Live Cast January 7th from 3pm to 5pm at the West Center Chapel January 8th at 10:30am at Good Shepherd Evangelical Lutheran Church Memorials are suggested to Good Shepherd Evangelical Lutheran Church or a College Fund for Elroy’s nieces and nephews I dealt with Elroy for over 25 yrs as both vendor and customer Heafey-Hoffmann-Dworak-Cutler Mortuaries © 2024 All Rights Reserved Terms of Use and Privacy Policy We have the address for the funeral home & the family on file If you're not happy with your card we'll send a replacement or refund your money David Charles Fuerstenau, passed away Thursday, April 2, 2015. He was preceded in death by his grandmother, Joyce Fuerstenau and grandfather, Gordon Fuerstenau. David is survived by his mother, Dawn Ann Daily; step father, Andrew William Daily;... View Obituary & Service Information The family of David Charles Fuerstenau created this Life Tributes page to make it easy to share your memories © 2025 Mission Park Funeral Chapels & Cemeteries Made with love by funeralOne — For thousands of people in Wisconsin that deal with respiratory issues being able to afford an inhaler can often leave even the most financially secure feeling breathless Vicki Fuerstenau knows the pain of not being able to breathe freely Vicki says every morning she makes a choice when it comes to treating her chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) "Do I see dollar signs or do I see breathing I choose not to pay the dollar signs and I don't do the inhaler,” said Fuerstenau The retired flight attendant says she spends more than $700 a month for two inhalers “I should be able to disregard that I have this problem of COPD and take my inhaler everyday and live in comfort and live knowing that I'm doing the best I can to take care of myself And that's the saddest part,” said Fuerstenau Wisconsin Senator Tammy Baldwin is part of a congressional investigation looking into the skyrocketing price of inhalers which is the price that pharmacies pay to have the products in stock pharmacies between $400-700 for each name-brand inhaler while the same medication is available abroad for under $100 providers say this price gap can make it difficult to get patients what they need "They know that the majority of patients' insurance will pay those prices for their medications They don't really take into account the fact that uninsured patients don't really have that sort of access to those sort of funds,” said Dr suffer from asthma and other respiratory conditions in Wisconsin 71 Wisconsinites died due to the chronic lung disease with nearly 40 percent of those victims over the age of 65 Vicki says the fear that she could hurt herself by rationing her inhaler is something that weighs on her all the time "It's kind of a dirty little secret that I have to make it on my own That I can't depend on insurance or I can't depend on the government I guess those are the two things it comes down to and that's heartbreaking,” said Fuerstenau She hopes this investigation will open people's eyes and potentially push companies to finally make a change "We have to let each other know that we care and that maybe we can get more people to fight for our rights They are American rights,” said Fuerstenau Stream local news and weather 24/7 by searching for “TMJ4” on your device Available for download on Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, and more. Report a typo or error // Submit a news tip Report a typo In News by Porter AndersonJanuary 13 Rita Fürstenau of Germany’s Rotopol Press talks about comics and the rights outlook ahead of the 50th Angoulême Rita Fürstenau at Rotopol Press in Kassel: ‘I didn’t expect other publishers to share their knowledge and experiences with me but soon became part of a comic-family.’ Image: Rotopol By Porter Anderson, Editor-in-Chief | @Porter_Anderson The festival at Angoulême overall is primarily public-facing but does include some professional programming the festival is expected to attract 200,000 or more visitors this year One thing we’ve asked Fürstenau to tell us is whether there’s anything to the assumption made by many that comics and graphic-narrative work may be less viable in rights-trading contexts because illustration can be so closely tied to a given culture’s traditions and stylistic qualities says she sees this question in terms of opportunity “As children are training and expanding their reading skills with every book they read and look for new challenges,” she says “it can be a real joy for comic readers to discover new graphic languages Comics are a great opportunity to get involved with a culture as they open a multilayered perspective that can implement detailed visual knowledge or create a graphic atmosphere to communicate culturally anchored experiences we have the great chance to connect people to stories and graphic styles they may not know yet and think about ways to create bridges between cultures I always consider the communication part to be both important and fun because it comes with so many possibilities and formats: exhibitions Has the elevated interest in comics and graphic narrative in recent years in many parts of the world meant that there may be more rights-trading interest in the field There’s actually a stabilizing effect on her business as rights-sale revenue contributes to her company’s work including translations in our program is a great chance to bring predictability into our schedules to complement navigating the editing processes of own productions.” When it comes to handling Rotopol’s rights, Fürstenau has opted to use an agency. “Stephanie Barrouillet at SB Rights Agency” based in Tel Aviv Collaborating with Stephanie is a great enrichment for Rotopol as she brings more than 20 years’ expertise and experience in the international rights market to the team including the recent and upcoming highlights from our program.” Fürchtetal by Christine and Markus Färber “documents a correspondence in poetic texts and comic drawings started by two siblings after their father’s suicide “Each page makes visible what words often lack The dialogue opens a world full of enchanted memories bring to light something universal: Nothing is as one expects Sister and brother let themselves be accompanied a short way through their present and their past in multilayered image-word compositions and allegorical and occasionally ironic drawings they show that in the end a place is often surprisingly more than just a catastrophe “Because of the strong graphic and narrative approach and realization the book received great attention in Germany,’ she says “It was selected among the 25 Most Beautiful Books in 2022 by Stiftung Buchkunst and was nominated for two more main book awards one of them being the German Youths’ Literature Award.” In Rotopol’s most recent release, Wie lange noch (For How Much Longer) author Alice Socal describes the experiences of her pregnancies in an interplay of irony and perplexity The narrative in comic form proves to be the perfect medium both for the humorous contemplation of personal insights and for the analysis of identity issues between desire and reality—as woman One of this year’s highlights for Rotopol, Fürstenau says, “will be our release of the third volume of our popular children’s comic series Nika, Lotte, Mangold by Thomas Wellmann “In 13 new episodes,” she says “the comic reminds us once again how important it is to have friends but also life’s challenges can be tackled much better together.” “proves once again that he’s not only a skillful comic artist but also a great narrator with a feeling for a child’s view of the world.” The range of material on Rotopol’s list is a driver of production that can make the company’s catalogue attractive to rights buyers from many markets “Our publishing program,” Fürstenau says and graphic poetry for children and adults we explore the limits of what illustration and comics can achieve to enable artists to realize unconventional content and visual ideas We’re interested in books that combine a strong graphic representation with innovative narrative styles and personal stories we see Rotopol as a network for creative exchange between contemporary German-speaking and international artists and an interested audience comic and literature festivals and organize exhibitions and events such as readings and workshops We understand Rotopol to be a platform to bring together the creative potential around us develop it further and make it visible in many ways “Expressing my thoughts in drawings has been a part of my life as long as I can remember,” Fürstenau says “But it was an important step for me to make drawing and writing a part of my professional path While studying illustration at the school of Arts and Design in Kassel I found myself in a very inspiring environment constantly working on my own book projects but felt disconnected to the works I could see published at that time and the feedback I got when showing my works to professionals outside the art school context “I was looking for possibilities to create visibility for my own works and the works of other young illustrators,” she says “that I thought were just so great and exciting and that I wanted to become accessible for more people The many times I was told something was ‘not matching the market,’ made me even more curious How can one know if anyone is interested in something if no one ever got the chance to see it I wanted to find out if there is any truth in this or if it might be possible to create an audience that may not exist already her interest in escaping the expectations of “short-term market trends” with an independent press firmed up “All of us coming from art school,” she says “we had no training in running a publishing business Our learning curve was steep—the embodiment of learning by doing my colleagues decided to focus on their artistic careers I’ve owned and operated Rotopol by myself “The challenges and opportunities of running the publisher not as a collective changed the working structures at Rotopol a lot,” she says “So did winning the main Publishing Prize of the State of Hesse in  2018 and the German Publishing Prize in 2020 and 2022 The attention and financial support that came with the prizes helped to build up the in-house team I’m grateful to work alongside today “What I didn’t expect at all at the beginning,” she says “was the exchange and close contact with other publishers “I was focused on creating a network for artists collaborating with printers and bookstores reaching out to journalists and connecting with readers I was very surprised by the way in which the independent comic publishers in Germany accepted and supported Rotopol right from the start.” Rita Fürstenau says that both in the German market and on the international scene such collegial exchanges and support have made a major difference “I didn’t expect other publishers to share their knowledge and experiences with me,” she says “but I soon became part of a comic-family—finding out that our vision of creating a platform for graphic storytelling was a welcomed addition to a cultural universe that was being built with passion we found ourselves in the midst of an inspiring and up-and-coming network of independent publishers which has been growing and deepening ever since.” More from us on the still-ongoing coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on international book publishing–referenced by Rita Fürstenau in our interview–is here Porter Anderson has been named International Trade Press Journalist of the Year in London Book Fair's International Excellence Awards He is Editor-in-Chief of Publishing Perspectives He formerly was Associate Editor for The FutureBook at London's The Bookseller Anderson was for more than a decade a senior producer and anchor with CNN.com which now is owned and operated by Jane Friedman This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks The action you just performed triggered the security solution There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page TAYLORVILLE -- Taylorville School District officials say they will have to eliminate jobs scrap extracurricular programs and phase out athletics if voters reject a property tax increase on the April 4 ballot “I think it’s a scare tactic,” said Jarod Katcher “There is no way in hell they’re going to shut down all the sports.” Taylorville residents are being asked to pay an additional 85 cents per $100 of net assessed value of each individual's property That would mean a person with a $100,000 home could expect to pay an extra $283 per year The proposal would bring Taylorville's school property tax levy up to 4.27 percent a rate school officials point out still is below those of Kincaid Decatur and some other surrounding school districts The school board last month approved just over $1 million in cuts for the 2017-18 school year including eliminating six teaching positions as well as scrapping extracurricular programs and junior high The board also voted unanimously to dissolve all varsity athletics in the 2018-19 school year School officials say the cuts are needed to help close a $1.8 million budget deficit and keep the district solvent is why the district chose to make drastic cuts rather than spend down the $4 million it has in reserves Taylorville School Superintendent Gregg Fuerstenau who was at the Statehouse in Springfield Tuesday advocating for changes to the state's education funding formula that the state will come through on the $2.3 million it currently owes Taylorville for special education preschool and transportation programs this year as lawmakers and the governor continue to grapple over state spending and can’t reach an agreement on education funding reform “The board had to come up with a way of how we can meet our core educational requirements,” Fuerstenau said we don’t even have a state budget in Illinois and we don’t even know if we’ll have the appropriation to fund schools next year or the preschool program We still have the obligation to educate children.” is skeptical that the board didn’t look hard enough to find savings and turned too quickly to a tax increase He also said he would have been more supportive of the idea if the rate being asked for wasn’t so high “It’s going to add up pretty quick for people,” he said of the tax increase TAYLORVILLE — The crayon-colored banner in Brandi Bruley’s office reads “Principal of the United States.” but that’s how the students at North Elementary School see her award her students mean more to her than the title Bruley returned to a wildly decorated office Tuesday after several days in Washington with the National Association of Elementary School Principals and other members of the 2014 Class of National Distinguished Principals the program honored 61 elementary and middle school administrators dedicated to fostering a foundation for lifelong learning and achievement and Bruley was the only principal from Illinois recognized Bruley has worked beyond budgetary constraints and rural demographics to provide both her students and staff with opportunities for advancement “Our figures show a 57 percent free and reduced (-price) lunch population but we focus on the entire child,” Bruley said and we overcome those bridges because that’s what we’re called to do.” The improvements began a decade ago with implementation of a teacher mentoring program and student tutoring at North Elementary eagerly offers the school as a pilot for national and statewide initiatives Taylorville School Superintendent Greggory Fuerstenau said Bruley’s gumption keeps the district at the forefront of academic advancement while her enthusiasm creates buy-in with the teachers “It puts us on the cutting edge of what’s out there in the education world for our kids,” Fuerstenau said and I think that one can’t just stay status quo and that’s really what her leadership style is about.” He noted that Bruley frequents conferences and workshops the district can’t afford to send the whole staff to sharing that information and implementing it districtwide “It’s getting the information and then making sure we get in the hands of our teachers and we have to do some things a little different over here,” Fuerstenau said said Bruley will do whatever possible to provide her teachers with the tools they need she has sent teachers to observe their peers in other areas to bring back new ideas and concepts “We have excellent teachers in central Illinois so why not tap into those resources?” Bruley said “We hear about great programs going on in a neighboring district or even an excellent teacher down the hallway Murphy believes much of Bruley’s success comes from her approachability her passion and her ability to see students as individuals first-graders and second-graders at North Elementary School as well as 137 preschoolers in a nearby building Whatever is best for the child is what we’re going to do.” Bruley believes she owes credit for much of her award to the success of her staff She expresses more interest in highlighting the teaching in her building than the award itself She’s eager to talk about the school’s reading intervention program the Chromebook initiative and the general cleverness of her students One kindergartner launched into a conversation with her on Tuesday about the color indigo Bruley beamed at the use of a “good vocabulary word.” there are all these kids that are just excited and happy to be here,” Bruley said “Your mood shifts immediately upon seeing their faces.” her students say or do something that brightens her day and her first day back after her trip to Washington was no exception a child approached her about the award and said The gesture both surprised her and made her smile But the comment didn’t surprise Murphy at all “Those are the words that Brandi uses with them,” Murphy said “She just motivates everyone to do their best all the time.” Contact Maggie Menderski: maggie.menderski@sj-r.com It’s hard enough to stay on top of weekly to-do lists let alone keep tabs on things that need annual attention You may have the most common yearly tasks covered — you updated your health plan during open enrollment and you’re gathering info for your taxes – but there are likely items you’re forgetting Reviewing your homeowner’s insurance policy is one of those annual to-dos that is often overlooked but it’s a critical step in protecting your investment If you’ve experienced any of the following changes this past year it’s worth a check-in with your agent From getting married to finalizing a divorce a change in your marital status may cause your policy needs to change a major life event like this warrants a call to your agent “There are a variety of circumstances that can impact your coverage,” he said “Let’s say you owned your home before you got married but you aren’t adding your spouse to the title You may still want to add him/her to the insurance policy so they can help manage the affairs of the policy if your spouse has a better insurance score than you do adding him/her to the policy may help lower your monthly premium.” Changes that affect the value of your home may also affect your homeowner’s policy Maybe your original coverage was based on your outdated kitchen with builder-grade cabinets and laminate countertops but you spent $35,000 to upgrade the space with quartz countertops and custom cabinetry is your existing coverage enough to rebuild that updated kitchen in the event of a disaster “Anytime you upgrade quality it’s important to revisit your policy,” he said “If you spend $30,000 to finish your basement you’ll likely lose out on that extra $30,000 in the event of a total loss.” Certain dog breeds categorized as “aggressive” could make your policy ineligible for renewal Company rules vary on this topic so it’s important to contact your agent for specific information “Our company doesn’t prohibit any particular breed,” said Fuerstenau the company will cancel your policy unless the dog is permanently removed from the premises.” Amenities like pools and trampolines can make your house the most popular one on the street If someone were to get injured on your property you could be liable for expensive medical costs and lawsuits If you’ve recently added features like these call your agent right away to ensure your current liability coverage is adequate it’s a good idea to take an inventory of your belongings Did you purchase or inherit valuables such as art Fuerstenau says high-value items like these should have special coverage valuables are treated as any other belonging unless we enhance coverage by adding an endorsement,” he said we can ensure adequate coverage for things like theft and we can select a lower deductible so that if something happens to a $1,500 piece of jewelry you won’t have to pay a $1,000 deductible to replace it.” Standard homeowners’ insurance may provide some protection for home-based businesses but coverage varies by policy and it may not always be enough keep in mind that having customers in your home presents a liability that your policy may not cover If you’ve started a home-based business consult your agent to find out if you should add an endorsement or purchase a commercial policy You haven’t checked for available discounts Insurance companies are always trying to find that competitive edge just like every other private business Fuerstenau says his company announces available discounts in their annual renewal packets but since homeowners don’t often review that information “I just spoke to some clients the other day and we found they were eligible for a military discount through a new incentive program we’re offering,” he said “We also found that they needed additional coverage for an ATV they recently purchased they ended up with more coverage for less than they were previously paying.”   Some insurance companies also offer discounts for things like installing a new roof or adding a monitored security system so check with your agent or broker to see what impact these changes have on your specific policy Even if you haven’t made any significant changes this year an annual check-in with your agent is extremely beneficial A reputable insurance professional will ask the right questions to make sure your coverage continues to offer the proper protection “I like to visit with my clients at their homes and I also advise they come into the office to meet our team,” said Fuerstenau having an agent who knows you well is really important I find that homeowners who have good communication with their insurance teams and keep them up-to-date on major changes are more likely to have a successful insurance experience.” If you’re looking for an experienced insurance agent who can help you select the right coverage visit the Greater Lansing Association of REALTORS® at www.lansing-realestate.com for a list of local professionals Schloss Schauenstein could have been plucked from the pages of a storybook Housed in a remote castle perching at the top of a mountain in Fürstenau – the smallest town in Switzerland – it encapsulates the Swiss Alps at their most atmospheric the oak-panelled restaurant also hides nine charming boutique bedrooms while its romantic locale and fine-tuned menu makes it a destination-dining experience worth making a trip for The other pair of creative hands in the Schloss Schauenstein kitchen belongs to head chef Marcel Skibba evocative dining room and friendly service give way to a menu of exciting incarnations of modern European cooking that will enrich the senses Ranging from characteristic preparations with a single ingredient to a mélange of intricate surprising flavours and nuanced presentation Bonus point: Thanks to a truly forward-thinking vision encompassing the castle’s gardens Schloss Schauenstein obtained the Sustainable Restaurant Award in 2019 Why we love it: A foodie hideaway from a three-Michelin starred chef The Highlights:- A Michelin-starred chef overseeing operations- Gourmet—yet affordable—fare at the on-site restaurant - A lovely setting in the Rhine Valley The Review:The Rhine Valley village of Fürstenau may officially be the world’s smallest city but it does boast the famous Schauenstein Schloss restaurant and castle hotel—and this more casual and contemporary option set in the castle’s former stables Designed by Spanish-born interiors guru Patricia Urquiola who can often be spotted bustling around the property most guests come for the eats—whether they choose the fine-dining option at the castle or the restaurant at the Casa which offers similarly elegant Swiss fare at more wallet-friendly prices Breakfast is included in the room rate and features epic breads from the on-site After all the great meals—and some bracing hikes along nearby trails—relax in the guesthouse’s garden with a glass of wine While they’re all different sizes and shapes and equipped with a private balcony that lets the views take center stage Information on this page, including website, location, and opening hours, is subject to have changed since this page was last published. 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