MORE DETAILS ON HAMEL STANDOFF
The Hamel Police Department issued a statement about a standoff that occurred Tuesday night on Meyer Avenue. According to the Police Chief Bronson Painter, officers responded to a call of a possible suicidal subject. Once they arrived on scene, with a Madison County Deputy, it was determined that the subject may have barricaded himself in. The wife of the man was concerned for his safety, according to Chief Painter. Information had been received that the man may have had several shotguns in the house and that the he may be having a physical reaction to medication. The Illinois State Police Negotiation team was contacted and eventually were able to get the man out of his home, just before midnight. He was taken to a hospital for evaluation. No one was injured.
A YEAR OF WORK TO A 50 YEAR-OLD MILITARY VEHICLE
A local man, his son, and his father, have spent the last year working on a project close to their hearts. WGEL spoke with Jim Romack and his dad Jim Sr., about how it all started with a trip to Missouri to pick up a 54 year-old military Jeep. It is a 1953 Willy’s M38-A1, ¼ ton, the predecessor to the Jeep during WWII. Romack says that after being in the military and now with the Amvets, he thought that this a is good way for people to see what was used years ago.
His father, Jim Sr., was in the Korean War, assigned to the 519th Military Police Company. Jim Sr. said that he that exact type of vehicle with General Taylor and with the Vice President of Korea, on separate occasions.
With a year of work, including stripping the Jeep down to it's axles, it now looks identical to the one in a picture that Jim Sr. carries with him. They've fitted the back spare wheel cap with a temporary Illinois tag, until their permanent license plate comes in. So, you might see the two of them out "cruising", topping out at speeds of 45 mph. The Romacks will also have the military Jeep in the Sorento Homecoming Parade this weekend.
UNIT 2 HIRES STAFF FOR 2007-2008 SCHOOL YEAR
The Bond County Unit 2 Board of Education hired several new staff to the district Monday night. Newly hired were Amy Gruner as a 2/5 Elementary Art Teacher, Bethannie Thole as a school nurse, Sheila Enloe as part of the custodian/food service personnel, Danielle Barton as the Sorento girl's basketball coach and bus drivers Ella Mains, Joe Pruitt and Shelli Hinkle.
In other business, district administrators reported on work done at their school buildings over the summer. All of them thanked the custodial staff and volunteers who helped with everything from painting to upgrading computers. Meg File reported that there was no machine left in the Unit 2 District that was running Windows 98. She also discussed the organization of a group, in the fall, that will be working on a Technology Plan, for the district over the next year. The next Unit 2 Board of Education meeting will be Monday, September 24th.
