Edward “Butch” Akes joined the Xenia Volunteer Department in 1964. At the Regular Meeting of the Board of Trustees on Wednesday May 2, 2012 he submitted his resignation/retirement after 48 years of service.
The attending firemen and the audience gave him a standing ovation and many warm wishes were extended.
Not only had Butch served faithfully, honorably and bravely to protect the residents of the Xenia Fire Protection Service District, he had also taken it upon himself to maintain the housekeeping of the Fire House after each rental event. In this way the rent paid by the renters could go directly to the Volunteer Firemen with no deduction for custodian service.
Moving 'onward and upward' to the IHSA Class 1A State Track and Field Finals after winning both the long jump and 100 meter dash on Friday at the Newton Girls' Sectional is Jennie Block of Flora High School.
And 'oh, so close' was several third places turned in by the Wolfgals at a Sectional meet where the winner and runner-up receive State Finals bids.
Easily winning the long jump, Block cleared 16-feet-1-inch, more than one full-foot better than the runner-up finisher, Lexie Davidson, of Newton.
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Clay City High School held its junior-senior prom on May 5 at the Holiday in Olney, IL.
Clinton Rauch and Baylee Gill were crowned king and queen.
Prom Court: Dylan Wolfe, Brooke Anderson, Nathan Dulaney, Kaylee Kuenstler, Mitchell Noll, Alana Grassi, Jordan Noll, Clinton Rauch, Tyler Edwards, Baylee Gill, Katelyn Hosselton, Lily Kessler, Cole Hildebrand, Megan Kessler, Dustin Charles, Kaylee Gill, Jordan Brown, Sydney Lynn, Ethan Brown, Sierra Frank.
Smith Mill, a rebuilt grain mill run by a water wheel located in rural Rinard, just south of the Wayne County line on Bluemound Road, will be open to the public for the first time ever this Sunday, May 6, from 1 to 4 p.m. The event is free of charge.
The mill was constructed by Bob Smith and is a labor of love that has taken him over 25 years to put together, using components from a Newport, Pa. mill which Smith salvaged after he purchased the contents of the building it was in back in 1986.
“It was built in 1875 and had an 18-foot diameter by five-foot wide wheel,” said Smith. “I had to rebuild the wheel anyway, so I decided to narrow it down to 38-inches.”
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