People

Wednesday, January 7, 2009

Paxton signs salute those who serve

PAXTON – Adam Carlson got a surprise Christmas gift after arriving home for the holidays following his first semester at the U.S. Naval Academy.

"I was just driving downtown with my sister the first or second day I got back here, and she's like, 'Adam! Your name's on that sign,' and I was like, 'Oh, that's awesome,'" Carlson said.

Tuesday, January 6, 2009

Danville mother fights to keep son's killer behind bars

DANVILLE – It's been more than 33 years since Katherine Lee's 15-year-old son, David Grinestaff, was gunned down during a gas-station robbery.

Now the Danville woman once again is working to keep her son's murderer behind bars. It's the 18th time in 26 years.

Monday, January 5, 2009

Life Remembered: Ex-Mahomet mayor 'fun-loving,' honest

CHAMPAIGN – Though he had reason, Mahomet's longest-running mayor, Charles J. Oliger, never complained.

His long battle with cancer took one of his ears and part of his face. On Friday, it took his life.

Life Remembered: Caterer known for generosity, excellence

CHAMPAIGN – Even if you didn't know Michael Carragher personally, chances are you've sampled some of his cooking.

From box lunches to wedding buffets, his culinary creations have been a staple at Champaign-Urbana events for almost three decades.

Sunday, January 4, 2009

'Angel family' involved in '83 blizzard rescue comes forward

CHAMPAIGN – Saturday put an end to former Illinois resident Nancy Stagg's 25-year search.

Stagg, who lives in Dallas, N.C., a small town outside of Charlotte, has been searching for the Central Illinois family who helped her family during a blizzard on Christmas Eve 1983.

Rantoul chamber's new director carries a positive outlook

Last fall, Rantoul resident Chris Kaler became the executive director of the Rantoul Area Chamber of Commerce. Recently, News-Gazette staff writer Tim Mitchell sat down with Kaler at his office to talk about his career and the future of the chamber.

Q: Did you grow up here in Rantoul?

A: Yes, just about every longtime resident knows my family. My grandfather, Sig Kaler, was the postmaster here in Rantoul, and my dad, Jack Kaler, was a rural mail carrier in the Gifford area for 40 years. He used to love Christmas because all the farmers would give him homemade bread and rolls. My mom grew up in Thomasboro, and she worked the Mid-Continent telephone company in the dispatch area.

Saturday, January 3, 2009

Family seeking 'Angels' of Christmas past

FITHIAN – A former Illinois woman is searching for the "angels" who saved her family in a "Christmas miracle" 25 years ago.

Friday, January 2, 2009

Publication for Koreans hits stands

CHAMPAIGN – While some newspapers are struggling for survival, a new one is starting in Champaign-Urbana.

Joohyun Kang of Champaign has begun publishing the CU Korean Times, a biweekly newspaper with both Korean and English editions.

The newspaper, which covers news of interest to Champaign-Urbana's Korean community, is available not only online at www.cukoreantimes.com, but also in print at many locations around town.

Black baseball history stays alive on Web

DANVILLE – Hubert "Daddy" Wooten of Goldsboro, N.C., and Dwight Lucas of Danville have something in common: They are glad Bobo Smalls hasn't given up on drawing attention to the last Negro barnstorming team, the Indianapolis Clowns, on which he played from 1964 to 1986.

Thursday, January 1, 2009

Sound of Mahomet crash spurs Army medic to action

MAHOMET – At about 2 a.m. Wednesday, Army Sgt. Joshua Huddleston heard the scream of wheels and a crash.

He and his brother, Joe, stepped outside into a cold, windy night and saw a flashlight in the distance. Joe went inside, figuring someone would call the fire department. Josh Huddleston ran toward it.

With no coat or gloves, Huddleston sprinted up and across the grassy berm near his parents' home in Candlewood Estates and through a windbreak of trees. He ran across Prairieview Road, to the corner where it intersects with Golfview Drive.

Wednesday, December 31, 2008

Residents' complaints about trash addressed

URBANA – It was about two weeks ago when the garbage showed up.

Nasty stuff – carpets and carpet pads, ripped mattresses, tipped-over couches – piled up in the middle of a Scottswood Manor Apartments parking lot in the 1200 and 1300 block of Lierman Avenue, Urbana.

Monday, December 29, 2008

Web is where it's at for these twin brothers at UI

CHAMPAIGN – Ryan and Ashton Clark spend a lot of time churning out ideas for Web-based businesses.

In the past seven years, the 20-year-old twin brothers – both juniors at the University of Illinois – have formed more than a dozen such ventures, with products ranging from online music to sports apparel to parking-place reservations.

Spanish teacher's students to teach Latino community

CHAMPAIGN – When Montserrat Oliveras-Heras teaches Spanish at Parkland College, she wants to create as many opportunities for her students to speak the language as possible.

But the conversations in the classroom can be pretty artificial. She wanted to have her students talk with Latinos living in the community, in a way that would benefit both groups.

So next fall, one of her Spanish classes will teach basic computer skills to Latino residents of Shadowwood Mobile Home park in north Champaign. All the training will be done in Spanish, helping her students learn the language in a real-life situation. In addition to the training, residents will get computers and software to use.

Hoopeston man comes up with idea for car safety device

HOOPESTON – Rick Payne has developed a safety tool that he hopes no one will ever have to use.

He is also hoping success in sales and distribution will bring production jobs to the Hoopeston area.

Payne's Breakout Safety Tool is designed to cut seat belts and break out windows, in the case of an extreme emergency, for a passenger to be able to get out of a vehicle.

Sunday, December 28, 2008

Ex-Champaign educator developing program for administrators

DANVILLE – As a longtime principal and mentor to aspiring principals, Carol Stack knows both the pressures of the job and what makes a successful school leader.

Stack retired in 2007 after 31 years in education, almost all of it in the Champaign school district. But she hasn't left behind her interest in seeing talented educators take on leadership roles.

On Lincoln's Trail: Danville woman provides memory lane for walks

Roberta Allen of Danville is extremely proud of her Moonwalk T-shirt. No, it has nothing to do with Michael Jackson.

Allen earned her shirt when her walking club accepted a challenge from a Peoria club to see who could walk the most miles between April and June in the evenings. Allen took first place for the Ridgewalkers Walking Club, a chapter of the American Volkssport Association.

Saturday, December 27, 2008

Retirees share their knowledge, experience with high schoolers

CHAMPAIGN – Teacher Barbara Lyon liked the idea of having another adult in her child development lab at Centennial High School, helping with her two dozen high school students and the preschool children they care for.

Volunteer Wanda Giddings was hoping to share her knowledge of teaching children and learn about the young people going to high school in her neighborhood.

Armstrong family loses home and belongings to fire

ARMSTRONG – An Armstrong family is staying in a Rantoul motel after their home and possessions were destroyed by a fire this week.

"It's bad enough to lose everything, but having this happen at Christmas makes it even worse," said Thomas Van Ostrand, whose home burned down on Dec. 23. "What a way to spend Christmas."

Man's interest, concern for people bridged generations

Villa Grove lost a father figure this month, when Robert "Footie" Hancock died.

Hancock died in his home at age 81 on Dec. 18 from a heart attack, after battling cancer since early fall. Hancock was well known in Villa Grove for his remarkable knowledge of town history and for his giving, caring ways.

Friday, December 26, 2008

UI honoring retired Justice O'Connor

The University of Illinois has chosen retired U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor to receive the 2008 Paul H. Douglas Ethics in Government Award.

Mahomet men trekking to aid slaves in Nepal

MAHOMET – Two Mahomet men are spending their Christmas week heading halfway around the world to improve the plight of slave children in Nepal.

Eric Luedtke and Jeff Fago of the Mahomet Rotary Club are leaving today to take school supplies (including school uniforms and history books), food and other materials to between 300 and 400 slave boys and girls in Kathmandu, the capital of Nepal, high up in the Himalaya Mountains.

Tuscola students receive gift from 'their' soldier

TUSCOLA – Some fifth-graders at East Prairie Middle School in Tuscola received a special gift this Christmas season: a U.S. flag that flew over a military base in Afghanistan.

Thursday, December 25, 2008

Couple officially adopts four of Naomi Arnette's children

URBANA – Among the dozens of gifts at Mark and Lisa Thurber's house under the Christmas tree this year is one that can't be covered with pretty paper and bows.

It arrived Tuesday in the form of a signed court order allowing the Sadorus couple to adopt four children whose lives were forever changed about two years ago, when their mother went missing.

Wednesday, December 24, 2008

'Vet Med Santa' makes last toy run in long career of service

CHAMPAIGN – 'Twas the night before Christmas and this Santa was resting.

Gary Cutler, a.k.a. the "Vet Med Santa," had delivered his last load of toys to the Salvation Army's Toys for Tots Champaign.

Sunday, December 21, 2008

Danville Class of 2012: Before finals, familiarity has set in

Editor's note: This is the second of an occasional series about Danville High School's Class of 2012. The 431 students are the first to go through Freshman House, a new program aimed at boosting achievement, increasing the graduation rate and reducing the high dropout rate.

It's barely 40 degrees and pouring rain, and part of Matt Shaffer yearns to crawl back into bed.

But the Danville High School freshman and his classmates sit in first-period algebra working a problem the teacher has scrawled on the dry-erase board.

Saturday, December 20, 2008

Paxton man's dual stairway wins DeWalt carpentry contest

PAXTON – Stan Foster of Paxton has won DeWalt's Top Finish Carpenter Award after a dual stairway he built was chosen the top project in a competition that attracted more than 150 entrants.

As a result, Foster will receive $34,272 in prizes, including a table saw, air compressor, speed-belt sander and planer, plus Carharrtt clothing and tickets and pit passes to a NASCAR race.

Champaign farm bureau delivers enough food to feed 152

URBANA – More than 150 area residents are getting food for their Christmas dinners, thanks to the efforts of the Champaign County Farm Bureau.

On Friday morning, Farm Bureau members delivered enough food items to provide meals for 152 people to the Eastern Illinois Foodbank.

Renaissance Danville undeterred by withdrawal of city funds

DANVILLE – Renaissance Danville board members are not ready to give up on their organization, despite losing Renaissance's primary source of funding from the city of Danville.

The all-volunteer board met Friday morning to discuss the future of the organization for the first time since learning that the city of Danville plans to cut the organization's funding for the remainder of the current fiscal year and for all of next year.

Thursday, December 18, 2008

Holy Cross eighth-grader takes acts of service to extreme

MANSFIELD – Whether she is collecting gently used shoes or making comforting fleece blankets, Faith Taylor knows that the best gifts come from the heart.

This fall, Faith, 13, of Mansfield took an interest in serving her community. From Sept. 8 to 23, she collected 620 pairs of gently worn shoes to donate to Soles4Souls, a charity that distributes shoes to those in need.

Mark Denman chosen Danville school superintendent

DANVILLE – Danville schools Associate Superintendent Mark Denman will step into the district's top job next year.

School officials on Thursday announced he was selected to replace Superintendent Nanette Mellen, who is retiring at the end of the school year.

Wednesday, December 17, 2008

Danville woman gets good start on modeling at Finish Line

DANVILLE – When Whitney Fox and her family were doing a little shopping at Champaign's Market Place Mall last month, the young Danville woman was amazed to be confronted by her own image in an athletic apparel store window.

The Danville Area Community College sophomore knew the store promotion was coming out, but didn't know when.

Tuesday, December 16, 2008

Couple, community pull together to brighten holidays for family

URBANA – If he doesn't watch out, Santa might find himself out of a job this holiday season.

Some Christmas angels at the Transitions Resale Shop at Lincoln Square filled the wish list – and more – of one Urbana family that is giving back to the community despite facing its own challenges.

Monday, December 15, 2008

Assistant public defender taking expertise to Afghanistan

URBANA – It wasn't exactly the prosecutorial role she'd hoped for, but Janie Miller-Jones will have an impressive title in the new year.

"I've been told I'm going to be the chief of military justice. I can't get away from criminal law," said Miller-Jones, an assistant public defender for Champaign County.

Sunday, December 14, 2008

Teen's Peer Court work has helped her help herself, others

This year marks Krystine Goff's last at Westville High School.

The 18-year-old has big plans for the future – teaching high school English and a stint in the National Guard.

It's a vast difference from the girl she was three years ago. During the summer after her freshman year, Goff discovered Vermilion County's Peer Court.

Lincoln's Challenge cadets humble, thankful at end of journey

Desmond Battles happily played the piano as he rehearsed a song for Saturday's Lincoln's Challenge Academy graduation ceremonies.

Battles has lost more than 35 pounds since the day he arrived on campus, and the teen from the South Side of Chicago considers himself a big winner.

Local woman packages joy - and it's bigger than a shoe box

CHAMPAIGN – A 7-year-old girl in an African country soon will be exclaiming over her collection of presents:

A T-shirt picturing a sparkly cat and dog, washcloths, plastic animals, a purple Teddy bear, flip flops, colored markers, tablet of paper, toothbrush and toothpaste, and hard candy.

After adoption, sisters repaying kindnesses they received

ST. JOSEPH – All Loren remembers about the shoe box full of Christmas presents is the picture of the family it came from.

She was a 10-year-old, living in an orphanage in Peru with her two younger sisters.

Saturday, December 13, 2008

Hard work on 4th house pays off for women's shelter

CHAMPAIGN – Let's just say this isn't a typical homeless shelter.

The kitchen is outfitted with modern cabinets and sleek black appliances. It opens onto a living room with leather furniture and wood laminate floors. The largest bedroom is a pink-and-white showpiece, complete with canopy, writing desk and wainscoting.

Holiday Tour of Homes to be Sunday in Hoopeston

HOOPESTON – The Hoopeston Area Healthcare Foundation will present a Holiday Tour of Homes from 2 to 6 p.m. Sunday.

Featured on the tour are the homes of:

Thursday, December 11, 2008

Salvation Army reports a surge in requests for holiday help

CHAMPAIGN – Last Christmas, 650 families received free toys and food through The Salvation Army's annual holiday giveaway.

This year, amid tough economic times, 950 families have signed up – almost a 50 percent increase.

"It's huge," said Salvation Army envoy Mike Fuqua.

Local GM retirees are uncertain about their future

 

TILTON – It's too early to tell what's going to happen to former workers at Tilton's General Motors Central Foundry plant, according to a local union official.

Ed Barney is president of United Auto Workers Local 579 and still a General Motors employee. His job is working with retirees and others receiving health care and pension benefits through the company. He's seen a lot, but is expecting more.

Wednesday, December 10, 2008

A few words on the governor from some of our Twitter followers

What Tweeters think

Twitter is an online service that allows instant, brief communication among members, who choose to "follow" other users and allow others to follow them. Information is available at www.twitter.com, and you can find The News-Gazette's account at www.twitter.com/news_gazette.

Lawn Rangers must have slick shtick for inauguration

Barack Obama promised change, and now we're going to get it – at his inaugural parade.

The two-hour-long parade after the president-elect's inauguration will feature the usual high school marching bands, drill teams, horse units and even the Jesse White Tumbling Team from Chicago.

A life remembered: PBL sophomore set example of courage

PAXTON – As a student at Paxton-Buckley-Loda Junior High School, Ryan Coe lost his shoe during a cross-country race – yet kept on running.

After all, he had a race to finish.

Tuesday, December 9, 2008

Paxton man named VFW national deputy chief of staff

James Ellis of Paxton has been appointed national deputy chief of staff for the Veterans of Foreign Wars for 2008-2009.

As deputy chief of staff, he will be involved with opening new posts, assisting existing ones and administering bylaws.

Monday, December 8, 2008

Volunteers send holiday packages to troops

CHAMPAIGN – Lori Stewart remembers first hearing a little over a year ago about how some soldiers were virtually forgotten by their families over the holidays.

"One soldier told me they get nothing for Christmas but bills," she recalled. "No letters. No calls. It broke my heart. I want to send every single one of them something."

That last task might be a bit much for Stewart, a 45-year-old Champaign mother of an Army specialist. But she's definitely trying.

On Sunday, Stewart and about 20 other volunteers were accepting and packaging gifts for U.S. troops at the Village Inn Pizza Parlor in Champaign. It's the second year of such an effort for Stewart, who has since 2007 sent Thanksgiving and Christmas care packages to soldiers.