January 13th, 2024: 🏅🦷🍟

TOGETHER WITH

Good morning, Princeton. It’s colder than a Yeti’s toothache on a Siberian mountain top.

Let’s get started.

—Justin Bullington

📬IN THIS ISSUE

🚨What You Should Know
🏅Princeton Person of the Week
❄️Princeton Weather Update
💰Princeton Business News
🍔Princeton Restaurant News
✉️Letter from Lori
⛽️Princeton Gas Prices

Have a picture of Princeton you’d like to share? Tag Princeton NOW on Instagram or Facebook and you may see it in the next newsletter. 

WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW

• This newsletter was sent to 801 recipients! Thank you for your support. On November 13th, I sent my first newsletter to 44 gracious, kind, encouraging Princeton citizens. I giggle when I look at it — I had no idea what I was doing. I still kind of don’t, but back then I really had no idea what I was doing. But here we are.
  

• Illinois Valley Times: “Bureau County taxpayers paid $42,449 in County Sales Tax in October, according to Illinois tax records. This figure marks a significant increase from the previous month, where County Sales Tax collection stood at $38,018. Over the past 12 months, Bureau County's residents have collectively paid a total of $519,099 in County Sales Tax.”
  

• From the Princeton Police Department: “With the winter storm coming we want to remind residents about parking on the street: “It shall be unlawful for any person to park any vehicle on any public street, alley or municipally owned or leased parking lot in the city at anytime within twelve (12) hours after a snowfall of three (3) inches or more has occurred or until the snow has been removed therefrom, whichever shall occur sooner. Vehicles parked in violation will receive a parking citation and may be removed at the owner's expense.”
  

• The Rotary Club is hosting a scholarship fair for high schoolers Wednesday, January 24th from 5-8pm at the Prouty Building. Questions will be answered, Scholarship Reps will be available, along with military information.

• Watch this highlight dunk from former Princeton Tigers great Grady Thompson.

• PHS Girls Varsity Bball beat Kewanee Thursday evening 54-45.

• The Bureau County Metro Center youth basketball signup deadline is January 14th.

• Buy cake and support the Bureau County Senior Center. Chocolate Chocolate Chip, Carrot, Confetti, and Classic Vanilla are all available. Individual “bundlet’s” cost $6. Place your order by Feb. 19th and pick it up by March 1st. To ask questions or place an order, call 815-879-3981.

• The Princeton Chamber of Commerce will host its first “Morning Mingle” at 7:30 a.m. Tuesday, Jan. 23, at the Prouty Building. The discussion will center on new laws that took effect Jan. 1. These new laws include pay scale and benefits posting requirements; extended Child Bereavement Leave Act; Transportation Benefits Program Act (BCR). The Chamber is also releasing a calendar of events soon, featuring the Red Covered Bridge, in conjunction with many local businesses in town.

• Catch a glimpse of Princeton 20-30 years ago in this old video series about Ronald Reagan Trail.

If you have a charity, a birthday, anniversary, or a church event you’d like promoted, email me at [email protected].

PRINCETON PERSON OF THE WEEK

🏅CHELSEA SANCHEZ

Reason for Nomination: “Chelsea has given from the heart and given back to the community. She has touched so many lives in a positive way with her efforts.”

Congratulations, Chelsea. You are, indeed, one of a kind. You’ve won the illustrious Princeton Person of the Week.

You can nominate someone for next week’s Princeton Person of the Week here.

PRINCETON WEATHER UPDATE

Today: There is a 40% chance of snow, mainly after noon, with widespread blowing snow mainly before noon. The day will be cloudy, with temperatures falling to around 9°F by 5 pm and wind chill values as low as -10°F. It will be breezy, with a west wind of 20 to 25 mph, and gusts as high as 40 mph.

Tonight: there's a 20% chance of snow before midnight. It will be mostly cloudy, with a low around -7°F and wind chill values as low as -30°F.

Sunday: partly sunny and cold, with a high near -2°F and wind chill values as low as -30°F. It will be breezy, with a west wind of 15 to 20 mph and gusts as high as 30 mph.

Sunday night: mostly cloudy with a low around -12°F.

Monday: The day will be mostly cloudy and cold, with a high near -2°F.

Monday night: mostly cloudy conditions, with a low around -13°F.

Princeton is under a Wind Chill Watch from this evening until Monday.

click here for road conditions.
click here for an I-80 traffic camera.
click here for a list of closures.

🔗TOP CLICKS THIS WEEK

1. Chelsea Gives Back Soup Fundraiser 🏆

2. Second Story Building Update

3. Officer Dan Jaeger Signs Off for the Last Time

PRINCETON BUSINESS NEWS

• The Apollo: Movies to watch this weekend are Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom (PG-13) and Mean Girls (PG-13).

• Anytime Fitness will host an open house this Saturday at 9am.

• All skincare products are buy one, get one half off at Optimal Health for a limited time.

• Four Seasons: extra 30% off all of their double lined clearance; 25% off full price when you mention code WINTER; clearance and code WINTER expire 1/14/2024.

• Head to the Boek-el-Zoo Saturday to meet a litter of American Bull Staffies to interact and play with. Learn about this breed from Rae Harold.

• Meadows: Shop from their 50% off tables and arrangements before they are gone for the year.

• Little Blue Dress has a 30% off winter sale on their website.

If you own a business or restaurant in Princeton and would like me to post your deals, specials, or important announcements, email me at [email protected].

PRINCETON RESTAURANT NEWS

• Los Ranchitos: Saturday and Sunday’s special is Carne Ensu Jugo for $14.99. They are now offering Churros for $6.99.

• Niel and Shorty’s is offering free coffee and hot chocolate.

• Paisano’s Ristorante’s pizza of the month is Mac n’ Cheese.

• Grandma Rosie’s Sweet Treats delivers straight to your home, and they serve free hand-cut fries with their deliveries as well. Their phone number is 815-872-1200.

LETTER FROM LORI

This is a special column for the Saturday edition of this newsletter.

“Hope is the power of being cheerful in circumstances that we know to be desperate.”

Over the past 6 years, I have faced some major challenges. I took over the pet store in 2018. Shortly afterward, my mother was diagnosed with brain tumors and subsequently went to her final home. In May of 2020, my pet store burned down, forcing me to rebuild from ground zero, with no resources. In 2023, I lost my home of 32 years due to financial issues. Last week, I lost my father. Through it all, I have tried to stay positive and have often been asked how I’ve kept a smile on my face. (Though I promise you, there have been a multitude of tears!)

When we look for the positive, we will find it. Losing my mother led my father to Christ. At 76 years old, he decided to turn his life over, in order to spend eternity with my mother, and he knew her faith had landed her in heaven. The fire at the store demonstrated a unity in our small town, and we were able to find a better location with lower overhead and a brighter atmosphere. Losing my home forced me to move to a smaller home, better suited to my needs as I age. I’m still sorting through the emotions surrounding my father, but I see, initially, that it has brought my brother and me closer together as we navigate our new roles in our family. It has also reignited my passion for writing, a pursuit I had set aside, that my father encouraged in his final months.

So, if you are a Christian, set the example of joy for others, because surely that is the best way to draw people to His kingdom.

Be blessed today…and be a blessing.

—Lori Boekeloo

PRINCETON GAS PRICES

Regular

1️⃣Amoco, 720 N Main St: $2.89 🏆
2️⃣Sullivan’s Foods, 125 Backbone Rd: $2.92
3️⃣Shell, 2225 N Main St: $2.93
3️⃣Beck’s North, 1838 N MAIN ST: $2.93
3️⃣Casey’s, 520 W Peru St:$2.93
3️⃣Casey’s, 2125 N Main St: $2.93
3️⃣Casey’s, 138 E Main St: $2.93
3️⃣Beck’s West, 605 W Peru St: $2.93

Diesel

1️⃣Casey’s, 520 W Peru St: $3.39 🏆
1️⃣Beck’s North, 1838 N MAIN ST: $3.39
1️⃣Casey’s, 2125 N Main St: $3.39
1️⃣Casey’s, 138 N Main St: $3.39
1️⃣Beck’s West, 605 W Peru: 3.39
2️⃣Sullivan’s Foods, 125 Backbone Rd: $3.49
3️⃣Amoco, 720 N Main St: $3.59