People

Saturday, July 5, 2008

Oregon publisher releases horticulture book by UI graduate

Anthony Kahtz acknowledges that several books already have been published on how to garden in the Midwest.

None was released, though, by Timber Press, a Portland, Ore., publisher known for its books on gardening and related topics.

82-year-old Navy vet receives honorary high school diploma

GIBSON CITY – Howard Arthur Monical Sr. of Gibson City has seen more of the world in his 82 years than most people ever will.

As he drank coffee recently wearing a Korean veteran's cap, he told harrowing stories of serving in the Navy during three wars – World War II, the Korean War and the Vietnam War.

Friday, July 4, 2008

Street names honor fallen soldiers

MAHOMET – It means a great deal to Christina Penrod that when her 1-year-old son Colin grows up, he will have something to show his friends and say, "That's my Dad."

Thanks to American Legion Mahomet Post 1015 and the Mahomet Village Board, Colin's dad is one of two fallen soldiers who will be remembered with honorary street signs in Mahomet.

Thursday, July 3, 2008

Broadcaster, activist shattered barriers

CHAMPAIGN – At a time when institutions were anything but "accessible" to people in wheelchairs, Tom Jones played basketball, visited Africa, earned two University of Illinois degrees and met his wife here, became one of the areas's first sportscasters and served as a top UI administrator.

Mr. Jones wasn't wheelchair-bound, he told people, he just happened to be in a wheelchair.

"I don't know of anything there ever was that he didn't do," says mentor and UI Rehabilitation Institute founder Tim Nugent.

Local teen loses his 'do to help other kids with hair loss

On Monday, while other teens were out enjoying the summer breeze rushing through their hair, one teen followed his plan to give his to charity. Sixteen-year-old Ian Taylor donated over 10 inches of his long brown hair at Sculpt Hair Studio located on South Mattis Avenue in Champaign.

Taylor's hair will now begin a journey to becoming a high-quality hair prosthesis for a youth suffering from medical hair loss. A few ponytails of his hair will be sent to Locks of Love, a nonprofit organization that began in 1997.

Wednesday, July 2, 2008

St. Elizabeth Hospital lives on in new book

DANVILLE – Phyllis Snider enjoys doing research, and she loved her nursing career at St. Elizabeth Hospital.

As each of the various sections of the hospital was torn down until nothing remained but a grassy space a block long and about a block and a half wide on Danville's southeast side, Snider, 70, took its destruction as a personal loss.

Monday, June 30, 2008

Urbana man saw citizen diplomacy at work on recent travels

URBANA – Chungliang Al Huang describes himself as Chinese-born and American through and through. Immersed in both cultures, he insists that we Americans, as well as the rest of the world, need not fear China.

Rather, we need to understand and accept it in new ways. One of the best, he says, is citizen diplomacy.

Sunday, June 29, 2008

Swimming guru's lessons attracting students from all corners of state

HOMER – If Bruce Miller's swimming pool feels a little like "Field of Dreams," there's good reason.

There are no dead baseball greats wandering around, but his larger pool – a cerulean blue rectangle smack dab in the middle of corn and soybean fields in rural Homer – does attract a lot of talent from far away.

Saturday, June 28, 2008

Benefit planned for man hurt in accident

ST. JOSEPH – Residents are holding a benefit Sunday evening to help pay the medical and living expenses of a man who was injured in an automobile accident.

Kent Lange, 41, was injured in a crash in May, breaking his neck in three or four places.

Friday, June 27, 2008

Community dear to longtime WDAN radio personality

DANVILLE – Though missing from the airwaves since a stroke about a year ago, Jeanne Eisenhauer will be remembered not only by her WDAN radio audience, but for how she worked and served in Danville.

Beverly Jeanne Eisenhauer, 73, of Danville died Tuesday (June 24, 2008) at Colonial Manor Nursing Home.

Wednesday, June 25, 2008

YMCA executive director takes national position

CHAMPAIGN – Wade Hampton's departure from the Champaign County YMCA comes as the organization is trying to complete a $7 million capital campaign to build a new facility in southwest Champaign.

But YMCA board members say they still hope to have a groundbreaking for the facility on Windsor Road later this year.

Tuesday, June 24, 2008

Pivotal former Rantoul mayor is moving out of state

RANTOUL – The mayor who provided leadership to Rantoul during the closure of Chanute Air Force Base is moving away from the village.

Katy Podagrosi said she and her husband, Ernie, are moving to Tifton, Ga., (about 60 miles from the Florida border) to be closer to her daughter, son-in-law and grandchildren.

Jesus is the Way Ministry lives as founder's legacy

RANTOUL – Jesus is the Way Prison Ministries, which moved to Rantoul 11 years ago, will continue to work with former inmates despite the death of its founder and president.

The Rev. Jesse E. Mathes Jr. of Gifford died June 13 at the age of 65.

Former Rantoul Press owner remembered as caring man

RANTOUL – Area residents are remembering Glenn Hansen as a loving, educated man who enjoyed photography, world travel and helping those in need.

Mr. Hansen, 93, the former owner of The Rantoul Press, died Saturday at his home in Rantoul.

Champaign man always looking to add to keychain collection

CHAMPAIGN – If all goes according to plan, what started in a box in Jerry Moran's room could go on to be the beginning of a world record.

In that box, Moran once kept his keychains. Moran, who is developmentally disabled and has a speech impediment, said his sister, Karen McKinzie, would take the box out and look through his collection.

Monday, June 23, 2008

Man injured in farming accident

FOOSLAND – A Sidney man remained hospitalized this morning with injuries he received in a farming accident Sunday.

Champaign County sheriff's Sgt. Dan Coile said preliminary information he received from a fellow deputy was that John E. Doorn, no age available, of Sidney was farming in the 400 block of County Road 3450 N sometime Sunday when he started to get off his tractor.

Sunday, June 22, 2008

Villa Grove man could give us all hints about using coupons

It's a sure bet that at one time or another, someone's accused 78-year-old Wayne Stovall of holding a penny so tight Abe Lincoln squealed.

Wayne's known around Villa Grove for being thrifty with his money, and frankly, he's pretty proud of his tightwad tendencies.

Future pastor met God at a crossroad in his life

Moses had his burning bush.

Saul had his light on the road to Damascus.

Ray Winfrey had his riding lawn mower.

Cutting grass can be a mindless, butt-numbing chore for a homeowner. For Ray Winfrey, who mowed for the Champaign Parks Department, it was job security. That is, until one late spring day in 1979, when his mowing went from mindless to mind-blowing.

Saturday, June 21, 2008

Family moving 100-year-old structure 1 mile

PHILO – Bryan Lewis' new house will spend the weekend in his family's soybean field.

The 100-year-old house sat at 107 N. Lincoln St. until Friday, when an Indianapolis-based company slid the house off its foundation and onto a special trailer for the diagonal haul across farmland to its new location at 411 W. Monroe St.

Thursday, June 19, 2008

Area salesman, 9, sells more than any other participant in region

CHAMPAIGN – Cub Scout Randy Janson, 9, set a big goal for himself: to sell more popcorn than any other scout in the Midwest.

Randy, who will be a fourth-grader at Barkstall Elementary School in Champaign this fall, sold $12,635 worth of popcorn as part of a fundraiser for his Cub Scout group.

Accident claims life of longtime coach, educator

SULLIVAN – Current and former students and fellow teachers will miss Joe Marks, but his imprint will be long-felt in several area communities.

Mr. Marks, principal at Sullivan Middle School and former football coach at Arcola High School, was killed as a result of a traffic accident Tuesday morning near his home in rural Moultrie County.

Sunday, June 15, 2008

Champaign photographer's railroad tower images on display

With their creaky stairs, coal-fired furnaces and windows open to the elements, railroad towers offered few of the comforts of home.

Sometimes they didn't even have running water.

Danville man gets what he wanted: Back in the saddle again

DANVILLE – Bob Edwards likes to say he was born 100 years too late.

A cowboy at heart, he prefers a saddle to bucket seats, reins to a steering wheel and stirrups to a gas pedal.

Wednesday, June 11, 2008

Vermilion fair pageant director calling it quits after 10 years

DANVILLE – When Amy Wright watches her 2008 Vermilion County Fair Queen contestants take to the runway this year, it will be with a lot of pride and a tinge of regret.

This is Wright's 10th year as the pageant director – and her last.

Monday, June 9, 2008

Oakwood student helps bring in 85 pounds of aluminum for charity

OAKWOOD – When Paul Wasser of Oakwood asked fellow church members to save their aluminum-can tabs for a charity close to his heart, he hoped to get a few bags.

He was bowled over when Oakwood High School student Amie Burke recently presented him with a bag filled with 85 pounds of tabs collected by the school's student body.

Sunday, June 8, 2008

Retiring director made Crisis Nursery a community fixture

URBANA – The job of a lifetime came along when Ginny Dewar wasn't looking – and with a $5,000 pay cut.

It was 1992, and a friend called Dewar to check references on a candidate for executive director at the Champaign County Crisis Nursery.

Soldiers bond while exploding IEDs – and getting to know Iraqis

CHAMPAIGN – If you're going to spend 15 months exploding bombs in Iraq with someone, it's best if you trust him.

Spc. Brian Jolley and Spc. Steven Moore came home from the war with all their fingers and toes, and a friendship that will probably last two lifetimes.

After meeting on dance floor, Harrises waltzing through life

Frances and Mitch Harris treasure these five minutes. They have plodded through the evening, trading partners and sharing laughs, surrendering to the spirit of community dance. Now they get to dance alone, together.

Frances and Mitch follow this routine every other Friday at the contra dances they have attended together for 11 years. This is where and how they met – at a contra dance in the Phillips Recreation Center in Urbana – same building, same room. He was a bachelor. She was divorced. A decade later, they are married – and still in love.

Saturday, June 7, 2008

Friends, escort greet soldier who served in Iraq

DANVILLE – Harley Wyatt shifted his weight from foot to foot, antsy to see his best friend. His T-shirt, made especially for the welcome, had "ARMY" across the front and "Spc. Hazelbaker, Welcome Home Bro" on the back.

Friday morning, Wyatt waited with other family members, friends and other people in Temple Plaza who just wanted to applaud and thank 20-year-old Zach Hazelbaker for his service.

Friday, June 6, 2008

School's out, but no break for this retiree

URBANA – According to first-grader Gabriela Ramirez, retirement means "taking a break."

Well, Cheryl Milewski may not fit that definition.

After 34 years of teaching at Prairie Elementary School in Urbana, the student's teacher is leaving her classroom, but she's got plenty of plans for her next step: fishing trips with her family, recording secretary work at her church, curling up with some good books and maybe even helping out at her old school – the days will be packed.

But first, the last day.