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Abe Lincoln Bicentennial Birthday Commission
Born February 12, 1809

Lincoln Logs - a record of what Abe Lincoln was doing on this date during his life.

McLean County Abe Lincoln Bicentennial Commission

Normal Town Council Report

No meeting this week

Bloomington barbershop group goes international!

Twin City mayors and the McLean County board chairman will join in a “preview night” sendoff Tuesday (June 23) for the Sound of Illinois barbershop chorus.  The 60-man group will compete July 3 at Anaheim in the Barbershop Harmony Society’s convention, and its two-song package will be previewed at Grace Hall of Second Presbyterian Church at 7:30 p.m.   The public is invited.

Bloomington Mayor Steve Stockton, Normal Mayor Chris Koos and Board Chairman Matt Sorensen will lead the activities which coincide with the chorus’ final rehearsal before leaving for California, where the SOI will compete against 29 other choruses.

This is the second consecutive year and fifth time ever the Bloomington-based group has qualified for international competition. Last year, the chorus placed 21st in Nashville.  (In previous appearances, when the field was 16 groups, the chorus was third in 1957, fourth in 1960, and 10th in 1977.)

A local quartet, Upturn, will compete in the collegiate competition at the convention.  Two are members of SOI: Bass Donovan Davis (IWU) and Lead Matt Carlen (Illinois).  Tenor Jeremy Kings and Baritone Paul Cochran are also from Illinois Wesleyan.

The Sound of Illinois is directed by Terry Ludwig of Springfield, who is in his seventh year with the chorus.  President is Jim Waldorf of Bloomington.

History Museum’s exhibit on Kickapoo Indians extended through July

The exhibit, The Unconquerable:  Photos and History of the Kickapoo Indians will be open through July 25, due to popular demand.

Unconquerable opened in August 2008 to a very positive response locally and has since generated attention in the regional museum community as well.

The highlight of the opening was the welcoming of a delegation from the Kickapoo nation of Horton, Kansas, who presented a nation flag to the Museum which is now proudly displayed in the exhibit.  This exhibit is rich with photos taken of the descendants of McLean County’s Prairie Kickapoo in 1906 on the Kansas reservation. 

Milo Custer, the Historical Society’s first paid curator commissioned the photography in the early 1900’s featured in Unconquerable. The exhibit features material from the Museum’s archives, including notes from Milo Custer himself.  This exhibit chronicles Kickapoo early movement across the prairie, their interactions with early settlers and their subsequent removal. If you have an interest in local native-American history or have a passion for early 1900’s photography this exhibit is a must see. The Museum is open daily Monday –Saturday 10am -5pm., Tuesday free admission until 9pm.   www.McHistory.org

County Auditor Jackie Dozier to retire

McLean County Auditor, Jackie Dozier has announced her plans to retire on July 31, 2009.  Mrs. Dozier was first elected to the post in November 2000.  During her tenure the County Auditor function has seen dramatic change including two major revisions to Governmental Accounting Standards intended to make government reporting more transparent to the public.  Jackie also successfully implemented the role of internal auditor in her office, proactively conducting fund and process audits throughout the county over the past several years.  These efforts have resulted in a series of “clean” annual audits conducted by two different outside audit firms during her tenure.

County Board Chairman Matt Sorensen said of Mrs. Dozier, “There is no doubt that Jackie has raised the bar on what we expect of our internal controls and accounting processes.  Her ability to manage the Auditor’s Office into the modern era of technology and best business practices will be her legacy.   The fact that not many people in McLean County have had an occasion to know very much about her office is a testimonial to the outstanding job she has done for the people of McLean County.”

Sorensen said he will officially announce the vacancy created by Mrs. Dozier’s retirement at the McLean County Board meeting on July 21, 2009.  Consistent with State Law and the Rules of the McLean County Board, qualified individuals seeking to be appointed to the position should submit a resume and cover letter no later than September 2, 2009 to the McLean County Administrator’s office.  Candidates will be invited to address the Executive Committee of the McLean County board at its September 8 meeting.  Chairman Sorensen will appoint a new County Auditor on September 15, with the advice and consent of the full county board.

Land of Lincoln Honor Flights transport World War II vets to DC

Land of Lincoln Honor Flight’s mission is to transport World War II veterans  to Washington, D.C to visit their World War II Memorial. These veterans incur no expenses and are safely transported on commercial or chartered airplanes with the help of guardians who are responsible for their safety, comfort and enjoyment. Organized under the auspices of the National Honor Flight Program, the Land of Lincoln chapter is a 501(c)3 non-profit hub serving an area bounded by Alton, Quincy, Beardstown, Peoria, Bloomington, Springfield, Taylorville, and Litchfield.

On May 27th, the inaugural flight of LLHF escorted twelve WW II veterans, all in their 80’s, from the Springfield, Illinois airport. These veterans who had been on the waiting list for up to two years, were from Normal, Maroa, Forsyth, Bartonville, Hillsboro, Litchfield, Beardstown, Mt. Olive, East Peoria, and Springfield.

Monetary donations determine the number of flights and veterans served. Approximately $475 is needed to send a veteran to see their memorials. This covers their flight, bus transportation, three meals, a shirt, hat and a WW II memorial book. As you know, time is running out. About 1200 World War II veterans die each day.

Donations are being accepted to help us carry out our mission - no amount is too small. Checks can be written to Land of Lincoln Honor Flight and can be sent to Land of Lincoln Honor Flight,  3010 Cameron Drive, Springfield, IL 62704. A receipt letter for tax purposes will be returned.

Veteran and guardian applications and more information can be obtained from our web site www.landoflincolnhonorflight.org or by contacting Ray Wiedle, LLHF Chairman, at 217-622-1473. Your involvement and support is greatly appreciated for helping show gratitude to these heroes by giving them “one more tour with honor.”

In The June 25th Printed Normalite:
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Bill Linneman
Philmore returns

Helen J. Leake's Master Gardeners Tips
Hot weather lawn care tips

The Spectator by Jim Bennett
You build it and they'll come?

Capitol Facts by Rich Miller
No magic bullet to state's financial disaster

Normal Town Council Report
 by Steve Robinson
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Unit 5 School Board Report
 by Steve Robinson
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McLean County Board Report
by Steve Robinson
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Publisher Ed Pyne - Pyne Needles

Illinois Public Notices

Mystery Photo, Legal Notices, Obituaries, Service Directory, School and Senior Information, and Classified advertisements

Pick up a copy for these stories and more.

Unit 5 School Board Report

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Southern Illinois Quilt Retreat scheduled
 for Aug. 7 & 8

Susan K. Cleveland, nationally known quilting teacher and author of the new book, Marvelous Miters, is the featured teacher for the PieceMakers Quilt Retreat on August 7 & 8 at Wabash Valley College in Mt. Carmel , Illinois . Cleveland will teach four classes during the retreat and speak at an event open to the public.

“We are very excited to have Susan teach at our quilt event. We have seen an overwhelming interest in quilting, patchwork and appliqué in our local groups and we wanted an event to share information and techniques with others,” said Carol Garner, registration coordinator.

Cleveland’s half-day classes include: Marvelous Miters, Plain & Perfect Binding, Piping Hot Curves, and Bold Needle Threads. Other classes offered during the retreat include: No-tear Paper Piecing, Curved Piecing, Free Form Machine Quilting, Sweatshirt Jacket, Beginning Landscape Quilting, Foundation Piecing – Happy Halloween, Scrappy Bargello, Machine Appliqué, and Open Sewing time.

The three quilting groups sponsoring the retreat are: English Prairie Quilters, Albion ; Friendship Guild, Grayville; and Homespun Quilt Club, Mt Carmel. The groups have 110 members representing eight counties in southeastern Illinois .

Quilt club members will have a quilt show of past group projects and quilts made by individual members. The quilts will be on display in the Wabash Valley College ’s Brubeck Arts Center on Friday, August 7 from 8 a.m. – 7 p.m. and on Saturday, August 8 from 8 a.m. – 4 p.m. Fabric and quilting vendors, including knife and scissor sharpening, will also be available during the retreat.

Registration for the two-day event is $125 or $75 for one day (includes breakfast and lunch). Cleveland will have a special presentation that is open to the public at 6 p.m. on August 7 for $5 (no extra charge for retreat participants).

Mt. Carmel is located on the Wabash River in southeastern Illinois. The town’s Ag Days festival, including evening entertainment, will be in downtown Mt. Carmel the same weekend as the quilt retreat.

For more information about the retreat, email: piecemakersquiltretreat1@verizon.net or call 618/263-6302, or send a self-address stamped envelope to Carol Garner, RR 3, Box 286, Albion, Illinois 62806.

Evergreen Cemetery Discovery Walk 2009 to have Lincoln theme

Voices from the Past brings history to life through costumed professional actors assuming the intriguing characters of McLean County’s ancestors in the beautiful grounds of Evergreen Memorial Cemetery. To coincide with the 200th year anniversary of the birth of Abraham Lincoln, all characters featured in this year’s program will have a connection to Lincoln in McLean County. 

Tickets for this event will go on sale on Sept, 1, 2009. Performance dates and times are: 11AM and 2PM, Saturday, October 3; Sunday October 4; Saturday, October 10; Sunday, October 11, 2009. Location: 302 E. Miller Street, Bloomington. They can be purchased at the Garlic Press, Evergreen Cemetery and the McLean County Museum of History $12.00 general public $10.00 museum members $4.00 kids & students w/ID Gate tickets: $2.00 more than advance tickets at the cemetery one hour before show time. For more information called the Museum at 1(309) 827-0428 or education@mchistory.org

This program is a collaboration between the McLean County Museum of History, Illinois Voices Theatre and Evergreen Memorial Cemetery, with support from the Illinois Theatre Consortium and the Illinois Arts Council with additional support from Busey Bank and State Farm Insurance Companies.

Heartland’s 8th Annual 10-Minute Play Festival opens July 9th!

Heartland Theatre Company opens 2009 10-Minute Play Festival with a Pay-What-You-Can Night July 9th.

It’s Over!

What does it mean when it’s really and truly over?  It could be the end of a game, a career, a life or relationship, or even the world as we know it.  Take a ride with the eight imaginative playwrights who won our competition and earned the right to show us their short and snappy variations on the theme.

The plays will be staged during Heartland’s 8th Annual 10-Minute Play Festival July 9, 10, 11, 16, 17, 18, 19, 23, 24, 25, 26, 30, 31 and August 1, 2, 2009

The festival is being held one month later this year, running July 9-August 2 (instead of running late May – June).

The winning plays and playwrights are listed below (in no ranking order). 

THE FUN PART, by Gabe McKinley, New York, NY

Ted and Lily are so in love they have to make up a new word for it. But what happens when the breathless, fizzy, nobody-every-loved-like-this fun part comes crashing to an end?

THE FINAL EPISODE OF INTERGALACTIC WARRIOR JOURNEYMAN, by Beth Kander, Jackson, MS

The scene is set. The phone is unplugged. No popcorn – that might ruin the sanctity of the moment as three superfans gather to watch the last episode of their favorite TV series. How will they go on without their beloved “Journeyman”?

FAT PETEY GETS IT ALL WRONG, by Ron Frankel, New Lebanon, NY

Poor Larry. He cheated on his wife. And now he doesn’t want to hurt her. He just wants to kill her. Will Al, your friendly neighborhood Jersey guy-who-has-a-guy, help him out? Fuggedaboudit!

DON’T JUST SIT THERE, by Diane Sampson, San Francisco, CA

Carla’s husband just dumped her, but she shows up for her dental appointment, anyway, and then gets distracted by another patient and his luscious lips. Too bad David’s just a guy with a toothache, who doesn’t care if there’s a whole lot of pain Novacaine can’t touch.

IT’S ALL IN YOUR HEAD, by Jessica Wisniewski, Romeoville, IL

As an author, Lauren holds the power of life and death over all of her characters. No matter how real her best character seems, it’s still up to Lauren to decide when and how to write THE END.  Isn’t it?

DOUBLE FEATURE, by Chuck Rose, Los Angeles, CA

Iris and Mitch meet in a vintage movie poster shop the day before it closes forever.  She’s all about “L’Avventura.” He’s a “Brain From Planet Arous” kind of guy. Can two film buffs with very different tastes form a connection that’ll survive the store’s demise? 

I LOST THREE CHEWBACCAS THAT WAY, by Isaac Perelson, Brooklyn, NY

One day your biggest dilemma is whether your Darth Vader action figure can take down your He-Man, and the next it’s all about the wife and kids and work and... And whether your youth is buried in the back yard along with your old Chewbaccas.

HONESTLY, by Steven Korbar, Torrance, CA

It’s only after you break up that you can be completely honest with each other. All that truth can be refreshing. It can be energizing. But... Ouch! It can also hurt!

For reservations, call the box office reservation line at 309 452-8709 or email boxoffice@heartland
theatre.org

Friday & Saturday Nights all tickets are $12. Thursday nights and Sundays, Discounts for Seniors are $10 and Students are $6. Curtain is at 7:30 on Thursday, Friday, Saturday and 2:00 pm on Sundays. Parental guidance for under age 13.

For more about the plays: http://www.heartlandtheatre.org/current.html

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