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Hacker Running for Morgan Co Board

A retired officer from the Illinois State Police is one of two candidates running on the republican ticket for the Morgan County board.

Greg Hacker and Vikkie Becker are running on the republican ticket. Michael Woods is the lone democrat candidate. He was appointed to the board, after the retirement of Brad Zeller.

Greg Hacker retired from the state police in 2022. He says his experience later in his career has helped prepare him for the board.

Hacker served with the state police firearm service bureau and helped developed the budget. He also helped negotiate contracts for state police.

Hacker says he would stay away from implementing county wide zoning.

He thinks that’s a slippery slope the county should not get into. Hacker says the county can help control projects like the proposed solar field north of Jacksonville by closely monotoring construction and operations.

Hacker says he would be useful as a county commissioner because he speaks the language of law enforcement when talking to the sheriff’s department. Hacker also likes what he sees with the courthouse in terms of security and how the county has retro fitted protection within.

No Camping Ordinance Now Law in Jax

Jacksonville now has a no-camping ordinance.

The council rebuffed attempts to delay a vote from advocates for the homeless, and a motion to table and delay for two weeks failed for a lack of a second.

The council voted 6 to 1 to approve the ordinance that lays out a $25 fine for those who violate the ordinance. Jacksonville police chief Doug Thompson told the council there would be a 2 to 3 month period of educating those who attempt to camp within the city.

Former Jacksonville police chaplain Alan Bradish urged the council to delay the vote so the ordinance could be adjusted.

He says the big question at 6 PM during the week that a camper would ask a police officer is the question all should ask.

That question is…where do I go?

Jada Lutzke has also argued on the behalf of the homeless, and asked for the ordinance to be tabled. She had a petition with 200 signatures asking for a delay.

Alderwoman Darcella Speed was the lone council member to vote against final reading. Alderwoman Erin Williams was ill, and couldn’t attend, and alderman Joe Lockman was absent because of a vacation.

Bradish has proposed a restoration center, but no building has been identified yet.

The restoration center would be a place where the homeless could go for a night if no other place is available. But, no location has been found yet.

Alderwoman Terrisa Heape supported the ordinance, but acknowledged more work needs to be done. She is hoping the ordinance could be amended sometime soon.

Salvation Army Captain Justian Corliss is working on an advisory task force to find that center. He says the first step is to develop a street outreach team that could talk to the homeless, providing the city data it doesn’t have now.

Bradish doesn’t discount that this is a responsible ordinance, only that it was irresponsible to act on it now before all the information is in.

Time Capsule Letters needed

Time capsule letters are due in Jacksonville is early March.

The city plans to bury a time capsule sometime this spring to mark the 200th birthday of the city.

Jacksonville Area Convention and Visitors Bureau’s Brittany Henry says the letters need to be in in less than a month.

The deadline is March 2nd. Envelopes to put the letters in are $20, and they are necessary to keep the letters preserved.

The Chamber is located at 155 West Morton.

And, what should you write?

Henry says some have written letters to themselves, to their children and grandchildren, about food and fuel prices, and churches have submitted letters about their congregation.

Henry emphasizes the project belongs to the entire community. Organizers are hoping for a big turnout.

Cold Month, with One Exception

Jacksonville will pull itself out of the deep freeze this week, as we end a month that ran below average temperatures.

The last time the mercury was above freezing in Jacksonville was on the 22nd, when the mercury touched 38. But, every day since then, through yesterday, readings didn’t get any higher than 30.

That’s 10 straight days of literally freezing weather. The stretch included six nights of below zero readings. And, one run of three straight days in the single digits.

Ironically, the lone record reading for the month was a record high of 66 on the 9th, breaking a 67 year old record.

The average reading was a little over 25 degrees. The normal for January is 26 and a half.

Sixty six was the high for the month, and 9-below was the coldest. There were eight nights of single digit lows.

Snowfall for the month hit 6 and 6 tenths inches. That’s slightly above the long term average of 5 and three quarter inches.

The heaviest snow was the six inch snowfall on the 25th and 26th. There was just under an inch of precipitation for the month, about 2 thirds under the long term average.

Homelessness Takes Center Stage for the Council

The Jacksonville city council last night wrestled with the elephant that is in the big room of the city..homlessness.

A packed commission room greeted 9 of the 10 aldermen as the council heard from several people.

The list included Jada Lutzke, who is trying to organize a low barrier shelter in the city to be called the Station. Duke Demott and Luke Shores, who is from the Philadelphia-Virginia area, has been ministering to the homeless here in Jacksonville. He asked that the city provide, rent free, the community park center for meals and gatherings on Sundays. No answer was given at the meeting.

Others included Alan Bradish, the now retired chaplain for the city police department, and Sue Brosmith and David Bergman from New Directions, as well as a representative from In His Service.

All agreed that first and foremost the city needs a place where the homeless can get shelter in frigid weather. Bradish says a center needs to be found soon.

Brosmith says New Directions, which now focusses on temporary housing, can handle up to 20, and there is supposed to be a 60 day limit. But, all who come must be sober and have a police background check.

Bradish says the need becomes more prominent with the start of colder weather. And, the center needs to be centrally located, preferably downtown.

Alderwomen Eren Williams chairs the special studies committee for the city council. This committee is tasked with finding at least a temporary solution.

The hurdles that a solution would need to overcome is insurance, funding, and a location, preferably close to the center of town.

Estimates of the homeless in Jacksonville range anywhere from 15 to 35. Because of the services here, several claimed last night that Jacksonville is taking in homeless from nearby counties, such as Greene, Cass, Macoupin and Montgomery counties. And, several also claimed there are some coming to Jacksonville from Springfield because it’s safer here.

The committee will meet again later this month, an hour before the council workshop session.