NORMAL – As a result of action taken by the Normal Liquor Commission at their meeting prior to the Town Council meeting on Monday, anyone purchasing a keg of beer in the Town of Normal will now have to register it with the liquor store when they purchase it.

Normal had been researching the idea since the Liquor Commission last publicly discussed it over two years ago.

Anyone purchasing a keg will have to complete a duplicate form, with one copy staying with the merchant, while the keg purchaser keeps the other copy so it can be shown to police, should they be called to a party and need to know who bought it.

Keg purchasers become responsible legally for were beer to be given to minors and/or sold illegally.

A couple of liquor store owners, as well as members of the Bloomington-Normal Community Campus Committee were present at Monday’s meeting.

“We are absolutely in favor of any measure where consumption is concerned,” Chris Cutler, owner of Budget Liquors, told Commissioners.

But Cutler added, keg consumption has decreased in the last 20 years, partly because students renting apartments, as well as fraternities and sororities no longer allow kegs.

Cutler said that, liquor store owners, as a group “would love to see our counselors and educators counsel and educate students on the dangers of energy drinks mixed with alcohol.”

Liquor store owners appeared concerned that the Town was adding extra paperwork to their jobs, but Town Corporation Counsel Steve Mahrt told the Commission that the situation could be handled by simply making a photocopy, with the liquor store holding on to one copy and the keg purchaser keeping the other.

The City of Bloomington is expected to pass a similar law in the near future.

Other Liquor Commission Action: In addition to passing the keg registration ordinance, Normal’s Liquor Commission also approved a total of 87 liquor licenses and entertainment permits for businesses in the Town that sell liquor.

A total of 49 licenses went to restaurants and liquor stores. That number is two businesses fewer in that category than were issued last year. Ten businesses had their catering licenses renewed, nine business had their outdoor garden/sidewalk café licenses renewed, nine businesses had their wine-tasting licenses renewed, nine entertainment permits were renewed, and one business had its pari-mutuel betting parlor license renewed.

Liquor Commissioners also approved a liquor license application submitted by JSP, LLC, doing business as Joe’s Stationhouse Pizza Pub, 305 Veterans Parkway, #230, Normal.

CVS Pharmacy Coming To Uptown: During their regular session that followed the Liquor Commission meeting, Normal Town Council members conditionally approved a preliminary plan with waivers from the Uptown Design Review Code, Chapter 15, Division 17 for the development of a new building to be constructed at 204 and 206 W. North St., the site of the former University Christian Church, and 107 Broadway, which formerly housed the businesses Guitar World and Ewe Knit.

Champaign-based JSM Development purchased the University Christian Church, as well as the buildings along that block of North St., and at 107 Broadway. Those buildings, too, will be razed.

Last week, it was announced that CVS Pharmacy will be an anchor store for the new development, which will also include shops, including a restaurant, office spaces, and apartments on the top three floors of what will be a five-story complex.

Another business in that block, The Movie Fan, currently located at 202 W. North St., will be relocating to 503 S. Main by the beginning of next month.

City Manager Mark Peterson told Council members the Town stands to receive $10 million in taxes from sales generated from the new incoming businesses at the JSM Development. A sign in the window of one of the buildings soon to be razed indicates the development will be known as Uptown Crossing.

BroMenn Site Plan Gets Conditional Approval: Council members unanimously gave a conditional approved to an amended site plan for BroMenn Healthcare, as it plans an expansion of its facilities.

The current amended site plan includes demolition of the medical facility’s parking area, known as Med Park 2, and a four-story building addition to the west face of the existing six-story tower that faces Main St.

Harmon Re-Appointed To Airport Authority: Council members approved the re-appointment of former Normal Mayor Paul Harmon to Bloomington-Normal Airport Authority. Harmon’s current appointment was set to expire on May 13. With the re-appointment, Harmon’s term will expire on May 1, 2013.

Omnibus Agenda Items Approved: Omnibus agenda items approved by the Council included:

• Approval of the minutes of the Council’s regular meeting held March 2, 2009.

• Approval of Town of Normal expenditures for payment as of March 11, 2009.

• A motion to approve payment of $590,601.53 to Clyman, Wis.-based United Liquid Waste Recycling for water treatment sludge removal and approve the associated budget adjustment.

• A motion to award the bid for water main and service materials to Bloomington-based Water Products Co.

• A resolution authorizing agreements for construction materials testing services for the 2009 construction season with Normal-based Terracon and Testing Services Corporation.

• A resolution authorizing the publication of a zoning map.

• A resolution accepting the initial bond audit from the Illinois Department of Transportation pertaining to the Town’s 2008 General Obligation Bond Issue for MFT Construction Project 03-00221-00-RP.

• A resolution accepting dedication of a no-access strip and an easement vacation and vacating part of a no-access strip and part of an easement in Ironwood Easement PUD.

• A resolution authorizing the execution of a license agreement with John Q. Hammons Hotel Management, LLC as manager for JQH-Normal Development, LLC for the property located at 102 Broadway (Former Masonic Temple).

• A resolution authorizing execution of an assignment – Constitution Trail LLC (Raab Rd. acquistions).

• An ordinance changing the name of Evergreen Village Blvd. to Evergreen Blvd.

• An ordinance amending Chapter 17 of the Municipal Code of the Town of Normal – Misdemeanors.

• An ordinance amending Section 6.6 of the Municipal Code – Emergency Medical Service Fees.

• An ordinance amending “an ordinance describing and designating an area located partially within the City of Bloomington, the Town of Normal and Unincorporated McLean County as an Enterprise Zone.”

• An ordinance vacating an alley in the 8th addition to the Town of Normal.

• An ordinance amending the Town Subdivision Code and Manual of Practice for the Design of Public Improvements – Owner’s Certificates.

• An ordinance rezoning property in the Town of Normal – Trails on Sunset Lake.

BLOOMINGTON – At the beginning of the Special Olympics basketball season last November, if someone had told Steve Grys, one of the two co-coaches for Pekin Park District’s Illinois River Valley Special Recreation Association, that his team would win their division, knocking off an undefeated team to do it, Grys said he would not have believed them.

But now, Grys, and his co-coach, David Daughtery, as well as the players on team designated IRVSRA White, nicknamed the IRVSRA Flames, are believers, having defeated Chicago’s previously unbeaten Independence Park Special Olympics, 39-27, at the Special Olympics Illinois State Basketball Tournament, held at Illinois Wesleyan University’s Shirk Center. The victory gave all the team members gold medals, and IRVSRA White closes its season with a 5-2 overall record.

IRVSRA White managed this while being physically outmatched by Chicago-based Independence Park Special Olympics, what with IPSO’s tallest player, Steve Burke, being 6 foot-2.

IPSO was 8-0 before meeting up with the Flames. Although IRVSRA trailed 8-6 after the first quarter, they led the remainder of the game, holding leads of 20-16 at the half, and 24-21 at the end of the third quarter in a tight, primarily defensive contest.

Grys said he was “shocked” when he was told after the game that his team had registered the only loss on IPSO’s season. “I had no idea…none,” he said. “Wow!”

When Grys broke the news to his players, they collectively applauded their accomplishment.

On Saturday, IRVSRA White qualified for the championship game by beating Riverview, Ill.-based Center For Enriched Living in a 58-16 mismatch.

A total of 1,500 Special Olympics athletes from across the state comprising 125 teams participated in the weekend’s activities.

This year’s victory makes three consecutive years that IRVSRA White has placed first in their division.

To compete in the tournament, athletes must have trained in the sport for at least eight weeks. All games at this tournament were played according to Illinois High School Association rules.

Winning Regionals Got Them Here: IRVSRA White entered Regional play, following their regular season, in January, with a 1-2 regular season mark. At Regionals, a forfeit by an opponent and a victory over another allowed IRVSRA White to find themselves going to State this past weekend.

The members of IRVSRA White are: Annette Bartley, Nick Butler, David Campbell, David Dockins, Rick Fryman, Abby Grys, Mike Haskins, Dan Jones, Kathy Jones, Zach Leeper, Dennis Madura, Austin Ray, Kevin Thompson, and James Wireman.

“Knisley Spirit Of The Game” Winners: At the conclusion of each of the games played at the SOI State Basketball Tournament, one player from each team was nominated by the particular game’s officials for the Knisley Spirit of the Game Award.” The Award honors Ron Knisley, who served in numerous positions when he was hired by SOI in 1991, and was director of sports and competition at SOI at the time of his death from Cancer in October 2005.

During IRVSRA’s game against CEL, the Flames’ Abby Grys was chosen for the “Spirit of the Game” honor on Saturday. On Sunday, officials’ IRVSRA choice was Mike Haskins.

Parental (And Grandparental) Pride: Kathy Leeper, North Pekin, is the mother of Zach Leeper, who joined IRVSRA White this year. She said it was “nerve-racking” to watch IRVSRA’s championship match against Independence Park.

But, in the end, she said, “I am so proud of this team. So proud…so proud of this team.”

Zach will be a senior at Pekin Community High School this fall, and played his first season for the Grys/Daughtery coached IRVSRA Flames squad

Roy and Kathy Leeper, North Pekin; and grandparents Terry and Sue Jackson, Marquette Heights, were all in attendance to watch the showdown against Independence Park.

“We’re so proud of all these kids, and of how hard they have worked all year,” said Terry Jackson. ”The games they played (Saturday and Sunday) were the best two games I think they played all year.”

Individual Skills Recognized, Too: In addition to the team competition, about 300 athletes tested their abilities in dribbling, passing, and shooting, at an individual skills event held at Horton Field House on the Illinois State University campus.

Zachary Fifer, 15, participated in this Special Olympics event representing Washington’s School District 50, and placed third in the Individual Basketball Skills Competition.

Illini Central Grade School, Mason City, sent four athletes to compete in the Individual Skills Competition. Noah Miller, 10, placed first in Basketball Individual Skills/8 Ft. Basket competition. Joshua Cooper, 11, placed fourth in the same competition.

Using a regulation 10 foot basket, Illini Central Grade School students Austin Jones, 12, and Jaime Horn, 14, came in fourth and fifth, respectfully.

BLOOMINGTON – Bloomington Extreme quarterback said he saw people wearing purple – his alma mater, Lexington High School’s primary color – being worn by a number of fans turning out for the start of the Indoor Football League season at U. S. Cellular Coliseum on Saturday.

That was because LHS and Monmouth College alum Mitch Tanney, well-traveled as a player in the Arena Football League and its developmental offshoot, arenafootball2, was playing close to home – with the Bloomington Extreme of the Indoor Football League, as they got ready to start the 2009 season with a rematch against league champion Sioux Falls Storm.

The Storm won the league’s 2008 championship last August, beating the Extreme, 40-35. The Extreme were the league’s Eastern Conference Champion in 2008.

But other colors came into play as the evening’s contest against the league champion Sioux Falls Storm continued, finishing with fans leaving blue, as Sioux Falls spoiled the Extreme’s season opener, beating Bloomington, 50-47.

Bloomington (0-1) owned a 38-35 lead with 12:40 left in the game’s fourth quarter after Tanney hit receiver Keith Brooks in the end zone from 19 yards out to put Bloomington in front, 38-35, following an extra point from Peter Christofilakos.

Sioux Falls (1-0) responded with an eight play, 39 yard drive, punctuated by an 11 yard touchdown pass from quarterback Terrance Bryant to receiver Sean Treasure, with 7:15 left. The extra point by kicker Parker Douglass pushed the Storm in front, 42-38.

Christofilakos hit a 43 yard field goal with 4:15 left, capping a Tanney-guided Extreme drive, cutting Sioux Falls’ lead by one, 42-41.

After a missed Sioux Falls field goal, Bloomington struck quickly, going 12 yards in two plays, ending in a 10 yard touchdown pass from Tanney to receiver Robert Redd, the second score assembled by the pair. That touchdown gave the Extreme a 47-42 lead, and the Extreme opted to go for two points, to force Sioux Falls into having to score a touchdown.

But Tanney’s two-point conversion pass failed.

Sioux Falls started their next set of downs from their own 12-yard line, but an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty against Bloomington helped push Sioux Falls to the Bloomington 9 yard line, where Bryant connected for another touchdown, this time to receiver Tavon McGee, with 45 seconds left in the game. Sioux Falls opted for two points and went in front, 50-47, on the successful conversion play to receiver James Terry.

Bloomington receiver Keith Brooks took the ensuing kickoff back to the Sioux Falls 14-yard line, and a handoff from Tanney to Brooks got the ball down to the Storm’s 12.

From there, Christofilakos positioned himself for a 20-yard field goal, but the ball sailed away from the goalposts, disappointing the crowd of 6,038.

The Rundown: Bryant and McGee connected for Sioux Falls’ opening score of the game, from 14 yards out, at 13:04 in the first quarter, but Bloomington broke up the extra point. Still, Sioux Falls owned a 6-0 lead.

Bloomington struck with their first possession, at 12:23 in the first quarter, as Tanney connected with former NFL receiver Peter Warrick from 19 yards out, putting the Extreme in front, 7-6 after Christofilakos’ extra point.

Storm defensive back Kevin Adams blocked a Christofilakos 33 yard field with 47 seconds left in the first quarter, running it in for a touchdown. Douglass’ extra point gave Sioux Falls a 13-7 lead.

Tanney connected with Redd for the first time on the night to start the second quarter. Tanney hit Redd with a 30 yard touchdown pass, capping a two play drive. Christofilakos’ extra point gave Bloomington a 14-13 lead.

Bryant connected with Treasure for the first time on the night from seven yards out for a touchdown at 10:20 in the second quarter, putting Sioux Falls in front, 19-14 after a failed Douglass point-after try.

Extreme running back Keith Brooks’ 1-yard run at 5:01 of the second quarter capped a 6 play, 33 yard drive, and put Bloomington up, 21-19, after Christofilakos’ extra point.

Warrick’s successful 5-yard pass reception from Tanney at 2:46 in the second quarter helped increase Bloomington’s advantage, 28-19.

Sioux Falls cut that lead, 28-25, as Bryant connected on a 27-yard pass to receiver Brent Little, with 37 seconds until halftime, but Douglass’ extra point failed.

Treasure’s 2-yard scoring run at 7:49 in the third quarter, capped a 8-play, 39 yard march for the Storm, giving them a 32-28 lead.

The two sides closed out the third quarter by each kicking a field goal – Christofilakos from 38 yards out at 5:01, cutting the Storm’s lead, 32-31; then Douglass hitting one from 24 yards at 1:10, inching in front of the Extreme, 35-31.

Little Things Added Up: Tanney, a veteran of the 50-yard game by way of his experience with af2 teams such as the Tampa Bay Storm and the Alabama Steeldogs, said that, looking back at the game, things were not adding up for the Extreme as the game progressed.

“If you look back at the game as a whole, there’s a lot of little things that we didn’t take care of,” Tanney said after the game. “A lot of times, a lot of little things add up to bigger things, and on the scoreboard, it resulted in our winding up on the short side of (the game).

“I thought we did a lot of things well on both sides of the ball, but, we also did some things that we will have to look at and correct, then move on.”

Extreme head coach Kenton Carr said that, with Tanney coming from the Arena Football League, where his last team was the New Orleans VooDoo, a learning curve is needed until his quarterback gets a complete grasp on how the IFL’s brand of the 50-yard game is played.

Tanney, who went 14-for-23 passing for 124 yards and five touchdowns, agreed: “This is definitely a change from being in (arenafootball2) and then Arena League last year.” Tanney said that even though his IFL education is continuing, he thought the Extreme “played well in spots offensively.”

He said he enjoyed the crowd support, particularly from the folks from Lexington who drove down to see his Extreme debut.

“The crowd was loud, they supported us, and hopefully, that will continue the rest of the year,” Tanney said.

After the game, Extreme head coach Kenton Carr said he had not had the chance to ask Christofilakos about the missed field goal. He said he “still believes Christofilakos is the best kicker in the league.

“It was a tough first loss,” Carr said. “I thought we had them. Frankly, I’m embarrassed. I think we’re a much better team than that, or at least, I thought we were. We got out-played and out-coached, and, like I said, I’m embarrassed. I thought we were better than that to be honest with you.

“That blocked field goal for a touchdown tonight…that happened to us in the championship game last year,” Carr recalled. “You can’t give up those kind of points.”

The Extreme are on the road for the next two weeks, with games at Sioux City next Saturday and at Muskegon on March 28, before Tanney and company return to U.S. Cellular Coliseum on Saturday, April 4 to face the Sioux City Bandits in a 7:05p.m. game.

NORMAL – The names of numerous contractors who submitted winning bids in an effort to be part of building three new schools in Normal’s Unit 5 School District were revealed to Board members and the public at the Board’s regular meeting on March 11 at District headquarters.

Richard J. Ach, senior project manager for Chicago-based Turner Construction Co., the company hired by Unit 5 as project manager for the construction projects, announced the companies and their winning bids.

Unit 5 is set to construct to new elementary schools and a middle school, all of which would be running by 2011. Voters approved the $96.7 million to be spent on construction of the new schools and the renovation of eight existing schools in the district in a referendum vote in February 2008.

Bids from companies wishing to work on the two new elementary schools, Benjamin Elementary and Cedar Ridge Elementary, had been opened and Ach announced the winning bids.

• Benjamin Elementary: The contract for structural work and miscellaneous steel for Benjamin Elementary went to Indiana-based Stone City Ironworks, who submitted a bid of $695,293; The contract for the masonry on this project went to Peoria-based Summit Masonry, who submitted a bid of $1,864,000; Chenoa-based Union Roofing Co., Inc. submitted a winning bid for the roofing contract on this project, of $$459,800; the contract for glass and glazing went to Peoria-based Kelly Glass, submitting a winning bid of $555,220; and Bloomington-based Pipeworks Co. submitting a winning bid to do the plumbing, with a winning bid of $679,000

• Cedar Ridge Elementary: The contract for structural work and miscellaneous steel for Cedar Ridge Elementary went to Peoria-based Area Erectors, who submitted a bid of $748,500; The contract for the masonry on this project went to Peoria-based Summit Masonry, who submitted a bid of $1,696,000; Chenoa-based Union Roofing Co. submitted a winning bid for the roofing contract on this project, of $387,587; the contract for glass and glazing went to Peoria-based Kelly Glass, submitting a winning bid of $527,720; and Bloomington-based Pipeworks Co. submitting a winning bid $690,000 to do the plumbing.

Bids from companies wishing to work on the addition/renovation project for Sugar Creek Elementary School that had also been opened were announced.

The contract for structural work and miscellaneous steel for Sugar Creek Elementary went to Stone City Ironworks, who submitted a bid of $284,562. Masonry work on this project will be done by Morton-based Otto Baum Co., Inc., who submitted a bid of $959,440. The winning bid for the roofing work went to Chenoa-based Union Roofing Co., who submitted a winning bid of $582,400. Glass and glazing work done on this school will be done by East Moline Glass, who submitted a winning bid of $221,000.

Groundbreaking ceremonies for all three of the new schools will take place in May.

In addition to action taken on the two new elementary schools, Board members approved a company that will install a ground source heating system at Colene Hoose Elementary School. That project has been awarded to Oglesby, Ill.-based John’s Service & Sales, Inc., with their submitted total bid of $850,000. A total of five companies submitted bids for that project.

The Board also unanimously approved a Bloomington company’s bid to perform renovation work at Carlock Elementary. Tarter Construction, LLC submitted a bid of $245,000.

Ventures In Excellence Program Adopted: In an effort to bring quality teachers into the district, Board members unanimously approved adopting the Ventures In Excellence program to help Unit 5 administrators in selecting and developing teachers for the district. The total cost of the program to Unit 5, including training sessions and materials, and an on-line subscription for the district, is $58,488.

Slight Change Upward In Same-Day Enrollment: There was an increase in the same-day enrollment figures when the information was gathered in late February, but the increase was less than one percent. There were 12,578 students in Unit 5’s 15 elementary schools, three junior highs, and two high schools when the same day figures were tabulated on Feb. 27. That was an increase of 114 students, or just .91 percent, from Feb. 29, 2008, when there were 12,464 students in class.

At the elementary schools, there was an increase of 46 students, with 6,317 students in class, although five of the elementary schools – Brigham, Glenn, Northpoint, Prairieland, and Towanda – had slight declines in population as opposed to the same time last year.

At the junior high level, Unit 5 report a net gain of one student in same-day figures, this despite Parkside Junior High being the only one to have fewer students at that time, as opposed to the same time last year. PJHS had 903 students in class on Feb. 27, as opposed to having 956 in class on last February 29.

There was an increase of 67 students at Normal’s two high schools in the same-day figures. Normal Community High and Normal Community West had a total attendance of 3,406 students in class on Fe. 27, an increase of 67 students, or 2 percent. Last Feb. 29, there were 3,339 students in class.

NORMAL – Five schools from Normal’s Unit 5 School District have been recognized for academic excellence by the Illinois State Board of Education. Unit 5 School Board members heard some details about this accomplishment during the “good news” portion of their March 11 meeting at district headquarters.

The five schools, and their principals are: Colene Hoose Elementary, Edward Heineman; Fox Creek Elementary, Mark Robinson; Grove Elementary, John Lutes; Northpoint Elementary, Bruce Weldy; and Prairieland Elementary, Tim Arnold.

For Unit 5 “to have five schools receive this honor is (evidence of) a tremendous honor,” said Jim Braksick, district superintendent, told Board members.

These schools had students who exceeded in reading and math skills for three straight years ending in 2008, and showed 90 percent attendance during that period, Braksick added.

Normal West Students Receive “Rachel’s Challenge” Grant: Four students from Normal West High School were honored by their Principal, Tom Eder, for applying for and receiving a $5,000 “Rachel’s Challenge” grant from the Illinois Violence Prevention Association.

The four students honored were Vanessa Almanza, Kendra Fletcher, Ruth Kenney, and Kendra Kenney. The advisor to the Normal West Student Council is Peg Modglin.

The purpose of applying for the grant is to bring the “Rachel’s Challenge” program – which advocates non-violence in schools – to Normal West. The school will begin the program in the fall.

“Rachel’s Challenge” honors Rachel Scott, a 17-year-old student who was killed in Colorado’s Columbine High School Massacre on April 20, 1999. Scott, along with 11 of her fellow students and one teacher, died when two fellow Columbine students fired shots at fellow students and set bombs off in the school building. The two student assailants, Dylan Klebold and Eric Harris, committed suicide, ending the incident.

NCHS Swimmer Honored: Board members were introduced to Normal Community High senior Jake Hanson, by NCHS Athletic Director Andy Turner. Hanson, a senior, competed in two events at the Illinois High School Association State Swimming and Diving competition earlier this month, and placed second in the 200 yard Backstroke and eighth in the 200 yard Butterfly. Hanson’s efforts helped NCHS’ Swimming and Diving team to finish 24th in the state. Beginning this fall, Jacob will be a freshman scholar athlete at Eastern Michigan University.

Glenn Elementary Doubles Up On “Good News”: Glenn Elementary School, through Principal Carmen Bergmann, presented two pieces of “good news” to report from her school. First, Bergmann honored seven students from her school’s DEAP Program, who, under the guidance of the school’s IMC Specialist, Mrs. Jacque Bethmann, researched various aspects of Russian culture, presenting the information to the school’s younger students.

During the school’s Diversity Fair, held on Feb. 13, and organized by first grade teacher Mrs. Jan Meadows, DEAP students spent time researching a number of different aspects of Russia, and developed and made presentations on those subjects.

Those subjects included Russia’s food, history, language, clothing, environment, sports and recreation, and governmental system.

The DEAP students who took part in researching and making the presentations were: Christian Baker, Sapphire Campbell, Sam DeCillis, Jack Kestian, Nathan Morrissette, Aidan Rich, and Selena Wade.

In addition, Bergmann passed along praise for the members of the school’s Technology Department, for their efforts bring Microsoft into the school, as well as to help staff adjust to new Smartboards in the School’s newly remodeled classrooms, and the IT team’s efforts to make the school building completely wireless.

Among the Unit 5 Technology Staff Bergmann singled out in a written report to the Board were: David Harris; Loren Baele; Michael Caldwell and his team of support specialists, Debbie Bennett, Matt Meins, Jason Mays, and David Shuck; Brian Gerike; Rita Gyires; Chris Kozik; and Melissa Rinehart.