Prange Honored For Service To Republican Committee

Sheryl Prange was honored Friday night for her many years of dedicated service as secretary of the Monroe County Republican Central Committee. She recently stepped down from the position. Prange was presented a plaque during the committee’s annual Reagan Day dinner at Turner Hall in Columbia by newly appointed secretary Chuck Asselmeier, left, and Committee Chairman Myron Neff.

 

Small Gas Leak At FS Plant: A small amount of anhydrous gas leaked from a tank on Wednesday morning at the Gateway FS Fertilizer Plant on Gall Road in Waterloo. As a precautionary measure, several neighboring residents were evacuated for a short time.

At 6:15 a.m., Bruce Posey drove by the plant on his way to work and came upon what appeared to be a fog bank. It turned out to be anhydrous gas leaking from a tank at Gateway FS.

“I was almost overcome by the very intense gas,” said Posey.

He drove to Route 3 and flagged down an Illinois State police car at Hucks Now. The Waterloo Fire Department was dispatched to the scene and Waterloo and county police officers soon began evacuating nearby residents.

Firefighters and Gateway FS employees were soon able to stop the leak. There were no injuries and residents were soon able to return to their homes.

The leak appears to have been caused by a mechanical failure, said Monroe County Sheriff Dan Kelley. “Initially, it does not appear to have been caused by foul play,”

 

An earthquake measuring 3.7 on the Richter scale shook through southern Illinois on Friday afternoon. It was centered near the site of the 5.2 earthquake last week.

 

Two vehicles collided Friday at 1 p.m. on Route 156, just west of Hecker. There were no injuries.

 

The city of Columbia will have a special public meeting of the city council on Monday, April 28, beginning at 7 p.m. They will attempt to pass the budget, which is needed to be finalized before the end of the month. The aldermen were unable to agree on the proposed budget during the April 21 meeting.

 

Congratulations to Casey Hempen and Deron Duncan on being named last week as the queen and king of the Waterloo High School prom. (Ed-itor’s Note: If there are students or parents with photo of either the Waterloo or Columbia proms, please email them into The Independent for publication.)

 

Upcoming Red Cross Blood Drives:

May 3, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Columbia Masonic Lodge 474

May 13, 2 p.m. to 7 p.m., St. Paul UCC – Waterloo

May 25, 8 a.m. to 1 p.m., Immaculate Conception in Columbia

May 30, 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., at Dupo High School

 

Calendar of Events

Saturday
Domestic Violence Run / Walk at the Courthouse

Rock band Pole Position at Bobeck’s

 

Sunday
Waterloo VFW Car Show

Dynamic Combo at Heckerdome

 

Recent Obituaries

Frieda Voelker nee Mueller, 88, of Maeystown, died April 24, 2008 in St. Louis. She was born June 23, 1919 in Maeystown, the daughter of the late George and Maria (nee Bertram) Mueller. Survivors include a son, Glenn (Nancy) Voelker of Maeystown; grandchildren Chris (Kristine) Voelker of Maeystown, Aaron (Sherri) Voelker of Waterloo and Renee Voelker of Columbia; great-granddaughter Markee Voelker; sisters Marie (Wilbert) Voelker of Waterloo and Ruth Fehrenz of Columbia; brother, Milton (Florence) Mueller of Waterloo; and sister-in-law Ada Mueller of Waterloo; along with nieces, nephews and cousins. She was preceded in death by her husband, Harold Voelker; brother, Floyd Mueller; sister, Elizabeth (Geno) Scariot; and brother-in-law, Oliver Fehrenz. She was a member of St. John UCC of Maeystown, an avid kloepper player and “Grandma” to many. Visitation is Sunday, April 27, 2 p.m. to 8 p.m., at Quernheim Funeral Home. Funeral service is Monday, April 28, 11 a.m., at St. John UCC of Maeystown with Pastor Patrick Poole officiating. She will be buried at the church’s cemetery. Memorials may be made to the St. John UCC of Maeystown Cemetery Asphalt Fund.

 

Mary Alice Biggs nee Rowe, 88, of Dupo, died April 23, 2008. She was born Feb. 4, 1920 in Scott City, Mo., the daughter of the late Lawrence and Elizabeth (nee Mason) Rowe. She married Kelvia Lee Biggs in 1934. He died in 1996. She was also preceded in death by a daughter, Diane Meagher; sisters Maxine Hurt and Edna VanPelt; son-in-law Charlie Plew; great-grandson, Jeremy Baugh; and niece, Peggy McElroy. She is survived by children Sally (Guy Gause) Plew of Dupo, Marilyn (Bill) Conrad of Danville, Jill (Paul) Naylor of Albertsville, Ala., and Jack Biggs, Danny (Bev) Biggs and Larry (Debbie) Biggs, all of Dupo; brother, Larry (Betty) Rowe of Columbia; son-in-law, Dennis Meagher of Dupo; and grandchildren Keith Meagher, Mary (Brian) Bethea, Debbie (Brad) Dell, Dawn (Jeff) Snider, Danielle (Clif) Ticer, Justin (Leslie) Biggs, Jeff (Candice) Biggs and Shane Biggs of Dupo, Diana (Carl) Willyard and Dennis (Rhonda) Plew of Cahokia, Kim (Anthony) Vick of Rossville, Ind., Pam (Tommy) Baugh, Tammy (Phillip) Tipton, Robbie Sparks, Donna (Mark) Hampton and Jill Ann Gargus of Albertsville, Ala., Donnie (Adrianna) Sparks of Fort Lewis, Wash., Jaime (Randy) Vaugh of St. Charles, Mo.; along with 45 great-grandchildren, 10 great-great-grandchildren, nieces, nephews and special friends. Mrs. Boggs was a 50-year member of the Wilson Lodge 886 Ladies Auxiliary of the United Transportation Union, Ladies Auxiliary of the Dupo American Legion and a charter member of the Ladies Auxiliary of the Dupo Volunteer Fire Department. Mary and Kelvia Biggs dispatched out of their home for the Dupo Volunteer Fire Department for more than 30 years. Visitation is Friday, April 25, 4 p.m. to 8 p.m., at Dashner – Leesman Funeral Home in Dupo. Funeral is Saturday, April 26, 2 p.m., at the funeral home with Pastor Darrell Jones officiating. She will be buried at Valhalla Gardens of Memory in Belleville. Memorials may be made to the Dupo Volunteer Fire Department or Hospice of Southern Illinois.