GJHS CLASS FEATURED ON CHANNEL 5
A dose of Cardinal fever has resulted in a Greenville Junior High teacher's class being featured on the KSDK Channel 5 news. 7th grade teacher Darci Materkowksi, known to her students as Mrs. Ski, encouraged her Language Arts classes to get dressed in their Cardinal attire to root the Redbirds on to a World Series victory. The students not only wore their Cardinals t-shirts but many came to school sporting their Spiezios, red tufts of facial hair made popular by player Scott Spiezio.
Mrs. Ski took photos and sent them to Frank Cusamano in the KSDK Sports Department. Wednesday night, the Greenville Junior High students' picture was shown during a newscast. She told WGEL that she had promised the students on Wednesday that there would be no homework so they could watch the game. However, Mother Nature rained out the game. Mrs. Ski said she'll give the students a reprieve from homework again today in hopes that the weather will cooperate and game four of the World Series will be played.
AUXILIARY APPLE BUTTER READY FOR 2006 HOLIDAY BAZAAR
Many local volunteers came together last week to continue the tradition of making Greenville Regional Hospital Auxiliary’s apple butter. The apple butter was cooked in copper kettles and canned on October 19 at the Bond County Fairgrounds, with auxiliary member Wendy White, of Greenville, serving as chairperson.
Prior to stirring the apple butter, 60 bushels of apples were washed by members of the Bond County Unit 2 High School Kiwanis Key Club and students from the Greenville Christian Academy at Smithgrove Baptist Church. Community volunteers then peeled, cored, and sliced apples at the Greenville VFW Hall. While it is unknown how long the apple butter tradition has been going on, it is believed to have started in the early 1960s.
Over 160 volunteers assisted with the apple butter project, from start to finish, which will be available for purchase at the 2006 Greenville Regional Hospital Auxiliary Holiday Bazaar on Saturday, December 2 at the Greenville Free Methodist Church. A total of 178 quarts and 904 pints of apple butter have been prepared for sale. Sugar-free apple butter will be available for sale.
SPRINGFIELD WOMAN ARRESTED FOR VANDALIA ROBBERY
A Springfield woman has been arrested and charged for the October 16 robbery of the National Bank in Vandalia. Vandalia police told WGEL that 34-year-old Lynette Hernandez was taken into custody October 20 in Springfield where she is still being held. Fayette County State's Attorney Stephen Friedel has charged Hernandez with alleged robbery and theft over $300.
On the morning of October 16, Hernandez allegedly entered the bank in Vandalia and according to the charges took money from a teller "by threatening the imminent use of force." Vandalia police have said their investigation revealed the woman never showed a weapon or implied that she had one. Authorities gained some information from two men who were allegedly riding in a car with Lynette Hernandez at the time of the robbery. No charges have been filed against those men.
DELINQUENT TAX SALE IS TUESDAY
Bond County's delinquent tax sale is Tuesday, October 31 at 10am at the treasurer's office. This is not a sale of property but a sale of unpaid taxes that were due by September 8 of this year. As of Thursday morning there were around $200,000 in unpaid taxes, however, Treasurer Katie Weiss said the amount should be less come sale day because taxpayers can make payments until 9am Tuesday. She encouraged delinquent taxpayers to try and make their payments by 4PM Monday, if possible. Buyers must pre-register at the treasurer's office prior to the sale.
NEW BOOK COVERS ILLINOIS AND GREENVILLE DURING WWII
An area author who has spent several years researching the history of Illinois, recently published his 12th book titled "Illinois and WWII". Bill Nunes told WGEL that his new book is in three parts. The first part has information about the war, the second part covers the role of Illinois during the war, and the third part has interviews with Illinois veterans, of which three or four are from the Greenville area. Nunes also explained that very few states did as much for the war effort as Illinois. The state was the home of the largest ammunition and weaponry factory at the Rock Island Arsenal and one-third of the United States Navy was trained at the Great Lakes Naval Training Station
Nunes was born on September 1, 1939, the first day of WWII. He remembers as a child how everyone saved tin and aluminum, bought war bonds and rationed food to support the war efforts. During his research, he found information on one particular event that took place involving a man who went before a judge in Greenville. The man was drunk and disorderly, and instead of the judge throwing the guy in jail, he released him on the condition that he buy a couple of war bonds
"Illinois and WWII" was released in late September and contains nearly 700 pictures. It is available at Watson's Drug Store, any major bookstore, and the Greenville Public Library.
