|
 Osborn shared her notes with guests at the Monday,
January 16th meeting.
JANUARY
I-3 Broadband is continuing its installation of 100 percent fiber
optic high speed internet, TV, and Voice service throughout Lincoln.
The business plans to open a local retail office.
10 Lincoln’s Big R store officially became Lincoln Farm and
Home with its grand opening today.
22 While white plastic wrap is going up around the dome of
the Logan County courthouse to protect it from the elements, the
courthouse restoration project work continues. From time to time
county offices have been moved to the Orr building or Assessor’s/
Veterans office buildings to accommodate construction work.
27 The Illinois Route 66 Scenic Byway has awarded the Logan
County Tourism Bureau $1,000 for the future construction of a
pavilion on the large lot behind the Mill on Route 66 Museum.
FEBRUARY
February saw its second largest amount of snow accumulation ever
including 8.3 inches falling on the 2nd and 6.8 inches falling on
the 17th.
11 Habitat for Humanity blessed its 26th home today at 1017
Tremont St. Occupants will be Rylee Long and her family.
MARCH
4 The Elkhart Station General Store was opened by Conn
Hospitality.
7 The Lincoln IGA store reopened today following an arson
fire in June of 2021.
28 E. G. Keith, 11, published her first novel, “Havoc.” An
Open House and book signing was held
at the Lincoln Woman’s Club building.
APRIL
24 Habitat for Humanity broke ground for a home at 330 Fourth
St. today.
MAY
7 Fire destroyed Unity Point Health Outpatient Use Facility,
Unity Place, at 125 N. Sangamon St.
10 The Palms Grill Cafe on Historic Route 66 reopened today
as Missy’s Sweet Shoppe. Missy Gaither is leasing the location from
the Atlanta Public Library.
11 Ty Tucker and Levi Curry conducted their first auction at
CT Auctions new renovated location at 1112 Keokuk St.
13 Lincoln College has notified the Illinois
Department of Higher Education and Higher Learning Commission of its
permanent closing today. The College had been in operation in
Lincoln for 157 years. The COVID 19 pandemic and a several month
software glitch contributed to a decline in student enrollment which
led to the closure.
JUNE
19 and 20 A Juneteenth and PRIDE activities including a
parade and festival at the county fairgrounds commemorated the
weekend. It is estimated more than 500 persons attended the
fairground event.
JULY
The Mulligan Solar project began operating and delivering clean
energy to the electric grid to power approximately 14,000 U.S. homes
this month. Mulligan Solar employed over 300 workers during peak
construction and will provide over 30 years of annual revenue for
Logan County schools and other taxing bodies, totaling $7 million in
local tax revenue.
Mulligan Solar donated $70,000 to the Hill Prairie Habitat
Conservation Project located about eight miles west of the facility.
They also donated funds to the Lincoln Rural Fire Department to
purchase a brush fire unit which can be placed on the back of an
ATV.
AUGUST
1 An EF-1 tornado touched down on the far west side of Beason.
According to the National Weather Service in Lincoln, there was
damage to the grain elevator, a large grain bin, and equipment. A
few homes had roof damage as the storm followed a 1.7 mile track.
27 The City of Atlanta Tourism unveiled a new commemorative
sign, “Being the First: African-Americans in Atlanta,” in Route 66
Park. The new sign was placed just off the concrete pathway leading
from the park entrance to the Atlanta Fair Ticket Booth, around
items from Atlanta’s past.
The new sign focuses on four significant African-American firsts in
Atlanta—the first high school graduate, Civil Wear veterans,
publicized Emancipation Proclamation Celebration, and church. The
importance of Atlanta High School and the Atlanta Fairgrounds are
featured along with a quote from an 1863 letter written by James
/Ewing of the Hawes Family which captures their sentiments of many
Atlantans shared before and during the war.
Route 66 Park is the brick walled park on the corner of Race and
Arch Streets. An Illinois Route 66 Scenic Byways grant made the
signage possible.
SEPTEMBER
OCTOBER
18 The Logan County Genealogical & Historical Society resumed
regular hours today for the first time since smoke damage was
sustained from a fire in an adjacent building a year ago.
29 The City of Lincoln offered tours today at the newly
refurbished water testing laboratory building at the City of Lincoln
Waste Treatment Plant. The laboratory building is the original
structure built in 1936.
The refurbishing included reassigning spaces, installation of new
fixtures, and updating the water testing lab. Improved climate
control involved the installation of new central heating and
cooling.
31 John Martenik and partners Nathan Hoefs and Vic Martinek
snipped the ribbon on their new business, The Travel Tap, a beverage
delivery service which includes a refrigerated trailer with six
beverage taps.
NOVEMBER
The Lincoln Woman’s Club building became handicap accessible this
month with the addition of a ramp.
15 The Logan County Board approved the Top Hat wind farm
located near Mt. Pulaski and Latham in the southeast portion of the
county. The project includes 60 turbines, each with 384 foot towers.
The Top Hat project has signed an agreement to slow the turbines in
the event of threatening weather.
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18 The Logan County Board
and Lincoln Park District opened the new ice skating rink in
Scully Park at 4 p.m. today. Tickets for skating were available
at the Park District website. Guests may bring their own skates
or rent them at the park. The rink can be concerted to a
pickleball court. The ice rink is scheduled to close Jan. 15.
22 The Logan County Board approved a conditional use
permit for the Pike Creek wind farm project. The Pike Creek
project is located near Elkhart. The approval came with 52
conditions.
The board did not vote on a proposal to change the zoning
ordinance to permit applications for carbon sequestration. An
underground battery storage proposal is also being eyed.
DECEMBER
1 The Central Illinois Veteran’s Commission has completed
three tiny Homes at Sixth and College Streets. A fourth home is
planned for 908 Decatur St.
3 Spud Newhouse and Marsha Fernandes were grand marshals
for the Lincoln Christmas Parade.
12 Elkhart Hill Vineyard released its New Kid Nouveau
Wine today. This is the first wine to be produced from the
Elkhart Hill Vineyard. The Marquette grapes for this wine were
picked by the Conn family and friends Aug. 25.
The wine is available for purchase only at the Elkhart Station
General Store. Jude, 3, grandson of Court and Karen Conn, helped
plant the vines and is featured on the bottle label of the,
“Smooth and Sumptious semi-dry red with hints of black cherry,
dark berry, and a bit of chocolate on the nose.”
The Lincoln High School holiday wrestling tournament has been
named to honor Floyd Bee, who has been involved with it for as
long as 50 years ago.
14 The Star Buffet opened at the location of the former
McDonald’s Restaurant, 1109 Hickox Drive.
25 A record number of Christmas trees decorated by area
civic groups, businesses, and individuals beautified the
courthouse square.
26 The Humane Society of Logan County has announced it is
planning for a new addition to its shelter on North Lincoln
Parkway Drive.
29 Keystone Power Holdings is developing a solar project
on City of Lincoln owned property across South Lake Road from
the city water treatment plant.
President Joe Biden has announced his intent to appoint Bill
Thomas of Atlanta to the Route 66 Centennial Commission.
Joseph Meister has been named the new Lincoln Chief of Police.
Two new title companies began doing business in Logan County in
2022. Prairie Land Title Co. purchased the Logan County Title
Co. location on Pulaski Street. The Title Center is doing
business in its office in the Logan County Farm Bureau building.
The Pink shutter announced plans to move to its new location on
Broadway Street.
31 Today is the final day for the delivery of babies at
Lincoln Memorial Hospital. The family
maternity suites are being converted into patient rooms.
Renovation work continued this year at Holy Family Catholic
Church. Accomplishments included altar furniture made by local
craftsman, painting and installation of a new floor. Most of the
work was done at the front of the church.
Plans for 2023 include additional painting, floor work, and
obtaining new pews.
According to information received by Beth Kavelman, Logan County
has been ranked first among Illinois counties for renewables.
The Lincoln Courier ended the year without a local managing
editor and without the weekly column of Dan Tackett. In both
instances no swan songs were offered.
The courthouse dome’s exterior copper work is about 80 percent
complete. Bill Walter, project manager, said he expects the dome
to be finished and the scaffolding to be removed in July. The 38
geothermic wells, each 400 feet deep, and loops are finished.
Connecting pipes running duct work and piping is being installed
for a system of high efficiency heat pumps.
Brad Swim, project manager for coordinating the new climate and
electrical systems, reported asbestos abatement has been
completed and one of the old boilers removed. Preparations are
being made for the new electrical transformer and panels.
The year closed out with vandals causing major damage to the
Covered Wagon tourist attraction located near the Best Western
Hotel. It was indicated the damage would cost thousands of
dollars to repair.
The damage included complete destruction of the wagon’s back
gate and some of the items inside the wagon. The back wheel,
rim, and sidewall of the wagon had been pushed out of place with
the wheel being badly damaged. Plans call for the wagon to be
restored.
Snowfall for the year totaled 28.5 inches. The normal snow
amount is 19 inches.
Also in 2022 Tom Schmitgall’s Dove Tail Inn opened in
Emden, the New Holland Cafe has re-opened, and The Top of the
Nineteenth Restaurant at the Elks has closed. The Rusty Rail
opened at 405 Pulaski St.
First Presbyterian Church, 301 Pekin St., approved accessibility
with the installation of a decorative stone and concrete ramp
which enters the Sanctuary.
Roanoke Concrete Products, 601 S. Kickapoo St., is constructing
a new plant on Connolley Road.
Tremont Bank constructed and opened a banking facility on
Woodlawn Road, and Tom’s Lodge became the Lodge off Route 66
near Hartsburg.
New owners of the Lincoln Daily news are Karen Hargis and Nila
Smith. The business has moved to downtown Lincoln.
[Diane Osborn with photo by JoAnn
Marlin] |
