Dawson Admits to Drug charge in Greene County Court
By Gary Scott on August 11, 2026 at 1:32pm
A Calhoun County man was sentenced Monday to prison after admitting to a Greene County drug charge. Greene County state’s attorney Craig Grummel says 57-year-old Donald Dawson of Hardin was sentenced to six years in the department of corrections. Dawson admitted to a single count of unlawful possession of meth. That is a Class 3 […]
Ptacek Pleased with M-W Grade School Construction
By Gary Scott on August 11, 2026 at 9:53am
The Jacksonville school district 117 administration is excited about the progress made for the new Murrayville Woodson Grade School. The school is being built at Water Tower Road and the Woodson-Winchester blacktop. Jacksonville school superintendent Steve Ptacek says the building should be sealed up before winter. He says the contractor is impressed with the progress […]
Jax Council Approves Solar Field First Reading
By Gary Scott on August 10, 2026 at 7:50pm
There was little discussion tonight as the Jacksonville city council approved first reading of a rezoning ordinance that would allow a solar field to be located east of Black’s Lane. Discussion about the ordinance last month prompted a lot of talk among aldermen, and several people spoke out against the rezoning. Aldermen […]
Weekend Grooming Arrest Sparked by OPI
By Benjamin Cox on August 10, 2026 at 10:26am
More information is available about the arrest of a Jacksonville man over the weekend after a pair of private online groups targeting suspected sexual predators conducted a sting operation on the city’s east side. 58-year-old Michael Napientek was arrested by Jacksonville Police on Saturday at Casey’s on East Morton Avenue. Napientek was cited for alleged […]
Jax School Year Starts this week
By Gary Scott on August 10, 2026 at 6:01am
Teachers report for school year prep tomorrow in Jacksonville school district 117. Students’ first day of classes will be Thursday. Jacksonville school district superintendent Steve Ptacek says the staffing level is in pretty good shape for the 2026-27 school year. He says the teacher shortage in this area seems to be improving. Ptacek credits the […]
Springfield man killed in early morning motorcycle crash on Old State Road
By Benjamin Cox on August 8, 2026 at 8:53pm
A Springfield man was killed in a motorcycle crash in Morgan County early Saturday morning. Morgan County Coroner Marcy Patterson’s Office reports that 43-year-old Jeffrey Conn of Springfield was traveling westbound on Old State Road, just east of Wallbaum Road, at approximately 3 a.m. Saturday when his motorcycle left the roadway and crashed into a […]
New United Way Campaign
By Gary Scott on August 4, 2026 at 6:53am
This year’s Prairieland United Way Campaign will open later this month with six local women serving as co chairpersons. The campaign kicks off August 20th with the theme of Friends United. The co-chair people include Jennisa Ezard, Brittany Henry, Jennifer Pool, Lisa Watson, Jeni Rajaguru, and Julie Finn. The goal this year is $500-thousand. A […]
Greenview man identified in fatal Menard County crash
By Benjamin Cox on August 1, 2026 at 5:12pm
A Greenview man has been identified as the victim of a fatal single-vehicle crash Friday morning in rural Menard County. According to the Menard County Sheriff’s Office, 911 dispatchers received a report of the crash shortly after 5 a.m. Friday near the intersection of Altig Bridge Avenue and Duncan Avenue. A sheriff’s deputy arrived before […]
Illinois Sets New Record for Tornadoes
By Seth Gabriel on June 22, 2026 at 11:40am
Illinois is already setting records for most tornadoes in a year with 148 tornadoes reported so far in 2026. This breaks the previous record of 142 set in 2024. The state actually leads the nation in tornadoes this year according to preliminary data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Last week’s storms left behind […]
Grayson Seeks Release from Prison
By Seth Gabriel on June 19, 2026 at 10:42am
The former Sangamon County sheriff’s deputy convicted in the 2024 killing of Sonya Massey is seeking his release from prison. According to WICS News, Sean Grayson is scheduled to appear before the Illinois Prisoner Review Board on July 31. Details regarding the nature of the hearing were not immediately available. Sangamon County State’s Attorney John […]