Charles “Chuck” Poettker, the founder of Poettker Construction, died Saturday after jumping off the back of a boat into Kentucky Lake in Trigg County, Kentucky around 3 p.m. and did not return. Poettker’s body was found about two hours later, according to the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife. He was 69 and lived in O’Fallon, Illinois.
An autopsy will be performed at the Western Kentucky Regional Medical Examiner’s Office in Madisonville, Ky.
Charles “Chuck” Poettker was a veteran and ran his Illinois-based construction company for more than four decades. Image courtesy of the Poettker family
Poettker Construction has been in business for 41 years, according to their website, and has offices in Breese, Illinois, and Charlotte, North Carolina. Poettker’s four children work for the company, along with 200 employees.
Poettker himself is a US Army veteran who served in Vietnam and was awarded the US Bronze Star. According to a statement on Poettker’s death posted on the company’s website on Sunday, he served with the 101st Airborne Division in South Vietnam.
“In April 1971, Poettker and his unit were ordered into Laos to rescue two door gunners and recover the bodies of the pilot and co-pilot from a downed helicopter,” the statement said. “This grueling journey to safety earned him a U.S. Army Bronze Star for heroic service in a combat zone. He prayed that if he made it out alive, he would dedicate his life to building something thing of value.”
“He was the greatest man I’ve ever met,” said his son Ryan Poettker, chief operating officer and executive vice president of Poettker Construction. “He served this country, and he basically started his construction business from the ground up and built it to the level it is today. He’s a great man.
Poettker owned a boat on Lake Kentucky, his family said, and was on his boat with his wife Linda when he disappeared underwater. Ryan Poettker said his father’s death was “unexpected” as the elder Poettker was a proficient swimmer.
“He was a terrific father figure to us,” said Poettker’s son, Keith Poettker, company president. “He’s been a great mentor to all of us kids, and to many people over the decades. It’s going to be difficult for a lot of people because he was such a big personality and had such great care for everyone.”
“He had this saying,” Keith Poettker said. “If someone asked him how he was doing, he would say, ‘I’m having the best day since yesterday.'”
See New Illinois Laws Going into Effect July 1
665 tickets
The Democratic-controlled Illinois General Assembly approved 665 bills this legislative session, with the vast majority awaiting Governor JB Pritzker’s signature.
But Pritzker signed 42 bills. A handful of them will come into force on January 1, 2022, but most came into effect immediately after signing or will come into force this Thursday.
Here are some notable new laws in effect now or Thursday that Illinois should be aware of.
CAPITOL NEWS ILLINOIS
Electoral reform
With pandemic-related delays in the U.S. census redistricting numbers, lawmakers postponed the 2022 state primary election from March 15 to June 28. The legislation also makes Election Day a holiday, requires each county to have at least one Universal Voting Center and allows people to be added to a permanent mail-in ballot. (SB825)
Photo by Jose M. Osorio, Chicago Tribune
Vote by mail
Some pandemic-induced changes to voting for the 2020 general election, such as mail-in voting and curbside filing, will now be permanent features of future elections. (Bill of 1871)
Legislative redistricting of the State
As they are tasked with doing every 10 years, lawmakers approved new district boundaries for the Illinois House and Senate. Maps drawn by Democrats, which used the US Census’ American Community Survey instead of waiting for the decennial census numbers to arrive later this year, have been challenged in court by Republicans and some other groups. (HB2777)
Photo by Brian Cassella, Chicago Tribune
Redistricting of the Supreme Court of Illinois
The boundaries of the seven-person Supreme Court of Illinois district have been successfully redrawn for the first time since the 1960s.SB642)
Photo by Capitol News Illinois
Police reform
There hasn’t been a more controversial bill passed this year than House Bill 3653, also known as the SAFE-T Act, which passed in January’s lame duck session. . Provisions ending cash bail and requiring all police officers to wear body cameras will not come into effect until 2023 and 2025, respectively. But from Thursday, police will be required to rescue the injured, intervene when a colleague uses excessive force and limit their use of force. It also offers stricter guidelines for decertifying officers and would allow people to file anonymous complaints of police misconduct. (HB3653)
Payday loans
Lenders are now prohibited from charging more than 36% annual percentage rate on consumer loans. The average rate in Illinois was nearly 300% before the law was signed. (SB1792)
Vaccine Lottery
The state’s fiscal year 2022 budget includes $10 million for a “vaccine lottery.” All Illinois residents vaccinated before July 1 will be automatically entered into the contest. It includes $7 million in cash prizes for vaccinated adults, ranging from $100,000 to $1 million, and $3 million in scholarships for young vaccinated people. (SB2800)
Photo by Antonio Perez, Chicago Tribune
COVID-19 emergency accommodation
Created guidelines for distributing over $1 billion in federal stimulus funds for COVID-related housing assistance. Also creates the automatic closure of evictions during the pandemic. (SB2877)
Interest before trial
Victims of bodily injury and wrongful death will be entitled to collect interest from defendants from the time a lawsuit is filed. It is intended to encourage the settlement of such cases. It was supported by trial attorneys and opposed by business groups. (SB72)
casino work
All Illinois casino applicants are now required to enter into a project-work agreement when seeking a new or renewed license. (SB1360)
Compensation for victims of crime
Provides that a victim’s criminal history or criminal status will not automatically preclude compensation for that victim or their family. Extends the plaintiff’s period to submit requested information from 30 days to 45 days and provides that a final award should not exceed $45,000, up from $27,000, for a crime committed on or after August 7, 2022. (HB3295)
Electronic signature
Provides that a contract, record or signature cannot be denied legal effect or enforceability simply because it is in electronic form or an electronic record was used in its formation. Provides that if a law requires a record to be in writing, an electronic record satisfies the law. (SB2176)
