Scott County Times
75¢
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 10, 2020
your
Times NEWS
Take a pit stop at the Pitt Stop. See page A2
Dead bird surveillance and testing for West Nile Virus. See page A4
Ladybug are good servants in garden. See page A4
Make-ahead breakfasts for easier mornings. See page A7
WEEKEND WEATHER FRIDAY, JUNE 12
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Scott County Times
WINCHESTER, IL 62694
VOLUME NO. 153 NUMBER 24
75¢
Police still investigating shots fired Friday afternoon By BETH ZUMWALT Scott County Times Little new information is being released after a reported shooting on High School Street in Winchester Friday afternoon around 2 p.m. “It’s an ongoing investigation,� Winchester City Police Chief, George Lindsey, said. “I really can’t comment on it.� Unofficial sources say that reports of shots fired in the 100 block of the street near the Winchester High School around 2 p.m. The Illinois State Police, the Scott County Sheriff’s Office and Winchester City Police all responded to the area. No one was injured in the incident nor was there any known property damage. Shortly after the incident, the Illinois State Police placed an allpoints bulletin for Police in the City of Jacksonville and Village of South Jacksonville to be on the look out for a silver 2007 Mazda sedan. It is unknown if the owner of the vehicle is involved in the incident. Scott County States Attorney Mike Hill says he has not been contacted
Elizabeth Jones/Scott County Times
Three different law enforcement agencies responded to High School Street in Winchester Friday afternoon for a report of shots fired. The Illinois State Police, Scott County Sheriff’s Department and Winchester City Police. The investigation continues.
regarding the need to file charges or for an arrest warrant. Two blocks around the scene were marked off while the on-scene investi-
gation was in progress. Lindsey was hopeful more information would be released later this week.
HAIR TODAY‌GONE TOMORROW
Marsha Mayner gets her hair straightened after a cut by Callie Gregory, owner of Studio 29 in Winchester. After two months without being allowed to cut hair, hair salons are finally able to serve their devoted customers as the state entered Phase 3 of the reopening.
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Scott County Times Obituaries listed in this issue: Foiles, Howard Carmen Ensigner/Scott County Times
Alice's Attic opened on the square on Feb. 29, only two weeks before the COVID-19 shutdown, which closed all non-essential businesses indefinitely. The state entering Phase 3 of reopening has given them the chance to finally re-open, welcoming returning business.
Alice’s Attic opens in Winchester By CARMEN ENSINGER Scott County Times Gwen Hardy had one thing in mind when she moved back to Winchester to take care of her mother’s estate, but the COVID-19 pandemic had other plans. Gwen Hardy could not have had better plans to open an antique store than early this Spring in Winchester. After all, her mother had left her a house full of antiques that others would surely die for. Hardy decided to open an antique store on the square in Winchester and when the former location of Fabulous Flowers and Gifts became available, she knew she had to take the plunge and fulfill a dream she had. Hardy moved back to Winchester into her childhood home when her mother, Alice Hardy Boston, was put into the Scott County Nursing Center. “My mother was born and raised here in Winchester and is a life-long resident,� Hardy said. “She is 93 years old and was unable to care for herself so she was put into the Scott County Nursing Center and I moved back here into the house I grew up in.� Hardy said her mother was a collector and had a lot of collectibles that she had collected over her nine decades on this earth. “My mother loved collecting antiques and when I moved back here, I realized that she so many things that other people might be interested in,� Hardy
Elizabeth Jones/Scott County Times
An investigator from the Illinois State Police Zone 4 Unit sweeps the area with a metal detector Friday afternoon after a report of shots fired in the 100 block of High School Street in Winchester. No arrests have been made in the incident and officers are being tight lipped about the course the investigation is taking.
Winchester applying for grant for new pavement around square
Carmen Ensinger/Scott County Times
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said. “She had so much stuff and I had so much stuff that we needed to have an outlet for all of it.� That is how Alice’s Antiques was born. “She had so much stuff that she had collected over the years that I knew other people might be interested in,� Hardy said. “Plus, I had collected a lot of stuff over the years that this was just the best time to open a store.� Alice’s Attic opened for business on Feb. 29 and a mere two weeks later, their doors were closed indefinitely due to the COVID-19 pandemic. “We had just started doing some really good business when this pandemic hit and we had to close up,� Hardy said. “It was rough on us because we had put so much into opening this business just to see it shut down before it ever got up and going.� However, she stuck it out and as the State entered into Phase 3 of the reopening, which included allowing non-essential businesses to re-open, business has returned. “We have had a very good two-weeks since the re-opening,� Hardy said. “We have a number of booths rented to people who offer a wide variety of merchandise for sale.� One of those booths is for the Scott County Dog Rescue. “They used to have a big yard sale every year from stuff that people had (See, ALICE'S ATTIC, A2)
the judge in this municipal court that By CARMEN ENSINGER will be hearing these cases. Right Scott County TImes now we have five that we are going The city of Winchester is applying to pursue.� for a grant from the state to replace The council approved installing the pavement on the square. The city two new faucets at Monument Park has been working for the past year to in the restrooms and fixing the drinkreplace the sidewalks and install new ing fountain. lighting around the square thanks “We had it on the agenda last to a 50/50 grant they received two month but John (Simmons) only years ago. had one bid so we asked him to The new sidewalks stand in stark at least another bid,� McIntire said. contrast to the disrepair of the street “We requested a bid from another pavement. company, but we never did receive “The State recently announced it so we went ahead and awarded the that they had $25 million in funding contract to Brian Shafer Plumbing in to appropriate to assist villages and the amount of $695.� municipalities with street projects The council also approved the or repairs,� Winchester Mayor Rex hiring of a new accounting firm to do McIntire said at the June 3 city coun- the yearly audit. McIntire said the city cil meeting. “City Attorney John Paul has had the services of Zumbalehn Coonrod has been working on this Surratt and Eyeth since before he application for capital funding from became mayor seven years ago. the state and timing wise it worked “We bid it out and the firm of out pretty good because we are get- Pehlman and Dold, of Springfield, ting close to being finished with the came in with the lowest bid in the sidewalk work.� amount of $7,800,� The grant is a 100 McIntire said. “We percent grant, mean- “We apply for just figured it was ing the city would every grant we time to get somenot have to put up body new.� any matching fund- possibly can to The council ing. The city is askapproved a final ing for $1.7 million try and improve pay request for the to complete the pave- our city.� sanitary sewer projment work around ect on Mechanic the square. St. which included Rex McIntire McIntire said a change order that he hopes the city is reduced the amount Winchester Mayor awarded the grant, by around $1,000. but is not holding his breath. “The change order was for the “We just don’t have the political repair of the driveways along the pull in this part of the state to be street,� McIntire said. “They were considered for this grant,� he said. going to put in cold patch on them “I hope we do get it and we got ours but decided to just oil and chip them in very early so we are hoping for which is cheaper.� the best. We apply for every grant The final pay order was in the we possibly can to try and improve amount of $8,800 and the entire our city.� cost of the project was a little over At the request of Winchester $46,000. Police Chief George Lindsey, the The council voted to terminate council approved hiring Chase Burk the contract of the firm taking care of as an unpaid police officer for the mowing Monument Park, Douglas city. Park and the library. “He was an MP in the Air Force “We gave them a warning last and he wants to become a police month and they didn’t respond well officer for the city,� McIntire said. enough so we voted to replace them,� “In order to get him into the training McIntire said. “Lance Barnett had programs we went ahead and hired the contract and he just wasn’t gethim as a part time officer. He won’t ting the job done to our satisfaction.� be paid until he gets is training but by The termination was effective us going ahead and putting him on immediately and the job was awardour roster he can be qualified for the ed to the next low bidder which training programs.� was Keaton McCalister with KAM Utility Superintendent John Mowing out of Pittsfield. McIntire Simmons brought forth several zon- said KAM Mowing had the contract ing and ordinance violations regard- before and did a great job mowing. ing trash and debris. Their bid this year was just $50 less “We are starting our Municipal than Barnett’s bid. Ordinance Enforcement Program KAM Mowing will finish out the where we take them to a municipal mowing season prorated out four court we have established instead months. of through the regular court system “He has done a good job for us which is very time consuming and in the past and I’m sure he will do a expensive,� McIntire said. “Michael good job now,� McIntire said. Rosenberg from Pittsfield will be