The Central Illinois Foodbank says that they recently held a successful food distribution this week in Rushville.

15 local volunteers, distributed 6,543 pounds of nutritious food to nearly 150 households in Schuyler County on Wednesday.

The mobile food distribution, held at the Schuyler County Fairgrounds, provided nutritious food items to neighbors, including fresh milk, eggs, apples, ground beef, and potatoes. Central Illinois Foodbank is dedicated to supporting rural areas and ensuring that all neighbors have access to the food they need.

Chloe Lucca, Development Director at Central Illinois Foodbank, expressed her gratitude for the success of the distribution.

Molina Healthcare of Illinois, PBS Kids, and the Jacksonville Public Library are partnering together tomorrow for a special family reading event.

The organizations are providing a fun family reading event for local families. “Reading with Molina” will feature story time, themed activities, and craft time. Additionally, every child in attendance will receive a free book and activity to take home.

Molina representatives say the event series, which has taken place at libraries all across the state is hoping to instill a love of reading in children at a young age. They cite declined numbers in language arts for kids since 2020.

The free family story time will run from 10AM to Noon on Saturday at the Jacksonville Public Library, located at 201 West College.

Two people arrested in Roodhouse in February after a drug deal turned violent were sentenced on Wednesday in Greene County Circuit Court.

32-year old Corey M. Hardwick pleaded guilty to possession of methamphetamine less than 5 grams. A charge of driving on a suspended license was dropped per the plea.

50-year old Sandra M. Hardwick pleaded guilty to an amended charge of battery with great bodily harm. The original charge in chase of mob action was dropped per the plea.

According to a press release from Roodhouse Chief of Police Kyle Robison, on December 13^th the police department was contacted by a female victim regarding an alleged battery that took place in a shed located on Washington Street in Roodhouse. According to the report, the victim told police that they were shown a bag of methamphetamine by one of the suspects and, at some point, a physical altercation between multiple suspects occurred. Everyone inside the shed is said to have known each other, and it is believed that the female victim did not know that she was going to be attacked. The victim is said to have sustained non-life threatening injuries in the incident.

The Hardwicks were subsequently arrested on February 2^nd in connection to the incident.

Two others arrested in connection to the incident, 50-year old Robert L. Sprague and 53-year old Sherri K. Sprague also of Roodhouse are due to return to court on April 29^th. The Spragues are charged with mob action, methamphetamine delivery, and possession of methamphetamine between 15-100 grams.

Sandra Hardwick was sentenced to one year of adult probation and ordered to pay an undisclosed county fine on the battery charge.

Corey Hardwick was sentenced to 2 years of adult probation and ordered to pay an undisclosed total of court costs.

Two Jacksonville area non-profits received checks from the proceeds of the Country Financial West Central Illinois All Star Basketball Classic.

The 44^th annual meeting of the top players in the area was held in March at the JHS Bowl.

The recipients of this year’s proceeds of $1,500 each were Camp Courage and Midwest Youth Services.

John Hunter of Camp Courage says that for the past 49 years the camp has provided about three dozen youth with disabilities a week long outdoor camp full of activities they may otherwise not get to experience: “We try to cap the camp at 35. That’s the maximum we can deal with due to the counselor and bed situation. Lately, after Covid, our numbers have been down a little bit. We were down to about 25-27. [The money] makes a world of difference in order for us to keep going. Obviously, it costs more money each year in order to sponsor a kid. We don’t charge our campers very much. We charge $35 and then we cover the rest.”

Ann Baker, Executive Director of Midwest Youth Services says the money is being put towards a bigger goal to serve more at-risk youth in their service territory: “Every little bit helps. It truly does. We are working on completing a building expansion. We serve over 500 kids a year, and we have one counseling room. This will make very good head way in the efforts that we have been working really hard on for that expansion. Two of our major funding sources due requiring matching funds, and it’s a lot to come up with. The State of Illinois has been very gracious to increase our funds over the years, but that also means increased matching funds, and that’s cash out of your pocket that you have to have to be able to secure the programs.”

The $1,500 check to each organization represents the most money given by the All Star Game in the last four years.

Jacksonville School District 117 is mulling over another major building project, but finances may slow down on when and if that may happen.

The Washington and Eisenhower Elementary school building renovations are expected to be completed by the month of June. Modular classrooms on the grounds of Jacksonville Middle School are also expected to leave the district in June, as well.

Superintendent Steve Ptacek says that there is an immediate need for special education classroom space throughout the district. The need for space is due to a large number of incoming students within the next three years who have very specific special needs. Ptacek says it has put a plan in motion to help satisfy that need: “We evaluate all of our incoming students at age 3 who are involved in our Pre-K system of who might need and require special education services in our STEP program. We normally get about one or two students a year. We’ve identified 15 students that are incoming with that need this year. That means two years from now or STEP classroom needs are going to drastically increase. Our number one facility need in the district was Murrayville-Woodson without a doubt. It’s a 1917 building that is really showing its age. The need for special education space has now trumped that.”

Ptacek hopes that the large incoming special needs cohort of students is just an anomaly and not a trend over the next several years. He says in the near term, the District 117 Special Education Department is working on where the district can create extra space and classrooms.

Ptacek offered a plan to the board of education at their March board meeting, saying that the district might be able to cover two separate needs with one big project: “If we can make it work, we could satisfy our need to deal with the Murrayville-Woodson building, and our special education needs, and this could also alleviate some of the overcrowding at Eisenhower and South while also talking about a potential area for growth in this community that would attract people to come here along the IL-267 corridor by building a new facility somewhere down around Woodson. A new elementary school would also be able to house our upcoming special education needs and then it would enable the district to close the current Murrayville-Woodson facility but have the new building remain down in that area. I think it’s a win-win scenario for all of the district’s needs and just about everyone throughout our community.”

Ptacek says that taxpayers can be assured that the new building would not be due to a property tax increase, but through the district’s revenue streams and also not require a referendum from voters due to the health-life-safety issues at the current Murrayville-Woodson building, which would be verified through certified architect evaluations and then submitted to the Illinois State Board of Education.

Ptacek says that the district does have some financial hurdles to cross before they can undertake another major building project.

Ptacek told the Board of Education on Wednesday night that one of the district’s revenue streams, Personal Property Replacement Tax collected by the State of Illinois, has taken a major dip this year. In the last two months, the payment from the state has come in at approximately 30%-40% of last year’s total. The district’s administration did an investigation into why and suspect that the state made a mistake by giving District 117 and likely several other districts overpayments in their PPRT revenue last year.

Ptacek says if the final two payments of this fiscal year’s budget come in considerably lower, it may leave the district’s accrued fund balances at an undesirable level to do a major project. He says everyone needs to temper their expectations on getting a new school for Murrayville-Woodson because finances need to be lined up properly in order to not short-change the entire district over the long run: “I’ve been very clear. There are hurdles that are in the way. We have to have the interest rate dropped by the Fed to be able to call the 2015 bond to be able to get another bond sale. If the interest rate doesn’t drop, it’s not going to happen this year. We have to generate enough funds into our fund balance to be able to cover the difference. If those things happen, this plan [for a new school] might happen earlier. The plan is still the plan that I’m moving forward with the board in the future. The question is going to come on when it can happen. One of the goals that I have, I’ve got 3 years left before I leave, is to at least give this district, this community, and this board a plan of how to address the age of the Murrayville-Woodson building. That’s still going. Right now, there is some things that came up that could delay that plan. I’m not saying it’s not going to happen.”

The Board of Education did pass a resolution on Wednesday night that gives them the authority to call the 2015 bond for approximately $26 million to refinance for another bond sale. Ptacek says that doesn’t mean that the Board will call the bond in October or right away. He says the calling of the bond will be dictated by the fluctuation of the interest rates later this year: “I would not feel secure moving forward with borrowing for a new building project if our fund balances are not high enough. If our fund balances at the end of this year end up at $36-$37 million, I’m not going to feel comfortable taking out $15 million and moving that down to $21 million based upon all of the other factors that we have. $25 million is my lowest that I will let it go that I would feel comfortable for the stability of this school district in the long run. That’s going to need the district to have about a $40 million fund balance at the end of this year. Now, suddenly, if at the end of this fiscal year and we have $40-$41 million, does that mean it’s happening? No. We still have to make sure that the interest rates are lower like everyone predicts the Fed is going to do, which will allow us to call the bond and have another bond sale in October. It’s a juggling situation. If any one of those balls drop, we have to wait.”

In the meantime, Ptacek says smaller factors in slowing the project down could be how politics play out in the November election. A more imminent factor in the district’s fund balances could be local growth. New construction in the county and within District 117’s borders are expected within the next 2-3 years. Ptacek says that will affect the amount of property tax collection the district will receive and possibly help increase the district’s fund balances.

For now, Ptacek says the final two months of the fiscal year, which ends June 30th, will provide a clearer picture on the possibility of a new building project.

The City of Jacksonville is going to see some changes to the aesthetic on the Downtown Square.

Officials began talking back in August about possible changes to the boulevards on North and South Main Street. The talks began after a semi hauling pumpkins got stuck on the North Main boulevard attempting to turn off of the square.

The entrances to the square are currently too narrow for large trucks to navigate. The square is not a designated truck route and is posted with signage.

However, the City of Jacksonville’s Head Groundskeeper John Green told the Jacksonville City Council Monday night that despite the signage, trucks continue to to attempt to navigate through the North and South Main Street turns on the square. He noted that the boulevard on North Main Street was struck again last week. He says the turns are also difficult for the city’s larger fire engines.

Mayor Andy Ezard says that KE Vas, the city’s main street contractor, is taking an aggressive approach on removing the boulevards completely: “It’s pretty aggressive [on the timetable] because the contractor has gone ahead and marked it off with JULIE flags. We anticipate the removal is coming sooner rather than later. We don’t know the exact timeframe, but usually when you JULIE something, it’s usually within the next month, I would imagine that the public will see some movement. We will make sure that we give the general public plenty of time to know what’s happening. We’ve tried to keep this from happening. Although we haven’t had a significant accident where a truck has gotten stuck [again] or crossed up in the fencing recently, we’ve had a lot of [collisions] over the years since the revitalization. We know that the islands are aesthetically pleasing to look at, but we feel that with the rest of the work that we are doing, we’ll satisfy that aesthetic by helping get traffic in and out more efficiently.”

The cost of removing the boulevards will be approximately $60,000. Mayor Ezard says that a line item was already in the current year’s budget for the project. Ezard says that all of the plants and everything will be recycled back into various parts of the downtown area.

Ezard says that the necessity of it all was due to liability and the wish to avoid another problematic collision: “We don’t want to do this. We wished the signs would have worked. We have had them for a number of years, but it’s time. We don’t want to face another truck getting caught up and then having the fight with the insurance companies, the trucking company all in trying to get something fixed. It all takes awhile and then the square looks aesthetically bad, too until we can get everything resolved.”

Ezard says a press release will be forthcoming on when the project will get started and if any traffic pattern changes will be necessary.

Jacksonville Memorial Hospital will once again offer Link Card access at the Jacksonville Farmers Market this year.

The hospital received a Link Up Illinois grant from Chicago-based nonprofit organization Experimental Station to double the value of Link card purchases made at the farmers market. The grant is intended to provide fresh food access to under-served populations in rural communities. The Link match allows one free voucher for every $1 token purchased, which may be used for fruits and vegetables. The Jacksonville Memorial Foundation also supports the Link card program at the market.

The Jacksonville Farmers Market opens May 4th in Pathway Plaza, 1905 West Morton Avenue. The market is open 7 a.m. to noon Tuesdays and Saturdays, as well as Wednesdays from 5 to 7 p.m., through Oct. 26. JMH staff will be available at the Link booth during the Wednesday and Saturday hours only.

A Jacksonville bank executive known for awarding community Blue Diamond service has been awarded for service of his own.

Prairieland United Way announced last night that the 2024 Helen Baldwin Distinguished Service Award this year was presented to First National Bank of Arenzville as President and CEO, Kai Schnitker.

Prairieland United Way Board President Amy Quigg pointed out Schnitker’s past service to Prairieland’s Board of Directors, as a campaign co-chair in 1993, and current work on the Advisory Cabinet.

Schnitker was also recognized for his work with the Jacksonville Kiwanis, his active role with the Jacksonville Area Chamber of Commerce, the Ken Bradbury Foundation, and local youth sports.

No one was seriously injured when an SUV drove into a famous restaurant building on the south side of the Carrollton square yesterday afternoon.

Carrollton Police and Greene County Ambulance responded to a vehicle that had driven into the Brass Door restaurant, located at 527 South Main in Carrollton at approximately 3:45PM on Wednesday.

Upon arrival, officers found a silver SUV had driven into the front entrance of the building. According to a police report, the vehicle was occupied by two women from Jacksonville.

The report says that the unidentified driver missed the break pedal and hit the gas pedal, sending the vehicle over the curb and into the building.

Both occupants were transported to Boyd Memorial Hospital for observation, but no serious injuries were reported. The vehicle was towed due to disabling damage.

No estimate on the amount of damage to the building was available. No citations were issued in the incident.

Patrons of The Brass Door are being directed to enter the restaurant through the back entrance. No timetable on repairs have been given. The restaurant is currently operating on its normal schedule.

A low income housing development on Tendick Street has been put on hold after it failed to receive state funding.

The Journal Courier reports that the Tendick Street development by Windsor Homes was denied the grant by the Illinois Housing Development Authority on Friday. The request was for $6.2 million, which would have funded 90% of the cost to build the development.

Windsor Homes President and Jacksonville native Mike Niehaus told the Journal Courier that there were 26 applicants in this current round of funding, and fewer than half were approved. Niehaus says he believes the problem was in how the service providers for the development would be stacked in helping the residents living there. He said that the grant application didn’t give a thorough enough explanation on how Locust Street Resource Center of Carlinville, who will become the eventual landowner, will operate the development and select clients.

Niehaus remains optimistic that the funding pledges by the local government bodies and private entities with this first application will remain the same when Windsor re-applies in January 2025.

There currently is no housing for the chronically homeless in Jacksonville. The West Central Continuum of Care identified 180 homeless people in Morgan County last year. Niehaus says approximately 135 of those residents have enough of an income that would make them ideal residents of this future development.