“Gnome News is Good News”
Strasburg
March 2010
Wayne Wirth, Publisher
PaulaRae Johnson, Editor
info@strasburgil.com
DATES TO REMEMBER
3/14-3/20
4-H Activities
••
www.strasburgil.com
DATES TO REMEMBER
Trinity Lutheran School Open House
3/7
3/16
PTSA Donkey Basketball
3/27
Donkey Basketball
3/27
Stew-Stras Spring Break—No school
4/2-6
SCAN Quarterly Meeting
3/28
SS Spring Sports Pictures
Gnome Census
4/17
Stew-Stras School Board Meeting
4/15
Stew-Stras Prom
4/24
Stew-Stras Baseball
4/29
St Paul’s VBS Organizational Meeting
SCAN Flower Sale
5/1
Newsletter Deadline
5/10
Wayne’s
Words of
4/9
Village of Strasburg
Residents
The Water Department will
be flushing Hydrants
March 27th and 28th
Please check water before laundry!
Wirth
How did “Gnome News” get started anyway?
When Jim Connell was village mayor, he realized that the citizens wanted to know what was
happening in town. Jim started printing a newsletter 2 times a year and posting it around
town. People became interested and liked the
idea. Although busy with his personal life, it
was decided to increase printing to 4 times a
years due to increasing activities in town.
In the meantime, PaulaRae Johnson was hired
as TIF Consultant and later village Clerk. It was
decided there was so much happening that the
printing needed to be increased to 6 times a
year. PaulaRae worked with the Marketing team
of SCAN to produce a newsletter comprised of
articles, pictures and calendar items submitted
by anyone with news to share. “Gnome News”
became the name of the publication where the
slogan “Gnome News is Good News” is boasted.
This column, “Wayne’s Words of Wirth”, was
also created.
Strasburg now has it’s own version of a small
newspaper. I was elated to read our own newspaper, and it was in color! Comments are received from all over the state and beyond for
its quality. An award was received recently from
the Illinois Institute for Rural Affairs for it.
(Read the article to the right!) Our thanks goes
to PaulaRae Johnson for all her extra work on
this project!
Let’s keep on making Strasburg RIGHT!
in the middle of everything!
Leash Law
L-R: Doug Quast, Jodie Quast, Jason Durbin, PaulaRae
Johnson, Gary Kull, Karen Kull, and Gisele Hamm
Strasburg Wins State-Wide Award
Strasburg has won another state-wide award! Six members
from the Village of Strasburg received an award at the recent 21st
Annual Rural Community Economic Development Conference in
Peoria. The Strasburg Community Action network (SCAN) and the
Village of Strasburg were recipients of the Innovative Project
Award for their village newsletter “Strasburg Gnome News.”
The Village of Strasburg
has on file an ordinance
requiring dogs within the
corporate boundaries of
the village to be on a leash
or kept in a confined area.
Violation of this ordinance
will result in the Shelby
Co. Animal Control being
called to pick up the dog.
Village President Wayne Wirth is publisher and Village Clerk
PaulaRae Johnson is editor of the newsletter which uses the
slogan “Gnome News is Good News.” The newsletter is published
bi-monthly and can be obtained on the www.strasburgil.com web
site or at local businesses. To receive an electronic copy, email
info@strasburgil.com
While at the conference village members attended several
sessions which focused on new strategies for rural communities.
The Village of Strasburg was also used as a model in the session
“Strategic Doing: Planning into Action” presented by Ed Morrison
from Purdue University.
Jason Durbin, first-time attendee of the conference remarked:
“We all met a lot of people and did a lot of networking and heard
many wonderful comments about Strasburg!” During the awards
presentation, Gisele Hamm remarked: “We are going to run out of
awards to give to Strasburg.” You may recall that last year Gary
Kull won the Community Champion Award at the conference.
Other awards presented at the conference were: Dwight—
Team Achievement Award and Carthage—Professional Partnership Award.
Stop by Village Hall and see the award.
Village Ordinance
No Burning after 3:30pm
www.strasburgil.com
Stay up-to-date on what YOUR
Village Board is planning & doing.
Board meetings are the 2nd & 4th
Mondays of each month at 6:30pm
and are open to the public. If you
cannot attend, go to the above
website for current agendas and
minutes under the “News” tab.
Strasburg Gnome News —March 2010
Page 2
Community Blood
Services of Illinois
Blood Drive
Thurs. • March 25th
2:30pm — 7pm
Stew-Stras cafeteria
There will be a 2010 Census of all Gnomes living
within Strasburg limits sponsored by SCAN. On Saturday, April 17, 2010 local census takers will come to your
door and ask questions about the Gnomes that “live” on
your property—inside and outside.
At the same time, the local census takers will also
gather non-perishable food items to be donated to local
food pantries.
We are asking any local youth to be local census takers. Anyone wanting to participate is welcome.
More information will be in the next newsletter. If you
have questions, contact Jane Giertz 644-3044; Connie
Wirth 644-2680; or Sharon Mohr.
American Legion Auxiliary
Easter Egg Hunt
Saturday • April 3rd • 10am
St. Paul’s Lutheran Church
Village of Strasburg
• Meet the Staff •
Dave “Dub” Ballinger
Utilities Superintendent
Travis Ballinger
Utilities Assistant
PaulaRae Johnson
Village Board Clerk
TIF Administrator
Economic Development Consultant
Nikki Daniels
Deputy Clerk
Village Hall
now located at the water tower
403 W. North Second Street
Hours: 10am—2pm
Monday—Friday
644-3007 • 690-8030
Saturday • March 27
FFA TEAM: Zack Rincker, Adam Kessler, Dylan
Tabbert, Jordan Jones, Nathan Stremming, Jon
Hoene, Katie Pieper, Taylor Frost
7pm • SSHS Gym
Doors Open 6pm • Pre-Game 6:30pm
STUDENT TEAM: Nicholas Ferris, Sarah Conder,
Shelby Storm, Chris Koontz, Mandy Hewkin, Abby
Rincker, Patrick Braden, Zach Curtis
Advance Tickets—$6
FACULTY TEAM: Mr. Smith, Mr. Niemerg, Mr.
Haegan, Miss Wildman, Mrs Dugan, Miss Mullaney,
Mrs. Percival, Mr. Little
Children 3 and under FREE
COMMUNITY TEAM: Doug Rincker-Prairie National Bank, Pastor Bremer-Trinity Lutheran
Church, Lisa Shadwell-Stewardson Village Board,
Tracey Vonderheide-Stewardson Lions Club, Nate
Wascher-Shelby County State Bank, Pastor Becker
-St Paul’s Lutheran Church, Doug Quast-Strasburg
Village Board, Diane Jack-Strasburg Lions Club
Gate Admission—$8
Purchase tickets in advance from
an FFA member or at the SSHS office
WILDER than a rodeo …
More FUN than a circus!
Annual SCAN Flower Sale — Be thinking about marigolds, coleus, impatiens, petunias,
salvia, GERANIUMS—red especially, 10 inch hanging baskets, combo pots (living flower arrangements), KNOCK OUT roses, daylilies and more. The flowers will be picked up the weekend
before Mother’s day, so don’t forget to order gifts for the special women in your life!
Order forms will be available the week of March 22 and will be emailed to you. Order forms
will also be available at Strasburg Short Stop or the Strasburg branch of Shelby County
State Bank. Contact any SCAN member, Pam Clark or Sarah Gracey to place your order.
Pick up will be Saturday, May 1st at the Strasburg Park 8am—12pm. PLEASE no early pick
ups. There will be flowers for sale in addition to order pick ups on the 1st.
Strasburg Gnome News —March 2010
Page 3
Job flexibility, great location, super hours, family friendly business! This business in Strasburg is all that and more. Can you guess who is on the cutting edge of this business?
It is UPTOWN HAIR! Uptown Hair has been in business for 24 years.
Kim Mettendorf, owner/operator is more than happy with her career/business.
Kim has been able to raise a family and have a successful business. Her girls
were able to come to work with her when needed. Customers got close to her
family and Kim’s family got an extended family.
The next issue of Gnome
Kim is very dedicated to her customers. Kim has worked with a broken leg and more recently
a broken hand. She was able to cut hair and style thanks to Press and Seal wrap. If she can’t
work her business suffers
Please send all
contact information, artwork and
photos to
Uptown Hair has a great location on Commercial Street across from Country Financial. This
small block building has served as a hair facility for Kim and others. Kim recalls that it may
have first been used as an insurance office.
Check out Uptown Hair for all your family hair care needs. Call Kim Mettendorf at 6442633. The shop is open Wednesday—Saturday. The number rings at both her shop and home.
If you leave a message, she will get right back to you. She appreciates all past and present
business. You are not just a customer—you are a friend!
Thank you Kim! Strasburg is grateful for your dedication. Cut and style away!
By: Barb Ohnesorge
May 15th
Deadline for
submissions is
Monday, 5/10
News will be
info@strasburgil.com
Stew-Stras
Baseball plays
at minor league
park in Sauget,
Illinois April 29,
2010. Get tickets from
coach Mark Wascher or
baseball players.
On the south side of Main Street in Strasburg is the Strasburg
Feed Mill, owned and operated by Allen and Gary Bridges. The
brothers purchased the business from Larry and Tim Lenz on
September 20, 2004 and have been very busy with it ever since.
They have one employee, Chad Conder, business manager for
the mill.
This business hasn’t always been called the Strasburg Feed Mill because when the building was built back in 1893 it was a livery stable where one could rent a horse and buggy.
You could also leave a horse for a certain amount of time. This lasted 30 years until the
automobile forced the horse and buggy out of business.
Later the building was used as a blacksmith shop and temporary chicken holding from
the overflow at Ulmer’s Hatchery. There was also a shoe shop that operated out of part
of the building. Eventually the building was purchased by William Juhnke and his sons
Paul and Guy. The Juhnke Feed Mill was in operation until 1996 when bought by the
Lenz’s but kept the Juhnke name until 2004.
The Feed Mill no longer carries garden seed and supplies. It does have some boots and
gloves. The sell gates, feeders, fencing and rat bait. The Bridges will custom mix your
feed is needed. They sell bulk feed by the bag and sell only Kent brand feeds. They can
take care of feed for horses, cattle, goats, sheep, chicken, rabbits and pets.
The Feed Mill is a gathering place for some during the morning hours for coffee and
“talk”. I think they might eat peanuts there by looking at the floor. Their hours are Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday from 7:30-5:00 and Thursday and Saturday from
7:30-12:00. If you don’t have anything to do some morning, just stop in and sit a spell
and catch up on what is happening in the “Burg”!
Planet ZOOM VBS
July 26th—30th
St. Paul’s Lutheran Church
There is an organizational meeting for
ANYONE willing to help in ANY WAY
Tues • March 16th • 6pm • St. Paul’s
St. Paul’s Lutheran Church
CCONTACT: Courtney at 644-2621 or
bcwitt10@yahoo.com
Strasburg Village Hall
By: Jane Giertz
Strasburg Lions Club member Jane
Giertz received an award at the February meeting. President Steven Becker
presented Jane with the Foundation
Fellow Award. The award is given for
outstanding contributions
to the fulfillment of needs
met in the community.
Congratulations Jane!
Jane Giertz likes to cook. She entered her
chicken noodle soup in Stewardson’s 9th
Annual Chili and Miscellaneous Soup CookOff. Much to her surprise, she won the People’s Choice and Judges Choice. Among the
judges were Sheriff Miller, County Clerk
Kathy Lantz, Channel 3 weatherman Robert
Reese and news reporter Nicole Szemer.
Jane won $50 and 2 wooden spoon awards.
New Location
403 W. North Second St.
(at the water tower)
Office Hours:
Monday—Friday • 10am—2pm
217-644-3007 • 217-690-8030
Strasburg Gnome News —March 2010
Page 4
Strasburg Gnome New s
403 W. North Second Street
P.O. Box 385
Strasburg, IL 62465
Phone: 217-644-3007
Fax: 217-644-3005
E-mail: info@strasburgil.com
Saturday • June 5th
Please sign up at the Post Office
Strasburg Tailtwisters 4-H Club
4-H Week • Theme: 4-H … Rock Solid
We’re on the Web…
www.strasburgil.com
Tues., March 16 … Food pantry Donation. Federation will give each club $20 for
bringing at least 15 non-perishable items for the food pantry. Food collected
will be donated to the local food pantry or can be taken back to your community.
Tues., march 16 … International Food Night at 4-H Center—6pm. Each club is
asked to bring one or two food items. Strasburg Tailtwisters has chosen Italy
for our country and will be making two foods which are Spumetti and Italian
Stew. Come and join in on sampling all these foods.
Thurs., March 18 … County Public Speaking Contest at Shelby Electric Cooperative—6pm … Contact the Extension Office prior to March 8th if you are planning to take part in the contest.
Village of Strasburg
Board of Trustees
Sat., March 20 … Amazing Race (starting at 4-H Center) 4-H team members
(4) plus one adult per team. Teams must be registered by 8:45am. There will
be a limited number of teams so call the Extension Office as soon as you have
a team.
For any additional information on Strasburg Tailtwisters contact one of their
leaders … Don and Kim Telgmann at 644-3264 or Esther Becker at 644-2226
Wayne Wirth, President
Jason Durbin, Trustee
Mac Figgins, Trustee
Dean Kessler, Trustee
Doug Quast, Trustee
The SCAN Marketing Team is making many new changes to the Strasburg website.
View photos and news items, look up local businesses, use the calendar to see when
events are happening and where! Go to:
www.strasburgil.com
Tony Reed, Trustee
Anita Renshaw, Trustee
PaulaRae Johnson, Clerk
217-690-8030
Nikki Daniels, Deputy Clerk
Dave “Dub” Ballinger, Utilities
Travis Ballinger, Assistant
Board of Trustees Meeting
Join “I know where Strasburg, Illinois is” on Facebook.
NEWS FLASH: SCIF has reached a milestone by surpassing the $10, 000 mark
The Strasburg Community Improvement
consider for giving back to the community.
Fund is an excellent opportunity to
For information on how to contribute to the Strasburg Community Improvement Fund,
please contact one of the board members: Evelyn Augenstein, Larry Lading, Larry Giertz,
Tim Lenz, and Christina Kramer. Or email them at
info@strasburgil.com
2nd & 4th Mondays of Month
6:30pm
Village Hall
403 W. North Second St.
(under water tower)
If you have pictures to share, please
send them to info@strasburgil.com
DID YOU KNOW?
We are always looking for new ideas
for the newsletter. Thanks!
The Village of Strasburg
was incorporated in 1882.