Photo: The Pantagraph, David Proeber
ANCHOR, IL - On Nov. 6, 2012, after all the McLean County election results had been tabulated, conservative Republican Lee Newcom posted a message on his Facebook page: "I won my election but lost my job."
Newcom had been re-elected as McLean County recorder of deeds, but a referendum asking voters if the recorder's office should be eliminated also passed — 37,699 to 24,207.
Newcom asked if anyone had any ideas for a job.
The first to respond was a high school friend who owns an alpaca farm in California, suggesting he start one.
"I said that costs money and I don't know anything about alpaca farms," said Newcom.
But after a lot of research, help from his friend and a trip to the California alpaca farm, Newcom decided to try it out. A couple of weeks ago, he received his first herd of 15 alpacas — one of which he helped birth on one of the California trips. Her name is Katie, after Newcom's daughter, Katie, who is a full partner in the new business venture.
Rest at The (Bloomington) Pantagraph HERE
