing at the time. Decker noted the boy’s pants were frozen at the time. When Decker found the boy, he swiftly transported him to get medical treatment, saving him from frostbite. His response to these moments looking back: “It is just what you are trained to do.” Decker said his goal has always been to help people in the community and make Jersey County a better place to live. Decker has lived in Jersey his entire life. He started his law enforcement career in Grafton. He started with the Grafton Police in 2001. In 2007, he left to pursue and explore other avenues outside of police work. “My heart is always with law enforcement,” he said. Most recently, Decker joined the Jersey County Sheriff’s Office in December of 2018 as a deputy. In that short time, he was named an officer of the year. “Justin you are very deserving of this honor, and are a great man, deputy, friend,” the Crime Stoppers post on the award read. “We couldn’t be happier that one of the deputies in our area has been voted for the prestigious award. You, sir, are a role model without even knowing that people look up to you.” Jersey Sheriff Mike Ringhausen commended the officer on the award. “He is certainly a good deputy,” Ringhausen said. “Not only is he professional, but he wears his heart on his sleeve… He is a true public servant.” Decker was appreciative of the honor, especially among his peers. “All of the officers nominated are deserving of the award…especially those from my department,” Decker said. He will be recognized for the honor at the Central Illinois Policeman’s Ball on Nov. 9.