1 Front Volume 140 No. 7
Friday, April 12, 2013
The Tonica News
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And the winners are ... Area residents cast their ballots By Dixie Schroeder news@tonicanews.com
OTTAWA — In the Spring 2013 election in LaSalle County, there was a 30 percent turnout of voters from the area. There are 68,411 registered voters in the
county. Of that amount, 20,841 cast their votes in a variety of races, including mayoral, township trustees and school board elections. In Lostant’s village president’s race, incumbent Fred Hartenbower beat challenger John Wever for
the seat by a final count of 126 to 51. “I want to thank everyone for voting for me. I will try to do a good job for the town. I want to thank John Wever for participating in the political process,” said Hartenbower. In Cedar Point, Gary Buckley and Lance Kort-
er ran for an unexpired, two-year mayoral term. Korter won over Buckley with a vote total of 64 to 29. Korter was surprised and pleased with the result. “I’m really very happy that the Cedar Point voters made their decision on my behalf,” he said. “I will try to do my best for them.”
Tonica’s village trustee race had four candidates – Rich Higgins, Monica Kreiser, Mark Coons and Dennis Ford – who ran for the three, four-year trustee terms. Final tallies showed Ford with 179 votes; Higgins with 150 votes; and Kreiser with 136 votes. Coons received 129 votes.
Ford said he appreciated everyone’s votes. “I would like to thank everyone who voted,” he said. “Hopefully we can keep the town solvent and solve the sewer system problems by getting a grant.” In one of the area’s
See Election Page 3
Ruff explains elevator addition Many residents not satisfied By Ken Schroeder news@tonicanews.com
LOSTANT – Ruff Grain has purchased a lot in order to build a new office and scales, but many local residents are not happy. The major concerns include damage to streets, quality of life and devaluation of property. At Monday night’s Lostant Village Board meeting, terminal manager Brian Richard was present to answer questions from the 20-plus members of the public and to assure them there would be no additional strains due to the move. “We’d bring the traffic from Main Street down to Founder Street, and in that way to the elevator, so they could come back on Pond or Main Street,” Richard said. “It’s just a way to make it easier for farmers bringing grain to get to the elevator.” The current location for the scales is in an awkward position. Richard said the concern for farmers’ safety was one of the determining factors for the planned move. Residents were concerned about the traffic congestion, damages to village streets and a drop in property values.
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Tonica News photo/Dixie Schroeder
Bob and Diane Folty review some of the bulk craft items that will be auctioned off at the sale on April 14. Folty’s Market has been a fixture in Tonica since 1952.
End of an era Folty’s Market to hold auction April 14 By Dixie Schroeder news@tonicanews.com
TONICA – The end of an era comes to Tonica on April 14, when Folty’s Market holds its final sale. An auction will be held, selling the contents of the building as well as the building itself. Bob and Diane Folty look back on the history of the Folty’s Market with pride. “Bob’s parents, (Frank ‘Fritz’ and Emma Folty) had the origi-
nal market uptown first,” Diane said. “When the store itself closed, it was exactly 50 years that they were in business.” In the busy days of Folty’s Market, not only was the grocery store serving the community, the deli was one of the first in the area, which led to catering for parties. Bob said the senior Foltys started the market in 1952 because of a idea his mother had while she worked for a brother in Jonesville. “She liked that type of business,” he said. “So she talked my dad into getting a grocery store in Tonica.”
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Vol. 140 No. 7 One Section - 8 Pages
Schools and their finances See Page 2 © The Tonica News
Bob said his father had a milk route at the time. “He stayed in the milk route, and my mom ran the store,” he said. “My dad would cut meat when he came home from the route.” Folty said his father brought the farm into the business. “My dad bought the recipe for sausage that we sold from the farm,” he said. “My son still makes that recipe today.” The Foltys built the current building in its location in 1961, the same year Bob entered the business. Throughout the years, both generations have faced their share of challenges.
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“One morning I opened the store. It was in the old location,” Bob said. “I saw rain-type water coming down from the ceiling. It wasn’t water; it was fuel oil. Fuel oil dripped all over the entire store.” The Masonic Lodge above the store had an oil burner upstairs and had a pump that had the fire go out, but the pump kept pumping. Folty said he had help getting the store back on its feet. “The vendors all pitched in,” he said. “We never had any insurance for anything like that.”
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