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Macoupin County Little Miss & Little Mister Pageant

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After 3 hours on Monday, July 18, at the Macoupin County Fairgrounds, the Little Miss & Little Mister Pageant finally wrapped up. The Pageant coincided with the County Talent Show. There were 15 contestants vying for the Little Miss tiara and another 11 contestants competing for the Little Mister crown. All of the contestants loved being the spotlight on stage and were all either 4 or 5 years old. There were approximately 20 other contestants competing in the talent show which consisted of a Junior Division, Senior Division, and an Adult Division.

The long awaited announcement of the Little Miss and Little Mister came at the end of the show, following the retired royalty farewell. As the crowd came to utter silence and many people crossed their fingers and legs, Mark Dugger made the announcement. The Littler Mister winners were: Kaeleb Lowry – 1st place (of Gillespie, 4 year old son of Kyle & Deanna Lowry), Tobi Lewis – 1st runner up (of Girard, 5 year old son of John & Brandi Lewis), and Jaiden Johnson – 2nd runner up (of Gillespie, 5 year old son of Jeremy & Stevi Johnson). The Little Miss winners were: Camaryn Fetter – 1st place (of Girard, 5 year old daughter of Clint & Lydia Fetter), Stevie Harding – 1st runner up (of Carlinville, 5 year old daughter of Sam & Krissy Harding), and Addison Earley – 2nd runner up (of Girard, 5 year old daughter of Jr & Brooke Earley).

As the pageant was the main spotlight of the night, many attendees enjoyed the wonderful talent displayed by all ages in the talent show. The talent show was divided into 3 divisions and performances were displayed at 3 different occasions throughout the event. Many contestants simply sang a solo vocal, but there was 1 violin performance and also 2 dance routines. The winners of the talent show were announced directly before the pageant winners. First place of the junior division was awarded to Ingrid Uhe’s performance of “Proud to be an American.” The second place was awarded to Marley Schmidt and Abby Boente on their mix tape dance routine. The final prize of the junior division went to Alexia Christison on her solo vocal. Haley Nicole was the sole winner of the senior division as she had the crowd clapping and swinging during her country swing performance. The only adult performance and first place winner came from Tammy Martintuni, who dedicated her performance to her father, who was seated in the front row taking pictures of his daughter.

Retiring Little Miss Braley Wiser and Little Mister Jake Rookey gave their final speech on stage last night. Braley, daughter of Shawn & Trish Wiser, told the crowd she enjoyed representing Macoupin County at many parades, festivals, and County Fairs the past year. She also extended a very special thank you to Megan (2010 Queen), Hannah (2010 Jr. Miss), and Jake (2010 Little Mister) for the many memories they have shared during their reign the past year. Braley wished the new Little Miss the best of luck during her year of reign. Jake (son of Greg & Sarah Rookey) also gave his last speech on stage after he answered a few questions from Queen Megan Broom. Jake told the crowd he has had the time of his life this past year as Little Mister and is very sad to give up his duties. His favorite thing about being Little Mister Macoupin County was going to the parades and being on stage.

After one month practicing for the pageant, it has finally come to end, but the 2011 edition of Macoupin County Fair has just began! The fairgrounds will host the Miss & Jr. Miss Macoupin County Pageant tomorrow (Tuesday) night, the tractor pull Friday night, and the demolition derby Saturday night, which is always the ultimate crowd pleaser.

Follow this weeks action on The BenGil Post and also check our Facebook page for up-to-date announcements of Pageant winners.

To see pictures from last night, click here! (You have to be a Facebook user and a fan of our Facebook page!)

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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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