Morgan Co. Fair Announces 2022 Grandstand Line Up
By Benjamin Cox on February 27, 2022 at 3:37pm
The Morgan County Fair announced their 2022 Grandstand line up in a special kickoff event on Saturday. Country musician Cody Johnson is returning to headline the Saturday night of the fair after his concert was canceled last year due Johnson contracting a lingering, severe sinus infection. Opening act for Johnson will be fellow country singer-songwriter […]
Turner Proposal To Benefit Slain DCFS Workers Passes
By Benjamin Cox on February 26, 2022 at 6:52am
The Illinois Senate passed a bill Wednesday to support the families of slain DCFS workers. 48th District State Senator Doris Turner of Springfield is sponsoring the measure, which treats the death of a Department of Children and Family Services case worker similar to the death of a law enforcement officer. Under current law, when a […]
State Senate Republicans Offer Education Reforms
By Benjamin Cox on February 26, 2022 at 6:42am
Illinois Senate Republicans are offering legislation to empower the parents of school children. One of the bills adds 5 new positions to the Illinois State Board of Education to be chosen directly by voters as opposed to being appointed by the governor. Another proposal requires districts to post all school district learning materials and curriculum […]
IL Senate Democrats Introduce Package of Legislation to Address State Teacher Shortage
By Benjamin Cox on February 26, 2022 at 6:36am
Illinois Senate Democrats hosted a press conference yesterday introducing legislation aimed at helping the state’s ongoing teacher shortage crisis. According to the Illinois State Board of Education, there are more than 4,000 unfilled positions in schools. In an attempt to address the vacancies and increase the substitute teacher pool, State Senator Meg Loughran Cappel of […]
McClure Bill To Allow DCFS Workers to Carry Pepper Spray Passes IL Senate
By Benjamin Cox on February 26, 2022 at 6:30am
A local State Senator’s bill to allow DCFS Case Workers to carry pepper spray passed today. State Senator Steve McClure drafted the bill after the slaying of DCFS worker Deidre Silas in Thayer last month while she was investigating a child endangerment call. McClure says a bill like his may save a case worker’s life […]
IHDA Offering Pandemic Mortgage Relief
By Benjamin Cox on February 26, 2022 at 6:23am
Homeowners hit hard by the Covid-19 pandemic will soon be able to apply for housing relief. Illinois Housing Development Director Kristin Faust says applications will start in April for a program offering help: “This is for distressed homeowners due to Covid that are behind on at least one mortgage payment, and they can get up […]
IL Supreme Court Vacates TRO Ruling
By Benjamin Cox on February 25, 2022 at 6:18pm
The Illinois Supreme Court has ruled in favor of Governor J.B. Pritzker’s school mask mandate. In exercise of the Supreme Court’s supervisory authority, the court vacated Sangamon County Judge Raylene Grischow’s temporary restraining order of enforcing the school mask mandate. The Supreme Court also refused to hear Governor Pritzker’s appeal citing a 2007 court case, […]
Local Author, MacMurray Emeritus Professor Metcalf Dies, Leaves Legacy of A Love of Language
By Benjamin Cox on February 25, 2022 at 4:49pm
The MacMurray College community lost one of its most beloved figures yesterday. Dr. Allan Metcalf passed away at the age of 81. The retired Professor Emeritus of English “taught everything from Beowulf to Billy Budd, from journalism to linguistics, from freshman composition to language and the law,” according to his website. His career spanned more […]
District 117 Removing Mask Requirement on School Buses
By Benjamin Cox on February 25, 2022 at 11:56am
Jacksonville School District 117 is changing policies on masking on its school buses. In an email update from Superintendent Steve Ptacek this morning, Ptacek says he has received guidance from the district’s legal counsel that masks on the district’s buses should be optional. Ptacek says the reasoning behind the change is that district receives its […]
Prairieland United Way Attempts To Hit 100% In County Market Remote Event This Weekend
By Benjamin Cox on February 25, 2022 at 11:44am
Prairieland United Way appears to be closing the gap on its shortfall of its goal for this year’s campaign. Executive Director Karen Walker says about two weeks ago the campaign had stopped at around 80%. Walker says that as of the close of business on Wednesday the campaign had hit about 92% of its goal […]