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

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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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Nearly 100 activists gathered Tuesday night at the Macoupin County Jail building prior to and during the monthly meeting of the County Board to condemn online comments made by Board Chairman Larry Schmidt, Gillespie. Three persons addressed the board during the meeting, directing their comments at Schmidt, who acknowledged his comments were inappropriate. About a dozen protesters were able to crowd into the boardroom while the remainder of the group was able to watch the proceedings via closed-circuit television outside the room.

The controversy was ignited when Schmidt posted a comment to a Facebook item posted by St. Louis television station KMOV regarding Anheuser-Busch’s decision to withdraw sponsorship of the annual St. Louis Pride Parade. “Now is a great time to do away with Pride. You can be queer, but you don’t need to march in the streets to show off your disability,” Schmidt posted. Several of those participating in the protest said the post was part of a pattern of bigotry on Schmidt’s part, saying they found more than 30 posts on Schmidt’s personal Facebook page that were hateful or insensitive toward the gay and trans community.

Protestors, many with signs supporting the gay and trans community, began to gather at the meeting venue an hour before the meeting. Schmidt arrived about 5:30 p.m. and walked through the gauntlet without engaging with protestors.

During the meeting, Chelsa Pruden, Staunton, who organized the protest, addressed the board and Schmidt, saying, “It’s not just disappointing, it’s dangerous,” when a board member “makes public statements that spread hate, fear, or misinformation.” She asked the board to “take a real, public stand. Not just with words but with action.”

“This isn’t about one post or one opinion,” said Pruden, who is married but identifies on the LGBTQ+ spectrum. “This is about an ongoing problem. When hateful rhetoric is coming from someone in public office, it doesn’t just stay online. It makes people feel unsafe. It tells queer kids that they don’t belong. It send a message to people like my daughter, who has gay grandparents, that their family isn’t welcome here. It tells people like me. . .that we need to stay quiet because speaking up makes us a target. But I’m not staying quiet anymore.”

Pruden reminded board members they were elected to represent “everyone in the county,” including “kids who are still figuring out who they are.” She asked the board to issue a “clear statement affirming your commitment to the safety, inclusion, and dignity of the LGBTQ+ community in Macoupin County.” Further, she asked the board to adopt a code of ethics updated to include expectations regarding hate speech in person and online. “Board members are held to a higher standard and should not be spreading bigotry on social media or anywhere else.”

“This isn’t just about politics,” Pruden asserted. “It’s about human decency. It’s about the kind of community we want Macoupin County to be.”

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Activists in the board room applauded Pruden as she finished her statement. Her young daughter rushed to hug her at the back of the room.

Three current members of the board also expressed concerns about the controversy.

“As a Republican, I believe in the dignity and worth of every individual and in our inalienable right to free speech and expression,” said Holly Klausing, Staunton. “With that being said, recent comments made by the county board chairman regarding members of our community were inappropriate and do not reflect the values of respect and freedom of speech our county should uphold. County officials have a duty to serve all residents fairly and should refrain from making unnecessary, derogatory, and divisive statements on social media. Moving forward, I encourage all public officials to focus on promoting policies that benefit our entire community while maintaining a standard of professionalism, integrity, and respect.”

“I want the people of Macoupin County to know the comments made by the board chairman do not represent my views,” said John Blank, Gillespie, who represents the same County Board District as Schmidt. “I take great pride in making sure everyone feels respected, valued, and included.”

Board member Ryan Kilduff of Staunton criticized Schmidt’s comments and criticized the decision not to move the meeting to the Macoupin County Courthouse to accommodate the crowd. Kilduff said Schmidt’s decision to post his opinion on the social media page of a major television affiliate indicated Schmidt intentionally sought to make the public aware of his thoughts, feelings, and beliefs. “Chairman, you have to own that,” Kilduff said.

Kilduff said Schmidt’s future on the board is between him and his constituents who elected him. However, he said, if the board had an administrative rule that would allow him to do so, he would withdraw his vote to name Schmidt chairman.

“Not only did I find the comments to be wrong, the subsequent conduct regarding the behavior I found reprehensible,” Kilduff said. Kilduff alleged that Schmidt’s staw poll of all but three county board members regarding whether or not he should step down as chairman or resign from the board violated the state’s Open Meetings Act. “I am so thankful you left me off this thread,” Kilduff said. “This was a direct violation of the Open Meetings Act,” involving a quorum with both parties represented.

“Then, as we hear constituents want to be heard and protest the initial conduct. . .you pull a hat trick,” Kilduff said, reading from a prepared statement. “Instead of accommodating their constituents, as we have in the past, with the courthouse or other, larger venues, you decide it best to put them in a building around the corner with only a TV monitor.” Kilduff alleged Schmidt’s failure to relocate the meeting amounted to an effort to avoid a face-to-meeting with his critics.

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“We have no place for a 30-year-old bigoted speech about sexuality,” Kilduff noted, “and we definitely don’t need more behavior that calls into question our transparency with the public.”

Residents Christy Lowder and Jordan Bartok joined Pruden in making statements to the board.

Lowder told Schmidt his comments emboldened others to post similar bigotry on social media.

“Shame on you,” Lowder said, noting his Pride post was shared 30 times. “The way you think is simply not good enough to represent this community. If this is your legacy, that’s sad for you, and it’s sad for kids in this county who don’t have a voice. I ask you to do better.”

Lowder suggested she plans to remain active until Schmidt is no longer in public office.

Schmidt said he had apologized and has withdrawn from social media. But Lowder said staying off social media does not mean he has changed his opinion and that Schmidt’s apology was a matter of “giving himself excuses for his behavior.” She suggested he should go to every school district in the county to apologize. “That’s courage,” she said.

Bartok told Schmidt he was “setting an example” that feeds hate and makes LGBTQ+ individuals, especially children, feel more vulnerable.

“I have a child now, so this is more important to me,” she said. “Having someone like you in power can affect my children.”

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Prior to hearing from Pruden, Lowder, and Bartok, Schmidt offered a meandering, off-the-cuff statement. He said his comment was sparked by Aneheuser-Busch’s decision to no longer sponsor the St. Louis Pride parade. Viewing past coverage of Pride events, Schmidt said he saw drag queens and flamboyant behavior that he found offensive.

“What I said was totally inappropriate,” he said. “I apologize, and if I could take it back, I would. I’m not a hateful person. I respect everyone.”

“Clearly not!” one of the protestors shouted. County Clerk Pete Duncan admonished spectators that under Open Meetings Act rules, only persons given the floor were allowed to speak and asked them to remain silent.

Schmidt said he has three cousins in their 40s who are gay, as well as a gay 20-year-old niece to whom he is a godfather. He and his wife helped arrange for a gay friend to be baptized into his church, he said.

“I made a comment as a private person,” he said. “I try to make good decisions for the entire community on the board. I understand you are passionate about your cause and I respect that.”

Addressing concerns about how his opinion could affect board decisions, Schmidt said he represents only one vote out of 18 on the board. “I can’t steer things one way or another,” he said.

DERELICT PROPERTIES

The board heard briefly from resident Anne Johnston, Carlinville, who voiced concerns about derelict property in her neighborhood. She specifically cited areas on Northwest Street, Haig Street and at the intersection of North Broad and Loveless Streets. While the properties are Carlinville addresses, they are located outside the city limits and are subject to the county’s jurisdiction.

She asked that the county’s Public Health Department and Illinois EPA be enlisted to help clean up the properties, which she said are strewn with trash and junk, and infested with rats and other vermin. She said she and her husband own a rental house next door and have been unable to sell the property because surrounding properties have suppressed the value. One address was recently damaged by fire. The residents are now living in a camper with no running water and no connection to a sanitary sewer. Someone, she said, climbed a utility pole and plugged in an extension cord for power.

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“One lady has pot-bellied pigs that go in and out,” she said.

Derelict vehicles and trash, she said, were allowed to accumulate before the fire. Children of parents living on the properties are allowed to roam the streets, knocking on doors looking for food, or getting into sheds and garages without permission. She said she was especially concerned for elderly neighbors who report being harrassed by the residents and children.

Johnston said county board representatives from her district are aware of the issues and have visited the neighborhood. She supplied photo documentation of the conditions for board members to review during the meeting.

LIQUOR LICENSE AMENDMENT

The board voted unanimously to adopt the Liquor Commission’s recommendation to amend the county’s liquor ordinance to allow the County Fair Board to have a year-round liquor license instead of requiring separate licensing for each of the events held at the fairgrounds where alcohol is served. The Fair Board requested the change because it will reduce their expense for dram shop insurance. Private caterers who cater events at the fairgrounds can still get their own licenses and insurance, in lieu of piggy-backing on the Fair Board’s license and insurance, with a maximum of 15 events per year.

In response to a question, State’s Attorney Jordan Garrison said the amendment would not increase the county’s liability.

BUDGET CONCERNS

As the board prepares to draft a new budget for fiscal 2026, County Clerk Duncan reported that revenue projects for the coming fiscal year are down by about $252,265—from $10,084,363 this year to $9,832,098 for fiscal 2026. Revenue for the current fiscal year (excluding property) taxes stands at $4,622,441, or about 58 percent of what the county expected to receive by the end of April. Meanwhile, sales tax revenue is lagging by about $52,000 from what the county anticipated by the end of April.

The board is expected to begin the budgeting process in the next few weeks, a process that will take the rest of the summer before final approval in September. Based on current projections, Duncan predicted the budget will be extremely tight.

“It probably isn’t going to be a pleasant summer,” he said, “but we will get through.”

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PROPERTY SALE

The board unanimously voted to accept a bid of $121,000 from Calcari Properties for the sale of 40 acres of county-owned land located south of Carlinville. Since property taxes on the property were delinquent, Duncan said the county would have to reimburse all the taxing bodies involved for their share of the delinquent taxes, leaving $91,012.50 for the county’s General Fund.

While no final decision has been made, Duncan said there has been discussion about using the money to pay for the first-year salary for a yet-to-be hired Grant Writer/Adminsitrator, which will “hopefully help that money grow into more money.”

The Finance Committee is expected to conduct hearings on departmental budget requests next month.

U of I EXTENSION RESOLUTION

County board members voted unanimously to transfer $83,000 from the General Fund to the Macoupin County University of Illinois Extension Service as of July 1 to help fund Extension work for the next 12 months. Duncan said the board levied the amount on behalf of the Extension last December. The resolution is a formality to authorize the transfer of funds previously levied.

MFT RESOLUTION

By a unanimous vote, the board approved a resolution granting power to act to the board chairman and Road and Bridge Committee to award contracts to successful bidders for oil and patch materials for the county’s Motor Fuel Tax maintenance program. County Engineer Thomas Reinhardt said the bids were opened April 3, which did not leave enough time to present a formal resolution to the full board. The bids, however, “were lower than last year across the board,” Reinhardt said.

INTERNET SURVEY

Duncan reported that only 200 residents had completed an internet survey to collect information about internet availability and reliability in the county. The data will be used to apply for funding to develop better broadband access in the county. Duncan said he needs at least one percent of the county’s population to complete the survey, meaning at least 250 more surveys are needed. The deadline for completing the survey is April 11.

APPOINTMENTS

In other action, the board approved the appointment of Jerry Osmoe, Mt. Olive, to finish the unexpired term of Willard Scheller, Mt. Olive, on the Mt. Olive Fire Protection District board, and appointed John Earley, Girard, to a three-year term on the Girard Fire Protection District Board of Trustees.

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2:18 Missions held its 7th annual trivia fundraiser on March 30. A strong core of supporters came out, and fun was had by all. The winning team was called The Mongrols, led by captain Lisa Abernathy. They had a killer 93/100 points, which is impressive because there were no chances for bonus points at this trivia.

Even though this was a general knowledge trivia, many of the questions were taken from game shows, so any attendees with a strong connection to game shows they’d seen on TV had a leg up. One difficult yet exciting round was guessing the name of the game show from its theme song that was played over the speakers. This year’s trivia was a little different from previous years, as we had a change in venue. Held at the Destefane Events Center in Benld, there was plenty of space and great amenities for those in attendance.

David Manning of Thrivent Financial also was kind enough to let the mission team borrow a projector, speakers, microphones, and a whole sound system to use at the event. So not only did the attendees hear the questions read by the host, but also they could see them projected onto the wall. 

We would like to extend a special thanks to our business sponsors this year: Tina Olroyd of Country Financial, Quality Motors, Gillespie Health and Rehab Center, Jessica Ely of State Farm, Bauer Electric, and anonymous donors. Again, we would like to thank David Manning of Thrivent Financial for not only donating sound system equipment but also setting it up and keeping things running smoothly throughout the event.

Thank you to all of the 2:18 Missions team members who helped put this together and to the volunteers that day including Logan Bethard, Kristin Griffel, Jeriel McDaniel, Brittany Frizzo, and Matt Frizzo. And of course, thank you to every person who showed up with a team to support a local mission team. 

2:18 Missions is a nonprofit organization dedicated to showing the love of Christ through performing good deeds for those in the Gillespie and surrounding communities with great needs. Our primary focus is to assist with home repair needs that improve the quality of life of a community member that cannot afford to pay a contractor. We also are passionate in giving to the Henderson Settlement located in Frakes, KY. Unless otherwise stated, all of our fundraisers give 50% to the community and 50% to the Henderson Settlement. 

To follow our fundraisers and projects, please like us on facebook at https://www.facebook.com/218Missions. We are always welcoming new volunteers, so please join us at any event or gathering we have to learn more about us. Also, if you know someone in the community that could use our help, please reach out to a team member or message us on facebook. 

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