Local stories that shaped 2023

Dec. 30—Here's a look back at some of the stories that shaped our area in 2023.

January

Since an Eagle Scout first came up with the idea several years ago, Effingham residents have dreamed of having a dog park of their own. The dream became a reality Jan. 9 as the new Evergreen Bark Park officially opened just north of Evergreen Hollow Park. The park's opening day was met with clear skies, sunshine, and temperatures hovering around 50 degrees.

Second Amendment advocates are considering all options as they rush to challenge the Protect Illinois Communities Act, which bans the sale of a number of assault weapons and will require existing owners of those guns to register with the state. Proponents of the new law hope that the ban reduces violent crime in Illinois. Sheriffs say they want no role in enforcing state's assault weapon registry. Kurt Davis of Accuracy Firearms in Effingham said he wasn't surprised when he discovered that the bill banning assault weapons was signed into law by Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker on Jan. 10. "We kind of saw it coming. We had been made aware that it probably had the support it needed to pass," Davis said.

Molly Bushue was named Effingham Daily News Citizen of the Year on Jan. 21 as she sat surrounded by family and friends in a packed ballroom at the Thelma Keller Convention Center.

February

Despite being unable to make the trip to Washington D.C. to visit memorials dedicated to the men and women of the United States military — like himself — a Teutopolis resident and Air Force veteran on Feb. 7 finally got to experience what has been a long-awaited Honor Flight. Larry Niemerg, 76, grew up in Effingham, where he attended St. Anthony High School. Beginning in 1966, Airman First Class Niemerg served in the United States Air Force until being honorably discharged in 1970 while he was stationed near Lubbock, Texas. He was stationed at the Tan Son Nhut Air Force Base near Saigon during the Vietnam War, where his primary duty was aircraft maintenance.

The Effingham Plan Commission on Feb. 14 heard from about a dozen people — supporters and some with concerns — regarding the proposed plan to open a maternity home for girls and women. The public hearing drew about 25 people to City Hall. The commission approved a special-use permit for El Shaddai Homes. Later in the year the City Council would approve the site and it would open Sept. 10 at 505 West Temple, in the former Brookstone Suites facility.

Clad in bright and festive costumes ranging from Papa Smurf to Batman, residents gathered Feb. 25 at the beach at Lake Sara for the 2023 Law Enforcement Torch Run Polar Plunge, which raised more than $25,000 for Special Olympics Illinois.

March

Area residents would see a familiar face among the contestants on the The Voice after learning that Neoga High School graduate Allie Keck would appear on the popular reality musical competition that kicked off its new season March 6. Keck would eventually land a spot in the Battle Round, was paired with Cait Martin, a singer and voice-over artist from Atlanta. Together they sang "It Must Have Been Love" by Roxette. At the conclusion of the Battle Round, Coach Kelly Clarkson, who paired the two, took a fair amount of time to decide the winner but ultimately chose Martin to advance, ending Keck's run in the competition. "You are both incredible powerhouses and the crappy thing for me is that you both rose to the occasion in a completely different manner," said Clarkson. "I love you both."

April

In local elections on April 4, Dan Milleville captured 47.72% of the vote to be elected Altamont mayor. Incumbents Larry Micenheimer, Henry J. Stephens, Mervin D. Gillenwater and Libby Moeller were reelected to four open seats on the Effingham City Council. Newcomer Christina T. Mette and incumbents Bernard J. Hartke and Daniel F. Zerrusen were elected to three open seats on the Teutopolis Village Board. In Dieterich new trustees Frederick Bray, Matt Flowers, Jeff White were elected and Carrie Galbraith was relected.

On April 5, Lake Land College and Patterson Companies officials announced that the college is expected to purchase the company's nearly 100,000-square-foot building in Effingham and lease back a portion of the space to Patterson. "This partnership is truly a win-win for Patterson, Lake Land College and the Effingham region," Lake Land College President Josh Bullock said during a press conference at the Patterson building. "This collaboration opens the door to new programming and learning opportunities that provide pathways to sustainable careers and a highly trained workforce."

May

The Illinois Department of Transportation announced that the first phase of the $21.8 million Fayette Avenue reconstruction and widening would begin May 30. The critical safety and capacity project through Effingham languished for years before coming to life under the bipartisan Rebuild Illinois capital program.

June

Effingham County is participating in a new pilot program aimed at improving the mental health and treating the substance abuse disorders of individuals within the criminal justice system. Effingham County Mental Health Liaison Rachel Tucker appeared before the Effingham County Mental Health Board June 7 to give a presentation on the program, which is a part of the Illinois Supreme Court's efforts to keep people from returning to jail and prison. "The goal of the Illinois Supreme Court and our mental health task force and our Administrative Office of Illinois Courts is to really get in there, look into the criminal justice system and see how we can help those individuals with mental health issues and substance abuse issues," Tucker said. "We were one of five circuits that were chosen to actually be part of this pilot program."

A significant milestone has been reached for the historic Heart Theatre in downtown Effingham, which has long been a source of memories for countless residents since it opened in January of 1940 before initially closing in the early 2000s. The Heart Theatre now joins the Effingham County Museum as the only sites in the city listed on the National Register of Historic Places and it is the third location on the list in Effingham County, along with the Dr. Charles M. Wright House in Altamont. The Effingham native who has been spearheading the revival of the theater, Amy Van Bergen, is part of the group that has been working for months to get the Heart Theatre on the National Register of Historic Places.

July and August

Effingham residents needing transportation will have a new public service option starting July 5. It's called Etrax. Similar to a bus route often seen in large cities, it will make designated stops in the city, with one difference. "The difference is we have the ability to make a deviation up to one quarter of a mile," said Central Illinois Public Transit Program Director Beth Beck-Marts.

Darren Bailey, former Illinois Republican gubernatorial nominee and state senator, announced July 4 he is running for Congress in Illinois' 12th District against incumbent Mike Bost, creating a race for the GOP nomination.

A child was injured during harness racing at the Effingham County Fair July 30 after being struck by the starting gate on a pace car. Harper Finn, 5, hoped to one day be a cheerleader, and was preparing to appear in the Effingham County Fair's Little Miss pageant. She died the evening of Aug. 2 at St. Louis Children's Hospital. Just hours before Harper's death, a large crowd had gathered below the grandstand at the fairgrounds to pray for the child and her parents, Richard and Bethany Finn. Many wore pink, Harper's favorite color.

September

The Effingham Fire Department has joined a handful of fire departments in Illinois recognized by the state for maintaining a high level of health and safety standards. During the Effingham City Council's meeting Sept. 5, the council recognized the department for being one of 34 employers that have received the Safety and Health Achievement Recognition Program (SHARP) Award from the Illinois Department of Labor's Division of Occupational Safety and Health (Illinois OSHA.)

It's the end of an era for Dieterich American Legion Post 628 as it prepares to join a number of Legion posts that have recently been forced to close due to declining membership. Chartered in 1920, Post 628 is nearly as old as the American Legion itself, which was founded in 1919. Members of Post 628 held one of their last meetings Sept. 13 at the Blacktop in Dieterich.

Rosie and Walker Bryan were funloving, energetic, full-of-life kids, according to Effingham Child Development Center Director Shelli French. The two, along with their father, Kenneth Bryan, died from exposure to anhydrous ammonia following a multiple-vehicle crash involving a tanker carrying the toxic chemical the evening of Sept. 29 near Teutopolis. Rosie was 7 and Walker was 10. Two other adults from out of state also died and several more were seriously injured. "I've been a firefighter for 20 years and I've never seen anything like it," said Tim McMahon, chief of the Teutopolis Fire Protection District. McMahon said traffic had been diverted from another accident on Interstate 70 when the accident east of Teutopolis on U.S. Route 40 caused the deadly release. That crash may have started when another vehicle tried to pass the chemical-laden truck, according to a federal transportation official.

October

A judge on Oct. 10 sentenced an Effingham woman to three years in prison for killing a guinea pig by setting it on fire. A video of the death throes of the animal — originally described as a hamster — had been posted to social media. Jasmine A. Meyer, 21, was also sentenced to a year of supervised release and a $500 fine, plus court costs, for the Class 4 felony. Judge Marc Kelly also sentenced her to a concurrent three-year term on charges of aggravated battery to a peace officer, a Class 3 felony, and aggravated battery to a corrections officer, a Class 2 felony.

Quad announced Oct. 24 that it will cease operations at its Effingham print manufacturing location by the end of 2023. "The decision was driven by industrywide volume declines due to ongoing economic uncertainty and increasing postage rates," the Wisconsin-based company said in a press release. The Effingham location produces direct mail and employs approximately 350 people.

November

Teutopolis High School and Dieterich Elementary School are among the highest-performing schools in the state, according to the Illinois State Board of Education's annual report card. The schools were designated as "exemplary" in the recently released report that includes data from the 2022-23 academic year, including results of the standardized tests students took in the spring.

Residents gathered in Stewardson on Veterans Day to take their first look at Stewardson American Legion Wilbur Braughton Post 611's new headquarters and witness the dedication of the building after approximately five years of work by the post and community.

Effingham has agreed to purchase a property that a local group wants to lease to build a sports complex it would call the Effingham Showcase Center. Plans for the project are softball, soccer, baseball and volleyball. There could also be activities such as drone races, robot wars and other things for the youth to get involved in. There are also plans to potentially host events such as car shows, boat shows and rodeos at the complex.

December

Local parochial schools are left scrambling to find ways to help families who benefited from the Invest in Kids scholarship program after state lawmakers adjourned their recent veto session without renewing the program, which now ends at the close of 2023.

Effingham County may join communities in blocking the acceptance of non-citizen migrants to their communities amid reports that buses from Texas continue to arrive. Effingham County Board Vice Chairman David Campbell said while they have open arms for legal migration, they remain wary of of the border situation. "We just don't want to see our taxpayers have to burden any of the medical or any of the other expenses that goes along with housing or anything else," Campbell told The Center Square news service.

Effingham Daily News Editor Jeff Long can be reached at jeff.long@effinghamdailynews.com or {span}217-347-7156{/span}. Follow him on Twitter {span class="css-901oao css-16my406 r-poiln3 r-bcqeeo r-qvutc0"}@EDN_editor{/span}