Community News
School board recognizes GMS track state qualifiers
Members of the Community Unit School District 7 Board of Education on Monday night recognized eight members of the Gillespie Middle School Girls Track and Field team who qualified during a sectional meet last Saturday at Gillespie advance to state finals this coming Saturday in Peoria.
“This year’s girls track team has been spectacular,” GMS Principal Patrick McGinthy. “It seemed like every meet, they were bringing home hardware.”
Head Coach Jacob West introduced each of the eight team members, all seventh graders, who will compete at the state level.
Ella Brawner, started pole vaulting in the sixth grade, according to West. This year, she broke the previous school record with a jump of of eight fee and five inches. At subsequent meets, she broke her own record with successive jumps in excess of eight feet, culminating with a jump of nine feet and four inches at sectional.
Though not a record breaker Alyssa Cyprian, also qualified to compete in the pole vault this Saturday.
Brawner also will compete at state in hurdles. Starting this year without blocks, Assistant Coach Jack Burns suggested introducing her to spikes and starting blocks. “Sure enough, she broke her previous record and qualified for state,” West said.
West described Jessie Bulla as an all-around athlete. “You can put her in anything at she’ll do very well,” West said. At Staunton, she threw the shotput 30 feet and one and one-half inches, breaking the previous school record of 29 feet and six inches. She came in first at the sectional meet, qualifying for the state competition.
Also qualifying to compete in the shotput competition at state is Alivia Schoen.
“Not only will Jessie Bulla being throwing at state,” West reported, “but she will be joined by Alivia Schoen.”
Alyssa Hamilton set a new school record in discuss during the Staunton meet, throwing a distance of 86 feet and five inches. She qualified Saturday to throw at the state level.
Completing her first season in track and field, Lydia Edwards will compete in the high jump after posting a jump of four feet and five inches.
“We tried to get her to come out last year,” West said. “This year she decided to come out and she has just put her heart out there.”
West said the GMS 4×100 meter relay team consistently placed first throughout their season and qualified to run at the state level at last Saturday’s sectional meeting. Leighton Vogel will run first, passing the baton to Edwards who will pass off to Bulla. Bulla will hand off to Khloe Helvey to finish.
West reported the team placed first in every meet of their season except the South Central Conference meet, where they landed in second place. The team was in five points of first place.
“I told them to get ready for a phenomenal career in seventh and eighth grade and in high school,” West said. “You guys have something other teams don’t. This year, let’s work on making other teams nervous and sure enough they did it. I’m proud of them and they should be proud of themselves.”
“For you guys to place first in the sectional speaks volumes,” Supt. Shane Owsley said. “When you get to state, you’re not going to see anything you’re not prepared for. I don’t think this is the last piece of hardware we’re going to see from this team.”
School Board President Mark Hayes commended West’s enthusiasm for the track and field. “It’s obvious you love what you’re doing,” he said.
West and co-head coach Chase Peterson lead 55 middle school athletes who went out for track and field this year and are assisted by Burns.
PERSONNEL
By a unanimous vote, the board rehired the following winter coaches for the 2025-26 school year:
- Anthony Kravanya as freshman boys basketball coach.
- Nikki Brawner as head high school girls basketball coach, with Matt Brawner as assistant coach and Michael Rodriguez as volunteer assistant coach.
- Alexis Lucky as head high school cheerleading coach.
- Andrea Williamson as high school head dance coach, with volunteer assistant coach Elizabeth Doghttery.
- Jarrod Herron as high school and middle school Scholar Bowl coach.
- Celia Jubelt to coach eighth grade volleyball and Elizabeth Thackrey at seventh grade volleyball coach.
- Tate Wargo as eight grade boys basketball coach and Trae Wargo as seventh grade boys basketball coach.
Board members voted unanimously to accept the resignation of Kaylee Collins and Language and Speech Pathologist, a position Collins was hire for in December 2022, filling a position that had been vacant since the beginning of the academic year. The measure to accept Collins’ resignation included posting the position as vacant for the coming academic year.
Board members also voted unanimously to hire Nicholas Davio as BenGil Elementary School music teacher and fifth grade band teacher, and hire Jessica Kelly for a Gillespie Middle School summer school position. Davio, a 2003 graduate of Milikin University, Decatur, has pursued a music career in the Chicago area for more than 20 years. A freelance singer, musician and songwriter, he was on the staff of the Old Town School of Folk Music for 10 years.
Additionally, the board accepted the resignation of Shelby Maguire as a district paraprofessional and posted the position as vacant.
BUDGET MATTERS
Board members voted to display an amended fiscal 2025 budget reflecting changes and revenue and expenditures that occurred during the fiscal year concluding on June 30. Supt. Owsley said the original budget adopted last year doesn’t appear to “be off by much.” However, the amended budget available for public inspection until June 30 is subject to change as more information becomes available. Owsley said state funds due to the school district should be in by June 30, as well as final invoices.
The board directed Owsley last month to start compiling a fiscal 2026 budget. The 2026 fiscal year starts July 1. State law requires the district to adopt a budget by the end of September. Owsley typically presents the tentative budget in August every year, after which the document will be subject to public review for 30 days.
FOIA REQUEST
Owsley reported he received another AI-generated Freedom of Information Act request of information. This follows several AI FOIA requests the board was made aware of last month. The newest request ask for copies of all purchase orders the school district generated from 2020 to date.
Since the request appeared to be a “commercial” request, Owsley said he notified the requester there would be a charge for photocopying the documents.
“We have 600 to 700 purchase orders every year,” he noted.
OTHER ACTION
In other action the board:
- Accepted bids from Prairie Farms to supply milk for the 2025-26 school year, and from Kohl Wholesale, Quincy, to supply bread products.
- Agreed to enter into an intergovernmental agreement with the South Central Illinois Regional Workforce Training and Innovation Center, Litchfield. Owsley said 21 local students plan to pursue vocational education at the facility next year.
- Approved a project to resurface playgrounds at BenGil Elementary School, using proceeds from a maintenance grant plus matching funds.
- Approved district-wide job descriptions.
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Community News
“History Belongs to All of Us”: Focus of Carlinville Community Conversation Series starting May 4
“History Belongs to All of Us,” a three-month series of events and activities commemorating the 250th anniversary of American independence and emphasizing Illinois’ role in seizing liberty for the American people will kick off Monday, May 4, and continue through July 16, 2026.
The series is project of Carlinville Winning Communities funded by a grant from Illinois Humanities. The events will encourage participants to examine and discuss the Declaration of Independence and other primary historical documents through facilitated conversations, according to Mary Tinder, a Macoupin County Historical Society & Carlinville Winning Communities board member.
Carlinville Winning Communities was one of only 13 entities statewide to receive an Illinois Humanities grant to support the Community Conversations Series.
We are fortunate to have received Illinois Humanities funding for this unique project, With 2026 being the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence and the 100th anniversary of Route 66, it is altogether fitting to explore where we’ve been and where we’re going, as well as to reflect on both and the cultural impact of our independence, Tinder said.
In keeping with the “History Belongs to All of Us” theme, several of the presentations and discussions will emphasize the role of Native Americans and the impact of American independence on Native American and other cultures.
Program topics will be explored through presentations by Illinois Humanities Road Scholars, live readings of historic documents, art, music and discussions. The programs are free to attend and all venues are handicapped accessible.
The series kicks off with “Illinois in the Revolutionary War,” a presentation by local historian and author Tom Emery, at 7 p.m., Monday, May 4, at the Macoupin County Historical Society’s Ruyle Genealogy Building, 920 W. Breckenridge St., Carlinville. Emery will lead a discussion of information included in his most recently published book, Illinois in the Revolutionary War.
“There was more to the war in Illinois than most people realize,” said Emery. “Revolutionary action took place in many parts of the state, and it was a struggle for all involved. It shows how hard many Americans worked for liberty.”
A discussion of Nicholas Welch’s 1812 Land Grant and the Autobiography of Ma-Ka-Tai-Me-She-Kia-Kiak, better known as Black Hawk, leader of the Sauk/Sac Indian tribes, is set for 7 p.m., Monday, June 1, in the Anderson Home parlor on the Macoupin County Historical Society grounds. Under the Land Grant program, the government set aside more than five million acres in western Illinois to compensate American war veterans with large tracts of land. Though Welch never set foot in Illinois, the granting of land to him displaced Black Hawk from his home in the area of present-day Rock Island. The facilitated discussion will focus on original historic documents, juxtaposing Welch’s land grant with Black Hawk’s experience.
Because of the smaller, more intimate venue, reservations are required. RSVP to marytinder1@gmail.com to reserve a seat.
“Relive the Mother Road: The Edwards Trace,” a collective analysis of documents and a look at contemporary research will be led by Illinois Humanities Road Scholar Anna Sielaff, Friday afternoon, June 26, during an Old Fashioned Route 66 Jubilee on the Macoupin County Courthouse lawn. Sielaff will discuss the 3,000-year-old Edwards Trace, used by Native Americans and early Illinois settlers, that stretched from Cahokia to Peoria. Portions of the trace run through Macoupin County, and some sections lay along the original alignment of Route 66. Imagine Rural Arts also will lead an art project in connection with how the trail was marked.
The Old Fashioned Route 66 Jubilee event runs from noon into the evening with food, musical performances, literary presentations, games, food and other activities.
The date is significant for Carlinville and Route 66 since 6/26/26 happens to be our zip code! The Jubilee offers a variety of experiences and taking a deeper look at the Edwards Trace and the Mother Road is an interesting way to explore local history on this unique date and location, Tinder noted.
Continuing on to the July 4th holiday, Macoupin County high school and college students will read the Declaration of Independence aloud in the main courtroom of the historic Macoupin County Courthouse in Carlinville at 10 a.m. The event also will feature a display of more than 30 historic flags provided by the George Rogers Clark Chapter of the Sons of the American Revolution. A facilitated discussion will follow the reading and participants will be invited to sign the “Macoupin County America @ 250 Time Capsule” book. The book will then be on display at the Macoupin County Historical Society, said Andrea Duncan, one of the organizers.
A unique and somewhat mysterious artifact from Macoupin County will be the subject of a presentation at 7 p.m., Monday, July 6, at the Historical Society’s Ruyle Genealogy Building. Sharon Breyden and husband Tommy Breyden will display and discuss the Black Hawk Tablet, uncovered in the 1940s on a farm near Hettick. The odd inscriptions on the lead medallion suggests Black Hawk and an early Macoupin settler formalized an agreement to peacefully coexist in central Illinois.
For the final program of the Carlinville Community Conversations series, Illinois Humanities Road Scholar Kim Sigafus, a member of the Ojibwa Native American tribe, will present “We the Native People” at 7 p.m., Thursday, July 16, at the Historical Society’s Ruyle Genealogy Building. The focus is on Native Americans at the time the Declaration of Independence was signed. The interactive program will use traditional story-telling and music to help audience members understand the groundswell changes in Native American culture and lifestyle resulting from American independence and subsequent western expansion.
For more information and details about the “History Belongs to All of Us” series, contact Carlinville Winning Communities Board members, Andrea Duncan, (217) 204-1446, or Mary Tinder, (217) 825-9699.
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Community News
Macoupin County Public Health Department announces 2026 Gold Standard Award Recipients for food safety and service
Macoupin County Public Health Department (MCPHD) is proud to announce the recipients of the 2026 Gold Standard Award in food safety and service. The Environmental Services department congratulates 33 Macoupin County establishments that earned this prestigious honor, out of 306 licensed food service establishments in the county. This achievement reflects an exceptional commitment to excellence in food safety, sanitation, and customer service.
“We are thrilled to recognize these facilities for maintaining the highest standards of food safety and protecting the health of our community,” said Derrek Tiburzi, MCPHD Environmental Services Director. “Being recognized among this distinguished group highlights the dedication these recipients have to ongoing quality and accountability in food service.”
Gold Standard Award recipients span a diverse range of food service operations, from grocery delis and bakeries to full-service restaurants and hotels. The list below showcases the establishments that met the Gold Standard criteria for 2026:
- South Macoupin Head Start
- Walmart Deli/Bakery
- Medora Intermediate School
- GG’s Smokehouse
- Big Skillet Catering
- Ray’s Tater Wagon
- Carlinville Intermediate School
- Sips Coffee (Carlinville)
- Besserman SuperBowl
- GG’s Smokehouse Mobile Unit
- DeStefane Event Center
- TJ’s Liquor Store
- St. Alphonsus
- Gram-way Cattle & Hay
- Bunker Hill Municipal Building
- North Mac Middle Intermediate & Middle School
- Virden First United Methodist Church
- Carlinville Zion Lutheran Church
- Catholic Charities
- McEuen Farms
- Memorial Christian Church
- Hogan’s Hamlet
- Griffel Farms Beef
- Centennial 6 Farms
- Kazoo Coffee
- Mel’s Place
- Mt. Olive Care Center
- Northwestern Food Pantry
- CVS Pharmacy
- Green Room Gaming
- Virden Community Center
- Camp Hugh
- Beaver Dam Café
This recognition not only highlights the exceptional performers but also reinforces the broader importance of high standards in food service and sanitation. MCPHD’s Food Service and Retail Food Sanitation program continues to monitor and support establishments to ensure safe, healthy dining experiences for Macoupin County residents and visitors.
For more information about MCPHD’s Food Service and Retail Food Sanitation program, please visit: https://mcphd.net/food-service-and-sanitation-program/
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The Benld Library will host a book signing for Bree Ireland’s debut novel, “Eroded Ember” on Saturday, April 18 from 10 to 11 am. Bree Ireland is the pen name for local resident Bree DePoppe. Bree is a young adult author from Gillespie with a strong love for romance and fantasy. Her writing first began at the age of eleven, and by thirteen, she knew storytelling was her passion.
“Eroded Ember” is a young adult fantasy romance set in a small town named Crescent City, CA, where the mystical redwoods meet the ocean. A seventeen-year-old-girl gets accepted as a park ranger in the expansive forest, where she quickly discovers the trees are large enough to hide anything, and she is not as alone as she thinks.
“Eroded Ember” will be released on April 11 through Amazon on and IngramSpark for hardcover and paperback, and the eBook is currently on pre-order on Amazon. The library will have a limited number of books available for purchase the day of the signing.
Although the book is for young adults, all ages will enjoy the story and setting. For more information about the signing please contact the library at 217-835-4045 or visit booksbybree on social media.
