Clarion Archives
New board approves final land
acquisition details
By Joe Pritchett
Clarion Editor
The new-look Ball-Chatham Board of Education got right to work Monday night,
with several pressing items on the agenda. (
more)
Newly-elected trustee Matthew Mau is
sworn into office by Rep. Rich Brauer at
Tuesday's Village Board meeting.
Village
passes
$19M
budget
By Joe Pritchett
Clarion Editor
The Chatham Village
Board said goodbye
to two-term trustee
Mike McGrath
Tuesday night, but
before they did, the
board passed the
fiscal year 2010
budget and raised
water, electric and
sewer rates. (
more)
PROM KING AND QUEEN -
Glenwood seniors Charlie
Clausner and Allie Hogan
were named King and Queen
of the GHS Prom last
Saturday night.  Clausner is
the son of Daniel and Renee
Clausner of Springfield, and
Hogan is the daughter of Dan
and Mary Rose Hogan of
Springfield.
A single vehicle accident on Route
4 at the entrance to the BP gas
station in Chatham almost
knocked over a utility pole, snarling
traffic in the area last Friday
morning and afternoon.  Crews
had to tow the vehicle, take down
power, phone and cable lines and
then erect a new pole and put the
lines back up.  There were no
injuries.
A large crowd packed the Chatham American
Legion Hall Monday morning for Memorial Day
Services, which had to be held inside due to
wet weather.  Legion Commander Pat Schad
addresses the crowd as Paula Staab Polk,
Officer David Drabing and Fire Chief Phil
Schumer look on.  Speakers included Schad,
Mayor Tom Gray, Father John Nolan, VFW
Commander Lee Morgan, Schumer and
Drabing.  Staab Polk presented Presidential
Citations.
GMS student ties for second place at National
Spelling Bee
By Joe Pritchett
Clarion Editor
Glenwood Middle School 8th grade student Aishwarya Pastapur ended up in a tie for second place at the Scripps
National Spelling Bee, held last week in Washington, D.C. (
more)
Mittelstaedt Valedictorian, Sun Salutatorian of
Class of 2009
Rachel Mittelstaedt, daughter of Mark and Kelly Mittelstaedt, has been named as the Valedictorian of the Class of
2009 at Glenwood High School. James Sun, son of Bing Sun and Dinah Hu Chun, has been named as the
Salutatorian. The 2009 Glenwood High School graduation ceremonies will be held this Saturday, June 6, at 8 p.m.
at the Prairie Capital Convention Center in Springfield.
There are 336 graduates in the Class of 2009.
Legion Homecoming set June 25-27 on Square
The Chatham American Legion Post 759 62nd Annual Homecoming will be held June 25-27 on the Village Square
in Chatham. Homecoming events get underway Thursday, June 25, with food, beverages and carnival rides starting
at 5 p.m. Music that night will be provided by the "Mud Bugs" from 7:30 to 11:30. On Friday, the same schedule will
hold, with music from "Dirty Ernie's". On Saturday, June 27, carnival rides open at noon.  The Homecoming Parade
will begin at 2 p.m., starting on College Street at Chatham Elementary and heading north and veering through Old
Chatham, ending near the Legion Hall.  Music that night will be provided by "Lost Boys".
School registration Aug. 6, first day of school Aug. 18
Summer is here but registration and the start of the next school year is just around the corner. Registration for the
2009-10 school year in Ball-Chatham is Thursday, Aug. 6.  The first day of student attendance is Tuesday, Aug. 18.
There will be two school board meetings this summer - Monday, June 22 and Monday, July 27, both at 6:30 p.m. at
the District Office. Freshman Advantage will be held at Glenwood High School  Aug. 3-12.  Summer School at GHS
will be from June 3-26 and July 6-29.
Village, Union at odds over
contract
By Joe Pritchett
Clarion Editor
A packed house was on hand for Tuesday's Chatham Village Board
meeting, with residents on hand speaking to the board about
several topics. (
more)
Lee to be hired as GHS
Principal
Pending formal approval from the Ball-Chatham Board of Education
next Monday night, Jim Lee will be the new Principal at Glenwood
High School. Lee, who served as Associate Principal at GHS this
past school year, will replace Nate Cunningham, who has taken an
administrative position in McLean County. B-C Supt. Bob Gillum
confirmed Tuesday to the Clarion that Lee is the recommended
candidate.  He was one of three finalists for the position, of which
there were 15 total applicants.
Lee was hired in May 2008 in Ball-Chatham after spending 25 years
as a teacher and administrator in the Sherrard School District. He
was a junior high and high school principal from 2002-2008 in
Sherrard. Lee's promotion may necessitate some further
administrative restructuring, Gillum added.  Details are still being
worked out. The Board of Education will meet Monday, June 22, at
6:30 p.m. at the District Office. (From June 18, 2009 edition)
School board sells
Southwind property
By Joe Pritchett
Clarion Editor
The Ball-Chatham Board of Education has
agreed to a deal to sell 43 acres of land the
district owns north of Southwind Road in
Springfield. (
more)
Fireworks display here July 4
By Joe Pritchett
Clarion Editor
The Village of Chatham will once again sponsor a Fireworks
Display this year.  It will be held Saturday, July 4, at dusk at
Community Park. (
more)
A gathering of 250 people enjoyed an Open
House for Linda Meyer at the Chatham Area
Public Library last Saturday.  Meyer, who is
retiring from the Library after 21 years as the
Director, was honored during ceremonies
held at the Open House.  A plaque
commemorating Meyer's service will be
displayed at the Library.  The building has
been dedicated in her honor.
Conceptual designs for the new elementary
school in Ball-Chatham were presented by
archtects from Ittner at the June 30 school
board meeting.  
Grand Marshals for the 2009 Chatham
Homecoming Parade, held last Saturday,
were Charles Reimer, William Wieties and
John Haines.
School
board votes
to go with
construction
manager
By Joe Pritchett
Clarion Editor
At a marathon special
meeting Tuesday night, the
Ball-Chatham Board of
Education heard from two
hopeful construction
management firms (
more)
Sweetcorn Festival July 17-18
The 36th annual Chatham Jaycees Sweetcorn Festival will be held July 17-18 at
Community Park. This year's Co-Chairmen of the Festival are Jared Koester and
Jason Rauch.
Events get underway Friday, July 17.  The festival opens at 5 p.m. and continues
through midnight.  The Miss Chatham Sweetcorn Pageant will begin at 5 p.m.,
and the Children's Area will open at that time as well. Music will be provided by
southern rock groups Ragged Jack (6:15-7:45) and Heartsfield (8:30-midnight).
On Saturday, July 18, events get underway at 7:30 a.m. with the Wheel Fast Tour
de Corn Bicycle Ride.  A 3-on-3 youth basketball tourney sponsored by
Crossroads Ford starts at 8 a.m. The festival opens at 10 a.m., and music begins
at noon.  Performers on the day include: Jake Shane and Bluestone (noon-1
p.m.), Deak Harp (1:30-3), Sofa Kings (3:30-5), Kilborn Alley Blues Band (5:30-7)
and The Station (8-midnight).  Also, the Illinois Central Blues Club will sponsor an
afternoon of Sweetcorn Blues from noon to 7 p.m.
Other events on Saturday include the Illinois Championship Cow Chip Throw
(1:30-3), Washer Toss Challenge (1-3), St. Andrew's Society Ancient Athletics
Competition (2 p.m.), Sweet Cornholing Competition (3-5), free harmonica
lessons (3:30), Millburg's TaeKwon-Do Exhibition (4-5 p.m.) and Capoeira
Brazilian Martial Arts Dance (5-6 p.m.)
3rd lane to
be added on
Walnut
By Joe Pritchett
Clarion Editor
The Chatham Village Board
approved  a major TIF District
construction project at
Tuesday night's meeting.
(
more)
The 2009 Miss Chatham Sweetcorn Pageant
was held last Friday night at Community Park.  
Contestants included (l-r): Shelby Berberich,
Hillary Hammond, Ann Bartolozzi, Natalie
Schroll, Alexa Frank, 2008 Queen Lauren
Ladd, Tori Falter, Abby Cress, Mary Kate
Berger, Katlyn Krones, Lauren Knepler.  
Schroll was crowned as the 2009 Queen.
The Ball-Chatham Board of Education
selected this concept drawing for the new
elementary school at Tuesday's board
meeting.  Ittner Architects will now come back
at the next board meeting with more detailed
building and site designs.
Titans trounce Raiders,
charge into Sectionals
By Joe Pritchett
Clarion Editor
With an outfield fence as high as the "Green Monster" in Boston
(well, close to it anyway) at Quincy Notre Dame High School, it's safe
to say that someone parking on the street beyond that fence would
see their vehicle being safe from flying projectiles from a baseball
field nearby. (
more)