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Mac/IC students honored for academic achievements

The Lincoln Academy of Illinois recognized some of the top students in the state over the weekend in Springfield.

Among the more than 30 students recognized were Jasmine Renae White of MacMurray College and Daniel James Bacon of Illinois College.

Governor Bruce Rauner and his wife Diana were on hand to present each student with a certificate of merit, a medal and a $1,000 check.

Following the presentation Rauner said, “President Lincoln’s legacy is a reminder of the power of public service and civic engagement here in Illinois and across the county. The students chosen to receive this honor have exemplified the principals and ideals of the greatest Illinoisan through their hard work and dedication to their schools and communities.”

STUDENT LAUREATES

 

Augustana College
Christopher S. Saladin
Carthage, MO
Aurora University
Laura E. Dierking
Naperville, IL
Benedictine University
Brandon Nguyen
Oswego, IL
Blackburn College
Veronica Milligan
Taylorville, IL
Bradley University
Charles J. Barchett
Benton Harbor, MI
Chicago State University
Darren David Martin
Chicago, IL
Columbia College – Chicago
Rasul Freelain
Chicago, IL
Concordia University Chicago
Connor Lee Wondrasch
Rochester, MN
DePaul University
Jessica Villagomez
Willowbrook, IL
Dominican University
Raunel Urquiza
Chicago, IL
Eastern Illinois University
Michaela Lee Crabtree
Ellis Grove, IL
East-West University
Raymond E. Davis
Chicago, IL
Elmhurst College
Marie A. Partyka
Wood Dale, IL
Eureka College
Grace Alisha Kageha Mahasi
Peoria, IL
Governors State University
Samantha Allen
Park Forest, IL
Greenville College
Claire Marie Sattler
Barlett, IL
Illinois College
Daniel James Bacon
Lincoln, IL
Illinois Institute of Technology
Maya A. Al-Khouja
Chicago, IL
Illinois State University
Lauren Ann Koszyk
Bloomington, IL
Illinois Wesleyan University
Paige Elizabeth Buschman
Lemont, IL
Judson University
Nicholas R Sebastian Modlin
Wheeling, IL
Knox College
Joshua William Tvrdy
Tucson, AZ
Lake Forest College
Medora Kea Sweet
St. Paul, MN
Lewis University
Alexandria M. Austring
Aroma, IL
Lincoln College
Kristin N. Werry
West Peoria, IL
Loyola University Chicago
Sojourney Rallo
Northbrook, IL
MacMurray College
Jasmine Renae White
Jacksonville, IL
McKendree University
Acadia Reynolds
New Orleans, LA
Millikin University
Philip Ganley
Decatur, IL
Monmouth College
Emma C. Vanderpool
Frankfort, IL
National Louis University
Nancy Zhu
Elk Grove, IL
North Central College
Luis Antonio Tello
Ramona, CA
North Park University
Anais Bakayoko
Chicago, IL
Northeastern Illinois University
Alicia Ozier
Chicago, IL
Northern Illinois University
Rebecca Ann Rasmussen
Franklin Park, IL
Olivet Nazarene University
Kaleb R. Miller
Canton, IL
Principia College
Annika Bryn Erickson
Petaluma, CA
Quincy University
Nicholas James Nosbisch
Effingham, IL
Robert Morris University
Tameka Latasha Mason
Peoria, IL
Rockford University
Ivy Hood
Roscoe, IL
Roosevelt University
Alice Beals
Somerset, NJ
St. Xavier University
Meghan Hill
North Aurora, IL
School of the Art Institute of Chicago
Al-Qawi Nanavati
Mumbai
Southern Illinois University Carbondale
Steven Eugene Dew
Downs, IL
Southern Illinois University Edwardsville
Chloe Anna Huelsmann
Alton, IL
STUDENT LAUREATES
School
Student
Home
Town
The University of Chicago
Rachel Hile-Broad
Normal, IL
Trinity Christian College
Courtney Brynn Kalous
Menomonee Falls, WI
Trinity International University
Emylee Thompson
South Elgin, IL
University of Illinois Chicago
Rafid Rahman
Chatham, IL
University of Illinois Springfield
Kendra Baber
Normal, IL
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Shivaliben Bhargavkumar Patel
Urbana, IL
University of St. Francis
Jeremy J. Grachan
Crest Hill, IL
VanderCook College of Music
Alexandro Gonzalez
Bolingbrook, IL
Western Illinois University
William J. Gradle
St. Charles, IL
Wheaton College
Christopher J. Lee
Indianapolis, IN
Lincoln Land Community College
Brandon D. Lewis
Springfield, IL

IC makes big donation to Jacksonville Food Bank

Illinois College is set to make a substantial contribution to the Jacksonville Food Bank today, following the conclusion of a campus-wide food drive.

Illinois College Community Engagement and Service Coordinator Lori Large-Oldenettel says faculty, staff and students combined forces to crush the goals set for 2016.

“Last year our goal was 1,227 items, which represented one item per IC student and employee. We surpassed that goal by 855 items. This year we challenged the campus to collect 2,450 items, which represented two items per IC student and staff member. As of right now we have surpassed that goal.”

Large-Oldenettel feels the hefty donation totals stem from the awareness on campus of food insecurity in the community.

“Several years ago there were various food drives going on around the campus. We decided to rally together and get the campus excited about a campus-wide food drive. We hoped to collect more food for the Jacksonville Food Pantry.”

Large-Oldenettel gave a special thanks to Illinois College’s Alpha Phi Omega, who collected 719 items and membership donations, and the Student Athletic Advisory Committee, who collected 1,140 items.

Levitt AMP voting ends at 7 pm

Have you voted for Levitt Amp Grant Awards? Well you should, because the polls close at 7 p.m.

Jacksonville Main Street is looking to bring back the free music series that took over the downtown square this summer.

Jacksonville was one of 15 organizations last year to qualify for the $25,000 matching grant donation from the Levitt AMP Concert Series.

Show your community support by going to levittamp.org. The Top 25 finalists will be determined through the first round of voting.

The winning towns will be announced on January 5th.

Artists performing in Jacksonville this summer included Benton Blount, Marina V, David Gerald, Sara Ross and Fivefold.

Morgan County Commissioners recap

A handful of individuals were appointed to roles in Morgan County this morning.

County Commissioners voted in favor of Angie Gill taking over as Morgan County’s IMRF authorized agent during their meeting at the county courthouse.

Both Brad Zeller and Rodney Cox were approved for three year terms on the West Central Joint Emergency Telephone Systems Board. Their terms would expire in 2020.

Commissioners approved the formation and existing members of the board in September.

Commissioners approved over $450,000 in bills, most of which went towards the county liability and worker compensation insurance.

In other county news, the elections totals will be official after 2:30 p.m. today. New computer software for the county is being installed at the end of the month.

A retirement party has been scheduled for Circuit Clerk Theresa Longergan on November 30th from 2-4 p.m.

Lonergan has held the position since 2002.

Imagine Foundation founder reminisces on time in Jacksonville

The founder of a not-for-profit art organization in Jacksonville is stepping down from her role after more than a decade of service.

Clare Lynd-Porter created the Imagine Foundation in 2004 as a way to provide visual, dramatic, musical and written art education to the community.

In that time, Lynd-Porter says Jacksonville provided her with creative opportunities that a big city would have denied.

“It is a supportive community if you want to try something new. We have focused on young people who haven’t had that much money and didn’t grow up in the arts. We’ve focused on community in non-traditional settings instead of an art gallery,” says Lynd-Porter.

As for the most memorable experiences she had in Jacksonville…

“It is what I’ve got to do with kids. Our artsy summer camps and starting clubs that give kids similar opportunities to sports. The thing about my time over these twelve years trying new things is that sometimes it was good and other times chaotic. Overall it has been wonderful.”

She’s also proud of the success of the Downtown Gallery Hop.

“The Downtown Gallery Hop has been taking place the first Friday of almost every month. People can go from business to business downtown looking at artwork, hearing music and having something to eat. It is free and you just go place to place.”

As her children prepare to move on to college, Lynd-Porter is making a big change as well by relocating to St. Louis.

Lynd-Porter hopes to go “out with a bang” following a performance from Gangstagrass on December 16th at Playhouse on the Square.

Lynd-Porter says the organization is being left in great hands and knows fantastic things will keep coming for the Imagine Foundation.

Check out the Imagine Foundation Facebook page or imaginearts.org to see what the organization has planned in the future.

Mac’s Harrison named Meritorious Service winner

A MacMurray College staff member has received a state-wide honor for her dedication to improving service and opportunities for people with disabilities.

Director of Disability Services Pamela Harrison was named the 2016 Meritorious Service Award winner by the Illinois Council for Exceptional Children earlier this month.

Harrison has worked at MacMurray for the past eight years. In that brief time she has streamlined processes for students and faculty to ensure their needs are supported.

Prior to her career at MacMurray, Harrison coordinated Pathway Services’ group homes for 17 years.

Harrison currently serves on the board of trustees for West Central Mass Transit District and is a member of the Jacksonville Rotary Club.

JPD training facility weeks from completion

The Jacksonville Police Department’s new training facility appears to be weeks away from completion.

The project has been years in the making. Back in February, WLDS-WEAI News spoke with JPD Deputy Chief Chad Moore. He said “plenty of work” was already completed at the 200-acre shooting range by off-duty officers.

Moore explained the building, located south of Lake Jacksonville at 740 Hoagland Road, has been up for years, but didn’t have any plumbing or flooring.

WLDS-WEAI News toured the building on Thursday and according Sam Mansfield of Sambo’s Construction, all that’s left to do is paint, trim and put up cabinets.

“We framed the inside, dry-walled and put metal in the classrooms, bathroom and kitchen. We are pretty much finishing it out,” says Mansfield.

Mansfield says several visitors have made their way out to the new facility. The new complex features a kitchen, break room, two bathrooms, gun cleaning room, garage and classrooms.

Chief Tony Grootens says the shooting range has been used by Jacksonville Police for several years. Grootens plans to start hosting police training classes in early December for law enforcement throughout the region.

Grootens says the new facility will provide a boost to the community as well.

“What it is going to do for Jacksonville is bring classes in. Those people are going to stay in Jacksonville, eat in Jacksonville and fuel their cars in Jacksonville. It will certainly provide an influx to the economy. I’m thrilled to death with what I’m seeing,” says Grootens.

The shooting range is only open to law enforcment at this time.

Go to our WLDS-WEAI Facebook page to check out a tour of the new facility and shooting range.

Attorney General reviewing 2014 South Jax ISP investigation

Illinois State Police spent the majority of 2014 on an investigation into alleged wrongdoing by several high-ranking government officials in South Jacksonville, and there’s a chance that case could be re-opened.

According to a report from the Jacksonville Journal Courier, the state attorney general’s office is reviewing aspects of the 2014 investigation.

The local paper spoke with Morgan County State’s Attorney Gray Noll on the matter. Noll couldn’t say much about what is happening behind the scenes, but expects to hear if there is enough to warrant criminal charges “within the next several months.”

State police specifically listed three allegations against former village clerk Linda Douglass on a 500-plus-page report released in late 2014. They are theft, theft over $500, and other theft, as well as official misconduct allegations against former Police Chief Richard Evans.

The report also looked into mishandling of petty cash and the creation of “ghost accounts” to hide water accounts and involved former Village President Gordon Jumper.

In addition to providing more details on the theft allegations, the report listed various allegations that Douglass improperly shredded a mass amount of documents less than a month after losing the election for village clerk.

Despite assertions from all but one member of the village board of trustees that state police had enough evidence to arrest Douglass, the Illinois Attorney General declined to press charges after reviewing the report.

In 2015, a group of South Jacksonville residents started a petition to remove the three officials from office. After months of pressure at board meetings and the filing of an ethics complaint, Jumper and Evans would retire from their positions, while Douglass would resign.

To brush up on the Illinois State Police investigation, click here.

Mobile Food Pantry at Knollwood tonight

A Jacksonville retirement home is hosting a mobile food pantry tonight.

Sharon Clayton from Knollwood Retirement Village says last year’s drive featured a great selection of food and a busy crowd.

Clayton explains where you can pick up the food.

“Where Knollwood is, there is our big building for storage. It will be there. They will come through the lineup and the building. We will have people there at each area to give the choices they would like to have. We will have shopping  carts that they can take to the cars,” says Clayton.

Illinois College students and many other in the community plan to volunteer their time at the mobile food pantry. Anyone else interested in helping out should contact Knollwood at 245-5101.

Home Instead Senior Care and Williamson Funeral Home are co-sponsoring the mobile food pantry.

Clayton encourages individuals attending the event to bring baskets, wagons or something to carry the items. The food pantry is free and open to the public and starts at 5 p.m.

Jacksonville man stabbed in face overnight

A Jacksonville man was stabbed in the face this morning.

Details are limited, but Jacksonville Police responded to the incident in the 400 block of South Diamond at around 3:30 a.m.

Upon arrival, officers determined the 42-year-old black male, whose name has not been released at this time, knew the identity of the suspect.

The suspect had fled the scene before officers arrived.

The victim refused medical services when paramedics arrived. The victim sustained non-life threatening injures.