Fezler Named Teacher of the Year
By Gary Scott on August 12, 2026 at 11:20am
A Lincoln Grade School teacher has been named Jacksonville school district 117 teacher of the year. The Jacksonville Education Association has honored Lincoln Grade School kindergarten teacher Karen Fezler as educator of the year. Fezler is in her 14th year in the classroom. Fezler told the Jacksonville Journal Courier she was honored, and credited others […]
New Zoning for Shelters in Jax
By Gary Scott on August 12, 2026 at 9:46am
A Jacksonville alderman is leading the effort to include overnight shelters in the Jacksonville city code. Alderman Joe Lockman wants to include the shelters and similar facilities in Jacksonville zoning regulations. Lockman offered a proposal that includes New Directions, to the rest of the council Monday night, but questions arose about other shelter facilities at […]
Morgan County Board Looks at County Separation Today
By Gary Scott on August 12, 2026 at 7:13am
A rare mid week county board meeting this morning includes a proposed advisory referendum on the fall ballot. The board will meet at 9 this morning at the Morgan County courthouse. A group has circulated a petition to place a question on the ballot about Morgan, County separating from Cook County. If the board concurs, […]
Jax School Budget Looks at Budget Tonight
By Gary Scott on August 12, 2026 at 7:11am
The Jacksonville school board meets in special session tonight to act on a new budget. The board will meet at 5 PM at the school district office. The only item on the agenda is a presentation of the fiscal year budget. The school administration will present budget numbers for the coming year. The proposed budget […]
Dawson Admits to Drug charge in Greene County Court
By Gary Scott on August 11, 2026 at 1:32pm
A Calhoun County man was sentenced Monday to prison after admitting to a Greene County drug charge. Greene County state’s attorney Craig Grummel says 57-year-old Donald Dawson of Hardin was sentenced to six years in the department of corrections. Dawson admitted to a single count of unlawful possession of meth. That is a Class 3 […]
Ptacek Pleased with M-W Grade School Construction
By Gary Scott on August 11, 2026 at 9:53am
The Jacksonville school district 117 administration is excited about the progress made for the new Murrayville Woodson Grade School. The school is being built at Water Tower Road and the Woodson-Winchester blacktop. Jacksonville school superintendent Steve Ptacek says the building should be sealed up before winter. He says the contractor is impressed with the progress […]
Jax Council Approves Solar Field First Reading
By Gary Scott on August 10, 2026 at 7:50pm
There was little discussion tonight as the Jacksonville city council approved first reading of a rezoning ordinance that would allow a solar field to be located east of Black’s Lane. Discussion about the ordinance last month prompted a lot of talk among aldermen, and several people spoke out against the rezoning. Aldermen […]
Weekend Grooming Arrest Sparked by OPI
By Benjamin Cox on August 10, 2026 at 10:26am
More information is available about the arrest of a Jacksonville man over the weekend after a pair of private online groups targeting suspected sexual predators conducted a sting operation on the city’s east side. 58-year-old Michael Napientek was arrested by Jacksonville Police on Saturday at Casey’s on East Morton Avenue. Napientek was cited for alleged […]
Jax School Year Starts this week
By Gary Scott on August 10, 2026 at 6:01am
Teachers report for school year prep tomorrow in Jacksonville school district 117. Students’ first day of classes will be Thursday. Jacksonville school district superintendent Steve Ptacek says the staffing level is in pretty good shape for the 2026-27 school year. He says the teacher shortage in this area seems to be improving. Ptacek credits the […]
Springfield man killed in early morning motorcycle crash on Old State Road
By Benjamin Cox on August 8, 2026 at 8:53pm
A Springfield man was killed in a motorcycle crash in Morgan County early Saturday morning. Morgan County Coroner Marcy Patterson’s Office reports that 43-year-old Jeffrey Conn of Springfield was traveling westbound on Old State Road, just east of Wallbaum Road, at approximately 3 a.m. Saturday when his motorcycle left the roadway and crashed into a […]
