Keller Grain and Livestock, owned and operated by the Keller Family, was recognized by the Illinois Pork Producers Association (IPPA) at the 2010 IL Pork Expo in Peoria. The Keller Family, which includes Art and Alice Keller, Bob and Donna Keller, and Jason and Anna Keller and their daughter Brittany all of who live near Sainte Marie, IL, received the 2010 Illinois Pork Producer Family of the Year at the IPPA Awards Banquet on February 2. This award recognizes a pork producer family who has done an outstanding job in promoting pork and has exemplified leadership skills at the county, state, and national levels. The award is sponsored by Elanco Animal Health.

 "The Keller Family is the epitome of IPPA's tagline - 'Illinois Pork Producers. Generations of Commitment' for their commitment to their community, the environment, their farm, and their family for three generations," said Brent Scholl, pork producer from Polo, Ill. and current IPPA President. "Like many successful family businesses, the Kellers have had to adapt their farm to changing market conditions to remain efficient and viable, while being good stewards of the land and a valuable member of their community."

The 74th Annual Meeting of the Jasper County Farm Bureau was held Monday, February 8th, at the Sunrise Community Center.

Joe Bierman, President at Large of the Jasper County Farm Bureau, opened the meeting by welcoming those who had come.  Preceeding the catered meal by Martin's IGA, Keith Matson, A Director of the Jasper County Farm Bureau Board, gave the invocation.  The flag was presented by Newton FFA member Dominic Ginder.  Marissa Kautz, also a member of the local FFA chapter, led the group in the Pledge of Allegiance.

Following the meal, Bierman introduced the members of the Jasper County Board of Directors and their wives.  He also introduced two special guests, both Jasper County natives.  These were  State Representative David Reis and Richard Ochs, who is Illinois Ag Association Director for the District. 

Members of the Jasper County Board held their monthly meeting on February 11th.  During the meeting the board members heard several committee reports. 

One of the committee reports, Economic Development Committee, was given by committee chairman Bill Weber.  Weber commented that they had had two meetings - one on January 19th and the second on February 9th.   Weber said that the committee had talked with school officials regarding the budget problems that the district is facing. 

He also talked about the Extension budget and how it is being hurt by the lack of state support.  He said that Extension is lookng for feedback at a regional meeting which will be held February 26th from 2 to 4 p.m. at the Effingham Extension Center.  He added that Travis Farley had agreed to serve as the spokesperson.

The N.C.H.S. Yearbook staff was recently awarded 2nd place in competition for last year's yearbook (2008-2009). N.C.H.S. Yearbook staff was one of 28 schools that competed for this award of schools with less than 500 enrollment.

The following are the categories with placement: Best Copy Writing-2nd place, Best Sports Coverage-2nd place, Best Layout and Design-2nd place, Best Divider Pages-2nd place, Best Use of Photography-3rd place, Best Theme Development-3rd place and Best Coverage of School Year-1st place for an overall average of 2nd place.

Geron Scates, former WIKK radio broadcasting personality, is making news at his new job at Western Texas College.

Texas author, Zane Sterling, recently addressed the Western Texas College Radio Broadcasting Department, of which, Scates is the professor. While at the college, Sterling approached Scates to ask if he would be the voice (narrator/main character) for an audio book, to which

Scates, of course, said yes. (And, we local people all know how good "the voice of the Eagles" is from listening to Scates broadcast Eagle football.) Scates then suggested that other voices be added for some of the other characters, which would make this audio book different from most other audio books.

2/3

10-TR-84 - John T. Agan - Speeding

10-TR-85 - Joseph H. Foster - Failure to Wear Seat Belt

10-TR-86 - Kelli R. Marriott - Speeding

2/4

According to an Illinois State Police report, Glenda Northrop, 42, of Newton was driving a 2001 Chevy passenger car and was traveling 2 miles east of IL 130 on the Hunt City blacktop when she failed to negotiate a T-intersection and struck the west ditch of County Road 1475E.

Northrop was cited for Failure to Reduce Speed to Avoid Accident.

Auditions were recently held for the 2010 musical "The Wizard of Oz".  The Newton Community High School Choral Department will perform this spring musical on April 15,16, 17, and18.

The following students have been selected as cast members (characters listed with two names are double cast) :  Kerstine Kerner and Jenna Zuber, Dorothy Gale; Rachel Bratsch, Aunt Em; Robert Browning and Dan Weishaar, Uncle Henry; Jared Britton, Lion (Zeke); Landon Rauch and Jacob Sainer, Tin Man (Hickory); Danny Cast, Scarecrow (Hunk); Lisa Frichtl and Kristen Schackmann (Wicked Witch); Lucas Bloomberg, Wizard of Oz (Professor Chester Marvel); Jamie Mahaffey and Taryn Mahaffey, Glinda (the good witch).

Each year since 1996 Jasper County residents have been participating in an very special event - Relay for Life.  This an event that remembers those who have lost their lives to cancer, celebrates those who are cancer survivors, and helps raise money for cancer research.

The first local Relay for Life was held August 16 and 17 at the high school track August 16 and 17, beginning with an Opening Ceremony at 7 p.m. and concluding very early the next morning. 

Since that first year, each year area residents have gathered at two places - the high school track and the fairgrounds - to have the annual event. This year's event will be held June 11th beginning at 4 p.m.  and will be held at a new location - around the Newton Square.

Jasper County schools, including St. Thomas, will not be in session today due to snow.

Area closings include East and West Richland, St. Joseph Schools, Flora, Louisville, Red Hill and Crawford County.

Jasper County voters showed a 31% appearance at the polls Tuesday in the 2010 General Primary Election. The General Election on November 2nd will see Democrat Dustin Granby (364 votes) facing Republican Clinton Bigard (701 votes). Democratic challenger Connie Griffith received 330 votes and Maria Huddleston received 327 votes. Republican challenger Don Hickox had 284 votes and Susan Iffert Lindley had 282.

In the Jasper County Clerk race, Democrat Linda Griffith Huth received 927 votes and Republican Gordon Yager received 952 votes.

In Jasper County, Democrat Daniel W. Hynes received 600 votes (63.36%) to Pat Quinn's 345 votes. On the Republican ballot, Bill Brady won with 611 votes (50.04%), Adam Andrzejewski received 193, Kirk W. Dillard-158, Jim Ryan-125, Andy McKenna-99, Dan Proft-28 and Rob Schillerstrom-7.

Misdemeanors

2/2

10-CM-3 - Rebecca L. Powell - Reckless Conduct

Traffic

1/27

10-TR-57 - Tyler J. Finney - Leaving Scene of Accident

10-TR-58 - Tyler J. Finney - Improper Lane Usage

10-TR-59 - Tyler J. Finney - Failure to Reduce Speed

Kindergarten pre-registration is scheduled for Tuesday, February 16-Friday, February 19, 2010. Registration will be held during regular school hours all week at Willow Hill and Grove schools, respectively. For the convenience of parents, registration hours will be extended at Willow Hill on Wednesday, February 17 from 7:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Registration will be offered at Newton Elementary, in the school library, on February 18 from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. for those students who will be attending Willow Hill School. All students who live in Newton will attend Willow Hill next year. If any parent is unable to register their child during that week, please call the appropriate school and make an appointment.

Children must be five years old on or before September 1, 2010 in order to attend kindergarten during the 2010-11 school year. All parents are asked to pre-register their child if he/she will be attending kindergarten in August. No payment of fees is required at this time, but all parents need to be sure to attend registration in August.

Ameren Energy Resources Company, LLC (AER), the holding company for merchant generation and its energy marketing services for Ameren Corporation, today announced that its Newton Plant reached yet another safety milestone—one million work hours with no lost workday injuries.

The plant capped several years of top safety performance with this coveted milestone on Jan. 29, 2010, having already hit the two-year mark without a single lost-time accident.  The 1200-megawatt plant began operating in 1977 with its first coal-fired unit and followed in 1982 with a second unit. 

The million-work-hour milestone capped a multi-year initiative that involved hourly and management employees in a plant-wide initiative to ensure that workers returned home every day safely.

Felony

1/26

10-CF-2 - Jason A. Monroe - Burglary



DUI

10-DT-1 - Matthew M. Miller - DUI