Columnist Bill Linneman

one in a million!

By Ed Pyne

We were very sad to hear the news that our popular and amazing columnist Bill Linneman of Normal passed away this week. We were so lucky to have his wit and remembrances gracing our pages of The Normalite starting in 2000. We send along our sincere condolences to his family.

Redbirds back in action

The Redbird men’s basketball team gets back in action this week after some time off battling the COVID virus. They played MVC preseason No. 1 Drake Wednesday night in Des Moines, IA, host Bradley at 7 p.m. Sunday evening at Redbird Arena and travel to Missouri State on Wednesday, Jan. 19 at 7 p.m.

The women’s team is 3-0 and leading the conference. They play Valparaiso tonight, Jan. 13, at Redbird Arena and host Loyola Saturday at 6 p.m. at Redbird Arena.

Officer Follick retires

Former Normal Police Officer Tom Follick has retired from his post in nearby Hudson. He had joined two other Normal officers (pictured) to make that community a very safe place to live and work.

All three men were in the Normal department in the 1980s. Mark Kotte is now the Police Chief in Hudson and former Hudson Police Chief Dale Sparks just retired recently.

Tom Follick met his wife, the former Sandi Martin, when she was a dispatcher for Normal. They have three sons, Jason, Nick and Adam, plus 16 grandchildren and two great-great grandchildren