DERBY WINNERS
Pictured with their first-place prizes are (from left): Melody Star, 6, from Pekin, winner in 6 and under girls category, for catching the longest fish 6½ inches; Noah Mordhorse, 5, from Washington, winner in 6 and under boys was; winners in 7 through 13 were Elizabeth Hiland, 7-year-old from Washington, who caught 35 fish, and Garrett Kean, 12-year-old from Eureka, who caught the longest fish, 21½ inches and was 1½ pounds. The Derby was sponsored by the Eureka Greater Area Kiwanis Club at Eureka Lake. Prizes and refreshments were donated by Kiwanis, Farmers Insurance of Eureka, Eureka Goodfield Bank, and Pepperidge Farm. All 40 participants received prizes.

CENTRAL ILLINOIS

GOP lawmaker has his first re-election challenger

A lifelong Canton resident hopes to be the Democratic challenger to State Rep. Mike Unes, R-East Peoria, in the 2018 race for his Illinois House 91st District seat.

Carolyn “Cari” Blodgett, of Canton, announced her candidacy July 6, the same day that Unes voted for the state’s $36 billion spending plan funded with a $5 billion income tax increase.

She is a member of the Fulton County Board and works for the Lewistown Department of Human Services as a caseworker where she serves as an American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees union steward. Among the issues Blodgett is concerned with is the state budget, school funding, good paying jobs, higher education and affordable health care.

Unes broke ranks with Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner by supporting the tax hike bill and budget.

COUNTY

Trip to museum will show how rural Illinois communicated

The Woodford County Historical Society is taking a field trip to Gridley to visit the Gridley Telephone Museum, and the public is invited to come along. The group will gather at 7 p.m. July 13, at the Gridley Public Library, 320 N. Center St., which is next door to the museum. Before that, members and friends will meet at Fat Albert’s Restaurant in Gridley at 5:30 p.m. for a dutch treat supper.

The society’s goal is to preserve the past for the future. It schedules 10 meetings a year on the second Thursday of each month. Each meeting offers information on various topics. The meeting on Aug. 10 will be held at the El Paso Library and will feature Judy Matter explaining how to plan a family reunion. For more information about the society and its activities, call (309) 360-6772.

EUREKA

College women’s board garden walk is July 15

The Eureka College Women’s Board will present the 2017 Garden Walk from 9 a.m.-1:30 p.m. July 15. The walk will begin at the Reagan Peace Garden on the campus of Eureka College, and then travel through the area to see eight gardens. Participants will receive a map of the featured gardens. Individuals may take a guided tour or visit each garden on their own.

The event will go on as scheduled, rain or shine. Tickets are $10 and may be purchased in advance at Lawnscapes, Flower Basket and Scottwood Floral in Eureka or by emailing tkennell@eureka.edu or calling (309) 467-6319. Tickets will also be available for purchase at the Reagan Peace Garden. Refreshments will be provided at each site on the walk.

College names women’s basketball coach

A familiar name is taking over as the women’s basketball coach at Eureka College.

Amos Arbogast will succeed Steve Thompson, who has been doubling as the college’s athletics director and women’s basketball coach. Arbogast has been a men’s basketball assistant coach at the college since 2011.

Arbogast takes over a program that posted the best season in school history in 2016-17. Eureka has four starters and nine letter winners eligible to return from a 20-8 team that won both the regular-season and tournament titles in the St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference and made its first NCAA Division III tournament appearance.

Thompson took on the coaching duties in the spring of 2014 and went 45-36 overall and 34-18 in the conference.

A native of Ankeny, Iowa, Arbogast married Morton High School graduate and former University of Iowa All-Big Ten softball player Colleen McGlaughlin in January 2010. The Arbogasts live in Bloomington and have two sons, Titus, 3, and Judge, 11 months.

Rules of the Road course set for July 21

The Illinois Secretary of State’s Office will present a free review of the Rules of the Road course for anyone preparing to apply for or renew their license. The class will be held at the Eureka Public Library, 202 S. Main St., at 9:30 a.m. July 21. Call the library at (309) 467-2922 for more information and to register.

–Woodford County News Briefs–