Several members of the Taylorville Junior High School Kiwanis Builders Club, rocked in rocking chairs from 5pm Friday until 5pm Saturday, to raise money for needed building repairs at the SHADOW Home for Homeless Women and Children in Taylorville.

Kiwanis Builders Club advisors Jackie Foil and Suzanne Beckley, chaperoned the club members from the junior high, in the Taylorville Junior High School Cafeteria.

Several members of the Taylorville Kiwanis Club, also rocked during the 24-hour event, with the local youth.

All the rockers went out and got pledges in the community, to raise the funds that are being given to the SHADOW Home.

Advisor Jackie Foil talked about the Junior High Kiwanis Builders Club and the fund raising effort, saying the organization is an active one.

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One of the Builders Club members that rocked Friday night was 6th grader
Lakota Stewart.

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Taylorville Kiwanis Club member Fred Ronnow was one of many Kiwanis members that also rocked in a rocking chair for 2 hours, to help the Kiwanis Builders’ Club’s fund raising efforts.

The Taylorville Junior High Kiwanis Builders Club is part of the Taylorville Kiwanis Club, which is dedicated to assisting children and youth in the Taylorville community.

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A Christian County Grand Jury returned 12 indictments on March 11th.

Brandon W. Miller was indicted on one count of aggravated battery, and one count of criminal trespass to residence, stemming from a February 18th incident in which Miller attacked Nathan Cooper with a baseball bat. Miller broke Cooper’s wrist, and badly wounded his head. Cooper needed ten staples to close the wound.

Brandon M. DeClerck was indicted on one count of possession of a methamphetamine precursor, and one count of unlawful possession of meth manufacturing material. DeClerck allegedly had less than 15 grams of pseudophedrine, a known precursor used in the manufacturing of meth.

Jarod Katcher was indicted on five counts of harrassment by telephone. Katcher allegedly made phone calls, threatening to kill three Taylorville residents.

James J. Humphrey was indicted on one count of aggravated battery. Humphrey allegedly attacked a man by the name of Patrick Berry in Taylorville on December 4th.

Gary E. Turvey was indicted on one count of retail theft, for allegedly stealing gas from F.S. in Taylorville. Turvey had previously been convicted of retail theft.

Kevin M. Rensman was indicted on one count of aggravated battery, for allegedly cutting Eric Montgomery in the face and neck with a knife.

Stephen D. Painter was indicted on one count of driving under the influence of alcohol, and one count of driving with a revoked license.

Nathan W. Moore was indicted on two counts of driving under the influence of alcohol, and one count of driving while license revoked, stemming from an incident in Pana on December 31st in which Moore allegedly was driving with a blood alcohol level over .08.

Antonio Haynes was indicted on one count of possession of a controlled substance, and one count of unlawful possession of cannabis.

Jacob C. Johnson was indicted on one count of obstruction of justice, stemming from a January 24th incident in which Johnson ran from Taylorville Police Officer Gary Mills.

Amanda G. Crosby was indicted on one count of possession of a controlled substance, and one count of unlawful possession of cannabis. Crosby allegedly was in possession of cocaine.

Paul C. Robinson was indicted on four counts of driving under the influence of alcohol. Robinson was allegedly found driving on Spresser Street in Taylorville with a blood alcohol level over .08 on November 6th.

Shortly after 2:00 a.m. on Wednesday, the Taylorville Police Department respondeded to a man down as a victim of multiple stab wounds. Police were called during the early morning hours to the 800 block of West Vandeveer Street and upon arrival, officers learned that David L. Mays of Taylorville was had been stabbed multiple times in the back.

Mays was transported to the Taylorville Memorial Hospital and then transferred to Springfield where he currently remains in critical condition.

The suspect, 35 year-old Michael P. Neece of Taylorville fled the scene before officers arrived.

An aggravated battery arrest warrant for Neece was issued Thursday night, and he was later taken into custody without incident by members of the Taylorville Police Department and the Christian County Sheriff’s Office.

In lieu of bond, Neece is currently being held at the Christian County Correctional Center.

Wednesday’s budget speech from Illinois Governor Pat Quinn has several members of the house and senate wondering what it will take for the state to turn around it’s economic outlook.

Many were not surprised by the governor’s push for a tax increase, but like many throughout the state, Senator Dale Righter of Mattoon says that the governor’s attempt to “punt” past the topics was not a good decision.

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Righter adds that this budget plan proposed by Quinn will raises spending overall for the state, and will not include budget reforms.

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Righter says that the speech, one of the shortest in budget speech history, raises more questions than it gives answers.

Following Governor Pat Quinn’s budget address on Wednesday, Illinois State Representative Roger Eddy says that the governor has correctly identified the state’s current fiscal problems, but he’s waiting to see if the governor is serious about other things that need to take place to help the state return to the black in it’s checkbook.

Eddy says that he’s waiting to see if the governor will stick to his words for the state’s proposed budget plan.

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Quinn’s opponents say that his proposed budget plan will hurt the state’s educational facilities more than ever, and the tax increase will end up hurting those it’s aimed to help.

If anybody’s ears were glued to the broadcast of Governor Pat Quinn’s budget speech, none were more tentive than that of the Taylorville School Superintendent Greg Fuerstenau.

With a backlog of $700,000 from the state, the Taylorville School District is staring budget cuts and faculty layoffs square in the face, and the preliminary reports don’t show a positive change in the immediate future for the district.

Dr. Fuerstenau says that the state of Illinois isn’t the only state in the country facing this struggle, and that all states are battling the current economic downfalls.

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Fuerstenau adds that as tough as the current budget for the school district might be, it’s the not knowing how much budget will be available for next year that causes problems when planning for 2011.

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Fuerstenau says that before the spring lawmaking session is done, lawmakers have to come up with a plan before the schools suffer even more.

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The Taylorville School District has already begun making cut’s in preparation of next year’s budget.