Community News
Kortney Carr named Miss Black Diamond Days
Nina Moutrie named Jr. Miss
Kortney Carr, Miss Black Diamond Days.
The smiles lit up for the cameras as young women from around the area competed in the 2012 Miss Black Diamond Days pageant Friday evening at 6:00pm.
Held at the Gillespie Civic Center in Gillespie, 12 contestants competed in front of more than 250 friends and family members.
Miss Kortney Carr was crowned Miss Black Diamond Days queen while first runner up went to Kaci Petri. Kortney is the daughter of Dana & Bob Carr of Wilsonville. She will be a senior at Gillespie High School next year and is very active in cheerleading.
She also received awards for People’s Choice and Most Photogenic. Carr was among 3 other candidates and hundreds of people who quietly awaited the announcement of who would wear the crown. “It’s such a surprise,” Carr said. Miss Congeniality went to Mikayla Tarro.
Nina Moutrie, Jr. Miss Black Diamond Days.
Miss Nina Moutrie was crowned Jr. Miss Black Diamond Days 2012. Nina will be a freshman at Gillespie High School and is very active in her church and loves playing soccer. First runner up and most photogenic went to Reese Marshall while Kirsten Sherman received Miss Congeniality and Maya Marcacci received the People’s Choice award.
Before ending her reign, Miss Kylie Frensko expressed her gratitude for the experience, and encouraged her successor to, “Enjoy every moment because the experience goes by fast.” She struggled through her speech as she thanked her family and close friends for helping her with the multiple tasks she needed.
She spent the most time on her twin, identical sister Kaily. “You are my twin, literally, and I want to thank you for putting up with me,” Kylie sobbed. “Thank you for not stealing my crown when you threatened me you were going to.”
The Jr. Miss will be able to advance to the next level and compete at the Macoupin County Fair, but the queen will not due to new rules added this year. According to pageant directors, Gillespie would not have any representation if Miss Black Diamond Days would win Miss Macoupin County. Gillespie is the first town in the area to add this restriction.
During the weeks leading up to the June 1st pageant, 4 young women between the ages of 16 and 20, and 8 girls between the ages of 12 and 15, met with pageant organizers Sonya Levie and Courtney Ostendorf who helped prepare the girls for the event.
“Some of the girls get nervous,” said Courtney. “We help them with their nerves and how to present their self.”
As former Miss Black Diamond Days, Miss Macoupin County, and first runner up to Miss Illinois, Courtney understands what the contestants are facing as they interview with the judges and appear on stage to answer questions.
Unlike other pageants, which critique contestants largely on their looks and talents, the Miss and Little Miss Black Diamond Days pageant scores the girls and young women on their overall appearance and how they present themselves in front of the judges as well as the private interview.
To see the pictures from the pageant, click here!
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The Illinois Department of Transportation announced that a 14-mile patching and resurfacing project on Interstate 55 from Litchfield to the Macoupin/Madison County line begins Monday, April 21. Work is expected to be completed by the end of September.
Additionally, ramps for Litchfield (exit 52), Mount Olive (exit 44) and Staunton (exit 41) will be resurfaced. Most of the work is expected to take place between 7 p.m. and 6 a.m. Sunday nights through Friday mornings.
Lane closures are expected, and message boards will be used to direct traffic through the work zones. Motorists can expect delays and should allow extra time for trips through this area. Benefits of this project include a smoother driving surface.
To avoid the work area, when feasible, use of alternate routes should be considered. Drivers are urged to pay close attention to changed conditions and signs in the work zones, obey the posted speed limits, refrain from using mobile devices and be alert for workers and equipment.
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George Kuchar of Eagarville is the winner of The Partnership for Educational Excellence 2025 Grand Raffle. The prize is $5,000.
“Education is important. I want to help these students get on in life,” says George, who is the owner of Kuchar Combine, an international agribusiness based in Mt. Olive.
Grand Raffle ticket sales kicked off this year at The Partnership’s “For the Love of Education” annual trivia contest in February. When welcoming the trivia players that evening, Donna Prevedell, vice president and a charter member of education foundation, asked participants: “What would we do without you? Your steadfast trust and generosity are the only resources The Partnership has ever had. Our very first major donor, John Schmidt, said that he would support us only if we could prove that we had solid community backing – which you immediately gave and continue to give 33 years later! Thank you.”
The result is The Partnership’s investment of more than $1 million donor dollars into the students of CUSD7. “We treasure your trust and humbly pass on your generously-shared, hard-earned dollars to our children – our future,” she said addressing CUSD7 staff and teachers, past scholars and parents, and dozens of new and established donors in attendance.
“It’s such solid donor support that allowed The Partnership to increase its scholarships from $1,000 to $2,000 last year. All we could afford in 1992 was three $250 scholarships. Friends and neighbors like you have made it possible to increase that nearly tenfold,” she said.
Another milestone was reached in 2024: a record 38% of the GHS graduating class was awarded scholarships.
The Partnership for Educational Excellence is a 501(c)3 education foundation. All donations are tax deductible. For more information and to donate: www.thepartnership7.org
Several Partnership directors gathered Saturday 12 April at Lumpy’s Restaurant in Gillespie where cook Mary Gray drew George Kuchar’s name from 500 tickets.
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FELONIES
Kaytlin Hudgins, 29 of Carlinville, is charged with burglary and causing a child to be endangered in connection with a March 23 incident.
Jacalyn Walker, 35 of Carlinville, is charged with theft ($500-10k), six counts of official misconduct/forbidden act, and five counts of wire fraud in connection with multiple incidents.
Michael J. Sullivan, 38 of Collinsville, is charged with aggravated battery of a child less than 13 and causing bodily harm in connection with an April 3 incident.
Emiliano R. McGill, 20 of Litchfield, is charged with criminal damage to property ($500-10k) in connection with an April 11 incident.
MISDEMEANORS
Brett S. A. BilBruck, 19 of Hettick, is charged with possessing a firearm without a valid FOID in connection with an April 5 incident.
Mya R. Stewart, 20 of Wilsonville, is charged with resisting a peace officer/firefighter/corrections employee in connection with a March 22 incident.
Timothy A. Dugger, 23 of Carlinville, is charged with aggravated assault using a deadly weapon in connection with an April 10 incident.
TRAFFIC
Jonathan A. Graves, 33 of Wilsonville, is charged with driving on a suspended license in connection with an April 2 incident.
Michael T. Mitchusson, 32 of Virden, is charged with driving on a revoked license in connection with a March 28 incident.
Michelle A. Meyers, 49 of Staunton, is charged with canceled/revoked/suspended registration in connection with a March 28 incident.
William E. Rhodes, 56 of Litchfield, is charged with fleeing/attempting to elude an officer and expired registration in connection with a March 31 incident.
Lauren R. Washburn, 40 of Godfrey, is charged with canceled/revoked/suspended registration in connection with a March 30 incident.
Steven J. Henn, 33 of Highland, is charged with driving on a suspended license in connection with a March 27 incident.
Jacob A. Roof, 41 of Springfield, is charged with driving on a revoked license, reckless driving, improper traffic lane usage, improper passing on the shoulder, changing lanes without signal, exceeding speed in a school zone, obstructed windshield, and expired registration in connection with an April 3 incident.
DISSOLUTION OF MARRIAGE FILED
- Stephanie G. Emery versus Jacob L. Emery
- Stacy Schuette versus Clay Schuette
MARRIAGE LICENSES
- Joseph Daniel Baum of Mount Olive and Cynthia Maria Aberle of Staunton
- Aaron Michael Bush and Candise Lynn Spurgeon, both of Bunker Hill
- Joseph Andrew Rosentreter of Rock Island and Madison Elizabeth Schneider of Brighton
- Alexander Nicholas Overby and Madison Delany Shanks, both of Springfield
- Bobby Jay Gilmer and Melindajoe Violet Heigert, both of Staunton
- Matthew William Hartsook and Brooke Ann Buffington, both of Carlinville
