Grants handed out to Schools in the Area for teaching Vacancies
By Gary Scott on September 1, 2026 at 6:24pm
Illinois is handing out grant money to several school districts in the area looking at teacher shortages. The Teacher Vacancy Grant Pilot was created in 2023. The total amount given out this year is $15-million. Jacksonville school district 117 will get just over $205-thousand. Triopia is set to receive $61,700, and Winchester will receive $91,700. […]
Heat Alters Sports Schedule
By Gary Scott on September 1, 2026 at 10:55am
The hot and sticky weather is starting to take its toll on the school sports schedule. Several area games and matches at the grade school and high school level yesterday were postponed or called off. Jacksonville High School athletic director Ryan Van Aken says two events have been adjusted this week for School district 117. […]
Parrish Wins the Cards Trivia Trip
By Gary Scott on September 1, 2026 at 9:37am
The winner of the Cardinals Trivia trip to St Louis for a Cardinal game, hails from the Triopia area. We made the call yesterday morning to Jody Parrish of Concord Parrish is looking for 10 of his friends and family to head to the September 13th Cardinal White Sox game at Busch Stadium. Parrish correctly […]
Texas Man gets Prison Time for one Year Ago Drug Bust on I-72
By Benjamin Cox on September 1, 2026 at 9:35am
A Texas man arrested in Morgan County last year with more than 66 pounds of cocaine has been sentenced to 14 years in federal prison. David Hernandez Jr. of El Paso was sentenced August 25th in federal court to 168 months behind bars, followed by five years of supervised release. Hernandez pleaded guilty to federal […]
Jax Library One of the Most Beautiful
By Gary Scott on September 1, 2026 at 9:33am
The Jacksonville Public Library has been identified as one of the most beautiful 133 public buildings in the country. The library is a Carnegie Library, built in 1902 with funds donated by Andrew Carnegie. Jacksonville head librarian Jake Magnuson says the local library rates 56th on the list. He says the library building looks like […]
IC Begins School Year
By Gary Scott on September 1, 2026 at 9:30am
The Illinois College academic year begins today. IC president Dr Barbara Ann Farley says the campus is ready for the influx of students. She says enrollment is solid. She says enrollment is at about 1-thousand. Farley says the nursing program, and mechanical drafting have seen great growth. Farley says there is room to grow. She […]
Morgan County OKAYS Budget
By Gary Scott on September 1, 2026 at 9:27am
The Morgan County board approved a new budget this morning. The $14 and a half million general fund budget has no surprises. Chairman Mike Wankel says the county has avoided any big ticket items. He says they do have a jump in insurance rates in January, and have accounted for it in cash reserves. Wankel […]
Crimestoppers Most Wanted
By Gary Scott on August 29, 2026 at 8:05pm
Morgan-Cass-Scott Crimestoppers has identified a man and a woman on the most wanted list this week. The woman is Madison Schwalb, no age given. Schwalb is wanted for meth possession and retail theft. She is white, stands 5-9 and weighs 140 pounds with long brown hair and hazel eyes. Schwalb was last known […]
Ptacek Looks Back
By Benjamin Cox on August 28, 2026 at 9:38am
Jacksonville School District 117 Superintendent Steve Ptacek is looking back at where the district was — and where it’s going — as he begins his final year on the job. Ptacek says that the district is going to be going through a large amount of change over the next 2-3 years at all levels of […]
AC Central Looks Beyond Porta
By Gary Scott on August 27, 2026 at 8:26pm
The AC Central school board is now moving forward with plans to explore options for sports with schools other than the Porta school district. A statement by the AC Central school board members on Facebook says the board feels it’s the school district’s next, and best option, after the Porta School board voted to […]
