The Christian County Zoning Board Of Appeals met on Tuesday evening and met for roughly 2 ½ hours to go over things that were brought to them including a motion on DC Transmission lines, Fork River Community Solar, and a special use permit for a new anhydrous ammonia plant. Jim Overholt announced that Jon Rosenthal who was on the board resigned, and that they need a new member to sit on the ZBA. 

The ZBA discussed DC Transmission Lines.  Board Member Venise McWard asked that the lines be buried and approved by a third party engineer.  Some ZBA members questioned who would be responsible if the lines were disrupted or if someone was hurt. After much discussion, the motion was approved to go to the County Board. 

The ZBA also heard a presentation from Simon Courtney with Fork River Community Solar. A discussion was held on what the return would be to the county, cashwise. The ZBA also wanted to make sure that everyone that was either on the property or near the property where the solar project would be done were aware. The motion was passed with the understanding that owners were aware of what was going on.

The ZBA also heard from Central Commodity who discussed a special permit for a new anhydrous ammonia plant which would be put in aprt of section 16 in township 13 north, range 3 west. Some members of the community spoke out in concern of the environment, smells, and being in the way.  Many in the audience said they liked the project just didn’t want it in that location. The motion passed. 

The next County Board Meeting is set for April 18th. 

The Illinois Department of Veterans Affairs along with American Legion Post 73, and the Military order of the Purple Heart, will host a Vietnam Veteran pinning ceremony in Taylorville to honor the service of Vietnam veterans and their families. 

National Vietnam War Veterans Day, designated every March 29th, is a day to honor all the men and women who served and sacrificed.  On this day, thousands of organizations from across the USA join to honor and thank over six million Vietnam War Veterans and nine million family members for their service and sacrifice. Every Vietnam Veteran, surviving spouse, or family member is properly welcomed home and receives a lapel pin as a small token of the Nation’s gratitude. 

The ceremony will take place on March 29th, 2023 at 6 PM at the American Legion Post 73, 110 West Franklin in Taylorville. Remarks will be offered by a representative from the Illinois Department of Veterans Affairs, Post Commander Dean Ray, Taylorville Mayor Bruce Barry, and Colonel Robert Taylor USMC (ret). A complimentary dinner will follow the ceremony. 

Director of the Illinois Department of Veterans Affairs Terry Prince says that recognizing Vietnam War Veterans and their families who served during a tumultuous time in history is a small gesture to welcoming our heroes home and recognizing their service and sacrifice. 

As the days get longer, it’s a good reminder that sun exposure increases, too. 

HSHS Medical Group Plastic Surgeon Dr. Dean Page says that it’s important to protect your skin when you are exposed to its harmful rays. 

While you may want to get your tan on, Dr. Page highly recommends against it. 

If you feel you might have a cancerous spot, then Dr. Page recommends you give HSHS Good Shepherd, or a dermatologist, a call. 

If it is cancerous, then Dr. Page says he has two goals as a surgeon. 

Learn more at hshsgoodshepherd.org. Page appeared as a guest on the WTIM Morning Show.

Pana Junior High has announced their third quarter honor roll.  To see the full list, click here. Congratulations!

The WSVZ and Family Drug-Shelbyville Students of the Month for March 2023 were presented with their awards recently. Congratulations to Lily Price, Kenna Prosser, Millie Clark, and Liv Young. 

Freshman - Lily Price, Sophomore - Kenna Prosser, Junior - Millie Clark, and Far right - Senior Liv Young

The Taylorville High School Jazz Band performed at the 2023 Regional Essentially Ellington Festival on the campus of Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville on Friday, March 24. Six members of the THS Jazz Band received special recognition for their outstanding performance at the festival: Jay Bliler, piano; Tripp Pelichoff, bass; Lydia Hopkins, drums; Lucas Carnahan, guitar; Rhyker Wicks, trumpet; and Adrian Gonzalez-Mateos, tenor saxophone.

The THS Jazz Band performed Tippin’ On The Q.T. by Buck Clayton, Portrait of Sydney Bechet by Duke Ellington and Check Your Swing by Doug Beach. They received high marks and praise for their performance from clinicians Jason Swagler, Director of Jazz Studies at SIUE, Rick Haydon, professor of jazz emeritus SIUE, and Brett Stamps, former Director of Jazz Studies at SIUE. While at the festival, jazz band members took part in master classes and jam sessions as well as their festival performance. The THS Jazz Band performed with guest artist Garrett Schmidt, professor of jazz studies and trumpet instructor at SIUE at the closing concert Friday night.

WTIM and People’s Bank and Trust in Taylorville have announced their students of the month for March. The program recognizes one outstanding student from each of the four classes. Students of the Month for March are Carleigh Owens, Drake Howard, Derek Armistead, and Curt Hunsley. 

L-R: FRESHMAN CARLEIGH OWENS, SOPHOMORE DRAKE HOWARD; JUNIOR DEREK ARMISTEAD; SENIOR CURT HUNSLEY 

Spring is in full swing for the Macon County Conservation District. 

Director of Program Services Alysia Callison is preparing for the Festival of Spring starting at noon, Saturday, April 22nd at the Rock Springs Nature Center. 

Callison expects a variety of groups to show up at the Festival of Spring. 

April 22nd is also Earth Day. Macon County Conservation District offers a Sangamon River Cleanup starting at 10 a.m. at the Rock Springs Nature Center. 

For the early birds, you can observe an expert tagging song birds at 8 a.m. that same day. 

Learn more at maconcountyconservation.org. Callison appeared as a guest on the WTIM Morning Show.

Shelby Electric Coop is warning against scams after a woman was called and informed that she needed to give personal information over the phone in order to take care of late fees. Kevin Bernson, Vice President, Media and Public Relations, says that it’s something that people need to be aware of. 

Bernson says if you do receive one of those phone calls, you should hang up and call Shelby Electric back. 

Bernson continued by stressing, that Shelby Electric only sends out automated messages. So be on the lookout for those kinds of messages.

For more information on phone scams visit https://www.shelbyenergy.com/beware-scams. 

The Taylorville Kiwanis Club heard from the principal at Faith Bible Christian Academy in Rosamond during their weekly meeting at the Taylorville Moose Lodge on Tuesday.

Matt Houser (right) spent over 10 years overseas on missions in 16 countries, and 6 years working at a crisis center, before coming to Rosamond and becoming principal of the Christian school there.    Houser told Kiwanis members that F-B-C-A provides classes for pre-school thru 12th graders, with 134 students attending from 22 area communities.  He invited Kiwanis members to an open house at the school on April 4th at 5pm.

Houser also gave a presentation on 3 Leadership Lessons, which include:  Create more leaders, not followers; you ain’t got nothin’ if you ain’t got trust; and invest in children.

Kiwanis member Adam Jeffrey (left) was Tuesday's program chair.

Jeffrey also spoke about the club’s ongoing “2 for 2” membership drive. Brenda Spurling was presented a gift card for her membership efforts.

Kiwanis member and historian Dick Wamsley gave perfect attendance awards to Dean Ray for 18 years of attending Kiwanis meetings, and Chuck Martin for one year.  Wamsley himself has had perfect attendance at Kiwanis meetings for some 32 years.

Kiwanis Key Club and Builder’s Club liaison Will Perkins announced Kiwanis members will be bringing pizzas to the High School Key Club this Friday.

The public is reminded of the annual Kiwanis Pancake and Sausage Breakfast taking place Saturday, April 29th at the Moose Lodge.  Tickets are available from Kiwanis members or at the door.   The event is one of the largest fund-raisers of the year for the Kiwanis Club, providing monies for local projects such as Coats for Kids, Kiwanis Park, and Kiwanis high school scholarships.

The Taylorville Kiwanis Club is part of a global organization of volunteers dedicated to improving the world one child and one community at a time.  Weekly  meetings are held Tuesdays at noon at the Taylorville Moose Lodge.  For information on the club, go to taylorvillekiwanis.com.   

Current Vice President of the Taylorville School Board Dr. Ron Mizer is seeking re-election in the April 4th Consolidated Election. 

Dr. Mizer says that he has over 20 years of experience in education and that’s what separates him from other candidates. 

Dr. Mizer says that Taylorville School District has come a long way academically since he first started. 

Dr. Mizer says that understands how important Fine Arts and Sports are to the Taylorville Community. 

Dr. Mizer appeared as a guest on the WTIM Morning Show.

Even elderly adults need help with their behavioral health, sometimes. 

Elizabeth Carriker is a therapist for Taylorville Memorial Hospital’s Senior Life Solutions sector. 

Carriker says that Senior Life Solutions takes a comprehensive approach to its outpatient program. 

You can talk to your doctor to see if Senior Life Solutions is a good fit, but you can just give them a call yourself. 

Learn more at memorial.health/tmh. Carriker appeared as a guest on the WTIM Morning Show.

Taylorville Park Board met on Monday evening in the Manners Park Dining Hall for their regular monthly meeting. The board approved minutes from the February 27th board meeting and approved the Treasurer’s Report.

The board then heard from Jason Domonousky with the Christian County Prevention Coalition about installing Naloxone (Narcan) Kits at Manners Park and Jayne’s Park.

The water tight boxes also contain instructions in the door on how to administer naloxone (Narcan). Naloxone is a safe medicine and will not harm someone that has not taken opioids and it does not produce a “high.”  

The board passed the motion to make the boxes available at both Manners Park and Jayne’s Park.

Under new business, the board authorized the transfer of the Pool Renovation Fund from the General Fund Account to a separate fund account.

Under old business, the board approved setting permanent posts along park property lines to give a clear visual as to what is park property.

The board heard reports from the Maintenance Superintendent and Office Administrator and then Recreation Director Bailey Hancock gave an update on the Park Pool Referendum.

You can see a copy of the updated letters that were sent out below.

You can find more information about the Pool Referendum on the Save Manners Park Pool Facebook page. 

The board also approved the Payment of Bills from the Finance Committee and then moved into an Executive Session.

The next Park Board meeting is set for April 24th. 
 

State Representative Wayne Rosenthal passed his first bill out of the Illinois House since being elected for this term. 

House Bill 2288 is a veteran related measure.  To qualify as a Veteran Owned Business and participate in the program, a business must meet a number of requirements, including the requirement that annual gross sales be less than $75 million. 

There have been fewer participating businesses than expected with 34 prequalified and certified firms for FY21, out of 224 certified businesses in the Veteran Owned Business Program. 

Since this law was enacted in 2011, there has been significant inflation costs and increases and the $75 million cap prevents some from participating. State Rep Rosenthal is trying to raise that to $150 million. 

Rosenthal is now in his 2nd run as State Representative after previously serving the house from 2011-2015.

Regional Radio News has learned that Shopko Optical in Taylorville closed their Springfield Road location permanently on March 17th.

In a statement on their web site, they're referring patients they saw to Great Rivers Eye Care in Jerseyville.

Shopko Optical came to Taylorville during the first quarter of 2022.

Shelbyville Manor offers a variety of senior-living options, but they also offer lifestyle options. 

Brittany Reynolds, Director of Marketing, says their Bounce Back Program is very popular. 

Their Memory Lane is a relatively new project managing memory-related ailments. 

Reynolds add that Shelbyville Manor is more than a nursing facility. 

Learn more at shelbyvillemanor.com. Reynolds appeared as a guest on the WTIM Morning Show from studios in downtown Shelbyville.

President Joe Biden’s Bipartisan infrastructure investment and jobs act or IIJA is working with the Illinois Department of Natural Resources to accept public comment through April 30th about the abandoned mine lands reclamation projects. 

The IDNR was awarded $75.7 million for land and water reclamation work at 55 abandoned mines throughout Illinois.  IDNR Is eligible to receive $75.7 million per year for a  total of 15 years through the IIJA. The abandoned mine land program addresses environmental and safety problems at coal and non-coal mines that were abandoned prior to August 3rd, 1977.  

In Montgomery County, Freeman Coal Co. Crown #1 is treating 58 gallons per minute of acid mine drainage and Litchfield Mine is sealing a vertical opening and a former well.  These problems are located near a public golf course. 

Comments will be accepted until May 22nd, 2023, and can be emailed to Lance.L.Range@illinois.gov or mailed to Lance Range, Illinois Department of Natural Resources, Office of Mines and Minerals, 1 Natural Resources Way, Springfield IL 62702. 

In the midst of rising prices, insurance prices are going up, too. 

Derek Hayden, Risk Advisor for Shelbyville Insurance, has a few ways to reduce insurance costs. 

Another way to save money on insurance involves picking the best deductible. 

Risk Architecht Garrett Ulmer recommends a safe driver discount.

For drivers on your policy that are still in school, you can lower your plan with a good student discount. 

Learn more at shellbyvilleins.com. Ulmer and Hayden appeared as guests on the WTIM Morning Show from studios in downtown Shelbyville. 

The Christian County YMCA holds its annual Strong Kids Sustaining Drive next month. 

Bruce Blanshan, Director, says that it’s about making sure the ‘Y’ has equitable access. 

Learn more at ccymca.org. Blanshan appeared as a guest on the WTIM Morning Show.

Illinois State Treasurer’s Office encouraging youth to submit photos that relate to agriculture for the Cream of the Crop Photo Contest. 

State Treasurer Michael Frerichs says that youth ages 8 to 18 can learn more at CreamOfTheCropContest.com. Submissions are due June 12th. Frerichs appeared as a guest on the WTIM Morning Show. 

You can save for whatever life’s obstacles may be with People’s Bank & Trust. 

Consumer Banker Jeff Grimmett says the “Save by Spending” program builds savings for you every time you use your debit card for non-pin transactions. 

Call People’s Bank & Trust at 888-PBT-1954. Grimmett appeared as a guest on the WTIM Morning Show.

Ann Chandler has nearly 40 years of education experience and she’s running for Taylorville School Board of Education as part of the April 4th Consolidated Election. 

Chandler says she’s running because she’s concerned about the district’s fiscal health. 

As a former school superintendent, Chandler says that she has a lot of experience improving fiscal health. 

Outside of general fiscal health, Chandler is also concerned with the way the district has handled the fiscal situation of the potential fine arts and sports complex. 

Chandler wants you to know that you can only pick two candidates for the school board when you vote by April 4th. She appeared as a guest on the WTIM Morning Show.

Christian County 4-H held their Public Speaking Contest, Monday, March 20th. 

Sara Marten, 4-H Youth and Development Educator, describes the four categories. 

The State Public Speaking Contest takes place in April for Drew Mickey, Olive Ryan, and Reagan Funderburk. 

Blue ribbon recipients include Mickey, Funderburk, Olive and Opal Ryan, Ben Wamsley Hayden Funderburk, and Adelaide Dunkirk. 

Regional Radio News congratulates all participants for their efforts. 

Marten appeared as a guest on the WTIM Morning Show.

Christian County State's Attorney John McWard has issued a statement on the plea deal taken by Richard Klekamp.  Please see below.

As the Chief Legal Officer for the County, it is my duty to see over justice for our greater Christian County Community. Upon taking office in November of 2022, I was presented with the task of reviewing the multitude of cases that were pending before our Court with the focal point of seeking justice for victims of crimes.
Yesterday, March 22, 2023, Richard J. Klekamp, Jr. plead guilty to Count V, Second Degree Murder. While the public is not privy to the information contained in any files, I was elected and trusted to be the representative of Christian County’s Criminal Justice System. One of those tasks includes evaluating the strengths and weaknesses of the Klekamp murder. As charged, the State would have to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that Klekamp, at the time of the killing, was not under an intense passion resulting from a serious provocation by the victim, Alter Ivy.
At the time of the murder, Richard Klekamp’s brother and mother were being severely beaten by the victim, Alter Ivy. This, among other evidence of prior instances of Alter Ivy and his aggressiveness towards the Klekamp family would come out at trial. The cumulative evidence that would be presented at trial would overwhelmingly outweigh a verdict of First Degree Murder.
However, after review of the evidence and hours of conversation with Special Prosecutor Havera, a plea of guilt to Second Degree Murder is justice for the Ivy family. With this plea, Christian County is reminded that guns and violence in our community will not be tolerated.
I would like to thank all responding agencies, which included ISP and Christian County Sheriff’s Department. But specifically Chief Dwayne Wheeler of Taylorville Police Department and his officer's who secured justice on behalf of the Ivy family. Finally, I would like to thank Special Prosecutor Mike Havera, former Christian County State’s Attorney, for his guidance, wisdom and direction to ensure justice for the Ivy family.
 

To see the original Press release, click here. 

Christian County has been issued a final property assessment equalization factor of 1.0000, according to David Harris, Director of the Illinois Department of Revenue. The property assessment equalization factor, often called the multiplier, is the method used to achieve uniform property assessments among counties, as required by law.  This equalization is particularly important because some of the state’s taxing districts overlap into two or more counties.

Under a law passed in 1975 property in Illinois should be assessed at 1/3rd of its market value.  Farm property is assessed differently than regular property, with farm homesites and dwellings subject to regular assessing and equalization procedures, but with farmland assessed at 1/3 of its agriculture economic value.  Farmland is not subject to the state equalization factor.

Assessments in Christian County are at 33.12 percent of market value, based on sales of properties in 2019, 2020, and 2021.  The equalization factor currently being assigned is for 2022 taxes, payable in 2023.  Last year’s equalization factor was also 1.0000. The final assessment equalization factor was issued after a public hearing on the tentative factor.  The tentative factor issued in November 2022 was 1.0000. 

The equalization factor is determined by comparing the price of individual property sold over the past three years to the assessed value placed on those properties by the county supervisor of assessments/county assessor. If this three-year average level of assessment is 1/3 of the market value, the assessment level will be 1. A change in the equalization factor does not mean total property tax bills will increase or decrease. Tax bills are determined by local taxing bodies when they request money each year to provide services to local citizens. 

The individual’s portion of tax responsibility is not changed by the multiplier.