State Fire Marshal Investigating Possible Arson In Columbia Home Fire

Columbia firefighters work to extinguish the fire at Sam Hood’s home on Campbell Lane.

A home in rural Columbia was completely destroyed by fire in the early morning hours of Sunday, June 10. The home, located at 1536 Campbell Lane, off Route 158, is owned by Sam Hood. An Illinois State Fire Marshal and the Monroe County Sheriff’s Department are continuing their investigation to determine if the fire was caused by arson. At 3:31 a.m., a newspaper delivery person noticed the fire and used an OnStar device in the vehicle to contact the Columbia emergency dispatcher. When Columbia firefighters arrived the home was fully engulfed in flames.

“We were on the scene putting out the fire for five hours,” said Assistant Fire Chief Jim Broshears.

No one was home at the time of the fire. Hood was reported to be staying with an acquaintance in Staunton that night. The home had been for sale for approximately two months.

Millstadt Man Arrested In Connection With Beating Death Of His Wife
Agnes Bratch, 75, was allegedly killed yesterday in her Millstadt home by her husband, reports the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Her husband, whose name has not been formally released, was taken to a hospital and released several hours later. He is in the St. Clair County jail awaiting formal charges.

The paper reports an autopsy today revealed Bratch died of blunt force trauma to the head in what police are describing as a murder-attempted suicide.

Millstadt police say they can’t recall the last time there was a murder in the village, which lies seven miles east of Columbia on Route 158 and has a population of about 3,000.

Big Turnout At SPPS Church Summer Picnic

Sunny skies and moderate temperatures helped bring out a big crowd to last weekend’s SS. Peter and Paul Catholic Church of Waterloo Summer Picnic. Enjoying a round of bingo Saturday evening are, left to right, Jenny Augustine, Karen Altes and Breanna Altes.

Porta Westfalica Fest Is Next Tuesday
The 27th annual Waterloo Porta Westfalica Festival is slated for Tuesday, June 19. Food stands open at 4 p.m., with the parade stepping off at 6 p.m. This year the parade will start at Gibault Catholic High School, travel up Columbia Avenue, turn right on Main Street and west on Third Street before disbanding near SS. Peter and Paul Church. Luella Mueller, 90, a longtime active member of the Sister Cities PortaLoo group and frequent host of exchange students, will be the grand marshal. To enter a float in the parade, call Debbie Augustine at 939-5698.

The German festival of food, music and fun is a celebration of the establishment of a Sister Cities organization between Waterloo and a group of villages in Porta Westfalica, Germany.

Children’s entertainment includes rides, inflatables, a bungee run, basketball hoops and a castle. Armbands are for sale in advance through June 16 at noon for $10, or $12 the day of the festival. They are available at all Waterloo banks. Musical entertainment will be provided by the New Hanover Deutschmeisters from 4 to 6 p.m., the Bud Light Brigade after the parade, the Waterloo Municipal Band from 7:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., and the Waterloo German Band from 8:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m.

A Wein and Stein Platz (German wine and beer garden) is one of the new attractions to this year’s festival. Food stand items include pork steaks, brats, potato pancakes, ribeye steak sandwiches, hot dogs, snow cones, ice cream, beverages, cotton candy, funnel cakes, caramel apples and popcorn. Featured desserts are German apple strudel and peanut cake.

Dan Rohlfing, son of Wayne and Vanessa Rohlfing, was drafted in the 14th round of the Major League Baseball draft by the Minnesota Twins. The standout catcher is a recent graduate of Oakville High School in South St. Louis County. Dan is the nephew of Monroe Countians Ron, Allyn and Gene Rohlfing.

Concord Presbyterian Church will have a free evening vacation Bible school this summer. Camp Turned-Around runs from Sunday, June 24, through Friday, June 29. Dinner is served each evening from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. The Bible school is from 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., and is open for children up to sixth grade. Adults are also welcome to attend. While the students will be “camping,” adults will watch and discuss movies.

“Our evening VBS format is family friendly and designed to accommodate the entire family,” said Jennifer Bullock of Concord Presbyterian Church.

Children’s activities will include camp games, crafts, snacks, stories and prizes. To register, call the church at 939-7116, or visit their website: www.ConcordWaterloo.org.

The season kicks off tonight for the Hilltoppers Gators Swim Club, located on Imbs Station Road in Dupo. The team grew from 18 children last year to 50 swimmers this summer. “Our swim team is back and in a big way,” said Candace Hejna.

Maeystown Homecoming Raffle Winners:
1) $250 - Kaleigh Dickneite of Waterloo
2) Maeystown Merchants’ Longaberger gift basket - Quernheim Funeral Home
3) 4 tickets to a Gateway Grizzlies game - Criss Kumer of St. Louis (Pastor Poole's mother-in-law).
4) $100 gift certificate to Schneider's Quality Meats - Faye Ross of Maeystown
5) $100 gift certificate to Mike's Convenience Store - Rich Stellhorn of Waterloo
6) Golf for four at Acorns Golf Links - Mildred Hoffman of Waterloo
7) $25 gift certificate to Sal's Wartburg Inn - Jessie "Leroy" Niebruegge of Valmeyer
8) Flower planter from Trost's Plastics - Doris Meister of Waterloo
9) Boys bike - Eva Schaefer of Columbia
10) Girls bike - David Asselmeier of Columbia
11) Weber grill - Danny Mueller of Maeystown
12) Miller Lite cooler - David Hesterberg of Herrin

The fan quilt was won by Barb Suttner of Waterloo, and Leona Knobloch of Maeystown won the Jacobs Ladder fan quilt.

Auditions Next Week For “The Flood”
Monroe Actors Stage Company is producing the musical “The Flood,” based on interviews with residents of the Valmeyer Flood following the Flood of ’93.

Auditions for singing parts will be held June 17 and 18, at 7 p.m., at the Capitol Theatre in Waterloo. Call back auditions are June 19. The show’s author and composers, Cara Reicher and Peter Mills, founders of New York City’s Prospect Theater Company, will visit Waterloo and see a performance.

Performances will be September 6, 7, 8, 13, 14 and 15 at 7:30 p.m., and September 6 and 16 at 2:30 p.m. For additional information about the play and auditions, visit the MASC website: www.masctheatre.org.

Recent Obituary
Mary F. Sullivan nee Rost, 79, of Millstadt, died June 11, 2007, in Millstadt. She was born July 19, 1927, in St. Louis, the daughter of the late Frank and Margaret Rost. Mrs. Sullivan is survived by her children Cathy Schaefer, Loretta (Steve) Vicalvi, Bernie (Dr. Larry) Dobbs, Patricia (Stephen) Shoemaker, Dorothy (Marty) Wasser and John (Regina) Sullivan; grandchildren Stephen Vicalvi, Andy Vicalvi, Nick Woolery, Erin Woolery, Michael (Sara) Rennecker, Nichole Rennecker, Jeanette Rennecker, Anthony Wasser, Brooke Sullivan, Shannon Dobbs, Jason (Rhaisha) Dobbs and Jonathon Dobbs; six great-grandchildren; and other relatives and friends. She was preceded in death by her parents; infant son Thomas Leonard Sullivan; son-in-law Mark Schaefer; granddaughter Jennifer Ortega; and the father of her children, John L. Sullivan. Ms. Sullivan was a member of St. James Catholic Church in Millstadt and a former member of St. Luke’s Catholic Church. She was retired from St. Elizabeth’s Hospital in Belleville. Visitation was at Strauss Funeral Home. A funeral Mass was at St. James Catholic Church in Millstadt, Fr. Marvin Volk officiating. She is buried at Mt. Carmel Catholic Cemetery in Belleville. Memorials may be made to Family Hospice of Belleville, Golden Years Adult Day Care or St. James Catholic Church.