JSD 117 Building Projects 100% Paid for with Sales Tax Revenue, Not Property Tax
By Seth Gabriel on October 16, 2025 at 12:28pm
Jacksonville School District 117 has seen an increase in sales tax revenue as the district continues to make good on a promise to the community to use that revenue for building improvements, including the new Murrayville-Woodson school. At the district board meeting Wednesday night, School superintendent Steve Ptacek put a heavy emphasis on the fact […]
Crime Stoppers: Laptop Computers Stolen from Jax Business
By Seth Gabriel on October 16, 2025 at 11:59am
Crime Stoppers of Morgan, Scott & Cass Counties is requesting Information to assist the Jacksonville Police Department in their Investigation of a recent Theft. Sometime between Thursday evening on October 9th and 11:40am on October 13th, someone removed 3 laptop computers from a business located in the 200 block of West Morgan Street. One of […]
Illinois FOP Calls for Removal of IDOC Director After Multiple Reports of Violence
By Seth Gabriel on October 15, 2025 at 12:49pm
The Illinois Fraternal Order of Police Corrections Lodge 263 is calling for the removal of Illinois Department of Corrections Director Latoya Hughes after accounts of violence and murder within the IDOC turned out to be true. FOP Corrections Lodge President Scot Ward says the acting director has lost control of her department and that proper […]
Jacksonville Council Talks Homelessness
By Gary Scott on October 15, 2025 at 11:59am
The Jacksonville city council last night spent the most time talking about an item that wasn’t on the agenda last night…homelessness. One could make the argument that it is a problem that has solution. Alderwoman Alison Rubin de Celis opened the discussion once the council finished the agenda by asking about the ordinance for people […]
Another Solar Field at city’s edge
By Gary Scott on October 15, 2025 at 11:53am
Jacksonville aldermen learned about another solar field planned just east of the city limits last night. The solar field would be a project of NexAmp, based out of New York with offices in Chicago. Jack Curry says the proposed site is on the east side of Black’s Lane just south of the railroad tracks. The […]
Crimestoppers Wanted
By Gary Scott on October 15, 2025 at 11:21am
A man and a woman from the area make up the two alleged criminals being sought by local authroties. Crimestoppers of Morgan-Scott-Cass counties say two people with the last name of Soria made the list this past weekend. They are 22-year-old Adryana Soria, whose last known address was 588 Cherry Street. Police say she is […]
Handy Enters Scott County Sheriff’s Race
By Jeremy Coumbes on October 15, 2025 at 9:22am
A third candidate has entered the race for Scott County Sheriff. In a press release over the weekend, Winchester resident Caleb Handy announced that he would be entering the Republican Primary in March of next year to succeed current Sheriff Tom Eddinger, who announced his retirement Sunday after eight years on the job. Handy background […]
Nurses at state-run mental health facility in Springfield to protest after attack
By Benjamin Cox on October 14, 2025 at 3:56pm
Members of the Illinois Nurses Association are taking to the picket line after a nurse was recently attacked by a patient inside Packard Mental Health Center in Springfield. According to a press release, a staff member at Packard was injured as a result of an attack by a patient in what they are calling unsafe […]
City of Virginia attempting to rehire former chief of police as a full-time officer
By Benjamin Cox on October 14, 2025 at 1:43pm
The City of Virginia is set to rehire a former police chief who resigned after pleading guilty to a driving under the influence charge in 2019. According to the Illinois Law Enforcement Training and Standards Board (ILETSB) website, the Virginia City Council approved the hire of Wesley D. Helmich at their September 8 meeting. However, […]
Court orders sale of former Mac Hall building as Woods-Smith partnership dissolution case proceeds
By Benjamin Cox on October 14, 2025 at 1:19pm
A chancery case aimed at dissolving a partnership that was hoping to bring more fine arts and agriculture education to the area proceeded before a visiting judge at the end of last month, resulting in the order of a sale of a building on the former MacMurray College Campus. Tim Smith, president of the Esprit […]
