Jacksonville’s The Patio featured in Statewide Pork Tenderloin Crawl
By Benjamin Cox on September 3, 2026 at 9:59am
Jacksonville is one of 11 stops on a statewide pork tenderloin sandwich crawl happening through the end of November. The State Journal-Register reports The Patio in Jacksonville is participating in the Illinois Pork Tenderloin Crawl, organized by the Illinois Pork Producers Association. The crawl began Tuesday and runs through November 30th, giving diners a chance […]
Prairieland Chautauqua Coming Up Friday
By Benjamin Cox on September 3, 2026 at 9:56am
After 27 years of Labor Day weekend programs at Nichols Park, Jacksonville’s Prairieland Chautauqua is changing. This weekend’s event will be the final traditional stage production, but organizers say the Chautauqua itself is not going away. Morgan County Historical Society Vice President Chad Boehlke says beginning next year, Chautauqua will become a speaker series spread […]
Kim’s Place Being Featured
By Benjamin Cox on September 3, 2026 at 9:48am
Kim’s Place Cafe in Jacksonville is getting a national spotlight. The locally owned restaurant will be featured on America’s Best Restaurants as part of the company’s national ABR Roadshow. The ABR crew will be at Kim’s Place Cafe on September 15th from 9 a.m. until noon to film an episode highlighting some of the restaurant’s […]
Morgan County data center moratorium end drawing near
By Benjamin Cox on September 3, 2026 at 9:46am
The fight over data center regulations in Morgan County is heading toward a critical deadline. The county’s six-month moratorium on new data center applications expires at the end of October, and the Morgan County commissioners are expected to consider a regulatory ordinance next month. That’s happening even though there is currently no formal data center […]
South Jax Board Meets tonight
By Gary Scott on September 3, 2026 at 6:40am
The South Jacksonville village board meets tonight in regular session at Village Hall. The board will hear updates from the fire, police and public works departments. Trustees will be asked to approve a tourism grant for the rotary Club Oktoberfest at a cost of $7500. The money comes from tourism funds. The board plans to […]
August Weather
By Gary Scott on September 3, 2026 at 6:16am
It was a two weather month in August..one for the first two thirds, and the second for the final third. The first thing that jumps out at you is the rainfall for the month. The total was 5 and 87-hundredths. That’s about 2 and a half inches more than normal. The month included the deluge […]
Morgan County Man get 4 2 Yr Sentences for Meth
By Gary Scott on September 2, 2026 at 9:51am
A Meredosia man was sentenced to prison in Morgan County court yesterday on drug charges. Judge Chris Reif sentenced 44-year-old Kenneth Evans to four 2 year terms. All four sentences were meth possession cases that date back over 3 years ago. The charges are class 3 felonies, and the sentences will be served concurrently. Court […]
Up and Down Enrollment for 117
By Gary Scott on September 2, 2026 at 6:27am
An up and down trend in student enrollment is puzzling Jacksonville school district 117 officials. Superintendent Steve Ptacek says the enrollment trend over the past couple of years has gone up. But, he says initial numbers this year are down. He says the enrollment has dropped at Jacksonville High School, is down for all other […]
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. […]
Grants handed out to Schools in the Area for teaching Vacancies
By Gary Scott on September 1, 2026 at 9:45am
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. […]
