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NEWS Pikeland plans for start of school. See page A2
Western purchases 145 Chromebooks. See page A2
SOCIETY
Grotes celebrate 50 years. See page A4
COURT Accident injures Barry woman. See page A6
WEEKEND WEATHER FRIDAY, JUNE 26
90 70 High
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SATURDAY, JUNE 27
83 70 High
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SUNDAY, JUNE 28
87 72 High
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VOL. 178, NO. 26
County discusses liquor licenses and voting by mail By DAVID CAMPHOUSE Pike Press The discussion of liquor licenses to be considered for an establishment in Pike Station was tabled until ownership could be present to discuss their application during the meeting of the Pike County Board on Monday, June 22. Kim Norton, proprietor of Nebo’s Spring Creek Market, also inquired about the feasibility of current liquor license holders obtaining a temporary event liquor license from the county in order to legally sell liquor at events in unincorporated Pike County.
Board members indicated that they were amenable to considering granting event-based liquor licenses to current liquor license holders, so those businesses could provide liquor services to wedding receptions and other events throughout unincorporated Pike County. County Clerk Natalie Roseberry informed the board that her office was required by the state to mail an application to vote to most registered voters in the county. Board Chair Andy Borrowman wanted the public to know that, although voting by mail was an option, tra-
ditional voting at polling places and Pittsfield’s government building are still very much possilbe. Board members also discussed and approved evening out the work of the assessor’s office by splitting the county into four assessment districts, one of which will be assessed each year. “This will be a great benefit to the supervisor of assessments,” board chair Andy Borrowman said. “By splitting the county into four parts, they can do a quarter of the county each year.” Alex Maloney was appointed to the Hull-Kinderhook Fire Protection District through 2023.
Kathy Snyder and Shelly Campbell were appointed to the Akers Chapel Cemetery Association through until February, 2021. While the June 22 county board meeting was not livestreamed on Facebook or any other online platform, board chair Andy Borrowman expressed a desire to involve the public in county board business through an online presence. “I have a desire to continue to live stream,” Borrowman said. “We had more people involved and commenting. We want more people to see and be involved in the business of the county.”
Great Rivers Bank assists Pike fire departments with COVID-19 relief funds By DAVID CAMPHOUSE Pike Press Great Rivers Bank distributed $20,000 to Pike County fire departments and Pike County Crime Stoppers in an effort to offset money lost by the departments due to the cancellation of departments’ annual fundraisers amid the COVID-19 shutdown. Fire departments throughout Pike County are heavily dependent on fundraising events to help pay for new equipment and operating expenses, however large gatherings, including fundraising events, have been cancelled in an effort to stem the spread of COVID-19 in Illinois. “Most of the fire departments couldn’t hold fundraisers this year,” Great Rivers Bank president Bob Garner said. The funds distributed by Great Rivers Bank were part of the Federal Home Loan Bank of Chicago’s (FHLB Chicago) COVID-19 Relief Fund — which is designed to assist FHLB Chicago member institutions and the communities they serve respond to the COVID-19 pandemic. “There were some restrictions about how the money could be used,” Garner said. “The fund could be used to help small businesses, non-profits, and other entities affected by COVID-19.”
David Camphouse/Pike Press
Pleasant Hill Fire Protection District was among the fire departments receiving COVID-19 Relief Program funds from Great Rivers Bank during the week of June 14. Present at a check presentation ceremony in Pleasant Hill Monday, June 15 are, left to right, Dillon Kramer, Coy Bainter, Darren Sidwell, Cory Winchell, Great Rivers Bank president Bob Garner, Jody Coy, Gavin Coy, Tristan Coy, and Aidan Johnson.
Pittsfield’s fire department was among the fire departments to receive the COVID-19 relief funds from Great Rivers Bank. According to assistant fire chief Jason Thomas, the grant provided much needed assistance to purchase new tools/supplies after the department was forced to cancel its major yearly fundraisers. “We’re short on our fundraisers,” Thomas said. “Pig Days is cancelled. I’m doubtful about the Fall Festival and the Fireman’s Dance. Those are our
big three fundraisers. This grant comes at a big time for us” Thomas said the grant allowed the department to start outfitting a six-person custom cab truck recently purchased by the department. “It’ll give us a start on tools for the truck — help with purchasing jaws, lights, tools we need for auto accidents,” Thomas said. According to Garner many of the other departments assisted by the grant funds expressed that they planned to use the
Court . . . . . . . . . . A6
money to upgrade aging equipment and supplies. “Several departments said they plan to upgrade equipment and protective gear like helmets and boots,” Garner said. “The useful life span of a helmet is about ten years.” Garner indicated that the size of each grant was determined by the size of the department and the locations of Great Rivers Bank branches. “We were very pleased to get this grant, and we’re pleased the departments and crime stoppers
can use these funds to keep providing great services to Pike County,” Garner said. Recipients of the grants are Barry Fire Department, HullKinderhook Fire Department, New Canton Fire Department, Baylis Fire Department, Griggsville Fire Department, North Pike Fire Department, Spring Creek Fire Department, Pleasant Hill Fire Department, Pittsfield Fire Department, East Pike Fire Department, Liberty Fire Department and Pike County Crime Stoppers.
City researching how to reinstate bill payments
Marketplace . . . . . A5 Obituaries . . . . . . A4 Opinion . . . . . . . . A3 Obituaries in this issue: Benjamin, Guthrie, Goetze, Irwin, Morris, Ruble.
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Submitted photo
Angie Fulmer, left, and Rick Rodhouse, right, both of COUNTRY Financial present a check for $1,000 to Pike County Sheriff’s Department deputy and school resource officer Chass Anderson to help fund the DARE program in Pike County Wednesday, June 17 outside Rodhouse’s Pleasant Hill office.
DARE funding dwindling By DAVID CAMPHOUSE Pike Press In response to state traffic and criminal fee assessment legislation negatively impacting the funding of the DARE program, which is designed to reduce youth substance abuse, Rick Rodhouse of COUNTRY Financial donated $1,000 to the Pike County Sheriff’s Department DARE program Wednesday, June 17. According to Pike County Sheriff’s Department deputy and school resource officer Chass Anderson, the legislation will, over time, eliminate the fee assessments as a funding source for the program and require DARE be funded locally through donations and grantseeking. “Because of the changes in the traf-
fic and criminal court fee assessments, we need to change the way DARE is funded,” Anderson said. “We still currently have funds in reserve, but once those funds are spent, we’ll need to rely on donations from local businesses and individuals.” When COUNTRY Financial representative Rick Rodhouse became aware of DARE’s funding struggles, he felt compelled to contribute financially. “We heard they were in financial trouble and wanted to help,” Rodhouse said. “DARE is a wonderful program and makes a big impact in Pike County.” To donate to the DARE program, individuals and businesses, Anderson said, are encouraged to contact the Pike County Sheriff’s Department at (217) 285-4471.
By BETH ZUMWALT Pike Press The City of Pittsfield is anxious to resume a regular bill-paying cycle. The fair way to proceed with the reinstatement of due dates, late fees and re-connect fees was discussed at the June 16 meeting. The city had placed a moratorium on those after the governor encouraged utility companies to do the same at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. The city complied, even though they later learned the request was only for private utility customers and not municipal or public utility providers. As of the June 16 meeting, 52 customers had bills totaling $13,033. Ann Moffit, city clerk, was to have a phone conference with the Illinois Municipal League and it was hoped she could learn what the agency was recommending. “We originally thought we had to give 30 days to pay the delinquent amount and then set up a payment agreement to go 18-24 months to pay off any balances,” Moffit said Monday, June 22. “I am still working on this and have not presented any of this info to the council, so I’m unsure how they will proceed.” The next council meeting is July 7. The council also heard from Michael Ten Eyck, pastor at the Christian Church, and Robert Smith, also of the church. “We have an entity interested in buying our administrative building,” Ten Eyck said. “Currently it also houses our pre-school and day-care. The potential buyers are interested in turning the entire building into a pre-
school and day-care.” What Smith and Ten Eyck were proposing was moving a temporary building, currently at Illini Hospital, to the former site of the Baylis/Shulman/ Johnson medical office at 122 East Jefferson. That building would be placed on a foundation, have a porch and landscaping added and would serve as the administrative offices for the church and the Crossroads Center. The council was willing to work with the church on the project which Smith and Ten Eyck emphasized was only in the talking stages. “We are not even in the negotiating stages yet,” Ten Eyck said. “Either for the sale of our building or the purchase of the building from Illini.” The council will consider rezoning, issuing a special use permit or whatever is necessary to make the project work. The council also announced the hiring to two new employees. Brian Cooley will be the new city mechanic, taking the place of Josh Klatt, who transferred to street and alley. Cooley will also assist with street and alley work. Keith Walker was also hired in the street and alley department to replace Tom Cawthon, who recently retired. The council also approved the purchase of the former Temptations building and have contacted Lyndell Burns about demolition of the property, which is not only in a state of disrepair, but has the potential to damage the adjoining building. Estimated cost for the demolition is $20,000. The city paid $5,000 for the property. It is hoped work could start this week.