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November 17, 2008
Only One PN-P Next Week
As has been the tradition for several years, the Pana News-Palladium will publish only one time next week for Thanksgiving.
A double issue of the newspaper will be printed on Monday, Nov. 24, at the regular time. It will carry the Monday, Nov. 24, and Thursday, Nov. 27, dateline. There will be no other Pana newspaper printed that week.
Advertisers and those with items for the newspaper next week should have material to the newspaper by 5:00 p.m., Friday, Nov. 21, for inclusion in the Monday/Thursday newspaper.
Pana Holiday Decor Installed
ON A BRISK Sunday morning, Nov. 16, in downtown Pana, volunteers from the Pana Lions Club decorated streets for the upcoming Christmas season. The lights will be lit for the first time on Thanksgiving Eve, Wednesday, Nov. 26.
About a dozen volunteers spent Sunday morning working with the lights and banners. Working along Second Street are, from left, Tom Morrell, unwinding the coil of lights, John Downs and David Hay above street level securing the lights, and Dennis Ishmael, at the controls of the tractor.
Traditionally, the lights and banners are installed two weekends prior to Thanksgiving, allowing an extra weekend should the weather not cooperate on the first try.
(Tom Latonis Photo)
Close To Two-Thirds of Pana Registered Voted
A close-up look at Pana Township election results from the Tuesday, Nov. 4, General Election shows nearly two-thirds of the eligible voters in the township voted.
Out of 4,055 registered voters in the five Pana precincts, 2,662 voted for a 65.6% turnout. Pana's largest precinct, 2, had the highest percentage of voters, 68.2%. Pana 5, the lowest percentage, 57.8%.
President-Elect Barack Obama got 1,304 votes in the township, 49.54% of the 2,632 presidential votes cast. Sen. John McCain finished with 1,277, 48.51% of those votes tallied. Obama carried Pana Precincts 3 and 4, but lost in Pana 1, 2 and 5.
Pana Helps United Way Of Christian County
PANA ACTING MAYOR Steve Sipes, center, presents a certificate of support for the United Way of Christian County.
At left is Nick Epley, Pana, a member of the board of directors of United Way and at right is Joni Beyers, Rosamond, Executive Director of the United Way.
PANA KNIGHTS OF Columbus Council 896 made a contribution recently to the United Way of Christian County. Joe Schmitz, center, presents a check to Joni Beyers, Executive Director of the United Way, right.
The donation makes the Pana K. of C. a Silver Award Donor.
At left is Nick Epley, a member of the United Way of Christian County's Board of Directors.
A MEMBER OF the United Way of Christian County's Board of Directors, Earl Baker of Pana, left, accepts a check from Kent Taylor, president of the City of Pana's AFSCME union employees.
The contribution was made to support the annual campaign drive for the United Way.
November 13, 2008
Short Meeting for Pana City Council, Monday
A brief, five-minute meeting was conducted Monday evening, Nov. 10, by Pana City Council at city hall. Acting Mayor Steve Sipes presided, with Barb Stauder, new alderman, officially attending her first session.
A meeting about the Chautauqua building renovation at Kitchell Park was held earlier that day with Chuck Pell of Pell & Associates architectural firm, Springfield, Sipes, and Jim Deere of the Community Development Office. Sipes had signed the second set of plans, related Deere. The paperwork would be delivered Wednesday (Nov. 12) to Illinois Department of Transportation which will conduct the bid process.
The former refinery area has been cleaned up, it was announced. Plywood is to be placed over the windows of the former office building-which has been considered for use by the city. "Beef" Chernisky and his crew of the Pana Street Department were commended for the work completed.
Pana City Council next will meet at 7:00 p.m., Monday, Nov. 24 at the city hall. The public may attend.
Pana Observes Veteran's Day
WITH PANA ELKS Lodge 1261 Flag Squad holding their huge American flag, they and over 100 people huddled in the Chautauqua Auditorium of Kitchell Park on Tuesday, Nov. 11, to observe Veteran's Day.
The annual observance is sponsored by Pana V. F. W. Post 4431.
Guest speaker was Pana Mayor Steve Sipes, speaking on the meaning of Veteran's Day.
Opening and closing prayers were given by Rev. Lawrence Gibson and in addition to the VFW flag squad, members of Pana's Boy Scout Troop displayed the flags of the branches of the service. A firing squad gave a 21-gun salute and bugler David Dorn, Jr. played "Taps" to conclude the ceremony.
Ferd Hadowsky supplied the sound system.
(Tom Latonis Photos)
PCH Auxiliary’s Holiday Bazaar Saturday at Methodist Church
CANDY, CANDY CANDY! -4-H members gathered at the First United Methodist Church on Tuesday, Nov. 11, to make candy for this Saturday’s Pana Community Hospital Auxiliary's Holiday Bazaar.
From left are Abby Holthaus, Dana Stalets, Natasha Stalets, Lauren Stalets, Claudia Magnussen, Sam Magnussen, Allison Craig, Abby Kuhn, Molly Holthaus and Mykaela Elder.
Chocolate lovers will want to make Candy Lane their first stop at the Pana Community Hospital Auxiliary’s Annual Holiday Bazaar taking place Saturday, Nov. 15, from 9:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m. at the First United Methodist Church in Pana.
The 4-H club gathered Tuesday, Nov. 11, to make the homemade candy, which will be available at Candy Lane. With some adult assistance, the kids made 62 pounds of candy. The 4-H club bought all the supplies needed to make the candy and members will work at the bazaar to help sell the sweet treats.
Santa himself will greet children and have his picture taken with your child for a small fee. Santa will be at the Bazaar from 11:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m.
Raffle tickets will be available for purchase at the bazaar. You can win one of over 30 donated items. Tickets are $1 each or 6 for $5. Proceeds from the Holiday Bazaar benefit Pana Community Hospital.
November 6, 2008
Obama Elected 44th President
BARACK OBAMA, 44TH PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES -On Aug. 4, 2004, President-Elect Barack Obama, 47, was a visitor to Pana. At the time, he was campaigning for a U. S. Senate seat. Coincidently, it was Obama's 43rd birthday.
His visit to Pana - and Taylorville - was a week after he delivered a stirring speech at the 2004 Democratic National Convention, which began a national buzz over the then Illinois State Senator. In November of 2004, he was elected U. S. Senator.
And a little over four short years from this Pana visit, Obama won the biggest election of his life on Tuesday, Nov. 4, becoming President of the United States.
(File Photo - Millie Meyerholz)
With 52% of the national vote, Illinois Senator Barack Obama was elected the 44th President of the United States, Tuesday, Nov. 4.
Obama, who rose to national prominence four years ago as keynote speaker for the 2004 Democratic National Convention, was elected to the U. S. Senate later that year. In February of 2007, he announced his candidacy for President on the steps of the Old State Capitol in Springfield on a bitterly cold Saturday morning.
Fighting a little recognized name, and no campaign funds, he energized Iowans who overwhelmingly selected him the winner of the Democratic Iowa Caucus in January of this year. After losing to then front-runner Hillary Clinton in the New Hampshire Primary in early February, he went on an impressive string, winning 11 of the next 11 Democratic primaries. He finally secured enough delegates to the Denver Convention in July, and became the party's standard-bearer.
His campaign against Republican nominee John McCain made the economy his number one priority, which hit a chord with voters. Most observers agreed Tuesday night his focused, determined and forceful arguments for solutions to economic troubles facing America won him election, becoming the first African-American to be elected to the highest office in the land.
While Obama ran a strong campaign in Illinois with a nearly 2-to-1 edge over McCain, Christian County did not respond. They gave the McCain ticket a 52% advantage (7,869 votes) to 46% (6,912).
Christian County voters soundly defeated a call for a new state constitutional convention with 75% against. State-wide, the margin of "no" votes was more than 2-to-1.
Shelby County Land Owners Oppose BPI Lease Extension
The Illinois Land Owners Association, a group of over 25 Shelby County land owners representing more than 34,000 acres of land in the county, are gearing up for a fight. They oppose a proposal being presented to the Shelby County Board next week to extend for one year the lease of BPI Energy, Inc. for coal-methane rights in the county.
The lease is set to expire on Wednesday, Nov. 12, the same day the county board is scheduled to meet and have the proposal brought before them at 9:00 a.m.
According to a spokesman for the ILOA, Amy Rochkes, who is also Shelby County Farm Bureau Manager, She said the wells, which have been pumping since August of 2006, have been pumping only water.
According to a posting on the company's website, they are losing money and are close to filing for bankruptcy. For the year ending July 31, 2008, BPI reports a net loss of $8.7 million.
Rochkes said her organization is asking everyone to contact their county board representative to ask them to deny the lease extension.
State's Attorney Announces Successful Drug Cases Prosecution
Christian County State’s Attorney Tom Finks has announced recent successes in the war on drug manufacture and dealing in Christian County.
Calab Alsbury, 25, of Kincaid, was recently sentenced to 3 years in the Illinois Department of Corrections. Alsbury pleded guilty to Unlawful Possession of Cannabis Sativa Plants, a class 4 felony, on Oct. 30.
Brent L. Musser, 18, Pana, was sentenced to 30 months in the Illinois Department of Corrections for the offense of Possession of a Controlled Substance.
New charges were filed against Steven Brownback, 49, of Assumption, Lloyd W. Linton, 55, of Edinburg and Brandon Gardner, 19, of Taylorville.
Gardner was charged as a result of an operation by the Central Illinois Enforcement Group which include Christian County law enforcement agencies. Gardner was charged with delivering crack cocaine to undercover agents.
Brownback was charged with Unlawful Possession with Intent to Deliver up to 2,000 grams of cannabis.
Based on information from citizens, the Christian County Sheriff’s Department went to Linton’s rural Edinburg residence and found him coming out of an adjacent corn field with mature cannabis sativa plants in his hand. He was charged with unlawful production of cannabis sativa plants, a class 2 felony.
Annual Veteran's Day Program in Park Tuesday
Pana V. F. W. Post 4431 will host its annual Veteran's Day Program in Kitchell Park on Tuesday, Nov. 11. The ceremony begins at 11:00 a.m.
Guest speaker for the event is Pana Mayor Steve Sipes.
Following the ceremony, there will be a light lunch served at the VFW Post Home on North Locust St.
In case of rain, the ceremony will take place in the Chautauqua Pavilion of the park.
PN-P Office Closed Tuesday
The Pana News-Palladium office will be closed on Tuesday, Nov. 11, for the Veteran's Day holiday.
The newspaper will be printed at the usual time on Monday, Nov. 10.
The office will re-open at 8:00 a.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 12.
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