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NEWS GriggsvillePerry approves bus contract, raises for building principals. See page A2

NEWS

GriggsvillePerry names homecoming court.

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VOL. 179, NO. 8

Gas emergency passes, effects remain unknown By BETH ZUMWALT Pike Press The arctic weather that caused a gas emergency throughout the region has passed and so has the gas emergency. What remains to be seen is what the effects of those six days of spiking natural gas prices as a result of the emergency will be. “We are working with our state and federal legislators,” John Hayden, mayor of Pittsfield, said. ‘The attorney general says he will do a thorough investigation to see if there was price gouging.” Meanwhile, the City of Pittsfield is facing a gas bill, due March 22, that is currently at more than one million dollars. “Normally, we pass any cost increase onto the customer,” Hayden said. “There is no way our residents can afford what their bills will be.” Hayden gave the example of Illini Hospital, whose January gas bill was $20,000 and is currently looking at a $140,000 to $160,000 bill for February. “Schools, hospitals, small business,

residents— no one budgeted for an increase like that. It is six times higher than usual,” Hayden said. Pleasant Hill also receives natural gas from Panhandle, a transportation service, which buys its gas from suppliers in Texas. Pittsfield and Pleasant Hill were to meet yesterday, Tuesday, Feb. 23, to discuss options. Craig Robinson, Pleasant Hill board president, says he has no plan of attack at this time and hopes the brainstorming session with Pittsfield will come up with some ideas. “We won’t know until the end of the month what the cost will be,” Robinson said. “We would like to stretch it out over a few months, if we can.” Robinson said he calls or e-mails legislators every day. “They don’t even respond any more,” he said. Pittsfield says borrowing money to pay the gas bill is one option but could lead to higher bills down the road, even into summer when customers expect

their bills to go down. “We could take out a loan or issue bonds, but those still have to be paid back,” Hayden said. “We are trying to fix it through the legislatures, state and federal, but that takes time. We are going to meet with Pleasant Hill and kick some options around.” “We can’t pay that amount and we can’t pass it on to our customers,” Hayden said. Local legislators Daidsmeyer and McCluer issued statements last week. “Prices for natural gas delivery in our rural regions are skyrocketing because of unexpected winter weather in Texas,” Representative C.D. Davidsmeyer said. “The demand for natural gas is exceeding availability causing a spike in delivery prices. Governor Pritzker’s quick action in declaring a winter emergency for the entire state offers our local towns the opportunity to receive assistance. While the assistance doesn’t magically appear right when it is needed, we will continue to work to make sure our communities get much needed relief. I am

thankful for Governor Pritzker’s quick action in this matter.” “This is a terrible situation for people in many of the communities in the 50th District,” Senator Steve McClure said. “Access to natural gas is especially critical during the current frigid weather. I’d like to thank Governor Pritzker for swiftly declaring a statewide natural disaster over the situation. I will remain in close contact with local officials from affected communities as well as the Governor’s office to make sure that state government is doing what it can to help. I would encourage people to reach out to my office if there is anything we can do to help.” Robinson urges every resident to contact their legislators and ask for help, mainly to investigate the price gouging and let them know how the increased prices are affecting them. Senator Steve McClure has an email form on his website or can be called at 217-782-8206. C.D. Davidsmeyer also has an email form on his website or can be called at 217-245-6870.

See page A7

WEEKEND WEATHER

Adams County expands vaccine access to Pike County residents with underlying conditions

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INSIDE Classified . . . . . . . A7 Community . . . . . A5 County News . . A2, A7 Court . . . . . . . . . . A7 Marketplace . . . . . A6 Obituaries . . . . .A34 Opinion . . . . . . . . A4 Op-Ed . . . . . . . . . A4 Public Notice . . . . A7 Sports . . . . . . . . . . A5 Obituaries in this issue: Albers, Bennett, Colgrove, Ervin, Graves, Hall, Konow, Maxwell, Mountain, Schien, Scott, Stauffer, Thomas.

PFD

David Camphouse/Pike Press

FINDS A WAY TO RAISE FUNDS

Pittsfield Fire Department Chief Jason White, left, and Assistant Chief Jason Thomas, right, present golf cart raffle winner Scott Bennett with his prize from Smith Brothers Power Sports at the PFD building Thursday, Feb. 18. According to White and Thomas, PFD had to get creative with its fundraising efforts after the COVID-19 pandemic canceled the department’s three biggest fundraisers – the Fall Festival, Pig Days and the Fireman’s Dance. In response, PFD turned to a raffle format to raise funds. The resulting raffle ticket sales yielded $15,000. In addition, sponsors Smith Brothers Powersports, Best Systems Insulators, White Auto Body, Niebur Funeral Home, Two Rivers FS, Save-A-Lot, Napa Auto Supply, Pikeland Motors, FNBG, Bunge Grain, Moose Lodge 420, Pike County Concrete and LSSD Trucking contributed to making up for PFD’s lost fundraising opportunities. In addition, the PFD Women’s Auxiliary contributed a cover for the golf cart. The drawing for the cart was done Feb. 13 at the Riverbank Bar and Grill. According to White, the single fundraiser almost equaled the total typically raised during PFD’s usual annual fundraisers.

Vehicle pursuit ends in Illinois with officerinvolved shooting By BETH ZUMWALT Pike Press A Louisiana, Mo., man is in custody in the Pike County Illinois Jail after he led officers on a chase out of Louisiana early Saturday morning. The pursuit ended with James M. Lederle, 42, being shot in the leg by a Louisiana police officer. The incident concluded about 4 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 20 on 236th Street, just off State Highway 96 in Pleasant Vale Township. Lederle was shot in the leg but refused treatment by Pike County EMS, who was dispatched to the scene. Lederle is being lodged in Illinois pending extradition to Missouri. Lederle is also wanted on a Pike County Illinois Warrant and a parole warrant out of Missouri. Pike County Sheriff David Greenwood said he could not comment on the

JAMES M. LEDERLE incident as it is still under investigation, but said preliminary indications are that the shooting was justified. This investigation is still ongoing and is being investigated by the Pike County Sheriff’s Department with assistance from Illinois State Police Crime Scene Investigations and the Louisiana, Mo. Police Department.

By DAVID CAMPHOUSE Pike Press Pike County Health Department (PCHD) announced Monday that it, in cooperation with Illini Rural Health, Illini Community Hospital and Quincy Medical Group of Pittsfield, has made great strides in vaccinating the over-65 age group with the COVID-19 vaccine in Pike County. Currently, PCHD has less than 200 people on the pre-registration list for this age group. “Collaborating with Illini Rural Health, Illini and QMG has allowed us to blow through our list,” PCHD Director of Nursing Sharon Bargmann said. “Working together has been a godsend. There are well under 200 on our list by now.” Residents who are Pike County residents or work in Pike County, are age 65 and older and have not yet received an appointment to be vaccinated should call PCHD at 217-285-4407 and use option 8 to leave your name, date of birth and phone number. “We are telling people that if they haven’t heard back from us to contact us,” Bargmann said. “Many times we’ve found disconnected phone numbers or incorrect information when we’ve tried to set up appointments.” Once PCHD has completed vaccinating those that wish to be vaccinated in that age group, PCHD will move on to vaccinating those frontline workers in Phase 1B and those age 16-64 with the follow health conditions: cancer; chronic kidney disease; COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease); diabetes; heart conditions; immunocompromised state from a solid organ transplant; obesity; pregnancy; pulmonary disease; sickle cell disease and individuals with disabilities. “We’re going to be moving to that population very soon,” Bargmann said. (See, VACCINE, A2)

Locals show interest in county jobs By BETH ZUMWALT Pike Press

ike County currently has two job openings, an ambulance administrator and an animal warden. Josh Martin, the current ambulance administrator, resigned last month and Debbie Lambeth, the animal warden, has issued her intent to retire in April. Both positions were discussed at the Feb. 22 county board meeting. “There have been 22 individuals that have applied for the animal warden job,” Natalie Roseberry, county clerk, told the board. The problem is that the online form for some of the sites where the application was posted only requested applicants’ name and address. The job posting was listed on several Facebook sites including the Pike County Sheriff’s Department, Pike County Economic Development Foundation, Chamber of Commerce, and others. “If you applied for the job, you need to fill out a full application,” Mark Sprague, chairman of the agriculture committee, who handles animal control dues, said. “Or bring a resume by the county clerk’s office.” Sprague encouraged anyone who has applied for the job to double check to make sure their application is being processed. The ambulance administrator position has attracted five applications. The public safety

committee will review those and make a recommendation to the full board. The board also discussed the recent gas emergency and what the increased price will mean to the county for heating the courthouse, jail and government building. “Our bill for January was $2,154,” Roseberry told the board. “Preliminary indications are our bill for February will be $10,459.” The county office holders are being asked to continue to keep their thermostats low in order to keep the bill for the month as low as possible. There was also an update on the bridge at Nebo, which was deemed hazardous a few years ago. The bridge is actually in the Village of Nebo, which has applied for and received a couple of grants toward the project. “When the state discontinued some programs, including revolving loan projects, we had to return that money,” Jim Sheppard, board chairman, said. “But, they would give it back to us if we could find a one-time project that met all the guidelines. The bridge at Nebo was the only one we had.” “In order to use the $306,000, we had to have an environmental study, check for wetlands, flood plain and Native American Indian status,” he explained. According to Sheppard, at least 14 Native tribes needed to be notified. Letters were sent this week to those tribes and they have 30 days to respond with any objections to the project.

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Pike Press

NEWS

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Griggsville-Perry approves bus contract, raises for building principals

By DAVID CAMPHOUSE Pike Press Griggsville-Perry approved a contract extension with Griggsville Bus Company for the 2021-2022 and 2022-2023 school years at the district’s Wednesday, Feb. 17 school board meeting. According to Superintendent Kent Hawley, the extension is allowed by language in the current contract and will simply extend the financial terms of the current contract. This year’s payments were renegotiated with the bus company, because of the drastically altered school year. “What was approved is an extension of

what was already in place,” Hawley said. “The next two years will be at the same rates as what should have been in place this year.” Griggsville Bus Company has provided bussing services to the district for three years. The board approved a new contract for Griggsville-Perry Middle School Principal Jeff Bourne for the 2021-2022 and 20222023 school years. Included in the contract was a two-percent raise in Bourne’s salary in the first year of the new contract. Board members also approved a raise to Griggsville-Perry Elementary and High School Principal Jillian Theis. “The raise brings her in line with what

Jeff is making,” Hawley said. The board went on to hear a first reading of COVID-related board policy changes. “Most of the changes are in response to the COVID pandemic and allow for changes to state rules/laws in the event of an emergency declaration,” Hawley said. Also approved was a resolution to adopt the Teachers’ Retirement System’s (TRS) Supplemental Savings Plan. According to Hawley, TRS is required to offer an optional defined contribution benefit to eligible active members of the system. To comply with this law, TRS has contracted with Voya Financial to develop and offer the TRS SSP. The SSP is a 457(b) retire-

ment plan. Employee participation in the program is optional. Hawley said the biggest impact of the SSP to the district will come in the form of increased record keeping requirements. “We will have to do a little more bookkeeping is all— to make sure the proper contributions are being made,” Hawley said. Following closed session, the board, in addition to approving the aforementioned principal contracts, approved Kenny Stauffer to serve as an assistant middle school basketball coach and approved Lexie Manson as an assistant middle school volleyball coach. The meeting adjourned at 8:18 p.m.

Western holds virtual homecoming; invests pre-k funds in tricycle track By DAVID CAMPHOUSE Pike Press Because of limitations presented by the COVID-19 pandemic, Western’s homecoming was moved online Superintendent Jessica Funk reported at the district’s Wednesday, Feb. 17 school board meeting. A week of school spirit activities led up to a virtual homecoming coronation ceremony held in the school’s gym and livestreamed on Facebook Friday, Feb. 19 at 3 p.m. Students Matthew Depke and Haley Flores were crowned king and queen. Board members approved installation of a “Tricycle Track” at the district’s Kinderhook campus at a cost of $17,650. According to Funk, the funds were held from last fiscal year’s pre-k grant funding. “We budgeted for it last year, but held off until we saw how we were going to be doing in terms of funding,” Funk said. Funk added that the project will make the outdoor play area more accessible to the district’s youngest students. “Right now, the outdoor area is covered in wood chips,” Funk said. “This is a big concrete pad that they can ride on.” Awarding a groundskeeping bid for the district was tabled until the March meeting over concerns with some of the bids. “The bids were all over the place,” Funk said. “We wanted to look into the reasons for the inconsistencies and see what kind of equipment the contractors would be using.” Funk reported that all MAP testing was completed at the elementary school, and midterm grades had been sent out Feb. 5. High school students will take the SAT and PSAT tests on April 13. Junior High Principal Brandi Pennock reported that Luke Rucker was named sixth-grade February student of the month. Loryn White was recognized as seventhgrade student of the month, and Rachel McMullen earned the eighth-grade honor. Pennock said the parents or guardians of all students in jeopardy of failing have been contacted by the school. Superintendent Funk updated board

Vaccine

(Continued from A1) Beginning in March, PCHD will be utilizing an online option for registration, however you will still be able to call the health department to schedule an appointment if you are in the above-mentioned categories. Another option for vaccination is to contact the Adams County Health Department (ACHD). Those individuals in the categories mentioned above who would like to be vaccinated can call the vaccination registration line at 217-600-4VAX or go to www.adamscountytogether.com/vaccinate to schedule a vaccination. Individuals registering are asked to bring proof of identity as well as the ticket they receive through the email upon registering online or the ticket number they receive by registering through the vaccination registration line with them to their vaccine appointment. ACHD has expanded eligibility for COVID19 vaccination to include individuals from Brown, Hancock, Schuyler and Pike counties residents,

bers approved the resignation of full-time paraprofessional KatieJo McHatton effective Jan. 26. The board approved hiring Cody Ash as a full-time paraprofessional effective Feb. 8 and the addition of Linda Wyatt to the

district’s substitute list. Western and other regional school districts continue to seek qualified substitute teachers. For more information on requirements, contact the school or the Regional Office of Education.

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Haley Flores and Matthew Depke pose for a picture after being named 2021 homecoming king and queen at Western High School’s virtual homecoming on Friday, Feb. 19 at 3 p.m. Flores is the daughter of Gustavo Flores and Julianna Howell of Barry, and Depke is the son of Dan and Tammy Depke of Hull. A social distanced and masked coronation ceremony was videoed and broadcast on the Western Wildcats’ Facebook page.

members on staff COVID-19 vaccinations. According to Funk, within a few weeks, most staff will have received their second dose of the vaccine. In addition, Funk reported athletics were up and running in the district, and spectators were allowed at contests. A mandated resolution to adopt the Teachers’ Retirement System supplemental savings plan was approved by the board. Following closed session, board mem-

age 16-64 with the underlying conditions listed above. These residents are now eligible to schedule appointments at the Oakley Lindsey Center in Quincy. Individuals in those categories must complete a self-certification through the registration process. This self-certification requests that the individual certify that they have been diagnosed with a condition listed above. At this time, a provider note is not required for individuals with the conditions listed above to register for vaccination.

“What they are doing in Adams County has been a tremendous help,” Bargmann said. Local health departments rely on IDPH to allocate and deliver vaccine. Small health departments have only been receiving 200-300 doses each week. PCHD is collaborating with Illini Community Hospital, Illini Rural Health, and Quincy Medical Group to utilize weekly dose allotments. ACHD’s assistance with small neighboring counties has increased access to vaccinations for residents.

Cell Tech Electronics, an Authorized Agent of UScellular™ 1404 Windy Ln., Jerseyville, 618-498-7276 Requires a new line, postpaid Smartphone service plan, port-in, credit approval, qualified Smartphone purchase and comes via monthly bill credit on a 30-mo. RIC. 5G capable device required to experience 5G. 5G coverage not available in all areas. See uscellular.com/coverage-map for details. Taxes, fees, and additional restrictions apply. Things we want you to know: New consumer or small business (25 lines or less) postpaid Smartphone service plan, new line and port-in required. Tax due at sale. A Regulatory Cost Recovery Fee applies; this is not a tax or gov’t-required charge. Additional fees, taxes, terms, conditions and coverage areas may apply and vary by plan, service and phone. Credit approval required. Offers valid at participating locations only and cannot be combined. See store or uscellular.com for details. OFFER DETAILS: Purchase a Samsung GS21, GS21 Plus or GS21 Ultra via 0% APR, $0 down, 30-mo. Retail Installment Contract (RIC) and receive an $800 bill credit divided into 30 monthly credits. Bill credit applied within 3 bill cycles and ends when balance is paid. Line must remain in good standing with required price plan for entire 30-mo. RIC. In the event of cancellation of service, customer will be responsible for the entire RIC balance. Free offer applies to base model and memory. 5G capable device required to experience 5G. 5G coverage not available in all areas. See uscellular.com/coverage-map for details. Kansas Customers: In areas in which UScellular receives support from the Federal Universal Service Fund, all reasonable requests for service must be met. Unresolved questions concerning service availability can be directed to the Kansas Corporation Commission Office of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection at 1-800-662-0027. Limited-time offer. While supplies last. Trademarks and trade names are the property of their respective owners. Offers valid at participating locations only and cannot be combined. See store or uscellular.com for details. ©2021 UScellular

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OBITUARIES

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Frankie Carson Scott

Frankie Carson Scott, age 58, of Pittsfield, IL passed away on Tuesday, February 16, 2021. He was born on January 14, 1963 in Louisiana, MO to Lyndell and Ima Jean Applegate Scott. Frankie graduated from Bowling Green High School in 1981 and began his career as a counter parts clerk working for several area auto parts stores. He later worked for Ingram Plumbing and Arrow Industries working at natural gas pumping stations in several states. Frankie was a natural mechanic from the time he was a young child and enjoyed working with his dad on their racecar. They shared a love of racing and spent countless hours traveling together and following the local stock car circuit. Frankie was a Cowboys fan and enjoyed spending time with friends. He was stubborn and hard headed but was always a loving son to his mother. He is survived by his loving mother, Ima Scott of Pittsfield, IL; sister, Becky (Richard) McIntire of Pittsfield, IL; and niece, Caitlyn McIntire of Pittsfield, IL.

Frankie was preceded in death by his father, Lyndell Scott; and grandparents, Russell and Catherine Applegate, Frank and Marie Scott, and Vernon Jones. Cremation rites have been accorded and a memorial service was held on Sunday, February 21, 2021 at 12:30 PM at Independence Christian Church. Interment will be held at Green Pond Cemetery at a later date. Memorials are suggested to be made to Independence Christian Church. Online condolences may be left to the family at www.nieburfh.com. Niebur Funeral Home in Pittsfield is handling the arrangements.

Roger Mark Graves Roger Mark Graves, age 67, of Mendon, formerly of Liberty, IL died on Sunday, February 14, 2021 in his home surrounded by family after a courageous battle with lewy body dementia. Roger was born on February 12, 1954 in Pittsfield, IL, the son of Donald and Veda (Willard) Graves. He married the love of his life, Sharon Schwartz, on August 23, 1975 in St. Brigid Catholic Church in Liberty, IL and she survives. Roger was a 1972 graduate of Payson Seymour High School and attended Pittsfield middle school in his earlier years. He attended Nashville auto diesel college after high school and graduated as a certified diesel mechanic. He was employed at Sparks and Wiewel Construction Company from 1974 until 2004 when the business closed. He then worked for Chester Bross Construction from 2004 until his retirement in 2018. He was actively involved in the Shelbina Old Threshers Association. Roger genuinely loved life. He had a passion for travel and adventure. If you couldn’t find him at work, you could find him camping with his family or riding a jet ski at the Lake of the Ozarks. Roger had a deep love for his family, especially his grandkids. He had many talents including being a certified pilot, a welder, and a certified crane and heavy equipment operator. In addition to his wife, he is survived by his children, Crystal (Steve) Dieterle of Quincy, IL, Mark (Jessie) Graves of Chatham, IL, Katie (John) Ohnemus of Mendon, IL, and Matt Graves of Monroe City, MO; grandchildren, Kaleb Dieterle, Zoey Dieterle, Tatum Graves, Cru Graves, Grayden Graves,

Olivia Ohnemus, Paisley Ohnemus, and Noah Ohnemus; sister, Teresa (Dave) Higus of Terre Haute, IN; uncle, Greg (Mae) Graves of Ursa, IL; several nieces, nephews, great nieces, and great nephews; and grandpuppies, Duke and Grace. Roger was preceded in death by his parents, Donald and Veda Graves; in-laws, Robert Schwartz, Dolores Schwartz, and Hazel Schwartz; paternal grandparents, Barney and Lenora Graves; maternal grandparents, Everett and Leona Willard; aunt, Rosemary Graves; Uncle, Wayland and wife, Catherine Willard; and cousin, Michael Todd Willard. Funeral services were held on Sunday, February 21, 2021 at 4:00 PM at Madison Park Christian Church in Quincy. Visitation was held prior to the service at the church from 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM. Graveside service were Monday, February 22, 2021 at 11:00 AM at Saint Brigid’s Cemetery in Liberty, IL. Memorials are suggested to be made to Lewy Body Dementia Association, Memory Care Home Solutions or Blessing Hospice and Palliative Care. Online condolences may be left to the family at www.nieburfh. com. Niebur Funeral Chapel is handling the arrangements.

Pike Press

Jeffrey D. Maxwell Jeffrey D. Maxwell, 56, of Lincoln, left this earth on February 13, 2021, to be reunited with his sister, Janine, and his parents, Wilma and Jim Maxwell, in heaven. Born in Peoria, IL, on July 24, 1964, Jeff and his family would move to their family farm south of Manito, IL, where he spent most of his childhood. Here Jeff would attend the Forman School System and the Forest City Community Church. Jeff would participate in many activities and groups where he would excel, as well as making lifelong friends along the way. Later, Jeff would move to Pittsfield, IL, where he finished out his high school education at Pittsfield High School. Here he would participate in music, choir, theatre, and other activities, such as student council, Latin Club, Spanish Club, and many more. He also was named Prom King at Pittsfield High School his Junior year. He loved being involved. Most importantly, this is where he met the love of his life, Rebecca Lemons. Graduating from Pittsfield High School in 1982, he would continue his education at Northeast Missouri State University in Kirksville, MO, graduating with a degree in Advertising/Marketing. The best was yet to come when he wed his high school sweetheart, Rebecca Lemons, on August 8, 1987, in Pittsfield. It was the hottest day of the year, but it was the event of the season, being one of the largest weddings in Pittsfield. Once married, Jeff and Becky moved to Morris, IL, where they welcomed their first born, Adam Jeffrey Maxwell, their pride and joy, on December 24, 1989, a Christmas miracle. Jeff, Becky, and Adam would later move to Lincoln where they would find their forever home. While in Lincoln they welcomed their second child, AnnaGrace Maxwell, on October 5, 1993, who would

Anita Schien Anita Schien, 85, of Lake Ozark, MO died Friday, February 19, 2021 at Lake Regional Hospital in Osage Beach, MO. Funeral Arrangements are pending at the Niebur Funeral Chapel in Barry.

Randall ‘Randy’ G. Hall Randall “Randy” G. Hall, 55, of Pittsfield died Sunday, February 14, 2021 at Blessing Hospital in Quincy. Cremation rites have been accorded and a Celebration of Life will be planned at a later date. The Airsman-Hires Funeral Home in Pittsfield is in charge of the arrangements.

Lyndel William “Bill” Mountain Lyndel William “Bill” Mountain, age 75, a resident of the Illinois Veterans Home in Quincy and formerly of Perry, Illinois passed away at 5:31 a.m. Saturday, February 20, 2021 at Blessing Hospital in Quincy, Illinois. He was born April 12, 1945 in Pike County, Illinois the son of Earl Wayne and Gladys Ann Shinnebarger Mountain. He married Mary Ann Henrick on November 7, 1965 at the First United Methodist Church in Mt. Sterling and she survives. Mr. Mountain worked for National Starch and Chemical Company in Meredosia for 35 years, retiring in 2000. He graduated from Perry High School with the class of 1963. Mr. Mountain was a veteran of the Vietnam War having served his country in the United States Army. Bill was a member of the Perry Methodist Church and was also a member of the Perry American Legion Post #1040. He always enjoyed woodworking and going for long rides, but his greatest joy was spending time with his family.

Survivors include his wife Mary Ann Mountain of Quincy. 4 children Roger Mountain (Kitty) and Paula Burge (Billie) all of Mt. Sterling, Robert Mountain (Andrea) of Indianapolis, Indiana and Kevin Mountain (Melissa) of Perry. 1 brother Wayne Mountain of Perry. 1 sister-in-law Phyllis Mountain of Pittsfield. 12 grandchildren Billie, Greg, Chris, Faith, Danielle, Ryan, Presley, Walter, Derrick, Zachery, Aidan and Zoey. 15 great grandchildren. 1 great great granddaughter also survives along with several nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents and 2 brothers James and Dean Mountain.

We know that Bill deserves a beautiful tribute and understand that under normal circumstances many friends would love to attend. But sadly due to the current health situation and under the direction of the local health department, the services are to be conducted with only family members in attendance. Friends are encouraged to watch Bill’s services streaming live at 2:00 p.m. on Friday, February 26, 2021 on the funeral home website at hendrickerfuneralhome.com. We also encourage the community to leave a condolence or remembrance on the website for the family. There will be no visitation. Burial with military honors will be in the Wilson Cemetery in Perry, Illinois. Memorials are suggested to Illinois Veterans Home Fifer Building Activity Fund (for games only) and may be left at or mailed to the Hendricker Funeral Home, 406 South Capitol Ave., Mt.Sterling, IL 62353.. The Hendricker Funeral Home in Mt. Sterling is assisting the family with the arrangements.

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become Jeff’s princess. Jeff loved his children more than anything and was beyond proud of the achievements and accomplishments they both have made. He could not have a conversation without mentioning how proud he was of both of his children. They were his everything. Jeff left a lasting impression on everyone he encountered. He was known as the life of the party as well as being able to make everyone laugh. Jeff was a devoted Radio Personality for WLCN 96.3FM and always said he had a face for radio. His voice was very distinguished and one of a kind. He loved music as much as he loved being the center of attention. He was also a caring and compassionate man that loved deeply. He made lifelong friends throughout his journey through life and will be missed by many. Very few can say they did not know “Jeff #2.” Jeff is survived by his wife, Rebecca Maxwell, of Lincoln; son, Adam Jeffrey Maxwell, of Lincoln; and daughter and son-inlaw, Anna-Grace and Dirk Conrady, of Lincoln. Jeff’s final wishes of being an organ donor were honored. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the James B. Maxwell Memorial Educational Scholarship Fund or to Gift of Hope Peasley Funeral Home, 401 Delavan Street, Lincoln, IL, 62656. Cremation Rites have been accorded with a Celebration of Life to be planned for a later date. Final arrangements are entrusted with Peasley Funeral Home of Lincoln.

Richard W. Albers Richard W. Albers, age 95, of Louisiana, MO passed away Friday, February 12, 2021 at Maple Grove Lodge Nursing Home. He was born on August 21, 1925 on the family farm in Naples, IL, the sixth of ten children to Oscar and Joy Bunch Albers. Richard married Harriett A. Olson on February 14, 1948 in Garner, IA and she preceded him in death on April 21, 2018. Richard was a 1944 graduate of Bluffs High School and went on to join the United States Army Air Corp in June 1946, and he attended Automotive Mechanic’s School in Fort Belvoir, Virginia. He served overseas in the Philippines until his honorable discharge in November 1947 and was awarded WWII Victory Medal. He began farming in Naples in 1949 and was very proud to purchase his own farm in Pike County in 1952. He was proud to be a farmer, husband, grandfather and great grandfather. Richard and Harriett spent many happy summers at the cottage her father built in 1936 in Clear Lake, IA. Dancing was one of their favorite past times and at their peak, they would attend 4 to 5 dances a week. Richard was a member of the Barry United Methodist Church, a 72-year member of the El Dara Masonic Lodge #388, serving as a past Master, 50 + year member of Pittsfield Eastern Star #195 and the Barry American Legion Post #222, serving as a past commander. He is survived by son, Rich-

ard A. (Sue) Albers of Virden, IL; daughters, Patricia (Bob) Tarter of Beach Park, IL and Jeanne Fee of Spring Grove, IL; grandchildren, Christenah (Chris) Haefner, Sarah (Andy) Koren, Letitia (Jay) McCarthy, Nolan Fee, and Bridget Fee; great grandchildren, Logan Haefner, Regan Tujillo, Kathleen McCarthy, Gillian McCarthy, and Landon Fee; sister, Doris (Frank) Chambers and numerous nieces, nephews and cousins He was preceded in death by his wife of 70 years, Harriett Albers; parents, Oscar and Joy Albers; son in law, Bruce Fee; four brothers, Harold, Russ, Jim and Ronald; and four sisters, Dorothy, Julia, Eileen and Ruth. All services will be held privately and cremation rites have been accorded. Memorials are suggested to be made to El Dara Masonic Lodge #388 or Pittsfield Eastern Star #195. Online condolences may be left to the family at www. nieburfh.com. Niebur Funeral Home in Pittsfield is handling the arrangements.

Donald Stauffer Donald Stauffer, 69, of White Hall, IL passed away Saturday, February 20, 2021 at White Hall Nursing and

Rehab in White Hall, IL. Funeral Arrangements are pending at the Niebur Funeral Home in Pittsfield.

Local Church Listings Calvary Baptist Church 180 S. Franklin St., PO Box 160 Pittsﬁeld, IL 62363 calvarypittsﬁeld@gmail.com

Nebo Church of Christ 165 Alton Street Nebo, IL 62355 217-653-3091

St. Mary’s Catholic Church 226 East Adams Pittsﬁeld, IL 62363 217-285-4321 t www.stmaryspittsﬁeld.dio.org List with us 618-498-1234

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PICKINGS FROM PIKE’S PAST

10 YEARS AGO: SAUKEES WIN REGIONAL IN 3 OVERTIMES

150 Years Ago Mar. 2, 1871 Last Thursday night our county was visited by one of the worst windstorms known for a long time. In Pittsfield the worst damage was to the new mill and the Christian Church. Part of the roof of the new mill was blown off. To what amount the church was damaged we have not ascertained, but doubtless it will amount to considerable. The organ was badly injured by falling debris. Fences all over town were blown down. Sunday night four prisoners made their escape from the county jail. Our energetic sheriff took measures to recapture them, sending men out in different directions. He himself proceeded directly to New Canton, believe the prisoners would take that route with the expectation that they would get aid in crossing the Mississippi. In this, the sequel proved he was right, and in less than three days the men were all back in jail. 125 Years Ago Feb. 26, 1896 The bridge for the creek west of Perry is being hauled from the railroad, and we hope to see it ready for use in the early spring. Nebo seems to be suffering from epidemic of petty pilfering in the east part of town, and chicken roost robbers in the west part of town. Nath Scranton and Bob Kelly sent liberal doses of hot lead in the direction of the chicken squalls. And still the Pittsfield town clock announces no more the time of day. Is it to be ever thus? The very worst sidewalk in Pittsfield is that on Jefferson Street, extending from the Methodist to the Christian Church, all within two blocks of the square. It is about the last of the old brick pavement, and in wet weather is almost impassable. Jefferson Street is a much-traveled thoroughfare, being used during the week

by the school children and on Sunday by church-going people. 100 Years Ago Mar. 2, 1921 A Democrat reporter and a bunch of other Pittsfield folks journeyed down to our sister city of Detroit to take in the minstrel show put on by some enthusiastic workers for the TB cause. When we reached the nice little town hall, only standing room was left. Prof Loyd Davis of Pittsfield kept the piano jazzing away, and the crowd had a good time. The entire program went off with a snap. Louis Rodhouse of Pleasant Hill won the gold medal for sheep judging at the Short Course in Agriculture at the College of Agriculture in Columbia, Mo. He has been farming with his father, T. W. Rodhouse, a breeder of Poland China hogs and Shropshire sheep. Pike County farmers have been able to plow every month this winter, and a lot of sod has been broken in February. Oil operations are getting underway this week down at the Shinn oil field near New Hartford. They will be shooting steam in the oil well in the next 24 hours. 75 Years Ago Feb. 27, 1946 Pittsfield has a bona fide claim to recognition as a Lincoln shrine. Its Lincoln associations are well authenticated. Yet Pittsfield does nothing about it. Next Sunday, March 3, Dr. S. B. Peacock, well-known physician of Pittsfield, will round out 50 years of service in Pike County. He began his practice in Baylis, and moved to Pittsfield March 8, 1913. He says there were at least seven well established physicians in Pittsfield at that time. Harry Barber, who has been FSA (Farm Security Agency) supervisor in this district, with Pittsfield as headquarters, since Aug. 1938, has received notice that he is being trans-

OBITUARIES Bruce Kevin Bennett

Vernon C. Ervin

Bruce Kevin Bennett, 52, of Pittsfield, died at his home in Pittsfield on Friday, February 19, 2021. All services are to be held privately with interment at Winchester Cemetery in Winchester, IL. Memorials are suggested to be made to the family c/o Niebur Funeral Home. Online condolences may be left to the family at www.nieburfh. com. Niebur Funeral Home in Pittsfield is handling the arrangements.

Vernon C. Ervin, 81, of Pittsfield died on Sunday, February 14, 2021 at Liberty Village in Pittsfield. Funeral services will be held privately and interment will be at Oakwood Cemetery in Pittsfield. Memorials are suggested to be made to the family c/o Niebur Funeral Home. Online condolences can be left for the family at www.nieburfh. com. Niebur Funeral Home is handling the arrangements.

Betty Colgrove

Gene Thomas

Betty Colgrove, 95, of Barry died Monday, February 22, 2021 at Barry Community Care Center in Barry, IL. Funeral Arrangements are pending at the Niebur Funeral Chapel in Barry.

A Zoom memorial service will be held Saturday February 27, 2021 at 5:30 p.m.. Meeting ID 858 3638 3445 Password: 570853 Questions contact the family at 217-770-7091.

Daniel A. Konow Daniel A. Konow, 57, of Pleasant Hill, IL died on Thursday, February 11, 2021 at his home. A Celebration of Life is being held with his Walmart

family and cremation rites have been accorded. Online condolences may be left at www.nieburfh.com. Niebur Funeral Home is handling the arrangements.

ferred to the southern part of Illinois. The Rumple triplets are doing well. The Carnation Milk Company has offered to provide milk for the boys for a year. 50 Years Ago Mar. 3, 1971 An overflow crowd attended a hearing on the campus of Illinois College in Jacksonville about the potential routes for a proposed Central Illinois Expressway. A proposed new airport was the topic of conversation at the Pittsfield City Council meeting. Dudley Williams, candidate for alderman in the Third Ward, demanded that a referendum election be called in connection with the proposed airport. A couple of Pittsfield Jaycees, Ed Knight and Kent Zimmerman were there to reiterate Jaycees’ support of the Pittsfield’s proposed community airport. Two Perry High School students, Rick Orr and Kathy Henthorn, have advanced to the state speech contest as a result of their performance at the sectional speech contest held last Saturday in Wood River. Daniel E. Chamberlain is the newly-appointed teller at the First National Bank of Pittsfield. He is the son of Mr. and Mrs. A. L. Chamberlain. Griggsville High school won the Meredosia District basketball championship in an overtime win over mighty Triopia, 55-46. 25 Years Ago Feb. 28, 1996 The Pittsfield Saukees defeated Winchester in Voshall Gym Friday 71-43, for their 17th Regional win in the past 20 years. Michael Smith had a game-high 17 points, including a slam dunk that brought PHS fans to their feet. They now go to the Petersburg Porta Sectional, where they have won nine times. The New Horizons Committee says that a large lake

for Pike County is at a standstill unless the County Board helps with the project. A gourmet dinner and festival of the arts sponsored Sunday evening by the Pikeland Public Schools Foundation has netted $2,500 to benefit the Pikeland public schools. N. D. Harrison is the foundation president. Angie Lagemann, a junior at Pittsfield High School, has advanced to the state level of the Country Companies Three Point Showdown. Her coach, Matt Elledge, said she shot about 34 percent from the three point range during the season. 10 Years Ago Mar. 2, 2011 It has been five years in the making, but after Feb. 24, the Pike County Public Transportation buses are now on the streets in Pike County to take people wherever they need to go. Principal Ryan Lowe brought 24 Pleasant Hill High School students to observe the February Pike County Board meeting. They were invited by Board Chairman Andy Borrowman. Nearly 950 people crammed into the third JDL building north of Pittsfield Saturday night for a full night of action packed mixed martial arts. Pittsfield fire fighters were honored recently at an awards ceremony. Jason Thomas was the first ever two-time winner of the Eric Siepker Firefighter of the year award. Randy Ruble received a plaque for 25 years of service to the PFD and the community; and Mike Braungardt received a plaque for his years of service to the community and PFD as chief. The Pittsfield Saukees three overtimes and a 40-point performance by senior guard Brad Hamilton to claim the regional title Friday night at Voshall Gym as the Saukees defeated Pleasant Plains 67-60. –––––––––––––––– Q Compiled by Michael Boren

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Kelly Hill celebrates 30 years of service at Farmers State Bank This February, Kelly Hill is celebrating 30 years of service at Farmers State Bank in Pittsfield. Kelly is a Pittsfield High School graduate and earned her associates degree in accounting at John Wood Community College. Over the past 30 years, Kelly has worked on the Farmers State Bank Deposit Team as a teller and Personal Banker, and has also assisted in security operations. Kelly and her husband Kevin live on a farm outside of Nebo. They have two children and four grandchildren. Kelly enjoys spending time with

her family above all else. “My favorite part about working at Farmers State Bank is the vision of our bank,” Hill said. “We truly live up to our motto of ‘A Tradition of Trust’ by helping our customers with their banking needs and building long-term relationships with them. I love that Farmers State Bank truly invests in the community by giving back in multiple ways. I am so proud to be a member of the Farmers State Bank team and have established many friendships within our organization and with our customers.”

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M E M B E R

2 0 2 0

2021

COMMUNITY/SPORTS/SCHOOL

Wednesday, February 24, 2021

Pike Press

NEW SALEM

AND OTHER AREA NEWS Don’t forget World Day of Prayer, March 5 “If you can’t change your fate, change your attitude.” - Charles Revson Friday, March 5, the World Day of Prayer will be held in our area at the Pittsfield Church of the Nazarene at noon. There will be a time of praise, songs, sharing of needs, scripture, and prayer. Everyone is welcome and encouraged to attend. Birthdays and anniversaries! From Feb. 3 - Feb. 9: Feb. 24: Bruce Huffman. Feb. 25: Ethan Dixon, Melinda Labby, Phyllis Grawe, Sadie Ward, Steve McCaherty, Tiffany Love, Christina and John Brown. Feb. 26: Roseanne Craven. Feb. 27: Joe Yackley, Kara and Josh Puterbaugh. Feb. 28: Georgia West, Walter Lam. Makenna Lee Dice made her appearance Wednesday afternoon, Feb. 17 in Blessing Hospital in Quincy. She weighed 7 lbs. 2 oz. and was 19” long. Her proud parents are Jeremiah and Kaylee Dice of rural New Salem, and she has one big brother Jackson who is 16 months old. Maternal grandparents are Jason and Susan Barnes of Pittsfield and paternal grandparents are Gary and Pam Dice of Baylis. Paternal great-grandparents are Leonard and Sharon Dice of Pittsfield and maternal great grandparents are Ben and Kay Barnes of Kentucky, formerly of Pittsfield. Prayer Requests: Bonnie Prudoehl, Brian Bradshaw, Cheryl and Chuck Rheynard, Carl Blacketer, Dianna Ruble, Debbie Harshman, Erma Garner, George Whitlock Jr., Greg Ketterman, Ginger Whitlock, Helen Mays, Jenny Fox, Jerry Gully, Josh Bennett, Judy

Dockhorn, Justin Blacketer, Leonard and Sharon Dice, Lois Thomas, Nic Carter, Pastor Gary Dice, Roger Straus, Roger Bonnett, Thelma McGraw, peace for our unsettled world and patients, doctors and nurses dealing with COVID-19. I returned, and saw under the sun, that the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, neither yet bread to the wise, nor yet riches to men of understanding, nor yet favour to men of skill; but time and chance happeneth to them all. Ecclesiastes 9:11 Wednesday, Feb. 17, Les Garner and Carl Blacketer were in Missouri and called cousins Roger and Sharon Straus of Philadelphia, Mo., to see they would like some company. They all enjoyed a good visit. Friday evening, Feb. 19, guests at the home of Wyvetta Davis were Pastor Randy and Julie Love and Mark and Becky Winner, all of Pittsfield, who all enjoyed playing games and eating delicious popcorn. Saturday morning, Feb. 20, the monthly Inter-denominational Men’s Breakfast was hosted by the Milton Christian Church at the church. Approximately 14 men from three different churches attended. This usually happens the third Saturday of every month and all men from various churches are invited and welcome to attend. If you are interested in going, and to make sure that it hasn’t been canceled for some unforeseen reason, please call 1-217-285-5116. Saturday afternoon, Feb. 20, Mark and Becky Winner of Pittsfield went to rural Louisiana, Mo., to the home of Elinor and Rena Waddell for a nice

By WYVETTA DAVIS 217-285-4880 w9yti@irtc.net visit. Rena is Mark’s sister and Elinor is Rena’s mother-in-law. Trivia Answers from Last Week: 1. What was Gamaliel’s occupation in the Bible? (doctor of the law) 2. What U.S. State has the slogan “The Peace Garden State”? (North Dakota) 3. Who was the first martyr in the Bible? (Stephen) 4. Who in the Bible offered money to receive the Holy Ghost? (Simon the sorcerer) 5. What U.S. State has the slogan “The Beehive State”? (Utah) 6. Where were Christ’s followers first called Christians? (Antioch) “Men are not prisoners of fate, but only prisoners of their own minds.” - Franklin D. Roosevelt This is the last week of 36 Christian ways to reduce stress. Hope you have enjoyed reading these and hope they have helped. 1. Be kind to unkind people (they probably need it the most). 2. Sit on your ego. 3. Talk less; listen more. 4. Slow down. 5. Remind yourself that you are not the general manager of the universe. 6. Every night before bed, think of one thing you’re grateful for that you’ve never been grateful for before. May you always have: Love to share, cash to spare, tires with air and friends who care.

GRIGGSVILLE

After prom committee selling pizza

The GP AfterProm Committee have been unable to have their normal fundraisers and are needing your help! They are currently selling Shakespeare’s pizzas. There are nine pizza choices, all are twelve inch pizzas, and all are priced at $12. Pickup will be Monday, April 5 from 5:30-7 p.m. at the Griggsville school. Order forms will be sent home from school, or you can place your order with any AfterProm member. The money will go towards a safe and fun after prom party for the kids! Reminder: School will be in session this Friday, Feb. 26. Elizabeth Turnbull drove to Galesburg recently to attend the funeral of her Aunt Joyce Swedlund. Mrs. Swedlund was 89 years old and passed away after a sudden illness (not COVID). Sixteen immediate family members drove or flew in from all over the country:

Texas, North Carolina, Wisconsin, Chicagoland, southern and central Illinois. Mrs. Swedlund’s distant cousin, Rev. Tim Anderson of the Immanual Lutheran Church in Altona officiated the service. Mr. and Mrs. Iver Nelson were members of the church. Their three daughters, Darlene (Brown), Joyce (Swedlund) and Bonnie (Turnbull) received confirmation at Immanuel Lutheran In Altona. Rev. Anderson gave eulogies at Bonnie (Nelson) and Frank Turnbull’s funerals. Mrs. Swedlund was the last of her sisters to pass and the last of the line of her cousins to depart. For three decades the cousins held annual family unions in the summertime. Thirty-five women attended a paint class taught by Kay Todd, and enjoyed snacks at the Chambersburg Christian Church Saturday. All the women expressed their appre-

By NADINE KESSINGER 217-407-4502 kessy@casscomm.com ciation of such a fun experience and are looking forward to another gathering in the fall! After twelve consecutive days, most people in Pike County were very happy to see the mercury above 20 Feb. 18. Happy belated birthday wishes go out to Marina Orr who celebrated her 17th birthday, Feb. 23! Dewayne and Nadine Kessinger, Thelma Butler, and Vicki Norris enjoyed supper (and defeated some cabin fever) at Hannibal Thursday evening. “Grudges are for those who insist that they are owed something. Forgiveness however, is for those who are substantial enough to move on.” – Criss Jami

ROCKPORT

New baby, birthdays, retirements, a lot going on

Happy Birthday to Nicole Damon of Goreville, Feb. 11 and Nathan Pence of St. Louis, Feb. 19, from Grans. Next year we will have another February birthday as Braden and Janessa Damon are having a baby today, Wednesday, Feb. 24. Prayers for Brian Hill who has been in St. Louis in the hospital and for Duane Barnes who was burned badly last week and is in Springfield in the hospital. Lyndell Baughman went to Quincy last week for a cancer check-up and went to a restaurant for his lunch. Tried to pay with cash and they told him only debit or credit cards were being accepted. They told him it was becoming more and more common to only accept cards and no cash. Judy Damon goes to Quincy

to see her cancer doctor next week. Kelly Smith, my son-in-law, married to my daughter Sandra, retired this week. He has worked at Snap-On Tools ever since he got out of school.

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PLEASANT HILL

This is FFA week at Pleasant Hill High Good day, I am sure that most are enjoying the weather this week since it has been pretty bitter as of late. The feel of spring is a nice sign of hope for all of us! For it is that we appreciate and enjoy more what is to come when we have dealt with what has been. This is National FFA Week Recognition, and does one quite know what life would be without the opportunities students have in high school to pursue many avenues of agriculture? This week Pleasant Hill students will be celebrating with dress up

days. Two Rivers Marina will be hosting a monthly fishing tournament from April-September. There is information about this on their Facebook page or may call at (217) 437-2321. They are really making a go of this place and have been hosting events for our community. Our family just wants to thank you all so much for your love, prayers, support, calls, texts and beyond with my husband, Brian’s, recent illness and hospital stay. Been quite overwhelming but he is improving at a

By MARSHA HILL 217-437-2903 bmklh94@ yahoo.com slow pace. You just don’t know how much we appreciate, words just not enough! Thank you. “I believe that American Agriculture can and will hold true to the best traditions of our national life and that I can exert and influence in my home and community which will stand solid for my part in an inspiring task.” FFA creed

SCHEDULE SCORE BOARD PCS Volleyball March 25 will start at 5:15. PCS Volleyball v. Quincy Junior High, home, Saturday, Feb. 27 - 1 p.m.

PHS Freshman Boys Basketball v. Triopia, home, Wednesday, March 3 - 4:30 p.m. PHS Boys Basketball v. Payson, home, Wednesday, March 3 - 6 p.m. or after freshman game starting at 4:30 v. Triopia) PCS Boys Basketball v. Carthage, home,Wednesday, March 3 - 6 p.m. PHS Boys Basketball at Mendon Thursday, March 4 - 6 p.m. PCS Boys Basketball v. Triopia, home, Friday, March 5 - 6 p.m.

ONE PHONE CALL

Feb. 16 Griggsville-Perry, 58, Carrollton 48 Griggsville-Perry Record: 6-1 Scoring for GP: Tate Kunzeman 23, Cash Kirk 13, Ethan Lothridge 11, Avery Bradshaw 8, Jakson Freeman 3. Feb. 19 Griggsville-Perry 6 Pleasant Hill 16 GP Record 7-1 Scoring for GP: Ethan Lothridge 14, Cash Kirk 13, Tate Kunzeman 12,

Aaron Miller 11, Michael Myers 8, Avery Bradshaw 6, Jakson Freeman 2 Scoring for Pleasant Hill: Daecorion Dolbeare 8, Bryan Pults 6, Keaton Freesmeyer 2.

Feb. 20 Griggsville-Perry 55 Springfield Lutheran 24 GP Record: 8-1 Scoring for GP: Ethan Lothridge 14, Cash Kirk 14, Tate Kunzeman 13, Avery Bradshaw 12, Jakson Freeman 2.

Quincy University releases Dean’s List for Fall 2020 For the Fall 2020 semester, honorees must earn a semester grade point average of at least 3.5 on a 4.0 scale to be included in the biannual Dean’s List. In total, 361 students

received the honor during the Fall 2020 semester. Among those on the list there were Cody Collins, Peyton Jones and Amber Miller, all of Pittsfield.

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WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 2021

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Adams & Hancock County, IL

LAND AUCTION

MONDAY, MARCH 8 AT 10:00 A.M.

('$# ( ( (&#'$& (SUBJECT TO SURVEY)

Tract 1 is located approximately 4 miles east of Plainville, IL or 7 miles southeast of Payson, IL or 15 miles southeast of Quincy, IL. (The Southeast Quarter of Section 21, T3S-R6W, Richfield Township, Adams County, IL). Tracts 2 - 6 are located ½ mile west of Plainville, IL or 3 miles southeast of Payson, IL or 15 miles southeast of Quincy, IL. (The South Half of the Southwest Quarter of Section 22, and the Northwest Quarter of Section 27, all in T3S-R7W, Payson Township, Adams County, IL). Tract 7 is located approximately 15 miles south of Warsaw, IL or 20 miles north of Quincy, IL. (The Northeast Quarter of the Southwest Quarter of Section 26, T3N-R9W, Rocky Run Township, Hancock County, IL).

DOUGLAS E. VOTH ESTATE | SELLER OF TRACTS 1-6

500 FOR SALE

900A-NO TRESPASSING CALHOUN COUNTY

NON GMO Farm Fresh Eggs. 217NO TRESPASSING or hunting 440-4351. 3.3.21 allowed on the land in Batchtown owned by Steve and Cin600 dy Meszaros. Violators will be HELP WANTED prosecuted. 9.8.21 NO TRESPASSING or hunting OFFICE, HOUSKEEPING, Mainallowed on the land in Batchtenance, Server positions availtown owned by Marcy Klockable. Call 217-734-2526 Heartland enkemper, Judy Lamer, Jeremy Lodge. 3.10.21 Russell, Bonnie Stepanek and Cindy Mezzos. Violators will be 615 prosecuted. 9.8.21 HUNTING NO TRESPASSING of any kind is permitted on the Kim Kamp ARE YOU looking for extra Income? and Joe Stelbrink farm located We are looking for a place to hunt. on Summit Grove Rd., KampsMike (cell) 314-560-8865. 4.14.21 ville. Violators will be prosecuted. 8.26.21 900A-NO TRESPASSING

CALHOUN COUNTY NO TRESPASSING on William and Geraldine Schleeper Farms. 6.9.21

ADVERTISE WITH US!

900D-NO TRESPASSING PIKE COUNTY

Feb. 24

- “Siwinowe Kesibwi” (The Shawnee Sun) was issued as the first Indian language monthly publication in the U.S. - Mr. William S. Otis received a patent for the steam shovel.

- Buckingham Palace announced the engagement of Britain’s Prince Charles to Lady Diana Spencer. - The Dow Jones industrial average closed above the 1100 mark for the first time.

- The Los Angeles Vinyard Society was organized.

- A U.S.congressional commission released a report that condemned the internment of Japanese-Americans during World War II.

- The first shipment of perforated postage stamps was received by the U.S. Government.

- Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, of the Los Angeles Lakers, got his first three-point shot in the NBA.

- Arizona was organized as a territory.

- An exploding supernova was discovered in the Large Magellanic Cloud galaxy.

- In Washington, DC, an American flag made entirely of American bunting was displayed for the first time. - The U.S. House of Representatives impeached President Andrew Johnson due to his attempt to dismiss Secretary of War Edwin M. Stanton. The U.S. Senate later acquitted Johnson. - Thomas Edison and Mina Miller were married.

- The U.S. Supreme Court overturned a $200,000 award to Rev. Jerry Falwell that had been won against “Hustler” magazine. The ruling expanded legal protections for parody and satire. - Iran’s Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini sentenced Salman Rushdie to death for his novel “The Satanic Verses”. A bounty of one to three-million-dollars was also put on Rushidie’s head.

- New York City Mayor Van Wyck signed the contract to begin work on New York’s first rapid transit tunnel. The tunnel would link Manhattan and Brooklyn. The ground breaking ceremony was on March 24, 1900.

- A United Airlines 747 jet rips open in flight killing 9 people. The flight was from Honolulu to New Zealand.

- In Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, an area was leased to the U.S. for a naval base.

- Tracy Gold began working on the set of “Growing Pains” again. She had left the show due to anorexia.

- A thermit was used for the first time. It was used to break up a 250,000-ton ice jam that had clogged the St. Lawrence River near Waddington, NY.

- In Los Angeles, Garrett Morris was shot during a robbery attempt. He eventually recovered from his injury.

- The first nylon bristle toothbrush was made. It was the first time that nylon yarn had been used commercially.

- The U.S. The Food and Drug Administration named six brands of birth control as safe and effective “morning-after” pills for preventing pregnancy.

- The U.S. Government stopped shipments of all 12-gauge shotguns for sporting use for the wartime effort.

- Dick Enberg received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

- The Voice of America (VOA) aired for the first time.

- In southeast China, a domestic airliner crashed killing all 64 passengers.

- During World War II, the Philippine capital of Manilla, was liberated by U.S. soldiers. - Juan Peron was elected president of Argentina. - The city of Cleveland invoked a 1931 law that barred people under the age of 18 from dancing in public without an adult guardian. - NBC premiered the TV movie “Harper Valley P.T.A.”

NO TRESPASSING and no hunting of any kind, is permitted on any property owned by Double Creek Farms. Can be prosecuted. 4.7.21

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GASTRIC BYPASS SURGERY FOR WEIGHT LOSS? If you or a loved one had this surgery and suffered serious injury or death? You may be entitled to compensation. Attorney Charles Johnson 1-800-535-5727

FREON WANTED: We pay $$$ for cylinders and cans. R12 R500 R11 R113 R114. Convenient. Certified Professionals. Call 312-291-9169 or visit RefrigerantFinders.com

MAYFAIR FARMS ground North of Highway 10 East of Nebo is private property. Trespassing is forbidden. Violators will be prosecuted. 1.5.22

This Day In History - The U.S. Supreme Court ruled itself to be the final interpreter of all constitutional issues.

900D-NO TRESPASSING PIKE COUNTY

- “Wayne’s World” opened in U.S. theaters.

- The Virginia General Assembly passed a resolution expressing “profound regret” for the state’s role in slavery. - Cuba’s parliament named Raul Castro president. His brother Fidel had ruled for nearly 50 years. https://www.on-this-day.com/ onthisday/thedays/alldays/ feb24.htm

GREAT RIVERS BANK, ADMINISTRATOR 694 BAINBRIDGE ST, BARRY, IL 62312

DOUGLAS E. VOTH ESTATE & RICK PEIKETT SELLER OF TRACT 7 Representing Attorney: William L. Siebers Scholz, Loos, Palmer, Siebers & Duesterhaus, LLP 625 Vermont | Quincy, IL 62301 | (217) 214-1909 LAND AUCTION MANAGERS: John Borrowman (217) 430-0645 & Joe Sullivan (844) 847-2161

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FARM ESTATE AUCTION ITEMS BEGIN CLOSING

TUESDAY, MARCH 9 AT 10:00 A.M. PHYSICAL ADDRESS: 1627 N 200th Ave. | Plainville, Illinois Selling late model John Deere tractors, farm machinery, hay equipment, wagons, late model vehicles, trailers, large selection of construction tools including scaffolding, building materials, tools and a large selection of other quality items.

LARGE AUCTION!

DOUGLAS E. VOTH ESTATE GREAT RIVERS BANK, ADMINISTRATOR 694 BAINBRIDGE ST, BARRY, IL 62312

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Traffic Speeding: Thomas Milton Hageman, 4/23/66, Kinderhook, $164. Miscellaneous traffic: Tina S. Edwards, 9/27/67, Detroit, unlawful possession of cannabis by a driver, $527, 24 months conditional discharge. Joan L. Hoskins, 5/25/64, Perry, retail theft, less than $150, $400, 12 months supervision. credit for two days served. Felonies: Marcos E.

Corrales-Guilera 11/15/87, Barry, possession of methamphetamine, $4,328. 4 years in the Illinois Department of Corrections, with credit for 71 days served; Tina S. Edwards, 9/27/67, Detroit, 2019 possession of methamphetamine, $3,485, 24 months probation, 60 hours community service; 2020 possession of methamphetamine, $3,730, 24 months probation.

Stay informed - read the Pike Press

POSITION AVAILABLE Home Health Aide Part-time Position Available

Duties include in-home visits for personal care, assistance with meals, light housekeeping, and computer documentation. Requires certiﬁed nursing assistant course completion, current CPR certiﬁcation, a valid driver’s license, and reliable transportation.

GRIGGSVILLE-PERRY

David Camphouse/Pike Press

NAMES HOMECOMING COURT

Front row, left to right: Michael Myers, Colton Tate, Nathalie Lothridge and Kiera Nash. Second row, left to right: Damon Tyler, Isabel Garrett and Dyami Ator. Third row, left to right: Aaron Miller, Micah Broyles and Sophia Bennett. Top row, left to right: Cash Kirk, Fiona Kelly, Tanner Leedy, Ashley Waters, Avery Bradshaw and Jenna Kelley.

Apply in writing with resume to Pike County Health Department, 606 W. Adams St., Pittsﬁeld, IL 62363 or send resume via email to administration@pikecoilhealth.org by 5:00 p.m. on February 29, 2021. EOE

Police Beat The police records released by the Pike County Sheriff’s office include the following arrests and bookings. The records state that these are accusations and each individual is presumed innocent until proven guilty. Shelby B. Burch, 28, Barry, was arrested Feb. 16 at 7:49 p.m. on charges of failure to appear on possession of methamphetamine precursors, aggravated DUI and traffic charges. She was released Feb. 16 at 8:20 p.m. Devin M. Doran, 35, Louisiana, Mo., was arrested Feb. 19 at 6:16 a.m. on failure to appear on a driving while suspended charge. He remains lodged. James M. Lederle, 42, Louisiana, Mo., was arrested Feb. 20 at 6:53 a.m. on failure to appear driving while suspended, no valid registration. He remains lodged. Jane M. Milner, 50, Nebo, was arrested Feb. 17, at 9 p.m. on violation of a sex offender registration. She was released Feb. 17 at 9 p.m. Josie L. Smithers, 30, Pittsfield, was arrested Feb. 16 at 11:30 a.m. on a petition to revoke probation. She was

Any questions placing/ publishing a Public Notice in Campbell Publications, FDOO RXU RIˉFH

618-498-1234

IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE EIGHTH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT PIKE COUNTY, ILLINOIS GREAT RIVERS BANK (f/k/a THE FIRST NATIONAL BANK OF BARRY), Plaintiff, vs. OITKER OUTDOORS, LLC, ERIC OITKER, MARK OITKER, CENTRAL STATE BANK, TCF INVENTORY FINANCE, RAVEN SECURITIES, INC. DERRY HOLDINGS, LLC, UNKNOWN OWNERS, and NON-RECORD CLAIMANTS, Defendants. No. 20-CH-19 NOTICE OF PENDENCY

released Feb. 16 at 11:34 a.m. Jordan M. Wallace, 29, Pittsfield was arrested Feb. 18 at 7:35 p.m. on a failure to appear charge. He remains lodged. Annette L. Mulford, 52, Pittsfield, was arrested Feb. 18 at 11:46 p.m. on a warrant. She was released at the same time. Shelley D. Evans, 48, Pittsfield, was arrested Feb. 19 at 9:18 a.m. on a petition for revocation of bail bond. She was released Feb. 19 at 9:53 a.m. Shaun D. Fulmer, 23, Pittsfield was arrested Feb. 20 at 3:11 p.m. on charges of failure to appear for payment review on domestic battery, criminal damage to property charges. He was released Feb. 20 at 3:26 p.m. Zachary P. Banfield, 27, Pittsfield, was arrested Feb. 20 on failure to appear on traffic charges including DUI and driving while revoked. He was released Feb. 20. Richard K. Rupley, 39, Pittsfield, was arrested Feb. 20 on failure to appear on burglary, driving under NOTICE Village of Nebo is currently taking bids for mowing the village’s properties. All bids must be received by March 10th. Mail bids to Village of Nebo, P.O. Box 277, Nebo, IL 62355. Any questions, please call 217-248-7090 or email villageofnebo@gmail.com. 2.24, 3.3

follows: Lot 8 and 9 and the West One-half of Lots 6 and 7 (and the North 15 feet of the East One-half of Lot 7) all in Block 6, Brown’s second addition to the City of Barry, situated in the County of Pike and State of Illinois. Excepting: The North 15 feet of the East One-half of Lot 7. 5. The address of the real estate is: 980 Mortimer, Barry, Illinois 62312. $Q LGHQWL¿FDWLRQ RI the mortgage sought to be foreclosed is as follows: A. Name of mortgagor: Oitker Outdoors, LLC. B. Name of mortgagee: Great Rivers Bank (f/k/a The First National Bank of Barry). C. Date of mortgage: October 14, 2010. D. Date of recording: October 28, 2010. E. County where recorded: Pike County, Illinois. F. Recording document information: Document Number 2010-2927. NOW, THEREFORE, unless \RX ¿OH \RXU DQVZHU WR WKH complaint in this suit or otherwise ¿OH \RXU DSSHDUDQFH LQ VDLG court on or before April 12, 2021, default may be entered against you at any time after that day and the judgment entered in accordance with the prayer of the complaint.

Notice is hereby given to Unknown Owners and Non-record Claimants, and other parties who claim some right, title, interest or lien in the following described real estate, of the Complaint for Mortgage ForeFORVXUH ¿OHG LQ WKH DERYH HQWLtled case on December 3, 2020, and amended on February 17, 2021, that you are named Defendants in the above-entitled case pursuant to the provisions of 735 ILCS 5/15-1501, 5/151502 and 5/15-1503, and that the above-entitled mortgage foreclosure suit is now pending in said court. The following information applies to said mort- /S/ Amy L. Jackson, Attorney gage foreclosure proceeding: Attorneys for Plaintiff: 1. The names of all parties and the case number are RAMMELKAMP BRADNEY, P.C. Amy L. Jackson, Attorney LGHQWL¿HG DERYH 232 West State Street, 2. The court in which said P.O. Box 550 DFWLRQ ZDV EURXJKW LV LGHQWL¿HG Jacksonville, Illinois, 62651 above. Telephone: (217) 245-6177 3. The name of the title holder Fax: (217) 243-7322 of record is: Oitker Outdoors, Email: LLC. ajackson@rblawyers.net 4. The legal description of the UHDO HVWDWH VXI¿FLHQW WR LGHQWLI\ LW 2.24, 3.3, 3.10 with reasonable certainty is as

the influence charges and possession of cannibas charges. He was released Feb. 20. Lisa D. Guthrie, 42, Pittsfeild, was arrested Feb. 21 on charges of failure to appear on possession of methamphetamine, driving under the influence, possession of drug paraphernalia, bringing contraband into a penal institution charges. She was released Feb. 21 at 5:20 p.m. Kimberly R. Span, 44, Quincy was arrested Feb. 15 at 12:55 p.m. on charges

of failure to appear at an arraignment on a petition to revoke on deceptive practices and unlawful possession of methamphetamine. She was released Feb. 19 at 2:14 p.m. Has your charge been amended, reduced or dropped or have you been found not guilty? Email ppnews@campbellpublications.net to be considered for a status update on your court proceeding. Please include name and case number.

WE ARE HIRING % 1 7UXFNLQJ is looking to fill full time positions out of the Quincy and Mt. Sterling, IL area. We offer full benefit packages. Call &KXFN at 217-214-2022 or .HQW at 217-289-3555 for details. ZZZ EQWUXFNLQJ QHW

Reservation Specialist/Ofﬁce Position Answering phones Booking reservations Data Entry/Attention to detail Computer experience required Working knowledge of Word & Excel preferred Customer service experience preferred Hours 9am-6pm, Monday-Friday. Would work every other Saturday. Paid Holidays. Vacation time after 1 year.

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PIKE COUNTY HOUSING AUTHORITY We have an affordable, safe and clean apartment for you! PCHA is now accepting applications for its apartments in: >ÀÀÞÊUÊ >Þ ÃÊUÊ À }}ÃÛ iÊUÊ iÜÊ > Ì Ê *iÀÀÞÊUÊ* ÌÌÃwi `ÊUÊ* i>Ã> ÌÊ with immediate openings in some locations! PCHA provides most utilities, trash removal, yard care, maintenance, snow removal, pest control and transportation via Wst Central Mass Transit. All PCHA apartmens have a $300 security deposit and no charge for pets! T Ê>«« ÞÊ ÀÊ}iÌÊ ÀiÊ v À >Ì ]Ê« i>ÃiÊV> ÊÕÃÊ>ÌÊ Ó£Ç {äÇ äÇäÇÊ ÀÊÃiiÊÕÃÊ ÊÌ iÊÜiLÊ>ÌÊ ÜÜÜ°« i ÕÃ }°V ÊÕ `iÀÊÌ iÊ>«« V> ÌÊÃiVÌ ° PCHA is an equal housing provider and equal opportunity employer.

GENERAL INFORMATION

CALHOUN COUNTY CLERK ANNOUNCES EARLY VOTING Rita Hagen, Calhoun County Clerk, announces hours for Early Voting for the upcoming Consolidated Election, April 6, 2021. 7HPSRUDU\ (DUO\ 9RWLQJ 6LWH &DOKRXQ &RXQW\ &OHUN¶V 2I¿FH Marvin Richter Administrative Building 301 S County Road, Hardin, IL 62047 Beginning February 25, 2021-April 5, 2021 Monday-Friday 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Saturday, April 3, 2021 8:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Masks strongly encouraged. Social distancing required. Limited to 1 YRWHU LQ WKH RI¿FH DW D WLPH XQOHVV IURP VDPH KRXVHKROG Serving voters from the precincts of Belleview, Crater-Carlin, Hamburg, Hardin, Gilead, Richwoods and Point. February 16, 2021 Rita Hagen, Election Authority 2.24, 3.3, 3.10, 3.17, 3.24, 3.31

VILLAGE OF MILTON ACCEPTING BIDS FOR MOWING SERVICE The Village of Milton is now accepting sealed bids for mowing of public properties in the Village of Milton. All properties are to be mowed weekly but mowing may need to be adjusted as necessary. Mowing shall include trim work, including weed eating. This includes, but is not exclusive to, trimPLQJ DURXQG WUHHV VKUXEV ÀRZHU EHGV EXLOGLQJV VLGHZDONV playground equipment, parking lots, ditches, creeks, fences, signs, light poles, etc. Grass trimmings and debris is to be removed from all concrete sidewalks and steps. Bid proposals must be mailed to Village of Milton, PO Box 68, Milton, Illinois, 62352 Deadline for accepting bids is Friday, March 5, 2021. Bids submitted after Friday, March 5, 2021, will not be accepted. No changes will be allowed once a bid has been submitted. A recommendation will be made to the Village Board at its Tuesday, March 9, 2021, regular meeting for vote. The Village of Milton reserves the right to require evidence of insurance covering the delivery of mowing services. The Village of Milton reserves the right to accept or reject any or all proposals and to waive any formalities or irregularities, and to UHTXLUH VWDWHPHQWV RI HYLGHQFH RI TXDOL¿FDWLRQV DQG RU UHIHUHQFHV prior to award of the contract; such as shall best serve the requirements and interests of the Village of Milton. Please direct any questions to Tom Scranton, Village President at 217-779-9581. Tom Scranton Village President Milton, Illinois ATTEST: Karrie Spann Village Clerk Milton, Illinois 2.17, 2.24

115 W. Jefferson, P.O. Box 70, Pittsfield, IL. 62363 Ph: 217-285-2345 Fax: 630-206-0320 Submit your news: ppnews@campbellpublications.net Advertising: jcjadvertising@campbellpublications.net Public notices: publicnotice@campbellpublications.net OFFICE HOURS: 8 a.m.-5 p.m., Monday through Friday. ADVERTISING POLICY: We are not responsible for more than one incorrect insertion of display and classified advertising. Please let us know immediately upon publication of any errors. Responsibility is limited to the cost the space error occupies in the ad. All transactions under $50 must be paid in advance. Proper identification of the person placing the ad is required. Pike Press reserves the right to reject or edit any advertisement submitted for publication. DEADLINES: Reunions5 p.m. Thursday; Societyweddings, birthdays, anniversaries, engagements, noon,. Friday; Classified ads, 3:30 p.m. Monday; Display advertising, 5 p.m. Monday. We reserve the right to reject any photo that will not reproduce clearly. PHOTO REPRINTS: 5x7-$9.00; 8x10-$10.00. ADVERTISING RATE: $11.95 per column inch.

Example: 1 column by 3 inches would be 3 col. inches x $11.95 = $35.85 For more information about display rates, quantity discounts and insert rates, contact the Pike Press advertising department at 217-2852345. CARDS OF THANKS, MEMORIALS: $8.00 minimum; 25¢ per word after 65 words, pre-paid. SUBSCRIPTION RATES: $31 per year in Adams, Brown, Calhoun, Greene, Jersey, Macoupin, Madison, Morgan, Pike and Scott Counties, IL and Lincoln, Pike and Ralls Counties, M0. $62 per year elsewhere. $90 per year outside the continental United States. COLLEGE RATES: $27 nine months in Illinois. $36 nine months elsewhere TO MAIL A SINGLE ISSUE: $4. PIKE REPORTER: (A weekly publication of local financial and legal transactions): 3 mo.-$70; 6 mo.-$90; 1 yr.-$130. The Pike Reporter is mailed on Friday.

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Dobbins inaugurated as McKendree University’s 33rd president McKendree University officially marked a new era of leadership with the installation of Daniel C. Dobbins, a 1981 graduate, as its 33rd president at his inauguration Feb. 19. Dobbins is a native of Pittsfield, the son of the late Dan and Pat Dobbins. College or university inaugurations are traditionally held six to 12 months after a new president takes the helm, to allow for a period of transition. While Dobbins became president Jan. 1, 2020, the coronavirus outbreak shortly after postponed his inauguration until McKendree’s 193rd Founders Day observance in 2021. It was staged virtually, with a limited number of guests in attendance, at a ceremony live streamed from the Hettenhausen Center for the Arts on campus. Dobbins, an O’Fallon, Ill., resident and Pittsfield native, served for 32 years on the University Board of Trustees, which he chaired from 2007 to 2015, and is a past president of the Alumni Association. A wealth of business acumen and leadership, supported by years of service and commitment to his alma mater, guide him in

Submitted photo

McKendree University President Daniel C. Dobbins and his wife, Mickey, celebrate his presidential inauguration. Daniel Dobbins was recently inaugurated as McKendree’s 33rd president.

his new role. “Throughout my business career, my service to McKendree has co-existed,” he said. “Without knowing it, without a purpose beyond helping McKendree deliver on its mission and achieve its vision, I now realize I was also receiving over three decades of training to serve the university as president.” A web page with links to

the installation ceremony and chapel service, the inauguration program, and letters of congratulations is at www.mckendree.edu/inauguration. Photos from the event are posted in an online gallery at mckendree. edu/photos. McKendree University President Daniel C. Dobbins and his wife, Mickey, met on campus as McKendree students and graduated in 1981.

Card of Thanks My heartfelt thanks to my four children their spouses and families, my many nieces and nephews and all my friends for a wonderful birthday. Also a big thank you to my fellow senior citizen board members and Reca Risley for a beautiful cake. Betty Franklin

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First Christian Church Pastor Michael Ten Eyck, right, jokes around with volunteers Dan Speckhart, left, and Hamer Tate as they work on renovating the interior of the former Pike Press building in Pittsfield. Ten Eyck says that his goal is to have the building functional before Easter. The church plans to use the building to host youth programming.

Chris Nichols............................... 217-473-3777 Cyndi Borrowman Kamp ............ 217-779-1861 Richard Smith ............................. 217-473-3286 Tere Boes .................................... 217-491-2267 Chris Little................................... 217-653-3697 Elaine Smith ................................ 217-473-3288 Todd Smith.................................. 217-285-4720 Lacey Hoagland.......................... 618-535-3800 Robert Evans .............................. 217-491-2391

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – The Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) today announced that point-of-sale license and permit systems and online license, permit, campground reservation, and registration services will be offline Feb. 23-28 as part of the transition to a new system that begins operation in March. The shutdown is necessary for data and operating systems to be updated for implementation of new enhanced IDNR online and point-of-sale services to begin March 1. Outdoor recreation enthusiasts are reminded that the IDNR will begin the sale of 2021 Illinois Hunting, Fishing and Sportsman Combination licenses on March 1. All 2020 Hunting, Fishing and Combination licenses are valid through March 31, 2021. For updated information, check the IDNR website at https://www2.illinois.gov/ dnr/Pages/default.aspx.

PLUMB TO ME

Mark your calendar

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IDNR License, Permit, Campground Reservation and Registration Systems to be offline Feb. 23-28

David Camphouse/Pike Press

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A SPECIAL SUPPLEMENT TO: CALHOUN NEWS-HERALD · GREENE PRAIRIE PRESS · JERSEY COUNTY JOURNAL PIKE PRESS · SCOTT COUNTY TIMES

Wednesday, February 24, 2021

Spring Ag Mag 2021

Investing in our Community,

Page 2

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Wednesday, February 24, 2021

Spring Ag Mag 2021

Page 3

County fairs reflect; hope to see comeback in 2021 By CONNOR ASHLOCK Campbell Publications Within the five-county region of Pike, Calhoun, Jersey, Greene and Scott counties, six agricultural fairs are hosted throughout the summer every year, consisting of the Jersey, Greene, Pike and Calhoun county fairs, along with the Scott County 4-H and Junior Agricultural Fair and Western Illinois Fair in Griggsville. One by one, just like with every other agricultural fair in Illinois in 2020, they either canceled or opted to postpone before realizing there was no other choice but to cancel. Some fair boards stuck it out as long as they could before finally opting to call it, but with mounting factors such as carnivals not being permitted to operate, restrictions on event sizes and concern for public health, fair boards resolved to make 2020 the year without a fair and instead focused on planning for the next fair that would be able to happen. Ken Tyrrell, president of the Illinois Association of Agricultural Fairs, being involved in county fairs himself, knew that the desire to hold a fair was strong all throughout the state, but there was more at stake in holding a fair than there was in canceling. “As the spring progressed in 2020, all fairs came to the conclusion, some sooner than others, they would support the mandates in the interest of public safety and preservation of their organizations,” Tyrrell said. Public sentiment was mixed, although an overwhelming amount of support was cast in favor of boards deciding to cancel. Jerry Joyce, the Greene County Fair Association president, shared that his board waited until there was less than a month before the fair should have been held before voting to officially cancel it. “It was about the last week in May,” Joyce said. “We pushed as long as we could before we actually knew we were going to cancel.” The Greene County Fair board’s decision to cancel came just a few weeks after the Pike County Fair board announced its fair’s cancelation, doing so on May 5, 2020. The Pike and Greene fairs are the two earliest fairs in the five-county region, both being held in June. The fair that was earliest to make its decision in the region, though, was the Western Illinois Fair board, which initially postponed its fair in February. “We postponed it with the thought we might be able to reschedule at a later date, but things never materialized,” Lynn Freeman, a 60-year board member of the Western Illinois Fair Association, said. “It’s a lot easier to have it scheduled and know you don’t have to do anything last minute. After we learned there was no way we could participate in a fair, we canceled it completely.” The Western Illinois Fair is held in late

June. The board decided to officially cancel in March, although opted to not advertise the decision until April in the hopes that something would change. Greene County initially decided that they, too, would postpone the fair, but after realizing that multiple factors were mounting against them, the board thought it best to cancel altogether. “We didn’t want to miss a fair because we’re one of the longest running fairs, so we thought we could postpone and have a two or three day event to at least say we had a fair,” Joyce said. “I think our biggest factor was we were trying to protect the health of the community.” Now, county fair boards across the state are watching the vaccination progress unfold and are holding out hope that maybe — just maybe — they’ll be able to get back in the game this year, as they are extremely eager to do so. “My conversations with fairs and fair board members across the state indicate that fairs are moving forward with plans for 2021,” Tyrrell said. “On Jan. 27, during the virtual IAAF meeting, I asked Tim Norman, bureau chief of county fairs and horse racing, for thoughts or plans as to how the industry should proceed. Unfortunately, he was unable to provide any direction. We are proceeding day by day.” According to Tyrrell, one fair in northern Illinois received an eight-page rule booklet that detailed regulations for gatherings that were given to them by their local health department. “I would hope that as the crisis lessens these restrictions can be abbreviated to a lesser degree as time passes,” Tyrrell added. Thankfully, no county fairs in Illinois closed permanently as a result of the pandemic, although as time goes on, finances might get tighter for several county fairs. Joyce shared that for Greene County, if the fair wasn’t able to go on for another year, any subsequent concerns that would arise would be financial. “We’re big on building maintenance, and when you’re not there for maintenance for two years, when you go to turn on track lights, they aren’t going to turn on. You’ll have all that expense in one year,” Joyce said. For many fairs in the state, especially in the local region, they serve as an important cultural and community-building element, and this is especially seen in Calhoun County. The Calhoun County Fair, which canceled on Aug. 5, plays an immensely important role in the community, so much so, that not only was the fair affected, but several community organizations that relied on it were, as well.

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Spring Ag Mag 2021

Page 4 submitted photo

GREENFIELD FFA

Front row, left to right: Zack Wright, Gavin Rynders, Jimmy Stewart, Blake Woelfel, Bryce Stuart, Jessa Vetter, Sam Walker, Jayden Smith, Torrie McAdams, Delaney McEvers and Michaela Theivagt. Second row, left to right: Tyson Goode, Danyn Moore, Luke Lorton, Tanner Goode, Bradley Rynders, Carson Knittel, Brody Reif, Alexis Pohlman, Clayton Woods, Addison Armold and Anna Triplett. Third row, left to right: Doug McWhorter, Will Smith, Drew Hallock, Anthony Smith, Drake Stuart, Courtney Meyer, Hannah Theivagt, Jenna Dickerman, Claire Woods, Kamryn Theivagt, Aubrey Garrison, Emma Ratliff and Colby Crafton. Back row, left to right: Lane Eheart, Hayden Vetter, Emma Woods, Conner McEvers, Michael McWhorter, Gracie Retherford, Allie Burrow, Rachel Armold and Joelle Ford.

Fairs, CONTINUED FROM PG. 3 “What it hurt the most was the food stands,” Terry Strauch, president of the Calhoun County Fair Association, said. “All of our people that run food stands— the Legion, St. Norbert’s School, the swimming pool association and high school yearbook club— they were missing the income. They run all four of our food stands and that’s where a lot of them make most of their money. It hurt the community.” Indeed, as Tyrrell pointed out, financial damage, to some extent, has been felt all across the Illinois county fair industry. “This loss of revenue has affected not only fairs and their long-term interest, but also carnivals, concessionaires and vendors,” Tyrrell said. “All supporting towns and community organizations depend on revenue earned during fair week. For many organizations, this is a major source of revenue for their yearly programs.” Additionally, young livestock exhibitors count on premium earnings to help them with their college funds, livestock exhibitors of all ages count on shows to help market their livestock, and general projects exhibitions provide a way for exhibitors to make a little money off of their efforts in such areas as gardening, sewing and hobby skills. Though all ages enjoy them, what most encourages exhibit superintendents is the young people who participate. In fact, it’s the young people that are the driving force behind why county fair officials want to hop back onto the saddle as quickly as they can. Joyce echoed similar sentiment. “To me, the biggest thing was losing it for the community, especially the kids,” Joyce said. “Our board is ag-minded. We host the FFA show for the district and the 4-H sale, and we lost that sale, which is a big asset to those kids because they get scholarship money.” With organizations and individuals eager to get back in the game, such as 4-H and FFA, as well as the countless families that participate in county fairs throughout the region, be it in grandstand events, general project exhibits or livestock showing, it appears that it won’t be too difficult to get

back in the game, despite the fact that people went through a year without a county fair to participate in. “The last fair we had was a good one,” Strauch, with the Calhoun fair, said. “We had great attendance, everyone made some money for their organizations, there was a good turnout for livestock and the queen contest— everything went very well and I want that to be able to continue. I don’t want to lose that momentum with us having time off.” Although, with folks not being able to enjoy their yearly summer traditions such as watching their favorite grandstand event, riding some rides or enjoying fair food, as well as the fact that folks will be eager to get out and enjoy themselves again, concerns over a loss of momentum aren’t a pressing matter for fair officials. Indeed, community support for fairs hasn’t seemed to wane throughout the 2020 season, as was seen at the Western Illinois fairgrounds when two foodstands were able to make a stop to sell fair food to Pike County residents. “Boy! They did a bang up job and we were excited to have them in,” Freeman said. “We were fortunate to be one of the few to get them in here.” People lined up and remained in their cars as orders were taken to provide for social distancing. Tyrrell noted that some downstate fairs hosted fall events in hopes to garner some revenue and semblance of a fair. “Some had demo derbies and virtual fairs. It has been reported the communities were receptive and returned a positive result,” Tyrrell said. Additionally, Tyrrell noted that 16 fairs were hosted in the United States last year, although they were mostly constrained to the west. “These fairs reported success, however, these were states with low populations and operated under very strict COVID mandates, and many lessons were learned. There is a way forward. However, many of these fairs had staff and tax money to soften the way,”

Tyrrell said. Now, as the 2021 fair season looms in the distance, fair officials are waiting to see what the direction from the state will be concerning county fairs, but in the meantime, they are preparing as normal for their annual exhibitions, including all of those in the local region. “Everybody I’ve talked to seems to feel that they’re planning on having a fair,” Tyrrell noted. “We’ve talked to carnival people and everybody is planning on moving forward.”

Currently, many fair officials believe that fairs are likely, but they might not be what folks are traditionally accustomed to. Presently, local fair officials are working with their county health departments to make sure that they are moving forward in the right direction, but at the end of the day, it’s all still up in air as to what this summer will look like for county fairs. Regardless, officials are proceeding as normal with planning their annual exhibitions until health authorities say otherwise.

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Young agrarian brings family full circle with startup By CONNOR ASHLOCK Campbell Publications Adam Fritz is an up-and-comer in the regional agricultural community, quickly making his mark in the industry that he was raised in. Brought up on the family farm six miles east of Jerseyville, Fritz is a third-generation farmer with a deep passion for agriculture. Though he was involved in 4-H for a few years as well as FFA, his time wasn’t as preoccupied with those organizations as it was on the farm. And even though he didn’t have a lot of projects or career development events to worry about, the life of a farm kid doesn’t ever involve rest and relaxation. After all, that’s what sleep is for. Indeed, everyone has a different experience in this massive field we call agriculture, and for Fritz, his experience was more hands-on related in the realm of husbandry with a homegrown education on the family farm. “I always wanted to be a vet growing up,” Fritz said. “I went to SIUE and got my bachelor’s in biology in hopes of going to vet school, but never applied.” Growing up, Fritz was always more inclined to working with livestock, so it made sense that he would navigate toward the area of animal science. “I always had animals growing up,” Fritz said. Whether it was taking care of his goats as a kid, or working for Moore’s Shorthorns as he grew older, hanging around the barnyard just made sense for a guy like Adam. “I had a lot more hands-on experience as opposed to organizational experience,” Fritz said. Waking up early to feed before school, helping his dad feed a bale of hay at the end of the day, tagging a calf after school or nursing one in winter— this was Fritz’s world growing up and it was something that he wanted to invest in as a career. But, after he started to put his nose to the grindstone in college in preparation for vet school, Fritz had a change of heart — not about livestock — but about his career path in general. Even though he had to figure out what his end goal in particular was, he knew it was still going to involve animal agriculture. “I wanted to be more farm-oriented as a veterinarian, but I knew, at least in my area, that I would probably be more clinic-based, which really wasn’t what I was looking for in a career,” Fritz said. So, when Fritz graduated with his undergraduate degree in integrative biology in 2016, he decided that he would attend the University of Illinois to obtain his graduate degree in beef cattle nutrition, graduating in 2019. Currently, Fritz works as a nutritional consultant for Pike Feeds, where he gets to work with like-minded people from as far reaching as Montgomery County, Mo., to Fayette County, Ill., south to Pope County and everywhere in between. All things considered, Fritz is just your average young farmer. He’s making his way in the world, getting himself established in the region and still

focuses much of his attention on keeping the family place going. Not only that, but he’s fallen in step with the pattern of young agrarians such as himself by keeping up with the Farm Bureau and even getting involved with the Future Directors Board of the Jersey County Fair. Now, Fritz has recently decided to raise the bar a little bit higher in his agricultural pursuits by starting up his own local business, which has actually served to bring his family full circle back to their roots. Fritz’s Pork made a quiet entrance onto the scene with Fritz creating a Facebook page for the business in late January. His business plan is to provide fresh, local pork to area consumers. “I got my first group of pigs in September 2019 and sold that group off in March 2020,” Fritz said. “Then I got another group in April 2020 and sold those last September.” Now, Fritz is currently raising his third group of hogs that will be sold next month. His pork business, though, wasn’t the product of years of dreaming, but of an idea that sprung up seemingly out of the blue. “I saw the opportunity and seized the opportunity,” Fritz said. “I have a friend who needed someone to take some pigs off her hands, so we fed them out and butchered them. I had to buy a water tank and feeder, so then I thought, ‘Why not buy some more?’ I ended up with 12. I broke even the first time and I realized that I enjoyed it, so here I am.” So what started out as goats and cows for Fritz growing up has now turned into pigs, and in this endeavor of his, it turns out that he brought the Fritz family full circle to where they started. Adam’s grandpa, Herschel Fritz, owned and maintained a Duroc operation back in the day, although this was long before Adam’s time. “My dad did construction work, so once my grandpa got to where he couldn’t take care of them, they ultimately got rid of the pigs,” Fritz said. From what Fritz knows, his family had some pretty good Durocs back in the day. Sadly, his grandpa died when he was three, but as is usual for farm kids, the roots run deep, so as Herschel’s grandson works to bring the family back to where they came from, friends of the family have been sure to encourage Adam along the way. “Honestly, I feel a sense of pride in starting up this operation,” Fritz revealed. “Working for Ron and Tom Moore, it turns out they had hogs too back in the day and bought Duroc boars off my grandpa. I don’t have many memories of him, so it feels good to hear things like, ‘Your grandpa would be proud to see you today.’” A lot of farm kids know what it feels like to walk the same path to the barn, feedlot or fortyacre tract that their grandparents walked back in the day, and Fritz is no different. Indeed, it often helps drive the point home that you’re working on something bigger than yourself. “I raise my hogs in the same spot where my grandpa raised his hogs,” Fritz said. “It goes back to when people remind me that my grandpa would be proud of me. There’s a sense of pride I have in building something that’s my own, yet I’m re-building something of the family business

where he built it on.” Not only is Fritz simultaneously building something from the ground up while building on a family legacy, he’s taking steps to ensure that it passes down in the family. “My niece shows pigs. In fact, she showed in some Illinois Club Pig Association-sanctioned shows last year,” Fritz said. “We were hoping for some county fairs last year, which didn’t happen, so we’re shooting for this year.” Now that he and his family are moving forward with the family business, Fritz has noticed how more opportunities have become available for him than what he realized. “So, I wasn’t really planning on breeding, but my 11-year old niece wants piglets, and when your niece is 11, well, she gets whatever she wants,” Fritz said with a laugh. “But I think this will be a good opportunity to not just teach her about agriculture, but life in general. She can learn a little about business and maybe even put some money back for college. I see that as a win, even if we only break even.” Fritz is even contemplating using the business’ Facebook page as a platform for educating the general public about pig production and the pork industry. “Another goal of mine is to educate people about animal agriculture,” Fritz said. “I feel like there’s a lot of disconnect between consumers and where their meat comes from and how it’s raised.”

Submitted photo

Adam Fritz feeds his hogs at his family farm east of Jerseyville.

All things considered, from supplementing his income, carrying on a family tradition, being a part of the growing buy-local movement and bringing up the next generation of Fritzs’ in the empowering realm of agricultural education, Fritz is thankful for the spot he’s worked to be in and hopes to continue on the upward slope of growing his business. In a world where it seems opportunity is harder to come by and where things like tradition and doing things for the love of them seems to become less important, Fritz has learned for himself that for those who put forth some initiative and passion, there’s still a world for people to carve out for themselves if they’re willing to work for it.

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4-H adapts and prepares amid pandemic By CONNOR ASHLOCK Campbell Publications The 4-H organization, a branch of the Extension, began 2020 by planning for workshops and the upcoming fair season as normal, but when COVID threw a stick in the spokes in March, they had to quickly find their bearings and make the necessary adjustments. “We start fair planning as early as December,” Jessica Jaffry, the 4-H and youth development coordinator for Jersey County, said. “That’s when we start doing livestock committee meetings, looking for judges for shows and scheduling dates.” So, when COVID changed the usual way of doing things, Jaffry and her colleagues took a deep breath, “pledged their head to clearer thinking,” and traveled down the uncharted course of virtual 4-H. “Our unit did a great job of embracing the challenge of moving everything virtual. We moved it to offer virtual workshops and opportunities through zoom,” Jaffry said. “It actually worked really well, but a large part of what 4-H shows are for is so that our kids can experience that conference judging or project interview they get with that judge. And, while our judges did a fantastic job providing comments and advice, kids missed that face-to-face experience.” Indeed, just because one can doesn’t mean they always should, so when things eventually start going back to normal, the plan is to go back to the face-to-face format of project judging. It’s hard to keep kids focused when they have to do almost everything virtually. It’s especially hard in the 4-H format, given that the program is designed to incorporate a great deal of interpersonal and group communication. April Littig, who is the 4-H and youth development educator for Calhoun, Cass, Greene, Morgan and Scott counties, expressed that keeping kids engaged has been a prime concern for those who work in the realm of 4-H and the Extension service.

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Jerseyville FFA Submitted Photo

Left: Jerseyville FFA students who opted for the in-person learning format last fall sit socially distanced in their agriculture classroom. Submitted Photo

Below: Jerseyville FFA students rehearse with the high school marching band in preparation for honoring local veterans last fall. The Jersey Community High School FFA is known for their annual participation in community events, such as the Veteran’s Day parade, where they honor the sacrifices made by veterans through their procession of the American flag while in their official dress.

4-H, CONTINUED FROM PG. 9 “The one thing we wanted to make sure when we were working from home was keeping the kids engaged,” Littig said. “They’re already doing virtual meetings everyday, so you still want to make sure they’re having fun.” Litton kept things lively with Facebook live videos, covering topics like public speaking and challenging 4-H members to post updates of their projects, be they livestock or general projects. Littig has been professionally involved in 4-H for 20 years, so from her perspective, it has been an educational curve. “It was a disappointment [for 4-H members] to not be at the fair with their friends. It’s that socialization– whether it’s school, sports– they missed out,” Littig explained. “For us in Extension, it was a different year, but it was a learning process. I didn’t think I was ever going to do a Facebook live video in my lifetime, but you learn new skills and adapt.” In Jersey County, Jaffry noticed that, in overseeing virtual workshops that are normally in-person, there was a surprising level of participation. “All my workshops are offered to anyone in 4-H, but the workshop itself is in Jersey County. Now, I’m offering stuff virtually, which allows kids to participate without transportation being an obstacle,” Jaffry said. “We’ve had kids participate from outside the state because they don’t have to

worry about travel.” Jaffry is aware, though, that not all workshops can be effectively executed virtually, which is why she doesn’t plan on keeping the completely online format going any longer than is necessary, although it has given her insight into how she might better serve 4-H members going forward. “I can see in the future continuing with some hybrid options,” Jaffry said. “I see that for 4-H and all of Extension because for areas such as economic development, horticulture and nutrition and wellness, the population targeted can’t get out of the house. Being able to offer workshops in different settings allowed us to expand in different ways we hadn’t originally thought about.” Though this past year has worked to help expand horizons using a virtual format, 4-H members are eager to get back into a more hands-on, face-to-face format, but that all depends on what state authorities decide. “All these kids want to show what they’ve accomplished this year,” Littig said. “You’ve got to think positive. This year may be a little different, but we’re going to make it work.” Of course, it goes without saying that Jaffry, Littig, their colleagues and 4-H’ers are anxious to get back to a normal format, but they’re more prepared this year than last year for whatever may come their way, whether it be virtual, face-toface or a mix of the two.

As of now, local 4-H and Extension professionals are waiting to hear about what the plan is for the rest of 2021, but they are preparing for both the best and the worst outcomes in the meantime. “To be honest, we haven’t gotten the guidance yet,” Littig said. “We’re hoping to hear soon.” Jaffry expressed a similar statement. “[The decision] will be made by the state. Now, will that apply for the entire state or will it be local, we don’t know. We don’t know if it’s month by month, region by region or county by county. We’re hoping the decision will be made soon, but it’s incredibly hard to make that decision,” Jaffry said. Currently, Littig and Jaffry are preparing for the upcoming fair season, as are Extension and 4-H professionals throughout the state. Though naturally there is some apprehension in proceeding as normal, it’s still the best option for the moment. “I’m hopeful we’ll put together a great experience for the kids this year. At this point, we’re rolling with the punches,” Jaffry said. Despite the strangeness of the past year, 4-H is still accepting new members as normal. Those interested in joining the youth development organization are encouraged to contact their local Extension office.

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Property owners still dealing with pipeline issues By CONNOR ASHLOCK Campbell Publications In December 2019, Spire announced that it had completed its STL pipeline project, which was the construction of a natural gas pipeline that now runs through Jersey, Greene and Scott counties. But, among landowners in these counties who were affected by the pipeline, there are several that have taken issue with the Spire STL pipeline project and have sought redress for the company’s activities on their properties. One of these landowners is Kenny Davis, who lives in Scott County. Davis has consistently vocalized for over a year that Spire caused considerable damage to his property. “They were supposed to put my property back to pre-construction,” Davis said. “They didn’t do that.” Davis lives on several acres in southern Scott County that he privately utilizes for hunting and timber. When Spire first approached him about the pipeline in 2017, he was told by Spire that they would be going down the east side of his property. Davis wasn’t keen on the project coming down his property, but agreed to have the company install the pipeline. “They were supposed to go down the east side of my property and they didn’t,” Davis

AGRICULTURAL

said. “They went down the middle.” Davis was informed that the decision was made to go down the middle of his property less than a week before the work began. “I called the project manager and asked him if they were going down the east side or the middle and he said down the middle,” Davis noted. What stood out to Davis was the response he received about the decision. “I was told that they would be going down the middle and there wasn’t a dang thing I could do about it,” Davis said. Davis hunts deer on his property as well as harvests timber for burning in the winter months. Since the pipeline’s construction on his property, Davis asserts his hunting and wood harvesting activities have been affected. Additionally, Davis planned to eventually build a house on the property, as he has recently retired and was hoping to enjoy the coming years living on the land. “I was going to build a house on the property. I’ve got rural water that I put in a long time ago because I intended on building a house,” Davis said. “I can’t build a house on it, and my hunting has really suffered for it.” In going down the middle of his property, work crews had to remove timber that stood in the right-of-way, and Davis claims that he wasn’t allowed to harvest the timber, which was one of the reasons why he initially

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bought the property, as he utilizes the timber for heat. The Illinois Department of Agriculture has been out to Davis’ property to test the soil to determine if any damage was sustained, and according to Davis, there was. “We dug 36 inches deep and measured how much compaction there was. We found chunks of rocks not natural to the ground, stick and stakes in my crop field, found all kinds of debris, so what IDOA says is to de-rock it 42 inches deep, then put down new topsoil, because it was mixed with the subsoil,” Davis said. Now, Davis says that Spire hasn’t done anything to fix the problems he claims they caused on his land. Further, Davis expressed aggravation against the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, which oversaw construction of the Spire STL pipeline. “FERC has not done their job at all,” Davis said. “If FERC would do their job, we would get some action. They didn’t enforce any of their rules to begin with.” Complaints have been filed in court, but thus far, landowners have not seen much progress since they began pursuing legal action. A hearing is expected to be held in March. A few weeks ago, Davis had to have another soil sample taken from his property, stating that he needed a more up-to-date

Submitted photo

Kenny Davis took this picture of work crews digging in wet conditions on his property during the installation process of the Spire STL pipeline.

test. “I’ve got nine to 11 inches of topsoil on my property and it’s a light brown. It’s timber born, not black, but you can still see the difference between the topsoil and the subsoil. Inside the right-of-way [of the pipeline] you can’t determine which is which. It’s all gray clay,” Davis said.

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New pumps to increase Sny Levee’s drainage power By CONNOR ASHLOCK Campbell Publications The Sny Island Levee Drainage District protects 114,000 acres consisting of productive cropland, cross-country pipelines and an economy that spans over three counties that know the untamable force of the Mississippi River. About 1,200 residents live in the district’s immediate confines, but thousands have been affected by flooding, as has been seen in 1993, 2008 and most recently, 2019. The Sny has been making headlines lately for the district’s construction of two new pump houses, one immediately adjacent to Pump Station 1, located at Hull, and another one at Pleasant Hill right next to Pump Station 3a. With two new pumps being added at each pump house, coupled with the existing pumps that were installed in the 1960s, Mike Reed, district superintendent, hopes that the district will stand a better chance at combating the effects of increased interior flooding due to rainfall and more intense water seepage into the interior from the river. “There are so many variables that go into this, but we fully anticipate [the new pumps] to be operational this year, hopefully by this summer,” Reed said. “But again, so much depends on weather and the river.” The levee district’s history formally begins in 1879, when sleds pulled by mules and horses were used to construct the levee system. “It’s the oldest and first levee and drainage district in Illinois,” Reed said. Given its 142-year history, it’s seen a lot of change in how the Mississippi behaves. There was once a time when portions of the river would dry up if the conditions were right. Farmers drove teams of horses through shallow water or even dry land to farm the islands that scattered the surface of the water. Despite this, though, the river was also known to spill beyond its banks, prompting early residents to barricade themselves against its encroachment. Through the years, locals have come to learn that not only do they have to account

for the river itself, but water from all sources. “Obviously our recent past would suggest we’re having more frequent higher-flood events,” Reed said. “There have also been a lot of changes within the Mississippi River Basin within the last 30 to 40 years.” Reed explained that with more development in area communities, which translates to more non-permeable ground that allows runoff at a faster pace, as well as more drain tile being employed by farmers to more efficiently drain land, the river channel is being fed more water at a faster rate than in previous decades. Additionally, there has been heavier, more frequent and more intense rainfall, according to Reed. Reed’s assertion is based on a study by the American Geophysical Union in 2016 that observed the frequency, duration, intensity and volume of rainfall throughout the United States. An area in which all four of those factors increased was between Rock Island and St. Louis, according to Reed. These factors, combined with increased development in the Mississippi River Basin, explain why floods such as the 1993 and 2019 floods aren’t as rare as people would like them to be anymore. These factors likewise impact pumping efficiency in the Sny. “The river elevation impacts pumping capacity because the higher the river, the less capacity you have to pump water out of the interior part of your system,” Reed explained. “So, the increased river stages we have been seeing here the last several years, coupled with more intense and frequent rainfall, has dictated we need additional pumping capacity to keep the interior part of the system dry.” According to Reed, the river has been gradually increasing in height over the years, which poses a significant problem in interior drainage. “The pumps we now have were designed for river stages we saw in the 60s, 70s and 80s, when a 22 or 23-foot river was high. Now, that is almost an every-year occurrence, and some years, it’s much worse than that,” Reed said. “The problem we were encountering with the existing pump stations

Pipeline, CONTINUED FROM PG. 11 Davis would like for his ground to be returned to how it formerly looked, but he knows that it’ll never be that way again. “I had all timber ground, and it ain’t ever going to come back,” Davis said. “They had to have workspace, so they had 90 feet of workspace and 50 feet of right-of-way, so they destroyed 140 feet and took all my timber off. I can’t grow trees there.” Davis commended the Illinois Department of Agriculture for their work, stating that he was glad they got involved.

“I’m glad they got involved and did what they did, but they can’t take it any farther than that. Someone has to enforce it, and FERC is that guy,” Davis said. As affected landowners such as Davis continue to explore what can be done to rectify the situation as best as it can possibly be, they are aware that the damage is done, but after the matter is eventually settled, at least for Davis, he hopes that in the least, there will be some consideration for what he has gone through because of the Spire STL pipeline project.

were they were not designed to pump against these higher river stages. The higher those stages grow, the less efficient the existing pumps go.” These higher river stages and more frequent rainfall events are contributing to decreased efficiency of the pumps because they’re getting an extended workout that they weren’t ever designed to handle. The solution, then, has been to bolster the overall efficiency of the Sny through the addition of more pumps. The pumps at Hull, both the old and the new, are 58-inch diameter pumps, while both the new and old pumps at Pleasant Hill are 72-inch diameter pumps. “We’re putting in the same size, they’re just designed to be more efficient,” Reed explained. The incorporation of these pumps into the district’s drainage efforts has been a long time coming, as it’s getting more difficult to keep the water out from the interior of the levee. Indeed, water seepage was already a serious issue when the third-highest flood in the Upper Mississippi Valley region’s modern history made drainage efforts difficult in 2008, but the situation hardly changed when the second-highest flood on record struck in 2019. “Seep water is always coming into the drainage district,” Reed said. “There’s always

that pressure from the river, but during flood events it’s even worse— significantly worse. So the seep water is the issue, coupled with heavy rain events at the same time.” And, even though the levee hasn’t endured a breach since the Great Flood of 1993, the seepage, which is intensified by higher river stages, as well as heavier rains the last several seasons, have contributed to thousands of acres of crop loss. “It wasn’t from river flooding, but because of higher river stages,” Reed said. “These new pump stations are state-of-the-art and designed to be more efficient, allowing more pumping capacity during high-river events.” Once the new pumps become fully operational though, work in the Sny Levee Drainage District will still be a long way from completion, as there will need to be plenty of interior infrastructural work to make sure water is being diverted to the pumps and out into the river. “There will definitely be different drainage patterns,” Reed said. Culverts will have to be enlarged to ensure the pumps can be used and steps taken to ensure seep and rainwater have the ability to efficiently move to the pump houses. But, before those issues are tackled, Reed wants to take care of getting the pumps fully operational first. The new pumps are expected to be in working order by the end of summer 2021.

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Fiber internet to impact Calhoun infrastructure By CONNOR ASHLOCK Campbell Publications A major infrastructural project is currently underway in Calhoun County that will affect how residents will interact with the internet. Since 2013, the Illinois Electric Cooperative has been undertaking the enormous task of supplying fiber optic internet throughout the entire county, the largest project ever undertaken by the cooperative in its nearly 85-year-long history in terms of cost and construction, according to Illinois Electric Cooperative General Manager Randy Long. Fiber optic internet promises faster internet speed than traditional means of internet access like dial-up and satellite, which has proven all the more necessary as society becomes more digitized. Now, people can earn degrees online, start and manage online businesses, execute official government duties and stay connected with a global community, unless they have a poor internet connection, which is a common problem in rural areas such as Calhoun County. Though different government agencies define rural and urban differently, the area encompassed by Calhoun, Greene, Jersey, Pike and Scott counties is classified by the United States Department of Agriculture as rural. The same is largely true for the Census Bureau, aside from the three urban clusters of Jerseyville, White Hall and Pittsfield, which are dubbed as urban by the Census Bureau because they possess populations greater than 2,500 persons. “Rural residents don’t have the same opportunities as their counterparts,” Long said. “Especially since the pandemic started, people have become more aware of how much broadband is needed in these areas. The need is there and we recognize it more than ever.” Many people, though, are aware that the internet has a history of making itself scarce. If multiple people in one area are using the same interest source, it will normally lag. Though it harkens back to the days when someone had to wait to browse the web because another was on the phone, today the situation is a little more serious. As the pandemic has shown, it can be difficult to get much of anything done if you have multiple people under one roof working from home and remote learning at the same time, as the internet will be too slow for people to work efficiently. As time moves forward, this situation will remain commonplace unless something is done about it, and this is where fiber internet comes in. “Fiber internet allows individuals and families to do more online at the same time,” according to the frequently asked questions page on calhounfiber.com. “Unlike DSL or satellite internet service, fiber has enough bandwidth to handle virtually any amount of internet use.” Currently, 56 miles of fiber optic cable has already been installed that spans the entire length of the county. “It extends up to Pearl, where the fiber source is, and we built south to Brussels,” Long said. “We followed existing poles through the length of the county.” Long expects that over the course of the next

five years, approximately 700 miles of fiber will be strung or buried in the county, reaching 3,000 consumers. He also anticipates the project to cost about $15 million, although grant monies have been assisting in the project’s funding. The 56 miles that have already been stretched down the county will serve as the backbone for the whole fiber optic system, which was achieved in part through the help of Brussels Unit School District and Calhoun Unit School District. “The school districts applied for and received E-rate money that provided partial funding to get broadband service to the school,” Long said. “The Hardin and Brussels schools now have fiber broadband service and we have this backbone running down the county that we can build off of.” E-rate money is provided through the Federal Communications Commission and is set aside for schools and libraries so they can better their telecommunications systems and internet access. Additionally, the co-op was awarded a $3,443,670 Connect Illinois grant, which allows it to build in specific areas of the county. “The grant will allow us to build in Brussels, Hardin, Winneberg, Batchtown and Kampsville,” Long explained. “The requirements of the grant are that we have to build in those areas in the next three years.” Arguably the mightiest task for the co-op, though, is obtaining all the required easements in order to see the project through, which has taken, so far, five years to get to the point they’re at now. Long explained that the co-op has met with landowners and has held community meetings to generate support, answer questions and get the necessary easements signed that will allow for the fiber optic to be installed where it needs to be to ensure access to co-op members and other Calhoun residents. “We have an enormous amount of easements already, and the people of Calhoun have been great about that, but [securing easements] dictates the speed in which we build,” Long said. “A refusal of easements could delay the project or make it impossible to build into some areas.” But, as time goes on, more easements are expected to be obtained, which will allow the co-op to build into the most rural regions of the county. Of course, broadband fiber connection benefits the agricultural community as well, especially Calhoun farmers. Calhoun farmers produce a variety of products that contribute to the state’s reputation for diverse agricultural products, including apples, peaches, beef, pork, pumpkins and grain crops, among others. Those engaged in farming today, no matter the type of operation, are interacting increasingly more with precision agriculture, and growth in research and use of this technologically advanced approach to farming is dramatically affecting all levels of the economy, from local to global. In order to engage effectively with precision agriculture, though, strong and reliable internet is critical. Aside from precision agriculture, farmers in and beyond Calhoun are more than aware of social

media’s usefulness in promoting agricultural products to broader audiences. Online advertising and marketing strategies expand one’s reach from a small locality to an entire region. And the internet hasn’t served to solely broaden the horizon of farms, but farmer’s markets, county fairs, University of Illinois Extension services and other elements of agricultural life. “[Fiber broadband] opens up another avenue to markets and gives farmers the ability to get the data they need in their industry,” Long said. Both agricultural and non-agricultural businesses are relying more on fiber broadband access, meaning that it brings an economical edge to the county as a whole. “It tends to stimulate the economy as a whole,” Long said. “Studies have shown that in rural communities that have adopted broadband access, unemployment tends to fall and employment tends to rise, so it’s probably one of the best economic development tools for today.” For Calhoun County, fiber broadband access is the best option for internet access for another reason, which is the county’s topography. Undulating hills, steep bluffs, long hollows and high ridges add to the distinctiveness of the penninsular county, as well as contribute to its issues with internet access. Julia Eberlin, a Calhoun resident, farmer’s wife and vice president of the Illinois Electric Cooperative’s board of directors, explained that the project has proven to be long and arduous, but in the end,

the board is convinced that the countywide fiber broadband access will positively impact the county in numerous ways, some more obvious than others. “I think it will bring more people in,” Eberlin said. “What we see in rural areas all the time is our young people moving to other places for bigger and better opportunities, so hopefully this will persuade more of them to stay. As a Calhoun resident, I’m very excited about getting fiber.” From an agricultural standpoint, Eberlin noted that farm-related activities are requiring faster and more reliable internet than in the past. “GPS, mapping, precision application of fertilizers and chemicals– it takes more and more internet all the time. For instance, my husband was taking a pesticide application test and it was all online and the licensing was all on the internet,” Eberlin said. As the world continues to transition into a more online format, giving rural residents the tools they need to succeed in business, education and life will include reliable internet access. The effort to provide this reliable access to the residents of Calhoun will take several more years to accomplish, but steps like this are those in the right direction to ensure that better opportunities for individuals are found close to home. Calhoun residents who have yet to sign an easement and are interested in doing so can start the process at www.calhounfiber.com. The website will also be of assistance to those who would like to know more about the project to bring fiber internet to Calhoun County.

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Pittsfield High School FFA Submitted photo

Front row, left to right: Issac Leon, Lauren Dunham, Katie Graham, Avery Heavner, Ella Constable, Willow Claus, Eden Littlefield and Nicole Antonlin. Second row, left to right: Landon Hettinger, Preston Bonds, Caden Anstedt, Nick Chaplin, Austin Fernandez, Stormie Bergman and Alexis Ator. Third row, left to right: Corey Guthrie, Ethan Gratton, RJ Allred, Aiden Baxter, Charlie Cooley, Sophie Gresham, Emma Gay and Chole Chastain. Fourth row, left to right: Joe Ladner, Liam Bonnett, Kyle Bradshaw, Quinn Franklin and Layken Ebbing. Fifth row, left to right: Dylan Fox, Nate Anderson, Courtney Bell, Gavin Graham, Leif Carter and Aubrey Graham. Sixth row, left to right: Ashton Ionson, Braden Lindsey, Maggie Guthrie. Submitted photo

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Front row, left to right: Kadin Hittner, Shelby Bauer, McKayla Jennings and Chloe Lemmons. Second row, left to right: Logan Howland and Mason Davis.

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Spring Ag Mag 2021

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Pittsfield High School FFA CONTINUED FROM PG. 16 Submitted photo

First row, left to right: Katie Cox, Raegan Smithers, Taylor Scott, Emma Saxe, Brayden Musgrave, Rylee Shaw, Cami Ostrander and Haley Smith. Second row, left to right: Brianna Smith, Vanessa Winsell, Lauren Williams, Emma Nash, Walker Rennecker, Remmington Snyder and Sarah Sharrow. Third row, left to right: Cameron Walker, Skyler Smith, Frank Smith, Jason Mckee, Weston McCallister and Kile Martin. Fourth row, left to right: Logan Shin, Bobby Stout, Stone Wintjen, Garrett Toelke and Joshua Rumple. Fifth row, left to right: Abe Wellbourne, Nate Scranton, Collin Nash, Jagen Wood, Colton Story, Noah Turnbough and Scotty Seman.

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Pleasant Hill FFA

Submitted photo

Front row, left to right: Harley DeCamp, Draven Winchell, Dani Lewis, Hannah Hill, Madison Daniels, Becca Kidd. Back row, left to right: Bowen Taylor, Jeremie Taylor, Kaleb Freesmeyer, Aadyn Meyers, Preston McKinnon, Garrett Benjamin and Kali VanStrien. Not pictured: Dawson Niffen.

Submitted photo

Left to right: John Smith, Nick Barton-Moore, Marie Beavers, Macy McKinnon, Gracie Crowder, Chandler Helms, DeaCoridon Dolbeare, Thorne Holcomb, Zach Onits and Cameron Bolton.

Submitted photo

Left to right: Caleb Hammett, Aiden Johnson, Kenton Freesmeyer, Shaun Meyer-Mowen, Conner Heatherly, Harvey Evers, Carter Dolbeare, Nick Barton-Moore, Jacob Taylor, Zane Fesler and Gwen Martin. Not pictured: Shelby Turner.

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