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Benld City government to bid on downtown building, Council discusses status of sports park development

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On a motion by Ald. Mickey Robinson, the council agreed to advertise for bids to demolish the city-owned Keely Building in the 100 block of North Main.

Benld City Council members voted unanimously Monday night to authorize Mayor Jim Kelly to submit a bid to purchase a commercial building on Central Avenue. A limit on the maximum bid was set in executive session and was not publicly disclosed.

The building in which the city is interested also was not disclosed. However, it appears the former First National Bank building at 218 East Central Avenue is the only property being offered for sale via online bidding at this time. The 4,000-square-foot facility is offered for sale by Aumann Auction Services. With eight days before bidding closes, the high bid for the property is $5,000.

While the bank building appears to be the council’s immediate interest, the action authorized the Mayor to submit bids for any Central Avenue buildings offered for auction in the future. The city previously acquired several downtown buildings for back taxes.

Purchasing downtown business buildings is part of the council’s ongoing efforts to revitalize downtown by ensuring downtown structures are in good repair and have tenants willing to operate businesses in Benld.

PARK DEVELOPMENT

While no action was taken, the council held an extensive discussion on the status of work on developing the Benld Family Sports Complex, a public athletic park being developed on 11 acres where the former Benld Elementary School once stood. The city received a $600,000 Open Spaces Land Acquisition and Development grant last year to develop the property.

Mayor Kelly reported he recently met with Doug Ratterman of HMG Engineers regarding preliminary grading work on the site. Ratterman said elevations for the football field and areas to the north of the football field are acceptable. The area near the softball field, however, needs 4,000 tons of fill dirt in order for the walking path around the park to make a complete loop. Without the fill, the path will have to end at the softball field.

Kelly reported that the property will not need to be tiled for drainage, which will save a significant amount of money. Likewise, it’s been determined a retention pond will not be needed. City Clerk Terri Koyne reported that bids for playground equipment and scoreboards came in below the original estimate.

Some aldermen expressed concerns about what it will cost to finish the project. Kelly said city workers will do all the work covered by the grant. Any additional work beyond the parameters of the grant will be covered by fundraising activities on the part of the Benld Sports Association, which will assume maintenance and administration upon completion.

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Kelly stressed that the city will complete work outlined in the grant, but additional work will be in the hands of the Sports Association.

With excavating and leveling nearing completion, the city is close to seeking bids to build park facilities. When completed, the park will have two baseball/softball fields, a football/soccer field, a walking path, a playground, and amenities such as public bathrooms.

Ald. Jerry Saracco said the city may be eligible for a grant to help with sewer repairs on South First Street as a result of mine subsidence once the subsidence event is done.

BUILDING DEMOLITION

On a motion by Ald. Mickey Robinson, the council agreed to advertise for bids to demolish the city-owned Keely Building in the 100 block of North Main. The successful contractor will be required to demolish the two-story brick building, remove all debris and properly reclaim the lost with fill.

In other action, the council voted to declare 301 North Eighth Street and 400 South Main Street as public nuisances. The action authorizes city officials to give the owners 30 days to abate the nuisance, and pursue remedies in court if the property owners fail to comply.

EMPLOYEE HEALTH COVERAGE

Council members voted unanimously to renew its policy with Blue Cross/Blue Shield to provide health care insurance for city employees. The premium will increase about 3.9 percent from $2,271.18 per month to $2,827.28.

HALLOWEEN ACTIVITIES

The council voted. Unanimously to give the Benld Public Library permission to use the city park for a Trunk or Treat event on Sunday, Oct. 27. Persons or organizations who wish to participate may contact the library.

Additionally, the council agreed to set trick-or-treating dates and hours as 6-8 p.m., Oct. 30 and 31.

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In other action, the council approved a mandated prevailing wage ordinance. The ordinance is approved annually to affirm the city uses contractors who pay their employees the prevailing wage for this area as determined by the Department of Labor.

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CUSD 7 News

Miners girls basketball clinch SCC championship

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In a nail-biting showdown that will be remembered for years to come, the Gillespie Miners girls basketball team captured the South Central Conference title with a hard-fought 55-52 victory over the Pana Panthers on Thursday night, February 13. This marks Gillespie’s first conference championship since their back-to-back titles in 2001-02, when they shared the honors with Southwestern both finishing with a 9-1 conference record.

The game held at Pana High School was anything but straightforward. After a tumultuous 13-minute delay due to injuries and a technical foul controversy, the Miners rallied their spirits to secure the win. Amari Vickery led the charge with a stellar performance, scoring 21 points, while Mia Brawner added 11, Maggie Heyen contributed 10, Delaney Taylor posted 5, Sadie Sholtis scored 4, and Lainey Edwards and Corrine Fellin each had 2 points.

From the opening tip, it was clear that Pana was not going to roll over easily. The Panthers held leads at the end of the first two quarters, 15-14 and 28-26, showcasing their tenacity. By the time the fourth quarter rolled around, Pana had edged ahead 44-42, setting the stage for a dramatic finish.

However, the game took a chaotic turn in the fourth quarter when a collision between Vickery and teammate Sloane Brawner resulted in both players going down with injuries. Sloane was not able to return the game but Vickery did. The Miners also lost both Delaney Taylor and Sadie Sholtis to fouls and Gillespie was assessed a technical foul under controversial circumstances which tied the game at 49. But Heyen carried the weight through the fourth quarter recording 6 of her 10 points in the final quarter of play.

Despite the setbacks, the Miners displayed remarkable teamwork resilience under the leadership of Nikki and Matt Brawner. With the SCC championship secured and the regular season concluded with a 22-8 overall record and 9-0 conference record, the Miners now shift their focus to the upcoming regional which is being hosted in Gillespie.

Gillespie hosts Alton Marquette on Monday, Feb. 17 for the regional semi-finals after Alton Marquette knocked East-Alton Wood River, 36-29, to face the Miners. The winner advances to the regional championship that will be played on Friday, Feb. 21 at 7 p.m. in Gillespie versus the winner of Staunton/Roxana.

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Macoupin County residential fire claims multiple victims on Saturday

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Tragedy struck in the early hours of Saturday morning in Macoupin County as a residential structure fire broke out in the 200 block of West Dean Street, Virden, resulting in the death of a male victim, the Macoupin County Coroner Anthony Kravanya announced.

The individual was pronounced deceased at 10:06 AM but the identity of the deceased has not yet been released, as authorities await the results of an autopsy scheduled for Monday, February 17, 2025. The coroner’s office indicated that a press release will be issued following the autopsy and the positive identification of the victim.

WAND reported a second victim died after being transported to Springfield Memorial Hospital according to Sangamon County Coroner Jim Allmon who confirmed a 13-year-old boy and a 34-year-old male were the victims.

The fire reportedly started around 9:30 a.m. and the home was fully engulfed when first responders arrived. Two people were reportedly rescued and life flight was requested but were not available due to the foggy weather conditions. 

An investigation into the cause of the fire is currently underway, involving multiple agencies including the Macoupin County Coroner’s Office, the Virden Police Department, the Macoupin County Sheriff’s Department, and the Office of the State Fire Marshal.

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Missions group to host trivia fundraiser on March 30

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Come and join us for an exciting afternoon of trivia as we support our local 2:18 Missions! Mark your calendars for Sunday, March 30 from 2 to 5 PM for an event that promises fun, camaraderie, and a chance to make a difference in our community. The event will be held at DeStefane Community Center in Benld, 201 East Central Avenue.

Teams of up to 10 people can participate for just $100 per table. Whether you want to reserve your table in advance or simply show up on the day of the event to pay at the door, we welcome all trivia enthusiasts to join in the competition!

Feel free to bring your own snacks and drinks to enjoy during the game—just please remember, no alcohol is allowed. For your convenience, we will have bottles of water available for purchase.

The stakes are high, and the competition is fierce! The first-place team will take home a prize of $150. Plus, bring some dollar bills to participate in “Heads and Tails” games during breaks and to buy mulligans for your team.

Don’t miss out on this fantastic opportunity to support a great cause while enjoying a lively trivia challenge. To reserve your table or for more information, contact Kristin at 217-691-7469.

Let’s make this a memorable event for our community and the 2:18 Missions!

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