Village of Hennepin, Illinois

Deadline to apply is March 20

The Illinois Sheriffs’ Association announces that it will be awarding more than $58,000 in college scholarships throughout Illinois to students wishing to pursue higher education during the 2020-21 academic year.

The scholarships are to be applied to tuition, books and fees only. The students must be enrolled full-time at a certified institution of higher learning within Illinois.

Putnam County Sheriff Kevin Doyle will be awarding one scholarship in the amount of $500. There will be no restriction on any applicant by reason of race, age, creed, color, sex or national origin. The only limitations are as follows:

• Applicants must be permanent Illinois residents.

• Scholarships must be utilized at institutions of higher learning within Illinois.

• Students must be enrolled as a full-time student during the 2020-21 school year (excluding summer session).

Applications are now available at the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office or online at www.ilsheriff.org. Stud…

From Hennepin to Peoria, trail features 10 waypoints of historical significance along Illinois River

A new vehicular interpretive trail from Hennepin to Peoria invites motorists to trace the rich heritage of waterfowling and conservation rooted in the Illinois River Valley.

Ducks Unlimited and the Miles C. Hauter Foundation have established the Miles C. Hauter Trail, a series of informational panels at 10 historical waypoints throughout the Illinois River Road National Scenic Byway.

The route winds along Routes 29 and 26, from Hennepin south to Peoria. Along the way, trail visitors can learn about the area’s duck hunting history and explore the conservation work done by Ducks Unlimited and its partners to conserve Illinois River wetlands.

Through Ducks Unlimited’s Big Rivers Initiative conservation program, more than 7,000 acres of backwater lakes and wetlands have been protected, enhanced or restored along the river. Most of these properties have been transferred to the Illinois Depa…

SRRC receives check for more than $13,000

A now yearly tradition, Marquis companies and employees pick a charity to fund for Christmas. This season, the non-profit Starved Rock Regional Center (SRRC) was chosen as a charity to receive a donation of more than $13,000.

“Our company noticed the growing need for therapy services for young children, and Starved Rock Regional Center is the premier provider of occupational, developmental and speech therapies for children struggling in these areas,” Mark Marquis, CEO of Marquis companies, said.

“We know our contribution to these vital therapy services will allow SRRC to reach more children with their life-changing services and set these children on the right track for a bright future.”

The Marquis companies incorporate a special incentive to each employee’s donation.

The company matches each dollar by five times.

“My family believes in being good stewards of our community and knows how rewarding it is to see the children in our community thri…

Putnam County Board chairman notes across-the-board cuts

No one disagrees that finances in Putnam County are an issue, but something’s got to give if the board wants to keep the sheriff’s department well staffed, says the chief deputy.

Chad Haage told board members this week that deputies have gone three or four years without any wage increase, and that isn’t working anymore for the department.

“We’re going to start losing people,” Haage said. “So if we have to start holding people accountable for a job that’s what we’re going to do,” he said, referring to board members.

“Three, four years with no raise. Would you go somewhere else?” Haage challenged.

“The cost of living goes up and these guys sit idly by, waiting, waiting, waiting,” he said of the assembled deputies attending the meeting.

Board Chairman Steve Malavolti said he understands where they’re coming from, but the money just isn’t there. “I would love to give everybody a 2% raise, but it’s not there to give.”

Malavolti said …

The street committee will be getting together soon to determine what streets to repair around the village of Hennepin.

Though there will be more money coming in from the state fuel tax increase, Mayor Kevin Coleman said better funding will mean more road work in 2020. More road work is likely to mean greater demand and higher prices for asphalt and paving materials, as well as high demand for construction crews.

For months the Hennepin Village Board has been working with owners or working through legal channels to get a couple of properties fixed up or torn down. Coleman said a couple of contractors have inquired about acquiring and fixing up a house in the 500 block of Sycamore Street in order to give themselves some winter work. He expressed a sense of urgency for the village to seek bids soon before the contractors are no longer interested.

Source: News Tribune

Hennepin mayor hopes for development, jobs

With more than 1 million square feet of the former steel mill at Hennepin demolished and hauled away, the land that’s left is zoned and ready for just about any type of industrial development.

That’s the word from North Central Illinois Economic Development Corp., Illinois Valley Area Chamber of Commerce and Hennepin Mayor Kevin Coleman.

Coleman said he recently was granted entrance to the site of the former LTV and Arcelor Mittal rolled-steel plant on the north side of Hennepin. He said he recently took a ride around much of the 853 acres with president Mike Kirchoff and administrative manager Gina Czubachowski from NCIEDC and was impressed by what’s gone as well as all of the facilities that remain in place to make the site attractive for industrial development.

“It’s ready for somebody to come in to build something,” Coleman said.

He said it should be attractive for a major development but also could be subdivided.

Coleman said he worked at the …

They built the business; who’ll take over?

Everybody knows Boggio’s Orchard is for sale and closed for the season, but the owners have absolutely no intention for it to cease operations.

And, while they’re willing to retire, somewhat, they certainly weren’t behaving like inactive retirees in a recent interview. In fact, they’re planning for their planting and products for their next year in business.

Keith and Denise Boggio rested at lunchtime before he climbed back into the combine to finish picking corn and before Denise headed out with her crossbow to hunt deer.

If they receive the price they’re seeking, and more important, find a buyer who wants to operate the orchard and entertainment business, then they would sell.

“I’d be lying to you if I said I didn’t wish this was the last year. But the last year isn’t going to come until that right person comes along,” Keith said.

“We’ve worked too hard to just let it go by the wayside,” Denise added.

Denise is a four-year breast cancer sur…