Illinois’ budget cuts reach far and wide across every department and program. County and 4-H fairs are no exceptions. Numbers show a substantial decrease in funding from the state since 2005 for fairs in GateHouse’s Western Illinois Division — an 11-county region in west-central Illinois. In addition, funding for the upkeep of fairground facilities in the 11 counties fell from $275,477 in fiscal year 2010 to $130,294 in 2011. This project takes a look at how the state funds county fairs and how the budget constraints are affecting that funding.
CONTENT TEAM MANAGER: Mike Turley
REGIONAL EDITOR: Tom Martin (Register-Mail, Galesburg, Ill.)
PAPERS THEY SERVE: Galesburg Register-Mail; Aledo Times Record; Cambridge Chronicle; Canton Ledger; Chillicothe Times-Bulletin; Galva News; Kewanee Star Courier; McDonough County Voice; Orion Gazette; Pekin Daily Times; Pontiac Daily Leader; Geneseo Republic; Monmouth Daily Review Atlas
PROJECT DESCRIPTION: Joe Ward of the Register-Mail wrote the centerpiece story. The individual sites within the region contributed nine sidebars that localized the concern. There also was a layer that explained how county and 4-H fairs are funded. The Galesburg staff researched and compiled financial numbers for individual county graphics.The Cambridge Chronicle shot video of a 4-H event.
Sidebars include:
• Pontiac — Pontiac, Cullom, Fairbury fairs fare well despite cuts;
• Pekin — County fairs to be one day shorter;
• Galesburg — Knox County Fair still holding its own;
• Chillicothe — Peoria County 4-H show changed for programming only;
• Canton — Fulton County Fair in good financial shape, at least for this year;
• Galva — Big drop in aid for Henry County Fair;
• McDonough County — McDonough County 4-H Fair, Junior Show still going strong;
• Cambridge — Henry County Fair recovering from state budget cuts;
• Aledo — No worries here: Fair preparations going as planned
Illinois’ budget cuts reach far and wide across every department and program. County and 4-H fairs are no exceptions. Numbers show a substantial decrease in funding from the state since 2005 for fairs in GateHouse’s Western Illinois Division — an 11-county region in west-central Illinois. In addition, funding for the upkeep of fairground facilities in the 11 counties fell from $275,477 in fiscal year 2010 to $130,294 in 2011. This project takes a look at how the state funds county fairs and how the budget constraints are affecting that funding.
CONTENT TEAM MANAGER: Mike Turley
REGIONAL EDITOR: Tom Martin (Register-Mail, Galesburg, Ill.)
PAPERS THEY SERVE: Galesburg Register-Mail; Aledo Times Record; Cambridge Chronicle; Canton Ledger; Chillicothe Times-Bulletin; Galva News; Kewanee Star Courier; McDonough County Voice; Orion Gazette; Pekin Daily Times; Pontiac Daily Leader; Geneseo Republic; Monmouth Daily Review Atlas
PROJECT DESCRIPTION: Joe Ward of the Register-Mail wrote the centerpiece story. The individual sites within the region contributed nine sidebars that localized the concern. There also was a layer that explained how county and 4-H fairs are funded. The Galesburg staff researched and compiled financial numbers for individual county graphics.The Cambridge Chronicle shot video of a 4-H event.
Sidebars include:
• Pontiac — Pontiac, Cullom, Fairbury fairs fare well despite cuts;
• Pekin — County fairs to be one day shorter;
• Galesburg — Knox County Fair still holding its own;
• Chillicothe — Peoria County 4-H show changed for programming only;
• Canton — Fulton County Fair in good financial shape, at least for this year;
• Galva — Big drop in aid for Henry County Fair;
• McDonough County — McDonough County 4-H Fair, Junior Show still going strong;
• Cambridge — Henry County Fair recovering from state budget cuts;
• Aledo — No worries here: Fair preparations going as planned
