50¢ MAY 20, 2020
PITTSFIELD, IL
Campbell Publications news offices will closed Monday, May 25 in observance of Memorial Day. Deadline for news and ads for next week's edition is 5 p.m. Friday, May 22. Marketplace classifieds and legal notice deadline is Friday at noon.
Thank you,
Alice Cripe of Griggsville, for subscribing to Pike Press!
NEWS Western sets graduation plans. See page A2
Saluting younger military. See page A7
WEEKEND WEATHER FRIDAY, MAY 22
77 63 High
pikepress.com
VOL. 178, NO. 21
Memorial Day services: some altered, some cancelled
By BETH ZUMWALT Pike Press The American Legion Posts who traditionally hold Memorial Day services at numerous cemeteries have either announced altered plans or cancelled entirely. Memorial Day services for Perry American Legion, which were planned for Monday, May 25 have been canceled due to circumstances of the Coronavirus which is beyond their control. The Griggsville American Legion will hold services at Griggsville only at 11 a.m. Monday, May 25. All are welcome. Services will not be held at Baylis, Bethel or New Salem. Pleasant Hill is planning a Facebook service. J.T. Smith is going to be prerecording a staging of the service and will post it to his YouTube page. The flags will still go up at the cemetery. Anyone able to help with the placing of the flags should be at the cemetery May 21. the flags will come down May 26 and help would also be appreciated. Pittsfield is having drive-in services at the Pittsfield American Legion Building Monday, May 25 at 10 a.m. Those attending will sit in their cars while Legion members will conduct the ceremony. The post will put out flags, May 22 starting at 9 a.m. and take them down May 26 at 5 p.m. Any help is appreciated. Barry’s American Legion Post plans to place flags along Mortimer Street.There will be a gun salute at Parklawn Cemetery at 11 a.m. Those attending are asked to remain in their vehicles to maintain social distancing. No services at New
READY
FOR A CHANGE?
David Camphouse/Pike Press
Dozens of residents lined up in the Pittsfield Wal-Mart parking lot on Monday, May 18 to sign a petition demanding the recall of Illinois governor J.B. Pritzker. According to state statute the recall of a governor may be proposed by a petition signed by a number of electors equalling 15% of the total votes cast for the governor. The petition must contain at least 100 signatures from 25 separate counties. An affidavit providing notice of an intent to recall the governor must be filed with the state board of elections prior to the petition. The affidavit must be signed by the proponent of the recall petition, at least 20 members of the House of Representatives, and at least 10 members of the Senate — with no more than half of the signatures of members from each chamber coming from the same established political party. Signatures were also collected at other sites throughout the county on Tuesday, May 19.
(See, MEMORIAL DAY, A2)
Low
SATURDAY, MAY 23
82 66 High
Pike Press
Low
Congratulations class of 2020!
SUNDAY, MAY 24
85 66 High
Low
ONLINE pikepress.com
INSIDE Classified . . . . . . . A6 Community . . . . . A4 County News . . A2, A4, . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A6-7 Court . . . . . . . . . . A6 Marketplace . . . . . A5 Obituaries . . . . . . A4 Opinion . . . . . . . . A3 David Camphouse/Pike Press
Obituaries in this issue: Chitwood, Wellman.
Pike Press © 2020 All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Amid steady rain, Western HS/elementary principal Connie Thomas, left, and guidance counselor Stefanie Rennecker, middle, presented congratulatory car magnets and $25 of Pike County Chamber of Commerce “Chamber bucks” to all of Western’s HS graduates Saturday, May 16 prior to a car parade of all graduates through the school district. Graduating senior Taylee Weir is seated in the passenger seat.
David Camphouse/Pike Press
Western High School teachers Glenn and Ruth Kummerow held a sign recognizing Western’s 2020 high school graduates on Saturday, May 16 outside the school’s cafeteria.
Prentice gifted book nook sponsorship for 90th birthday By DAVID CAMPHOUSE Pike Press Erin Verbeck decided the ideal gift for her grandmother, retired PHS librarian Mary Lea Prentice, would be to sponsor Picture Pittsfield’s latest book nook at Lowry Park. Pittsfield’s book nook initiative was started by Picture Pittsfield in an effort to increase access to books for young people during COVID-19 school and library shutdowns. The first book nook was installed at King park in April. The second, sponsored by Prentice was installed last weekend, at the Lowry Park pavilion. “Erin said that Picture Pittsfield was doing the book nooks, and we thought this would be a great tribute to our grandmother,” granddaughter Abby Lagemann said. Prentice, according to Lagemann, was the PHS librarian for roughly 40 years starting in 1960. “She was particularly touched,” Lagemannn said. “She was tickled to death.” In addition to Verbeck and Lagemann, fellow granddaughter Kate Cook and Prentice’s daughter Gina Rylander were also involved in planning the gift/dedication. “It was Erin’s idea,” Lagemann said. “ She pitched it to the rest of the family and we said yes.” The book nook is painted with a St. Louis Cardinals theme, because Prentice is a fan of the team. “She’s a huge Cardinals fan, so that’s why it’s painted like it is,” Hagemann said. According to Lagemann, Prentice was struck by the lasting impact the sponsorship of the book nook would make on the community. “That’ll be there forever, won’t it,” Prentice told
Submitted photo
Mary Lea Prentice poses next to the newly installed book nook at Lowry Park. Prentice’s daughter and granddaughters sponsored the book nook as Prentice’s 90th birthday gift.
Hagemann. Picture Pittsfield parks and recreation committee chair Patrick Lamb said that several people have stepped forward to sponsor the next few book nooks. According to Lamb, the most valuable way to
contribute to the project would be to contribute nonperishable food items. Non-perishable food is being offered alongside books at the book nooks through the duration of the COVID-19 economic crisis. Lamb may be reached at pat.lamb17@gmail.com.