January 6th, 2024: 🤼🥖💌🎹

TOGETHER WITH

Ah, Saturday. Good morning, efflulgent, pulchritudinous, seraphic Princeton, Illinois. Have fun looking those up.

We might as well hop to it.

—Justin Bullington

📬IN THIS ISSUE

🚨What You Should Know
🎵Local Music
💰Princeton Business News
🤼Princeton Sports
❄️Princeton Weather
⛽️Princeton Gas Prices

I’d choose Spaghetti Express, but that’s just me.

WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW

• It’s Shawn Emmett’s birthday today 🎈Happy birthday, Shawn. Thank you for your service to our community.

• Garbage truck news! Princeton will finally receive two new garbage trucks by end of March after a two-year wait; residents will receive new bins within weeks (BCR). My son has a trash can cleaning business, so he can help you with those this summer.

• BCR: Princeton, Illinois, has made significant progress in installing new smart water meters, with about one-third of the 3,900 total meters now in place; the project, begun in 2021, aims to improve billing accuracy and efficiency and is expected to take around five years to complete.

• PHS football great Bennett Williams committed to play football at Air Force.

• Fill your pantry with Chelsea Gives Back Happy Valley Soup Fundraiser. This fundraiser will support the 4th annual Chelsea Gives Back Secret Santa Givings. Order here.

• Festival 56 is seeking a highly organized and skilled volunteer to support their grant manager in the dynamic environment of our theater. The ideal candidate will possess exceptional writing skills, attention to detail, and a passion for the arts. Click here for a full job description.

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

LOCAL MUSIC

• Casual Karaoke | Hollywood & Vine | Hollowayville | Jan. 7th, 4pm

• Cody Calkins | South Shore Boat Club | Spring Valley | Jan. 12th, 7pm

• Song Swap Saturday | Ninth Street Pub | Lasalle | Jan. 13th, 3pm

• Jake Beatty | Beer Here | Manlius | Jan. 13th, 7-10pm

• The Problem Child | The Moose Lodge | Princeton | Jan. 20th, 6pm

• Not Petty | Platform 31 | Peru | Jan. 26th, 7-10pm

• The Wise Guys | Hawg House Saloon | Princeton | Feb. 12th, 3pm

• Brushville | Hawg House Saloon | Princeton | Feb. 17th, 8pm

• Dueling Pianos | Sublette 365 | Sublette | Feb. 24, 6:30pm

• Wayne “The Train” Hancock | The Moose Lodge | Princeton | March 16th

Is your favorite band playing somewhere nearby? Have a tip on some musical event? Email me at [email protected].

For Sale

Seller: Marty Kiser

Location: Princeton

Facebook Link: Click here.

PRINCETON BUSINESS NEWS

• Anytime Fitness is having an open house January 13th from 9-1pm. Enjoy the free workouts, body scans, nutrition info, sign-up deals, prizes, snacks, and healthy recipes.

• The special at Cafe Grace this weekend: all-you-can-eat cod and lamb chops today.

• True Leaves Bookshop now has lots of calendars and planners, field guides, and several new releases.

• Lodestone has many great Christmas items and gift ideas for 50% off.

• Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom starts at the Apollo today.

• Gingerbread and Candy Cane soap bars are 30% off at Rachel Rene.

• The Corner Chair Market will provide a class, repurposing a sewing machine drawer January 18th at 6:30. Snacks will be included, but you must prepay to reserve your spot.

• For the first time in 7 years, Little Blue Dress will CLOSE on Sundays and Mondays in January only.

• The Downtown Pub and Event Center is hosting a Valentine Gnome Paint Night January 25th at 6pm.

• All spray tan & teeth whitening services booked with AfterGlow Tanning & Teeth in January will receive $10 off a service with I’d Wax That!

• StudioK Architecture is hiring. They are seeking an experienced project architect with strong technical abilities. Send resumes to [email protected].

• Eclectic Joy has marked throws, pillows, and various other items at 40-50% off.

• Wild Honey Boutique is selling many fashionable shoes and boots for only $20.

• All Christmas items are 50% off original prices at The Milk Mustache. All apparel (excluding Copper Pearl) are 30% off. Quincy Mae, Tea Collection, Angel Dear apparel and their softest pajamas are 30-50% off.

• Sayler’s General Store has received a shipment of wing sauces: chicken and waffles, buffalo sauce, and black magic.

• Ace Hardware is offering a buy one get one free deal for certain birdseed brands, 20% off sinks and faucets for select brands, and 15% off Bona cleaning products in January.

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].

Letters from Lori

This is a special column for the Saturday edition of this newsletter. Lori is the owner of the Boek-el-Zoo in Princeton, where it’s not just a store — it’s an experience. The Boek-el-Zoo is now offering interactive, educational, in-store experiences for groups, parties, field trips, and events. Message her for more details on rates, dates, and availability of animals.

This is my favorite coffee mug. I was devastated when it broke and wasn't perfect any more.

I began to drink hot tea on occasion and discovered that its flaw was exactly what I needed to keep my tea bags in place while it brewed. Sometimes our broken parts, which are often seen as flaws, actually are a BLESSING in a different situation, so never think that you can't use everything God has brought to your life for His greater good.

Be blessed,

Lori Boekeloo

UPCOMING EVENTS

• CANCELLED: The Chili Cook-off at the Bureau County Metro Center.

• The Beginners Yoga Workshop is happening at the Aruka Institute of Healing, January 13th at 10am.

• There will be a Knitting Class at the Prairie Arts Center on January 15th at 6:30pm.

• The band Problem Child will play at the Princeton Moose Lodge January 20th, 2024 at 6pm.

• The 2024 Starved Rock Media Wedding Show is at The Barn at Hornbaker Gardens, February 4th at 11am.

• Welneck’s Motorcycle Swap Meet will take place February 11th at 8am at the Bureau County Fair Grounds.

• Look forward to the Model Train Fair & Farm Toy Show on February 17th from 9-3pm at the Bureau County Fair Grounds.

If you’d like to add an event to this list, don’t hesitate to email me at [email protected]

PRINCETON SPORTS

Big day today for the PHS wrestling community.

Day two of The Lyle King Princeton Invitational High School wrestling tournament takes place today. Known as the PIT, it will showcase a "Who’s Who" of Class 1A wrestling with 16 ranked teams, 139 ranked wrestlers, and three defending state champions; Princeton High School, with several top-ranked wrestlers, is poised for strong competition in this challenging field

Some previous winners of the Princeton Invitational Tournament (PIT) in Princeton include Brian Anderson, a three-time PIT winner from 1991-93, and his father Randy Anderson, a two-time champion from 1964-65. Additionally, Adam Wason was a PIT champion in 1995 and 1997 at 112 pounds and was named as Outstanding Wrestler, and Aaron Christiansen was a PIT champion for PHS (class of ’95) and a two-time runner-up (BCR).

• Tigers Boys bball beat Mendota 60-47 last night.

• The PIT | @ Home | YouTube LINK

PHS Girls Bball Upcoming Schedule:

• 1/11 at Kewanee at 7:00 PM

• 1/18 vs Hall at 7:00 PM

• 1/20 vs Orion at 1:00 PM

• 1/22 at Bureau Valley at 7:00 PM

• 1/23 vs Kewanee at 7:00 PM

• 2/5 vs Ottawa at 7:00 PM

PHS Boys Bball Upcoming Schedule:

• 1/8 vs Kewanee* at 7:00 PM

• 1/9 vs Ottawa at 7:00 PM

• 1/12 vs Rock Falls at 7:00 PM

• 1/23 at Kewanee* at 7:00 PM

• 1/26 vs Hall* at 7:00 PM

• 1/30 vs Bureau Valley* at 7:00 PM

• 2/2 vs Mendota* at 7:00 PM

Please note that games marked with an asterisk (*) indicate conference games.

PRINCETON WEATHER

Hey, it looks like snow is on the horizon! We will probably see a few inches soon.

• Here’s a weather forecast for Princeton:

  • Today: Chance of snow then rain/snow, high near 36°F; at night, a 30% chance of snow before midnight, mostly cloudy, low around 26°F.

  • Sunday: Mostly cloudy, high near 34°F; at night, mostly cloudy, low around 24°F.

  • Monday: Mostly cloudy, high near 38°F; at night, rain and snow likely before midnight, low around 30°F.

  • Tuesday: Snow likely, high near 34°F; at night, a 50% chance of snow, low around 23°F.

  • Wednesday: Partly sunny, high near 30°F.

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
3️⃣Road Ranger, 2835 N Main St: $2.93
3️⃣Casey’s, 520 W Peru St:$2.93
3️⃣Casey’s, 2125 N Main St: $2.93
4️⃣Casey’s, 138 E Main St: $2.95
5️⃣Beck’s West, 605 W Peru St: $2.95.

Diesel

1️⃣Casey’s, 520 W Peru St: $3.49
2️⃣Beck’s North, 1838 N MAIN ST: $3.49
2️⃣Casey’s, 2125 N Main St: $3.49
2️⃣Sullivan’s Foods, 125 Backbone Rd: $3.49
3️⃣Casey’s, 138 E Main St: $3.51
4️⃣Amoco, 720 N Main St: $3.59
4️⃣Road Ranger, 2835 N Main St: $3.59

ALLOW ME TO INTRODUCE MYSELF

Hello beautiful, magnanimous, glorious Princeton, Illinois.

I was born at Perry Memorial and raised here, my favorite place in the world. I am a long time resident who enjoys watching the success and growth of our town. I remember going to Benjamin Franklin’s as a kid and eating the cinnamon rolls with my mom at the old Hardee’s.

I went to PHS and graduated in 2008. I “sang for Joy” with Joy Schertz in the choir, and I was in a band called “The Local Band” with some of my best friends. I worked for my dad for a few summers at Bullington-Isaacson Construction. I also worked at Dairy Queen and mastered the curl at the top of the Dilly Bars. I delivered flowers for Flowers by Julia for a few years, too. I love this town.

But I really love my wife and family; and I love my church: Princeton Bible Church. I’ve been the Associate Pastor there since 2016. You should come and visit sometime.

I enjoy long walks on the beach, and all Chicago sports…even though they’re mostly bad.

I started the Princeton NOW page during Covid and love to be in the know about what is happening in this lovely place. I am your small business’ biggest fan…remember the Let’s Talk Princeton videos during Covid time? Head to that group and do a little search of this hashtag: #wheresjustin.