NORMAL – Carl Hulse worked his way up journalism’s job ladder, learning his craft as a student at Illinois State University and working at its newspaper, The Vidette, which was published daily when Hulse worked there, to getting his first reporting job at the LaSalle News Tribune to moving up to the Fort Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel.

From there in his career, he worked his way far enough to be able “to bring greetings from the failing New York Times” to 300 people, most of them either Journalism or Public Relations majors, in the Circus Room of the Bone Student Center on ISU’s campus for the annual Constitution Day event on Sept. 17.

“The failing New York Times” is the moniker President Donald Trump has frequently referred to the publication by. Hulse is Chief Washington Correspondent for the Times, and a December 1976 graduate of ISU, having majored in Speech Communication. He began his career at the New York Times in 1985 in Washington, D. C. covering national politics and government.

“I love the Constitution,” Hulse told the gathering. “A lot of us at the Times carry it with us.” He then produced a pocket-size version of the document which he carries with him. He said he often wonders if the Founding Fathers would believe all the changes in society since they originally crafted it 228 years ago.

“It’s a challenging time right now,” Hulse said. “Media is a big part of our lives. As long as I’m careful and factual, should I be sued, I’m constitutionally protected.”

On the subject President Trump admonishes the media for what he says it produces – Trump refers to it as “fake news” – Hulse calls the situation that sort of talk creates “scary” and added Trump labels anything he’s not happy with “fake news.” Countering Trump’s argument, Hulse said genuine “fake news” comes in the form of Russian propaganda.

Hulse said the damage done by claims of fake news which Trump has made “has already been done and will take years to have undone.” He called “disingenuous” former Presidential advisor Steve Bannon appearing on CBS’ “60 Minutes” broadcast on Sept. 17.

“It’s our job to provide information to help people make informed decisions,” Hulse said of what the media’s role in society ought to be considered. He added he believes Trump is alone in his assertion about Russian infiltration in Washington.

Hulse said some people in this country believe journalists should go from being neutral and objective on some issues to choosing sides. “My job is to talk to people and report fairly. But people don’t think we do that.” He added the New York Times “is needing to show readers actual documents they have gathered” related to stories as proof of that.

Hulse said recent talks between Trump and Democratic minority leaders Sen. Chuck Schumer of New York and Sen. Nancy Pelosi of California, give the veteran journalist hope the government’s legislative branch is trying to take back some power it ceded to Trump.

Hulse spoke for about 40 minutes and then opened up the floor for questions which came from both students and some local residents.

NORMAL – Normal Town Council members approved a resolution allowing the Town to offer an incentive for certain employees within a certain pay classification to retire. Called the Voluntary Separation Incentive (VSI), the offer to retire early will help the Town in its effort to reduce personnel costs.

Employees who are eligible for VSI need to meet certain requirements. Those include: Being employees who are not in bargaining units who hold certain pay grades; Have completed 15 years of service with the Town as of Dec. 31, 2018, and will be 55 years old by that date; and are eligible to receive pension benefits from Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund (IMRF) by that date upon separating from their employment with the Town.

Employees taking advantage of Normal’s VSI offer would receive, upon retirement, a year’s worth of health and dental benefits at the same rate as current employees. Town employees have until mid-October to commit to a firm retirement date. Given those parameters, the Town has 18 employees eligible to consider the VSI offer.

A public comment on the subject came from former Town Council candidate Ron Ulmer, objecting to the early retirement program. Ulmer added he didn’t want to see the Town allow for early retirement “in any way.” He said a government’s problems are “frequently caused by spending.”

Agreement Approving Closing Of Maple Hill Rd. Rail Crossing Passes: Council members unanimously approved authorizing executing an agreement with Illinois Commerce Commission which would permanently eliminate the Norfolk Southern Railroad crossing on Maple Hill Rd. This road has been closed since the late 1990s as a result of low traffic through the area combined with high maintenance costs. Norfolk Southern Railroad still maintains the crossing signals in that area and requested the crossing be vacated.

The Town’s agreement with Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC) includes incentive payments from Norfolk Southern and the Grade Crossing Protection Fund. The Grade Crossing Protection Fund is overseen by ICC. Also in the agreement, the railroad provides an incentive payment for the crossing closure of $15,000, as well as a $5,000 reimbursement to the Town for costs associated with installation of permanent traffic barriers at the crossing.

For its part in the agreement, the Town will be obligated to, among other conditions in the agreement, install and maintain permanent traffic barriers near the railroad’s right-of-way line.

Land Acquisition Discussion Questioned: Council members were slated to go into executive session to discuss property acquisition at the conclusion of the public meeting to discuss property acquisition. That prompted public comment from former Mayoral candidate Marc Tiritilli. Tiritilli asked the Town to cease its use of the Fairview Building, which is owned by the county, as well as the Town’s considering purchasing the building. The county is considering demolishing the building, which is located at 905 N. Main St., and is known to some in the area as a result of one of its prior uses as the Tuberculosis Sanitarium.

Dave Shields Appointed To Normal Planning Commission: Dave Shields has been appointed to the Normal Planning Commission, filling a vacancy created when Arlene Hosea left so she could become a member of the Normal Township Board. A resident of Normal since 2011, Shields is a 35-year employee of State Farm Insurance, currently working in their Strategic Resources area.

Shields is a 2015 graduate of the Multicultural Leadership Program and also has served on the Town’s 2040 Vision Committee. He has also been a volunteer with Not In Our Town and Illinois State University’s Friends Of The Arts program.

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

• Approval of the minutes of the regular meeting of Sept. 5, 2017.

• Approval of Town of Normal Expenditures for payment as of Sept. 13, 2017.

• A resolution to award the bid for an 18-inch replacement valve for the water treatment plant to Deer Creek, Ill.-based G. A. Rich & Sons at a total cost of $162,100.

• An ordinance amending Section 15.6-19 (C) of the Town Zoning Code (Permitted uses in the M-1 Restricted Manufacturing District).

NORMAL – The heat of the day carried over as the sun set once this game got started, but no one player dominated the annual “Chili Bowl” game between Unit 5 rivals Normal Community High School and Normal Community West High School on Sept. 15 at Wildcat Field. In fact only one player – NCHS senior wide receiver Jalen Coleman – scored more than once in the contest. But NCHS pulled away early in the first half on the way to a 50-16 win before roughly 2,500 fans.

Senior running back Varshaun Dixon’s 25 yard pass reception for a touchdown from junior quarterback Daylen Boddie at 10:27 in the first quarter set the tone for the game’s pace for the Ironmen. The extra point by junior kicker Josue Nsukami put NCHS up, 7-0, giving the team a 3-0 record both overall and in Big 12 Conference play this season.

The opening possession from the starting kickoff ended in a punt for Normal West, and after what was Normal West’s second possession on the night from this point ended in a turnover on downs, Wildcat defenders made advancing the ball difficult on the Ironmen forcing Nsukami to kick a 31 yard field goal to increase their lead to 10-0 when the game went into the second quarter.

A 35 yard touchdown dash by Boddie at 10:14 in the second quarter followed by a missed extra point try upped NCHS’ lead, 16-0. A nine yard touchdown pass from Boddie to Coleman followed by a botched extra point try increased NCHS’ lead, 22-0 at the 5:10 mark until halftime.

On their next possession, Normal West (3-1 overall, 2-1 Big 12) got on the scoreboard courtesy of senior running back Genesis Forrest as he dashed from 31 yards out into the end zone for his team’s first score, followed by junior kicker Eddie Miller’s extra point, cutting NCHS’ lead, 22-7 with 3:12 left in the half.

A Normal West fumble picked up by NCHS senior defensive end Alec Devecchi resulted in a 44 yard touchdown run followed by Nsukami’s next extra point, putting the Ironmen up, 29-7. The half closed on an 80 yard kickoff return by West’s junior return man Armani Forrest, followed by an extra point by Miller. That narrowed NCHS’ lead, 29-14.

Each team had an unsuccessful possession coming out of the halftime before NCHS scored thanks to an 18 yard touchdown pass from Boddie to Coleman for their second teaming on the night at 5:40 in the third quarter. Nsukami’s extra point would give the Ironmen a 36-14 lead.

A Normal West fumble disrupted the Wildcats drive but helped turned into points when the defense hemmed NCHS close to their own end zone and Wildcats defenders tackled Dixon for a safety with 2:25 left in the third quarter. That cut NCHS’ lead, 36-16. But during the ensuing kickoff by the Ironmen, West turned the ball back over to the Ironmen, putting the ball at NCHS’ 45 yard line. Five plays later, Boddie connected with Dishon Hall II for a 13 yard touchdown, followed by Nsukami’s extra point, putting the Ironmen up, 43-16, with 15.6 seconds until the start of the fourth quarter.

A 50-yard scoring dash by senior wide receiver Nich Schaber at the 9:16 mark in the final stanza would end the scoring on the night, topped off by Nsukami’s extra point.

“I thought our kids played physical and our offense gave us a lot of opportunities,” said NCHS head coach Wes Temples following the contest. “Y’know, to put up 50 points on that team, that’s a darn good team….that’s a good defense, and a good football team,” referring to Normal West.

“Hat’s off to Normal Community,” said Normal West head coach Darren Hess. “We need to get back to work next week and fix some things. We had some adversity we hadn’t had in terms of being down scoring. I thought our kids competed really well throughout the game. But our kids. This game doesn’t define us as a program and we’re going to get back to work “

Both teams continue their Big 12 schedules next Friday as NCHS hosts Peoria Richwoods Richwoods while Normal West celebrates Homecoming by hosting Danville . Both games start at 7p.m.

NORMAL – It’s rare when the agenda of Normal-based Unit 5 School Board isn’t packed with “good news” reports highlighting positives going on in district schools, or an update on finances. Yet, that was almost the case when the governing body’s members met for their regularly-scheduled session at district headquarters on Sept. 13.

Among the items on the Board’s consent agenda – matters grouped together and decided upon with one vote – was to grant permission to George L. Evans Junior High School for an overnight trip for four days next February to Atlanta, Ga. for teachers Anne Dameron and Megan Siegrist’s “Amazing Shake” group to attend a national event.

The students will be attending the event at the Ron Clark Academy in the Georgia capital.

The Amazing Shake is a competition that highlights teaching students manners, discipline, respect, and professional conduct. Prior to the competition, students learn the intricacies of professional human interaction. These include such skills like how to give a proper handshake, how to “work a room,” how to give a successful interview, and how to remain composed under pressure. This competition is to prepare students to be able to present themselves for opportunities that may come their way.

The actual competition consists of scenario stations set up around the school and throughout the city that every student must pass through while exercising etiquette, and composure. Top performers advance to the next level of challenges until there is ultimately one overall national champion.

The Amazing Shake National Competition is open to students in the 5th-8th grade during the 2017-18 school year. Schools are encouraged to have local Amazing Shake competitions and to send their top performers to Nationals. Districts like Unit 5 are also encouraged to conduct district-level competitions with the winners from local schools.

Money From State Coming: State dollars which have been due to the district have either arrived or will arrive soon, the district’s business manager told Board members. Marty Hickman told Board members toward the end of their 35-minute meeting Unit 5 has received three State aid payments from Springfield recently – two in August and one this month.

However, Hickman said, while those payments cover dollars due to the district in fiscal year 2018, the district is still looking to receive fourth quarter payments they have coming from the State which would count toward money due the district in fiscal year 2017.

Upon occasion when we get together, my family will break out a Bocce set and launch into a game or two. So when I saw that WGLT FM, the National Public Radio affiliate on Illinois State University’s campus, was sponsoring a Bocce tournament at Normandy Village, grounds upon which the old Illinois Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Children’s School occupied, I wondered if a family pair or two could be participating. And most importantly, in this age of electronic devices kids can’t seem to be pulled away from, would one of the team members be a teen.

While I didn’t discover any teams that were blood relatives with a teenager, I did find a young person, who along with her adult partner, managed to both charm and then dismantle their competition.

Meet Victoria Mendez-Duke, a sixth grader at Kingsley Junior High School, and her teammate for this competition, Carlo Robustelli, director of development at Illinois Wesleyan University. Robustelli is friends with Victoria’s folks, Diego Mendez-Carbajo and Lynda Duke. Both of Victoria’s parents work at IWU, hence the connection linking them to Robustelli.

Robustelli said he asked Victoria if she would like to team up with him for this event. “I needed someone who I knew would be really good, would be very competitive, and would also make it a lot of fun,” he said. From all indications, Victoria certainly seemed to fit those qualifications.

But first, Robustelli had to teach Victoria the rules of the game which dates back to Egypt 5,000 years ago. Victoria admits Bocce was confusing at first to understand but Robustelli discovered he had a fast learner on his hands in his young teammate.

They lost their first game in the tournament, 9-4, putting their team, which they nicknamed the Mighty Chinchillas, into a consolation bracket to get their play under way. But after that initial loss, Victoria and Robustelli picked up steam and won their next five games, which help to put them into the competition’s quarterfinals. And as for the name of the team, that came courtesy of two pet chinchillas Victoria has. A chinchilla is a rabbit-squirrel mix.

The Mighty Chinchillas were among 32 teams who signed up to play in the tournament paying a $30 entry fee. This was the debut event for WGLT, and Linda Healy, director of events and outreach for the radio station, said the event raised $4,000, including team registrations and sponsorships. Since it had such a positive response, Healy said the station would like to see it continue.

For those unfamiliar with the game, it’s fairly simple: Two teams of two play, and one team starts the game by tossing a small white ball called a Pallina into the playing field. Then the two opposing teams try to toss a colored ball, or Bocce Ball, closest to the pallina. The team which gets its Bocce Ball nearest the Pallina earns one point. A full game is played to 21. But there was a time limit to each game in the tourney after which the winner was declared.

Victoria took command in one of the games The Mighty Chinchilla played, scoring all but one of the points in a 9-4 victory.

From what I saw of Victoria’s play, when she threw the pallina, it was almost like she was shooting pool – trying to make sure she could convince that little white ball of where it needed to go so that the larger bocce balls will zone in to meet it. Victoria had a determined look on her face, almost like a veteran player assessing a necessary shot, as she let the ball fly where she wanted, hoping it would.

Opponents on a husband-and-wife team, Justin and Christina Boyd, whose team name was Bocce’s Be Crazy, were impressed by the only youngster playing on the 8 foot wide by 60 foot long courts that had been set up for the event. They almost had to be after Victoria, who is just about five foot tall, and Robustelli beat them, 10-4. “Our opponent was amazing,” Christina Boyd said. “She was little but mighty. She’s tough.”

The Mighty Chinchillas were mighty in their attempt to come from a small hole they dug as a result of that opening loss to get to the competition’s quarterfinals before suffering their next loss. But, while it was discouraging, Victoria has plenty to keep her busy, as she received an opportunity to spend part of her summer at Miller Park’s Zoo Camp, and then at Sea Camp in San Diego where she got to swim with sharks.

She tried out for KJHS’ girls’ basketball team but didn’t make it. But undaunted, she looks forward to trying out for the school’s Lacrosse team and its track team. In the meantime, she can bone up on Bocce since she has a neighbor who has the right size yard for it, and hopes to give it another shot at next year’s tournament.

She’s tough. She’s determined. She may be small, but she proved to be mighty. Those are great beginning qualifications for Bocce or Track or anything else this young lady wants to do in the future.