The District #348 school board approved these personnel matters at their monthly meeting Monday night at MCGS.
Football District Proposal Fails
Illinois High School Association (IHSA) member schools approved 12 of 14 amendment proposals that appeared on the all-school ballot during the annual by-law referendum process that ended on December 19, 2023. Full text of the initial 23 proposals, including the 14 that advanced to the all-school ballot, can be found by clicking here. https://www.ihsa.org/documents/2023-2024By-LawAmendmentProposals.pdf
A proposal that would have significantly changed football scheduling in the state failed to pass (272-379-76). The only other proposal that did not pass sought to decrease the number of allowable summer contact days between coaches and student-athletes.
"The IHSA Board of Directors has already had discussions about the potential of forming a Football Ad Hoc Committee in 2024 in the event that this district proposal failed to pass," said IHSA Executive Director Craig Anderson. "They want to be proactive in trying to address the issues that are at the root of different football proposals seemingly being brought forth each year. They recognize the myriad issues in IHSA football are unique and can be based on geography, school size, conference affiliation, and the traditional success of a program, which is why no recent proposals have garnered enough support to pass. There is likely no singular answer to these issues, but the Board wants to explore the idea that a large and diverse group from around the state might be able to find some solutions that the high school football community in the state would support."
The 2023 legislative process brought out the highest voting total in over a decade, as 89.2% of the membership participated in the vote. Below is a summary of the proposals and the vote totals. (The numbers in parentheses indicate the total of yes, no, and no opinion votes. For an amendment to pass, yes votes must outnumber no votes.).
Proposal 4 (Passes 578-124-24) Allows coaches to conduct out of season strength and conditioning workouts with limits of no more than 4 days per week and no more than 90 minutes per session outside the season. No coaching of the skills of a sport during any session.
Proposal 5 (Passes 449-233-45): Allows students to meet the residence by-law when their parent/guardian is a full-time staff member at a public school whose attendance boundary they do not reside in if the district has a Board Policy permitting students of employees to attend tuition free.
Proposal 9 (Passes 547-136-43): Modifies the All-Star games participation limit to include all sports as opposed to just basketball, football, soccer and volleyball.
Proposal 11 (Fails 302-407-18): Modifies the number of summer contact days restriction from 25 to 18 days.
Proposal 12 (Passes 566-132-23): Allows coaches to conduct strength and conditioning workouts with limits of no more than 4 days per week and no more than 90 minutes per session during the summer contact days. Conditioning training does not count against the summer contact day count. No coaching of the skills of a sport during any session in order for the session not to count as a summer contact day.
Proposal 14 (Passes 422-136-166): Restricts a Pre-Contest Physical Examination from determining a student’s eligibility for a contest other than in sports that require weigh-ins or sports-specific nail or skin checks.
Proposal 15 (Passes 564-36-118): Modifies the participation under an assumed name to match the language passed two years ago in By-law 3.090.
Proposal 16 (Passes 540-126-54): Eliminates the IHSA Tournament Limitations By-law (5.004).
Proposal 17 (Passes 410-232-85): Creates the opportunity for football teams to conduct a pre-season scrimmage with another school. Specific scrimmage limitations include the following: Use of IHSA Officials, 4 separate 12 play segments, no special teams, 48 total play limits per player, no live contact or thud in practice the day before or after the scrimmage. Scrimmage to be held on Friday or Saturday of IHSA Week 7. Players are eligible to participate in the scrimmage after participating in 8 different days of practice.
Proposal 18 (Fails 272-379-76): Establishes districts in the sport of football to be determined by the IHSA using geography and classification. Eight districts in each class with eight schools in each district. District games in weeks 3 – 9 of the regular season. Top 4 schools in each district qualify for the IHSA Play-offs. Seeding procedures will be similar to current seeding procedures with teams from the same district not to play in the first round.
Proposal 19 (Passes 352-48-321): Eliminates the Boys Gymnastics season and contest limitation by-law.
Proposal 20 (Passes 541-134-48): Eliminate the match limit per tournament language in girls and boys volleyball.
Proposal 22 (Passes 594-18-111): Increase the number of girls’ wrestling team contests from 18 to 25.
Proposal 23 (Passes 464-82-181): Establishes a Girls Flag Football fall season limitation (Monday of Wk. 6 to Saturday of Wk. 21), a pre-season practice requirement of 9 practices before a contest and a regular season contests limitation of 25 games exclusive of the IHSA State Series.
City Council Approves Levy During Special Meeting
Meeting in special session over the noon hour Monday, the Mt. Carmel City Council formally adopted the tax levy for 2023 real estate taxes payable in 2024. Mayor Joe Judge said the levy is going up slightly….
Judge previously said the increase comes after the city adopted a negative increased tax levy two years ago and a flat tax levy last year. He said this year’s increase will amount to just a total of $14,000, when split among all city taxpayers represents a very minimal increase.
Effingham Firm To Build Wabash County Highway Headquarters
An Effingham company has been awarded the bid to construct a new Wabash County highway department headquarters. At their regular meeting yesterday, county commissioners approved the low bid from K. Wohltman Construction in the amount of $1,429,000. The bid was the lowest from among the 8 quotes received for the project. In addition to the building, commissioners approved spending $14,000 for a natural gas fired emergency generator, something commissioner Tim Hocking said was important for not just the highway department….
It’s estimated the project will take 270 calendar days to complete. The county will use more than $1 million in ARPA funds to help pay for the project with the remainder coming from the highway department’s budget.
Owensville man arrested on DUI charge
On December 17th, 2023 at approximately 4:25 a.m. the Gibson County Sheriff`s Office received a call about a vehicle stopped in the roadway on First Street and Warrick Street in Owensville. Sgt. John Fischer, Deputy Bart Wagner and Princeton Police Officer Ben Kiesel arrived to find a Black 2015 Ford Fusion in the wrong lane on First Street up against a curb. The driver, who was later identified as Austin Q. Martin, age 29 of Owensville was sleeping behind the wheel. Mr. Martin exited the vehicle and Sgt. John Fischer conducted a roadside investigation. Sgt. Fischer found probable cause to believe Mr. Martin had operated a vehicle while intoxicated. Mr. Martin was transported to the Gibson County Jail and charged with operating a vehicle while intoxicated with endangerment and operating while intoxicated with a BAC over .15%. Mr. Martin`s has posted a $650 bond.
Assisting officers were Deputy Bart Wagner, Princeton Police Sgt. Ben Kiesel and Princeton Police Officer Brian Archibald.
All criminal defendants are to be presumed innocent until, and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Christmas Brighter For Many Wabash County Families
Dozens of Wabash County children will have a Merrier Christmas this year thanks to the Shop With A Cop/Fireman/EMT program. Yesterday was shopping day at the Princeton Walmart as each youngster was given a $300 budget with at least half of that earmarked for clothes according to organizer Mark Seaton, Mt. Carmel Fire Department captain….
The program is made possible from community donations that Seaton and others solicit throughout the year…
And Seaton said the kids aren’t the only ones who benefit from the program…
The families along with law enforcement officers, firefighters, and EMT’s gathered at the elementary school yesterday to pair up before heading to Princeton for the shopping spree.
Allendale School Board Agenda
Meeting is Wednesday night.
Judge Shoots Down Long John Silvers Rumor
On last Friday’s “Ask The Mayor” segment, Joe Judge said he does not know who bought the former Long John Silvers property on West 9th Street, but he did shoot down one prevailing rumor that’s been floating around town…
The complete Ask The Mayor segment can be accessed on our website, wsjd.fm
Public Works Director Not Retiring After All
A longtime Mt. Carmel City employee who was scheduled to retire at the end of the year has changed his mind and will stick around awhile longer. Mike Gidcumb has served in a variety of capacities including city inspector and his current position as head of the public works department. On last Friday’s Ask The Mayor segment, Joe Judge said Gidcumb isn’t going anywhere….
Judge said Gidcumb’s decision to stay for two more years will make for a smoother transition to his replacement…
Get The App To See The Light Map
On Wednesday’s Morning Show, the winners of the Sights and Sounds of Christmas home decorating contest were announced. Originally, organizers planned give 8 awards, 7 to homes plus the Merry and Bright business award. But, because of the quality of this year’s entries, an 8th home winner was announced. The business winners was Mt. Carmel Public Utility while the people’s choice in the home decorating contest was went to Ed and Cheryl Schonnaman. This is the 7th year for the competition and this year there were 23 total entries. Spokeswoman Brittany Campagna said there’s an easy way for you to see all of the entries…
The people’s choice winner in the Festival of Trees at Merchants Park was Girl Scout Troop 8503.
Ed & Cheryl Schonaman, 1202 Poplar St
People's Choice Award Winner!
“Christmas Vacation” (yes, the Griswold award” Award Winner!