Germantown News

Mediation between Bishop Edward Braxton and Belleville Diocese priests who have called for him to resign is under way in a process designed to give detractors and supporters equal time.

The state Department of Agriculture has started paying more than $2 million to farmers who lost either crops or money when a southwest Illinois grain-elevator operator closed.

A staff member of U.S. Rep. John Shimkus, R-Collinsville, will meet with constituents to discuss legislation or help them deal with federal agencies from 12:30 to 2 p.m. on July 8 at the Germantown Village ...

“We regret this decision to cancel (events)”

Soybean Growers Blast Farm Bill Proposal BLOOMINGTON - Reacting to a compromise farm bill offered by the U.S. House of Representatives to President Bush, the Illinois Soybean Association and American Soybean ... via The Legal Record

“The financial strain is almost overwhelming.”

A Carlyle grain dealer has had his license suspended, and hearing today could determine whether he gets to keep it.

But it's not because he did something wrong. John Kniepmann and owned and operated The Grain Exchange LLC for 15 years, but has recently had trouble keeping up with the soaring cost of doing business. For the past month, he has been trying to sell his four locations, which include branches in Sandoval, Germantown and Bartelso. Combined, the four locations hold more than 1 million bushels. Read more

The Illinois Department of Agriculture has suspended Carlyle grain operator The Grain Exchange LLC's license.

An administrative hearing will be held Wednesday, at which time grain dealer John Kniepmann, of Breese, may have his license revoked. The department has not revealed why it suspended Kniepmann's license or why it was pursuing revocation. Until then, the company cannot buy, sell, ship or receive grain.

Kniepmann could not be reached for comment.

The Grain Exchange LLC has operations in Carlyle, Sandoval, Germantown and Bartelso. It has a combined capacity of more than 1 million bushels. Read more

“We wanted contemporary but not cold, sophisticated but fun”

ADDING A POP A curved faux-finished red wall sets off the theater and pops with a black and white 3- by 4-foot poster of Marilyn Monroe's famous blowing-skirt movie pose. via St. Louis Post-Dispatch

“It (the roof) looks like it peeled back pretty good”

A few hundred Missouri customers of Ameren UE are still without power this morning in the St. via STLtoday

On Tuesday, the state of Illinois officially recognized that the metro-east has a lot of exceptional volunteers, giving Governor's Home Town Awards to several local communities.

Mascoutah, Breese and Germantown won first places in different categories of the 2007 awards, which honor the best volunteer efforts in the state.

Mascoutah won for the renovation of the Espenschied Chapel at the Mascoutah City Cemetery. LaVerne Anderson led the Mascoutah Cemetery Chapel Inc. group which held fundraisers and took donations to completely redo the 1928 brick chapel given to the city by Jacob and Louisa Espenschied. The building had fallen into disrepair and in 1999, the city was planning to raze it. Read more

“The sign of a good sausage is really what it doesn't have in it, like fillers, fat and MSG”

When is a sausage not just a sausage? When a feinschmecker wants one in the wurst way. via Chicago Tribune