Month: December 2024
The Prairie News Public record for 1-3-25
Traffic citations &Ordinance violations 12-14 – Ana Maria Gabriela Fortuno-Rojas – Driving 15-20 mph above limit, unlicensed, failure to secure new registration and uninsured vehicle.12-16 – Candy A. Taylor – Uninsured vehicle.12-19 – Martin A. Gardner – Driving 15-20 mph above limit. Incidents & AccidentsStark County12-17 – A two-vehicle accident was reported from the intersection of Illinois Routes 17 and 78. Drivers involved were Denise K. Lancaster, 50, of Tampico, and Michael Joseph Rediger, 35, of Toulon. No citations were issued.12-18 – An abandoned vehicle was located by authorities on 650E north of Illinois Route 93. The vehicle was towed…
Of a loving tradition, 900 wins & alleys that talk
Rambling through central Illinois, marveling that we are 25 years into the 21st century. • • • Between basketball games last weekend, I wandered through Princeville’s Stevens Square Park and was impressed by the collection of Christmas trees there. More than that, I was moved by several memorial trees decorated in honor of deceased family members. The creative decorations and personal touches that make each tree different are truly wonderful expressions of love that are a needed contrast to the crass commercialism of the season. Next year, I’m making a point to visit Stevens Square before Christmas on a snowy…
Princeville mourning death of teen in crash
By NICK VLAHOSFor The Weekly Post PRINCEVILLE – The Princeville community is mourning the death of a teenager last weekend in a single-vehicle accident. Grace Abbott, 17, of Princeville was pronounced dead at 1:40 p.m. Dec. 28 following the accident near Parks School and Elliott roads south of Monica. Abbott was a senior at Princeville High School. Visitation will be Friday, Jan. 3, from 3-7 p.m. at Haskell Funeral & Cremation Services in Princeville. Abbott’s funeral service will be Saturday, Jan. 4, at 11 a.m. at the funeral home. In a statement issued Sunday, Princeville Superintendent Tony Shinall said Abbott had…
Princeville passes wind-turbine ordinance
By NICK VLAHOSFor The Weekly Post PRINCEVILLE – Wind-energy turbines probably won’t be permitted within 1½ miles of Princeville in the foreseeable future. An ordinance the Village Board approved Dec. 17 allows local government to regulate wind farms proposed in areas where the municipality has zoning jurisdiction. That authority extends 1½ miles beyond village limits. The ordinance prohibits wind farms in Princeville or in that buffer area unless village approval has been obtained. It doesn’t appear such approval will be forthcoming anytime soon, should any wind-project developers ask for it. “Unofficially, in a personal-opinion context, the majority if not all of…
Grand jury indicts Elmwood man
By NICK VLAHOSFor The Weekly Post ELMWOOD – On the Saturday evening before Christmas, a usually quiet neighborhood in Elmwood was anything but that. Following a five-hour standoff with at least 30 law-enforcement officers, an Elmwood man was arrested after neighbors provided video evidence he fired a gun from a residence. Christopher R. Coulter, 27, surrendered about 9:30 p.m. Dec. 21 in the 200 block of N. Daniels St. After negotiations failed, authorities used a security vehicle to break open a door and enter the residence. Coulter didn’t put up a fight after that, according to Peoria County Sheriff Chris…
The Weekly Post public record for 1-2-25
NOTE: Charges are merely an accusation. All suspects are presumed innocent until proven guilty.Police reports • BRIMFIELD – A woman and her teenage daughter were killed in a single-vehicle accident on Interstate 74 west of Brimfield. Shortly before 4:30 a.m. Dec. 22, a 2005 Toyota Siena XLE left the westbound interstate at Bell School Road, crossed the eastbound lanes, struck a tree and caught fire, according to the Illinois State Police. Pronounced dead at the scene were Leila Mohamad, 41, and Zilan Sino, 15, the Peoria County Coroner’s Office stated. They were from Columbus, Ohio, and were traveling to Iowa…
Of a new columnist, seed spread & funky flags
Rambling through central Illinois, hoping for more snow. • • • In our pursuit of providing reasons to read this paper, we have added another writer to the mix. Printed below is a column by Richard Koritz, a former DeWitt County state’s attorney. Koritz writes regularly for The Clinton Journal, one of several newspapers sent my way each week. Over the past few years, I’ve started looking forward to seeing The Journal in the mail – mainly so I can read what Koritz has to say, even though I don’t always agree with him. Seems to me being challenged by…
Farmington lowers city tax levy for 2024
By JEFF LAMPEFor The Weekly Post FARMINGTON – The Farmington City Council on Monday approved a 2024-25 tax levy that is $26,000 lower than last year. “At this point, we feel the city is operating within its constraints and we would like to give as much relief as we can,” Mayor Kenn Stufflebeam said. The city’s total levy is $323,580, with $2.772 million coming from other sources to fund the entire budget of $3.096 million. The council also passed an amended budget for Fiscal Year 2024 after learning that it had not allocated enough money for workers’ compensation and liability insurance…
‘Upset folks’
Princeville administrators discuss IHSA classifications By NICK VLAHOSFor The Weekly Post PRINCEVILLE – Some Princeville School District administrators and board members don’t appear thrilled with how the Illinois High School Association is classifying its non-boundary members. The current statewide controversy regarding the frequency of private schools winning IHSA championships was a topic of conversation when the Princeville board met Dec. 10. Superintendent Tony Shinall said it was the dominant discourse on a recent conference call with counterparts. “There are lots of upset folks around the state talking about (it). It’s not a secret,” Shinall told the board.Private schools won seven of…
The Weekly Post public record for 12-19-20
NOTE: Charges are merely an accusation. All suspects are presumed innocent until proven guilty.Police reports • PRINCEVILLE – A Princeville man was accused of sexually assaulting girls aged 14 and 15, according to authorities. Jordan W. Gibson, 20, was implicated initially regarding an incident that happened about 4 p.m. Dec. 7 at a residence in the 100 block of W. Spring St. The Illinois Department of Children and Family Services was notified. Peoria County Sheriff’s Office reports about the incident were redacted almost entirely. Gibson is an uncle of one of the victims, according to Sheriff Chris Watkins. Gibson was…
