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Good Saturday morning, Princeton friends. Polar Express showings, vendor markets, blazing cold temps, community surveys, holiday brunch invites, and a heartfelt message from Lori on blooming with purpose. There’s job openings, fire department raffles, and a brand-new wellness studio arriving in the Art District. Bundle up, grab a coffee.

Let’s go.

—Justin Bullington

📬IN THIS ISSUE

💡What You Should Know
🎄Christmas Eve Services
🛍️Buddy Bags
🧤Volunteers Needed
☀️Princeton Weather
⛽️Princeton Gas Prices
🛍️Small Business Saturdays
🗓️Upcoming in Princeton
👷Princeton Job Inspections
👯‍♀️The Sculpture Haus
👷Job Openings
📣Community Feedback Needed
🥕Letter From Lori

💡WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW

• Bureau County Board to Buy Building for EMA, Mobile Command Unit

• Evan Hultine Reelected Vice President of Illinois Farm Bureau with Focus on Youth Programs; Philip Nelson Returns as 17th Illinois Farm Bureau President Pledging Transparency and Unity

• Princeton Bible Church invites the community to the Warm Hearts Winter Outreach on Saturday, December 20, from 11:00 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at the Second Story Teen Center. Soup and dessert will be provided. All are welcome to come enjoy a warm meal and time together during the winter season.

• Princeton Firefighters announced a raffle to benefit Project Fire Buddies, with proceeds supporting children battling serious illnesses. Tickets are available through December 20, with multiple entry options and drawing details included.

• Bureau County Metro Center announced its “Jingle All the Weigh” donation drive running December 6–15. Donors who bring items for the Bureau County Food Pantry will receive discounts on memberships. Nerf Nights are coming to the Met every Friday in January from January 2 through January 30. Sessions run from 4:00–4:45 p.m. for kindergarten through 2nd grade and 5:00–5:45 p.m. for 3rd–5th grade. Participants should bring their own launchers, with standard darts and balls provided. Registration is open with pricing set at $30 for members, $35 for residents, and $40 for non-residents.

• Home for the Holidays Christmas Light Drive-Thru runs November 28th–December 21st, with additional dates December 22nd–25th. Visitors can enjoy festive displays Fridays and Saturdays from 5–9 p.m. and Sundays from 5–8 p.m. at the Bureau County Fairgrounds.

• Bureau County Sheriff Arrest and Citation Report

🎄CHRISTMAS EVE SERVICES

• Princeton Bible Church will hold a candlelight Christmas Eve service at 6pm.

• St. Matthew’s Lutheran Church will hold candlelight Christmas Eve services at 4:30 p.m. and 6:30 p.m.

• Evangelical Covenant Church will hold a 7 p.m. service on Christmas Eve.

• St. Louis Catholic Church will hold Christmas Eve Masses at 4 p.m., 7 p.m. and 10 p.m. Christmas Day Mass will be at 9 a.m.

🛍️BUDDY BAGS

This year’s Buddy bag program is in full swing with 142 children currently participating in our program.

As everyone is aware groceries are high and the need is great. We are reaching out to businesses, organizations and residents as we approach the holidays for any and all support/donations to the buddybag program.  Our new location is behind Johnson's Carpet in white bldg with our Buddy Bag sign at the door. We meet at 430 to set up and pack at 5 on Wednesday evening. Visitors and extra help always welcome.

Thank you!

Contacts

Mark Frank: 8158767295

Diane Heller: 8153262671

🧤Volunteers Needed for Overnight Staffing of Planned Shelter in Princeton

Your help will be needed this winter to provide warmth and comfort to those who'll need it.

Starting in late December, a new overnight shelter will be in place to warm the homeless in the community. And volunteers who can serve as overnight staff at the shelter are very much in need.

The shelter will be located at Arukah Institute of Healing, at 1916 Main Street in Princeton. Concerned citizens, faith communities and other agencies are setting up a warming center to bring comfort to those who will be needing it during the long winter ahead.

If you're interested, you'll be required to go through training, and sessions are scheduled for December 10 and 11.

If you or someone you know would like to be a part of the project as an overnight volunteer, send an email by clicking here. 

☀️PRINCETON WEATHER

❄️Saturday: Snow in the morning will taper to light snow during the afternoon, with 1–3 inches of accumulation likely. The high will be 10°F with a NW wind 10–15 mph. Skies turn partly cloudy to clear late, and the night will be dangerously cold with a low near –8°F and a NW wind 10–15 mph.

☀️Sunday: It will be bitterly cold and generally sunny. The afternoon high reaches only 5°F with a WNW breeze 5–10 mph. Clouds increase at night; expect a mostly cloudy sky, a low around –4°F, and a W wind near 10 mph.

⛅Monday: Expect considerable clouds early with some clearing later. The high will be 28°F with a WNW wind 5–10 mph. Monday night turns partly cloudy, and temperatures fall to about 15°F with a WNW wind 5–10 mph.

⛅Tuesday: The day will be partly cloudy with a high near 38°F and a SW to SSW wind 5–10 mph. Tuesday night stays partly cloudy, becoming a bit cloudier late, with a low around 28°F and a SSW wind 5–10 mph.

🌧️Wednesday: Skies will be considerably cloudy at first with some decrease later in the day. The high will be near 46°F with a WSW wind 10–15 mph. Occasional showers are possible Wednesday night (~40% chance) with a low near 32°F and a WNW wind 10–15 mph.

⛽️PRINCETON GAS PRICES

Regular

Amoco, 720 N Main St: $3.03
Sullivan’s Foods: $3.06
Casey’s West/North: $3.09
Beck’s West/North: $3.09
Road Ranger, N Main St: $3.09
Shell, 2225 N Main St: $3.12

Peru Gas 👀

Sapp Bros.: $2.62

💼PRINCETON BUSINESSES #SHOPLOCAL

• Optimal Health announced the arrival of new gluten-free skillet cookies available in Birthday Cake and Chocolate Chunk varieties. The cookies are now available for purchase inside the store.

• Monical’s Pizza of Princeton shared that their frozen breadsticks will no longer be available after December 21. Customers are encouraged to stock up before the product leaves for the season.

• Golden Rice Authentic Thai & Asian Cuisine is offering private party meals for groups of 10–20 throughout the holiday season, excluding Christmas night. The menu includes noodles, fried rice, curry or stir-fry, appetizers, sushi rolls, and drinks, with pricing between $30–$35 per person. Reservations can be made by messaging the restaurant directly.

• Finders Keepers Resale Store announced it will be temporarily closed for donations for the next two weeks due to an abundance of inventory. The store thanked the community for its continued generosity.

• Neighborhood Ace Hardware is offering 10-pack, 60-watt LED light bulbs at 50% off for a limited time. Both warm white and cool white options are available while supplies last.

• Four Seasons shared a list of holiday gift ideas that don’t require sizing, including scarves, gloves, jewelry, socks, hand creams, and gift cards. The store highlighted stress-free gifting with in-store and online shopping options available.

• Cafe Grace announced reservations are now being accepted for a New Year’s Eve dinner, along with a New Year’s Day buffet running from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. The restaurant is located at 1009 North Main Street.

• Boek-el-ZOO shared a weekend lineup featuring double punches on frequent feeder cards Friday, children’s time on Saturday from 12–3 p.m., and multiple promotions running all weekend. Specials include BOGO toy deals, gift certificate bonuses, Christmas grab bags, lottery tree tickets, and opportunities to meet animals and participate in holiday activities.

• Apollo Theater released updated showtimes valid from December 12 through December 18. The schedule includes The SpongeBob Movie: Search for Squarepants, Zootopia 2, and Five Nights at Freddy’s 2, with open-captioned showings on Sunday evenings.

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🗓️️UPCOMING IN PRINCETON

📅 Saturday, December 13: The Polar Express Movie Event – Presented by Bureau County United Way at the Apollo Theater. Doors open at 12:30 PM, with the movie beginning at 1:00 PM. Tickets are $12 in advance or $15 at the door and include a small popcorn and drink. Apollo Theater, 455 S. Main St.

🎄 Saturday, December 13: Home for the Holidays Christmas Craft & Vendor Show – Shop over 130 vendor tables featuring handmade crafts, gifts, baked goods, décor, and more. Three large heated buildings at the Bureau County Fairgrounds, 811 W. Peru St., from 9 AM–2 PM.

🦞 Sunday, December 14: Argonaut Co. Lobster Rolls, Oysters & More – Barrel Society hosts Argonaut Co. serving lobster rolls, oysters, chowder, and more from 12–7 PM. Preorders are highly recommended. Barrel Society, 930 N. Main St.

🍽️ Monday, December 15: Freezer Meals Fundraiser Pickup – Order a box of 10 frozen meals (five varieties, two of each) for $100 to support Bureau County Farm Bureau Ag in the Classroom, then swing by to pick up your sealed box. Bureau County Farm Bureau, 1407 North Main St. 3–4:30 PM (pre-registration and payment required by November 24).

🎅 Sunday, December 21: Ugly Sweater Christmas Brunch – A five-course brunch by Spoons & Forks hosted at Coal Creek Brewing. Tickets are $25, with brunch beginning at 11:00 AM. Festive attire encouraged.

🎸 Wednesday, December 31: Wild Card at Hawg House – Ring in the New Year early with live music and day drinks from 3–7 PM at Hawg House Saloon, 18066 US Hwy 6.

👯‍♀️THE SCULPTING HAUS

A new wellness and movement studio, The Sculpting Haus, is coming soon to the Art District, breathing new purpose into a building with a rich and layered history. Once known as one of the largest speakeasies of the 1920s and later home to a family workshop and a salon-spa, the space has long been “about bringing people together,” according to a recent Facebook post announcing the project. Founder Torri McCook shared that the building played a formative role in her childhood, calling it the place where her “imagination first learned to breathe.” Over the years, she said, it evolved into a salon where people left “feeling lighter, wrapped in the quiet kind of healing that comes from being truly seen.” The Sculpting Haus now represents the fulfillment of that early dream, described as “a space for movement that’s meant to feel deeply human.” The studio will offer Barre, Pilates, Strength, and Flow classes designed to “restore what’s tired, rebuild what’s been worn down, and reawaken what’s been waiting quietly within you.” McCook emphasized that the project is “raw, honest, and full of the same childhood magic,” transformed into something greater for the community. The Sculpting Haus is expected to open in 2026, with organizers encouraging the public to follow along for updates, class times, and sign-ups.

👷PRINCETON JOB OPENINGS

• Ollie’s Bargain Outlet is currently hiring Warehouse Associates at its Princeton distribution center, according to a recent posting on ZipRecruiter. The full-time, on-site position pays $18 per hour and includes benefits such as medical, dental, vision, retirement, and a 401(k) with company match. Responsibilities include loading and unloading freight, operating material-handling equipment, picking and labeling products, and meeting productivity and safety standards. The role emphasizes Ollie’s core values, including teamwork, honesty, commitment, and a “good stuff cheap” mindset.Ollie’s Bargain Outlet is currently hiring Warehouse Associates at its Princeton distribution center, according to a recent posting on ZipRecruiter. The full-time, on-site position pays $18 per hour and includes benefits such as medical, dental, vision, retirement, and a 401(k) with company match. Responsibilities include loading and unloading freight, operating material-handling equipment, picking and labeling products, and meeting productivity and safety standards. The role emphasizes Ollie’s core values, including teamwork, honesty, commitment, and a “good stuff cheap” mindset.

• Taylor’s Way is hiring a full-time Lawn Applicator in Princeton, offering competitive pay ranging from approximately $20 to $22.50 per hour. This role supports lawn care, tree care, pest control, and seasonal services while working with state-of-the-art equipment in a team-oriented environment. Employees receive extensive training, mentorship, and opportunities for career advancement, along with performance-based bonuses. The company also offers strong benefits, a Monday–Friday work schedule, and long-term stability with a well-established, debt-free organization.

• R.P. Lumber is hiring a full-time CDL Driver in Princeton with an hourly pay range of $20 to $25. This position is responsible for safely delivering lumber and building materials to customer job sites while ensuring accuracy, professionalism, and compliance with safety regulations. Duties include loading and unloading materials, securing return loads, completing delivery paperwork, and maintaining vehicle cleanliness and safety checks. The role reports directly to the General Manager and emphasizes customer service, accountability, and operational efficiency.

📣COMMUNITY INPUT NEEDED

Help Shape Princeton’s Future!

The City of Princeton and the Princeton Area Chamber of Commerce are teaming up in a powerful partnership to take our community to the next level—and we need YOUR voice to help guide the way forward. Whether you’re a resident, business owner, employee, or visitor, your feedback is crucial in shaping the direction of our community.

Behind the scenes, the City and Chamber have been working closely together on key economic development initiatives and long-term planning. But to truly make a lasting impact, we need to hear directly from you—the people who make Princeton such a special place to live, work, and visit.

Tell us what’s working and what’s not. What are Princeton’s greatest strengths? Where do we have room to grow? What would make life here better for residents, businesses, and visitors alike? What support do you need? What opportunities are we missing? Where do we shine?

This is your chance to be heard.

Please take a few minutes to complete the appropriate survey(s)- they are short (just 5 -10 minutes) and your honest feedback will help us know exactly where to focus our time, resources, and attention. If more than one survey applies to you, we kindly ask you to complete both.

Click the link or scan the QR code to begin. Surveys are available via the City of Princeton and Princeton Area Chamber of Commerce Facebook pages, through Chamber e-blasts, and on postcards distributed around town. Please share this with your friends, neighbors, fellow business owners, co-workers, and even visitors - the more voices we hear, the better!

If you have any questions or would like to provide additional input, please don’t hesitate to reach out to Jenica Cole at the Chamber or Michael Zearing at City Hall.

Thank you for your time, your honesty, and your continued support in helping Princeton grow stronger, together!

Business Owner Survey

Residents of the 61356 Survey

Visitor & Surrounding Communities Survey: https://forms.gle/DkkQqfqqEahpoHdx9 

🥕LETTER FROM LORI

As the snow flies around in our Midwestern region, we are probably not thinking about gardening, but it came to my mind this morning. I have lived in my current house for about three years and haven’t done much outside work to speak of, so my goal this year is to create a beautiful yard. At 58, I might need the help of a strong back and someone with more endurance.

In my youth, at another home, I had a glorious yard, rich with a variety of plants, trees, and bushes. Some were tall and strong. Some were low and seasonal. Some were central to the yard and bold in appearance, while others unassumingly held the earth together so it didn’t wash away with the rain. Each plant in my yard served a purpose, whether for beauty or function.

Many of my plants had sentimental value. My mother had given me starts of some of the treasures she had found and nurtured over the years. She took great pride in the masterpiece of color that abounded on her quarter-acre of ground in the center of town. Some plots of land had a theme. Some were wild in nature. Some were meant to come up every year without intervention, while others needed to be planted annually in order to thrive. Her perennials had to be covered and protected during the cold Illinois winter months, or their bulbs would freeze. She left a thick covering of leaves and mulch over them, which made her yard look temporarily messy, but it was necessary to preserve the life below. The annuals needed their seeds gathered and stored so they could be spread in the fertile ground of spring.

One thing you would have noticed in her yard was diversity. How boring would the landscape be if she planted one type of plant, all the same color and height? There can be beauty in uniformity, but a large patch of milkweed, while providing a breeding ground for monarch butterflies, doesn’t provide seed heads for birds or several other benefits that a patch of wildflowers does.

In a wild, unkempt field, there are strong stalks for small birds to land on and ground cover for field mice hiding from hawks. Some flowers feed bees and bugs. Others are designed to nurture the avian population. Some have a short lifespan and return quickly to the earth, rotting into fertilizer for the benefit of the surrounding foliage.

When you look at your circle of friends, do you see relationships that are uniform and fulfill only one need, or is your circle wide? How about your church family? For the past 26 years, I belonged to a church that emphasized the discovery of our own gifts. It minimized comparisons and taught me that it takes many characteristics to fulfill the needs of this world. Some of our members had financial resources. Some were more talented with a needle and thread (that was not my contribution!). I tended to be the “food friend” and loved to cook and bring delight to the taste buds of other members. There were souls whose strength lay in their quiet, unassuming nature. Others were more vocal and bold.

I loved that they all embraced their God-given gifts without apology. I learned to embrace mine too.

So whether you are a thorny rose, a tall noble sunflower, a low-lying ground cover, or a winding vine connecting earth to sky, you have a purpose in God’s garden. Bloom in the way only you can, and embrace your function. And if you find a caterpillar munching on your leaves, don’t scream “ouch,” but realize that maybe you are the nourishment that will someday result in a beautiful butterfly.

Lori owns the Book-el-ZOO in Princeton. It’s not just a pet shop — it’s an experience!

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