New village trustee swearing-in tonight
A new trustee will officially join the South Jacksonville Village Board tonight. Paula Belobrajdic-Stewart will be sworn into office during a special board meeting called for that purpose....
View ArticleClik here to view.
Police Beat
Morgan County Sheriff ARRESTS, CITATIONS • Sarah M. Strader, 25, of 844 W. Douglas Ave. was lodged in the Morgan County Jail about 3:30 a.m. Sunday on charges of driving under the influence and...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Forging a new life
The promise of cheap, fertile land and a new start in life must have been on the mind of Samuel Gates as he guided his keelboat from Ohio toward Illinois in 1817. Accompanying the 32-year-old Gates...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Some love outlasts a lifetime
As the morning sun peeked through the shades of my bedroom I kissed my wife, Joan, and whispered, “I’m heading to the cemetery.” Her eyes flickered open and she asked, “Why?” “It’s Mom and Dad’s...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Farm tractor fanatic shares his enthusiasm
Dale Lair loves antique tractors. Ever since he was a child, he can recall being fascinated with all kinds of farm machinery. “ I like Internationals and Massey-Harris. Those are my two favorites, but...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Honoring a friend’s victories, struggles
VIRGINIA —Special Olympics has been an important part of Mariah Wilcox’s life. The 14-year-old girl was part of the PORTA Power team that has received medals in everything from basketball to softball...
View ArticleUpcoming Services
TUESDAY • Holterfield, David. Graveside service with military rites 11 a.m. Tuesday at Eldred Memorial Gardens Cemetery. Friends may come to the cemetery just prior to the graveside rites for...
View ArticleClik here to view.
City anticipates accepting bid for water project
The Jacksonville City Council anticipates accepting a bid for construction on the new water treatment plant project from Williams Brothers Construction in Peoria now that the city has confirmed the bid...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Gas prices dip to under $2 a gallon
Average retail gasoline prices in Illinois fell 13.4 cents a gallon in the past week, averaging $2.47 a gallon Monday, according to GasBuddy’s daily survey of 4,378 gas outlets in Illinois. This...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Dry weather could extend ragweed season
Weather forecasters say the change in seasons could bring a new menu of irritants for allergy sufferers. The biggest allergy trigger during the fall is ragweed. The weed typically begins releasing...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Deer collisions on the rise in Illinois
Illinois drivers are nearly 6 percent more likely to collide with a deer than they were last year, according to new statistics from State Farm. The odds a driver will hit a deer in Illinois are 1 out...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Police Beat
Jacksonville Police ACCIDENTS • A vehicle driven by Jeffrey S. Swan, 49, of 201 S. Madison St. struck a vehicle driven by James L. White, 69, of 7 Bonnie Lane about 5:30 p.m. Monday while in the 200...
View ArticleClik here to view.
A new perspective
In the evening hours on a quiet summer day, the serene surface above Lake Jacksonville is often punctuated only by a fish or two surfacing briefly in search of a bug feast or occasional ripples drummed...
View ArticleClik here to view.
When religion and politics collide
The role of religion in politics has rarely been so openly controversial as today. Religious conservatives are trying to reverse decades of their diminishing ability to determine political outcomes....
View ArticleClik here to view.
Shooting victim had feared for his safety
Court documents indicate a rural Jacksonville man fatally shot Friday in the parking lot of the city’s municipal building feared for his safety in the months leading up to the shooting. Minutes after...
View ArticleClik here to view.
‘Angels’ give special-needs children a race to remember
For some, running in a 5K race is challenging. But some, like 7-year-old Jace Good, have a group of angels looking out for him. Jace, a special needs child from Greenfield, was able to participate in...
View ArticleRestaurant inspections
These are the findings of the most recent restaurant inspections by the Morgan County Health Department. Each violation found reduces points of a restaurant’s score. The score ranges from a perfect 100...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Echoes of war
By early March 1944, with the British using Avro Lancaster bombers attacking by night, American B-24s and Flying Fortresses bombing during the daylight, Nazi Germany was under continuing assault from...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Budget impasse is moving into dangerous straits
If the protracted budget impasse in Springfield makes you feel a little queasy, it might be best to see a doctor sooner rather than later. As the clock continues ticking off the time the state has been...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Prosecutors: Schock ‘deceptively refused’ to hand over docs
Federal prosecutors say Aaron Schock has “deceptively refused” to hand over all of the documents they’ve subpoenaed as part of an investigation into the former congressman. Assistant U.S. Attorney...
View Article