50¢ OCTOBER 2, 2019
PITTSFIELD, IL Thank you,
Bill Camphouse of Perry, for subscribing to Pike Press!
NEWS
Beck recognized for Picture Pittsfield volunteer work. See page A2
Barn quilts a new craft rage. See page A3
Milton Corn Carnival crowns winners. See page A8
SPORTS
Two named to All Tournament team. See page B1
WEEKEND WEATHER FRIDAY, OCT. 4
67 52 High
Low
SATURDAY, OCT. 5
69 52 High
Low
SUNDAY, OCT. 6
70 48 High
Low
ONLINE pikepress.com
INSIDE Classified . . . . . . . .B7 Community . . . . . .B4 County News . . . . A2-3, . . . . . . . . . A7-8, B2-4, B7
Pike Press
Obituaries . . . . . . A6 Opinion . . . . . . . . A4 Op-Ed . . . . . . . . . A5 Our Town . . . . . . A5 Sports . . . . . . . . . . .B1 Obituaries in this issue: Constable, Edwards, A., Edwards, B., Lierle, Yasenko.
VOL. 177, NO. 40
Orr Field Day offers livestock strategies By DAVID CAMPHOUSE Pike Press Local beef producers learned leading edge farm management practices from University of Illinois faculty and extension staff at the annual Orr Beef Research Center Field Day on Wednesday, Sept. 25. Dan Shike, University of Illinois professor and cow/calf researcher, updated attendees on the newest research at the University of Illinois. His topics included the influence of dried distillers grains with solubles on bull development and reproductive traits, the impacts of bypass protein in growing calf diets, and outcomes of extended drylot housing of beef cows at the Orr Research Center. Travis Meteer, University of Illinois Extension Orr Research Center beef specialist, discussed using cover crops for cattle feed and their value as forage. “Producers that have cover crops on prevent plant acres will find this discussion valuable,” Meteer said. “Our main mission is to take research from the University of Illinois and share it with producers,” Meteer said, add-
David Camphouse/Pike Press
University of Illinois beef specialist Travis Meteer, right, and Orr Beef Research Center manager Wes Chapple, left, sort cattle at the University of Illinois Beef Research Center outside Perry.
ing, “My job is to be an unbiased consultant to producers.” According to Meteer, the Orr Center started with a grassroots effort from Pike County residents. “They wanted researchbased information specific to this area,” Meteer said. The Orr Beef Research Center houses one of two University of Illinois beef specialists statewide. Aside from Meteer, Teresa Steckler serves (See, ORR, A2)
David Camphouse/Pike Press
University of Illinois Extension beef specialists Teresa Steckler and Travis Meteer address attendees at the Orr Beef Research Center Field Day on Wednesday, Sept. 25.
First hemp crop met with many obstacles By BETH ZUMWALT Pike Press Lance Kendrick and Dennison Collard planted their first crop of hemp earlier this year and, like every other crop planted in Pike County, dealt with what Mother Nature handed them. “At first it was too wet to plant,” Collard said. “Then we had a drought, bugs, wind and then rain again.”
“Every (harvest) method has it advantages and disadvantages.”
Dennison Collard Hemp producer
Court . . . . . . . . . . .B6 Marketplace . . . . . .B5
pikepress.com
But overall, the two men think they will be able to salvage a crop out of the seven acres they have planted in different plots on the west side of the county. Hemp can be grown for the fiber or for the oil and Kendrick and Collard have chosen a variety that produces oil. The men planted the hemp, which comes in
Who wants to blow up a bridge? PHS history club fundraising with Champ Clark demo raffle
Beth Zumwalt/Pike Press
Lance Kendrick, left, and Dennison Collard were out in their hemp field last week, checking on the crop. The two men say they will probably begin harvest later this week.
several varieties. The variety they chose is not the extremely tall plants, that are usually affiliated with cannabis production. Throughout the season, they have mowed around the plants, sprayed for bugs, staked up plants that were blown over by wind and other jobs affiliated with growing a crop of anything. Now for the harvest which the producers say can go three ways. “You can bring a harvest-
ing machine, like a combine, in and harvest it that way or you can use a sickle mower, cut it and then bale it. The third option is to pick it by hand,” Collard said. The men have chosen to pick their crop in small batches, by hand, letting each batch dry before adding the next. “Every method has it advantages and disadvan-
By DAVID CAMPHOUSE Pike Press Pittsfield High School’s history club is offering residents the opportunity to be directly involved with the demolition of the old Champ Clark Bridge. Tickets are being sold by the PHS history club for residents to enter a raffle to win the chance to detonate explosives during the demolition of the old Champ Clark Bridge. One Illinois and one Missouri winner will be drawn. Raffle tickets will be sold on both sides of the river, with tickets in Illinois benefitting the PHS history club and ticket sales in Missouri going to Louisiana first responders. “The history club at the high school is selling the tick-
Submitted photo
Raffle tickets are available for purchase from the PHS history club. Winners will have the opportunity to detonate explosives, demolishing the old Champ Clark Bridge.
(See, BRIDGE, A2) (See, OBSTACLES, A2)
Pike Press © 2019 All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Pleasant Hill Lady Wolves bring home hardware By BETH ZUMWALT Pike Press The Pleasant Hill Lady Wolves junior high softball team brought home a third place plaque from the state softball tournament. The girls traveled to BloomingtonNormal last Thursday and faced Springfield Calvary at 10 a.m. Friday morning. In a game that was lengthen by a several hour rain delay, the Pleasant Hill girls won 14-1. Hannah Hill and Ava Wombles both had three hits in the game and McKinley Lowe added two more. Jade Peebles had three RBIs in the game. Lowe struck out seven in the game to keep the base paths clear. She threw 17 first pitch strikes in the game as did the Springfield Calvary pitcher. Saturday morning, the girls saw their undefeated streak end as they fell 2-1 to Brimfield. Hannah Hill had the team’s only RBI. Lowe pitched a great game, throwing 22 first pitch strikes and striking out nine. The girls bounced back Saturday afternoon with a win in the third place game, 8-2 over the Villa Grove Blue (See, WIN, A2)
Submitted photo
The Pleasant Hill Junior High Softball team finished the season with a 24-1 record and a third place title in the state softball tournament. Team members are: front row, left to right, Danni Lewis, Lyla Higgins, Saidee Lemons, Lilly McElfresh, Abby Henderson, Ryleigh Myers, Kaylee Toohill. Second row, Kaitlyn Borrowman, Harlee DeCamp, Maddie Sidwell, Madison Daniels, Hannah Hill, Ava Wombles, Reese McKinnon, Cadee Hansen. Third row, Emily Lowe,coach, Ryan Lowe,coach, Jade Peebles, McKinley Lowe, Jeff Henderson, coach. Kali VanStrien, Makenna Winchell, Sadie Sholtis, Emma Henderson, Ally Neitzel, Tommy Hill, coach.