In God We Trust ST. ELMO BANNER Serving St. Elmo and Brownstown Since 1880 St. Elmo, Illinois - Tuesday, Feb. 10, 2015 $ 1 Busy board gives unanimous consent on new TIFs Event Calendar Share the details of your organization’s meeting or event by calling newspaper correspondent Anna Jean Rhodes (618) 829-5488 Tuesday, Feb. 10 6 p.m. -- Avena Township Park Board, St. Elmo Community Park Centennial Building 7 p.m. -- American Legion Post #420, American Legion Home 7 p.m. -- Fayette County Board, Fayette County Courthouse, Vandalia Wednesday, Feb. 11 6:30 p.m. -- Reverb Youth, St. Elmo Christian Church. Thursday, Feb. 12 Noon -- Lunch Bunch, Mary Ann’s Restaurant 2 p.m. -- St. Elmo Women’s Civic Club, St. Mary’s Catholic Church Parish Hall 7 p.m. -- St. Elmo Library District Board, St. Elmo Public Library 7:30 p.m. -- Effingham Chapter #110 Order of the Eastern Star, Effingham Masonic Temple Friday, Feb. 13 5-7 p.m. -- St. Elmo Educational Foundation will have a soup supper at St. Elmo Jr-Sr cafeteria with all proceeds going toward scholarships Saturday, Feb. 14 7-10 a.m. -- The St. Elmo Ministerial Alliance is sponsoring a fire relief benefit breakfast at the First Church of God S.H.E.D. to aid all persons affected by recent fires 5 p.m. -- ALIS Dinner Auction at the Carriage House Event Center, Altamont 5:30-7 p.m. -- Valentine Day Walk at Ballard Nature Center. Come out and enjoy walking the trail with luminaries 7-9 p.m. -- Vandalia American Legion fundraiser, country singer Barbara Fairchild to entertain. Sunday, Feb. 15 Please attend the church of your choice. 6 p.m. -- Sunday Night Live, youth 7th-12th grades, First United Methodist Church Fellowship Hall 6:30 p.m. -- AMP’d, High School Youth Group, St. Elmo Christian Church Monday, Feb. 16 6:30 p.m. -- Historical Vandalia, Inc. annual meeting, Fayette County Museum 7 p.m -- St. Elmo School Board at St. Elmo Unit Office 7:30 p.m. -- St. Elmo Board of Education, Unit Office Volume 135 - Number 6 www.altnewsban.com Proposed tax increment districts could bring funds to downtown. (photo by Nathan Scholes). BY NATHAN SCHOLES At the regular meeting of the St. Elmo City Board on Monday, Feb. 2, Mayor Ernie Myers discussed his efforts to set up two new tax increment financing (TIF) districts in St. Elmo. One would include an area near the Interstate 70 interchange to which Myers would like to attract a truck stop. The board gave their unanimous consent to him to continue his efforts. Finance Chairman Dylan Myers reported seeing trucks filling rest areas to maximum capacity, believing that a truck stop in St. Elmo could provide revenue to the city. “That’s one worthwhile venture,” stated Parks, Local Improvements, and Zoning Chairman Charles Bosomworth. The project will require the zoning board to re-zone areas and Myers stated that it is possible that some funds generated could be used to revitalize downtown St. Elmo. He was adamant that the city tax base must continue to grow. The city water agreement was discussed. The rate that the city received included a 30-percent increase. Finance The board reviewed the quarterly investment report for the fourth quarter of 2014 and a finance meeting was set for Wednesday, Feb. 11 at 5:30 p.m. Water and Sewer The board voted to confirm the water softener polling board recommendation to clean resin out of the supply at a cost of $3927. A bid from Brown’s Repair was approved to replace a truck transmission at a cost of $2302. The bid was higher than other bids received from Sperry Service, but the board favored the three year warranty included in the winning bid. The board approved a motion to send employees •see BOARD pg 2 ALIS dinner auction to raise funds on Valentine’s Day The ALIS dinner auction will be held on Saturday, Feb. 14 at the Carriage House Event Center beginning with a 5 p.m. social hour. Dinner will be served at 6 p.m. The list of items includes: a gun safe, handmade wooden bench constructed from an ACHS bleacher, St. Louis Blues tickets, handmade wood dump trailer, handmade burlap wreath, John Deere wagon for kids, handmade wooden cooler, golf training bag, yard ornament windmill, St. Louis Cardinals T-shirt quilt and game tickets, Ashley rocker/recliner, personalized wooden cooler, wine rack, birthday parties hosted by the Altamont Fire Department and Mayce’s, experiences such a family pool party, Mayce’s party, red solo cup triathlon, and wine trip party. ALIS class projects include: Little Tree House book series, fire pit, eighth grade ALIS T-shirt quilt, book shelf, and stepping stones. Pictured with several of the items available for auction are, front row, from left: Nathan Budde, Hannah Tappendorf, Leah Mayhaus, Hayden Voelker, Dawson Guerretaz; back row: Dawn Pagel, August Laatsch, Violet Wendling, Jacob Robbins, Grace Simmons. (photo by Nathan Scholes) Larson faces four counts, including kidnapping BY NATHAN SCHOLES Rural Altamont resident and karate instructor Steven C. Larson, 60, appeared in court before Judge Kimberly Koester on Friday afternoon, Feb. 6. Larson faces a total of four counts stemming from the Jan. 31 disappearance of a 13-year-old girl. The charges brought against him at the Feb. 6 hearing include two counts of kidnapping, both of which are Class 2 felonies, one count of unlawful restraint, and one count of obstructing justice, both Class 4 felonies. Larson is accused of attempting to destroy evidence by tossing two cell phones out of a moving car near the I-57/I70 split south of Effingham. The kidnapping charges carry a maximum penalty of seven years in prison, while the other charges carry a maximum penalty of three years behind bars. Effingham County State’s Attorney Bryan Kibler did not object to the appointment of the Effingham County Public Defender as counsel for Larson, who will return to court on Feb. 18 at 11 a.m. His bond remains set at $250,000. Judge Koester ordered that should Larson be released, he is not to have contact with children under 15 years of age, excluding his dependent grandchildren. Kibler stated that the case is under further investigation and that the various authorities involved have not yet turned in final reports. It is possible that the charges could be amended as information is gathered. It is alleged that on Saturday, Jan. 31, Larson took the 13-year-old girl out of Effingham County without legal authority to do so, eventually being found with her in a hotel room in Sikeston, Mo. While it is unclear whether Larson picked the girl up at her home, or she was dropped off at his home, Kibler stated that Larson was to transport her to karate class that morning. The girl’s family alerted police when she did not return home at a reasonable time. After an initial period of investigation by the Effingham County Sheriff’s Department, the Illinois State Police were called around 4 p.m. The Amber alert was then issued. Kibler obtained a warrant for Larson’s arrest early Sunday morning and as a result of a “citizen tip,” he says the two were found in the Sikeston hotel room. Larson was arrested, while the girl was taken to an area hospital for a routine examination before she returned to the Effingham area. Kibler declined to discuss the physical condition of the girl or further details of the relationship between she and Larson. Kibler stated that “others” found Larson’s vehicle at the Effingham Amtrak station sometime on Saturday. Given Larson’s ties to the Chicagoland area and the train’s route, the idea was put forward by investigators that the two may have headed to Chicago. A note was found in the vehicle, but Kibler declined to elaborate on specifics. It appears it was addressed to both Larson and the girl’s families. Kibler stated that the letter was open to interpretation. “It wasn’t full out threatening,” he said, “but it caused concern.” Kibler also stated that no information would be given regarding the juvenile female who allegedly drove the pair to Sikeston. It is doubted by Kibler that Sikeston was the ultimate destination for Larson and the girl, but details concerning their terminus are unclear at this time. Ministries coming to St. Elmo St. Elmo Christian Church has announced that Shane Cessna, on behalf of Creation Ministries International, will give a presentation concerning the creation/ evolution debate on Sunday, Feb. 22 at the church. Three presentations will be held throughout the day. 8:30 a.m. – Noah’s Flood: Feasible or Fairytale? 10:30 a.m. – Dinosaurs and Fossils: Amazing Evidence for Creation! 6 p.m. – Creation: Why It Matters Cessna will share how the scientific evidence, when properly understood, confirms the details of the biblical account and expose the bankruptcy of the evolutionary myth. The St. Elmo Christian Church is located at 112 W. Sixth St., St. Elmo, IL 62458
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