Front row, from l.: Chelsey Fleming, Kennedee Whittaker, Andi Tennis. Back row: Stephen Ramsaran, Ryan Kolb, Corey Kerschner.

Sumner Fall Festival King & Queen Candidates

  The candidates for the Fall Festival King & Queen contest are students at Red Hill Jr. High. They were selected as candidates by their peers. The coronation of the King & Queen till take place on Thursday evening, Sept. 9th, at 6:00 p.m.
   Chelsey is the daughter of Joe and Dawn Fleming of Sumner. Kennedee is the daughter of Dino and Amie Whittaker of Sumner; Andi Tennis is the daughter of Jennifer and Chris Ralston of Bridgeport and Bill Tennis of Vincennes.
   Stephen is the son of Dr. Steven and Joann Ramsaran of rural Lawrenceville; Ryan is the son of John and Sherry Parrott of Sumner; Corey is the grandson of Jerry and Sharon Kershner of rural Lawrenceville.
  

The long awaited Sumner Fall Festival is almost here!

  
   Make plans now to spend the weekend after Labor Day in Sumner for the Fall Festival to be held on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, September 9, 10 & 11th. Many former residents will be returning to the area to attend the Sumner High School Reunion. You might just run into friends or classmates you haven’t seen for years.
   The big parade will be held on Saturday, at 2:00 p.m. The theme of the Festival and parade is the patriotic quote, “Lest We Forget.” Staying with the patriotic theme the Parade Marshal will be Carroll Thacker, a local decorated military veteran.
   What’s a parade without fire trucks? The Festival’s parade has always had many of the county’s best fire equipment on parade with much candy flying from the windows. There’s something new this year. Following the parade, firemen from the various fire districts will test their skills in a water fight at the Sumner Fire Station, just north of the railroad tracks.
   Also starting immediately following the parade will be a Corn Hole Tournament in the school yard of the Sumner Attendance Center. A Corn Hole Tournament for kids 16-years and younger will begin at 4:00 p.m.
   Something else new this year following the parade will be a Wiffle Ball Game. It will be fast-pitch 5-man teams made up of any ages. Bats, gloves, and balls will be provided. Nine innings will be played with a one hour time limit per game. For info or questions call Markus at 618-554-8588.
   Another feature after the parade will be a Cake Walk sponsored by the Sumner United Methodist Church.
   Don’t forget to buy your raffle tickets being sold by the Sumner Booster Club. Tickets are $1.00 each or six for $5.00. First prize is a 32-inch LCD – HD – flat screen TV; second prize is a GPS tracking system; third prize is $100 in cash.
   The evening live entertainment will include music by Richard Polk Southern Gospel, the Bridgeport New Hope Christian Church Fusion Band, Mike Porter, Marsha Banning and the Panther Creek Band, and Travis Morris an Elvis Impersonator.
   Watch next week’s Press for a full list of activities and times.
  

“Festival in the Park” Saturday in Lawrenceville

  Everyone is invited to the Lawrenceville City Park next Saturday for the 6th Annual Festival in the Park. Events will start at 7:30 a.m. and continue until 5:30 p.m.
   There will be fun for all ages including Arts and Crafts, Tennis Tournament, BBQ Cookoff with trophies and prizes awarded in the tennis and cookoff contests.
   The tennis tournament is a 6-game pro-set format. Winners will advance and losers will be eliminated. Contestants, 18 and under – boys and girls, singles will play first. Men and Women’s singles will follow. The Men’s Doubles will be the last event. Registration starts at 7:30 a.m. and play starts at 8:00. Pre-entry is not required, however, would be appreciated. Each player should bring two cans of tennis balls which will serve as entry fee. Contact Grady Dixon at 618-928-3631 to enter or simply show up.
   The BBQ Cook-Off Chicken competition will be held at 1:00 p.m., Griller’s Choice at 2:00 p.m., and Ribs at 3:00 p.m.
   There will also be an Antique Tractor Show from 7:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. with awards presented at 3:00 p.m. A Car Show sponsored by the White Squirrel Cruisers Car Club of Olney will be held from 9:00 a.m. to Noon with trophies awarded for all shows at 4:00 p.m.
   Live entertainment, Flat Mountain Band, will perform for the crowds’ enjoyment. There will be food vendors open all day to take care of everyone’s taste; handicap parking will be available.
  

Price Reduced for Great Home in Sumner From $100,000 to $75,000    (Click on property for more information)       50l S. Christy, Sumner -- $75,000       Lawrence County is 240 miles straight south of Chicago's Navy Pier, l35 miles east of St. Louis' Arch. Moderate climate, rare zero degrees in winter, equally rare summer days above 95 degrees. Ringed by community colleges in historic Vincennes (l0 miles from Lawrenceville), Robinson, Olney and Mt. Carmel, each 20 miles. Stable employment--Automobile Technologies (seat supplier for Toyota largest American factory, Princeton, IN., 40 miles) and Lawrence Correctional Center, Sumner, l0 miles from Lawrenceville, 2500 inmate capacity. Excellent medical facilities, largest number of skilled care beds per population in state. Low real estate taxes. Minimal crime. Red Hill State Park. Prize winning modern schools. Recreational boating on Embarras & Wabash rivers.

GOP Rally

  Three hundred enthusiastic, confident Republicans (using same counting system as the Democrats did to have l50 at their Saturday evening Jefferson-Jackson Dinner) rallied, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., at GOP Headquarters, l2th & State, Saturday. The meeting was surprisingly short on speeches, but long on finger foods, and purposeful inquiry from party faithful to State Senator Dale Righter, State Representative Roger Eddy, County Clerk candidate, Will C. Gibson, Sheriff candidate Greg Chance, Treasurer candidate Barbie Morey and County Board candidates Larry Stoltz, Bill Gray, David White and Heath Stallings.
   The intrigue of the candidates and their supporters plotting strategy for the 66 days (now 6l) remaining until the moment of truth was fascinating. Said one among them, "I do not know a single former Republican candidate who would not give his big toes to be on the ticket, November 2. The donkeys don't even mention the name of their candidate for Governor, and none can pronounce their mob financier candidate for U.S. Senator." If Jerry Pacholski's submitted, unaltered account of their dinner is accurate, the Democrats have written off the top of their ticket.
   Republican County Chairman Aaron Ferguson happily recited public opinion polls while reminding all that Lawrence County Republicans must "do their utmost to rid Illinois of the Blagojevich-Quinn stench."
   Others noted that, "we must save our local ticket, the district, state & federal candidates are already in the winners' circle."
   'Midst the general euphoria described, it was announced that our candidate for Governor, Bill Brady, will be at Party Headquarters, from 9 a.m, Tuesday, October l2. His caravan is making a tour of Southern Illinois during that week.
   It is vital to the future well being of Lawrence County that a maximum number of our citizens come out to meet Senator Brady. There are many nice things A Governor can do for a needy community.
   Not unrelated to the above, the Press is continuing to urge the Brady Campaign planners to schedule a stop at Mid-American Airport on the candidate's last minute fly around the state. This ritual is always during the last week before election. We hope that the Democrat candidate will make a similar airport stop.
   The party headquarters will be open daily after Labor Day. Events to help get out the vote are planned. Those interested in restoring good government to Illinois should check with their precinct committeemen.