8-16-2006 




HUNTING LODGE/SUBDIVISION REQUESTS APPROVED

A large crowd packed the Bond County Boardroom Tuesday night as the board approved several zoning requests.  Langham Outfitters was granted a special use permit to operate an archery and muzzleloader hunting lodge on the old Propellex property in northern Bond County.  Additionally, Gary Laurent was allowed to place a double-wide manufactured home on that site.  Laurent and his wife will live on the property and organize lodge activities. 

The county board gave its approval to Ron Ferris' preliminary plat for the 8-lot Whispering Oaks Subdivision on Governor Bond Lake.  Ferris had also requested the fifteen acres be rezoned from A-1 to R-1.  The board gave its conditional approval to that request.  The rezoning will be allowed provided that the final plat is accepted.  Several in the audience expressed concerns about the extra traffic on Stowe Road which leads to the proposed subdivision.   That road is governed by LaGrange Township and not the county. 

All of these requests had been heard and approved earlier in the evening by the County Zoning Board of Appeals. 

WORK AT PATRIOT’S PARK PROGRESSING

The work at Patriot’s Park is about to enter another phase.  The rip rap took less than two weeks to complete and Kingsbury Park District director Jerry Sauerwein complimented Lake Rip Rap as a great contractor to work with.  Sauerwein told the park board Monday night that they will now begin drawing down the level of the lake around six feet to allow for the dam rehabilitation to begin.  The deepest part of the lake is between 15 and 18 feet.  It should take about twenty days to reduce the lake level to the desired point.

The park district is pleased with the numbers at the pool.  Sauerwein indicated that both the gate and concession receipts are up from last year.  He attributed the improvement to the work of pool manager Janice Barth.  The pool will be open until Sunday August 20 and then close for the season.

The KPD board went into closed session for around twenty-five minutes to discuss personnel and pending litigation.  No action was taken following the closed session.  The district has two upcoming court dates for hearings on suits in which they are the defendant…August 22 for the Wayne Stief suit and September 18 for the Warren Kennedy suit. 


UNIT 2, TEACHERS MEET WITH MEDIATOR

Unit 2 School officials and representatives of the district’s certified staff met for over three-and-a-half hours Monday night with a mediator.  Unit 2 superintendent Melanie Allyn told WGEL that no further mediation sessions have been scheduled at this time.  She said that they hope to know more within the next 24 hours on how things are going with the contract negotiations. 



MOBILE HOME BEING SCRAPPED CATCHES FIRE

A mobile home on Beaver Creek Trail that was being scrapped caught on fire Tuesday night.  A passerby saw the fire and reported it to the Greenville Fire Protection District.  Firefighters arrived to find that the owner, Edward Parker, was using a gas-powered saw to cut-up the trailer when sparks started a fire.  The department was on the scene for around 45 minutes.

SWANSEA WOMEN FOUND DEAD IN MICHIGAN

The Illinois State Police Zone 6 Investigations is assisting the Michigan State Police with the investigation of the death of 29 year-old Stacey C. Jarrell of Swansea, IL.  The body of Jarrell was found on July 16, 2006 on the ramp of I-94 at the 92 mile-marker near Battle Creek, MI.  Jarrell was last seen in the East St. Louis area on July 13th.  Information is being sought regarding the activities of Jarrell after July 12th.  Anyone with information concerning Jarrell or her activities is asked to call the Illinois State Police at (618) 346-3768.

GRANTS FOR FIVE ETHANOL AND BIODIESEL PLANTS IN ILLINOIS

More than $25 million in new "Opportunity Returns" grants and additional support will help to build five new ethanol and bio-diesel production facilities in Illinois.  These grants will spur about $334 million in private investment, produce 225 million gallons of bio-fuels each year, create about 150 new jobs and lessen Illinois' dependence on foreign oil.  The grants will go towards facilities in Fulton, Ogle, Vermilion, Will, and St. Clair counties.  Center Ethanol in St. Clair County is receiving $5.7 million to help build a new $100 million ethanol production facility near Sauget.  The new bio-refinery will create 35 new jobs and 250,000 worker-hours of construction jobs.  The facility will produce 54 million gallons of ethanol, use more than 19 million bushels of corn, and produce about 160,000 tons of livestock feed each year.

ZONING TEXT CHANGE APPROVED AT COUNTY BOARD MEETING

The Bond County Board Tuesday night approved a recommendation by Zoning Administrator Howard Elmore who proposed a zoning text change for irregular lots in the "R-1" or residential single family districts.  A lot width will now be determined by a line closest to the side lot line from the structure and will include the structure.  Ten percent of the width of the lot with a minimum set back of no less then ten feet will apply.  The county board then approved the County Clerk's Report and set a meeting date to discuss the budget worksheets for fiscal year 2006/2007.  You can see the Bond County Board meeting in its entirety tonight (Wednesday) at 6 p.m. on Greene County Cable Channel 3.

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AFHM HERITAGE DAYS PROFITABLE

Last month’s three-day American Farm Heritage Museum “Farm Heritage Days” generated a profit of around $9,400.  At Tuesday night’s AFHM meeting, an overview was shared on the event which attracted an estimated crowd of 2,580.  There were 102 tractors that participated in the Tractorcade on the opening day and 52 pullers competed in the debut of the garden tractor pull.  Rail division president David Kessinger reported that over 300 kids and adults rode the train.  He said that they hope to have up to 900 feet track lain by the October festival.  The next work day for the railroad is this Saturday at 8:30am.  Farm broadcaster Max Armstrong attended the show on Sunday and filmed a segment on one of the featured tractors for his RFD TV program.

A group of AFHM volunteers are hoping to have a permanent display in the small red barn by the first part of September.  The barn will serve as a museum featuring five tractors, a milking display, barn artifacts, and farmhouse items.  The building would be open on Saturdays and admission would be by donation.

October 14 is the next major event day for the farm museum.  Two events will take place…an Outhouse Festival and a Fall Festival for children 12 and under

WIN KENNY CHESNEY TICKETS

Country superstar Kenny Chesney is coming to the Savvis Center on Friday September 1st with his special guests Dierks Bentley and Carrie Underwood.  WGEL, Exclusive Pottery Design Furniture Gallery at Thompson’s Home Center and Illinois Paving are giving you the chance to win a pair of tickets.  On Tuesday August 29th, be one of the first ten callers to WGEL when you hear Kenny’s song “Summertime” and you’ll be registered for our drawing.  You must be 18 or older and may only register once.  Only one winner per family.  Employees of WGEL, our participating sponsors and their immediate family members are not eligible.  Tune in Tuesday August 29th for your chance to get registered.  We’ll announce our winners on Wednesday August 30th. 

OBITUARIES

VERNON DEWERFF      

Vernon Dewerff, age 88 of Greenville, passed away Sunday (Aug. 13) at Cardinal Hill Healthcare.  No funeral services are scheduled.  Memorials in memory of Vernon Dewerff may be made to the donor's choice.  The Young Funeral Home is handling the arrangements.

 

THE WGEL HAYRIDE.......COUNTRY CLASSICS EACH WEDNESDAY AND SUNDAY NIGHT FROM 7 UNTIL 10PM........REQUEST LINES OPEN..... CALL 618-664-3300.....

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