Community News
The Giving Tree is set to open Saturday
TwinnCo is still in business
A sneak peek inside the store.
A brand new business in downtown Gillespie is just what everyone has been dreaming of. The dream has become a reality, thanks to business owners Tobi Libbra and Debbi Tiller. The pair who own TwinnCo Real Estate have taken another risk in the community by opening a high quality distinct gift boutique right in the heart of Gillespie directly across from Shell. Their actual address is 320 South Macoupin Street.
The idea formulated about a year ago, but it was just unrealistic then. Tobi has always been making soaps in her house for her sons, but never dreamt of opening a shop. According to her, it just exploded. She started making soap baskets as gifts for her friends. Then, her friends came back to her to order gifts for their friends and away it went.
Why the name Giving Tree? One, because it will grow and change as the customer’s preferences do. “It will be a forever changing store.” Two, it is a family tradition. Their family reads the book every Christmas and it is her boys’ favorite book. “It is always about what you can give and we are trying to give back to the community to try and boost it again,” Debbi explained.
Like the book, Tobi said our community has consisted of people constantly taking and taking and taking from the community and not giving back. “It is about putting back in to what you take from the community,” she said. The pair said it will be a fun store after a lot of hard work put into it.
The mother daughter team used to own a tea room and gift shop in Litchfield. The gift shop part was very small, Debbi added. Although they hated the restaurant side, they loved the gift shop side and it has been their dream since then to open another gift shop after they sold that one. When the space became available in their building after A&C Insurance moved, they jumped on it.
Walls came down, paint went on the walls, and the boutique came to town. The shop will have items for all ages. “We don’t want it to seem like men cannot come in,” Tobi explained. Everything is wrapped nicely whether it is a gift or not. Debbi added that it is the perfect store to stop in and grab a gift for your wife.
There will be home décor gifts, spa products, soaps, and glass. “We have everything from high, expensive glass items to cheap gifts,” Tobi added. “Cheap as in inexpensive.” The gifts can go anywhere. They will have gifts for the kitchen, the bathroom, the living room, or anywhere else you feel appropriate.
All of the bath products are all-natural that are made inside the building by Tobi herself. “We make everything right here, we don’t buy and resell,” Debbi explained. “Everything is hand-made and we will never use any animal products.” Everything down to the lavender grown in Debbi’s garden is made right here in Gillespie.
A friend of Tobi’s will have a small area inside the shop as well. According to Tobi, BowDiva will have bows, hand crocheted blankets, tu-tus, and cheerleading bows. Other items in the shop will be homecoming themed flowers, jewelry, garters, and 1803 candles. “No one in the area carries this type of candle,” Debbi clarified.
New products will arrive weekly, they added. There will always be a holiday themed item as well. “I hope it brings one more open business to Gillespie,” Tobi added. “It is not a secret, our Main Street is dying.” Debbi went on to say that it would have been much easier to go somewhere else, but she says they are just doing their part to try and keep Main Street alive.
As for starting the new business, they both laughed. “It is very different from the real estate business,” they affirmed. Real estate is legal, contracts, and paperwork. The boutique shop will bring fun to their lives. “We get to shop now!” Tobi said.
Gillespie is home for them and they wouldn’t have started a business anywhere else. The owners and operators, as they refer to themselves, will be running both TwinnCo and The Giving Tree. Luckily for them, real estate is a lot of office work.
TwinnCo is not going anywhere, they stressed. “We will always be here no matter what,” Debbi explained. Their schedule with TwinnCo is versatile, they explained. They can set their appointments when they need to and they can always depend on each other. “If both of us are unavailable, we are probably in the hospital,” they laughed.
Both of them wanted to point out that The Giving Tree is not in competition with anyone else in town. “We wouldn’t do that to anyone.” According to Debbi, there may be an overflow of a couple items, but nothing major. The pair are trying to find their own niche and will not compete with any other business.
The grand opening is Saturday, September 8 at 10:00am where punch and cookies will be served. Their hours right now will be Monday thru Friday from 10am-5pm and Saturday will be 10am-noon. They will be closed on Sunday.
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In a decisive finish that underscored his rising dominance in Illinois Class 1A cross country, senior Chaz Oberkfell of Gillespie High School claimed the state title with a time of 14:31.10 at the IHSA State Cross Country Championships held at Detweiller Park on Saturday, November 8.
Finishing just behind Oberkfell, sophomore Evan Knobloch of Toulon (Stark County) crossed the line in 14:46.25, placing second. Rounding out the top five were senior Blake McLeese of Tuscola (14:46.45), senior Luca Bryja of Elgin (Harvest Christian Academy) with 14:48.38, and senior Elijah Teefey of Pleasant Plains at 14:49.02.
This victory marks Oberkfell’s second IHSA Class 1A state championship. He also won the state crown as a junior in 2024 with a time of 14:31.87. In his sophomore year, he finished 21st with a 15:21.43 season-best time.
Looking ahead, Oberkfell is set to compete in the New Balance NXR Midwest Regional Championships on Sunday, November 16, at the LaVerne Gibson Course in Indiana. The meet serves as a critical stepping stone toward the national championships, and Oberkfell will look to carry his state momentum into the regional stage.
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The community is invited to participate in a family-friendly, drive-thru charity event aimed at keeping local students warm this winter. The “Warm Up Our Kids” drive-thru takes place on Tuesday, December 2, 2025, from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. at Karmak Campus, located at 1 Karmak Plaza, Carlinville, IL and is sponsored by Karmak and Carlinville Area Hospital and Clinics.
Additional drop-off boxes will be available at the following locations to maximize participation and convenience:
- Sullivans in Carlinville, Gillespie, and Litchfield
- Pharmacy Plus in Girard
- Sav-Mor Pharmacy in Virden
- CAH&C Clinic sites in Gillespie, Girard, Carlinville, and Virden
- Briar Rose in Litchfield
- Brave Hazel in Carlinville
- Oh-So Cute Boutique in Virden
Drive through the event route and drop off much-needed supplies listed below. All donations will directly benefit students in the participating school districts, helping ensure every child has the warmth and essentials they need to face the winter season. Community support help bridge gaps and bring tangible, immediate relief to families in need.
Join us in spreading warmth and goodwill this December. The Ben Gil Post and community partners look forward to seeing you at the Karmak Campus drive-thru.
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A Macoupin County jury found Jeffrey D. Brown, 50, of Sawyerville guilty of aggravated battery with a firearm in connection with the shooting death of Rodney Messerly, 42, also of Sawyerville, authorities said.
The verdict was delivered a little before 6 p.m. on November 4, 2025, after a days-long trial led by Macoupin County State’s Attorney Jordan J. Garrison. Brown now faces a mandatory prison sentence ranging from six to 30 years with the sentence to be served at 85 percent. The sentencing will take place on January 12, 2025.
According to testimony and evidence presented at trial, the incident unfolded on September 17, 2024, when Brown called 911 claiming Messerly had entered his home. Responding deputies found Messerly deceased on the front stoop outside the residence. Brown testified that Messerly had forced his way into the home, and he fired in self-defense inside the residence.
Surveillance video played to the jury depicted portions of the confrontation: Messerly speaking with Brown at the door outside the residence before Messerly pushes inside—off-camera for a stretch—followed by four gunshots fired from within the home. Messerly is seen falling back onto the front steps.
A video interview of Brown with Lt. Ryan Dixon of the Macoupin County Sheriff’s Department revealed Brown stated he took three steps back inside the residence before firing the initial shots. Forensic pathologist Dr. Nathanial Patterson testified that the first four shots would have been fatal. Approximately seven seconds pass before Brown fires a final shot from inside the residence, striking Messerly in the chest as he yells an expletive.
Garrison offered condolences to Messerly’s family, calling the incident a “horrible situation” and noting that the healing process is just beginning for those affected. He described Messerly as having been experiencing delusions at the time of the incident and emphasized that the last shot was not in self-defense, characterizing it as an act of vengeance.
Brown faces additional charges in unrelated matters: Armed Violence (Class X felony) and Production of Cannabis Plants (Class 4) in 2024CF228, and Resisting Arrest Causing Injury to an Officer in 2024CF252.
Public sentencing is scheduled for January 12, 2025. Prosecutors cautioned readers that charges are not proof of guilt and that Brown is presumed innocent until proven otherwise in a court of law.
