The Pantagraph Bloomington, IL back issues from February 2008:
Back from the brink
Feb 01, 2008; ... NORMAL - The Drake women's basketball team left the door open forNo. 24-ranked Illinois State Thursday night at Redbird Arena. Sophomore forward Ashleen Bracey and the rest of the Redbirdsweren't about to let the opportunity slip away. "Never once did I accept we were going to ...
Deaths
Feb 01, 2008 ... central illinois James M. Bowen PONTIAC - James M. "Jim" Bowen, 79, Pontiac, died at 8:15 a.m.Wednesday (Jan. 30, 2008) at the home of his daughter in ruralChatsworth, after a short illness. Cremation rites have been accorded and a burial of ashes will beat a later ...
Amateur art
Feb 01, 2008 ... ART Amateur art BLOOMINGTON - Entry forms for the 81st annual McLean CountyAmateur Art Competition-Exhibition are available beginning today atthe Arts Center, 601 N. East St., Bloomington, and local publiclibraries. Additionally, applicants can download the entry form ...
Smiles returning to Redbird faithful
Feb 01, 2008; ... The face of Illinois State athletics used to be a smilingRedbird, accompanied by a friendly "thumbs up." Forget that birds,red or otherwise, have neither thumbs nor toothy grins. The messagewas what mattered, and the beaming beak and extended thumb conveyedunbridled joy. A few ...
Saints' Murray shines onSenior Night vs. Hawks
Feb 01, 2008 ... Central Catholic High School's Amanda Murray stole the SeniorNight spotlight Thursday at Prairie Central as the senior postplayer powered the Saints past the host Hawks, 62-59, in a hard-fought Corn Belt Conference basketball game Thursday at Fairbury. Murray took game honors with ...
More volunteers,more money forSalvation Army
Feb 01, 2008; ... BLOOMINGTON - The Salvation Army exceeded its holiday-seasonfundraising goal, thanks to community members who donated their timeand money, charity officials announced Thursday. Salvation Army Capt. Scott Shelbourn announced the Make ADifference campaign raised $337,544.71 - far ...
Letters
Feb 01, 2008 ... Fight against attempts to limit gun-owners' rights Why aren't Central Illinois' non-criminal, legal gun owners,collectors, hobby/competition shooters and meat animal huntersaddressing opinion pages about Chicago attempts at Illinois gunlegislation? House Bill 731 would make ...
Letters
Feb 01, 2008 ... U.S. president As a 59-year-old woman who voted for Bill Clinton twice, I'mdismayed that Hillary Clinton is apparently as incapable ofcontrolling her husband's despicable behavior in 2008, as she was inthe 1990s when his philandering dragged the country through thatobscene saga, ...
Vandello scores praise in loss
Feb 01, 2008; ... NORMAL - Mike Vandello couldn't help Illinois State's basketballteam pull out a victory Wednesday at Northern Iowa. That didn't stop Vandello from winning the praise of histeammates and coach Tim Jankovich. After playing only four minutes in the previous 11 games,Vandello was ...
'Treacherous' snow falls
Feb 01, 2008; ... By Sharon K. Wolfeand Roger Miller BLOOMINGTON - As snow fell Thursday evening, roads became slickand deserted, flights were grounded, schools closed, events werecanceled - and officials waited to see what today would bring. "The morning commute is going to be pretty ...
Ex-teacher pleads guilty to porn charges
Feb 01, 2008; ... PEORIA - A former substitute teacher at several area schools willface five to 20 years in prison when he is sentenced May 9 onfederal child pornography charges. Scott Southerland, 49, of the 1400 block of South Oak Street,pleaded guilty on Jan. 18 to receiving and possessing ...
Corn Belt corrects posting of personal info
Feb 01, 2008; ... BLOOMINGTON - About 2,000 Corn Belt Energy Corp. members whowanted to opt out of the company's new charity program had some oftheir account information inadvertently published on the utility'sWeb site. The file contained the names, utility account numbers and e-mailaddresses for ...
It's muck and grindtime for Thunder
Feb 01, 2008; ... It's muck and grind time for Thunder The original plan was sabotaged by an exodus of skill players forthe greener pastures of Europe. Plan B will be much simpler for the Bloomington PrairieThunder,stalled in last place in the International Hockey League standingswhile ...
This week with the Thunder
Feb 01, 2008 ... Thunder vs. Fury When 6:30 p.m. Friday Where: L.C. Walker Arena, Muskegon, Mich. Radio WTRX-FM (93.7) FYI Muskegon and Flint are tied for fourth place and the finalplayoff spot with 44 points, nine ahead of ...
Shrinking race isn'treflected on ballots
Feb 01, 2008; ... SPRINGFIELD - The number of candidates vying for the presidencyhas shrunk, but Illinois' presidential ballot has not. When voters in the Land of Lincoln head to the polls Tuesday,Republicans still will see nine candidates on the ballot, eventhough just four are still actively ...
Coliseum posts small Decemberprofit, able to chip away at loss
Feb 01, 2008; ... BLOOMINGTON - A Chicago concert, hockey games and "Sesame Street"helped the U.S. Cellular Coliseum post a $3,503 operations profitfor December. The report released Thursday showed a small profit, allowing thecity and Central Illinois Arena Management to chip away at theColiseum's ...
Deadline is todayfor tech conference
Feb 01, 2008 ... Deadline is todayfor tech conference NORMAL - Deadline is today to register for the Students Involvedwith Technology conference, a Feb. 16 event for children ages 3-12. The annual event will be at Heartland Community College'sWorkforce Development Center, 1500 W. Raab Road. In ...
Big 12 Conference Swim Meet primer
Feb 01, 2008 ... When Saturday - Diving - 9 a.m.; Swimming - 1 p.m. Where Champaign Centennial High School Area outlook: Intercity Meet runner-up Normal West beat defendingchampion Centennial in a dual meet, 95-89. When the seven Big 12teams met in the 14-team Centennial ...
B-N school only one instate with PTA honor
Feb 01, 2008; ... BLOOMINGTON - A planned week of activities designed to encourageparents to visit their children's schools earned a Bloomingtonschool national recognition. Sheridan Elementary School, a Bloomington District 87 school, isone of 30 schools in the United States and the only one in ...
Cheerleaders revved up for state meet
Feb 01, 2008; ... BLOOMINGTON - Having experienced a dose of unbridled joy,Ridgeview High School cheerleading coach Carla Taylor wants more. All it took last year in the Illinois High School Associationcompetitive cheerleading state meet was for Ridgeview to advancefrom the 25-team preliminaries to ...
Intercity boysgames
Feb 01, 2008 ... Intercity boys games Normal Community vs. Normal West Time 7:30 p.m. today Place: Normal West Radio WJBC-AM (1230) Records: NCHS 10-12, 3-5 in Big 12 Conference; Normal West 10-10, 4-4 FYI Normal West won 49-39 when the Unit 5 rivals met in ...
BHS Poms go nationalthis weekend in Florida
Feb 01, 2008; ... BLOOMINGTON - The B-Town Raiders will be on their way today toOrlando, Fla., to compete in a national dance competition thisweekend in Florida. Alyssa Meginnes couldn't be happier. The high school junior and captain of the team officially knownas the Bloomington High School ...
Enough silver for so many screens?
Feb 01, 2008; ... BLOOMINGTON - So many movie screens, so few moviegoers to sit infront of them? That's the question that may be reeling through the minds of TwinCity moviegoers this weekend as their viewing options expand by halfthe present total. With today's opening of Wehrenberg Theaters' ...
Youths can be role models for adults on sportsmanship
Feb 01, 2008 ... Adults should be good role models for youths. That's often beensaid, including in editorials on the Pantagraph Opinion pages. But sometimes young people serve as good role models for adults. That is the case with the Athletic Code of Conduct developed bystudents in the Heart of ...
State Farm buys ad timeduring pre-game festivities
Feb 01, 2008; ... BLOOMINGTON - Tens of millions of people will pay attention toSunday's big football game - and maybe even more so to the new,entertaining commercials. State Farm Insurance Cos., however, hopes to capture theattention of core NFL fans before the New York Giants and the NewEngland ...
Time to take stock in LeRoy wrestling
Feb 01, 2008; ... LEROY - LeRoy High School wrestlers bought into what its coachwas selling and boy are they cashing in. Second-year coach Doug DeWald sold his Panthers on the benefitsof off-season training and they have struck gold with a 19-1 recordheading into the 10 a.m. Class A regional they ...
Football spurs rush on TVs
Feb 01, 2008; ... NORMAL - Eyes will be glued to many more new televisions for thisyear's Super Bowl. Despite talk of a national recession, Americans still plan topurchase 3.9 million televisions for Super Bowl Sunday, up more than50 percent from 2.5 million last year, according to the ...
Key stop on the road to sainthood
Feb 01, 2008; ... EL PASO - A milestone in the cause for sainthood of El Pasonative Archbishop Fulton Sheen comes Sunday, with a special Mass ofthanksgiving at 10:30 a.m. at the Cathedral of Saint Mary of theImmaculate Conception, Peoria. It is part of the "postrema sessio" ("next stage"), which ...
In a sprint for Illinois' delegates,Clinton, Obama not giving an inch
Feb 01, 2008; ... DAVENPORT, Iowa - At first glance, it may not make sense forHillary Clinton to play too hard in Illinois' Democratic primary onTuesday. Barack Obama is the home-state senator. Polls show him with awide lead, and he's locked up the backing of nearly all the state'spolitical ...
Surely this is enough to make everyone Janu-wary
Feb 01, 2008; ... COLUMN DIARY, a check of big headlines, small wonders and otherworldly events a check of big headlines, small wonders and otherworldly events: January 2008 1. Illini smell the Roses, but unfortunately, they pretty muchjust smell in actual game. 2. Sean Penn now ...
Storm leaves cheerleaders with free time
Feb 02, 2008; ... By Edith Brady-Lunnyand Michele Steinbacher BLOOMINGTON - There is reason to cheer today at the U.S. CellularColiseum, now that the snowstorm that hit Thursday and Friday isover. The Illinois High School Association's Competitive CheerleadingChampionships were scheduled for ...
Andre Rieuto performin Peoria
Feb 02, 2008 ... PEORIA - Tickets go on sale at noon today for violinist-composerAndre Rieu's latest appearance at the Peoria Civic Center. His return engagement is set for 7 p.m. April 17. Tickets are $51.50, $66.50 and $76.50, and can be purchased atthe Civic Center box office and all area ...
Indigo Girlsconcert reset
Feb 02, 2008 ... BLOOMINGTON - Illness, not the snow, was blamed in thecancellation of Friday's Indigo Girls concert at the BloomingtonCenter for the Performing Arts. One half of the duo, Emily Saliers, became ill, which also led tothe cancellation of a show in Memphis on Thursday night. The ...
Muskegon shuts out Thunder
Feb 02, 2008 ... MUSKEGON, Mich. - Robin Bouchard scored two first-period goals tospark Muskegon to a 3-0 victory over the Bloomington PrairieThunderon Friday night in International Hockey League action at L.C. WalkerArena. Bouchard scored 3 minutes, 56 seconds into the opening period offan ...
Three Intercity games among postponed events
Feb 02, 2008 ... PANTAGRAPH STAFF A number of Pantagraph area boys high school basketball gameswere postponed on Friday because of the snowstorm which hit CentralIllinois. Normal Community's game at Normal West was pushed back untilTuesday at 7:30 p.m., as was Bloomington's game at ...
Schick guides Illinois State gymnasts to victory
Feb 02, 2008 ... Freshman Erica Schick won the all-around with a 38.675 total,leading the Illinois State women's gymnastics team to a MidwestIndependent Conference victory over Centenary on Friday atShreveport, La. ISU (3-1) ended with a 192.775 total to Centenary's 191.825. Schick's ...
IWU men out to create chaos
Feb 02, 2008; ... BLOOMINGTON - In sole possession of first place earlier thisweek, Carthage would love to restore some order to the CollegeConference of Illinois and Wisconsin basketball standings today. Illinois Wesleyan hopes to promote CCIW chaos when the Red Meninvade Shirk Center for a 7:30 ...
Illini aren't ready yet to give up on season
Feb 02, 2008; ... CHAMPAIGN - When your basketball team has struggled and whendreams of an NCAA tournament run seem to be a distant memory, maybeit's time to turn to the future. Play the young guys. Prepare for tomorrow. The University of Illinois may nearly be at that point. But ...
Pioneers' setter Brunscommits to S. Carolina
Feb 02, 2008; ... NORMAL - University High School junior volleyball star TaylorBruns considered waiting to verbally commit to accept a fullscholarship from one of the many universities courting her, butwaiting came with pros and cons. "If the South Carolina scholarship had gone to someone else, ...
Redbirds look to 'bear' up
Feb 02, 2008; ... SPRINGFIELD, Mo. - This has been the most trying week of theseason for Illinois State's basketball team. Anthony Slack is attempting to recover from a shoulder injury. Anasty flu bug weakened several players along with Coach TimJankovich. The Redbirds cut short Thursday's practice ...
Redbird essentials
Feb 02, 2008 ... Redbird essentials Illinois State vs. Missouri State Time 7:05 p.m. Site: Hammons Student Center, Springfield, Mo. Radio: WJBC-AM (1230), WJEZ-FM (98.9) Records: Illinois State 15-6, 7-3 MVC; Missouri State 11-11, 4-6 Series history/last meeting: ...
IWU women not underestimating Carthage
Feb 02, 2008; ... BLOOMINGTON - Despite a 15-3 record, the Carthage women'sbasketball team has yet to capture the attention of the two nationalDivision III polls. Yet Illinois Wesleyan is well aware of Carthage'saccomplishments. The Titans have been looking up at the Reds in theCollege Conference ...
Letters
Feb 02, 2008 ... School teaches values along with academics Catholic education is alive and well at St. Paul School in Odell.Our mission statement is: Enter to learn about Christ, leave toserve Christ. We feel that when students receive an education underthe teachings of Christ, learning takes on a ...
Consumer groups, utilities watch for decoupling' decision
Feb 02, 2008; ... SPRINGFIELD - A decision over natural gas charges expectedTuesday might not affect Ameren customers directly, but could signala coming change in how many Illinois residents pay to heat theirhomes - and how much they pay. Recently, Ameren asked the Illinois Commerce Commission to ...
'Banner'season setto includeHutchison
Feb 02, 2008; ... NORMAL - With the Illinois State women's basketball team back inthe national rankings for the first time since 1988, the Redbirdscouldn't have picked a better time to showcase a legendarytrailblazer from their past. Former ISU coach Jill Hutchison, a pioneer in the growth ...
Authorities seek forgery suspect
Feb 02, 2008 ... BLOOMINGTON - Police are asking for the public's help in findinga 43-year-old woman accused of failing to appear in court on forgeryand deceptive practice charges. Kathleen A. Wilson, last of Bloomington, is 6 feet tall, weighs250 pounds and has blond hair and hazel eyes. She is ...
Deaths
Feb 02, 2008 ... central illinois Angelo Cavallini LEXINGTON - Angelo S. Cavallini, 96, of Evenglow Lodge, Pontiac,formerly of Meadows and Blue Island, died at 8:15 p.m. Wednesday(Jan. 30, 2008) at Evenglow Health Center, Pontiac. His funeral will be at 11 a.m. today at St Paul's ...
Plan to bring baseball to Twin Cities takes next step
Feb 02, 2008; ... NORMAL - The idea of bringing an independent professionalbaseball team to the Twin Cities has attracted enough interest thatcommunity organizers think it's time to hire a consultant. "One (investment) group is quite serious," said Alan Sender, whochairs a committee of community ...
Sharing resources
Feb 02, 2008; ... BLOOMINGTON - Students across DeWitt, Livingston and McLeancounties may have tons of fun with creative Earth Day activities inApril because of what a new community group will be doing Monday. The Community Educators Association was formed less than a yearago to help museum, art and ...
Letters
Feb 02, 2008 ... Unit 5 referendum I am going to vote "yes" in the Unit 5 referendum. Initially, myreasoning for this support was self-interest: I want the bestpossible education for my son. I want him to grow and flourish in aschool that provides a small classroom size with today's ...
Defense seeks evaluation in federal child porn case
Feb 02, 2008; ... PEORIA - James C. Love may have been legally insane when heallegedly photographed four teenage boys after sedating andmolesting them at his home last year, according to a defense motionfiled in federal court. Love, a former substitute teacher in District 87 and Unit 5schools, ...
Davis totals 18 points as Prairie Central tops Pontiac
Feb 02, 2008 ... Clint Davis scored 18 points, grabbed nine rebounds and blockedthree shots to lead Prairie Central High School's basketball team toa 59-42 Corn Belt Conference victory over Pontiac on Friday night atFairbury. Luke Gschwendtner led Pontiac (10-11, 5-5) with 13 points. Mark ...
United Way just short in Pontiac
Feb 02, 2008; ... PONTIAC - The United Way of Pontiac fell a little bit short ofits goal in its 2007-08 campaign, but officials said they still werepleased with the effort and optimistic the shortage will be made up. The organization raised $198,370, falling about $3,600 short ofthe goal of ...
Commerceadds branchon east sideadds branch to the east
Feb 02, 2008; ... BLOOMINGTON - Commerce Bank will make its jump to the east sideof Bloomington official when its newest branch opens Monday. The banking center at 2807 E. Empire St. near the CentralIllinois Regional Airport is the company's newest Twin City locationin about 16 years. As the ...
Sunday
Feb 02, 2008 ... Sunday - Ken Honecker of Bement will be the special guest at 6p.m. at the Cowboy Church, First Christian Church, Farmer City. Feb. 9 - The 24th year for The Rev. George Carl Bible Study willbegin at 3 p.m. in the Fellowship Hall of Delavan United MethodistChurch, led by the Rev ....
Show puts you in mood forspring, with, without shadow
Feb 02, 2008; ... The question of the day is: Did the groundhog see his shadow?Folklore suggests that if a groundhog sees his shadow Feb. 2, therewill be six more weeks of winter; if he doesn't, there will be anearly spring. Even if the sun is shining at Gobblers' Knob and PunxsutawneyPhil sees ...
Hearts at Home conference turns 15
Feb 02, 2008; ... Fifteen years ago, a group for Christian women called Mom2Mom puttogether what was to be a one-day, one-time conference at IllinoisState University. Organizers expected attendance of 500; 1,100 people came. Hearts at Home was born out of the response and celebrates the15th ...
3 men accused offighting officer
Feb 02, 2008 ... Police, fire, rescue 3 men accused of fighting officer NORMAL - Three suburban Chicago men are accused of grabbing andstruggling with a police officer in Normal. Charles V. Kiel, 19, of Schaumburg; Nicholas R. Pahl, 18, ofHoffman Estates; and Austin T. Reyes, 18, of ...
Tommy Johnto speak
Feb 02, 2008 ... Tommy Johnto speak NORMAL - The 2008 Fellowship of Christian Athletes Banquet willbe Feb. 17 at Illinois State University's Bone Student Center BrownBallroom, 100 N. University St., Normal. Doors open at 5 p.m. withthe banquet beginning at 5:30 p.m. The keynote speaker will ...
Redemption, self-awareness found in comical film
Feb 02, 2008; ... Did you wake up to an alarm clock radio this morning? Was Sonnyand Cher's "I Got You Babe" playing? After all, it is Groundhog Day, you know. This year is the 15th anniversary of the movie "Groundhog Day." Ihave to confess I didn't see the movie when it came out in 1993, ...
Cancellations andstranded balanceout at B-N hotels
Feb 02, 2008; ... BLOOMINGTON - Carol Mielke and Jan Pafford enjoyed their coffeeand conversation Friday morning like old friends. But Mielke, of Forsyth, and Pafford, of Mahomet, actually werestrangers - stranded airline passengers sharing a table at Bevandecafe in the Central Illinois Regional ...
Illinois may feel stickershock
Feb 02, 2008; ... SPRINGFIELD - A new proposal in the General Assembly would raisethe price of a vehicle registration sticker from $78 to $96 in 2009. State Rep. Kevin McCarthy, D-Orland Park, put forth the proposalearlier this month to raise money for state construction projectsthat would include ...
B-N racks up almost $9,000 in parking tickets
Feb 02, 2008; ... NORMAL - Normal's two parking enforcement officers wrote 322tickets in a single shift because of a snow-related parking banFriday morning, police said. Bloomington officers wrote about 45 tickets - at $50 each -because of the snow and also towed several vehicles. Normal ...
Hospitals quiet during snowstorm
Feb 02, 2008; ... BLOOMINGTON - Most Central Illinoisans who ventured out Fridayafter the blizzard were careful, lucky or both. Hospital emergency departments and urgent care centers reportedfew patients with weather-related injuries or illnesses. "Hopefully that means that people are sitting ...
Mother Nature piles on
Feb 02, 2008; ... msteinbacher@pantagraph.com BLOOMINGTON - Roads in Central Illinois should be clear fortravel today, but that depends on which way the wind blows. The snowstorm that rolled in Thursday afternoon and lastedthrough Friday morning dumped from 5 to more than 12 inches of ...