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Kluthe seated on Gillespie Council

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Replaces Gus Ottersburg

City Attorney Kevin Polo swears newly appointed alderman Steve Kluthe in.

Just two weeks after Gus Ottersburg resigned from the City Council of Gillespie, Steve Kluthe gets sworn in to fulfill the position until he has to run for reelection. He will be on the council for one year until he up for reelection. The council voted 5-0 to appoint Kluthe to the vacant position on February 13.

In other issues, Ruth Loveless was asked to be at the meeting to discuss the new parking ordinance on Madison Street. The ordinance stated that no vehicles can park on the East side of the street in between the “no parking” signs. City Attorney Kevin Polo explained to Ruth that the City of Gillespie has an ordinance that states a certain number of parking spaces should be provided for each unit which is essentially one per unit. Loveless has 6 units in the building and two are used for offices.

Loveless explained that there is room for about four parking spots behind the building, but explained tires were vandalized hen she parked her trailer there due to the lack of lighting. The street light casts a shadow on the spots, so it is still dark. “I don’t know how safe it would be to park back there at night,” Loveless explained.


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“It has been like this for 50 years,” Loveless referred to the parking situation, “I don’t see why there is any need to change it now.” Mayor Hicks explained that the street is narrow when there is parking on both sides and the city is just trying to reduce the “bottleneck.” He went on to say that you can only fit one car down the road when there are cars lined on both sides of the street and then questioned what if there is a fire or emergency, a fire engine or ambulance might have to travel down the road.

Newly seated alderman Steve Kluthe explained to Ruth that she has three options. “I think the tenants are going to have to be flexible,” Kluthe noted, “The street is more dangerous than the parking spaces. They have to learn with something too.” The council decided they were going to study the situation for one more month and see if the tenants get used to the new ordinance.

The council went on to pass five ordinances. Ordinance #12-2 was passed after the council decided they would charge the Macoupin County Public Health $50 per each time for snow removal. The lot, which is the old Illinois Power building, was recently finished with a chain link fence. The council then modified the employees’ wage rate in resolution #12-1. “It essentially it institutes a health insurance premium freeze and eliminates vision coverage,” Polo explained.

Boat licenses then increased one dollar for the yearly rate due to the sticker. The ordinance #12-3 was passed, but included that the daily fee for using a boat at the lake would not increase. Ordinance #12-4 was passed and read the the restoration of the street must be made if the street is not returned to its prior condition after the “person doing the cutting” has completed the job. The final ordinance #12-5, the golf court ordinance for use at the lake was passed. Ordinance #12-5 will be enforced by the caretaker of the lake and can issue violations.

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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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