JCJ 11.25.20

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PAID Jerseyville, IL PERMIT NO. 204

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JERSEY COUNTY

JERSEYVILLE, IL 62052

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NOVEMBER 25, 2020

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structed an acrylic screen dressed up as a snow globe so COVID-19 guidelines could be followed while also retaining the Christmas spirit and allowing kids to meet Santa ahead of the big day. “One of the guys had this idea of building a globe,” Pegram further explained. “He took a picture and gave it to me, and I just kind of borrowed (the idea) from him. Then, I went to the school, and I sent them a picture. And, I said, ‘Hey, if I pay for it – Got Faith? pays for it – will you build it for us?’ He said, ‘Sure.’ So, we set up a little charge account for RP Lumber, and they got all the stuff and started [putting it together].” Snyder said the students - Tyler Dirksmeyer, Patrick Snyhder, Brady Bilyue and Nate Lott - started working on the project a couple of weeks ago. First and foremost, it was about helping Santa, he said. “Steve does so much in the community,” Snyder said. Also though, offering help to the community is just something the students do in his class. “We are always looking to help people like that,” Snyder said. “...The kids take a little bit of pride when they get it done and they can see it being used in the public. It gives them a sense of ownership.” The project took some forethought before cutting to make sure the cylinders made for the eventual base were just right, and that the final build was sturdy, but the eventual result was worth it. “I think it turned out awesome,” Snyder said. “It wasn’t just cutting circles with a jigsaw. We had to set up a jig and router.” Notably, their build differs from the project’s inspiration in that it has wheels to allow for easy transportation.

Submitted photo

Kennadi Bizillion and Kate Heitzig show off some of the accents set to be placed on the final snow globe project.

“Everything was put together very nicely. It is sturdy, and I think they did a very good job on it,” Snyder said. And this time around, they might actually be able see their hard work being enjoyed in public. “Sometimes they do not get to see the finished project all of the time,” Snyder said. “We do stuff here in the shop. We get to see it made, but then that is the

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Jerseyville Rotary donates drug drop-off box to Calhoun By CONNOR ASHLOCK Jersey County Journal Members of the Jerseyville Rotary Club, President Laura Dugas, Pam Rice Weber and Dr. John Houseman presented Sheriff William Heffington with a drug drop-off box for residents of Calhoun County. To help keep pharmaceutical drugs off the streets and out of the hands of individuals that might abuse them, this drop-off box will serve to give residents a safe place to dispose of their old, outdated or unused medications. The Jerseyville Rotary Club is the only club in the tri-county region of Jersey, Greene and Calhoun counties, but through the years has had members of the region outside of Jerseyville join the organization. “We had given a drug drop-off box to the Jersey County Sheriff’s Office back in Sept. 2017, and Greene and Calhoun both sounded interested in the idea as well,” Weber said. “So, last year, I applied for a district grant for the purpose of purchasing more drug drop-off boxes. Between the grant and additional fundraising efforts, we were able to purchase them so people, especially children, couldn’t gain access to them in the home if they were lying around unused.” Flushing medications down the toilet is not a safe alternative to disposal, as it has been shown that medications can and do contaminate surface and groundwater supplies. Wastewater treatment plants are incapable of filtering out pharmaceuticals from the water supply, passing it along to families in their drinking water. Also, medications that end up in landfills can leach into surrounding surface groundwater. The drug drop-off box is free for residents. No

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Submitted photo

From left to right: Rotary President Laura Dugas, Dr. John Houseman, Sheriff Bill Heffington and Pam Weber of Rice Seed Company stand outside of the Calhoun County Sheriff’s Office with the new drug drop-off box that was delivered last week.

liquids or needles are accepted. The Jerseyville Rotary Club is a service organization that is celebrating its 67th year of providing service projects to local and world communities. For more information on the drug drop-off box, contact Sheriff Bill Heffington at 618-576-9041. To learn more about Rotary International, go to www.rotary.org or www.jerseyvillerotary.com.

last time they see it, but this will be widely publicized… Perhaps cousins or siblings will be able to see it and use it. The students will be able to show the parents what they have done and stuff like that.” The project was then rolled over to the intro and advanced design class students with one job left to do. (See, SANTA, A2)

Grafton leaders looking into grant for fuel dock repairs By JARAD JARMON Jersey County Journal Grafton city leaders are investigating the potential of applying for grant funds to assist in the costs associated with repairs to the Grafton Marina, namely the fuel docks. The fuel docks at the marina leased by DeSherlia Marina Management have been a hot-button issue raised in the Grafton City Council meetings for a few months. As previously reported, repairs to the fuel tanks at the marina were called for over the summer. These tanks were said to have had 16 compliance issues written following a state fire marshal inspection. Ultimately, the city is the owner of the fuel docks, and therefore is responsible for enforcing compliance, and having DeSherlia Marina Management, who operates the marina, do the repairs necessary. It was noted that the numerous repairs would cost around $100,000 to get the fuel tanks back into compli-

ance. In previous meetings, it was argued whether the repairs were the responsibility of the city or DeSherlia Marina Management. There has been consideration among those on the Grafton council and with Desherlia Marina Management of pursuing any and all grants for their repair of the marina fuel docks. There has been pushback in previous meetings at the idea, though. During one of these meetings, Grafton Mayor Rick Eberlin said the city was not in a position to survey all potential grants, adding that if “DeSherlia Marina Management can identify a specific grant that they think would be helpful, the city would be happy to review the terms of that grant application.” It appears one such grant has been identified. Grafton Alderman Jim Spencer, in the council’s recent meeting Nov. 17, offered a suggestion for a grant worth pursuing. (See, DOCK, A2)

Museum working its way to a grand opening By CONNOR ASHLOCK Jersey County Journal he Grafton Historical Society is continuing to make progress with its museum, despite a major hiccup along the way. At the Grafton City Council meeting last week, Lou Lenkman with the historical society was available to address the council concerning a crack in the floor of the new addition, as well as provide several exciting updates. “We have an update on the issue we had with the crack,” Lenkman said. “The contractor is working with us regarding the concrete being cracked, and we came out of the meeting with a good outcome, hopefully.” Of course, a crack in the floor is a

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JERSEY COUNTY

VOL. 18, NO. 48 - 75¢

Jersey students intend on keeping Santa safe for holidays

By JARAD JARMON USPS urges sending Jersey County Journal packages early this COVID-19 is a concern for almost holiday season. everyone, and that goes also for Santa See page A6 Claus and his family as their big season approaches. FRIENDS & Soon, banks, malls and holiday events will host Santa so he can get an idea NEIGHBORS of what each child wants, but this year is going to prove especially tricky for Father Christmas with the major obstacle that is COVID-19. “Santa’s cousins” including the county’s resident Santa cuz, Steve Pegram, are already working out how to tackle the safety concerns with the traditional visits with children. After a week-long trip at Santa School in October, Pegram has come back Godars celebrate 73 with some ideas to make sure Santa’s years. representative and the children he sees See page A5 and takes pictures with are socially distanced and conscious of the other SCHOOL COVID-19 guidelines. “I really didn’t want to go because of all of this COVID,” Pegram said of Santa School. “But, that is the main reason I wanted to go – to get the answers on what to do. We had 100 Santas coming together with different ideas.” And, the community -– namely Jersey Community High School students – have been working to bring those ideas Shining Knights to fruition, and with a Christmas flavor. winners announced. The Jersey Community High School See page B4 construction class has built a shield barrier that looks like a snow globe that the family and consumer sciences’ design class is now sprucing up with Christmas cheer. Pegram proposed the construction FRIDAY, FEB. 27 weeks ago to construction class teacher, Allen Snyder. Pegram had been inspired 51 28 by one of his “brothers in red” from New High Low York at the Santa School, who had con-

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safety issue, especially for a building whose designers are aiming to make it as handicap-accessible as possible. Additionally, it would weaken the integrity of the museum exhibits, a major concern considering that the floor will somewhat serve as an exhibit all its own. “They’re going to be repairing and preparing the floor for the map of the rivers, which will begin with the confluence of the Illinois and Mississippi rivers and running through the museum,” Lenkman explained. “‘The Mississippi will run off to the left and the Illinois to the right.” Lenkman was able to report that the lighting work is all completed, and since the lighting is, for the most part, spotlights, the society is most excited for how the fixtures will illuminate the exhibits, helping to enrich the visitors’ experience

when they tour the museum. It was further reported that Dan Bechtold with Knotty by Nature will donate a live edge table top for the visitors’ reception center. “We’re going to choose a board that is indigenous to this area to represent the logging and all of the forestry that takes place in this area,” she said. In the society’s efforts to be as handicap-accessible as possible, they’ve even gone so far as to make preparations for those with auditory or visual disabilities to experience the museum. “I’ve contacted the Chicago Lighthouse for the Blind, and they’re going to be able to make a braille book with the narrative from each one of the exhibits that will be on hand at the museum,” Lenkman said. “We’ll also have record-

ers and headsets that museum-goers can check out if they’re hard of hearing so that they can hear everything that’s going on and understand what the exhibits are all about.” Other updates were also presented, including details regarding the security system and the contacting of local artists to paint two murals on the wall. For the security system, $12,000 has been allocated, which includes the system’s monitoring fees. The local artists that were contacted in regard to the murals have offered to donate their talent, but the society will furnish them with the materials necessary to complete the murals. Though a date has yet to be pinned down for the museum’s opening, it is still slated to occur at some point in spring 2021.


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