Darrell “Dude” Meisinger

COUNTY

Resignation causes vacancy on board

Health concerns are forcing Darrell “Dude” Meisinger to resign from his District 1 seat on the Tazewell County Board. His resignation will take effect July 26.

Meisinger, 79, of Green Valley, cited health reasons in his decision to step down. He was elected to a third four-year term last November.

A replacement will be recommended by the Democratic Party’s District 1 precinct committeemen in a meeting with Tazewell County Democratic Party Chairwoman Shirley Houghton.

Meisinger has served since 2008, after the service of his wife and long-time board member Peggy Meisinger. A retired Pekin Fire Department captain, he also served with the Office of State Fire Marshal.

The board’s District 1 covers Pekin, Cincinnati, Delavan, Malone, Sand Prairie and Spring Lake townships.

MORTON

Friday a special day at library in July

Music will fill the Morton Public Library every Friday in July.

All ages are invited to a free, family friendly show at 12:30 p.m. every Friday in July in Hannah’s Reading Garden at the library, 315 W. Pershing, Morton. Come early, save your spot and enjoy lunch under the trees in Hannah’s Reading Garden. Check the library’s Facebook page for weather updates. On July 7, Ronald McDonald will visit.

Hannah’s Reading Garden will open at 6:30 p.m. every Friday in July for a Groove in the Garden free concert. Listen to great music and enjoy food for purchase. Bring your lawn chairs. For all ages. On July 7, a variety of local musicians will perform in a Musical Showcase. Papa Murphy’s Pizza will be available.

PEKIN

School staff is cut as enrollment drops

Fewer students at Pekin Community High School mean fewer administrators and teachers. Student population has dropped consistently for the past five years, therefore there is not as much of a need for staff. Cuts began at the close of the school year.

Vacancies created by teachers and administrators retiring or resigning will not be filled. This year, eight full-time staff members and one part-time staff member retired or resigned. The district did hire an additional social worker.

School administrators do not have significant information to explain the decline in enrollment.

Student enrollment for 2012 was 2,046 students; 2013 enrollment was 2,018; 2014 enrollment was 2,000; 2015 the enrollment was 1,996. On the sixth day of the 2016 school year, in August, the enrollment was 1,926. On the last day of school in May of this year, the district had 1,751 students, down 175 students from the beginning of the year — a 9 percent drop in one year.

EAST PEORIA

‘Old’ school house opens with new name

The ribbon-cutting ceremony of the newly-completed, 1920s-era school house in the Fondulac Farm Park in East Peoria was enhanced by a surprise: the name of the school house.

Fondulac Park District officials surprised the Fondulac Farm Park manager Mary K. Grimm by naming the school after her. Grimm has been park manager for 17 years.

Grimm had suggested The Neumann School as the name for the new structure, in honor of the family that once owned the land that Fondulac Farm Park occupies. The park district’s Board of Commissioners chose instead to pay tribute to Grimm’s vision, dedication, attention to detail and enthusiasm to get the park looking the way an Illinois farm would have looked in 1920.

Fondulac Farm Park opened in 1981 and offers children a glimpse of what life was like on a central Illinois farm in the 1920s. In addition to the new one-room school house, the six-acre park contains farm animals, a red barn, three ponds, a general store, a covered bridge, a wishing well, a country kitchen museum, a walking path and playgrounds.

The park is open from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday until Sept. 4. Admission is $2.50 for children under 15, and $3 for patrons ages 16 and over. Season passes are available for $50 for a family of four and $10 for each additional person. For more information, visit Fondulac Farm Park’s website at fondulacpark.com/facilities/fondulac-farm-park/.

–Tazewell County News Briefs–Tazewell County News Briefs