HONORARY CHAIRMAN: Rayleigh Ike represents Relay. 7B 75¢ In the know LOCALLY OWNED, LOYAL TO OUR COMMUNITY SATURDAY, JULY 21, 2018 MOTOCROSS WaterSolving one problem leads issues to another in Chrisman; continue water meters may be out of date COMING TO BY GARY HENRY levels for decades, but the plan is for the city engineers He added the alternative ness said the 39 percent wa- EDGAR FAIR [email protected] EPA did reduce what is con- to determine if there is a way plan may still be more attrac- ter loss is not coming from Motocross races are com- CHRISMAN – One prob- sidered acceptable. It was ex- to deal with the problem us- tive depending on the cost of leaks in the mains but is ing Tuesday to the Edgar lem with Chrisman’s water plained at a prior city meet- ing chemistry, but he also ad- the chemical solution, if one more likely the result of old County Fair but before the may be moving toward res- ing the arsenic binds to the vocated developing a backup is found. water meters that no longer races can begin dirt must olution, but other issues re- iron molecules in the water plan in case the city cannot “I want to make a data accurately record how much be moved — and a lot of it. main. and applying chlorine before bring the water into compli- driven decision,” Wolfe said. water each household is us- SPORTS, 9A At the Monday, July 16, the water is filtered breaks ance with EPA standards. The 39 percent difference ing. Wolfe agreed. city meeting water commis- the bond allowing the arse- He asked the council’s between the amount of wa- “The meters should be Horizons keep sioner Rodney Wolfe report- nic to fall away. support for spending $5,500 ter pumped from the water changed out every 11 to 12 broadening ed on talks with the Illinois An unintended conse- for the city engineer to study house and what is delivered years, and we haven’t done Environmental Protection quence was the chlorine also the feasibility of construct- to residents, based on meter that,” said Wolfe. Horizon Health plans more Agency regarding the ad- liquefied the iron allowing ing a pipeline from either readings, was also discussed. A preliminary estimate to expansion and renovation, verse result of chlorinating it to pass through the filters Ridge Farm or Paris and buy- The city is losing approxi- replace every water meter to begin in autumn. the raw well water before it and the water supply going ing water from one of those mately $9,300 monthly in in town exceeded $100,000. NEWS, 11B goes through the filter. The into city homes was a rusty, communities. water payments because of Wolfe is waiting for a more pre-filter chlorination was yellowish color. Wolfe advocated doing the the discrepancy. accurate estimate before an EPA recommendation to “They (EPA officials) are study while also trying to re- Wolfe hired a contractor to making a recommendation A destination in deal with the issue of unac- letting us put the chlorine solve the arsenic problem. survey the entire water sys- on how to proceed. its own right ceptable arsenic levels in the in later, while they try to fig- “I don’t want to wait until tem and only two leaks were An estimate for anoth- water. ure out something else,” said the last minute to find out identified. Replacing twoer project gave the council Edgar County offers Naturally occurring arse- Wolfe. “We have a year to we can’t fix the problem and old fire hydrants fixed those members pause. It was re- diverse options for nic in Chrisman’s water has deal with the arsenic.” have to do something else,” problems. ported replacing the roof on affordable summer fun not changed concentration Wolfe said the current said Wolfe. Commissioner Rick Jen- See CHRISMAN, Page 8A close to home. C’EST LA VIE, 1B LONG LIVE THE QUEENS Edgar County Fair begins BY NANCY ZEMAN [email protected] The 157th Edgar County Fair opens Sheep shows today and continues through Saturday, discontinued July 28, with two new events and the return of a county favorite. After 60 years, the Edgar This year’s fair, a county tradition, County Fair ends its will include Martin Xtreme Racing tradition of counting See FAIR, Page 8A sheep — but a relic remains. HISTORY, 3B Skimmers at EZ-Care clinic is here to stay gas station Construction is done on Prairie Press File Photo SPECIAL TO THE PRAIRIE PRESS the clinic’s permanent Meghan Ingram, Miss Edgar County Fair, waves to her hometown crowd during the 2017 Chrisman Days Parade. home and now includes She was accompanied in the parade by Little Miss Isabella Duzan. The Paris Police Department an- a special clinic for NAL nounced early Friday evening the dis- employees. covery of two skimmers at the Circle K HEALTH, 7B located at Jasper and Main. Skimmers copy credit/debit card Former Paris information and also take the pin num- bers inputted into the machines. man sentenced Passing the crown “This is a major concern as most Just hours left in Queen man High School in 2016 and regarding her first pageant. skimmers are located outside of the gas Gary Peak was sentenced Meghan’s reign participated in that year’s queen She was determined to try again pump,” said Paris Police Chief Mike to 30 years in prison pageant. She got first runner up. in 2017 especially after the judges Henness. “These were located within after being convicted of “When I got first runner up of the 2016 event encouraged her the gas pump.” sexually abusing a child. BY GARY HENRY he (her father) said, ‘You’re go- to do so. The judges told Ingram A detective from the Paris Police De- NEWS, 3A [email protected] ing to do it again, right?’ because only one-tenth of a point separat- partment and a retired state fire mar- The Edgar County Fair opens he knew I wanted to represent ed her from the 2016 fair queen shal were on scene to gather evidence tomorrow evening, July 22, with my county because I’m proud of Maddie Flesner. around 8 p.m. the queen pageant, which cul- where I come from,” Ingram said See QUEEN, Page 11A Henness stressed it is incumbent on TODAY’S WEATHER minates when 2017 Miss Edgar card users to be vigilant in protecting County Fair Meghan Ingram plac- their data. H 76 L 66 es the crown on her successor. He suggested shaking the card re- Weather forecast here. 2A Ingram knows the transition ceptor prior to use since some skim- will leave her sad. mers are magnetically attached and “I’ve already been crying about may fall away. Something else to look it,” said Ingram. “I want to be the for is the presence of tape along the queen forever, but it’s time for a perimeter of the pump door. It is also new queen, for a new girl to expe- important to keep accurate records of rience the fantastic love and sup- all transactions using a credit or debit Drawing by COLE, WENZ port this community offers.” card to check against bank statements. Serving as the queen was the “There is a free app named skim- reality of a childhood ambition. mer scanner,” said Henness. “It uses LET’S BE FRIENDS! Ingram said as a child she and her Bluetooth as you wave it around the father, Jim Ingram, went to the card receptor to tell if you card is being Latest news, pageant each year after bringing scanned.” her hogs to the 4-H Fair. Henness cautioned the app is not online extras “We got some concession food Photo courtesy of Cathy Drake Photography always accurate but it offers some Join the conversation and watched the pageant from the One of these six contestants will be crowned the 2018 Miss Edgar Coun- protection. and have fun with us on grandstands,” she said. “I always ty Fair during the queen pageant at 7 p.m. Sunday in front of the grand- “Keep vigilant with your checking Facebook! Search for The told my dad, ‘One day that’s going stands. Seated, from left, are Taryn Fuller, Ivy Shanks, Olivia Heltsley accounts and notify your bank imme- Prairie Press and “like” us. to be me.’” and Cera Waltz. Second row, from left, are Kierstyn Allen, the reigning diately if you suspect an ID theft,” said Ingram graduated from Chris- 2017 Meghan Ingram and Eden Miller. Henness said. INDEX Calendar 2A Classified 10-11B History 3B Obituaries 5A Sports 9--11A State 12B Tenth annual F3 festival is July 28 Opinion 6A BY GARY HENRY the return of the popular Fri- Cirque du Soleil with the use are not little nibbles but big serves lunch from 11:30 [email protected] day evening road rally. of fire, balancing hoops and homemade numbers and all a.m.-1:30 p.m. Smith said the CONTACT US HUME – Fun is the order Registration for the road other apparatus. participants get a bib, plus meal usually features barbe- of the day for Saturday, July rally starts at 4:30 p.m. and Some festivals kick off another surprise for taking cued pork and a grilled pork To share a news tip, request 28, in Grafton Park at Hume. drivers depart at 5:30 p.m. with an early morning 5K part. chop sandwich option was an extra copy or to advertise, call 217-921-3216 or email The annual F3 Festival for the automotive scavenger run, not Hume.