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ST. ELMO BANNER
Serving St. Elmo and Brownstown Since 1880
St. Elmo, Illinois - Tuesday, Feb. 24, 2015
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Event
Calendar
Share the details of your organization’s meeting or event by
calling newspaper correspondent Anna Jean Rhodes
(618) 829-5488
Tuesday,
Feb. 24
6:30 p.m. -- Altamont
Opry at Living Museum
7 p.m. -- Native American artifacts presentation
at Ballard Nature Center,
all ages
Wednesday,
Feb. 25
6:30 p.m -- Reverb
Youth at St. Elmo Christian Church
Thursday,
Feb. 26
Noon -- Exxon Mobil
Annuitants at Vandalia
Ponderosa
1:30 p.m. -- St. Elmo
Unit of Home and Community Education at St.
Elmo Public Library
Friday,
Feb. 27
5-9 p.m. -- Altamont
Schuetzenfest ﬁsh fry at
the Carriage House Event
Center
Saturday,
Feb. 28
3 p.m. -- Family Science
Day at Ballard Nature
Center. Activities are
geared toward ages 7 and
up. Call (618) 483-6856 to
register.
View of St. Elmo Main Street after the snow storm on Sunday, Feb. 15. (photo by
Jacob Devore)
Snow brings out crews in St. Elmo
BY NATHAN SCHOLES
The recent snowfall
created early morning
work on Monday, Feb. 16
for the City of St. Elmo
street crew.
Led by Tony Porter,
along with Mike Carraway and Tony Bearden,
the workers began clearing snow by 1:30 a.m.,
according to St. Elmo
Mayor Ernie Myers.
They had the streets fully
plowed by 8 a.m., with salt
spread at all intersections.
Mayor Myers stated
that the city also receives
help from the likes of Don
Engeljohn and Kenneth
Flowers.
Myers also stated that salt
supply has never been an
issue for the issue, given the
way they purchase it.
The city orders salt in
the fall. St. Elmo orders
one semi-truck load
of salt and it is stored
until needed. Despite
the amount they have on
reserve in the fall, their
order stays the same,
preventing them from
running out.
“We’ve been close, but
I don’t think we’ve ever
run out,” he said.
Sunday,
March 1
Volume 135 - Number 9
Larson charged with
statutory rape in Missouri
BY NATHAN SCHOLES
Steven C. Larson, 60, of
Altamont, has now been
charged on three felony
counts by oﬃcials in New
Madrid County, Missouri.
In addition to the ﬁve felony
counts facing him in Illinois,
Larson has been charged
with kidnapping, statutory
rape in the ﬁrst degree, and
child molestation in the ﬁrst
degree in Missouri. It was
not reported what possible
sentences he faces for these
new charges.
The charges stem from
investigatative work done
in part by Sikeston, Mo.
police Detective Bobby Sullivan. In his probable cause
aﬃdavit, Sullivan stated
that upon Larson’s arrest
at the Sikeston, Mo. Days
Inn, he signed a permission
to search the hotel room.
All bedding and articles of
clothing were seized.
The 13-year-old girl
who was found with Larson was taken to Missouri
Delta Medical Center. She
completed an interview,
but refused the physical
examination. She denied any
sexual abuse, only to recant
that statement a few days
later. She admitted that she
did have sexual intercourse
with Larson. Larson also
St. Elmo School Board
delay meeting due to
inclimate weather
BY NATHAN SCHOLES
After snow and cold
pushed back their original meeting, the St. Elmo
Board of Education held its
regular session at 7:45pm on
Wednesday, Feb. 18.
The board approved high
school graduation ceremonies for May 16 at 7 p.m.
In other business, the
board approved or accepted
the following:
--Repayment of an interfund loan of $20,535.20 from
the bond and interest fund
to the education fund.
--An intergovernmental
agreement with Regional
Oﬃce of Education #3 to
participate in alternative
education programs provided by the ROE #3 in Fayette
Please attend the
church of your choice
11-1:30 p.m. -- Grilled
pork dinner at Immanuel
Lutheran Church Parish
Hall
4 p.m. -- Wolf Creek
Cluster of United Methodist Churches second
Lenten service at Funkhouser United Methodist
Church
6 p.m. -- Sunday Night
Live, youth 7th-12th
grades at First United
Methodist Church Fellowship Hall
6:30 p.m. -- AMP’d
High School Youth Group
at St. Elmo Christian
Church
Monday,
March 2
admitted having sexual
intercourse with the girl.
Sullivan also cites a letter
that Larson left for the girl’s
parents. In it, he acknowledges her age and her
psychological struggles as a
result of sexual assault, but
still brought her from Illinois
to Missouri with intentions of starting a new life
with her. It is still unknown
whether Missouri was their
ultimate destination.
Larson appeared in court
in Eﬃngham County on
Wednesday, Feb. 18 along
with his attorney, Public
Defender Scott Schmidt. No
new charges were brought
against him at that time. A
preliminary hearing was set
for Thursday, March 5 at 11
a.m.
and Eﬃngham Counties for
the 2014-2015 school year.
--A resolution to permanently transfer $5,800 from
operations, maintenance,
and building fund to the
capital projects fund.
--A contract with Integrys
as the District’s electricity
consumption provider for
one year.
--The resignation from
Dana Pasley as jr. high and
high school assistant softball
coach.
--Nancy Oberlink as
high school assistant softball coach for the 2014-2015
season.
--Glen Mills’ retirement
at the end of the 2014-2015
school year as full time bus
driver.
7 pm. -- The St. Elmo
City Council at Phillips
Building
7 p.m. -- The Fayette
County Extension Foundation at Vandalia Extension Oﬃce
Tuesday,
March 3
Noon -- Friendly
Neighbors at Mary Ann’s
Restaurant
7 p.m -- Council of
Catholic Women at St.
Mary’s Catholic Church
Parish Hall
Youth of the Royal Neighbors of America on Valentine’s Day afternoon played Bingo
with the residents at the Lutheran Care Center, Altamont. Eliza Hagler, Corey Hoopengarner and Tanner Wright play Bingo with Norman Clough, a former St. Elmo resident.
(submitted photo)
The annual ALIS Dinner Auction was held on Saturday, Feb. 14 at the Carriage House Event Center.
The near-capacity crowd was treated to live music, food, and auction items. Pictured, Norbert and
Mary Brauer of Altamont enjoy the food and company at the event. (photo by Nathan Scholes)