WHS set to induct first Athletic Hall of Fame class
This Friday night, Waterloo High School will induct its inaugural Athletic Hall of Fame class at halftime of the varsity boys basketball game in the gym.
The inductees include past WHS coaching legends Lon Fulte and Larry Henson, along with the 1952 boys basketball, 1965 baseball and 1993 football teams.
They will be joined by former WHS athletes Bill Schmidt (Class of 1948), Rich Binder (1965), Dawn Reynolds (1979) and Tony Frierdich (1993).
Pictured, Schmidt dons his old high school letterman's jacket.
For feature stories on Fulte, Henson and Schmidt, read the Jan. 25 print edition of the Republic-Times. Stories on the other inductees will appear in next week's newspaper.
Around 9 a.m. Thursday, Columbia police, fire and EMS rushed to the scene of a structure fire at 1411 Frontage Road, located near Quality Rental off Route 3 and Route 158 on the southern edge of town.
Heavy smoke was visible upon emergency responder arrival, and an injured woman was laying in the yard. The fire appears to have started in the basement, and a female resident of the home had to crawl through a small basement window to escape.
The home is owned by Steve and Pam Stroh.
Kevin Brouillette, who rents a small living space next to the home, said he was awakened by the female homeowner knocking on his door for help. He immediately called 911. The woman was transported to Mercy Medical Center in St. Louis with difficulty breathing and possible internal burns.
Firefighters arrived and quickly worked to extinguish the blaze. By 9:30 a.m., the fire was under control and firemen were checking for hot spots. Columbia Assistant Fire Chief Jim Broshears said the fire was started by a lit candle on a bookcase in the basement area.
The Millstadt Fire Department was called in for their pumper and additional manpower, and Dupo was put on standby at their engine house in case further assistance was needed.
Columbia and Dupo fire and EMS responders assisted Illinois State Police with a crash involving a Pontiac Grand Prix and tractor-trailer grease truck on Interstate 255 southbound between Dupo and Columbia just before 9 p.m. Monday.
Three occupants of the car were treated for injuries sustained in the crash, with a female passenger airlifted by Arch helicopter to Saint Louis University Hospital. The other two occupants, both male, were transported to hospitals by ambulance.
The ISP accident report, released Wednesday morning, states that a 2007 Pontiac Grand Prix driven by Troy W. DeRossett, 21, of East Carondelet, was traveling south on I-255 approaching milepost 7.8. A 2008 Mac truck driven by Clifford Hanson, 43, of Belleville, was stopped on the shoulder before merging into the right lane at about 45 miles per hour.
DeRossett told police he looked down at the radio just before crashing into the rear of the truck, which a witness said had been in the right lane for about seven seconds. The truck then dragged the car along with it when pulling back onto the shoulder.
DeRossett was transported to St. Anthony's Medical Center by Dupo EMS. He was issued a citation for failure to reduce speed to avoid an accident.
A female passenger in the car, Shana Harr, 21, of Columbia, was partially ejected in the crash. She was airlifted to SLU Hospital with serious injuries.
Another passenger in the car, Cory W. Sturdevant, 27, of Cahokia, was transported to St. Anthony's by Columbia EMS.
The report states DeRossett was wearing a seat belt, while Harr and Sturdevant were not.
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