The Prairie News Carrier Route Presort January 15, 2021 RURAL BOXHOLDER Vol
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****************ECRWSS***** PRSRT. STD. U.S. POSTAGE PAID Elmwood, Illinois Permit No. 13 Friday The Prairie News Carrier Route Presort January 15, 2021 RURAL BOXHOLDER Vol. 18, No. 48 LOCAL P.O. BOXHOLDER Hot news tip? “We Cover The News of West-Central Illinois With A Passion” Want to advertise? Serving the fine communities of Wyoming, Toulon, Bradford, Duncan, Galva, LaFayette, Stark, Speer, FREE! Call (309) 741-9790 Castleton, -Bishop Hill, Camp Grove, Princeville, Edelstein, Laura, West Jersey, Monica, Elmira, Modena, Saxon, Lawn Ridge, Broadmoor, Compliments of Elmore, Lombardville, Milo and rural customers at Kewanee and Williamsfield. Our Fine Advertisers! NEW GALVA BUSINESS Filling storefronts Oscar’s Toulon council discusses development By JOHN A. BALLENTINE long-term economic development For The Prairie News plans. open in TOULON – The Toulon City Howard initially was asking the Council participated in a lengthy city council what goals they discussion and presentation con- would have to develop the city’s Galva cerning economic development at economy. He suggested filling By CAROL TOWNSEND its meeting Monday. every storefront with a business, For The Prairie News Kyle Howard, a Toulon native plus trying to recruit a sizable GALVA – Opening a busi- who now lives in St. Charles, ness in the midst of a pan- business to the Toulon area, such gave a presentation outlining the as some sort of manufacturing. demic is certainly challenging, possibility of Toulon developing but business has so far been Another problem to overcome, its downtown with new busi- Howard said, is to attract people busy at Oscar’s Body Shop. nesses in storefronts that are cur- Oscar and Kari DePauw to the businesses and market rently vacant. Howard has been opened the auto body shop last Kari and Oscar DePauw stand outside the sign of their new Galva business. those businesses to other areas to aiding with management of fall at 900 SE 2nd Street in Photo by Carol Townsend. expand the customer base. Julie’s Cafe Market on Main in Galva. The DePauw’s opened Mayor Larry Hollis said the sel in Wataga and the Oneida possible for customers. Toulon. the shop after purchasing the current project of revitalizing Body Shop for 17 years. The shop also has a flatbed Howard said he would like to building from Tom and Judy Main Street would help “sell” He doesn’t limit his repairs truck to transport vehicles to obtain locally made products, Hartman. Part of the building Toulon to people who would be to only cars and trucks, accord- the shop. such as beef, pork and produce, was the former Galva Florist. business owners or customers. ing to Kari. He works on Business is “better than they “and take that to build off of.” After the purchase, the De- Hollis added that a new school semis, tractors and even heli- ever anticipated,” Kari said. Besides selling locally, Howard Pauws spent long hours putting copters. He also puts on The DePauw’s live in rural building would help attract people envisions selling Stark County in a paint room and necessary hitches, installs bed liners and Altona and have three children. to the area to reside here. products to other areas of the exhaust fans. does undercoating. Oscar DePauw said he grew up After the presentation and dis- Oscar has 35 years of experi- Kari handles the insurance knowing Galva and looks for- state. cussion, the council initially de- ence in the auto repair work. work and estimates for the ward to serving Galva and the Howard’s proposal is to work cided to have Howard concentrate He has worked at Cozadd Die- shop to make it as seamless as surrounding area. with Toulon’s city council to de- with filling the storefronts with velop and implement short- and Continued on Page 2 Owens honored by Stark Co. board By JOHN A. BALLENTINE privilege of being in office for as righting the ship” after years of For The Prairie News long as I have been,” Owens turmoil. TOULON – The Stark County stated. “There was never a day Vice-Chair Kari Bush reported board of supervisors presented a that I didn’t want to come to that the health department board plaque of appreciation to longtime work.” has provided all sheriff’s office Stark County State’s Attorney Owens went on to praise the employees, first responders and James D. Owens Tuesday evening county board members saying that EMS in the county the COVID at their monthly meeting. Owens it is a thankless task and may not vaccine. In addition, vaccinated served as Stark’s State’s Attorney always be appreciated by the pub- were funeral home staffs and Aunt from Dec. 1, 1992 to Nov. 30, lic. “The time that I spent in the Martha’s providers residing in 2020 for a total of 28 years. Stark County State’s Attorney’s Stark County. Teachers and staff “I’ve always enjoyed being in office are some of the best years of of Stark County’s school districts the State’s Attorney’s office. I my life,” Owens said. He went on are scheduled to be vaccinated in have a huge debt of gratitude to to praise Chair Al Curry and the near future. Vice-Chair Kari Bush presents James D. Owens with a plaque of apprecia- the citizens of Stark County for former Vice-Chair Melissa Shipp Supervisor Robin Nowlan pre- tion on Tuesday for his 28 years of service to the county as Stark County electing me and allowing me this for doing a commendable job “of Continued on Page 3 State’s Attorney. Owens retired Nov. 30. Photo by John A. Ballentine. Page 2 THE PRAIRIE NEWS • January 15, 2021 www.illinoisweeklies.com Galva schools switch to remote learning By CAROL TOWNSEND their vaccines. He said that 85 per- dates were discussed Monday. For The Prairie News cent of the employees are signed up Seeking the two, two-year seats are GALVA – Galva Junior-Senior to receive immunizations and he newcomers Eric Bates and Brittany High School went to remote learn- noted that the district is not requir- Boston. Seeking the three, four-year ing this week due to a staff member ing employees to be vaccinated. seats are incumbent Andrew Larson testing positive for the Covid virus. O’Riley said he hopes to have stu- and newcomers Kaleena Conrad Superintendent Doug O’Riley dents back in school on more of a and Laura Burke. said at Monday’s meeting of the full-time basis starting on Tuesday, Superintendent O’Riley and Jerry Galva School Board that students April 6, which is the first day of the Becker, who takes over as superin- are scheduled to return to the class- last nine-week period. tendent as of July 1, will meet with room on Tuesday, Jan. 19. Once students return, masks and the new candidates and give them O’Riley said that the Henry-Stark the 6-foot social distancing rule will the resources and goals for the County Health Department called still be in effect, since the students Galva School Board and make sure the Galva School District and asked have not been vaccinated and there they’ll have materials to make the how many vaccines are needed to is currently no plan for the immu- transition smooth. vaccinate all of the employees nization of those 16 and under. Candidates will also be invited to under the state’s latest Phase 1B In other business, the board the February and March board protocols for COVID-19 immuniza- learned that bids are being sought meeting, whether in person or on- tions. for the installation of new windows line. O’Riley said Tuesday afternoon for Galva Elementary School, ac- The board voted to change the that no date had been given yet for cording to O’Riley. May board meeting from Monday, the school district employees to get Details on school board candi- May 3 to Monday, May 17 . OWENS: Frontier charge being disputed Continued from Page 1 ered with ice and snow as he con- she sent an email to Frontier prior to sented the road and bridge report for ducts his inspections. the renewal date. This matter has vacationing County Engineer Judd Stark County Treasurer Paula been delegated to Stark’s State’s At- Giffin. Nowlan said that the highway Leezer said that the cost of transition torney Caroline Borden-Campion for department has been busy with snow from Frontier Communications to review. and ice removal for December. Mid Century was $7,385 for the sys- In other business, the board ap- Nowlan suggested that the county tem. Leezer continued saying that proved resolutions appointing Dale highway pickup truck be allowed to Frontier claims the county owes Jackson and Jim Robison to the Stark leave the county and stay with Giffin, $3,000 to cancel the contract with County planning commission. Fi- especially on storm days so that Gif- them because of a clause that said the nally, the employee handbook revi- fin doesn’t have to drive to Toulon phone system would automatically sion was tabled until next month that and then go out to check highways renew each year and the county deals with employee paid time off ac- and roads. missed the deadline. crued and vacation days that may be Also, there was talk of adding a salt Frontier says that Stark County no- accumulated. Vacation can be one spreader for the truck so Giffin could tified them after the clause’s date. week rolled over to the next year for treat especially bad intersections cov- Leezer disputes that claim because a five-week maximum cap.