Today's News - January 18, 2010

Monroe County Paramedic Heading To Haiti

Julie Valerius left this morning bound for Haiti to do her part to help those in need in the aftermath of the massive earthquake last week. Valerius, a paramedic with the Monroe County Ambulance Service  who attends Immanuel Lutheran Church in Waterloo, is joining a group from the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod Mercy Medical Team. The group will set up medical clinics and tend to those injured. Valerius is fluent in Spanish which will help in her caring for the injured. The group plans to stay for one week.

Julie Valerius

Prayer Vigil For Victims Of Haiti’s Earthquake: A candle light prayer vigil is being planned in honor of those affected by the devastating earthquake earlier this week in Haiti. It will be held Monday, Jan. 18, at 6:30 p.m., at the Monroe County Courthouse Bandstand in downtown Waterloo. Rev. Roberts of St. Paul UCC of Waterloo will serve as the prayer leader. “It will be held in support of our sisters and brothers who suffered a devastating loss and the deaths of thousands as a result of the earthquake,” said Roberts. The public is welcome and asked to bring candles and invite family and friends.

County Commissioners First Night Meeting This Year Is Wednesday

The Monroe County Commissioners have scheduled quarterly night meetings for 2010 to provide an opportunity for citizens to attend who might otherwise be unable to attend a Monroe County Board meeting during the day. The first night-meeting is set for Wednesday, Jan. 20. It will begin at 7 p.m., in room 213 of the Monroe County Courthouse.    Speakers and topics of the meeting will include County Treasurer Kevin Koenigstein discussing county finances, Health Department Administer John Wagner providing an update of the services provided by the health department, Gene Henckler, director of the Monroe County Emergency Management Agency, discussing interoperable communications for first responders, and Supervisor of Assessments Carl Wuertz discussing the process for determining property assessments.

Additional quarterly night meetings for 2010 are set for Wednesday, April 21, Wednesday, July 21, and Wednesday, October 20. The Monroe County Board of Commissioners will continue to meet on the first and third Mondays of each month at 8 a.m. in Courthouse room 220, with the exception when a legal holiday conflicts. In that case, the meetings are moved to the following Tuesday.

Steve and Angie (Emery) Law of Denver, Colo. were in town this past week to visit family and friends in Columbia and Waterloo. While back home, Angie celebrated her 40^th birthday with a gathering of family and friends at Tiny’s Pub.

Monroe County Fair Queen Amanda Stumpf said she was very proud of her performance at this weekend’s Miss County Fair Queen State Pageant, but she did not make the cut of the Final 12.

Recent Obituaries

Wanda Lee Baugh (nee Hahn), 87, of Waterloo, died Jan. 12, 2010 in St. Louis. She was born April 30, 1922 in Hillview, the daughter of the Benjamin and Gladys (nee Bridgewater) Brunjes. Mrs. Baugh is survived by her husband, Hobart Baugh; daughter, Joyce J. Krippel; grandchildren Mark Baldus, Andrea (John) Kawalec and Matthew Krippel; and great-grandchildren Nathan and Alex Kawalec. She was preceded in death by a daughter, Kathleen Baugh; son-in-law, Raymond Krippel; and a brother, Eugene Hahn. Mrs. Baugh was employed as a civil service worker at Scott Air Force Base for 20 years. She was a member of the Church of Christ and the National Active and Retired Federal Employees Association. Wanda was a loving wife for 70 years and loving mother, grandmother and great-grandmother. Visitation is Thursday, Jan. 14 from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Valhalla Gaerdner Holten Funeral Home in Belleville. Funeral services will be Friday, Jan. 15 at 10 a.m. at the funeral home. Mrs. Baugh will be buried at Valhalla. Memorials may be made to de Greeff Hospice or Shriner’s Hospital.

Ida Heinemann, 90, of Red Bud, died Jan. 17, 2010 in Red Bud. She was born Jan. 28, 1919 to the late Sigmund and Clara (nee Rubach) Thies. She married Herbert Heinemann on April 8, 1945. He died in 1973. Mrs. Heinemann is survived by her children, Marie (Andre) Voges, Melvin (Tina) Heinemann and Delores (Glenn) Steibel; grandchildren Thomas Voges (friend Liz Bailey), Lisa (Steve) Jacobsen, Leila (Mark) Keiser, Bart (Suzy) Heinemann, Ted (Mandy) Heinemann, Tait Heinemann, Amanda (Robert) Schwab, Shannon (Lori) Steibel and Vicky (Steve) Cashwell; great-grandchildren Derek, Alexander, Megan, Joshua, Luke, David, Noah, Kayden, Emma, Kirsten, Cole, Hannah and Alexandra; and brother and sisters Selma Kueker, Mabel Schoenbeck, Ruth Koester, Harold (Lillian) Thies, Art (Gladys) Thies; along with nieces, nephews, cousins and friends. In addition to her parents and husband, she was preceded in death by a sister, Wilma (George) Neely; and brothers-in-law Edwin Koester and Orville Schoenbeck. Mrs. Heinemann was a homemaker, quilter and helped on the family farm. She also had worked at International Shoe in Chester. She was a member of St. Peter’s Lutheran Church, the Ladies Aid at Church, Senior Circle at Red Bud Regional Hospital and the Red Bud Senior Citizen Center in Red Bud. Visitation is Wednesday, Jan. 20, from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m., at Welge-Pechacek Funeral Home in Red Bud. Funeral is Thursday, Jan 21. 11 a.m. at St. Peter’s Lutheran Church in Evansville with Rev. James Leistico officiating. Mrs. Heinemann will be buried at St. Peter’s Lutheran Cemetery. Memorials may be made to her church or Hospice of Southern Illinois.