Beardstown Police Department Implements Lateral Transfer Program to Attract New Officers
By Benjamin Cox on March 6, 2023 at 6:04pm
The Beardstown City Council has approved a lateral transfer program for its police department. The department has been understaffed for a better part of a year. Beardstown Police Chief Martin Coad says that he has been operating at bare bones for awhile now, slowing down response times to emergency calls: “We have a department capability […]
Education Campaign for Village of South Jacksonville Ahead of Vote on Water Rate Increase
By Benjamin Cox on March 6, 2023 at 5:51pm
The Village of South Jacksonville is going to wait before they decide to raise water rates on their customers. According to Village President Dick Samples the rate hike is coming – it’s not a matter of ‘if’ but ‘when’ at this point. Members of the Village Board of Trustees decided to table the rate increase […]
Several Area Fire & Ambulance Departments Receive 2023 Small Equipment Grants from OSFM
By Benjamin Cox on March 6, 2023 at 5:30pm
Several area volunteer fire departments have received a portion of $1.5 million doled out as a part of the 2023 Small Equipment Grant from the Illinois State Fire Marshal. The program allows for fire departments and not-for profit ambulance services in Illinois, particularly those that have hardships in generating the necessary revenue for small equipment […]
Dot Foods Announces Change in Executive Team
By Benjamin Cox on March 6, 2023 at 5:23pm
Dot Foods has announced changes to its executive team. Dot’s new Chief Executive Officer is Dick Tracy, the youngest of founders Robert and Dorothy Tracy’s 12 children. He joined the family business in 1991 and has served as the president of Dot Foods since 2017. Dick follows his older brother, Joe Tracy, into the CEO […]
Two People Injured in West Morton Avenue Crash
By Benjamin Cox on March 5, 2023 at 11:49am
Two people received injuries in a two-car collision on West Morton Avenue on Saturday morning. Jacksonville Police, Jacksonville Rescue, and LifeStar EMS were called for a two-vehicle crash in front of Bucheit’s at 11:54AM Saturday. According to police reports, a gold 2005 Toyota Sienna driven by 67-year old Elizabeth A. Becker of Wrights allegedly failed […]
Million Estate Makes Another Significant Donation to Illinois College Scholarship Program
By Benjamin Cox on March 5, 2023 at 6:12am
Gifts from the Howard Million estate to Illinois College and the Jacksonville Promise is opening up more opportunities for local students to go to college. Illinois College and The Jacksonville Promise each recently received $850,000 thanks to the generosity of the Million family. With this additional gift, the estate of Howard and Vera Million has […]
Miller Opposes Equal Rights Amendment
By Benjamin Cox on March 3, 2023 at 7:19pm
Days after a federal appeals court killed a chance for the Equal Rights Amendment to be added immediately to the U.S. Constitution, a local Congresswoman says she’s in opposition to it. 15th District Congresswoman Mary Miller says she’s in opposition to Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul, Senator Dick Durbin, Lieutenant Governor Julianna Stratton and many […]
Sangamon County Judge Named to Central IL Federal Bench
By Benjamin Cox on March 3, 2023 at 7:08pm
The U.S. Senate has confirmed a Sangamon County judge to the federal bench. Associate Judge Colleen Lawless will take the bench in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of Illinois. Lawless will succeed Judge Sue E. Myerscough on the federal bench. Myerscough sent a letter to President Joe Biden on May 12, 2022 […]
Man Being Sought By Mason Co. Authorities For An Alleged Homicide Apprehended by ISP
By Benjamin Cox on March 3, 2023 at 7:03pm
The Illinois State Police and the Mason County Sheriff’s Office have arrested a man for an alleged homicide at a rural Mason County home on Thursday morning. The ISP’s Division of Criminal Investigation was requested by the Mason County Sheriff’s Office to investigate a suspicious death early Thursday morning at a residence in the 22000 […]
Ginder, Schafer Inducted into Area Ag-Industry Hall of Fame
By Jeremy Coumbes on March 3, 2023 at 2:52pm
Two long-time area farmers were honored Thursday. The Jacksonville Area Chamber of Commerce held its 44th Annual Agri-Industry Banquet last night. Chamber President Lisa Musch says the dinner celebrates the local agriculture industry and the businesses that support it. “It was a great evening and we had over two hundred and fifty guests all from […]