Willisville makes zoning change for tattoo parlor Page 12 A Cutler seal Page 6 Wally’s paintings • Serving Randolph, Perry And Jackson Counties Since 1980 • Page 14 Relay For Life final Page 21 © Copyright 2013, County Journal www.countyjournalnews.com Volume 34 Number 29 28 Pages Your Local News Leader Thursday, July 18, 2013 60¢ Marissa outdoor furnaces debated By Mike Trotter A large crowd gathered at the Macke Senior Center in Ordinance had Marissa last Thursday to voice their opinions on the not been ordinance banning outdoor wood-burning furnaces. enforced until The current ordinance makes it unlawful for any a squabble person to install, erect or utilize an outdoor furnace developed or stove anywhere in the vil- lage. between The ordinance was initially not enforced but came to neighbors light during a dispute be- tween two neighbors over the smoke created by a wood- staunch opponent of the or- burning furnace. dinance, spoke about his SCTP nationals The purpose of the hear- frustration with the process The Scholastic Clay Target Program’s national championships at the World Shooting ing, which was convened by concerning the initial pass- and Recreational Complex, which has been called the Little League World Series of the zoning board of appeals, ing of the ordinance. shooting sports, continues until July 20. Nearly 3,000 youngsters are expected to compete. was to gather the opinions No one on the zoning board This year, the national championships will feature teams from more than 20 states. The of residents and consider or village council claims the shooting schedule will be 200 targets per discipline. The skeet and sporting clays amendments to the ordi- introduction of the ordi- competition was held July 15-18. Trapshooting will conclude the competition July 19 and nance. nance, yet it was approved 20. Pictured is Darin Bruski of Wilmot, Wisconsin as he takes aim during the sporting Zoning board members re- last August at a council clays competition July 16. The judge is Jason Westenberger of Baldwin. minded the audience that meeting that Bingel did not they were not there to create attend. other unrelated ordinances Zoning board member and that the zoning board Dave Owen acknowledged Chester won’t close more of only makes recommenda- that he raised the initial com- tions to the village council. plaints due to the effect the Any recommendation still smoke has on his daughter, Route 150 for Popeye picnic has to be voted on by the who has respiratory prob- council at one of its meet- lems. He stated he did not By Greg Myers of confusion,” said Page. “The ings. want to be known for caus- Highlighting the July 15 city decided to stay away from Bryan Bingel, who is a Chester City Council meeting New ordinance the project and build new ken- member of the council and a Continued on Page 5_______ was a vote to not close off nels for the city’s pound.” more of Route 150 (State will cut the Chester resident Joe O’Toole Street) for the Popeye Picnic confronted the council about and action clarifying what au- power of park the city’s sewer backing up thority, if any, the park board into his basement June 25. has. board to “I woke up to a smell of A request by the Popeye Pic- sewer gas,” said O’Toole. “It nic committee to close an ex- an advisory was a terrible, nasty mess. We panded portion of Route 150 put in a claim for the cleanup for the upcoming festival was role only to the city’s insurance, and it met with concerns at the pre- was denied. The letter from vious council meeting. the insurance company stated In past years, the city has cil. that the city must be guilty agreed to close the state high- The new ordinance clarifies of negligence for claims to be way for the picnic, but this that the park board is an ad- paid. The insurance company year the picnic committee has visory board only and shall found that the city was im- asked to have the closure ex- make recommendations to the mune to damages and cannot tend all the way to Church council regarding any im- be held responsible. Surely, Street, about a block farther. provements and use of the fa- I’m not responsible either. Most of the concerns had to cilities, fees charged, hours of Something has to be done dif- do with safety problems the operation and rules and regu- ferent. The city council has to expanded closure could lations governing the use of be advocates for the citizens present. the parks. and do what is morally re- Mayor Tom Page and Alder- “There may be some other sponsible. The city’s insur- man Dan Geisen had a meet- ordinances we tweak a little, ance is good for the city to ing July 2 with picnic com- but I felt like this one needed hide behind but not good for mittee members and Police to be done to remove any the residents of this city.” Chief Ryan Coffey to go over doubts about the role and any Page told O’Toole that he is options. authority the park board very compassionate toward Monday night, the council has,” said Page. his issue and will be in con- voted to keep the Route 150 The council voted to spend tact with him. Alderman closure the same as it has $13,095 more to complete the Nancy Crossland stated some- been in recent years. inside of the new dog pound. thing needs to be done to ad- After some disputes over the Gas Superintendent Jeremy dress the issue, and the coun- past few years between the Homan reported that the cil will definitely look into it. park board and the city coun- shell of the building is com- Sandra Starr, Linda Symp- cil, the council voted 7-1 to plete, but since a new animal son and Patti Carter gave a revise an ordinance relating shelter is not being built, this detailed report on the recent to the park board’s responsi- money needs to be spent to and future stops by the bilities and powers. Alderman finish the project. American Queen and Queen Donnie Clark, who is the When asked about what hap- of the Mississippi steamboats. chairman of the park and rec- pened to the money that was “The planning for these nine reation committee, was the donated to the project that stops in total has been going lone no vote. started off as an Eagle Scout on for over a year,” said Starr. Under the old ordinance, the project by Zach Heldebrandt, “It took a lot of time and vol- park board had control of all Rob Schuchert said the cash unteers.” public parks and any lands or is sitting in the bank because Sympson added that the lots used for recreational pur- there is no way to return that stops brought people into poses. That description was money. Chester businesses and in- revised, giving ultimate su- “This project started off ap- creased the city’s revenue. pervision and control of all pealing, but it hit some bumps A typical outdoor furnace public parks to the city coun- in the road and caused a lot Continued on Page 5 _______ Greer family tractor collection will go on public display By Greg Myers that tractors and other farm rare one.” A family’s collection of more antiques are kept up and Greer’s collection is lacking than 200 tractors will be on shown off from time to time.” just one Farmall tractor for a display July 15-20 at the Greer began his collection of complete set of that series. Greer family sawmill in rural rare tractors, which includes The collection is now a com- Coulterville. at least one version of every plete family tradition, as The show is free and open to model McCormick-Deering many of his grandsons help the public and will run from ever made, as an investment. with it. 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. each day. “I don’t trust the stock mar- “If you don’t keep an inter- Marian Greer has been col- ket, and I don’t know a thing est with the young people, the lecting tractors, especially about gold and jewelry,” said group dies,” said Greer. “If those made by International Greer. “I do, however, know they learn young, then they Harvester for over 50 years. a lot about tractors, and once won’t forget. I believe my fam- “I farmed with many of these I convinced my wife (Barbara) ily will carry on this tradition old tractors for years,” said that it was a good idea, the and continue to add to the col- Greer. “I always liked the collection really started to lection.” Internationals. I bought these expand. My wife and I enjoy Also on display will be many old tractors out of necessity going to auctions together antique tools and other items, at first, but then it got to be and trying to find those including the original seed Pictured with the WR-9S McCormick-Deering are Marian fun. Somebody needs to pre- unique tractors. We even took Greer (far right) and four of his grandsons, Cliff Brammeier, serve history. It is important a trip to Canada to acquire a Continued on Page 5_______ Lane Jones, Marian Brammeier and Dylan Greer. Page 2 County Journal July 18, 2013 Police activity Local accidents LOST $100 There were minor Jacob Kerwin, 22, of Along Steeleville th William Raye, 46, of a Randolph County war- injuries, but all in- Collinsville was July 4 Pinckneyville was ar- rant for failure to appear REWARD volved signed medi- northbound, stopped rested July 10 by Pinck- in court on a previous Parade Route cal treatment refusals at the intersection neyville police for ag- charge of possession of after an accident July gravated battery after drug paraphernalia.