Illinois College Rates High
By Gary Scott on September 23, 2026 at 10:55am
Illinois College has earned national recognition in the latest US News and World Report Best Colleges. The magazine ranked IC number one for best value among the Midwest school.s Illinois College was also ranked number 1 for undergraduate teaching in Illinois, number 4 for top colleges and number 5 for social mobility. IC officials says […]
Speakers Corner in Jacksonville
By Gary Scott on September 23, 2026 at 10:54am
A local retired teacher has declared a corner of the Jacksonville square a speakers’ corner. Patrick Kennedy, who just turned 81, says he was driving around Jacksonville, thinking about the historic significance of the city when the idea occurred to him. Kennedy is a retired English teacher from Jacksonville High School. Kennedy says he came […]
Museum Mural
By Gary Scott on September 21, 2026 at 11:44am
The new mural involving 100 squares was unveiled this past weekend at the Jacksonville Area Museum. One hundred people painted squares with some direction from museum personnel And, the end product is a picture of the Eli Ferris Wheel at Main and Morton. The museum also has opened the expanded quarters that will eventually feature […]
Road and Bridge Work Approved for Woodson and Near Arenzville
By Gary Scott on September 21, 2026 at 11:34am
Work is planned on a Woodson Street, and a bridge near Arenzville. Morgan County highway engineer Matt Coultas says the bridge carrying the Arenzville blacktop over railroad tracks had repairs done earlier this year. The Morgan County board approved the projects this morning. Coultas says the actual work on more comprehensive repairs is coming, maybe […]
Morgan Co Bd Meeting, Again Hears Complaints about lack of communication
By Gary Scott on September 21, 2026 at 11:30am
Accusations of lies and flared tempers have become the norm for Morgan County board meetings these days, and today was no exception. Commissioners heard from 6 people from the dozen who attended the meeting. The main complaint commissioners heard dealt with the lack of transparency about data centers. A couple of the people claimed deals […]
Town Brook Needs Attention
By Gary Scott on September 21, 2026 at 5:25am
Jacksonville is holding off the clean up of the Town Brook until the city gets clearance to widen the culvert that passes under the railroad tracks on the east side. Jacksonville mayor Andy Ezard says alderwoman Lori Large Oldenettal has been working behind the scenes with community development director Brian Nyberg on the project. Parts […]
Illinois Answers Project: Inside Illinois Jails
By Benjamin Cox on September 18, 2026 at 7:51pm
A new analysis by the Illinois Answers Project is examining inspections and unusual incidents at county jails across Illinois, including four jails serving the local area. You can read the full article and access the database of county jails at this link. The Morgan County Jail in Jacksonville, which has a capacity of 65, failed […]
Pleasant Plains Middle School named National Banner Unified Champion School for second 4-year term in a row
By Benjamin Cox on September 18, 2026 at 7:34pm
Pleasant Plains Middle School has been named a National Banner Unified Champion School for the 2025-to-2029 period, earning the distinction for the second consecutive four-year period. The recognition comes from Special Olympics Illinois and requires schools to meet ten standards focused on inclusive sports, student leadership and whole-school engagement. According to a press release, Pleasant […]
JSD 117 Officials address sex offender discovered near Early Years on Wednesday
By Benjamin Cox on September 18, 2026 at 7:26pm
Jacksonville District 117 Superintendent Steve Ptacek says the district has terminated a special arrangement that allowed a registered sex offender to bring his child to and from school under strict conditions. The issue came to public attention Wednesday after a social-media post alleged the individual was near the district’s Early Years building on Jordan Street […]
Crime of the Week: Burglary on East College
By Benjamin Cox on September 18, 2026 at 7:16pm
Crime Stoppers of Morgan, Scott & Cass Counties are requesting information to assist the Jacksonville Police Department in an investigation into a recent burglary. Sometime within the previous two weeks: unknown individuals entered a property located in the 300 block of East College. Upon entry, the property was damaged and copper wire was removed The […]
