Macoupin County has had a number of rabies cases in the month of May and the public should be careful when encountering unknown animals.

According to Angela Weidner, Registered Nurse with the Macoupin County Public Health Department, several individuals have been treated for possible rabies because they came in contact with a bat or cat. She says the best practice to avoid rabies is to avoid wild or unknown animals of any kind. Children should be warned not to touch or go near any dead or sick animal under any circumstances. Rabies is transmitted by the saliva of a sick or dead animal.

If you observe an animal that appears sick or that is acting strange contact a local law enforcement agency.

Hillsboro High School Scholarships 2015McWilliams Family Law Scholarship -Michael Ginos, Erika Satterlee

National Honor Society Scholarship-Cole Deming, Alexis Hefley

Jessie Goldsmith Memorial Scholarship-Jaicie Halleman, Tristan Sanford

Interact Club Scholarship-Cole Deming

Louis & Temple Marsch Scholarship-Joseph Aldrich, Alanna Bader, Cole Deming, Koby Lemon, Shoal Luck

Bob Price Memorial Scholarship-Andrew OGuinn

Jan Young Memorial Scholarship-Joseph Emery

H.U.E.A. Scholarship-Olivia Klump

Gerald P. Huber Academic Scholarship-Brenden Meier

Senior of the Year CNB Bank & Trust of Hillsboro-Alanna Bader

Senior of the Month CNB Bank & Trust of Hillsboro- Alanna Bader (Nov.),Alexis Hefley (Jan.),Tristan Sanford (March), Devon King(Dec.), Cole Deming (Feb.), Katelyn Fenske (April)


National Guard Grant-Gavin Twitty

Hillsboro Chamber of Commerce Scholarship-Sarah Bergin, Tristan Sanford

Hillsboro Chamber of Commerce Danial Miller Memorial Scholarship-Jaicie Halleman

Hillsboro Educational Foundation Scholarship-Alanna Bader, Miranda Fair, Jacob Fogle, Bradley Hill, Olivia Klump, Koby Lemon, Shoal Luck, Brenden Meier, Andrew OGuinn, Kelsey Traylor

Dusty Cameron Memorial Scholarship-Kaitlyn Knodle, Jordan White

Edward A. Goyak Scholarship-Alexis Hefley, Andrew OGuinn

Erik Paul Westerman Memorial Scholarship-Joseph Aldrich, Shoal Luck

Leanne R. Harpole Memorial Scholarship-Koby Lemon

Jacqueline & Mel Heselov Scholarship-Miranda Fair

Anita T. and John F. Rundquist $1000 Scholarship-Shoal Luck

Bettie and Ida Baumann Nursing Scholarship-Emilee Dettman, Lauren Downs, Andrew OGuinn

Rose Mormino Teacher Education Scholarship-Shayna Christy, Kerriann Cooper, Alexis Hefley

Hillsboro Educational Foundation Rose Mormino Scholarship-Cole Deming, Miranda Fair, Alexis Hefley, Koby Lemon

Dkupabai .D. Mekala Memorial Scholarship-Tristan Sanford

Ellen J. McGurty Scholarship-Tristan Sanford, Ciara Hrabusicky

Charles R. Kiefer Memorial Scholarship-Joseph Aldrich, Cole Deming, Emilee Dettman, Shoal Luck, Tristan Sanford

Dale Stretch Vocational Scholarship-Dylan Gray

Kelley Family Scholarship-Joseph Emery, Koby Lemon

Mary Ann Bernardini Pretnar Memorial Scholarship-Jaicie Halleman

Joan & Bernard Rappe Memorial Scholarship-Tristan Sanford

Bonnie Ireland Scholarship-Alexis Hefley

Leona & Louis Huber Memorial Scholaship-Joseph Aldrich

Robert Zimmerman Memorial Scholarship-Lauren Downs

Hillsboro Ministerial Alliance Scholarship-Cole Deming, Tyler Huber

Charles William Schluckebier Memorial Scholarship-Devon King

Daughters of the American Revolution Award-Cole Deming

St. Luke Lutheran Church Scholarship-Tristan Sanford

Holly Harvey Memorial Scholarship-Andrew OGuinn

George Hutton Scholarship-Alanna Bader, Shoal Luck

Selma J Hartke Foundation Scholarship-TBA

National Bank Business Scholarship-Cody Caulk

FFA Alumni Scholarship-Sarah Bergin, Andrew OGuinn

Donald L. Burton III Memorial Scholarship-Daniel Britton, Cody Caulk, Kaitlyn Fenske, Dylan Gray, Bradley Hill, Brenden Meier, Tristan Sanford

Rembrandt Society Award-Miranda Fair

Patricia Fuehne Academic Scholarship-Alanna Bader

Hillsboro Sertoma Scholarship-Andrew OGuinn

Hillsboro Rotary Club's Fishing For Education Scholarships-Sarah Bergin, Cole Deming, Dylan Gray, Jaicie Halleman, Alexis Hefley, Bradley Hill, Brenden Meier

Eunice May Russell Public Service Scholarship-Daniel Britton

Leona Stanford Vollintine Charitable Trust Scholarship-Andrew OGuinn

Rosemary and Peter Patton Scholarship-Hannah Durbin, Kaitlyn Knodle, Tyler Mullen, Sydney Pruett

LLCC Foundation Scholarship-Cody Caulk

Hillsboro Kiwanis Scholarship-Jakob Fogle

Montgomery County 4-H Foundation Scholarship-Alanna Bader

Montgomery Veterans Task Force Education Grant-Sarah Bergin


University/College Grants or ScholarshipsBlackburn College-Whitney Chesser, Bradley Hill

Eastern Illinois University-Sarah Bergin

Greenville College-Shayna Christy

Illinois College-Jaicie Halleman

Illinois State University-Katelyn Fenske

Lincoln Land Community College Athletic Scholarship-Kerriann Cooper, Kelsey Traylor

Loyola University-Brenden Meier

Maryville University-Daniel Britton

McKendree Unversity-Sydney Jackson

Missouri University of Science & Technology-Cole Deming

North Dakota State University Athletic Scholarship-Dylan Miller

Southern Illinois University Edwardsville-Alexis Hefley, Koby Lemon

University of Dayton-Joseph Emery

Washington University-Alanna Bader

A Trailblazer Challenge takes place throughout the summer in Montgomery County. Fusion Fitness and Aquatics in Hillsboro and the Montgomery County Natural Area Guardians sponsor the challenge. Fusion Fitness and Aquatics Director, Jessica Chappelear, says the challenge highlights trails in the county and encourages residents to get out on the trails.

"We have a lot of people who are very active as far as running and hiking and we just wanted to encourage them to see some of the different trails that are out there and some of the different things that they can see on some of the different trails. I know that it's a part of Montgomery County that's kind of forgotten about but there's some really good trails out there to see. So we wanted to kind of introduce a different type of fitness to them. They can come to Fusion and do stuff inside, but we also wanted to encourage them to do stuff outside, because it's got to be a life-long commitment and the more that they can kind of change things up, the better things will be to remain healthy."

Chappelear also says this marks the second year of the Trailblazers Challenge.

"We're doing the same thing we did last year. We choose five trails and the first trail starts this weekend and you have two weeks to complete a trail and then we will put another trail up after that and then you have two weeks to complete that trail, and so on. So they have two weeks to complete each trail. Then what we would like for them to do is go on to either our Facebook page or our blog that we've created for it and they will either comment on the trail or put a picture up or something of them doing the trail."

Chappelear says everyone who completes each trail, gets their name entered into a prize drawing.

The first trail challenge begins Saturday (May 30) with a kick-off event at 9am featuring snacks and drinks at the beginning of the Green Diamond Rail Trail in Farmersville. The two week trail challenges will feature five trails in all and will continue through the beginning of October. For more information you can visit the following websites: Fusion Fitness and Aquatics and Fusion Trailblazers
Thomack 5/28/15

Volunteer workers for the 2015 Take It To Town in Carlinville can now review the list of work sites and sign-up to work on June 13 from 8:30am until 4pm. Volunteers will enjoy a free supper and fellowship time at the Zion Lutheran Church. Information about the award-winning, one day community project organized by the Federated Church, registration forms and lists of worksites can now be found at the Carlinville Library, Carlinville Bank & Trust, most local churches or emailing the Federated Church at federatedchurch@frontiernet.net.

Continuing again this year is the optional afternoon sites at the local nursing homes. Friendhip Home, Carlinville Rehab, Heritage Health and Morse Farms all need volunteers 18 and older to volunteer from 2-4pm. Those volunteers will be assisting the activity director on crafts, playing games, visiting with the residents, and more.

For more information, you can also contact the Federated Church in Carlinville at 217-854-3031.

Litchfield High School Scholarships 2015McDonald's Youth Achievement Award ($100) - William "Kinder" Guthrie

McDonald's Fine Arts Scholarship ($200) - Hannah Nail

Currie-Mullins Scholarship ($250) - Kayla Law, Taylor Maulding

Food and Agribusiness Scholarship ($500) - Alison Heard

FFA Alumni Scholarship ($500) - Trent Boaden, Nautika Bown, Alison Heard

Litchfield Banks FFA Scholarship ($500) - Emilia Bergman, Taylor Berman, Alison Heard

Lyndal J. Schwab Scholarship ($500) - Trent Boaden, Corey Cotner

Jacob Behme Memorial Scholarship ($1,000) - Bailey Fleming, Alison Heard, Jenna Henske, Hannah Hopkins, Ryan Howard, Kayla Law, Taylor Maulding, Matthew Zumwalt

Jim "Chief" Leitschuh Memorial Scholarship ($500) - Tatum Wertin

Leland W. Busby Scholarship Fund for Fine Arts ($1,500) - Connor Heise, Madeline Schneider

Sgt. John R. Dalhaus Memorial Scholarship ($500) - Natalie Elliot

Mary E. Broeg Scholarship ($300) - Corey Cotner

Albert Furman Scholarship ($1,000) - Ryan Howard

Ed & Rose Boettcher Education Trust ($200) - Taylor Bergman, Hannah Hopkins, Hannah Nail, Sarah Painter

Arthur & Margaret Heath Scholarship ($500) - Sharon Boucher, Mason Campbell, Corey Cotner, Hannah Fogle, Andrea Weeks

Lamar & Marie Hagen Educational Scholarship ($1,200) - Katlyn Davis, Hannah Hopkins

Eda Krumreich Scholarship Trust ($400) - Taylor Bergman, Mason Campbell, Alison Heard, Kaitlyn Jett, Kimberly Waldrup

Elizabeth Baker Trust Memorial Scholarship ($2,000) - Sarah Painter

Andy & Debbie Schum/Paws Care of Montgomery County Scholarship ($500) - Bailey Fleming

Kim Bergman Memorial Scholarship ($500) - Jenna Henske

Moose Lodge #1634 Scholarship ($500) - Emilia Bergman, Taylor Bergman, Trent Boaden, Kacie Boerckel, Sean Brune, Quentin Clayton, Corey Cotner, Bailey Fleming, Jenna Henske, Kayla Law, Taylor Maulding, Tessa Steffens, Tatum Wertin, Logan White

Women of the Moose Lodge #1634 Scholarship ($500) - Taylor Bergman, Trent Boaden, Hannah Fogle, Karisa Law

Litchfield Volunteer Fire Department/Auxiliary Memorial Scholarship ($250) - Tatum Wertin

Sellers-Hardt Scholarship ($600) - Alexis Billick

Fraternal Order of Eagles Aerie Auxiliary Local #4499 Scholarship ($500) - Sean Brune, Hannah Nail, Tatum Wertin, Jade Wey

Litchfield Rotary Club Vocational Technology Scholarship ($750) - Natalie Elliott, Mecayela Monroe

Montgomery Veterans Task Force Education Grant ($500) - Cole Werner

Bob Price Memorial Scholarship ($1,000) - Tatum Wertin

Illinois State Coon Hunters Association ($250) - Emilia Bergman

Sneed Memorial Scholarship ($1,000) - Taylor Bergman ($500) - Natalie Elliott

Taylorville Community Credit Union Scholarship ($500) - Ryan Howard, Sarah Painter

"Zeke" Zimmerman/Bob Girardi LEA Scholarship ($500) - William "Kinder" Guthrie, Connor Heise

Beta Sigma Phi Sorority Scholarship ($500) - Taylor Bergman

Zion Lutheran School Alumni Scholarship ($200) - Corey Cotner, Matthew Zumwalt

George R. Hutton Scholarship ($250) - Hannah Hopkins, Mecayela Monroe

Kathleen B. Youell Teaching Scholarship ($1,800) - Taylor Maulding

Litchfield Women's Club Fine Arts Scholarship ($250) - Connor Heise, Taylor Maulding

Arthur L. Fogleman Trust Scholarship ($2,500) - Sharon Boucher, James Bryant, Corey Cotner, Katlyn Davis, Natalie Elliott, Bailey Fleming, William "Kinder" Guthrie, Jenna Henske, Karisa Law, Kayla Law, Peyton Matthews, Mecayela Monroe, Hannah Nail, Sarah Painter, Riley Scharf, Madeline Schneider, Alexandra Smith, Tessa Steffens, Kyle Towner, Andrea Weeks, Tatum Wertin, Haley Williams, Matthew Zumwalt

Estell & Ruth Felts Scholarship ($1,000) - Hannah Nail, Andrea Weeks

Richard & Dorothy Pound Rebscher Scholarship ($1,000) - Ryan Howard

May Penman Scholarship ($1,500) - Hannah Hopkins

Robert Plummer Business Scholarship ($500) - Taylor Bergman, Corey Cotner, Bailey Fleming, Ryan Howard, Kayla Law

Truman & Wilma Felts Scholarship ($1,000) - Taylor Bergman, James Bryant, Corey Cotner, William "Kinder" Guthrie, Connor Heise, Jenna Henske, Ryan Howard, Kayla Law, Mecayela Monroe, Andrea Weeks, Matthew Zumwalt

Band Boosters Scholarship ($100) - Jenna Henske, Taylor Maulding, Haley Williams

William D. Sinclair Memorial Scholarship ($600) - William "Kinder" Guthrie

Better Days Foundation Scholarship ($4,000) - William "Kinder" Guthrie, Ryan Howard, Kayla Law, Alexandra Smith, Tessa Steffens

Warmer spring weather often means opening windows and spring cleaning. Many items get thrown away and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency reports that 85 percent or 12 million tons of all unwanted clothing ends up in the garbage and in landfills every year. One opportunity during your spring cleaning to put your unwanted items to good use is the USAgain bins at various locations in the area. USAgain Marketing Manager Rasham Grewal says the green and white bins offer a place to recycle clothes, shoes and other items that might otherwise be thrown out during spring cleaning.

"Since it's spring cleaning time, we're just reaching out to everyone to make use of the green and white boxes that are easily accessible and conveniently placed in the communities. They're absolutely free to be used; all people need to do is go to USagain.com, punch in their zip code and they can find closest locations. It's a great cause, it's a great program to put resources back into recycling or reuse and cut (down on) trash."

Bin locations in the area include Litchfield Bowling Alley and Capri IGA in Hillsboro. USAgain will take items such as clothing, shoes, accessories, bedding, sheets and towels. For a full list of items and to find a recycling bin near you, visit USAgain's website here: Find a Collection Bin
Thomack 5/15/15

Lincolnwood High School Scholarships & Awards 2015
Veteran Assistance Task Force Scholarship - Jeffrey Gulley

Kenneth & Jean Lewey Scholarship - Ailie Elmore, Trevor Wagner

Educational Foundation Scholarship ($500) - Jeffrey Gulley, Trevor Wagner, Haley Hough, Crystal Corso, Abigail Arter, Tanner Butler

Selma J. Hartke Foundation Scholarship - Abby Arter, Lauren Bails, Zach Bormida, Jenny Burnett, Crystal Corso, Jeffrey Gulley, Haley Hough, Hanna Poggenpohl Kassie Walch, Trevor Wagner, Tanner Butler

Montgomery County Farm Bureau Scholarship - Hanna Pogenpohl, Ailie Elmore

The John Seward Scholarship - Hannah Russell, Ailie Elmore, Trevor Wagner, Jenny Burnett

Montgomery County Cancer Association Scholarship ($4,000) - Trevor Wagner

Panhandle Band Association Scholarship ($500) - Lauren Bails

Hillsboro-Litchfield Chamber of Commerce Agribusiness Scholarship - Ailie Elmore, Trevor Wagner

The Prairie State Achievement Award given to students who took the Prairie State Achievement Test and demonstrated excellent academic performance in the specific subject matter - Zach Bormida, Jordan Myers (Science); Tanner Butler (Mathematics); Ailie Elmore, Jeffrey Gulley, Timothy Jenney (Reading); Derek Sale (Reading and Science)

The Illinois State Scholar Award is presented by the Illinois Student Assistance Commission to students exhibiting outstanding academic achievement based on their GPA and ACT scores - Tanner Butler, Hanna Poggenpohl-Tanner Butler is attending Maryville University to major in Actuarial Science. Maryville awarded him the $14,000 Barat Scholarship and the $3,000 Trustee Scholarship.

-Hanna Poggenpohl is attending the University of Illinois Champaign Urbana to major in Agricultural Accounting. She was awarded the $2,000 annual scholarship.

-Jeffrey Gulley plans to attend Southwestern Illinois University-Edwardsville to major in Engineering. He was awarded the $4,000 annual Cougar Pride Scholarship.

-Derek Sale plans to attend Lincoln Land Community College. He was awarded the Trustees Honor Program Scholarship which awards 60 credit hours tuition free.

-Derek Seelbach plans to attend Illinois College. He was awarded the Edward Beecher Scholarship.

Groundbreaking for a new playground takes place this weekend. The Brubaker Playground will be built by the Litchfield Park District. President of the Litchfield Park District John Leonard says the groundbreaking begins at 11:30am at Davis Park, next to Memorial Pool.


an imagination play center, historical markers, nature walkways (and) will open later part of 2015 and I am under the understanding there will be some packets given away that day for free food and drink at the pool by the Brubaker family."

Leonard says the concept for the playground came from the Brubaker family in honor of John Brubaker's mother and father.

"It's a tribute to their investment in our community and their investment, actually, in the state of Illinois with automobiles. We are under the understanding that Mrs. Brubaker was one of the first ladies that ever taught other women how to drive in the state of Illinois..."

Opening day at the pool also takes place Saturday (May 23rd) from noon to 5pm with free admission. Memorial Pool will offer water therapy classes every Tuesday for six weeks this summer. Leonard says the classes cost $2 for each class and they begin June 16th.

"The class will consist of a therapy-type situation featuring muscle stretching, muscle coordination, low-impact aerobic exercises."

Leonard says he learned about the benefits of water therapy from his sister.

"She had to have, what they call, a cage, put in her back and she lives out in Oklahoma and that was one of the physical therapist programs out there was water aerobics. (As) we're learning more and more around the country, these are becoming more prevalent and people are benefiting from this type of therapy."

For more information, you can contact the Litchfield Park District office ta 217-324-9075. You can find the full interview with Litchfield Park District President John Leonard here: Leonard Interview

The Macoupin Military Support Group will hold a county wide Veterans Caravan Saturday morning starting at 9:00am.

Saturday is Armed Forces Day and the county wide Veterans Caravan will hava a northern route and southern route with a conclusion reception at the Gillespie Civic Center.

Veterans and the public are encouraged to attend local events that will be held at veterans memorial sites in both northern and southern Macoupin County.

The northern towns schedule includes: Carlinville 10am, Virden 10;45am, Modesto 11:20am, Scottville 11:45am, Palmyra 12:10pm, Hettick 12:35pm and Shipman 1:25pm. The southern towns schedule includes: Mt. Olive 9:20am, Benld 9:40am, Gillespie 10:15am, Dorchester 10:50am, Wilsonville 11:30am, Bunker Hill 12:15pm, Staunton 12:55pm and Sawyerville 1:30pm.

The conclusion reception, open to everyone, will be held in the Gillespie Civic Center from 2-4pm.

A local program that helps pregnant and parenting women will hold an event at the end of the month. The Elizabeth Ann Seton Program began in 1996, in Springfield, at the St. John's Hospital campus. Dawn Morris is the Executive Director of the Elizabeth Ann Seton Program. She says the program now has three more centers that serve the Litchfield, North Macoupin County and Beardstown areas.

"We work with pregnant and parenting women who are either poverty stricken or going through some type of crisis. Something that sets us apart from any other organizations is we work with mothers of children of all ages. I often tell people, it wasn't when my children were two and three that I needed help, it was when they were sixteen and seventeen, that they needed that help. What we do is we bring the mothers in and do a case assessment, find out where she's struggling and make it our mission to break that cycle, no matter what it is that is set before her."

Chicks and Chocolate, hosted by the Elizabeth Ann Seton Program, takes place on May 30th at the Magnuson Grand Hotel. The event includes a sand volleyball tournament, live music and all-you-can-eat chocolate. To sign up for the volleyball tournament or to purchase tickets, contact Dawn at 757-6025 or Donna at 324-3270. You can hear the full interview with Dawn Morris here: Wednesday Talk Show
Thomack 5/14/15

ROAD WORK

Black Diamond Trail will be closed from Brown Trail to East Waggoner Avenue from 8-3 Thursday, May 14th.

Road Work

Black Diamond Trail from Brown Trail to Waggoner Avenue will be closed from 8-3 Tuesday & Wedesday, May 12th & 13th.

Stagecoach Road from 2nd Road to Lake Catatoga Road will be closed from 9-2 Tuesday & Wednesday, May 12th & 13th.

In Gillespie, Chestnut Street between Macoupin and Madison closed until further notice.

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Road Work

Black Diamond Trail from Brown Trail to Waggoner Avenue will be closed from 8-3 Tuesday & Wedesday, May 12th & 13th.

Stagecoach Road from 2nd Road to Lake Catatoga Road will be closed from 9-2 Tuesday & Wednesday, May 12th & 13th.
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Girard - A fire destroyed the County Market in Girard on Route 4 on Thursday. It was just a year ago that the County Market opened in Girard; it had been Cherrys IGA since 1967. According to the State Journal Register the fire began around 3:30 Thursday afternoon as firefighters were on the scene for nearly six hours fighting the blaze. The Girard, Virden, Farmersville-Wagner, Carlinville and Auburn all responded to the fire. Some firefighters were treated for heat exhaustion. No official cause for the fire has been announced but it is believed to have been electrical. Steve Rakers, regional director of operations for County Market owner Niemann Foods, told the State Journal Register the plan is to rebuild the store, which he said could take six to eight months.

84 year old Dean Troutman is walking 700 miles in 75 days to raise money for the community park in memory of his late wife. Troutman, a Princeville native, departed from Princeville on April 21st. and now Troutman's Trek has brought him to Macoupin County. He spent May 6th in Medora, May 7th in Shipman and he will be in Bunker Hill on May 8th where there will be a small ceremony in front of the Lincoln Statue on Rt. 159.

The 84 year old is walking by himself on his trek and will have walked through 60 communities before he is finished. Following his stop in Macoupin County, Dean will be in Midway, Hamel and Lebanon. The 84 year old will head down to DuQuoin before walking back home to Princeville, where he plans to arrive on July 6th. Troutman's Trek will make stops in Pana and Taylorville in June.

Troutman tries to walk nine miles a day. He has been staying in each town as he walks through; most of the time at the local fire house.

In 2011 Troutman donated the land for a community park to honor his late wife, Peggy. The park sits on more than five acres, in Princeville, will baseball, football and soccer fields. It also features a walking trail and picnic pavilions. Troutman is hoping to raise money to add a playground along with scoreboards and bleachers and activity stations to the walking trail.

To learn more about Troutman's Trek go to troutmanstrek.com

A local volunteer wants to expand Meals on Wheels delivery to Coffeen. Coffeen resident and Meals on Wheels volunteer in Hillsboro Merle Imler says she's been delivering meals with Hillsboro's program for awhile and realized Coffeen did not have a Meals on Wheels program.

"So I asked around and found out that they used to have one, but it just kind of faded away. So I thought I would try to reinitiate that and we're trying to put the word out."

Imler says Meals on Wheels delivers hot or cold meals to residents over 60-years-old and mostly home-bound. She says to get Meals on Wheels delivery started in Coffeen, they need at least three or four more volunteers.

"I have a couple of volunteers ready to deliver, we're just waiting for enough people to make it worth while. We would pick up the meals at the Senior Center and then we get them in coolers and so your hot food is pretty hot and your cold food is pretty cold and we keep it seperate. It's a good meal, I've had a couple of them and they're pretty delicious."

To find out more about volunteering for Meals on Wheels, you can call Merle Imler at 534-6349 or Loretta at the Senior Center at 532-3662.
Thomack 5/5/15