The Pantagraph Bloomington, IL articles from February 2004

Balanced Eureka College men rock Rockford

Feb 01, 2004 ... The current state's attorney claims his diversion program takesless important cases out of the court system. He says his specialized drug unit cracks down on gangs/drugs. Hespeaks of his child support program and a new program with anattorney at the Advocacy Center. Yet, he ...

End of the road

Feb 01, 2004 ... An excavator tore up pieces of old roadway last week whilepreparing lanes for ...

Feb 01, 2004; ... Four players scored in double figures as the Eureka College men'sbasketball team beat host Rockford College 77-57 Saturday afternoon. Eureka College (11-8 overall and 5-2 in the Northern Illinois andIowa Conference) torched the net on 53 percent shooting from thefield in the first ...

Community survey renewed Responses help service agencies

Feb 01, 2004; ... BLOOMINGTON -- On the surface, McLean County is rich with jobs andopportunity. Anyone familiar with the area can rattle off a list of its assets:low unemployment; a stable cadre of businesses; an educated workforce. But underneath the glossy finish, unsolved problems ...

Organizations would see team as blessing

Feb 01, 2004; ... BLOOMINGTON -- For some charitable organizations in Bloomington-Normal, having a professional minor league hockey team working ontheir behalf will be a blessing. "It'll be awesome," said Karen Daudelin, president of the UnitedWay of McLean County. "It would be a win-win situation ....

BHS grad Link wins in singles

Feb 01, 2004; ... Illinois State freshman Tim Link of Bloomington won the No. 7singles title in the Missouri Valley Conference Men's IndividualTennis Championships Saturday at Des Moines, Iowa. Link downed Jacob Neimeyer of Southwest Missouri State, 6-3, 6-0,then outlasted top-seeded Westin Hudnall ...

Adviser brings real-life experiences

Feb 01, 2004 ... William Lyle Fonger BLOOMINGTON -- William Lyle Fonger, 93, of 1904 Croxton,Bloomington, died at 10:45 p.m. Friday (Jan. 30, 2004) at hisresidence. His funeral will be at 11 a.m. Tuesday at Calvert & MetzlerMemorial Home, Bloomington, the Rev. Jim Smiley officiating ....

Feb 01, 2004; ... Harold Born of Bloomington laughed hard at the dark humor in themovie "Stalag 17." The play, which he hasn't seen, and the William Holden movie areset in a World War II German prisoner of war camp. Having been a World War II POW for six months, Born found theantics of the ...

Danville museum marks Abe's day

Feb 01, 2004 ... I am really encouraged after one year of Bill Yoder in the officeof McLean County's state's attorney. It seems to me that he hasintroduced a new no-nonsense approach to dealing with criminals andcrime in our county. I think he has proven to have the administrative abilities ...

Feb 01, 2004; ... DANVILLE - Sue Richter and folks at the Vermilion County MuseumComplex are tossing a birthday party for Abraham Lincoln from 2 to 4p.m. Feb. 8. Like Bloomington, Danville was on Lincoln's circuit when hepracticed law in Central Illinois in the 1840s and 1850s. The museum ...

Big fourth quarter fuels Eureka win

Feb 01, 2004; ... Eureka High School outscored Putnam County 22-9 in the fourthquarter to defeat Peoria Christian, 66-50, for the championship ofthe Tri-County Conference Basketball Tournament at Granville. Ryan Eigsti led Eureka with 14 points and Justin Houch added 12.A.J. Eeten had 11 points in ...

Late surge powers SMS past Redbirds Bears improve record to 9-0 in Missouri Valley Conference

Feb 01, 2004; ... SPRINGFIELD, Mo. -- The two teams played with a basketball, but abaton might have been more appropriate for Illinois State's MissouriValley Conference women's basketball game against Southwest MissouriState Saturday. Both the Redbirds (11-7 overall, 5-4 in the Valley) and Bears ...

Realtors show patience with clients

Feb 01, 2004; ... BLOOMINGTON -- Bill Wright once had a retired client who spent 13years making a decision to sell a sprawling house and move into asmaller, more manageable home. When Martie Cinnamon works with retirees who want to downsizetheir homes, she uses the term "property" instead of home ...

Altman says space program looking up

Feb 01, 2004; ... BLOOMINGTON -- Astronaut Scott Altman says life at NASA has been aroller coaster since seven astronauts died in the Columbia spaceshuttle disaster one year ago today. But Altman, a Lincoln native whose parents live in Pekin, said thespace agency's future is looking up. The ...

Feb 01, 2004 ... Marjorie Walters KEMPTON -- Marjorie Y. Walters, 83, of ruralKempton and formerly of Elkhart, Ind., died at 8:21 a.m. Friday (Jan.30, 2004) at her daughter's home, rural Kempton. Service: a graveside service will be at a ...

Memories of Sept. 11, 2001 still haunting

Feb 01, 2004 ... During Teena Griffin's tenure and leadership as first assistantstate's attorney, the deferred prosecution program was initiated withthe intent of implementing alternatives to prosecution for certainmisdemeanor crimes. This program expanded from first-time offenders who wrote ...

Feb 01, 2004; ... BLOOMINGTON - Richard Picciotto watched on television in hisfirehouse Sept. 11, 2001, as the South Tower of the World TradeCenter was hit by a jet plane. As he drove to the scene, a plane hitthe North Tower. Minutes later he was in that building, "and for a few seconds, Ithought ...

Wolf leads Pontiac to victory over Pekin

Feb 01, 2004; ... Morgan Wolf totaled 21 points and 12 rebounds to lead Pontiac HighSchool's girls basketball team over Pekin, 48-30, Saturday in anonconference game at Pontiac. Erin Halloran added six points for Pontiac (12-9), which honoredpast players and coaches from its 30-year history of ...

Heeding life's call to DOWNSIZE

Feb 01, 2004; ... Five years ago, M.J. and Dave Brady saw writing on the walls oftheir expansive home. They understood the message, but the retiredBloomington couple found acting on it much more difficult. The housewith the prominent front porch shaded by blue awnings at 1310 E.Washington St. had been ...

Head helps Illinois push past Michigan

Feb 01, 2004; ... CHAMPAIGN -- After the best game of his troubled season Saturday,Luther Head knew what awaited him -- 25 pushups. That's what Fred Brown, the father of University of Illinoissophomore Dee Brown, makes the players do for missing a free throw.Evidently, Mr. Brown doesn't take no for ...

Ryan's hope: Another title for Badgers

Feb 01, 2004; ... Make no mistake about it -- "Bo Ball" is ruling the Big TenConference. Wisconsin has a head start on its third straight league title inCoach Bo Ryan's first three seasons. The 17th-ranked Badgers (14-3overall) take a 5-1 Big Ten record into Wednesday's home game ...

People On The Move

Feb 01, 2004 ... RETIREMENTSPresident retires PONTIAC -- William Lannon retired as president of the State Bankof Saunemin after serving in that capacity for 20 years. Lannon willremain as the chairman of the board of directors of the bank. Dennis Stephens, who has worked with Lannon for 25 ...

Breaking the Ice Team not just about hockey

Feb 01, 2004; ... BLOOMINGTON -- When Peoria Rivermen players Tyler Rennette andKenny Goetz skate off the ice, their job doesn't stop. Last week, their work as professional hockey players took them toBeverly Manor School in Washington where they talked with gradeschool students about important ...

Housing for seniors has improved

Feb 01, 2004 ... Wilma Sprau GIBSON CITY -- Wilma C. Sprau, 83, of Gibson Citydied at 1:45 p.m. Friday (Jan. 30, 2004) at her home. Her funeral will be at 11:30 a.m. Tuesday at The American LutheranChurch, Gibson City, the Rev. Dave Pavesic officiating. Burial willbe in Bellflower Township ...

Feb 01, 2004; ... BLOOMINGTON -- Varied housing options for older Twin Cityhomeowners exist. Some choose to live in their longtime homes, whileothers pick ranch houses, condominums, independent living or assistedcare facilities. But some Realtors, such as Bill Wright with Buyers Agent Realtyand ...

Far from India, close in spirit Immigrants gather to celebrate roots

Feb 01, 2004 ... Harold Wright BLOOMINGTON -- Harold Wright, 92, of Meadows Mennonite Home, ruralChenoa, formerly a longtime resident of DeKalb and father of a formerBloomington woman, died at 9:55 a.m. Friday (Jan. 30, 2004) atMeadows Mennonite Home, rural Chenoa. Service: 11 a.m. graveside ...

Feb 01, 2004; ... NORMAL -- When Ramesh Chaudhari arrived in the Twin Cities about35 years ago, he could count on his hands the number of Indiansliving here, he said Saturday. They'd gather in living rooms and celebrate festivals such as theHindi Divali and more serious occasions such as India ...

Quincy posts win over Normal West

Feb 01, 2004 ... During my tenure as chief of police for the town of Normal, I waskeenly aware of the importance of a collaborative relationshipbetween law enforcement and the state's attorney's office. Such an effective partnership was necessary to ensure that caseswere processed in a judicious ...

Feb 01, 2004; ... NORMAL -- Normal West High School's basketball team fell behind by10 points at the half and could not recover in a 56-40 nonconferenceloss to Quincy Saturday night. The Wildcats were coming off a 71-70 upset win Friday at ChampaignCentennial. But Saturday, they could not take ...

IWU's bark, bite equally damaging to North Park

Feb 01, 2004; ... BLOOMINGTON -- With a young gentleman roaming Shirk Center in adalmatian costume, the Disney movie set was down to 100. On the court, the Illinois Wesleyan basketball team was not aboutto turn in another dog performance against North Park Saturday. "There wasn't any doubt," ...

So Osama isn't even hiding on Mars, either

Feb 01, 2004; ... Column diary 2004, a check of big headlines, small wonders andother worldly events: January 2004 1 Year begins with energy costs skyrocketing. Happy Nuke Year! 2 Britney spears a husband. 3 And then discards him. 4 World gets first interplanetary ...

Midterm Report Southern Illinois, Brooks top conference so far

Feb 01, 2004; ... Saturday marked the halfway point in the Missouri ValleyConference race for most teams. And, yes, there have been surprises in the first nine games. Wichita State, which was the preseason pick to win the league,finds itself tied for fourth with Southwest Missouri State ....

Flick Fact

Feb 01, 2004 ... Question Can you name what happens this month that has happened in only oneother February since 1948? Answer: There are five Sundays in February ....

House Speaker Madigan resisted money play

Feb 01, 2004; ... This is the time of year when reporters begin sifting through thevoluminous campaign finance disclosure reports that are filed bypoliticians. Way back in the '90s, people interested in reading about money inpolitics used to have to trek on down to the Illinois State Board ...

Feb 01, 2004 ... Elizabeth Sisco CLINTON -- Elizabeth Briggs Sisco, 68, ofChicago, formerly of Clinton died at 1:35 p.m. Thursday (Jan. 29,2004) at her residence. Her funeral will be at 2 p.m. Wednesday at Calvert Funeral Home,Clinton, J. Kent Hickerson officiating. Burial will be in ...

We take care when covering Pantagraphers

Feb 01, 2004 ... Sondra Strebing BLOOMINGTON -- Sondra "Sandy" S. Strebing, 64, of Danville, motherof a Bloomington resident, passed away at 3:27 a.m. Friday (Jan. 30,2004) at Carle Foundation Hospital, Urbana. She was born on April 1, 1939, the daughter of Harold Laird andCathren Stuebe ...

Feb 01, 2004; ... There was my boss on the front page of The Pantagraph lastSaturday -- featured prominently in a photo as he announced theUnited Way of McLean County passed its fund-raising goal for the 2003campaign. Stephanie Oberlander's photo did a nice job of telling the story -- it showed ...

A cost-cutting possibility ignored: merging schools

Feb 01, 2004 ... Isn't it time Bloomington-Normal take another serious look atmerging its school districts? Looking doesn't mean merging. But looking should be based on what is best for the childreninvolved, not adults' emotions. In the vote eight years ago, emotions ruled because Unit 5 ...

New Names

Feb 01, 2004 ... Jamison K. and Meggan J. Krin Holt of Clinton are parents ofGrant Francis Holt, born Jan. 17, 2004. The 9-pound, 3-ounce baby isa brother of Mason E. MacPherson Holt, 21 months. The baby's middlename is for his paternal grandfather and a maternal great-aunt. He isa grandson of Mike and ...

Redbird players experience a lesson in life

Feb 01, 2004 ... The Heyworth bus stops in front of my house every morning inShirley at 7:35 am. I look out my back window and see the new Unit 5 school. I drive down Shirley Road to work and there is an Olympia bus thatalso passes through Shirley. But you can't be on that Oly ...

Feb 01, 2004; ... Illinois State's basketball team earned more than a victoryWednesday night in its Missouri Valley Conference game at NorthernIowa. The Redbirds received an education that had nothing to do withacademics or basketball. It was an experience that couldn't be simulated in the ...

Woman facing cocaine charges

Feb 01, 2004; ... NORMAL -- A Normal woman was jailed early Saturday on cocaine andfailure-to-appear in court charges. Debra McClellan, 45, of the 1700 block of Rockingham Drive,Normal, was arrested about 1:50 a.m. Saturday in the 600 block ofWest Raab Road, Normal. Police said they stopped ...

War in Iraq, deaths are hard to fathom now

Feb 01, 2004 ... Donald L. Fleming GRIDLEY -- Donald L. Fleming, 74, 102 SunsetDr., Gridley, died at 11 a.m. Friday, (Jan. 30, 2004) at his home. His funeral will be at 11 a.m. Tuesday at Salem Church, ruralGridley. Pastor Steve Estes and the Rev. Bradley Fleming officiating.Burial will be in ...

Feb 01, 2004 ... I am so confused that words cannot explain my dilemma. So many things that we were led to believe a year ago -- we arenow informed -- have proven untrue. Yet, our military personnelsuffer and die in a war that most nations of the world said wasunnecessary. Their families wait ...

Taking the Heat FDNY firefighter shares tale of terror, tribute

Feb 01, 2004 ... This letter responds to Lynda Lane's letter regarding Vision 25'spresentation to the Olympia School Board. I presume that Ms. Lane, asan educator, agrees with Vision 25 that closing any school is atragedy, but closing two grade schools at Olympia is preferable toclosing three. My ...

Feb 01, 2004; ... BLOOMINGTON -- Bloomington firefighters welcomed a New York herofrom Sept. 11, 2001, to their lunch table Saturday. But as retired New York deputy fire chief Richard Picciotto satdown to homemade tacos, he made it clear he considered himself justone member of a ...

Redbirds zoned out in loss ISU struggles with Bradley's zone defense

Feb 01, 2004 ... Gov. Blagojevich's recent education proposal to change the StateBoard of Education is the right subject but the wrong solution. The problem with Illinois education is not who is in charge;rather, it is a lack of money and too many unfunded legislativemandates. It is far too obvious ...

Feb 01, 2004; ... NORMAL -- Porter Moser's biggest concern became a realitySaturday at Redbird Arena. "One of the things we talked about as a staff was our concernabout Bradley's athleticism," said the Illinois State basketballcoach. "That's a strength for them and it's been a weakness of ...

Despite chill, sledders hit slopes

Feb 01, 2004; ... BLOOMINGTON -- While some people escape to warmer climates to beatthe wintertime blues, others hit the local hills. From the sounds echoing off the hills Saturday afternoon atBloomington's Highland Golf Course, it seemed the sledders had noidea the temperatures were hovering only ...

You can buy quality chocolate at Boylan's

Feb 01, 2004 ... Paul W. Clary Jr. KENNEY -- Paul W. 'Bill" Clary Jr., 58, of Kenney died at 12:45p.m. Friday (Jan. 30, 2004) at his home. His funeral will be at 11 a.m. Tuesday at Calvert Funeral Home,Clinton, Brandon Moore officiating. Burial will be in Pleasant ValleyCemetery, Kenney ....

Feb 01, 2004 ... From the news items recently in The Pantagraph concerning theclosing of the Fannie May candy stores, it seems the letters to theeditor dwell on the only place one can purchase quality chocolateitems is the Chocolatier, a locally owned company on North Main. This company, confirmed ...

Conservation effort needs own police

Feb 01, 2004 ... Emily Keller BLOOMINGTON -- Emily Keller, 85, of 815 N. PrairieSt., Bloomington, died at 3:30 p.m. Wednesday (Jan. 28, 2004) atPortland, Maine, while visiting family. Her funeral will be Wednesday at 9:30 a.m. at Carmody-FlynnWilliamsburg Funeral Home and 10 a.m. at Holy Trinity ...

Feb 01, 2004; ... The phone on the outdoor desk at The Pantagraph rang off the hookbefore the governor's State of the State address. Callers heard rumors Gov. Rod Blagojevich was about to announcethe merger of the conservation police in the Department of NaturalResources with the state ...

Feb 01, 2004 ... Bill Yoder's broad legal experience offers a valuable perspectivein the office of McLean County state's attorney. Bill's previous experience both as a prosecutor and a defenseattorney gives him the ability to view a case and identify issues notalways evident to the ...

Defense carries Titans to victory

Feb 01, 2004 ... At Olympia, the school day ends at 3:10, but each day at 3:30 theclassrooms, hallways and gyms are full of students, coaches andsponsors. The National Federation of State High Schools state that at a costof 1 to 3 percent of a school's budget -- 1 percent at Olympia --activities ...

Feb 01, 2004; ... BLOOMINGTON -- Illinois Wesleyan's women's basketball teamovercame cold shooting with a solid defensive effort Saturday in a 43-33 victory over North Central at Shirk Center. The Titans shot only 26 percent from the field in the CollegeConference of Illinois and Wisconsin contest, ...

Lying president needs to go to Mars, suit and all

Feb 01, 2004 ... With so much turmoil in the world today, whether small or largerissues, it seems our government is becoming a waste of time, money,not to mention the lives of our citizens, and an embarrassment to theworld. For example, why spend millions expanding highways then pass lawsto keep ...

LaSalle County discusses cost of codes

Feb 01, 2004 ... Donald Hoppock BLOOMINGTON -- Donald S. Hoppock, 86, of Roscoe,formerly of Bloomington, died Friday (Jan. 30, 2004) at Fair OaksNursing Home. Service: 3 p.m. Tuesday at Sunset Funeral Home, Machesney Park. Burial: at a later date in Door County, Wis. Visitation: 2 p.m ....

Feb 01, 2004; ... OTTAWA -- The LaSalle County Board now has some figures to workwith when it debates building codes for rural residents. The development committee last week heard Independent InspectionsLTD of McHenry estimate costs of 15 cents per square foot for newconstruction, or about $900 for ...

Taste of the Wild Banquet offers outdoor flavor as fund-raising tool

Feb 01, 2004; ... Get your game here What: 13th annual McLean County Sportsmen's Association Wild GameBanquet When: Saturday; doors open at 3 p.m., dinner starts at 4:30 p.m. Where: The Interstate Center, Illinois 9 West, Bloomington Cost: $20 in advance, $25 at the door; can get ...

Feb 01, 2004 ... Bill Yoder deserves your vote for McLean County state's attorney. I practice law in McLean County and I know each candidatepersonally. I have had the opportunity to observe each of them in andout of the courtroom. Bill Yoder is the hands-down best candidate. Bill is ...