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| Posted March 10th, 2004 - View Other Stories |  printable
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| Local Fans welcome NASCAR driver Michael Waltrip at McKay/NAPA gathering at Crystal Ball | |
Excitement was in the air as nearly 1,000 people waited to meet NASCAR driver Michael Waltrip at a McKay/NAPA kickoff and a customer appreciation show, Tuesday evening, Feb. 24 at the Knights of Columbus Crystal Ballroom here. Waltrip immediately signed hundreds of autographs then took to the stage where he fielded questions from his fans - young and old alike. A catered meal fed about 800 people, many of whom were waiting for the doors to open at 5:30 p.m. In addition to Waltrip’s appearance, NAPA auto parts had representatives on hand with displays. Local mechanics and shop owners were busy asking questions and getting technicians’ advice on today’s advanced vehicles. Automobiles are more complex than ever. Parts makers and mechanics must work together to repair the newer cars, trucks and farm equipment. |
| Local Sports | |
Terriers beat Southwestern Terriers split with Mt. Olive |
| Local Opinion Passion of Christ: We all are to blame in the suffering and death of Jesus Christ |
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| To the Editor: The Passion of Christ, the newly released movie produced by Mel Gibson, has filled the airwaves, the pages of the newspapers and eaten up gigabytes of internet pages. There are those who are whole-heartedly endorsing this movie. In some areas, churches are purchasing entire theater showings with the intent of using this movie as an outreach tool. However, at the same time, there are many who are objecting to this movie on the grounds that it will cause a rise in hatred for the Jews. I have seen this film. I saw it for two reasons. The first is very pragmatic. I saw this movie because there will be people, members of Zion Lutheran Church here in Staunton and people from the community, who will have questions. I saw this movie so that when questions are asked in Bible Class, in my office, or on the street, that I may answer from an informed position because I have actually seen the film. There is another reason, though, that made me see this film. We live in a society that has become increasingly visual. One of the possible benefits of this film is that it will place before the people of the world a visual image of Jesus that shows the length to which He would go to redeem mankind. This includes you. The main objection to this movie is the graphic violence. I can fully understand this. There is so much violence that we see on a nightly basis on the news. For many, the last thing we want to pay good money to see is more violence. But if I may, this violence may well be different. For the violence Jesus endures is a violence that finds its source not only in the scheming of the Jewish leaders of Jesus’ day, but also in the rampant sinfulness of every human being of all time. As Mel Gibson told Diane Sawyer when she asked who it was that killed Jesus, he responded ”We all did.”” We all hold blame in the suffering and death of Jesus Christ. There is one warning I must give here as well. This movie may well not cause people to come to the church in droves. I pray that there are many people who come to Zion because they have been moved to learn more by seeing this film. But this movie will not guarantee it. Just think about it. Jesus walked the face of this earth for 30 years. In that time He performed miracles and taught people with an authority that had never been seen. They were there when the crucifixion happened. They heard the rumors of Christ’s resurrection. However, many still rejected. Many rejected Jesus when He was there in the midst of them. Would it not go to figure that many, maybe even thousands, who see this movie will still reject the message of the Gospel? But if one thing does come out of this phenomenon, I pray that it is the renewed idea that God loves us with an everlasting love. Not some philosophical love. A real love. A bloody, brutal love that lead Him to offer up His life in a horrible fashion. A love that would stop at nothing to make sure that we can know it. We have a passionate God. He loves us tremendously. You can know this with or without seeing this movie. What matters is that you know this love. It comes to us in Jesus Christ. If you see the movie, take the time to let me know what you think. If you don’t, take comfort in the fact that the Passion is already done for you. It happened 2000 years ago. It is done. Thanks be to God! Rev. Nathan Meador Pastor, Zion Lutheran Church, Staunton |
| FFA Week - Living the Legacy | |
STAUNTON -
This past week the FFA celebrated National FFA Week. This year’s theme for the week was "Living
the Legacy."
Each day of the week had its own unique theme. Monday was Hat Day. Students would come to class wearing a hat. Tuesday was Camo and Shop Rodeo Day. On this day each class session in the Ag shop would have pedal tractor races and a bail stacking contest. There was a winner from each class for the pedal tractor race. The winners were: 1st hour, Brad Pirok; 2nd hour, Justin Haustein; 3rd hour, Joe Wieseman; 4th hour, Jason Ray; 6th hour, Matt Wieseman; and 7th hour, Vernon Haustine. For the bail stacking contest, teams of three students would move a stack of approximately 16 straw bails to a trailer, restack them on the trailer in the same pattern as before, and then pull the trailer into the shop. The team with the fastest time from the day was the winner. Clinton Haas, Brent Muensterman, and Josh Manley had the best time from the day. On Wednesday, the FFA students had Teacher Appreciation Day. The FFA students cooked lunch for all the teachers in the Ag shop. The students went to Hardee's for breakfast on Thursday for Tractor Day. They all meet at Hardee's parking lot. Some of the students drove there on tractors and others showed up in cars or trucks. Hardee's provided the students breakfast at no cost. Later that day, the FFA students had some of the grade school children visit to look at the tractors and participate in some more pedal tractor races. At the end of the week, some of the FFA students brought animals to the shop for its annual Petting Zoo. There were all kinds of animals there, from livestock to pets. Even Adopt-A-Pet brought animals for the children to see. " We are trying to get 700 grade school students here to look at the animals," said Rob Werden, FFA advisor. There were also some displays in the Ag class room. The fire department had some of its equipment on display for the children to look at. They were giving away trading cards that feature each of the trucks the fire department uses on emergencies. There was a mini-golf course set up in the class room for students to play. "Our horticulture class designed and build the golf course," said Werden. It was an eventful week for the FFA students. They enlightened students about agriculture and had fun doing it. more photos>> |
| Super Reader Club sends off balloons | |
 STAUNTON - Balloons were flying over Zion Lutheran School on Tuesday,
February 24. Members of the Super Reader Club wrote messages, tied them to balloons, and sent them off! The students are now eagerly awaiting responses. Students participating and pictured are: Tanner Aljets, Cassi Allen, Josh Barnes, Tristan Coan, Sydney Cooper, Miranda Graves, Whitney Henke, Tim Homeier, John Kloss, Thomas Kloss, Kate Lesko, Bianca Massa, Hallie Miller, Lauren Newbold, Sarah Paitz, Stephanie Paitz, Gina Petrie, Allison Poletti, Sara Poletti, Corbi Riecken, Taylar Schlechte, Kendra Schwartz, Brittany Staake, Philip Trettenero, Zachary Williams, Marcus Young, Bret Zeller and Brooke Zeller. Pictured with the children are teacher Cassie Satterlee, Principal Stan Cisler and Pastor Nathan Meador. |
| SH-BOOM to play at KC Crystal Ballroom | |
| STAUNTON - Sh-Boom, the highly entertaining band from St. Louis,
will be performing the greatest 50's, 60's, and 70's songs on Saturday,
March 13, at the KC Crystal Ballroom here. With a song list of more than 350 songs, and celebrating their 21st anniversary, Sh-Boom has performed throughout the Midwest, Acapulco and Cancun Mexico, San Juan, the Bahamas, and on cruise ships. This event is sponsored by the Staunton Athletic Booster Club. Join them for an evening of great music. Tickets are $10 per person and are available at Bill's IGA, Crystal Ballroom, or call 635-3506 (or) 635-3531. |
| Resident dead in one-vehicle wreck | |
| By Bill Napper STAUNTON - Family and friends are mourning the death of a young man from Staunton after an early Sunday morning, single-vehicle crash on Route 4. Melvin L. Young, 22, was pronounced dead at 12:55 a.m. by the Madison County Coroner. It was reported that Young lost control of a 1986 Ford Taurus while he was driving north on Route 4. Young was alone in the car at the time of the crash. The Illinois State Police are investigating the accident. The toxicology tests are pending, and a coroner's inquest will be convened at a later date. Funeral services will be held at Williamson Funeral Home in Staunton on March 5 at 10 a.m. His obituary appears in this week’s paper. |
| Local Photos | |
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OK darling,
pucker up!
The
4-H Stauntoneers met Tuesday, 
Ready for Spring