16 minute read
Food, games and classic cars in Prophetstown
BE AT 2 PROPHETSTOWN ECHO PROPHETSTOWN ECHO Fourth Friday features food, games, classic cars
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Photos by Sarah Ford/For Shaw Media LEFT: Kassi Kuehl and her son Timothy, 11, of Lyndon, helped with the Scout Pack 332 food booth during Fourth Friday festivities. The pack was selling hot dogs, loaded nachos, snow cones, and cold drinks during the hot and muggy evening. ABOVE LEFT: Camden Krug, 4, of Rock Falls had fun with the Fire Safety Simulator set up during Fourth Friday festivities. Camden and his mom Jessica Frey came out for the fun since his grandma serves on the Prophetstown ambulance department. Firefighter TJ Becker was helping the kids spray out the hot spots with a hose. ABOVE TOP: A 1957 Chevy Bel Air owned by Art Meier of Prophetstown was one of many classics parked on Washington Street. ABOVE: Jeremy Brooks of Prophetstown is pictured in his dad Ernie’s 1964 Rambler American 330.
PUBLISHER Jennifer Heintzelman 815-632-2502 jheintzelman@shawmedia.com
The PROPHETSTOWN ECHO (USPS No. 447-900) is published weekly by Sauk Valley Media, Shaw Media.
Periodical postage paid at Prophetstown, Illinois, 61277
POSTMASTER Send address changes to: Whiteside News Sentinel P.O. Box 31 Morrison, Illinois, 61270
All rights reserved. Copyright 2021
IN BRIEF
Prophetstown Township open house planned
Prophetstown Township will have an open house at the new township building at 113 High St. on Saturday, Sept. 11 from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. The public is invited to come and view the new building located at Riverside Cemetery, and learn what services the township provides.
Fundraiser held for Tampico roof project
More than $2,000 was raised for the Tampico Area Community Building roof during a Hawaiian luncheon. The project still requires about $3,000.
Royal Neighbors of America Prophetstown Adult Chapter 516 provided seed money for the event. The 50-50 raffle winner donated their portion of the pot back to the fund.
Donation can be made out to the TACB roof fund and sent to PO Box 443, Tampico, IL 61283-0443.
Submitted photo Randy Brooks singing with Larry and Sharon Johnson doing the Jam Fest Karaoke.
FOOTBALL BRIEF
EP Panthers fall to Mendota in opener
The Mendota football team opened its tenure in the T h r e e R i v e r s C o n f e r e n c e w i t h a v i c t o r y o v e r Erie-Prophetstown.
Uzi Angulo ran for 68 yards and a pair of touchdowns to lead the Trojans.
Angulo scored on a 1-yard run with 8:30 left in the second quarter before the Panthers tied it before the half.
Mendota retook the lead when Damien Magallanes intercepted a pass and returned it 85 yards for a score with 11:29 left in the third.
Emilio Perez extended Mendota’s lead to 17-7 with a 24-yard field goal with 2:19 left in the third.
E-P pulled within three points early in the fourth before Angulo scored on a 1-yard run to give Mendota the cushion it needed.
PROPHETSTOWN
K & K Custom Woodworking: Crafted w ith Care
BY SARAH FORD For Shaw Media
A Prophetstown husband and wife team have been making appearances at the city’s Fourth Friday festivities with a selection of beautifully crafted wood items for sale.
Katie and Kyle Turner started K & K Custom Woodworking out of their home in Jan. 2020 and have been building an inventory of their handcrafted creations. They used their initials for the business namesake while adding “custom,” since they wanted to focus on their customers’ ideas of specially made wood items.
Katie, the oldest of seven siblings, learned the craft from her grandfather as a child. She said the time was right to start it up again, with her and Kyle each combining their skills and creative ideas to make their line of products. “I was along for the ride after that,” said Kyle, noting that “it was something that we could do together.”
When they purchased their home in Prophetstown in 2019, they were especially drawn to the 1,200 square foot detached garage, which used to be the old bait shop in town. The space was one where they could focus on their craft, while keeping the dust and noise from the house. Though day jobs keep them busy, they’ve made woodworking a hobby and a way to be involved in the community.
Their first custom request was a dining room table, with the couple calling it a project where they jumped all in. It measured 4’ x 5’ x 42” tall and was made from solid red oak. Since then, they’ve built a set of walnut end tables and a set of red oak utility carts to fit a customer’s kitchen layout. They’re currently in the process of finishing up a custom-built table with an attached back for extra shelving and storage.
Besides the furniture, they’ve had requests for smaller items and have built up and inventory for events like Fourth Friday. They have cutting boards, essential oil holders, trivets for holding hot dishes, ruler holders f o r q u i l t e r s , b a p t i s m a l/ ke e p s a k e boxes, and earring holders and displays, all branded with a “Made in Prophetstown” stamp.
The couple mainly uses hard woods such as red and white oak, walnut, cherry, and hard maple. “These types of hardwoods allow us to build a quality product that we hope will last a lifetime, and maybe even passed down through generations in the family,” said Kyle.
Besides local events, the couple’s work is on display at Hometown Hardware in Prophetstown. A bird arbor with shelving was commissioned for owner Keith Crady, and there’s a small display of a few of their handmade items.
“We don’t really have any particular specialties, and that’s why we went with “custom” in our business name –so we could try and meet anyone’s needs that deals with wood and furniture,” said Katie, who is the organizer, planner, and all-around “behind the scenes” of K & K Custom Woodworking.
Kyle said he enjoys designing and putting things together, and he’s been learning as he goes while designing their products through a 3-D rendering program called SketchUp. This allows them to give the customer a 3-D rendering of what their finished item will look like, and to make any changes.
The couple met while both living in northeast Montana. She grew up in southeast Minnesota with her grandparents and attended Luther College for Kinesiology, and Capella University for her MBA in Logistics & Supply Chain. Kyle grew up in Butler, KY and attended the University of Kentucky, graduating with a bachelor’s degree in agribusiness management. He currently works for Shore Acter Farms and the Brooks Family.
Their business pages can be found on Etsy, Facebook, and Instagram at @ knkcustomwoodworking, and they’ll be at the Walnut 5th Annual Fall Fest on Main on Saturday, Oct. 2, and Harvest Days in Prophetstown on Saturday, Oct. 16. LEFT: Kyle and Katie Turner of K & K Custom Woodworking were set up in downtown Prophetstown during Fourth Friday on Aug. 27. BELOW: Coasters and cutting boards are some of the products offered by Katie and Kyle Turner. Each handcrafted item is branded with a “Made in Prophetstown” stamp.
Sarah Ford/For Shaw Media
ERIE
Erie schools determined to “change the narrative”
BY SARAH FORD for Shaw Media
With Erie students now back in t h e c l a s s r o o m , S u p e r i nt en d e n t Chuck Milem said school staff are determined to “change the narrat i ve ” a t s c h o o l b y g e t t i n g t h e m excited about their learning and growth by focusing on things they can control.
During the Board of Education meeting on Monday, Aug. 23, Milem said he understands the anxiety due to COVID-19 constantly in the news and at home, and he wants the students and staff to focus on their education, friends, and school experiences. He also recognized a petition with hundreds of signatures from people in the district, saying he “appreciates the support of the community and letting us know where they stand on the issues.”
Before the Return to Learn plan was voted on, the board took public comments from three parents, each expressing concerns about continued masking, vaccinations and possible mandates, new bills for sex education standards in Illinois, and the loss of “parental authority.” Jason Smith stated that “if we don’t stand up now for our kids, we’ll lose what this country stands for.”
Before taking a vote on the Return to Learn plan, Milem added that 51 out 859 school districts in Illinois have been put on probationary status for 60 days for defying mask mandates, and seven schools have lost accreditation, making them ineligible for IHSA athletics. “It’s scary stuff, especially for seniors - no sports, no graduation, and the school will lose funding,” he said.
Milem added that the Return to Learn plan is a “working document that continues to evolve depending on legislation.” The modified plan included parental consent for testing, modified quarantine procedures, and health department reporting.
“ I t ’ s h a p p e ni ng e v e r y w h e r e , where every school district in Illinois is trying to deal with this,” he said of the efforts to navigate the mandates. Milem said he was one of 136 superintendents of a coalition signing on letters to state officials. He added that the majority don’t agree with the mandates, but they don’t want to jeopardize athletics a n d s t u d e n t a c a d e m i c s t a n d i ng s again. The board passed the updated plan.
In other news, a lightning strike during a recent storm affected an air conditioning system at the middle s c h o o l , w i t h n u m e r o u s r e p a i r s throughout the week. High school and middle school fall athletics are back, with a great turnout for Meet the Panthers on Friday, Aug. 20. Homecoming Week is planned for Sept. 27 - Oct. 1, the district is in need of bus drivers, and a tentative budget was approved, which will be on view at the district office for 30 days before the board votes on Sept. 27.
MORRISON – Two people were killed Aug. 25 when a westbound SUV and an eastbound motorcycle collided head-on on Route 30 near the intersection of Route 30 and Round Grove Road in rural western Whiteside County.
Denny Fulfs, 74, of Sterling, who was driving the motorcycle, and Bria Williams, 27, of Robbins, who was a passenger in the 2000 GMC Yukon, died at the scene, Sheriff John Booker said.
A c c o r d i n g t o w i t n e s s e s , F u l f s drifted into the westbound lane and collided head-on with the Yukon, which was driven by Gabrielle Thompson, 35, of Andrew, Iowa, Booker said.
Thompson lost control of the SUV, went into the south ditch and rolled. Williams was thrown and pinned under the vehicle, Booker said.
Thompson and several other passengers were taken to a local hospital, treated and released, Booker said.
Fulfs was a longtime farmer who lived in rural Sterling, just north of Emerson on Science Ridge Road.
Robbins is a village southwest of Chicago in Cook County.
The crash remains under investigation, Booker said.
OBITUARIES
RUTH ANN MITICK
Born: March 15, 1926 in Sterling, IL Died: August 25, 2021 in Morrison, IL
Ruth Ann Mitick, 95, of Windsor Manor in Morrison, IL, died Wednesday, August 25, 2021 at Windsor Manor. A private family graveside service and interment will be held at the Rock Island National Cemetery in Rock Island, IL, with Mr. Ken Renkes officiating. The Morrison Chapel of the Bosma-Renkes Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Memorials have been established to Windsor Manor and Unity Hospice.
Ruth was born March 15, 1926 to Ross and Alice (McClure) Bealer in Sterling, IL. She was raised in Morrison, along with two sisters and two brothers. Ruth graduated from Morrison High School in 1944 and went on to college at the University of Colorado from 1944 - 1948. She majored in education. While attending the University, she met her future husband, Stanley R. Mitick, also a graduate of the University of Colorado.
Ruth had a long career in the teaching profession spanning some 38 years, the last 23 years as a teacher at Challand Junior High in Sterling, IL. Starting as a girl’s physical education teacher in the Denver School System, she later taught remedial reading and finally taught as a prescriptive teacher, helping those students who had trouble with specific subjects and other problems that hindered their education. Her Master’s Degree in Guidance and Counseling was beneficial in her successes as a prescriptive teacher. At some time during her career, she volunteered her services to tutor jail inmates with low level reading capabilities. Retiring in 1988 she had time to pursue the development of what some people called a “park” in her backyard, and also doing volunteer work for many community projects.
Ruth was a lifelong avid golfer, starting at the age of 13. She won many local tournaments, as well as being the Women’s Champion at the Morrison Country Club numerous times. She also was a winning member, numerous times, of the Women’s Lincoln Highway Regional Golf Team. In 2010 Ruth finally put away her clubs and hung up her spikes.
Ruth was very civic minded and was always interested in preserving the heritage of her community. She enthusiastically helped to save some of Morrison’s last historic buildings. In 1980 Stan and Ruth moved into their new home that came with a 2 & 1/2 acre wooded ravine. For the next 40 years it was their passion to maintain this ravine with wild flowers, flower gardens and trails. Stan, being the engineer and relying on his upbringing in Colorado, designed, built and maintained “switchback” trails throughout the ravine. This design not only prevented erosion, but brought back memories of mountain trails in Colorado. Stan also designed and built two wooden bridges to connect each side of the ravine. Ruth planted and maintained various flower plots. Her greatest pleasure was working in the woods. This included not only weeding and cutting back trees, but also ensuring the pristine atmosphere in the ravine that she and Stan had achieved. The woods were open for the public to enjoy. Each trail was named and the ravine became known as “Ruth’s Woods.” Ruth’s favorite quote was, “I have been blessed beyond measure.”
Those surviving Ruth are one sister, Ila DeLuca of Upland, CA; and nieces and nephews Sharon (Tim) Allen of Scottsdale, AZ, Thomas (Mary) Pons of Erie, IL, Michael (Jenny) Heun of Erie, IL, Robert Bealer of Chadler, AZ, and Dorian (Donna) McClenahan of Upland, CA.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Stanley; one sister, Marjorie Pons; and two brothers, Rosco Bealer Jr. and Charles Bealer.
PAUL E. PETERSEN
Born: December 11, 1963 Died: August 22, 2021
The sound of an 18-wheeler turns from a roar to a purr as it brings precious cargo to Heaven. Paul Eugene Petersen was born December 11, 1963, to the late Warren Petersen and former wife, Ida Marie Burkamper. Paul was raised and educated in Prophetstown, IL; always enjoying sports to play and watch. He played basketball and football while in high school. After high school, he played basketball and then played fast pitch softball in Nationals for three years, including Sacrament, CA, Minot, ND and Garland, TX. He married Sally Fischbach. Paul was a member of the Prophetstown Motorcycle Club and a lifetime member of the Prophetstown United Methodist Church. A highlight of his sports career was playing slow pitch softball in the middle of winter, snow, sleet ice, and freezing rain with all proceeds going to March of Dimes. Golf was another sport he enjoyed.
Paul’s trucking career started in 1983 for Walnut Grove, then went on to include Pepsi Stewart Beverage, TPC, Federal Express Freight, Wiersema and Schneider/Walmart Trucking.
Quick wit and teasing sarcasm were also traits he was noted for, as well as a very caring personality. Seldom did he forget a birthday or any other important date. Above all, was the love of family, especially daughter, Hannah Mariah and son, Skyler Paul and grandkids, Mariah and Kaiden. He really loved keeping track of his nieces and nephews.
Remembering him with deep love and affection are his mother, Ida Marie Burkamper; son, Skyler Paul Petersen and his two children, Mariah and Kaiden; Paul’s daughter, Hannah Mariah Petersen; Paul’s sister, Beth Petersen (Tim Noel); brother, Corey (Lorrie) Petersen, their two sons, Dillon and Brayden; his brother Rick (Laura) Burkamper and son, Alex (Amanda) and daughter, Kaitlyn Burkamper; numerous cousins and good friends; and also, three stepsisters, Juli, Susan, and Pat; and stepbrother Gary.
He was preceded in death by a baby brother, Russel Paul; his dad and stepmom, Warren and Anne Petersen; stepdad, Richard Burkamper; grandparents, Russel and Theresa Petersen, Gladys and Elmer Workman; uncle, Randy Workman and Randy Workman’s son, Randy.
The funeral was Sunday, August 29, 2021, at Bosma-Gibson Funeral Home, Prophetstown, IL.
Precious cargo delivered.
A memorial has been established.
HUGH ‘WHITEY’ NELSON
Hugh “Whitey” Nelson, 87, of Morrison, Illinois, passed on August 28, 2021.
JOHN E. KOENES SR.
John E. Koenes Sr., 72, of Fulton, Illinois, passed on August 28, 2021.
Morrison police Arrests
On Sunday, Aug. 22, about 4:15 p.m., Morrison police responded to a domestic dispute at 517 E. Wall St., Morrison. As a result of the investigation, Morrison police arrested and charged Jacob S. Callihan, 21, of Morrison, with domestic battery. Callihan was taken to the Whiteside County Jail.
Citations Aug. 20
Charles A. Felker, 24, Pollock, Louisiana, driving while license suspended and possession of cannabis (ordinance)
Rita A. Munz, 65, Tampico, no parking (posted)
Colton J. Glafka, 19, Walnut, no parking (posted)
Aug. 21
Dominic J. Zittle, 18, Walnut, disobeyed stop sign (accident)
Aug. 25
Kimberly A. Stewart, 66, Milledgeville, speeding
Aug. 26
Michael D. Eastwood, 49, Walnut, expired registration
The public is reminded that these are charges and all people are presumed innocent until proved guilty in a court of law.
