[APRIL 23, 2002]  The former Lincoln Office Supply store at 500 Broadway is being completely remodeled as the new home of RE/MAX Hometown Realty, scheduled to open by May 1.

[Greg Brinner, owner of RE/MAX Hometown Realty, in his new office]

RE/MAX owner Greg Brinner of Lincoln said he chose to move from his former location at 1310 Fifth St. because he needed room to expand, the building became available and interest rates were favorable. "I felt it was time to grow my business," he said, and the new site "allows space to build up from bottom to top and integrate higher level technology than I would be able to in my existing place."

Another motive was "to help rejuvenate the downtown area," Brinner said. He added that traffic on Fifth Street and on the west side moves past the door at 35 mph, but in the downtown area vehicles move slower and there is more foot traffic.

After experimenting with five or six plans, Brinner chose one that has entirely reconfigured the space and changed the look, using cherry woodwork and furniture and replacing walls, flooring and some ceiling tiles. French doors distinguish otherwise windowless interior offices. Furnishings are also new. As remodeled, the office consists of a reception area, Brinner’s office with room for an assistant, four offices for agents, a conference room, break room and areas for equipment and supplies.

At present RE/MAX Hometown Realty employs two agents, Doris Oltmanns and Cynthia Pagel, receptionist Joyce Hyde, and Patty Brinner, who does bookkeeping and secretarial work.

Greg Brinner said the former store originally comprised three buildings. The rear section has been divided into one or two separate office suites, with the address of 102 N. Chicago St. The space totals three rooms and a reception area, with access to the RE/MAX break room.

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A special feature of the remodeled real estate office is a new PC-based, database-driven telephone system. Because it is PC-based, the system can be updated with new software. Brinner explained, "In today’s fast-moving technology I feel it is necessary to go with a system where we can upgrade software systems as they become available."

Only one other RE/MAX office, located in Washington state, has the phone system, which has been adapted from its usual application in the medical field. Brinner said he expects it to improve customer service but was silent about its precise capabilities.

RE/MAX, which stands for real estate maximums, is the only real estate franchise in Logan County. Being part of a franchise permits networking with other offices and agent training through a satellite network, Brinner said. World headquarters for the firm is in Denver and regional headquarters in St. Louis.

Brinner said his office has the highest productivity per agent among the Logan County Board of Realtors. "We provide world-class service with hometown people," he claimed.

For some listings, computerized virtual tours are available on the firm’s website at www.remax-hometown.com. Brinner said the website is being rebuilt to include links for the virtual tours. At present, information on locating them is available at the specific properties and on Multiple Listing Service sheets offered by members of the Logan County Board of Realtors.

Work on remodeling the property began in mid-December, and RE/MAX Hometown Realty is scheduled to move into it by May 1. A grand opening with ribbon-cutting ceremony will take place in the near future, but no date has been set.

[Lynn Shearer Spellman]

[APRIL 22, 2002]  Eagle Discount Foods reopened its doors 8 a.m. sharp Saturday morning with a ribbon-cutting.

The store was closed all day Friday as last-minute rearrangements took place. There was live entertainment inside and outside, and lots of giveaways and bargains highlighted the day. Maps of the store were handed out to help regular patrons find their favorite products in the new store layout.

[LDN]

[Photo by Bob Frank]

[APRIL 18, 2002]  Mount Pulaski has its very own brand-new Subway Sandwich Shop. City officials and employees came out and joined owners Bill McKinney and Scott McKinney in the official grand opening and ribbon cut Wednesday morning. The shop actually opened for business and began serving food at 6 a.m. Thursday morning.

Now some might ask, "What do you get at a Subway for breakfast?" Breakfast fare includes breakfast sandwiches, bagels and Mel-O-Cream doughnuts in addition to the regular lunch menu. Rounding out the day’s culinary desires, hand-dipped ice cream will soon be offered as well.

Located at 513 E. Chestnut St., the new Subway is open from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily.

[LDN]

[Front row, left to right: Alderman John Holmes, co-owner Bill McKinney, Mayor Bill Glaze, co-owner Scott McKinney, Alderman John Poffenbarger.
Back row, left to right: city collector Cindy Cyrulik, office manager Sharon Gerdes, Alderman John Bates, city employees Meredith Parish, Jim Montgomery, Jerry McCain.]

[APRIL 18, 2002]  News from Kevin and Karin Franz, John and Amy Erwin, FranzExpress and Coffee With Einstein Coffee House: 

Coffee With Einstein and FranzExpress are considering a great opportunity to quadruple our seating capacity and increase our services. We know that we have had limited seating for nights that have sponsored entertainment, and that is a concern that we share.  This opportunity would, however, keep us in the downtown area ... and still in a building with great character. Unfortunately, it would involve an address change and a very short relocation.

As we strive to improve the quality of service and level of excellence that we provide, we continually look to cater to the needs of our clientele.  So.... a long story short! We’re moving! We will keep you abreast of all details as they become available! Tentatively scheduled moving dates will be from May 25 to 27 (only one day closed). 

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We will be moving into the old Lauer’s building located on the corner of Sangamon and Pulaski streets (formerly Elder Custom Cycle).  It is absolutely a beautiful building that will meet our increasing needs for space. 

We will begin renovations sometime in the next couple of weeks, and after we have completed our move, we will be hosting an open house over the Memorial Day holiday to show off the new digs and give out free coffee and other kinds of neat stuff!

If you have any feedback or you have interest in helping during the relocation, please call Kevin or Karin at 732-3399 and let us know! Any help would be appreciated.

[From FranzExpress and Coffee with Einstein]

[APRIL 5, 2002]  Laura Schoon, president of Junior Achievement of Central Illinois, Inc., presented Eaton Corporation with a framed certificate in recognition of their support of Junior Achievement programs in Lincoln. Wes Brittan, plant manager for Eaton Corporation, accepted the certificate on behalf of the company.

Brittan stated, "I’m pleased to accept this on behalf of Eaton Corporation. Junior Achievement is an important program in our community, and we are glad to be a part of it."

He then introduced the Eaton employees who are volunteering in the classroom: Gilbert Gadenberger, Scott Goodman, Scot May, Marc Schoonover, Bob Thomas and Jessica Van Remmen. Scott Goodman and Gaynor Goodman represent Eaton Corporation on the Junior Achievement Logan County Advisory Committee.

Mayor Beth Davis issued a proclamation recognizing that through Junior Achievement’s partnerships with business and education, young people have the opportunity to develop the attitudes and skills vital for their future. She then called upon the citizens of Lincoln to "recognize the contributions of this organization and the business community to our young citizens."

Lincoln/Logan County JA
program background

Junior Achievement (JA) re-introduced its programs to Lincoln and Logan County in March 1996 with a presentation to school superintendents and principals. In the spring of 1997, JA implemented its first- through eighth-grade programs at West Lincoln-Broadwell.

An advisory committee was established in 1998 to oversee the JA program in Lincoln and Logan County. The original members of the committee were Bobbi Abbott, Mary Conrady, Vicki Hasprey, Cherie Lock, Roger Matson, Augustus Scott and Kay Verstraete.

In April 1998, the JA Logan County Advisory Committee had a JA Rally Day for fifth-grade students. Chester- East Lincoln and New Holland-Middletown offered their first JA programs in the spring of 1999.

Today, the program has proven to be successful in impacting the lives of young people in Lincoln and Logan County. Strong support from the community has allowed the program to grow. In April, the advisory committee will conduct a strategic planning session to determine the direction of the JA program in Lincoln and Logan County over the next two years.

Local JA program personnel for 2001-2002

Bobbi Abbott, of Lincoln/Logan County Chamber of Commerce

Debbie Ackerman, co-chairman, Lincoln College

Mary Conrady, CEFCU

Gaynor Goodman, Eaton Corporation

Scott Goodman, Eaton Corporation

Tom Kissel, A.G. Edwards & Sons, Inc.

Roger Matson, co-chairman, Action Rental

Debbie Ackerman, of Lincoln College

Gilbert Gadenberger, Eaton Corporation

Scott Goodman, Eaton Corporation

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Vicky Hasprey, Family Cleaners

Tom Kissel, A.G. Edwards & Sons, Inc.

Roger Matson, Action Rental

Scot May, Eaton Corporation

Scott McCloskey, New Holland Bank

Marc Schoonover, Eaton Corporation

Bob Thomas, Eaton Corporation

Jessica Van Remmen, Eaton Corporation

Jim Xamis, Xamis Ford-Lincoln-Mercury

Chester-East Lincoln — Cindy Erlandson, Linda Splain, Jill Urish

New Holland-Middletown — Donna Koehler, Jean Boyer

West Lincoln-Broadwell — Vicky Bruce, Pam Schreiner, Kris Skold, Linda Trommer

Financial contributors and classroom sponsors (1998-present)

Action Rental

Apple Dental Clinic

Audra’s Studio of Dance

Bruns Service Center

CEFCU

Coy’s Car Corner

East Lincoln Farmers’ Grain Co.

Eaton Corporation

Family Medical Center

Fifth Street Food Mart

Green Oil Company

Guzzardo’s Italian Villa

Jim Xamis Ford-Lincoln-Mercury

Lincoln Furniture & Floor Covering

Lincoln IGA

Lincoln Kiwanis

Lincoln Rotary

McQuellon’s Appliance

ME Realty, Ltd.

Medicap Pharmacy

Meier Accounting & Tax Service

Mitchell-Newhouse Lumber Co.

MKS Jewelers, Ltd.

Moriearty Insurance Agency

Neal Tire

Puritan Springs

State Bank of Lincoln

State Farm Insurance

That Place, Inc.

Union Planters Bank

Water Street Catering

Junior Achievement educates and inspires young people to value free enterprise, business and economics to improve the quality of their lives.

Let their success be your inspiration!

For more information, see http://centralillinois.ja.org/.

[Junior Achievement press release]

[APRIL 4, 2002]  As of Wednesday, April 3, fresh pork and beef slaughtered each Monday can be purchased two days later at Benner’s Too, a new meat store in Lincoln.

Doug Schmidgall, who bought Benner’s Slaughtering and Processing Plant in Broadwell from Jim Benner last August, said the freshness of his meat and the fact that it comes from local farmers are his main selling points. "Something that’s never been frozen has got a little different taste to it," he explained. He features fresh T-bones, sirloin, hamburger and pork sausage, selling black Angus T-bone steaks for about $6.50 per pound.

[Photo by Lynn Shearer Spellman]

[Owner Doug Schmidgall removes a package of meat for a customer.]

Schmidgall expects to have fresh meat Wednesday through Friday or Saturday, whenever that week’s slaughter runs out. Frozen meat is available every day the store is open. Benner’s Too at 511 Woodlawn Road is open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday. The phone number is 735-9815.

Fresh meats for sale include chicken, elk, venison and occasionally buffalo as well as beef and pork. Frozen hog fries and chicken fries are also stocked. Schmidgall expects to process four to five hogs, 1½ to two beef, one elk, one deer and some chicken for sale in Lincoln each week. He will grind 100 to 150 pounds of pork sausage per week.

Benner’s Too, located in the strip mall across from Kroger, at the opposite end from Chop Stick restaurant, also includes a deli offering sandwiches, soft drinks, Lay’s snacks, Schwan’s ice cream and nachos with homemade salsa. The salsa can also be purchased separately. The sandwiches include ham, turkey and roast beef in various combinations with Swiss, American and pepper cheese. Schmidgall said that, from those three meats and three cheeses, he had figured out 27 different sandwich combinations.

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Having received Health Department approval on Monday, Schmidgall began bringing in meat on Tuesday and opened on Wednesday morning. Two refrigerated meat cases, an ice cream freezer, a snack display and a counter furnish the salesroom. "It’s just a farmer-owned meat shop, not very fancy," he said. "It will be basic to keep costs down."

Schmidgall, who lives in Springfield, farms 1,100 acres north of Capital Airport plus other ground near Athens. He said he has been planning the Lincoln shop for about four weeks.

He decided to open in Lincoln because many potential customers prefer not to drive to his Broadwell plant and store. "I can’t get them to come to Broadwell unless I just about give (meat) away," he said, citing a recent promotion in which he offered fresh whole hog sausage for $1 per pound. People lined up for that, Schmidgall said, and he sold 500 pounds in 2½ hours. He plans occasional similar promotions at the Lincoln store.

Benner’s Too currently employs two people, manager Shannon Sansoucie and Nick McGree, and is taking applications for additional help. Schmidgall said he plans to offer home delivery service on Saturday, if he gets enough calls and can find a driver.

He plans to stock a few items besides meat, such as charcoal for the convenience of the customer who is picking up steaks to barbecue. Eventually frozen fruit and a few quick snacks will also be available, but Schmidgall quickly adds that his business is not a grocery store.

He also said that area hunters must still go to his plant in Broadwell for processing their kill. He said he gets about 350 deer during hunting season, and the Lincoln site does not have facilities to accept them or to deliver the meat.

Monday is butchering day at Benner’s Broadwell plant, the meat is cut up and ground on Tuesday and available for sale on Wednesday. "You can’t get any fresher than that," Schmidgall said enthusiastically.

[Lynn Shearer Spellman]

[APRIL 1, 2002]  More than 100 Willamette employees at the Lincoln corrugated division participated in welcome and orientation activities recently, marking the official name change to Weyerhaeuser Company.

The merger of Weyerhaeuser, based in Federal Way, Wash., and Portland-based Willamette was announced in January. It creates a global forest products leader with nearly $19 billion in sales.

"We’re excited to officially become a part of Weyerhaeuser," said Joe Nemith, general manager of the Lincoln facility. "As the second-largest player in the forest products industry, we’re ready to move forward together as a stronger and more competitive company. Our folks are eager to make the change."

[Photo by Jan Youngquist]
[Joe Nemith]

The recent event, part of a series of welcome activities across more than 100 of Willamette’s U.S. locations, included remarks by Weyerhaeuser leaders, a welcome video, safety orientations, information about benefits and raising temporary signage with the new company identity. It also marked the time for Willamette operations to begin answering the phone, "Hello, this is Weyerhaeuser Company."

"Today is a milestone on the road to growing the global leader in our industry, and we welcome what we know are world-class employees," said Steven R. Rogel, chairman, president and chief executive officer. "Our combined strengths in our core businesses of forest management, building materials, composite panels, containerboard packaging, and pulp and fine paper will allow us to serve our customers better than ever. Becoming more competitive means we’ll be able to continue to provide good-paying jobs and to otherwise support the communities where we do business."

Integration teams made up of Weyerhaeuser and Willamette employees will recommend how best to combine the two companies. The recommendations are expected by early June.

The $6.1 billion agreement to merge century-old timber rivals Weyerhaeuser Co. and Willamette Industries Inc. came after 14 months of negotiations.

The deal was resisted for years by the Willamette board of directors, led by William Swindells Jr., chairman and grandson of a company co-founder.

The Weyerhaeuser chairman, Steven Rogel, was a former Willamette employee whom Swindells had groomed to take over as chief executive officer in 1995. But Rogel left in 1997 to become Weyerhaeuser’s chairman and immediately offered to buy his old company. Swindells and the Willamette board kept rejecting his overtures.

After Rogel announced a hostile takeover, Willamette began talks with Georgia-Pacific Corp. to buy the Atlanta-based company’s building products division as a way to block the takeover.

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While Willamette and Georgia-Pacific talked, Willamette shareholders and investment fund managers began pushing for a deal with Weyerhaeuser.

According to the deal announced Jan. 21, Weyerhaeuser agreed to pay $55.50 per share in cash and about $1.7 billion in debt and other expenses. Willamette also announced it had ended talks with Georgia-Pacific, a deal that had troubled analysts.

When the merger agreement was made public, Weyerhaeuser spokesman Bruce Amundson indicated that Willamette would be "a strong strategic fit."

"As we have said from the very beginning, Willamette Industries is a great company. They have great assets and great employees," he said.

Before the merger, Weyerhaeuser was the nation’s third-largest timber products company, and Willamette was the seventh-biggest.

Weyerhaeuser was already the largest private owner of softwood timber in the world, managing 38 million acres of forest in the United States and Canada. Willamette owned 1.7 million acres of timberland and had 105 mills in the United States, France, Ireland and Mexico. 

The combination creates a company that manages approximately 40 million acres of forests in North America and has leadership positions in all of its major product lines:

•  World’s largest producer of softwood market pulp.

•  World’s largest producer of softwood lumber.

•  World’s largest producer of engineered lumber products.

•  World’s second-largest in global containerboard packaging.

•  World’s second-largest in printing and writing paper.

Weyerhaeuser Company (NYSE:WY) was incorporated in 1900. It has offices or operations in 17 countries, with customers worldwide. Weyerhaeuser is primarily engaged in the growing and harvesting of timber; the manufacture, distribution and sale of forest products; and real estate construction, development and related activities.

Additional information about Weyerhaeuser’s businesses, products and practices is available at www.weyerhaeuser.com and at the former Willamette site, www.wii.com.

[News releases]

Announcements

The Chamber Report

The chamber of commerce is a catalyst for community progress, bringing business and professional people together to work for the common good of Lincoln and Logan County.

Bobbi Abbott, Executive Director

Lincoln/Logan County Chamber of Commerce

303 S. Kickapoo St.

Lincoln, IL 62656

(217) 735-2385

chamber@lincolnillinois.com
www.lincolnillinois.com

Honors & Awards

Main Street Corner News

Main Street Lincoln hires new program director

[MARCH 29, 2002]  Cindy McLaughlin has been named the new program manager for Main Street Lincoln. She will begin her position April 8.

McLaughlin, a program service coordinator for Easter Seals Society in Bloomington, has done public relations work for the Art Institute in Chicago and is a former admissions counselor at Lincoln College.

Originally from Benton in southern Illinois, McLaughlin is a graduate of Lincoln College and Eastern Illinois University. She operates Logan County Starlites, a baton group for young girls, and has appeared in theatrical productions at the Lincoln Community Theatre and the Maple Club.

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"I’m very excited to work with Lincoln’s business owners and the community to ensure our future success," McLaughlin said. She and her husband, Tom, make their home in Lincoln.

"We are looking forward to having someone with Cindy’s enthusiasm and love for small towns carry out the programs for Main Street," noted Main Street President Jan Schumacher. "She is a hard worker who can oversee our many projects to continue to improve downtown Lincoln.

McLaughlin replaces Wendy Bell, who recently accepted a position with Illinois Main Street.

[Main Street Lincoln news release]

Main Street Lincoln

303 S. Kickapoo

Lincoln, IL 62656

Phone: (217) 732-2929

Fax: (217) 735-9205

E-mail: manager@mainstreetlincoln.com