Is there anywhere more magical than a library to find a book and lose yourself in between its pages?  However, today’s libraries offer so much more than just a place to find a book, and that is true of the award-winning Pawnee Public Library that in 2004 was voted by the Rolling Prairie Library System as “Library of the Year”. 

The Pawnee Public Library has a lot of history behind its walls.  The library is a bustling place with a lot of uses.  Whether accessed online, or in person, visitors can check out books, use the public computers, make use of the space for clubs, presentations or community or private events.  The library has over 50,000 volumes of books and circulates 8,000 volumes to the just under 3,000 Pawnee residents each year. 

If you desire a book that is not currently available in house, library staff will check the Interlibrary Loans System to see if it is in the IHLS system.  If it is accessible, and you have a library card, staff will see if they can obtain it for you.  Many books are also available on an e-reading program accessible online. The library contains videos, music CD’s and audio books.  Genealogical research is also available along with coal mine maps, and other Pawnee historical documents like the local newspaper, the Pawnee Post on microfilm. 
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Bennett Bess, Library Director, has been serving the patrons of Pawnee for 28 years. Bennett makes it plain that the library would not exist without the funding assistance and cooperation of the Village of Pawnee. That is also true of the Library Board.  “I’d like to thank the library boards. They have been wonderful.  They have watched over the buildings.  They are attentive to the people, and they take this very seriously.  I have been very thankful to spend my working years here.”

The library has a wonderful staff that includes Terri Ladage who serves as Technical and Children’s Services, Kathy Aumiller, Circulation Services, Lee Ann Maxey, Reference, and Adult Services. The staff is rounded out with Jody McHatton, Terri Thompson, Janice Church, Mary Milano, and Ryan Coleman. 

Library history is rich.  The current library is not the first location.  The late Skip Minder collected the library history in his book, “Movin’ On Down The Road” A General History Of Pawnee, Illinois. While there is a lot of history in the current enhanced library, the story of the Pawnee Library began in 1922 with the Modern Martha Class of the Pawnee Methodist Church.  Later the library moved to the Presbyterian Church, then in the 1930’s, the library was operated under the Works Progress Administration (WPA). Eventually the library was situated at the Village Hall which was originally a jail! 

In his book, Skip Minder had a picture of the original jail cage purchased from the Springfield Iron & Bridge Works in 1895.  He states, “….the ‘center room’ of the old village library once housed Pawnee’s jail cage within its 13-inch-thick brick walls. The village jail and the old village hall, the ‘north room’ of the old library were built in 1903.”
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For forty years, the building was used as a library, today that former building is used as the food pantry and for other community meetings. In May of 2001, the Village decided to build a new location for a library.  With the Village of Pawnee offering $225,000 to match grant funds if a grant from the state was awarded, the library was off to a good start.  Then  the library staff won the grant award after a last-minute submittal. The former Baxter Building (at 613 Douglas) which had also been the Clark IGA Store became the new library.  Next door was J.J. Willenborg’s Big Busy Store and Locker that later became Bowsher furniture (at 615 Douglas). This area is now the Donald Lee Serbur Library Annex, so named because of funds provided by the late Mr. Serbur. Initially two stories, J.J. Willenborg added a 3rd story to create a shoe store to this building that is the western portion of the library.  

What is more important that a safe, comfortable place for children?  That is the question that Madonna Strawn thought about when she looked around and saw that there were not many places in the Village of Pawnee for parents to take their children.  “We opened in June of 2014, after purchasing the building in October of 2013,” Madonna said.

The building after purchase required a bit of updating.  “We added a bathroom, and split the other room in two to make two classrooms.  The school age kids had to have their own space separate from the babies and toddlers.  There was already a kitchen so we just had to add appliances.”

The building had been many things in the past.  A video store, a tanning salon and Madonna said even a gun shop at one time before she bought it.  When her son Brian married her daughter-in-law Keelie who has the education and experience to run a daycare, she felt that together they could fulfill the need for a daycare in Pawnee.  When asked why she wanted to undergo this type of business when her children were already grown, she said it was due to need and love of children. “I did a lot of babysitting when I was young, and there are not a lot of daycares in Pawnee.“

She wasn’t sure if the daycare would take off.  While there are not a lot of commercial daycares, she added, “There are a lot of home daycares, so I was a bit reluctant to do this.”

The turning point was the fact that her daughter-in-law Keelie already knew the needed Department of Child and Family Services (DCFS) requirements that it took to get a daycare up and running and keep it in compliance.  “I started working at a daycare while in college in 2007, and I worked there until we opened here.”

While in college, Keelie obtained a secondary early childhood degree, with a major in psychology.  She attended Springfield Benedictine and finished up at University of Illinois in Springfield.

When opening the day care Keelie said they had to work with several state agencies.  They had to meet DCFS standards as well as the Illinois Department of Public Health, the Fire Marshall, and meet state pluming standards as well.  “Every three years DCFS goes through the rooms and checks the supplies, toys, etc.”

Besides the very thorough audit every three years, they also visit once a year besides, and occasionally just pop in. Thankfully Keelie is very organized.  “It is easy if you keep the paperwork updated.  I make checklists,” she said.

The state visitors have noted how organized she is and appreciate it every time they visit!
Madonna’s daycare accepts children ages 6 weeks through twelve years. “We are licensed for 29 children,” Madonna shared.

They currently have eight babies.  Babies are those from six weeks to one and a half yeas old.  Then there are the preschoolers. At Madonna’s they offer Preschool classes.  The school is not as full though since Pawnee Elementary is now offering all day preschool.
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“The school bus picks kids up for school before and after at the daycare,” Madonna added.

At Madonna’s Child Development Center one thing that sets them apart is that all the staff, except for the cook are all qualified daycare teachers, there are no aides. Each teacher meets the DCFS qualifications.

At Madonna’s they have seven busy employees. To work at the daycare you must be at least 18, and have already graduated from high school. At Madonna’s Child Development Center, they go beyond with the teacher requirements.

When the daycare first opened, Madonna said that she worked there for a while and left her full time job.  She soon found that the teachers didn’t really need her assistance as much as she had anticipated.  “I thought you took care of them, but you teach them. I wasn’t needed here as much as I thought,” she laughed, so she went back to her full-time job.

Madonna just recently retired as the office manager at Teejet Technologies in 2021.  Now she enjoys coming into the daycare, and having the little ones recognize her.  “I pop in and out and cook once in a while.”

The best part of the daycare for Madonna is the happy kids.  “I like knowing the kids like to be here.”

Keelie agrees, “It is easy when the kids want to be here.”
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She said that happens when they keep to a schedule.  “It is so important for a structured environment; we cover gross and fine motor skills in blocks of time and try to get the kids to follow.” 

At the daycare kids participate in circle time, they have centers and learn important tasks like drinking from a cup, filling out worksheets, and their ABC’s, and colors.  They sing songs, and play games that enhance motor, and social skills.  “They do a lot of things with their hands and feet,” Madonna said.

“The most important thing they learn is to stay in a enter for a while, to stay still in one place and focus,” this she said is so valuable before they get to school.

Madonna added that learning to share is also very important, and Keelie added just being kind as well.  At the daycare the children receive a simple breakfast, lunch and an afternoon snack.  They have a nap and play outside whenever the weather allows.

“Our biggest challenge is expenses going up,” Madonna said. “We try not to up prices, but sometimes you have to COVID, and inflation affects everything, payroll, insurance, etc.”

The Strawn family is a busy one.  Madonna with her husband Lynn have two stepchildren, Jeremy Strawn who is married to Lisa, they have two children ages 14 and 12, Sarah (Strawn) Maley is married to Jamie and they have two children 17 and 14.  Then together she and Lynn have son Brian that is married to Keelie and they have three children ages 7, 6, and two. Their youngest son is Lance, and he is married to Julia and they have two children ages 4 and 2.

Whether filling a need for their own family, or the Village of Pawnee, at Madonna’s Child Development Center they are open to provide quality childcare for children and make them feel at home while away from home.  Call 217 646-8231 for details.

Michael Taylor’s music studio is in a small building next to his house at 501 Douglas Avenue.  This year he is celebrating 40 years’ of doing business in central Illinois and Pawnee.  He offers a variety of services with his focus on mentoring and one on one sessions.  Mike teaches introductory/advanced guitar, ukulele, bass guitar and voice lessons as well as introductory piano, violin, banjo, mandolin, trombone, cornet, and percussion. This multidisciplinary teacher also offers songwriting, music composition, and digital recording!  If you have been thinking about dipping your toes in the musical category in almost any form, here is your chance!

“I started teaching about 1982,” Michael said.  “I worked in music stores, I’m a player and a composer.”

To make extra money, he started teaching, helping musicians learn to play instruments, write songs and more.  “I’m usually the foundation team,” he said about recording.

When playing in bands, Michael said he usually played the guitar and bass guitar. His latest instrument is the violin.  The ukulele he said is a lot like a guitar.  Over the years he has worked as a DJ, played in bands, worked in music stores, then eventually decided to go into business for himself teaching. 

At the peak of his teaching Michael said he had between 15-20 students.  Currently he has around 10.  He likes to have a total of around 15.  These days he teaches three days a week, leaving the other two days’ time to run errands and do things he wants to do!
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Growing up in Greenwood, Mississippi in a musical family, Michael said he picked up the guitar in high school.  “Mom took me to my grandparent’s house when I was five and my uncle was setting up for a band concert.  It’s their fault after I saw that, it’s all I ever wanted to do,” he said.
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Following a girl from Mississippi Michael ended up in Illinois and has been here ever since.  Music has been good to him.  In 1988 he married his wife Jean and in 1994, they had their daughter Hannah.

Being a bass guitarist that could read music has allowed him to play in a variety of bands, but wanting a stable family life, Mike said, “I never did get into touring. I wanted a family, so it worked out.  My wife worked for the state, and I took care of my daughter for the first few years of her life.”

His daughter is now out of college and on her own. Besides helping others record music, Mike has even released some music of his own.  “I released my first cassette single in 1994 Hannah Baby/Papa’s Bounce – my mom even liked this one,” he said. “I released my first CD in 2000: Bounces, Ballads, Blues, and a Stomp. It is a collection of original Fingerstyle acoustic guitar compositions. My second CD was released in 2007 Born in Bluesland is a collection some of my original Blues’ compositions and a some of my favorite Classic Blues.”
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Being in the music business in central Illinois has worked out well for those that Michael has mentored and for him as well.  What he likes is working with people and seeing them prosper and progress.  “I work with all ranges of ages, but I like youngsters to be able to read,” he added saying that this makes it easier for students to learn to read music. “I try to get people to read music.  My goal is to get people to play with me.  Reading music is so good for the brain.  I’ve seen scans of the brain light up. Music challenges you, and it is reality.  We are so involved with screens these days, music is a real thing, a release mechanism, an expression.”

Age shouldn’t be a barrier when it comes to following dreams of learning music.  Michael recently had one student that started learning to play an instrument at the age of 75. One student Michael said played at his retirement party, another he said really used the sessions as music therapy, whatever the reason to come, he is glad to offer an outlet. Music, he shared offers an emotional release.
 For anyone interested in reaching out to Michael, at Taylor Music, you can call him at 217-625-8362, or text him, or email him at mt@tioli.com.  

Michael’s “tioli” comes from his grandmother, Mary Parker Taylor, who was a folk artist.  He said that once she had created some ceramic plates and a woman came to pick them up and wanted to make some changes.  She wanted to tweak them and make changes.  Ms. Taylor told the woman “Take it or leave it” thus “tioli” That appeared on her pottery from then on! ​

Being in a family of artists the gene has been passed down from generation to generation.  These days Michael is enjoying working with students and helping them enhance their talents. “It’s been fun, the biggest thing is I enjoy working with people and seeing them get better and put together tunes.”

On the square is the Village of Pawnee office.  Before the building was the Village office, it was a bank.  The Village of Pawnee has been around since 1854.   Besides being settled over 150 years, another claim to fame for Pawnee was serving as home to one of the largest coal mines in the world (Peabody #10). Although now closed, this coal mine has impacted the town for many years.

With the short drive to Springfield north, and the bustling city of St. Louis a mere 90 miles south, Pawnee has a great location providing rural life with urban nearby.  The Village of Pawnee office is the center of the community and key to village services.  With Kelly Haney, Brent Wise, and Kim Nichols staffing the office, help is available.
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“The Village of Pawnee is where you get your gas and water services,” Brent said.
There is an online opportunity to pay bills through the website https://www.pawneeil.net.  By setting up an account, you can view your bill and pay without using a stamp! The 3rd party that processes online payments charges a fee, but the Utility Office offers Direct Debit (ACH), which is free of charge. 

On the website, you can also find customer notifications pertaining to utilities. If you have issues with your utilities, call 217-625-2941.  In the event of a gas or water leak someone is always available even after hours, there is an answering service that can be reached.  The Village office is open from 7:30 a.m. until 4:00 p.m.
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The Village has a lighted sign as you enter town from Highway 104’s west side.  Groups and businesses alike are able to take advantage of the sign to announce their events. “Churches seem to take advantage of this the most, but we’d like to encourage other to use it as well.,” Kelly said.

Special announcements like birthdays are kept only for special ones like turning 80!

The Village website is also an opportunity for businesses and non-profit groups to share their news and events.  Town residents can stay abreast of what is happening by tuning into the news section of the website.
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The Village office also has information is available like helpful numbers that include Pawnee services, electric companies, cable companies and sanitation companies. Other numbers for services like Housing Assistance, Energy Assistance, Job Assistance and Food Assistance is also available like the Pawnee Food Pantry, which is operated by charities. The Food Pantry is open the first Monday of the month from 11:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m. It is located off the square in the former Pawnee library.
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Some of the opportunities offered through the Village is through the facilities they have on hand. The pavilion on the square and surrounding area are donated by the Village for non-profit events like the Pawnee Prairie Days and the Lion’s Club fair.  The area can be reserved  free of charge for use as well.  The same is true of the North Park Pavilion.  “It is available to anyone,” Kelly said, “but it can be reserved for events.”
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To reserve space, call the Village at 217-625-2941.
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Like most municipalities, you must have a permit if you are adding to your property.  This includes in ground and above ground pools, fences, building additions, sheds and more.  Plan on ten business days to get your permit approved. The reason for permits Brent shared is to be sure that no utilities are blocked or in the way before building. Don’t start a project that may have to be stopped without a permit.  “That can be very expensive,” Kelly said.

Those doing business in the Village of Pawnee must obtain a permit before going door to door. The exception to this is those offering religious, educational, or political information.  For those Village citizens that don’t want any solicitors, Kim said, “We have ‘no solicitor’ signs if people want them.  They can put them in their windows so people can see them when they come to the door.”

Kelly added that when businesspeople obtain their solicitor permits that they are told that they may not stop at homes with these signs in the window.
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Village business is discussed in a public forum the 2nd and 4th Monday evenings of the month.  Meetings are held in a room off the Village office and meetings begin at 7:00 p.m. In December Kelly commented that there is usually only one meeting.

The Village of Pawnee is open and available and ready to assist those in the community and that have questions about this wonderful small town located in the State of Illinois south Sangamon County.

Mike Wort said that his business is MJW Wheels.  The name is based on his initials.  He explained that the business is a wheel reconditioning business.  “I fix curb damaged wheels that are carved or scraped up.  I go to dealerships in Springfield, Taylorville, Jacksonville, Peoria, and Decatur.”

MJW Wheels is a veteran owned business. In the Army/National Guard, Mike Wort served as a Blackhawk Helicopter Crew Chief. He was a Door Gunner in Iraq. This position was also as a mechanic. “I flew 750 hours while there,” Mike shared.

Using his mechanical skills, Mike went on to be an airplane mechanic at MidCoast Aviation near St. Louis.  Although the job was a great fit, working nights and driving to and from Pawnee was not.  “I was working on corporate jets, and I had to tape off and seal panels, so that’s how I knew how to do the paint section,” Mike said about the job he would later have and love.

The night shift, the drive, and the fact that his wife Amy was expecting their first child all lead up to the decision that he needed something closer to home.  “I was looking for a job closer to home, but I couldn’t find anything, then I saw this franchise, Wheelguard and it looked good.  Amy was six months pregnant with our oldest son Carson.  I had a guy come talk to me, and I knew I could make it work.”
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Working on his own was not an issue, in fact that was part of the lure of this job.  “I don’t have to be motivated by someone else.  Growing up, I always have had a strong work ethic.”

“I have worked with my hands all my life,” Mike shared.  “I worked at my grandpa’s Shell Station in Mt. Sterling.  It was one of the last full-service stations around, so I learned a lot from him and working with tools.  Carson is 15 now, so I have been working as a subcontractor with Wheelguard for 15 years now.  They supply me with the paint and supplies.”

Mike is still on the road, but his driving is local.  “I drive 35,000 miles a year,” Mike said. “I basically work with used cars.  I look for damaged wheels.  I go to used car managers or the General Manager and ask them if they want the wheels fixed or not. That’s all part of the reconditioning so they get the most money out of the car.”

This is a very precise process.  Mike shared, “I grind out the damage on the wheel, then sand it out, and blend it in with paint.”

It took a while for the business to get going.  The first step was getting the dealerships on board.  “I had to get the dealerships,” Mike said.

While the franchise had a few they had been working with already, it was up to Mike to set up the arrangement.  “When I first started the first two to three years, I was working 12-14 hours. I told them what I did and what I could fix and what I can’t.  Rims are part of the most expensive part to replace.  A damaged wheel just doesn’t look very good.  Now days, customers are just looking at cosmetics, they can’t see the mechanics.”

Pawnee is the homebase for MJW Wheels.  The Worts ended up here Mike said when Amy was going to school.  It was a good place to land when she was attending University of Illinois at Springfield for her BA then going to Edwardsville for her MA.  Mike and Amy also liked the Springfield area for her social work career. “Pawnee has worked out very well, we like the small-town area,” Mike shared.

Pawnee has been a good fit for the Worts and their three boys as well. They have Carson 15, Hudson 13, and Pierson 11.  All three boys are active in sports and school activities.

Before coming to Pawnee, both Mike and Amy grew up in Mt Sterling.  The couple were high school sweethearts and married in July of 2002.  “We just had out 20th anniversary and celebrated in Hawaii,” Mike shared.
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MJW Wheels is active in the Pawnee community supporting local sports.  “Every year we donate to the Pawnee baseball, we do banners and help with the football dinners and more,” Mike said.
To reach Mike at MJW Wheels, call him at 217-638-8393.  He may be on the road, but he will get back to you soon!

Shari Beahringer is the Executive Director the of Pawnee Learning Center.  The Pawnee Learning Center is located right along Highway 104 on the edge of town next to Krekels.  The building is also just down the street from the Pawnee school as well. 

The Pawnee Learning Center location is in the former PFR, building, better known as the Pawnee Family Restaurant. Prior to that, at one time, Pizza Hut was in this building as well.  A lot of family memories have occurred here over the years! 

​“When they (PFR) closed, Reese Langheim bought the building,” Shari explained. This was in 2013, and soon the building became a daycare. When the current director left, Reese Langheim and his wife Sara became licensed so that the families with children at the daycare wouldn’t be without a licensed daycare provider.  Since then, the Pawnee Learning Center has been a mainstay providing licensed care to the Pawnee community for just shy of a decade.

Shari, who has been the Director since May of 2018, said that the staff at Pawnee Learning Center have a lot of experience and love children making coming to work feel more like fun than a job.  Shari added, “I have been in childcare since 2005.”

While she didn’t grow up in Pawnee, she said “I have lived in Pawnee for the last 18 years, and my daughter graduated from Pawnee.”

Staff member Katie Pyle has been with the staff for the past seven years. Charlotte Gilbert has been with Pawnee Learning Center since 2018, and Shari added, “She has over 30 years of experience as well.”
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Allison Walton joined the staff in June of 2021, Renee Rhodes also just stared in August of 2022, and Olivia Dennison, the part time Assistant Director joined in March of 2020.  “She just completed her bachelor’s degree and also works at the Pawnee School district,” Shari added.
Currently they are looking for a cook and part time assistant!

​The Pawnee Learning Center is licensed for 39 children, and they have received the coveted silver status accreditation awarded by ExceleRate Illinois. 

At the Pawnee Learning Center, the take children ages 6 weeks – 12 years old.  “We are licensed for six infants and toddlers, 13, two- to four-year-old’s and 20 school age children, ages five-to-twelve-year’s old.” 

“I always think we are a hometown childcare, with a hometown feel,” Shari said.  “We are very personal with parents and close knit with staff.”

One of the most important aspects is what the children learn, and how they learn.  “We believe in learning through play,” Shari explained “We work on social and emotional skills by playing together.”

She stressed the importance of social and emotional skills and said that they try to teach playing with adults and interacting, manners, and those skills that make a difference throughout life.

At the daycare they have interactive play inside and a wonderful playground outdoors as well.  In the last year or so they added recycled plastic as a cushion for those children playing to help keep them safe on in the play area.  The children are often seen on walks and the toddlers get a chance to enjoy nice weather days!

Inside the rooms are brightly decorated and there are pets to bring caring and interactive learning through feeding and watching the animals.

It is no surprise with being a silver status daycare that the Pawnee Learning Center has a waiting list for every age group.  “to "It breaks my heart that we are full and not able to help additional families at this time,” Shari said.

They do hope to expand there are plans, but Shari did not go into details currently. “We are fulfilling a need,” Shari added about the role that the daycare plays in the Village of Pawnee community.

The Pawnee Learning Center works in tandem with the Pawnee School.  “We have four buses that pick up and drop off here at the daycare,” Shari added.
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The Pawnee Learning Center is open from 6:30 until 5:30 Monday – Friday. They have a facebook page at (3) Pawnee Learning Center | Facebook. Call 217-646-8217 for more information.

Not far off the Pawnee Road at the Junction of New City Randy Belville established his business, New City Greenhouse.  He said they tried calling it something else, but everyone kept calling it the business at New City, so he finally just went with it, and it has stuck. 

“We have evolved,” Randy said about the business that has expanded over the years.  “We have vegetable and fruit produce from July 4th to Halloween.  We start with sweet corn, then watermelon, peaches, then pumpkins and mums.”
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Mums are a big deal at New City Greenhouse.  “We have 15,000 mums and we ship all over,” Randy said.

While the mums are grown right there at the rural Pawnee location, the production is grown by New City Green House partners.  “We have Kilburn cantaloupes and watermelon, we trade the mums, it works out nice.  We have sweet corn from Tallulah and Salisbury, and homemade canned goods from Kathy’s Kitchen in Virginia, Illinois where she makes jams, jellies, pickles, and beets.”

In the fall the greenhouse is a beehive of apple production, with a sweet smell thrown in!  “We make our own Carmel apples.  We use fancy Granny Smith apples and double dip each one then we roll them in toasted Macadamia nuts. Some are rolled in chopped pecans, others in chopped peanuts, and others in M & M’s.  We go through about 1,000 apples in two months.”

Fall is also pumpkin time.  “We have a lot of pumpkins and gourds.  We get them from Beardstown or Mechanicsburg,” Randy added. 

Besides the run of the mill produce they will also get in special items like the Donut Saturn Peaches they recently had onsite.

The customer base is from all over the central Illinois area.  “We draw from as far away as Decatur.”

While the New City Greenhouse offers produce from summer into the fall, what they really are Randy said, “Is a greenhouse with 300,000 pots of annuals. We grow 8,000 hanging baskets, and 12,000 gallons of perennials, trees, and shrubs!”

Besides growing mums, they also grow beautiful hibiscus as well!

They are a provider for many places in the area.  They serve plants for the City of Springfield, the Illinois State Fair, the Bank of Springfield, the County Building, and municipal buildings. 

They also sell plants of course to local citizens as well.  In fact, on their website page their motto is “Bringing beauty to your home one plant at a time.”

This busy greenhouse offers local employment to youth in the area especially after a recent successful ad campaign.  They went from hiring three employees to 15.  “This is good for local kids. I try to pull help from the local geographic areas.”

When asked how Randy got started doing this, he said that he himself has been doing this since he was a kid.  “There was a community service agent that was usually in charge of 4H in Rushville where I grew up.  I’d tag along with him.”

Randy started entering plants at the County fair and winning, then he moved up to competing at the Illinois State Fair and won at that event.  He said when other kids were setting up lemonade stands, “I was digging up mom’s day lilies to sell.”

He went on to get a degree in Horticulture, then worked at a horticulture business in Taylorville until it went out of business.  “This place was fallow; it had been a green house.  Sabatini’s Greenhouse was here, and they had a truck farm years ago.  That’s why I added produce, people would stop and say I bought produce here years ago.”

Seeing the former greenhouse, Randy bought the business and has been going strong ever since. “We opened in 2009 or 2010,” he recalled.

Randy is a family man.  He is married to wife Jenel who has been a nurse since 1983.  The two have three children, two girls and a boy who are grown with families of their own. 

Randy has expansion plans.  He is adding a new steel building where they currently sell their wares. They have poured the concrete and the building should arrive sometime this fall.  They are also doing some rearranging with buildings out back. 

New City Greenhouse is a place where agritourism takes place.  “The Farm Bureau stops here on their tour day.”

Ag in the classroom also has stops sometimes and classroom parents where they try to welcome them with lemonade or something special Randy added.  They are also engaged with the Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts education.  “This year we worked with them on “make and take”, we proved the soil, and all they needed to make a spiller/thriller/filler.  We did two of these this year,” Randy added.

The New City Greenhouse is open seven days a week 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday – Saturday and 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. on Sunday from the first weekend in March until after Halloween.  For more information log onto their website at Home | New City Greenhouse or check out their Facebook page at (4) New City Greenhouse | Facebook.  They put updates of what is happening on their Facebook page!  The phone number where they can be reached is (217) 801-5127.
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The New City Greenhouse is also easily accessible from I-55 and Route 29!

Josh and Stephanie Knott have set up a business that takes care of the job that many dog owners don’t want, or are unable to deal with, removing the dog waste from their yards!  Whether you are looking to have your yard cleaned of dog waste once, or twice a week, or just spring cleaned, Pain in the Grass, Dog Waste Removal may be the answer.  

When asked how they came up with this entrepreneurial idea, Stephanie said, “We got the idea when visiting my sister in Omaha.  Her pooper scooper was in the backyard.  “Josh said who is that? And she told us he was the dog scooper.” 

Seeing this sparked an idea with the couple.  “We both have an animal background being vet techs,” Josh said, plus he added, “I also have training in the invisible fence installation business, so I know dogs’ temperaments and about backyard safety.”  
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The couples vet tech background is a true plus.  While the focus of the job is to remove the waste, sometimes because of their background, they sometimes catch health updates on the dogs that they get to know so well.  “The other day Josh noticed that one dog’s lymph nodes were swollen,” Stephanie said. 

Watching out for the pets they clean up after is just part of the job they accept because they care about their four-footed clients.  “A lot of people know about our experience, and like having someone like us that interacts with their dog.”

This fondness for the animal clients is easy to see.  Josh admitted to playing fetch and other games with the clients while on the job! “My whole life I’ve been interacting with dogs,” he said.
So, the idea for the Pain in the Grass came about after the visit to Stephanie’s sister.  “Josh said we know so many dog people.  I had just had our son Jameson, he was just born, and Josh was still working at the vets.  We decided to give it a try.  It’s been five years now.”

 “Josh does it fulltime, and I do it part time,” Stephanie said. 

Josh came up with the name, Pain in the Grass, Dog Waste Removal trying for something funny, but Stephanie added, “We didn’t want it confused with a lawn care company.”

Pain in the Grass serves the central Illinois communities of Pawnee, Auburn, Chatham, Springfield, Sherman, and Rochester. “Our main work is weekly scooping.  We can offer twice a week, and we also offer one time spring clean-up. Realtors also refer us and use us a lot for last day moving clean up.”

They don’t do pet sitting and other animal chores.  “We try to keep it as simple as possible. We are insured, so we have our bases covered,” Stephanie added.

Many of the dogs get excited when they come do to their weekly clean up chores.  The pets that are not so friendly usually remain inside.  “We send a text telling them we are on our way,” Josh said. 

The base rate for Pain in the Grass starts at $15/week, and $3/additional dog and that includes anything under a ¼ acre.

The best part of their job, Josh said, besides the dogs of course, is being their own boss.  Stephanie also added they enjoy being outside.  “We like giving people their yard back and taking one more task off their list.”

Customers vary from seniors, to disabled, injured and pregnant pet owners, to just very busy dog owners.  Then there are also businesspeople like home daycares that hire them to take care of the pet waste. They have a system they follow when they go to work.  They scoop the waste, seal it, then toss it outside in the owner’s trash receptacle. “Scoop it, Bag it, Trash it!” Josh said.
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They are very safety conscious and make sure that the gates are relatched, and they disinfect their tools after working at each home.  “Owners should doublecheck latches, but we are very safety conscious,” Stephanie said.

Over time, the couple has seen puppies grown into adult dogs, and customers replace senior dogs with new ones. They enjoy watching the changes over time and getting to know the dogs along the way.  Their customers are loyal, and many say that they would give up other services before they would give up Pain in the Grass Waste Removal.  The couple feels appreciated.

Josh is originally from the Murrayville/Jacksonville area and moved to Springfield after graduating from high school in 2004.  Stephanie grew up in Springfield and attended school in Rochester.  “Josh and I moved here so my daughter Jada would start kindergarten in a small town,” she said. 

They moved to Pawnee in 2014.  The Knott’s are pet owners with two dogs and three cats. This year Jada will be in  the 7th grade  and Jameson will be in kindergarten, so they very have a busy family life. 

For more information, check out their website at www.paininthegrassllc.com, or call 217-229-1975, or email paininthegrassllc@gmail.com with questions. They also have an active Facebook page (13) Pain in the Grass LLC - Dog Waste Removal | Facebook as well.

Glenn Brothers Garage is located on the Pawnee Square.  Tim Glenn said that they have been in business since 2006.  “I started with Midwest Garage, then decided to do my own thig.  I started there in 1995.”

Born and raised in Pawnee, Tim and his late brother Matt started the business, and Glenn Brothers has always been located locally.  “We have been at this location since 2016.  Herbies was next door, and this building was several things over the years,” he added adding it had been a musical venue and more.

Prior to being located on the square, Tim said they were located on Divernon Road. 

At Glenn Brother’s Garage, they offer a variety of services.  They install garage doors, door openers, and they service them.  “We do this for residential, commercial, agricultural, and industrial doors,” Tim added.

Besides selling and installing garage doors, they also offer screens and awnings and retractable awnings too.  While all these services keep them busy, Tim said they are busiest these days with servicing mostly residential garage doors. 

He finds that a lot of customers have been adding keypads to their garage entries.  “We do this a lot for customers, especially for those with kids.”

The Pawnee branch of the First National Bank of Raymond (FNB) has roots stretching back to 1992.  This is the year that the contractor, the late Cecil Herpstreith built the building for the new bank!

However, the bank itself can claim history dating back over 100 years to 1903.  “We first opened in Raymond, Illinois,” Stephanie Richeson, Assistant Vice President of the bank explained.
According to their website, “The First National Bank of Raymond was formed on October 1 with a capital structure of $25,000.”

They built a larger building in 1922, then, the First National Bank purchased the Raymond State Bank, which was the first bank in Raymond. They bought the Raymond State Bank in 1928.  The Raymond State Bank was established in 1881, by John Green and was built where Sorrells Farm Supply sits today.

The bank has continued to grow.  “In 1993, The State Bank of Girard and The State Bank of Virden were consolidated into The First National Bank of Raymond, and the Morrisonville Banking Center was established in 1994.”

​The Pawnee Branch is a full-service bank which offers a wide range of banking services.  “We offer deposit services including; checking, savings, CD’s and IRA’s and lending services including: personal loans, as well as auto, residential, home equity, agricultural, commercial, and municipal loans.”

​​Municipal loans are loans to municipalities.  “We also offer 24/7 services like online banking, ATM’s and night deposits,” Stephanie added.

They also offer online bill pay as well. Customers can also rent safe deposit boxes to store their valuables and important papers in. FNB also always offers license sticker renewals, wire transfers, notary services and cashier’s check for our customers.

The First National Bank staff likes to be involved with the community they serve. “A lot of our employee’s volunteer in community organizations.”

On their website they share, “The First National Bank of Raymond believes a community is not simply a place to work or live, but a place where families are raised, and lifelong relationships are formed. For those reasons we believe giving back is more than a service, it's a commitment.”
Online they share a long list of non-profit and charitable groups that they work with to help make the communities they serve better places to live and work.

Stephanie will have been with the First National Bank of Pawnee for 25 years this August.  “We have employees that have been here for over 40 years,” she said speaking bank wide.  “Our President, Neil Jordan has been here for 29 years.”

Along with the longtime employees, First National Bank celebrates the fact that they also have several customers that have been with them for many years as well.  “We have customers that have been with us for generations.  We know our customers by name.”

When asked about what changes she sees in banking over time Stephanie said, “A lot more people are moving towards technology rather than coming in. Less people are using cash.”

To ensure that customers on the move can still use their services Stephanie added, “We offer debit cards and online banking so if someone moves, they can still bank with us.”

This is also true for customers at college, in the military, or away for short stints of time.
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With so much cyber danger, Stephanie said customers should always feel free to come in and talk to them if they have concerns.  “We are always here to lend a helping hand, asses the situated and protect our customers financial well-being. Everything is always kept strictly confidential.”

The bank lobby for the First National Bank of Raymond is open from 8:00 a.m. until 3:30 p.m.  Monday - Friday and 8:00 a.m. until noon on Saturday. The drive up is open 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday – Thursday and 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. on Friday.  On Saturday the drive up is open from 8:00 a.m. until noon. 
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For more information about the First National Bank of Raymond, check out their website at www.fnbraymond.com. You can also call toll free at 800-500-3621, or 217-625-2311.