St. Clair Times – Ashville plays electronic bingo

“It’s a great day for Ashville.”

Those words spoken by Mayor Robert McKay after electronic bingo machines were moved into the American Legion Post 170 late Friday and all day Saturday.

Electronic bingo is being played in the City of Ashville.

McKay said he received word Friday around noon that St. Clair County Judge Charles Robinson said there is no reason for them not to continue to pursue the idea of playing electronic bingo.

“Finally, finally, after about seven or eight months of pursuing this we finally have succeeded in opening the doors,” McKay said. “We had the machines certified by two different laboratories. Everything is a go, so we are here. Not only is it a great day for Ashville, it is a great day for the St. Clair County School System. We plan on giving 90 percent of what we generate this weekend to the school system as early as Monday. The kids will benefit from this.”

McKay added they would be able to pay off city hall, extend the sewer to the schools and build new ball fields.

Bobby Cook, resident of Ashville for over 50 years and a member of the American Legion since it started, said electronic bingo is wonderful.

“It is a win-win situation for the American Legion and the City of Ashville,” Cook said.

via St. Clair Times – Ashville plays electronic bingo.

 

Elgin garbage truck driver saves American flags — chicagotribune.com

Elgin garbage truck driver saves American flags

Associated Press

5:11 PM CDT, June 14, 2009

ELGIN, Ill. – Suburban Chicago veterans have honored a garbage truck driver who’s credited with saving 250 American flags from being improperly thrown out within the last 18 months.

Elgin’s American Legion Post 57 and Elks Lodge 737 recognized Waste Management driver Jeff Olsen during a Flag Day ceremony Sunday.

Olsen is a 34-year-old native Canadian who says he plucks flags from the refuse in his truck whenever he sees them. Waste Management representatives say that has been a regular practice among their Elgin drivers for some time, but Olsen is the most successful.

Olsen is married to a former Army medic who did two tours of duty in Kuwait. He says that throwing flags away is like stomping on them.

Federal code says American flags should be discarded in a dignified way.

via Elgin garbage truck driver saves American flags — chicagotribune.com.