The Pantagraph Bloomington, IL

Birk, Redbirds Post Softball Win

PEORIA -- For the second day in a row, Illinois State freshman pitcher Stacy Birk shutout host Bradley, holding the Braves to three hits in a 6-0 Redbird victory Sunday. Birk (7-3) went seven innings and struck out three while walking no one. Her Bradley counterparts gave up nine hits, six earned runs and walked 11.

Deaths

William Antonio CARLOCK -- William "Bill" F. Antonio, 59, of 165 County Road 2225 East, Carlock, formerly of Hudson, died at 7:50 a.m. Saturday (March 27, 2004) at BroMenn Regional Medical Center, Normal. His local visitation will be from 4 to 7 p.m. today at Kibler- Smith Memorial Home, Bloomington. There will also be a visitation from 5 to 8 p.m. Tuesday at Pulliam Funeral Home, Robinson. His funeral will be at 10 a.m. Wednesday at Pulliam Funeral Home. Interment will be in Jones Cemetery,...

Flick Fact

Question Which is more -- the population of Bloomington-Normal or the number of computers at State Farm Insurance?

Celebrating Opportunities All That's Left in Olympia

Thursday night, (March 18), my family and I were thoroughly entertained by an Olympia speech team that presented both a contest play and a group interpretation. This group of students, like so many other students, are very talented and I am grateful that my daughters have had the opportunities that Olympia has offered to them. This evening was a bright spot in what had been a very sad week for our district. Events such as we experienced along with many other extracurriculars are now on the ch...

Misinformation Abounds in Column On Marriage

It was unbelievable just how much dissembling Jeffery VanGoethem did in his guest commentary denying the right for gay and lesbian marriages. Yet he purports to be a man of God! How about that "value" called honesty? He insists that "centuries of tradition and clearly written laws" going back thousands of years indicate that marriage is a "monogamous union of one man and one woman." He frets that anything different can lead to all kinds of terrible things, like, well you know, "polygamy!"

Redbird Baseball Splits

EVANSVILLE, Ind. -- Ned Schauff earned his first collegiate victory for the Illinois State baseball team as the Redbirds downed Evansville 10-6 in the first game of a Missouri Valley doubleheader Sunday. Evansville came back to win the nightcap, 13-3.

Titans Softball Earns Wild Victory

MARYVILLE, Mo. -- The Illinois Wesleyan softball team scored all of its runs on wild pitches en route to a 4-3 win over Fontbonne (Mo.) Sunday at the Washington University Tournament. The game was called after six innings because of rain.

Rivermen Shut Down Storm

PEORIA -- The Peoria Rivermen made it nine straight wins at home as they defeated the Toledo Storm 8-2 Sunday at Carver Arena. Peoria scored two goals in the first period, four goals in the second and added two goals in the third.

Bob's Wins Bowling Tournament

BLOOMINGTON -- Bob's won the handicap doubles division of the 74th annual Bloomington Bowling Association City Tournament Sunday at Pheasant Lanes. Bob's total of 3,973 came from Dale Coulter (684), Don Murphy (605), Jeff Vaughn (546), Richard Carlock (672) and Jason Beckman ( 575).

Deaths

Dorothea Dicecco BLOOMINGTON -- Dorothea C. Dicecco, 97, of 9720 Sun Point Drive Boynton Beach, Fla., formerly of the Bloomington, area died at 8:30 a.m. Tuesday (March 23, 2004) at Bethesda Memorial Hospital Hospice Unit, Boynton Beach. Service: 1 p.m. Tuesday at Pleasant Hill Cemetery, Lexington, the Rev. Vernon Oakley officiating. There will be no visitation. Beck Memorial Home, Bloomington, is in charge of arrangements.

Deaths

Donald Ross BLOOMINGTON -- Donald Albert Ross, 75, of 14 Heartland Drive, Bloomington, died at 6:50 a.m. Sunday (March 27, 2004) at ManorCare Health Services, Normal.

Deaths

Trunella Trent BLOOMINGTON -- Trunella E. Trent, 87 of 1409 N. Oak St., Bloomington, died peacefully at 10:35 p.m. Friday, (March 26, 2004) at her home in Bloomington. Her funeral will be 10:30 a.m. Tuesday at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Normal. Bishop Jack Mapes will officiate. Burial will be in Park Hill Cemetery, Bloomington. Visitation will be from 5 to 7 p.m. today at the Calvert & Metzler Memorial Home, Bloomington, and for one hour prior to the service on Tuesday ...

Police Have Lead in Mesarchik Murder

STREATOR -- A year after 7-year-old Dalton Mesarchik was abducted from in front of his Streator home and beaten to death with a sledgehammer, police on Sunday said investigators have a new lead. Physical evidence that came back from a private laboratory two weeks ago points to a person or a specific type of person who may have committed the crime, Master Sgt. Rick Roderick said.

Balancing Act ; Teacher Learns How to Cope with Stress in and Out of School

Angelica Delatorre-Im Age: 23

Book About Governors Skips Ryan Scandal

SPRINGFIELD -- Promoters are debating how to market an Illinois history book that paints indicted former Gov. George Ryan as a "courageous" public servant who "always placed the well-being of others first," according to a published report. In a copyrighted story, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported in Sunday's editions that "At Home With Illinois Governors: A Social History of the Illinois Executive Mansion, 1855-2003" does not mention the political scandal that plagued Ryan's career and led...

Deaths

Franklin Bennett PONTIAC -- William Franklin Bennett, 80, of Pompano Beach, Fla., formerly of Pontiac died Friday (March 26, 2004) in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. He had been ill the past six months.

Deaths

Frances Franklin FORREST -- Frances M. Franklin, 88, of 314 E. John St., Forrest, died at noon Saturday (March 27, 2004) at Heritage Manor, Gibson City. Her graveside service will be at 11 a.m. Wednesday at Forrest Cemetery, the Rev. Dennis Powers officiating. Visitation will be private. Hager Memorial Home, Forrest, is in charge of arrangements.

Deaths

Wanita Huffman Henderson MINIER -- Mrs. Wanita G. Huffman Henderson, a longtime resident of the Minier and Stanford communities, passed away Tuesday (March 23, 2004) at Jefferson City, Tenn. Wanita was born May 8, 1916, the first of six children of Alva B. and Mary Aynes Carmichael, in Armington. She was a graduate of Minier High School. She married Jesse L. Huffman in Havana, in 1934, and was married to him until his death in 1968. She later married Donald Henderson of Manchester, Iowa, in ...

Deaths

Josie Rockhold FARMER CITY -- Josie Lee Yeadon Rockhold, 88, of Farmer City passed away at 1:42 p.m. Saturday (March 27, 2004) at LeRoy Manor, LeRoy. Her funeral will be at 10 a.m. Wednesday at Calvert-Belangee- Bruce Funeral Home, Farmer City, the Rev. Brad Dawson officiating. Burial will be in McCord Cemetery, Fullerton. Visitation will be from 6 to 8 p.m. Tuesday at the funeral home.

Deaths

Joseph Vargas Jr. STREATOR -- Joseph Michael Vargas Jr., 40, of Streator died at 7:05 a.m. Saturday (March 27, 2004) in Ottawa. Service: 7 p.m. Tuesday at Winterrowd-Hagi Funeral Home, with cremation rites to follow the service.