JCJ 12.25.13

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OPINION: 'Alas! How dreary would be the world if there were no Santa Claus?: Page A4 NEWS: The year in review: Page A3

CURRENT RESIDENTIAL CUSTOMER

PRSRT STD ECRWSS U.S. POSTAGE

PAID Jerseyville, IL PERMIT NO. 204

ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED

P.O. Box 407 Jerseyville, IL 62052

JERSEY COUNTY

JERSEYVILLE, IL 62052

INSIDE NEWS

Pre-K students bring holiday cheer to JNRC. See page A3

FRIENDS & NEIGHBORS

Woelfel~Kranzle engagment. See page A8

SCHOOL

Missing woman’s body found near Joe Page Bridge By BOB CROSSEN Jersey County Journal The body of a woman with strong ties to Jersey County who has been missing since late November was found Dec. 19 in Greene County near the Joe Page Bridge in Hardin. Two men were charged with two counts of first degree murder, a Class M felony, in the death of Courtney Coats, a 30-year-old woman who had been missing from Alton for 27 days. Brandon L. Chittum, 30 of Collinsville, and Patrick A. Chase, 28 of Alton, also face a Class X felony counts for dismemberment of a human body and a Class 3 felony counts for conceal-

Panthers edge Piasa Birds. See page C10

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ment of a homicidal death. Calhoun County Sheriff Bill Heffington said his office assisted the Alton Police Department in the search for and recovery of Coats’ body. “I’m just glad it came to a head and got solved,” Heffington said. “Not knowing has got to be tough for the family.” According to a press release issued by the Alton Police Department Dec. 20, APD filed numerous search warrants and subpoenas, and conducted many interviews in its investigation of Coats’ disappearance. Electronic communications associated with Coats were also used during the investigation of her disappearance. The search for her body

began Thursday night, but authorities suspended the search until the morning when daylight could aid officers. According to a release issued by Rob McMillen, Greene County sheriff, in the morning Dec. 20, officers found a trash bag containing human body parts which led to the discovery of other bags along the Greene County side of the Illinois River. Emily Hejna, Alton Police Department public information officer, said she cannot reveal detailed evidence which led to finding Coats’ body because it could compromise the case as it heads into trial. Coats was reported missing Nov. 25 after

BALD

A mantra with meaning, Just Be Jersey taking hold By RoBeRt Lyons Jersey County Journal Several times each month Lori Hopkins sends out a mass email detailing the good deeds of students, teachers or community members. Each story demonstrates how to Just Be Jersey. The anecdotes from Jersey Community Unit School District’s superintendent range from a group of students collecting food for the needy to the

“We wanted to pick a mantra that might make sense to all ages.” Jersey Character Counts program coordinator

SPORTS

VOL. 11, NO. 52 - 75¢

DECEMBER 25, 2013

Carole Cotner Grafton Elementary holds food drive. See page C2

JOURNAL

efforts of three substitute teachers who go above and beyond in their temporary duties. But all the narratives share a common thread of exemplifying one or more of the six “pillars” of the Jersey Character Counts program: trustworthiness, respect, responsibility, fairness, caring and citizenship. Carole Cotner, Jersey Character Counts program coordinator, said the phrase Just Be Jersey was coined during a spring Character Counts meeting as a means to encourage model behavior and attitudes. “We wanted to pick a mantra that might make sense to all ages,” Cotner said, noting the idea caught on strongest at the high school and has trickled down through the lower grades. The principle behind the Just Be Jersey campaign is that

kindness is contagious. So, by recognizing the good deeds of community members, Cotner is hoping the positive happenings multiply and the negative begins to fade. “These stories have the potential to turn the tide, where as a community we are looking for what it is good,” Cotner said. Hopkins said she’s already seen the affect of the recognition of good deeds. She said a parent recently told her of how a Just Be Jersey story involving the parent’s son had a profound impact. The situation involved two high schoolers who assisted a confused elderly woman who was wandering in the park at night by taking her to safety. Word got to a teacher at the high school, who wrote about it and sent it to Hopkins, who shared it to her Just Be Jersey email subscribers. “That mother told me, ‘When that story made it out to all the faculty and staff at JCHS, it was communicated to my son and it changed his direction, it’s changed his disposition and I truly believe it’s changed his life,’” Hopkins said. So far, the program has been primarily effective throughout the schools, but both Hopkins and Cotner are hopeful adults begin to absorb the message, too. Cotner said there is a plan in the works to hang banners with the statement “Live so that when your children hear these words they think of you…. kindness, love, honesty, integrity, caring and trust” in prominent places, such as banks, where they will be viewed by parents. “It’s an awareness campaign,” Cotner said. “It’s not that we don’t know that it’s (See, mantra, a2)

Michael Weaver/Jersey County Journal

EDUCATION

New Illinois laws have local impact Members of public speak out By BOB CROSSEN Jersey County Journal Drivers could face a $75 fine for talking on their cellphones while driving if they do not use a bluetooth headset, handsfree system or speaker phone at the beginning of the year. (See, lawS, a2)

Week of Dec. 18-24

1) Confidential county letter leaked to public 2) Public speaks out at District 100 levy hearing 3) New law mandates teaching contraception in sex ed 4) Journeys School shapes students for future 5) Lady Birds’ winning streak hits 10 games

INDEX Court . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B7 News . . . . . . . . .A2, A3, A6,A9 Obituaries. . . . . . . . . . A5 Editorial . . . . . . . . . . . . A4 Our Town . . . . . . . . . A10 Public Notice . . . . . . . . B7 Sports. . . . . . . . . . . . . B10 OBITUARIES:

BIZILLION, HARTNETT, HAYS, MICHELICH.

jerseycountyjournal .com Bob Crossen/Jersey County Journal

© 2013 Jersey County Journal

IS BEAUTIFUL

A bald eagle is perched in a tree in Grafton on Saturday, Dec. 15. Eagle watching season will soon be in full swing throughout the Two Rivers area.

TOP STORIES ONLINE

THANK

allegedly leaving her home around noon Nov. 23 in a Harley Davidson jacket and blue jeans, carrying a green duffle bag. She was a member of Jersey Community High School’s class of 2001. Chittum and Chase are being held in Madison County Jail in Edwardsville where their bonds are set at $1,000,000. The maximum penalty for each count of first degree murder is 20-60 years in prison. The Class X Felony for dismemberment of a human body can see a maximum penalty of 6-30 years in prison and the Class 3 Felony for concealment of a homicidal death carries a maximum penalty of 2-5 years.

YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE

A member of the American Veterans Tri County Honor Guard, Bob Shannon, shakes the hand of veteran Al Laschlber Dec. 19 at Jerseyville Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in Jerseyville. The American Legion handed out gifts of sweaters and cardigans to veterans in local nursing homes for Christmas. C

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at District 100 levy hearing By BOB CROSSEN Jersey County Journal Members of the public and the county board expressed their concerns about Jersey Community Unit School District 100’s finances during its truth in taxation hearing Dec. 18. The levy proposed during the truth in taxation hearing is a total of $13,582,500, which is an 8.1 percent increase over last year’s levy. Though the levied amount is greater than last year’s levy, the tax rate has decreased, meaning taxpayers will have a lower bill unless the value of their homes rise. The district has struggled financially during the past few years because of declining general state aid (GSA). In the past four years, the state has prorated funds due to Illinois school districts, which has resulted in a loss of more than $2 million for JCUSD 100, a 27 percent decrease in revenue during that time. Ron Henerfouth, former county board member seeking re-election in 2014, asked what plans the district has to reduce its budget so it can return to the black in future years. “What’s being done to reduce expenses within the school district to perhaps balance a budget, work within the budget, rather than going back to the homeowner and business man every year for an increase?” Henerfouth said. Mark Wendle asked the superintendent if the district is looking outside its walls for solutions by contacting the public or other school districts about their financial situation, seeking ways in which they’ve cut back on expenses. “Two heads are better than one. Coming to the public, you might be able to have other insight, other visions of what we see in education to try and help decrease that and yet not lose the education value that we have,” Wendle said. JCUSD 100 Superintendent Lori Hopkins said she has met with an informational committee about the district’s finances and is in the process of creating a committee which would include local business leaders and members of the public. She said she has been in contact

with other superintendents in the area to hear their solutions, as well. She said she is working on a fiveyear plan as well as a deficit reduction

>>The levy proposed during the truth in taxation hearing is a total of $13,582,500, which is an 8.1 percent increase over last year’s levy.

plan for the school district, and interested parties are welcome to contact her about taking part in the committee or the meetings which she said would be open to the public. “We are looking at some significant reductions in the hopes of balancing the budget,” Hopkins said. “We are going to work collectively and then we are going to be presenting this information to the public, so please stay tuned for that. I have a five-year plan I’m putting together along with the help of my colleagues.” Gary Goode said he was happy to see Hopkins’ approach to producing ways to bring the district’s budget back to black. Cooperating and collaborating with the community is the best way to solve the problems the district is facing, he said. “If we can work with these people and find out the things that are going on, I can see a future,” Goode said. Greg Goode, real estate businessman with property in Jersey County, said taxes in Jersey County are much higher than in other counties, despite the lower tax rate imposed by JCUSD 100. Homes are likely assessed at a greater value than in surrounding counties, he added, meaning the rate can stay low but the dollar cost is still much higher than other areas.. The real estate businessman said high tax rates take a negative toll on a community in the long run because people choose to leave, and as they leave (See, hearing, a2)


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