These two homes sit on property, in the 500 block of Franklin Street, that has been offered for sale to the Clinton County Health Board. The offer was made on behalf of Korte and Luitjohan Contractors of Highland, at the board’s Jan. 7 meeting in Carlyle. (Photo by Bryan Hunt) The Clinton County Health Department was offered another property to consider in its quest to relocate its existing offices.
Bill Rickher, an independent contractor representing Korte and Luitjohan Contractors of Highland, approached the county health board during its meeting Tuesday, Jan. 7, with an offer to purchase one-half block of the 500 block of Franklin Street in Carlyle — a stretch of property south of Case-Halstead Public Library — for $290,000.
Rickher is also a broker with Equity Fifty-Five Realty LLC of Highland.
The price is the same price the contractor paid for it. Half of the block is vacant.
Rickher said a report on the property shows the land is clean. There are two frame houses on the land. One is being rented and the other the renters just vacated.
For the purchase price, Rickher said the company would be willing to demolish the home that sits on the corner, on the west end of the lot.
He said no one is looking at the property right now but if that were to change, there is a report of some senior housing options for that property.
“Even though it’s nothing imminent, it could be time-sensitive if you guys don’t make up your mind until August or something like that,” Rickher said.
Motorists skirt waters lapping at the edge of Albers Road this past weekend, due to heavy rains. The view is looking north toward Albers. (Photo by Mandy Ribbing) Persistent rains brought on by winter thunderstorms have caused flooding of low-lying roads and lands in a number of areas in the county.
On Jan. 11 the Clinton County Sheriff's Department issued hazardous conditions for roads with a known potential to flood: Highline Road at Aviston Road, Wesclin Road and Wellen Road around Hidden Lake Winery were completely covered with no crossing available.
At one point that day, water was reported over Old U.S. Route 50 east of Huey Road to Hughes Road, on St. Rose Road at Holy Cross Lane, on Holy Cross Lane at Ellwood Road, on Illinois Route 161 from Bartelso to New Baden in numerous spots, and on Illinois Route 127 near Jansen Farm Supply north of Carlyle.
U.S. Route 50 west of Lebanon had been closed due to high waters, but the Lebanon Police Department reported at 8 a.m. Tuesday that the road had reopened to traffic.
Motorists have been, and are urged repeatedly to use caution when driving in areas affected by floodwaters, and to avoid traveling in those areas if at all possible.
According to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' Kaskaskia River basin data, Shoal Creek near Breese, at 9 a.m. Monday, was listed at 20.96 feet, a 24-hour increase of 2.12 feet, and flowing at 13,270 cubic feet per second.
Crooked Creek at Hoffman at 4 p.m. the same day, was listed at 14.01 feet, down 1.07 inches, and flowing at 4,030 cubic feet per second. Precipitation received was listed at 4.37 inches.
The pool at Carlyle Lake, at 4:30 p.m. Monday, was listed at 450.31 feet, and the tail water elevation at 425.18 feet.
Monday's release rate was 8,210 cubic feet per second with an inflow of 29,400 cubic feet per second, according to the Corps of Engineers.
Carlyle Lake is 7 feet above its normal winter flood stage. That rise had taken place since Jan. 10. The levels are above what had been originally predicted.
Breese Journal staff report
Battle for the rock — Central junior Cassidy Kretschmer (20) reaches for a loose ball in front of Carlyle’s Ashlyn Weh in the Cougars’ 73-18 victory on Saturday in Breese. The Cougars scored the first 36 points in the win. (Photo by Bruce Hixon) The Central Cougars girls basketball team had a perfect week with an upset win at home over Highland on Thursday and then a Cahokia Conference rout over Carlyle on Saturday morning and a road conference win at Salem on Monday.
Central is now 12-5 on the season with a 7-0 record in conference action. They have won 30 consecutive games in Cahokia Conference play.
Central will host Columbia on Thursday before kicking off the Highland Tournament on Saturday against Collinsville (8-7).
The losses continue to mount for the Carlyle Lady Indians as they dropped two more decisions last week to fall to 0-17 overall and 0-8 in the Cahokia Conference Mississippi Division.
Both setbacks came on the road as the Tribe lost at Freeburg 50-21 on Thursday and 73-18 at Central on Saturday.
Carlyle is home against Edwardsville Metro-East Lutheran this Wednesday prior to a trip to Nashville on Thursday.
Central 55, Salem 30: The Cougars fought off a slow start to continue their conference winning streak on Monday.
The Cougars managed just two buckets over the first eight minutes with Emma Wuest drilling a 3-pointer and Chloe Book hitting a 2-pointer as they trailed 7-4 after the first quarter.
| Fri., Jan. 10 | 445.21 |
| Sun., Jan. 12 | 448.53 |
| Tues., Jan. 14 | 452.11 |
| January 8 | .00" |
| January 9 | .00" |
| January 10 | 1.07" |
| January 11 | 3.44" |
| January 12 | .22"/.04" snow |
| January 13 | .00" |
| January 14 | .00" |
