Two-and-a-half months into appointment, fair manager on leave

Two and a half months into his appointment as Du Quoin State Fair manager, Shannon Woodworth has been placed on unpaid administrative leave as Illinois State Police investigate an alleged errant outburst in his office.

Shannon Woodworth, 47, filled the vacancy created by the resignation in January of John Rednour Jr. who became chairman of his late father's Du Quoin State Bank.

Woodworth, of West Frankfort, has been a familiar face at the fairgrounds since 1999 --14 years --when he went to work on a contractual basis for then-manager Sammye Fark.

Woodward is paid $71,000 as fair manager.

The newspaper understands that the incident has to do with Woodworth allegedly grabbing administrative aide Angela Wildermuth by the arm to force her away from his phone after she walked in on the end of a telephone conversation that disturbed her.

There was a witness to the incident in the office at the time it occurred; stories vary.

The Illinois State Police investigations division is handling the inquiry.

The newspaper contacted Wildermuth, who understandably could not comment.

The alleged incident is a miscue in what has been a very positive beginning for the fair's new administration. Woodworth has worked very hard to enlist the support of the Du Quoin and Pinckneyville city councils and the chambers in the early going.

He announced at a March council meeting the theme of the 2014 Du Quoin State Fair, which is "Love-a-Fair."

His impassioned presentation to the Du Quoin chamber left every one feeling good about what's ahead for the fair.

The outburst is not the first in the fair manager's office. The newspaper understands that a verbal altercation between former manager John Rednour Jr. and one of his aides, Lyndal Graff, during the summer of 2013 may have had something to do with his exodus. There was a hearing in Springfield and a largely unpublished disposition in that inquiry.

At Graff's retirement, Julie Myers was hired to fill the vacancy. Myers oversees the fair's budget, procurement, work of the central cash office during the fair and contract work involving vendors and entertainers.