Star Lite and Hackett Fires Deemed Suspicious, Not Connected to Church Street Fire
By Jeremy Coumbes on July 24, 2023 at 4:34pm
A pair of early Monday morning fires in Jacksonville have been deemed suspicious in nature, but officials don’t believe they are connected to Sunday morning’s arson on North Church Street. Crews from the Jacksonville and South Jacksonville Fire Departments responded to a residential fire at approximately 1:30 Monday morning at 1011 Hackett Avenue. The single-story […]
Firefighters Battle Back-to-Back Fires on Opposite Ends of the City Early Monday
By Jeremy Coumbes on July 24, 2023 at 6:19am
Jacksonville and South Jacksonville firefighters battled two separate blazes early this morning. Crews were called to a structure fire in a single-story house in the 1000 block of Hackett Avenue early Monday morning. Jacksonville Fire Chief Doug Sills says as crews began mop-up operations there, a second call came in of a structure fire on […]
Second Suspicious Fire on North Church in Just Over a Week
By Jeremy Coumbes on July 23, 2023 at 11:13am
A little more than a week after the most recent suspicious vacant house fire occurred in Jacksonville, another in the same area burned early Sunday morning. The Jacksonville and South Jacksonville Fire Departments were dispatched to a confirmed structure fire in a two-story house at 503 North Church Street at 5:24 am Sunday. Jacksonville Fire […]
Emergency Grazing Announced For Central Illinois Counties
By Benjamin Cox on July 23, 2023 at 6:51am
The USDA Farm Service Agency has authorized five Illinois counties to have emergency grazing. USDA FSA Executive Director Scott Halpin announced on Friday that Adams, Hancock, Pike, Randolph, and Schuyler counties are now authorized for emergency grazing use on all eligible Conservation Reserve Program acres during the Primary Nesting Season due to extreme drought conditions. […]
Lannerd Launches Re-Election Bid to Appellate Court
By Benjamin Cox on July 23, 2023 at 6:42am
Fourth District Appellate Court Justice Amy Lannerd has officially launched her campaign for a full term. The Illinois Supreme Court appointed Lannerd, formerly an 8th Judicial Circuit Judge in Adams County, to the appellate bench in December after Justice John W. Turner decided not to seek retention. Lannerd began her law career in private practice […]
Budzinski Advances Several Local Community Projects Through House Appropriations Committee
By Benjamin Cox on July 23, 2023 at 6:41am
13th District Congresswoman Nikki Budzinski announced on Friday that she’s advanced forward several Central Illinois projects within the House Committee on Appropriations. Earlier this year, Budzinski requested funding for 15 projects throughout Central and Southern Illinois through the U.S. House of Representatives’ Community Project Funding process. Funding for each one of Budzinski’s 15 requests, totaling […]
Winchester Back to School Bash Still Seeking Donations
By Benjamin Cox on July 23, 2023 at 6:40am
The Outreach Community Center in Winchester is still seeking community donations for its upcoming Back to School Bash. The 13th annual bash is scheduled for Friday, August 11th from 5-7PM at the Scott County Fairgrounds in Winchester. The back to school bash is open to all school aged children needing school supplies for the upcoming […]
JMS Power Grid Knocked Out During Derecho, Superintendent Says It Was A Near Miss
By Benjamin Cox on July 22, 2023 at 7:25am
One Jacksonville school that’s not been under construction almost wasn’t ready for the upcoming school year. Jacksonville Middle School sustained damage to its electrical system during the June 29th derecho. Superintendent Steve Ptacek says having power down at the school for nearly two days after the storm could have forced the district into an emergency […]
Benches Dedicated to Long-Time Morgan County Coroner
By Benjamin Cox on July 22, 2023 at 7:16am
A project to honor a former long-time coroner for Morgan County was dedicated on Friday morning. Jeff Lair served as Morgan County’s coroner from 1984 until his retirement in 2019. Lair died in June 2021. Current Morgan County Coroner and Lair’s deputy coroner Marcy Patterson says an idea to dedicate a permanent memorial to Lair […]
City of Carrollton Okays Financing For New Water Treatment Plant
By Benjamin Cox on July 22, 2023 at 7:01am
The City of Carrollton has approved a loan with the Illinois EPA for construction of a new water treatment plant. The Greene Prairie Press reports that the Carrollton City Council approved a 20-year low interest loan for over $1.9 million at an interest rate of .93%. The Illinois EPA is also offering the city $1.25 […]