Travelers along Interstate 72 in Scott County may have to find an alternative way to get to Illinois Route 100 beginning Monday.

IDOT Spokesperson Paul Wappel says that construction to repair pavement will take up the next few weeks: “The eastbound I-72 exit ramp for Illinois 100 and the Illinois 100 entrance ramp on eastbound I-72 will be closed starting Monday, April 25th. Work on the ramps will include removing and replacing deteriorated concrete. We estimate that it will take for the first two ramp replacements about 3-4 weeks, weather permitting. Once those improvements are completed, then the westbound I-72 exit ramps for Illinois 100 and the Illinois 100 entrance ramp to westbound I-72 will close next, and that will also take about 3-4 weeks to complete, weather permitting.”

Wappel says that the project is a part of the $13 million worth of resurfacing projects along Interstate 72 that began last year. Wappel says weather permitting, the entirety of the project should come to a completion later this summer.

Wappel urges motorists to use caution in construction zones and abide by Scott’s Law: “We just ask and remind drivers to pay close attention to the changing conditions when they are in and near work zones. Obey the speed limit and don’t drive distracted to keep all of the workers and other drivers and their passengers safe.”

According to IDOT, the resurfacing projects are a part of the ongoing Rebuild Illinois capital program, which is reported to be investing $33.2 billion into all forms of transportation in the state over the 6 years.

Jacksonville School District 117’s Early Years program celebrated 35 years in existence last night with an open house. Students were allowed to play on the playground and have refreshments as the public got to ask questions and meet with teachers and the administration

Early Years Principal Sarah English says that the program has grown exponentially since it was started in 1986 with a single classroom of 15 kids and two teachers at the now-defunct Lafayette Academy: “This is my fifth year with the program, and as we have grown all the way from 1986 to now, I do feel like there has been a surge in understanding of our program, awareness of the program, and families wanting to be involved with their kids in Early Years. I think it’s just been wonderful. We’ve done a lot of community events to spread that awareness.”

English says that she compares preschool to the kindergarten pendulum of the days before kindergarten enrollment was not mandatory: “It was maybe a half day or there was a rest in between or nap time. Now, look how kindergarten has grown since its development. That’s really what I see for preschool. I hope to see that in my lifetime – that it follows that same trajectory where we are able to serve everyone.”

Currently, the maximum number of students the Early Years program can serve is 240. English says the in-home portion of the Early Years program, where staff visit students in their homes and provide preparation for school away from home for students, had to flex and bend with the trials of Covid-19, but was able to still serve the community over the last two years. She says it went from doing virtual visits with students to setting up appointments at the Early Years building on Jordan Street in a hybrid format to back to full in-person visits.

The second anniversary celebration begins on Monday for students when the school will host a spirit week. English says the week is themed around the 1986 date: “We have theme days such as ‘Out of This World’ connected to the 1986 sighting of Haley’s Comet. We’ve got a sports day. [1985] was when the Bears last won the Super Bowl. It’s anything sports, but it’s where the idea came from. We have even got a career day, so we are asking students to think of their future self – you know, where do the kids see themselves in 35 years. It’s just a fun way to involve the families and kids, and another way to celebrate 35 years.”

English says she’s enjoyed watching the program grow to new heights each year. She says she sees preschool as a benchmark in development, education, and socialization for children. The school was also excited to get back to doing field trips once again. The first field trip in almost two years was taken this past Thursday with students venturing down the street to the Jacksonville Public Library for a reading and library exploration day.

13^th District Congressman Rodney Davis visited Illinois College yesterday. He spoke with political science students in the day and then met with President Barbara Farley and members of the history department at Whipple Hall at the Paul Findley Office Museum.

Davis is one of 21 former Illinois College students and alumni who has served in the U.S. House of Representatives. He is honored with a portrait in the school’s Legislator Hall of Fame.

Davis reminisced about his relationship with the Findley Family and his brief time at Illinois College yesterday talking of working with Craig Findley while he served on the Lincoln Land Community College Board and attempted to defeat Ron Tendick for Mayor of Jacksonville in 1989. Davis says that friendships and relationships that are formed in college sometimes last a lifetime.

Davis commended Illinois College for its nursing program, education program, and nursing educator program. He says he is going to take IC’s example back to Congress and hope to foster similar pipelines to address the nation’s nursing and teacher program: “I want to take the example of Illinois College back to our other institutions and try to take the partnerships that you have here on a scale and have created with Memorial Health and St. John’s and Lincoln Land Community College. And, I’d really like to get some of our bigger institutions to follow a model like this. There are folks in the healthcare arena that recognize this and what’s going on here.” Davis says the goal is to ultimately expand programs and the number of nurse and teacher educators in the state so that students are not turned away from programs due to limited space.

Davis says one of the big infrastructure projects he’d like to see through while he is the ranking member of the Subcommittee on Highways and Transit in the U.S. House is the completion of U.S. 67: “My goal is to continue the progress that people like Paul Findley made, people like Tom Oakley made, people like Bob Michel, Ray LaHood, John Shimkus, Aaron Schock, and Darin LaHood made when they served and that’s to finish U.S. 67. Tom Oakley and the goal of many who have worked on the [Corridor] 67 Project was to create that expressway down to the St. Louis metro area through the western side of our state. That’s going to be my charge to try and do while I’m in Congress.”

Davis also touted his Employer Participation in Repayment Act for student loan debt. Davis believes it’s one of the only ways that the nation can tackle the problem without causing major economic distress and further pigeonhole graduated college students saddled with student loans.

Davis also says he’s proud of his bipartisan record in Congress. He says that most bills in Congress pass in a bipartisan manner but rarely get news coverage. He says some Republicans use his bipartisan record against him, but he feels that being able to work across the aisle makes him a better legislator in an effort to get things done for his constituents and ultimately for the country.

The Springfield man accused of carjacking and sexually assaulting a 70-year old Adams County woman is seeking to possibly change his defense counsel.

34 year old Bradley Yohn of Springfield had recently sent letters to Adams County Judge Amy Lannerd seeking to remove public defender John Citro from his case according to a court hearing on Tuesday. According to Yohn, Citro has rarely visited him at the Adams County Jail to discuss his case.

WGEM says that Judge Lannerd struck the letters from being entered into the record but is going to move forward with a hearing on April 29^th for Yohn to formally plead ineffective counsel before Judge Michael Atterberry.

Lannerd also told the court that it would not delay the case from a May jury call since a status hearing was already set for that date.

WGEM reports that Yohn also requested to speak to a detective because he claimed he had been choked on camera at the Adams County Jail prior to leaving the courtroom.

Yohn faces multiple felony charges in connection to the November 9^th incident that allegedly began along North Bottom Road near Quincy, with Yohn and Karen Blackledge eventually arrested several days later in Springfield by U.S. Marshals. Yohn also faces a number of felony charges from other incidents in Adams County from last fall.

Yohn is being held on a $15 million bond, which is believed to be the largest bond amount ever set in Adams County.

The Tennessee man who shot Chapin Police Chief Steven Helmich last month was denied a reduction in bond yesterday. Brown County Circuit Judge Jerry Hooker denied the motion of 29 year old Daniel Payne’s defense counsel, Public Defender Dennis G. Woodworth, to reduce bond and have Payne released from jail.

WGEM reports that Payne of Greenbrier, Tennessee, who has been charged with attempted first degree murder in the case, appeared in Brown County Court yesterday for a preliminary hearing.

During the hearing, Payne’s arraignment was set for June 1^st.

Payne shot Helmich, after Helmich along with officers from the Meredosia Police Department and Brown County Sheriff’s Office who attempted to take him into custody after a high speed chase. Payne attempted to flee a traffic stop that was initiated by Meredosia Police in Meredosia. The chase crossed into Pike and Brown Counties before Payne’s vehicle became disabled.

Helmich was airlifted from the scene with wounds to his chest and upper thigh. Helmich spent 19 days in Springfield Memorial Hospital recuperating from emergency life-saving surgery from the shooting.

Payne remains held at the Schuyler County Jail on $1,000,000 bond.

A slate of alleged far-right conspiracy theorists running for state office will not be appearing on the June primary ballot.

In State Board of Elections’ hearing papers made public today, the candidates for Governor and Lieutenant Governor from the “We Are the People of Illinois!” slate, Emily Johnson and Brett Mahlen have not been certified to appear on the June 28^th Primary Election ballot as Republicans.

According to an objection filed by Dean Maragos, a Chicago attorney and son of former Democratic General Assembly member Samuel Maragos, he says Mahlen had no intention of staying in the State of Illinois and that several of the petitions by Mahlen and Johnson were inconsistent with Mahlen’s name crossed off at the top of some sheets and some sheets not completed. 235 petition sheets, which contain 10 names each, were rejected by the State Board of Elections. By striking the sheets, Johnson and Mahlen have fewer than the required number of signatures.

In a separate objection, further flaws were found in petitions for the remainder of the slate that include Michael Kinney – candidate for Comptroller, Michelle Turney – candidate for Secretary of State, Patrice McDermand – candidate for Treasurer, and Maryann Mahlen – candidate for U.S. Senator.

According to the Chicago Sun-Times, the group of candidates were linked to the QAnon conspiracy, sporting a slogan and symbol linked to the nationwide conspiracy theory movement.

Ballots for the primary are set to be certified by the State Board of Elections next week.

Pink lights were everywhere in Greenfield on Saturday evening to honor the memory of an infant and her aunt who died tragically in a fire on March 31^st.

The pink LED porchlights, a pink heart at the Greenfield elevator, and a pink cross on the Greenfield water tower honored the memory of 11 month old Danika Alderfer and her “Nana,” 77 year old Nancy Hillis. Saturday would have been Danika’s first birthday.

Greenfield residents Morgan Coffey and Morgan Vinyard have led an effort to show community support to the family by selling the pink LED porch lights. The cost for an individual light was for $20, with the intention of raising $20,000. The goal was to establish a good starting point for the Danika Alderfer Fire Prevention and Protection Program for local school-age children.

Coffey says the community’s response was tremendous and not surprising, as the Greenfield community always seems to come together in tragic times to help one another: “We expected a good turnout but Morgan [Vinyard] posted the original post on a Monday night [after the fire], and by Tuesday morning, we sold nearly 3/4ths of the first batch. We ordered 600 to start, and of that 600, and by 8PM that Monday night and by 8AM Tuesday morning they were almost gone. She and I couldn’t keep up. All day that Tuesday, every spare second we had, we were trying to keep up with the orders because we didn’t want to miss someone or people to think we weren’t responding to them. We ended up having to order another 500. We ordered 1,500 total. Of those, we have less than 100 left.”

Coffey says they don’t have a complete total yet on the amount of money they’ve raised because the amount of free will donations they have received above the initial cost of purchasing a porch light has been numerous. She says orders are still coming in for the pink lights. She says that pink light orders have come in from all over Greene County and surrounding counties – especially in Jersey and Calhoun Counties.

Coffey says that many people are still lighting up the night for Danika, and likely will for some time. Danika’s father, Nate Alderfer is the chief deputy of the Greenfield Police Department and primarily works nights. Coffey says she wants the family to know that their love for the family goes on even beyond Saturday. She hopes that the lights will be a calm reminder that Greenfield still has the Alderfer family in their thoughts when Nate returns to work in the future: “They are LED lights and they have 10,000 burning hours. Everybody lit them up on Saturday. It’s to up to everybody and their own personal preference, but the ones on my porch will stay lit until they go out. There is a lot of people in town I’ve noticed who have done the same thing. There is still pink lights everywhere in town. That goes back to Nate working at night, and we wanted that to be something that he could see every night when he’s working. He’s not back to work yet, but eventually he will get there, and we wanted the lights to be something that he could see so that family knew that we have forgotten about Danika. We were still praying for them. We still love them, and we are still thinking about them.”

Danika’s mother is Kari Alderfer a Greenfield alderwoman. Coffey says she has worked with Police Chief John Goode and Fire Chief Cory Hudson and they have plans to use the money beyond having the fire department and police work with school-age children at the grade school every year on fire prevention and fire protection. They are also going to use funds to purchase a piece of equipment to raise awareness about fires for the county in Danika’s name: “At one point, we did have a smoke house that was used for training purposes. As it turns out, as Chief Goode got to talking to different people, that one had been sold because of the repairs that needed done on it. Since then, Greenfield Fire Chief Cory Hudson has been looking around for different things, and he has located another one. He’s still looking to get quotes and make sure there is not anything better, but the smokehouse is now the number one goal [with the raise funds]. The fire prevention program that will go through the fire department and the school will be volunteer. All of our fire department is volunteer and they do a great job. They don’t get paid very much. Greenfield and Greene County is really lucky to have our first responders and the awesome job that they do. They were going to donate their time anyway. The program, in and of itself, isn’t going to take a lot of resources. They will order education materials and things that go with that, but the smokehouse is pretty much the number one thing the funds are going to go to now. The one that I think they found and are interested is well within the budget. Then, we would still have extra money left over to go towards repairs if it needs that. The smokehouse is a great training tool. It’s a simulator for what to do and how to react if you are in a situation if you are in a fire.”

Coffey says that the fire department will likely use the smokehouse at the upcoming Greenfield Homecoming as well as at town carnivals and possibly the Greene County Fair to educate the public.

Coffey hopes that with the pink lights, fundraising, and the smokehouse from the funds that have been raised it will allow Danika and Nancy’s memories live on in the community in perpetuity.

If you are interested in donating to the fund or wish to purchase one of the remaining pink porch lights, contact Morgan Coffey or Morgan Vinyard on Facebook messenger.

The jury in the federal trial for two prison guards at the Western Illinois Correctional Center in Mount Sterling was sent home Tuesday morning because of “technical difficulties” and won’t return to Springfield until Friday.

The jury trial of 53 year old Todd Sheffler of Mendon and 30 year old Alex Banta of Quincy has been delayed until Friday because Banta is in an intensive care unit with an undisclosed illness, according to Muddy River News. Banta’s mother, Lisa Banta, was also expected to appear by video in the trial yesterday but technical difficulties pre-empted her appearance causing Judge Sue E. Myerscough to clear the courtroom.

Testimony was expected to wrap up Tuesday. Closing arguments were expected to begin in the afternoon. The trial began on March 28^th.

Both Sheffler and Banta could face up to life in prison after allegedly beating 65 year old inmate Larry Earvin on May 17, 2018. Earvin would die from blunt force trauma injuries on June 26^th. Sheffler and Banta were indicted along with fellow guard Willie Hedden in December 2019. Hedden pled guilty to his role in the incident and alleged ensuing cover up. Hedden has been a witness for the federal government in the case.

The indictment in 2019 has since revealed 9 other people who reported similar stories to Earvin’s — beatings, often in the same part of the prison, sometimes even by the same guards. WBEZ in Chicago first reported the numerous other cases after an investigative report.

Members of the University of Illinois-Springfield United faculty voted today to authorize a strike.

The IFT Local 4000 and the the UIS Administration have been in collective bargaining for more than a year.

According to a press release from the union, their contract with the university expired in August of last year. The union says it intends to file an intent-to-strike notice with the Illinois Educational Labor Relations Board tomorrow, with a possible strike beginning as early as May 2^nd.

According to the union, faculty union members earn 20% less than educators at other Illinois institutions and they have not received a cost of living raise in two years. The union has also accused the administration of over hiring on administrative positions, saying the school has “bloated management.”

UIS currently receives 4% of the the University of Illinois system budget, according to the union.

UIS interim Chancellor Karen Whitney issued the following statement this evening about the notice to strike: “The University has learned that the UIS United Faculty, which represents 134 tenured and tenure-track faculty, has announced a vote to authorize a strike and plans to file an intent-to-strike notice with the Illinois Educational Labor Relations Board (IELRB) tomorrow, April 21. While we are disappointed, holding a strike authorization vote is not uncommon in the negotiation process. It gives the union the option to call for a strike, once all the legal requirements and timelines are met, but doesn’t necessarily mean a strike will occur. The University will continue to negotiate in good faith.

“We know that our students, faculty and staff are counting on us to work tirelessly to bring this to a successful conclusion as soon as possible. Our next scheduled bargaining sessions are April 22, 25 and 27, and the parties are currently discussing additional dates. We greatly value and appreciate our faculty, and we are committed to the academic success of our students. I am hopeful that we will be able to reach a fair, sustainable and fiscally responsible agreement-at the bargaining table-with which both parties can be satisfied.”

A request for comment from union representatives have not yet been returned.