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In God We Trust
The Altamont News
Community Service Since 1881
Altamont, Illinois - Tuesday, Dec. 16, 2014
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Volume 133- Number 50
www.altnewsban.com
Christmas for Kids brings holiday cheer
Check out our
Gift Guide on
page 7.
Event
Calendar
If you have an event you
would like included in the
Altamont Community Calendar, call The Altamont
News at 483-6176 or drop
it off at the ofﬁce located
at 7 Do It Drive, Altamont.
Elmer the Elf, played by Patty Winn, led children in singing “Rudolph the Red-Nosed
Reindeer as part of the Developing Altamontʼs Futureʼs Christmas for Kids held at the
Altamont Living Museum on Saturday, Dec. 6. Santaʼs reindeer let Rudolph, played by
Ian Scholes, know that he will go down in history.
Audra Scholes, left, and Claire Sidwell laugh as Greg
Sidwell wears a bathing suit and dances to “Mele Kalimimaka.”
Monday-Friday
11 a.m. -- Golden
Circle Nutrition Program
at Municipal Building
Friday-Sunday
through Christmas
6-9 p.m. -- Light display at Schmidt Park
Tuesday,
Dec. 16
10 a.m. -- Toddler trot
at Ballard Nature Center
5 p.m. -- TOPS at
Altamont Library
6:30 p.m. -- Altamont
Opry at Living Museum
Friday,
Dec. 19
3-7 p.m. -- America
Red Cross blood drive
at Altamont Christian
Church
Sunday,
Dec. 21
7 p.m. -- Candle light
service at Altamont
Christian Church
Tuesday,
Dec. 23
10-11:30 a.m. -- Prairie Christmas at Ballard
Nature Center
5 p.m. -- TOPS at
Altamont Library
6:30 p.m. -- Altamont
Opry at Living Musuem
7 p.m. -- American
Legion GrobengiserFisher Post 512 at 111 N
2nd Street
7 p.m. -- American
Legion Post 512 Auxillary
at 202 N 2nd Street
Tuesday,
Dec. 30
10-11:30 a.m. -- "All
About Hibernating" at
Ballard Nature Center
5 p.m. -- TOPS at
Altamont Library
6:30 p.m. -- Altamont
Opry at Living Museum
City to hold
Christmas
light contest
The Altamont Christmas Light Contest will be
judged Thursday, Dec. 18.
Participants should have
their lights on by 6 p.m.
First, second, and third
places will be awarded
in religious and nonreligious categories. The
overall ﬁrst place prize is
free electric service for December, with a 50-percent
discount for second place.
Santa Claus, escorted by his helper, arrives at the Altamont Living Museum.
Betty Heiden introduces her “Reindane” to the children
at the Christmas for Kids event held on Saturday, Dec. 6
Altamont school board approves tax levy, expels student
BY NATHAN SCHOLES
The Altamont Community Unit School District #10
Board of Education held a
Truth in Taxation hearing
prior to their regular meeting on Monday, Dec. 8. No
comments from the com-
munity were provided. The
board passed the tax levy in
a unanimous vote.
At the regular board
meeting the board also
upheld the suspension of a
student before expelling the
student. The expulsion will
be held in abeyance pending
successful completion of an
approved alternative school.
Grade School Principal
Doug Hill reported that
MAP testing would be
completed by the end of the
week.
High School Principal Jerry Tkachuk reported that 61
percent of students achieved
the 3.0 GPA required to
make the honor roll. Enrollment at the high school is
currently 260 students. Last
year, the enrollment was 284
in December.
District Superintendent
Jeﬀ Fritchtnitch stated that
he had been informed by the
Department of Commerce
and Economic Opportunity
•see SCHOOL pg 9
City board
approves
in-home
daycare
BY NATHAN SCHOLES
The Altamont City Council met in regular session
on Monday, Dec. 8. The
city discussed an in-home
daycare request for the 5
N. St. Clair residence. The
property owner was present
and stated that she is seeking a Tier 1 license, allowing
her to care for up to eight
children, though her immediate intention is to care for
only three children from one
family. The hours of operation would be mid-afternoon
until 11:30 p.m. Commissioner Bill Jones expressed
concern that the daycare
would create extra neighborhood noise and traﬃc. The
motion passed with Jones
as the lone dissenter. It was
stated that similar concerns
were expressed at the zoning
board meeting.
Commissioner White
provided an update on the
wastewater treatment plant.
Rain and snow have limited
the work done to this point.
Commissioner Jones
stated that leaf pick-up
would be completed by the
end of the week.
•see CITY pg 9
Community Splash Challenge yields $2,075
for Altamont After School Care Program
Local businesses that raised money this summer as
part of the Altamont Splash Challenge presented a check
for $2,075 to the Altamont After School Care Program on
Wednesday, Dec. 10.
Pictured are, front row, from left: Jillian Tappendorf,
Paula Fulk, Emma Bowman, Kennedi Schultz; middle
row: Kalliana Becker, Makara Hunsaker, Sydney Feldkamp, Jerod Ruﬀner, Keegan Schultz, Adam Stuckemeyer; back row: Joe Wills, president of People’s Bank
and Trust, Dawn Burrow, Promark owner, Alvin Schultz,
Dairy Bar owner, JoEllen Tappendorf (holding baby
Mary), co-assistant director of the after school program,
Dawn Hunsaker, co-assistant director, and Vern Spilker,
director of the program.
The Altamont After School Program provides care
for public and parochial school children from 3:30-5:15.
The program is free and is funded by a combination of
Immanuel Lutheran Church, the Southeastern Illinois
Eﬃngham County Community Foundation grant, and
a designated memorial. If you desire more information,
you may call (618) 483-6395.