Weekend Wrap-Up - August 17, 2009

Columbia Daze Celebrates 150th Anniversary Of Town’s Founding
The celebration of the 150th anniversary of the founding of the town was the theme of this year’s Columbia Daze. Festivities were held at the Turner Hall parking lot and the adjacent A.C. Metter Memorial Park. Herb Schueler and Gig Giffhorn, who were members of the Centennial Committee in 1959, were the grand marshals of this year’s parade. Saturday’s parade featured more than 150 floats making their way along Main Street.  

Gentlemen, start your engines! Jerod Merz, Taff Harris and Rob Roessler of Audio Video Concepts get ready to race along the parade route in style.

Kirchenfest Celebrates German Heritage At St. Augustine’s
Pleasant weather, great food and enjoyable entertainments brought out a big crowd Saturday to the annual Kirchenfest at St. Augustine’s Catholic Church in Hecker. More than 1,250 chicken dinners were served and the near every seat was taken at the quilt bingo. Musical entertainment was provided by Butch’s Polka Kings. Another highlight was the annual Tiki Torch 5K Run / Walk, which has participants making there way along the route lit by tiki lights.  

More than 500 runners and walkers took part Saturday evening in the annual Tiki Trot in Hecker. “This was our best turnout ever,” said Tom Hootselle, race director.

Chief Edwards Weighs In On Friday’s Development
Columbia Police Chief Joe Edwards issued the following statement regarding the new development in the upcoming trial involved Christopher Coleman, who is charged with three counts of first degree murdering involving the May 5 death of his wife and two sons. Last Friday, Monroe County State’s Attorney Kris Reitz filed paperwork seeking the death penalty in the upcoming trial involving Christopher Coleman of Columbia.
 
“I believe, based on the circumstances of this case, that this is the appropriate sentence to seek,” Edwards said.
 
Columbia Police Chief Joe Edwards and Detective Justine Barlow were among those participating Saturday morning in the Columbia Optimist 5K Run.

Lakers And Redbirds Square Off For Mon-Clair Championship
The Valmeyer Lakers find themselves in a must-win situation today as they come into play down one game to none against Fairview Heights Redbirds in the best of three Mon-Clair League Championship Series.
  
In the semi-final games on Saturday, Valmeyer defeated the top seeded St. Louis Spikes 4-1. It took an extra frame for Fairview Heights to outlast the Waterloo Millers 4-3 in eight innings, setting up the Lakers versus Redbirds match-up for the Championship Series.
 
In game one, the Redbirds won a thrilling nine-inning game 9-7. Game two of the Championship Series gets underway today (Sunday) at 1 p.m. at Borsch Memorial Park in Old Town Valmeyer. Games three (if necessary) will immediately follow.

 

Redbirds teammates congratulate Adam Hill on knocking in the game-winning hit against Waterloo for their 4-3 extra-inning victory in a semifinal game Saturday.

Camper Egged In Waterloo: Sunday morning, a homeowner in the 600 block of South Library Street in Waterloo reported the camper parked in his yard had been egged. The Waterloo Police Department is investigating.
 
Two cars collided early Saturday morning at the intersection of Route 3 and Vandebrook Drive just south of Waterloo. Injuries were minor