Herald and Review from Decatur, Illinois • Page 6

AMON Herald Review A6 Decatur, Illinois iS Tuesday, January 2, 1996 Commentary 111! if mi lid EMooi yN I 0(1) SlJj The musical night spots have vanished By BOB FALLSTROM Community News Editor FALLSTROM Letters bring romance rr iX a i MkiA 1 if i A v- 8 rt, if A A i BLUE MOUND Meridian Middle School news includes those named to teams and groups Baseball Alex Brown, John Carr, Matt Houser, Brian Hunter, Nick Jebe, Justin Johnson, Mark Hocker, Ryan Murray, Dustin McWhirter, Daniel Noland, Justin Patton, Matt Penned, Jesse Perrey, Travis Reynolds, Jason Trotter, Dan Warnick, Dustin York. Girls basketball Tara Albert, Lyndzi Brown, Chanel Craighead, Laura Gerhold, Shelby Otta, Autumn South, Casey Stengel, Kalyn Thiele, sixth grade; Amber Alexander, Ashley Blome, Devin Forden, Abby Henn, Molly Pistorius, Amber Reynolds, Stratia Stein, Suzanne Whitacre, Christine Whitacre, Donna Wiley, Ashley Younger, seventh grade; Randi Barnard, Krystal Bennett, Jodi Craft, Jessica Davis, Natalie Duncan, Laura Kirby, Kindra Kramer, Lori Kuhn, Heather Marshall, Crystal Mathias, Kirstin Phelps, eighth grade. Boys basketball Kyle Janvrin, Steven Keith, Neil Ryder, Nathan Swigert, sixth grade; Alex Brown, Kyle Bums, Jonathon Carr, Jared Cox, Charlie Donahue, Kevin Du-keman, Nick Jebe, Woody Johnson, Trent Murray, David Sullivan, Brandon Winded, seventh grade; Matt Houser, Shane Major, Dustin McWhirter, Ryan Murray, Daniel Noland, Justin Patton, Travis Reynolds, Joe South, Jason Trotter, Dan Warnick, Clint Wilson, eighth grade. Cheerleaders Kendan Binkley, Erin Evans, Katie Fultz, Mellissa Page, Amber Porter, Emily Wetzel, seventh graders, and Stephanie Bridgeman, Julie Fehren-bacher, Jennifer Lash, Kristy Logan, Stacy Swigert, Sara Wells, eighth graders, winter squad. Danielle Binkley, Susannah Cutler, Katie Fultz, Amber Porter, Emily Wetzel, seventh graders, and Laura Alexander, Trisha Bilyeau, Emily Kitchens, Kristy Logan, Ashley McEldowney, Stacy Swigert, eighth graders, fall sqaud.

Show choir Josh Grider, Justin Patton, Dustin McWhirter, Shane Major, Travis Reynolds, Dan Warnick, Matt Houser, Ryan Murray, Jeff Ropp, Stacy Swigert, Jenny Brown, Laura Kirby, Kristy Logan, Jody Craft, Natalie Duncan, Jessica Davis, Cara Bur-khart, Randi Barnard, Ashley McEldowney, Jennifer Perry, eighth grade; Ashley Blome, Jodi Bowman, Susannah Cutler, Erin Evans, Molly Pistorius, Stratia Stein, Abby Henn, Charlie Donahue, Sean Dowdy, Mark Hocker, Justin Kierbs, Woody Johnson, Craig Boggs, Devin Forden, Michelle Young, KristJ Mitchell, Amber Porter, Sara Moore, Ashley Younger, seventh grade. District Junior Choral Festival participants Randi Barnard, Jessica Berg, Trisha Bilyeu, Jenny Brown, Cara Bur-khart, Beverly Davis, Sean Dowdy, Julie Feh-renbacher, Josh Grider, Mark Hocker, Woody Johnson, Ryan Murray, Daniel Noland, Joe South, Stacy Swigert, Michelle Young. AT THE PARKWAY INN: The Kelly Williams combo plays at the Parkway Inn. From left, Glen Click, Bill Brehm, Kelly Williams, Tony Mazzola. Tony is still playing in and around St.

Louis, Brehm said. READY TO PLAY: From left, Bill Oetzel, Armand Tosetti, Harry Harper, Bill Brehm, Bill Morris. Oetzel and Harper are deceased. Brehm has played continuously since the 1930s. Tosetti still plays occasionally.

Morris lives in Virginia. DECATUR Bill Brehm's first musical gig was in 1933. He was 14. Bill lugged his tenor banjo up the stairs to a ballroom at Eldorado and Main streets to join Frank Bush on accordion and Benny Robinson on alto saxophone. The place what was it named? vanished long ago.

Nowadays there's a gasoline stationconvenience store on that spot. Meanwhile, Bill has played on and on. Almost forever he has been in constant demand in Decatur and Central Illinois for trios, quartets, small jazz combos, big bands as a premier string bass player. Now, as another year arrives, Bill is determined to ease up a bit, especially on traveling. He has played in every dance hall, every watering hole you can name and many you forgot about long ago.

His longevity translates into an abiding excellence. In the interest of preserving knowledge of the past, Bill provided a list of Decatur night spots, watering holes, saloons and ballrooms from the 1930s to the present. He played in most of them, if not all. Be advised that this documents jazz, big band and ballroom music locations. Bill doesn't play rock or country music.

This list is for the old folks. Some of the places are noteworthy. Like this: The Gigolo Inn was noted for a king-size Goonberger and a 15 cent mug of beer. It took both hands to hold the mug. This was in 1937 or thereabouts.

Willie and Ray were the memorable bartenders at the White Front. The 4 Clefs sang at Caroline's. This was the top-rated place in the Decatur gaming industry in the 1930s. Located at the east end of the William Street bridge, Caroline's was destroyed by fire in July 1936. It later reopened in the former Pythian Home for the Aged, four miles north of Decatur on U.S.

51. The Covered Wagon was "Dink" Welch's place. "Dink," a troubador and drummer, was Boots Randolph's boss in the Kopy Kats. At 87, "Dink" enjoys attending jazz concerts at the Elks Lodge 401 and the Holiday Inn. The Pumpkin Center was closed by the Macon County liquor commission after a knifing in 1934.

The knifing victim recovered, the Pumpkin Center did not. Monte Mountjoy, the drummer, made his play-for-pay start at the Vic Fritz Dance Hall in the 1930s. A quartet which played at Peck's Wander Inn included Jack Price, piano; Harry Harper, sax; Bill Brehm, bass; Wayne Moorehead, drums. Moorehead lives in Durango, Colo. The Cork Inn was destroyed by fire June 2, 1966.

Jesse Snoke, drums, originated the Dixielanders, a Winery Red Room hit. Members included Les Cripe, piano; George Harless, trumpet; Kelly Dunham, reeds; Bill Brehm, bass. Personnel later included Glen Click, Chet Walker, Charles Morris. Musicians at Joe's Place included Betty Prichard, Warren Parrish, Peg Manning. Dick Hoffman was a bouncer there.

Nationally-popular big bands played at the Illini Ballroom. Bill Brehm played there with the Bill Oetzel Orchestra and the Ralph Yancey Orchestra. The Spanish Inn was built in 1930 as a confectionery. It then became a night club with a roof garden, a tavern, a drug store and a restaurant before being converted into a Piggly Wiggly supermarket in 1942. Music by The Dink Welch Trio and dancing on the roof were popular there in the 1930s.

After 30 years of business, the Decatur Cocktail Lounge closed in February 1975. Wayne W. "Mac" McKinney leased the building, starting in 1962. The building was demolished several years ago. I I I wrm "vV1- 111 IV- Hi' ''O ''if ill vv-f ARGENTA Pen pals found romance.

In 1992, Angie Bauer, an eighth-grader at Argenta-Oreana Middle School, wrote a letter to a serviceman as part of an English class project. The letters were sent to a U.S. Army post in Germany. William Barry received the letter and responded. Meanwhile, Kristen Bauer, Angie's sister, a high school senior, had moved to Springfield to work as an intern in state Sen.

Penny Severns' office. Angie suggested that William write to Kristen. He did. She wrote, too. They became pen pals.

Kristen's letters escalated from one a week to one a day. William kept up that pace. "We wrote, wrote, wrote," Kristen said. William called Kristen on the day she graduated from high school. He also sent videos to Kristen.

On Saturday, Dec. 30, they were married in a 2 p.m. ceremony in St. James Catholic Church in Decatur. William is 23.

Kristen is 21. "He's sweet as can be," Kristen said. "I met him for the first time in June 1994. 1 was a sophomore at Maryville University in St. Louis.

He was still in Germany. I decided to go over to see him. We met at the airport in Frankfort. I was in Germany about 10 days." Romance blossomed. William is from Cridersville, Ohio, in the northwest part of the state, near Lima.

Last June, Kristen went to Cridersville to meet William's parents. He accompanied her back to Argenta and proposed. In August, William, a sergeant, was reassigned to Fort Meade, Md. He's in intelligence. In mid-December, Kristen graduated from Maryville with honors and a degree in business management.

She hurried home to prepare for the wedding. After honeymooning at Amelia Island in Florida, they will be at home near Fort Meade. William will be out of the Army in November, if not sooner, Kristen said. Meanwhile, it's a great way to start the new year, Kristen is sure. She is the daughter of Al-vin and JoAnn Bauer of rural Argenta.

Angie Bauer, now a senior at Argenta -Oreana High School, has been accepted in the same intern program as Kristen. Bob FaSlstrom is Herald Review community news editor. DECATUR Thomas Jefferson Middle School December students of the month: Chelsea Albritton, Anita Atwa-ter, Justin Bean, Robin Bragg, Andrew Carter, Clayton Casteel, Ben Dickinson, Steven Dulgar, Kimberly Ellis, Sarah Guffey, Taylor Haney, Jason Hotwick, James Hoult, Karl Ki-leen, Ikesha Matthews, Delila Pearson, Jennifer Roelleke, Jessica Sloan, Sally Smith, Gianina Taylor, Elizabeth Wilhelm. Tte DECATUR News from Johns Hill Magnet School includes: Eric Tashakkor, Adam Rojan, Frenchmen of the week; Sara Lovell-Troy, Westward Ho student of the week; Lynley Farrington, math whiz of the Week; Bryson Taylor, singer of the week; and Michelle Sloan, Alison New-gard, Ryan Pritts, orchestrators of the week. Matt Schmidt, Chris Taylor, Suzy Re-quarth, students of the month.

Red Ribbon poster contest winners: Orlando Butler, primary department; Megan Banning, intermediate department; Carrie Helton, middle school. Art's New Yorker, 222 N. Main St. Bagley's, 3785 E. William St.

Belvidere, 1871 N. Water St. Ben's Barn, 760 E. Eldorado St. Blue Mill, 1099 W.

Wood St. Brown Jug, 2910 N. Oakland Ave. Commodore Room, Orlando Hotel, 152 S. Water St.

Caroline's, east end of the William Street bridge Cork Inn, 1604 N. 22nd St. Corner Tavern, 1160 N. Water St. Cottage Inn, 1575 N.

Water St. Covered Wagon, 1987 N. Jasper St. Dante's Italian Village, 745 E. Cerro Gordo St.

Decatur Cocktail Lounge, 545 N. Water St. Decatur Holiday Inn Select Conference Hotel, 4191 U.S. 36 West El Roa Inn, Maroa Eagles Lodge 507, 602 W. King St.

Elks Lodge 401, 156 W. William St. and 2701 Parkway Drive Empress Ballroom, 419 N. Water St. Esker's, 1703 E.

Clay St. Fair Tavern, 121 E. Main St. Gigolo Inn, 517 N. Water St.

Harry's Place, 654 E. Eldorado St. Hi-Hat Club, former Elks Club, rural Decatur Homer Neal's, Cerro Gordo and Front streets Hotel Charles, 561 Front St. Illini Ballroom, 1063 N. Water St.

Joe's Place, 848 E. Wood St. Lakeside, east end of the Nelson Park Bridge Lakeshore Club, Lake Shore Drive Landy's Inn, rural Decatur Lone Oak, 153 S. 22nd St. Lock Stock Barrel, 129 S.

Oakland Ave. Loeb's Theatre Lounge, 539 N. Water St. Loop Tavern, 151 S. Water St.

Loyal Order of Moose, 186 W. William and 3190 N. Woodford St. Merchant Street Tavern, 130 Merchant St. Nightingale, 1380 Lake Shore Drive 121 Club, 2555 N.

22nd St. Payne's Super Night Club, 233 N. Main St. Parkway Inn, 3550 E. William St.

Peck's Wander Inn, 799 S. 22nd St. Pumpkin Center, Hickory and 27th streets, northeast outskirts Ralph's Pub, 135 S. Oakland Ave. Red Room, St.

Nicholas Hotel, 152 S. Water St. Romano's Starlite Inn, 1604 N. 22nd St. Shady Rest, Illinois 48 Shakey's Pizza, 810 E.

Pershing Road Stevie's Latin Village, 555 Front St. Spanish Inn, 768 S. Jasper St. Tack Room 1, 1462 E. William St.

The Spot, 120 S. Oakland Ave. Tino's Supper Club, 2975 N. Jasper St. Top Hat, 120 W.

Decatur St. Transfer Tap, 118 Merchant St. Twin Oaks, later to become the Parkway Inn Vic Fritz Dance Hall, 12021! E. Eldorado St. Viking Lounge, 2891 N.

Water St. White Front, 756 E. Eldorado St. Winery, 1093 W. Main St.

Wooden Shoe, 241 E. Main St. HIGH HONOR ROLL Johns Hill Magnet School Sixth grade Joel Leach, Matt Schmidt, Micheal Schwitek, Courtney Smith, Kelley Smith. Seventh grade Premal Bhakta, Anya Boutov, Jamie Wade. Eighth grade Amanda Koch, Stephanie Maske, Troy Moore, Tiffany Ogdon, Suzy Re-quarth, Adam Rojan, Kristin Smith, Eric imm LOVELL-TROY Earl honored DECATUR Randall Earl of Domestic violence counselor 1 Unsung Hero of DECATUR Larry Lovell-Troy, chairman of the behavioral sciences department of Millikin University, has volunteered at Dove Inc.

since 1982. the Week Decatur received an Illinois division merit citation from the American Cancer Society for his volunteer work for the Macon County unit. Earl was honored for his service as chairman of the bylaws committee. He has held various positions on both the county and state American Cancer Society Call 428-7758. Driver's course DECATUR The Rules of the Road driver's review course is scheduled Friday, Jan.

5, from 9 to 11 a.m. in the Decatur-Macon County Senior Center, 355 N. Water St. On Monday, Jan. 8, from 9 to 11 a.m., there will be a session at the Moweaqua Village Hall.

Sessions Friday, Jan 12, will be from 9 to 11 a.m. at St. Paul's United Methodist Church, 1305 E. Prairie and from 1 to 3 p.m. at Westminster Presbyterian Church, 1360 W.

Main St. Lighting winner DECATUR The Richard Carlson family of 1424 Moundview Place won the Sims Manor Homeowners Association Christmas lighting contest. Second place went to Mr. and Mrs. Jack Longfellow of 1303 Manor Drive.

Third place went to the Jim Hoyt family at 1344 Moundview Lane. Reading help DECATUR Project READ is open to those wishing to improve their reading skills. Call 875-3576. Infant, child CPR DECATUR The Macon County Chapter of the American Red Cross will have infant and child cardiopulmonary resuscitation classes from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Saturday, Jan. 6. Pre-registration is required at 428-7758. Courthouse medals DECATUR Bronze medals featuring the Lincoln Log Courthouse are available in limited numbers at the Macon County Historical Society. The medal is reproduced from the original 1894 or 1895 medal which shows the "First Macon County Courthouse Where Lincoln Practiced Law." It is available for $25 from the museum gift shop, at Conn Furniture or at the Viking House in Franklin Mall.

Proceeds benefit the society. Heart memorials DECATUR Memorials to the American Heart Association can help keep more than memories of friends or family alive. Memorial contributions have in part made possible such advances as bypass surgery and pacemakers. Memorial information is available at 1-800-824-5095. He created a program where he counseled men with a history of abusing women.

His goal was to test if domestic violence abusers could modify their behavior. For 10 years, Larry and Craig Mandernach met weekly with abusers in counseling sessions. They served on-call around the clock. Given the success of the program, in 1991 Larry spearheaded efforts to help the program become a permanent service of Dove Inc. Thanks to his efforts, Dove is helping to curb domestic violence.

Larry also volunteered on Dove's ethics committee and helped draft Dove's first ethics policy. The Unsung Hero of the Week Award recognizes those who are committed to improving the quality of life in Decatur. Each Tuesday an unsung hero will be featured in this space. Nomination forms are available at Richland Community College, Metro Decatur Chamber of Commerce, Soy Capital Bank and Trust Decatur Public Library. Millikin University and the Herald Review Among Friends desk.

ar boards. Bosnia mail DECATUR A 1987 graduate of Eisenhower High School, Sgt. Koley Scott, is requesting letters from former classmates while he serves in Bosnia. Sgt. Scott, through the Macon County Chapter of the American Red Cross, has provided names of 33 service members in his unit who will be deployed as well as family members who will remain in Germany.

The Red Cross unit is collecting holiday cards for service personnel to mail to loved ones and is coordinating a pen pal project and an adopt-a-service family project..