Community News
Partnership awards 18 students with scholarships
The Partnership for Educational Excellence awarded 18 students with scholarships.
Once again, the Partnership for Education Excellence awards academic tuition scholarships to a vast majority of the graduating class of 2013. Approximately 25% of graduates earned a scholarship from the Partnership which is a slight increase from 2012 where 20% of graduates earned a scholarship.
The Partnership is entering their 21st academic year of existence and have been able to award over 310 students with scholarships totaling over $180,200 to graduates from Gillespie High School who have gone on to either a 2-year or 4-year college, university, or technical school.
“Every penny we have donated came from supporters to benefit these great students,” John Fassero, Jr., president of the education foundation, proclaimed. “We want to thank you.” Every scholarship receipient was awarded $500 payable to their school they attend this fall. The Partnership also recognized two music students with $100 scholarships as well to total over $8,200 donated to graduating students from GHS this school year.
This year’s scholarship winners are:
Jessica Bauman, child of Amy Bauman and Richard Bauman of Sawyerville IL, was awarded the Josephine Fassero Memorial Scholarship. Jessica will attend Western Illinois University and plans to major in Spanish for elementary school students. The JOSEPHINE FASSERO MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP is given by friends and family. Josephine, born in Kansas and raised in Livingston, attended Sanford Brown Business School but had to return home to care for her ailing mother. She married John Fassero of Benld and raised two children, Florence and John, Jr. “Even though she could not continue her formal education, Mom could speak Italian, Slovenian and German. She prized education and would be pleased to know that a scholarship in her name will help someone continue theirs,” says John, Jr. Her devoted family also includes 6 grandchildren and 4 great-grandchildren.
Zachary Besserman, child of Timothy Besserman and Karla Smith of Gillespie IL, was awarded the Michael Valenti Memorial Scholarship. Zachary will attend Blackburn College and plans to major in law enforcement. The MICHAEL VALENTI MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP, given by friends and family, is awarded in loving memory of this 1998 GHS graduate who lost his life in 1999 in a tragic accident on the brink of his higher education.
Kortney Carr, child of Bob and Dana Carr of Gillespie IL, was awarded the Mark and John Madden Memorial Scholarship. Kortney will attend University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and plans to major in advertising and public relations. The JOHN and MARK MADDEN MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP is given by family to lovingly honor this father and son. Both played Miners football, graduated from GHS and St. Louis University Law School. John returned to Gillespie to serve the community he loved in private practice, as a county public defender, and for 43 years as Gillespie City Attorney. He died at the age of 78 on 10 October 2009. His son Mark lived half as long, dying suddenly at the age of 39 on 11 October 2005. He was a trial attorney with Moser and Marshalak in St. Louis.
Alexander Dopuch, child of David and Donna Dopuch of Benld IL, was awarded the Benld Rotary Scholarship. Alexander will attend Lewis and Clark Community College and plans to major in business. The BENLD ROTARY CLUB SCHOLARSHIP is given by local members of this international service organization whose motto is “Service above self.”
Brenden Engelke, child of Brian and Lisa Engelke of Gillespie IL, was awarded the Henry Marcacci Memorial Scholarship. Brenden will attend Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville and plans to major in business and accounting. The HENRY MARCACCI MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP is given by friends and family. Hank taught business in CUSD#7 for 33 years and served as county superintendent of schools for eight years. He and his wife Lucille raised seven children. Hank died at age 101 on January 25, 2011.
Kaily Frensko, child of Brian and Gina Frensko of Benld IL, was awarded the Emil Borgini Memorial Scholarship. Kaily will attend Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville and plans to major in nursing with an emphasis on pediatric oncology. The EMIL BORGINI MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP is given by anonymous donors. Emil began in 1958 as a teacher of English, French, and history in Benld. He then taught and coached baseball, football, and basketball at Gillespie High School. He was GHS principal for 20 years and later was district superintendent.
Kylie Frensko, child of Brian and Gina Frensko of Benld IL, was awarded the Helen Tiburzi Memorial Scholarship. Kylie will attend Lewis and Clark Community College and plans to major in nursing with an emphasis on neonatology. The HELEN TIBURZI MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP is given by family and friends. Helen and her husband “Mac” operated a small grocery in Sawyerville before she became chief cook in the Benld school cafeteria. They raised five children – Jim, Dennis, Karen, Joan and Jill. Jim taught in CUSD#7 and Dennis is GHS principal. Several grandchildren are past Partnership scholars.
Allison Goldasich, child of Mark and Amy Goldasich of Gillespie IL, was awarded the Carol Enrico DeLucca Memorial Scholarship for a Top Girl Graduate. Allison will attend Southern Illinois University at Carbondale and plans to major in radiology technology. The CAROL ENRICO DE LUCCA MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP FOR A TOP GIRL GRADUATE is given by husband Greg, daughters Ashley and Allison, and friends. This Benld native, a respected educator and counselor, had a consulting business that helped high school and college students pursue their goals through higher education.
Abigal Harszy, child of Joseph and Diana Harszy of Gillespie IL, was awarded the Andrew Easton, Sr., Memorial Scholarship. Abigal will attend Louisiana College and plans to major in mathematics education. The ANDREW EASTON, SR. MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP is given by friends and a family filled with teachers. This life-long educator and football coach was a devoted and positive mentor for hundreds of young people. “He would have loved the idea of helping young people continue their educations,” according to his wife Florence and children Andrew, John, and Ann Marie.
Elizabeth Heyen, child of Kelly and Mary Heyen of Gillespie IL, was awarded the Rick Richards Memorial Scholarship. Elizabeth will attend Illinois State University and plans to major in agribusiness. The RICK RICHARDS MEMORIAL AGRICULTURE SCHOLARSHIP is given by family. This GHS graduate and local farmer is remembered fondly for his kindness and generosity to his family – wife Barb and daughter Lisa – and many friends.
Haylie Kirkwood, child of Jeff and Tracie Kirkwood of Dorchester/Gillespie IL, was awarded the Betty Olive Memorial Scholarship. Haylie will attend Illinois College and plans to major in nursing with an emphasis on oncology. The BETTY OLIVE MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP is given by family because of the high value she placed on education. Known for her “green thumb” and prolific flower and vegetable gardens, this native of Alhambra cherished a lifelong dream of becoming a nurse. She focused instead on raising her children – Judy, Kay, Pam, Patti, and Randy, all graduates of CUSD #7 – on the farm.
Deanna Landreth, child of Alecia and Gilbert Landreth of Benld IL, was awarded the James Rosentreter Memorial Scholarship. Deanna will attend Ranken Technical College and plans to major in architecture. The JAMES ROSENTRETER MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP is given by his wife Judy and family: “Our dad spent his life helping others pursue educational and financial goals. It’s fitting that dad is sharing his dream of a young person’s success.” His sons are Rodney and Jerry, a GHS teacher; both of their wives are teachers; two of his grandsons are Partnership scholars.
Chase Peterson, child of Jennifer and Darrin Peterson of Gillespie IL, was awarded the Joseph Libbra Memorial Scholarship. Chase will attend Lewis and Clark Community College and plans to major in nursing. The JOSEPH LIBBRA MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP is given by family. Married 48 years to Eileen, he was a hard working grain and livestock farmer, proud of his Army service in Korea, and dedicated to their four children – Mary, Trish, Joe and Carol – and eight grandchildren.
Kathryn Stromsland, child of Susan and Peter Stromsland of Gillespie IL, was awarded the Matt and Marge Turcol Memorial Scholarship. Kathryn will attend Millikin University and plans to major in pre-medicine. The MARJORIE & MATT TURCOL MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP is given by family and friends. Matt and Marge’s greatest joy was their family. Marge is remembered by all for her generous and caring ways. Matt was mayor of Benld and president of the CUSD#7 school board. Their daughter Susan is a frequent mini-grant recipient and two of their grandsons are Partnership scholars.
Guinevere Tesio, child of Shannon and Jason Tesio of Gillespie IL, was awarded the Elinor Davies Memorial Nursing Scholarship. Guinevere will attend Lewis and Clark Community College and plans to major in nursing with an emphasis on neonatology. The ELINOR DAVIES NURSING SCHOLARSHIP is given by friends and family – husband Larry and sons Mike and Tim and their families – in honor of Elinor who served many decades as school nurse in CUSD#7 and was an active member of the Gillespie First United Methodist Church.
Jade Tieman, child of Joe and Marti Tieman of Gillespie IL, was awarded the Carroll-Keupper Family Memorial Scholarship. Jade will attend Western Illinois University and plans to major in nursing. The CARROLL-KEUPPER SCHOLARSHIP was established by the late Rosemary Keupper Valle and her sister Lillian Keupper in honor of their families who have been involved in medicine, world health, and banking/finance. Their grandfather Anthony Carroll was an early member of the Gillespie school board.
The partnership was also pleased to administer two music awards on behalf of the estate of Evaline Boehmke. The band and choral faculty of GHS chose Rebecca Korunka for chorus and Dakota Barber for band; each recipient was awarded $100 for excellence in music.
The Partnership is a 501c3, IRS-chartered, not-for-profit foundation. To keep up with their activities or to make a donation, visit their website at www.thepartnershipcusd7.org or write them at P.O. Box 125, Gillespie, IL 62033. All donations and memorials are acknowledged by mail when names and addresses are provided.
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Carlinville – The Macoupin County Agriculture Education (MCAE) Foundation is offering 6 – $1,000 scholarships for the upcoming 2025-26 school year to students wishing to pursue agriculture majors.
The MCAE Foundation offers scholarships to provide encouragement and financial assistance to Macoupin County residents and/or students of Macoupin County schools who display well-balanced attributes of good citizenship, commitment to activities and scholastic ability.
The applicant must be a graduating high school senior or a current college student who plans to attend or is attending an Illinois junior college, college, university or Career Technical Education (CTE) program, and majoring in agriculture.
Applications are available through your high school guidance counselor, high school agriculture instructor or the Macoupin County Farm Bureau® (MCFB®). An electronic copy of the application can be requested by contacting the MCFB® office by telephone or by email at: mcfb@gomadison.com
All applications must be submitted to the MCFB® office by March 27, 2025. Any questions can be directed to the MCFB® office at 217/854-2571.
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FELONIES
Domincqua N. Contreras, 31 of Bunker Hill, is charged with aggravated battery in a public place in connection with a January 8 incident.
Dillion D. Grether, 25 of South Roxana, is charged with possession of methamphetamines’ (<5 grams) in connection with an October 15 incident.
MISDEMEANORS
Cory J. Dodson, 36 of Carlinville, is charged with theft/unauthorized control (<$500) in connection with a December 6 incident.
Megan J. Morgan, 33 of Carlinville, is charged with theft/unauthorized control (<$500) in connection with a December 6 incident.
Robert D. Sanson, 34 of Belleville, is charged with criminal trespass to a building in connection with a December 2 incident.
Christopher R. Lott, 47 of Carlinville, is charged with theft of labor/services/property and criminal trespass to land in connection with a January 7 incident.
Amiel K. Kimsey, 20 of Homewood, is charged with minor in possession of liquor in public and driving 15-20 mph above the limit in connection with a January 1 incident.
TRAFFIC
Dawn M. Malone, 57 of Collinsville, is charged with driving on a suspended license, operating an uninsured motor vehicle, disregarding a stop sign, no turn signal lights, unsafe loading, operating a motor vehicle vehicle with suspended registration, and unregistered/expired registration in connection with a January 4 incident.
Cheri L. Bagwell, 47 of Carlinville, is charged with driving on a suspended license, operating an uninsured motor vehicle, and transporting/carrying alcohol in connection with a January 1 incident.
Siera A. Lewis, 28 of Alton, is charged with driving on a suspended license, operating a motor vehicle with a suspended registration, and operating an uninsured motor vehicle in connection with a January 1 incident.
Stephen C. Springman, 37 of Shipman, is charged with driving on a revoked license in connection with a December 17 incident.
Shundrana M. Roy, 29 of Milwaukee, WI, is charged with driving on a suspended license and driving 21-25 mph above the limit in connection with a January 1 incident.
MARRIAGE LICENSES
- Trent Eichen and Summer Melton, both of Carlinville
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Gillespie voters will have an opportunity to vote on whether or not the City of Gillespie can impose a one percent retail sales tax for Public Safety purposes as a result of action taken by the city council Monday night. Council members voted unanimously to approve a resolution prepared by City Attorney Rick Verticchio to put the question on the April 1 consolidated election ballot. The question will be presented in conjunction with the election to choose the mayor, city clerk, city treasurer and three aldermen.
The council discussed the issue of seeking a Public Safety sales tax during the council’s regular meeting on Dec. 9 and during a continued meeting on Dec. 23, at which time there was speculation the city could implement the tax via resolution only without seeking voter approval. The resolution presented Monday night confirms that voters can weigh in at the ballot box on whether or not to impose the tax.
“This is just a resolution so we can have that question on the ballot,” Verticchio told the council.
During the December meetings, Treasurer Dan Fisher said the city agreed to seek the tax during collective bargaining negotiations with the police officers union. The expected $200,000 will help cover additional costs associated with local police joining the Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund system for retirement benefits, as well as the cost of adding additional police officers to cover police protection services in satellite communities. Benld Ald. Jerry Saracco told the Benld Council last month that satellite communities also were being asked to consider seeking a Public Safety sales tax to help defray police protection costs, but there appeared to be no interest on the part of the Benld Council to follow Gillespie’s lead.
In addition to the tax question and city officials, the consolidated ballot also will include elections for three Community Unit School District 7 Board of Education members, as well as township officials.
POLICE STATION PROGRESS
On a motion by Ald. Dave Link, seconded by Ald. Dona Rauzi, the council unanimously voted to release $59,199.26 to contractor John Watson, Gillespie, to pay subcontractors for remodeling work at the new Gillespie Police Station at 124 N. Macoupin St., the former location of Gillespie Chiropractic directly across the street from City Hall.
Rauzi reported the city had paid Watson $9,000 to start the remodeling project. The additional money will be used to pay various vendors such as Glass Cutters, Carlinville, and Carpani Computers for installing computer networking and internet systems.
The council also approved a $1,998.85 change order request for the project to cover the cost of reopening exterior stairs that the previous owner had enclosed. The additional money will cover the cost of siding, framing, lighting and replacing stairs that were removed when the entry was enclosed.
In a related matter, the council formally declared as surplus property a desk that the previous owner left behind and to transfer the desk to Watson. Rauzi said the desk had little value and that no other city office had a use for it. She said the options for disposing of it were to either give it to Watson or store it at the Civic Center.
With the same action, the council declared as surplus unused roof trusses which will be offered for sale via sealed bids.
GRANT MANAGER BILL
On Fisher’s recommendation, the council agreed to pay Fuel Growth Group’s bill of $137,550 for billing and consulting services associated with grant management services related to $3 million in federal grants and $1 million in state grants awarded to the city for its downtown streetscape project. Fisher said the agency’s bill is based on an hourly rate totaling 7.5 percent of the $4 million in grant awards.
Verticchio said he plans to contact the vendor regarding its new contract due to concerns he has about some of the contract’s wording. He said the contract calls for an hourly rate up to $257,000 after the first installment of 50 percent is paid.
“I don’t have any great problem with the contract,” Verticchio said, adding that he wants to revise the contract so the city does not owe the balance if the billable hours do not reach $257,000. “In all probability, we will get to that amount, but I want to make sure that if we don’t reach $257,000, we won’t owe them the full amount.”
EXECUTIVE SESSION
No action followed a brief executive session requested by Ald. Frank Barrett, Lake Chairman, to discuss personnel. While the nature of the discussion was not specified, it is likely the closed-door session focussed on replacing Gary Thornhill, long-time Lake Manager who recently resigned to take another job.
In a related matter, Barrett told the council he is getting pricing from Carpani Computers for a new point-of-sale computer and printer for the Lake Store.
“When Gary left, we were using his computer and printer at the store,” Barrett said, explaining the need for new equipment.
COMMUNICATIONS TOWER
Council members briefly discussed the status of a new communications tower, construction of which is likely to start this year. The council previously entered into a franchise agreement to lease property for the tower, which will provide services for AT&T cell phone transmissions and other providers. Ald. Wendy Ottersburg said the company revised its plan to add 20 feet to the tower’s height to expand its range.
Water Plant Operator Dave Pickett said he is eager for the tower to be completed as it will allow the Water Department to implement a computer program enabling the Department to control water flow from the pumping station to the Water Plant without having to physically travel to the pumping station.
“It will be a huge savings for us,” Pickett said.
AUDIT ACCEPTANCE
Upon Fisher’s recommendation, the council voted unanimously to accept the city’s official audit. In a departure from past practice, no representative of the auditing firm appeared before the council to present the audit findings. Fisher said the audit showed the city to “be in the black” but did not mention whether or not the auditor made any other findings.
COUNCIL RADIOS
Mayor John Hicks reported that two-way radios previously issued to city council members are unaccounted for and asked aldermen who might still have a radio to return them to City Hall. He said the radios were issued to aid with communications in the event of an emergency.
“Somewhere along the line, some of them disappeared,” he said.
SNOW REMOVAL
Ald. Bob Fritz, answering criticisms voiced on social media, clarified that the city does not have responsibility for removing snow on sidewalks. He said people were upset because city workers did not remove snow on sidewalks in the area of CUSD 7 schools.
“Those are not our responsibility,” Ald. Rauzi noted.
Ald. Landon Pettit said that when he worked for the city, city workers were advised by the city’s insurance provider to leave sidewalks alone.
“The insurance company told us not to do that,” he said. “Once we clean them off, any liability for them is on us.”
CEJA MEETING
Fisher told the council he plans to meet with CEJA grant partners at 6 p.m. Thursday at City Hall to discuss CEJA expenditures and closing out the grant. The federal Climate and Equitable Jobs Act grant of $1.1 million was awarded last summer. The City of Gillespie retained $70,248.57 with the remainder allotted to various local units of government, including: Village of East Gillespie, $51,654.72; City of Benld, $58,721.50; Village of Eagarville, $50,684.28; City of Staunton, $80,929.61; Gillespie Public Library, $70,248.57; Benld Public Library, $58,721.50; Gillespie Township, $73,458.48; Cahokia Township, $69,004.42; Community Unit School District 7, $98,167.33; North Mac CUSD 34, $98,584.12; Gillespie-Benld Ambulance Service, $133,202.60; Village of Royal Lakes, $51,038.87; City of Bunker Hill, $60,102.51; Village of Mount Clare, $51,878.67; and Brushy Mound Township, $53,919.08.
The Climate and Equitable Jobs Act is a federal program to mitigate against economic conditions that result as the nation moves away from fossil fuels to embrace renewable, “green” energy sources. The local grant award is related to job losses resulting from the idling of Shay Mine No. 1, formerly Monterey Mine No., 1. Each entity was awarded $50,000 plus additional funds based on “job loss” and “revenue loss” factors.
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