The Taylorville Park Board met tonight for their monthly meeting. Among discussion was the appointment of new board members, and to discuss updates on the tennis courts plans for the upcoming year. 

As far as new members the two newly appointed board members will be further introduced in the next meeting. 

As far as the tennis court updates, an approval to apply for a United States Tennis Association Grant was motioned with no opposition. And updates are set to be completed as of now by the end of summer.

There were two companies approached last year to do work on the tennis courts. The two companies included Dunn’s, the least expensive option from Decatur and another company known as McConnel from St Louis.

 A motion to approve application for a grant to pay for the quote offered by Dunn’s of $265,000 was approved with no opposition, moving the tennis court updates forward.

Boys and girls high school coach, Terry Cunnington, spoke about the two different companies and explained why they chose to go with Dunn’s. 
 

Other topics such as executive sessions and discussion on the 2026-1 Budget for the 2026/2027 fiscal year were tabled until the next meeting. 

Stay up to date on all of the board and council meetings at taylorvilledailynews.com

Christian County Emergency Management officials say there have been no confirmed tornado touchdowns following severe weather that moved through the area earlier today.

According to the Christian County EMA Director Jeff Stoner, the storm system that prompted tornado warnings was based on radar-indicated rotation. As of now, officials report no credible evidence that a tornado touched down anywhere in the county.

Emergency management is also urging residents to be cautious when sharing storm-related photos or information, emphasizing the importance of relying on trusted and verified weather or news sources.

The only reported damage so far involved a downed tree along 1025 East on Illinois Route 48. Authorities say the fallen tree caused a grain semi to overturn. No injuries were reported in that incident.

Officials warn that additional severe weather remains possible throughout the day. Another system could move into the southwestern portion of the county around early afternoon, with the potential for more storms later as well.

Residents are encouraged to stay weather-aware and continue monitoring updates from reliable sources as conditions develop.

Taylorville High School's Head Football Coach, Jeb Odam, has announced some scholarship recipients for 2026. 

There were three different scholarships that were announced, and the recipients are pictured below for each individual scholarship.

Pictured on the left is the recipient of the 2026 Camren White Dream Chaser Scholarship, Cash Dye, Next to Shawn White, the mother of Camren White who is pictured on the right.

Pictured on the right is the recipient of the 2026 Don Anderson Memorial Scholarship next to the son of Don Anderson, Greg Anderson, who is pictured to the left.

Finally, pictured below are the two recipients of the 2026 Troy Helton "Big Dawg" Scholarship. On the left is recipient Ace Boblitt, with Troy Helton's Brother, Eric Helton, in the middle. Pictured on the right is 2026 Troy Helton "Big Dawg" Scholarship's second recipient, Gabe Michaud.

Heavy rainfall is creating dangerous flooding conditions across central Illinois — even in areas that don’t typically see high water.

Emergency officials are urging residents to stay alert as creeks, ditches, and low-lying roadways are quickly filling up. What makes this situation especially dangerous is that flooding is occurring in places drivers and homeowners may not expect.

Safety experts, including the National Weather Service, stress one key message: Turn around, don’t drown. Just a few inches of moving water can knock a person off their feet, and a foot of water can carry away most vehicles.

Drivers are being warned not to attempt to cross flooded roadways, especially at night when it’s harder to judge depth. In addition, residents should avoid walking near drainage areas, culverts, and swollen streams, where water can move quickly and unpredictably.

If flooding threatens your home, officials recommend moving to higher ground immediately and avoiding basements where water can rise rapidly.

With more rain possible, conditions could change quickly throughout the day. Residents are encouraged to monitor local forecasts and have a plan in place in case waters continue to rise.

The Pana City Council is set to meet Monday evening, with a full agenda that includes economic development items, infrastructure work, and community event requests.

Council members will hear additional presentations on proposed redevelopment agreements involving properties along South Locust Street, as well as a zoning-related ordinance tied to parking at Pana Community Hospital.

Several administrative items are also up for consideration, including a proposed contract for a redesigned city website, multiple one-time water and sewer billing adjustments, and infrastructure work such as repairs to a high service pump and maintenance at drying beds.

Community events are also on the agenda, with the Pana Chamber of Commerce seeking approval for several annual gatherings, including the farmer’s market, Heritage Day, a fall block party, and the Christmas parade.

In new business, officials will consider a request to place a donated bench at Kitchell Park and another request involving the temporary placement of scales for a local business.

The meeting is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m. at Pana City Hall and is open to the public.

Shelby County residents will be able to learn more about community health and social services at an upcoming health fair.  The Shelby County Health Fair is scheduled for Tuesday, May 5 at Shelby Christian Church on North Hickory Street in Shelbyville.  Organizers anticipate attendance to top last year’s numbers.

Betty Watkins is a rural outreach coordinator for Soyland Access to Independent Living (SAIL), one organization expected at the health fair.  She says with the number of vendors, there will be two sessions to fit them all in. 

The first session will see many local health and childcare organizations, as well as state agencies, set up in the church. 

The second session features utility companies and hospitals in and around the county, in addition to other more local services. 

Watkins has been involved with organizing the annual health fair for nearly two decades.  She says the event has grown such that they have had to move to larger spaces multiple times in its history. 

More information is available by calling (217) 774-4322.

Betty Watkins appeared as a guest on the WTIM Shelbyville Morning Show. 

The Taylorville Park Board is set to meet this evening for its monthly meeting at 7 pm and will cover various items.

Tonight’s meeting will include discussion of park comp time and overtime, the appointment of new board members, as well as the usual reports from the maintenance superintendent, recreation director, and the office administrator.

Also among tonight’s agenda includes the discussion of the 2026–2027 fiscal year budget (Ordinance 2026-1).

There will be updates on the pool and tennis courts, as well as a discussion about the 250-year celebration and Midwest Engineering Consultants.

After the reports from board officials have concluded, the meeting will move on to the committee report portion of tonight’s agenda. This is where they will discuss approval for the payment of bills and the approval of two executive sessions.

The board’s discussions will follow a pool committee meeting starting at 6:15 and a finance committee meeting that begins at 6:30.

Keep your eyes on taylorvilledailynews.com for more detailed information after tonight’s meeting.

Illinois State Police are investigating a deadly crash involving one of their own troopers in Springfield.

Authorities say it happened around 2:30 early Saturday morning along South 6th Street near Linton Street in Sangamon County. According to a preliminary report, a state trooper was traveling southbound through a green light when the squad car struck a pedestrian who was reportedly bent down in the roadway.

The trooper immediately stopped and rendered aid until emergency crews arrived. The pedestrian was taken to a local hospital, where they were later pronounced dead.

The incident is now under investigation by the Illinois State Police Division of Internal Investigation, as required by state law. Officials say evidence is being processed and interviews are underway.

Once the investigation is complete, findings will be turned over to the Sangamon County State’s Attorney’s Office for review.

No additional information has been released at this time.

Local students from the area were nominated at the 2026 Student Art Show at Lincoln Land Community College (LLCC), now on display through May 7. Among those local award recipients were students from Taylorville, Springfield, Rochester, Raymond, and Chatham.

The art will be viewable from 8 AM to 5 PM in the Trutter Museum/James S. Murray Gallery, located on the upper floor of Menard Hall at the Springfield campus, found at 5250 Shepherd Road.

During the reception, games from the game systems and design classes were available for play. Films and animations from the film and special effects class were displayed on a monitor outside the gallery. Inside the gallery, website design from the responsive web design class was displayed.

The art faculty added two extra awards, the Tessellations and Bespoke awards, for this year’s awards ceremony to spotlight unique student work. Award winners were announced at the opening reception on Thursday, April 23. 

The artists and their award-winning art pieces are as follows:

Drawing: Jaxey Lindholm of Taylorville for “Self-Portrait”

Photography: Ashlyn Millburg of Raymond for “Tunnel Vision”

Digital Illustration: Lydia Strawn of Rochester for “I’m Working on Myself”

Best in Show: DeAndre Cameron of Springfield for “Gardens”

Painting: Maggie Suarez of Springfield for “Functional Frieze”

3-D Design: Abby Oller of Springfield for “Lady Liberty”

Art History Award: Ali Higginson of Springfield

Other awarded students included Em Calcara from Athens for graphic design, Marshall Victor of Pleasant Plains for film and animation, Apollo Johnson of Chatham for UI and UX, and Ethan Chon from Chatham for game design.

As for the two new awards, the Tessellations Award went to Hannah Scherf of Springfield for the “highest density in decisions” in creating a self-portrait by collaging tiny pieces of magazine for “Eyes Full of Stars.”

The Bespoke Award was given to Hailey Higgins of Chatham for an “incredibly meticulous body of work” in placing mosaic stones over a 3D form to create her art piece called “My Body.”

Emily Webber of Auburn was honored with the Alexis Wernsing Pinnacle Award. The winner is chosen by the LLCC art faculty and goes to the student who best embodies Wernsing’s qualities of striving for the best in all academic endeavors.

More information on LLCC can be found at www.llcc.edu.

The Macon County Conservation District is hosting a free, hands-on workday to remove invasive bush honeysuckle on Saturday, May 2nd, from 9 AM to noon at the Griswold Conservation Area in Blue Mound.

Officials say bush honeysuckle spreads rapidly and crowds out native plants, blocks sunlight, and slows forest regeneration.

The plants have shallow root systems and can increase soil erosion in highly impacted areas.

The bright red berries that grow on bush honeysuckle provide low-nutrient food for Illinois’ native birds.

Opposite of what the native birds need, the bush honeysuckle berries are high in carbohydrates and low in the necessary fat content that the native high-energy berry plants contain. Those nutrients are needed for the birds to migrate when the time comes.

By removing this highly invasive plant, volunteers help to restore healthier habitats and support local biodiversity. 

Participants will work alongside the District’s natural resources team. Gloves and tools will be provided, and volunteers must be 16 or older.

To sign up, contact Mitch Lovgren by email at MLovgren@MaconCCD.org or call or text
217-519-9926.

Memorial Health and Visit Springfield have announced the continuation of their partnership with the Memorial Health Golf Championship.

Visit Springfield will allocate free access to visitors for all four rounds of this year's Korn Ferry Tour competition.

The tournament is set to open up on Thursday, June 25th, and run up to the 28th. The tournament will be hosted at the Panther Creek Country Club.

Kate Peters, the Executive Director at Memorial Health, said that she is excited to welcome fans back for another week of golf. Peters also mentioned that at this year's event, fans will now see new on-course viewing areas as well as an enhanced focus on family-friendly activities. The event will also remain free and accessible to all who wish to attend.

Scott Dahl, the Director of the Springfield Convention and Visitors Bureau, said that they will continue their commitment to bring more visitors to Springfield, and that this partnership, between Memorial Health and Visit Springfield, is a reflection of that commitment.

To attend the tournament, go online to memorialhealthchampionship.com to register for your free tickets.

Upgraded tickets to the J&J Gaming VIP Lounge, with premium views of both the 9th and 18th greens, as well as all-inclusive food and beverages, can also be purchased.

The Country Financial Volunteer Program still has openings as well. Those who volunteer can take advantage of an array of benefits, including meals while working the event, tournament-branded apparel, and the opportunity to play the host course after the tournament. 

For information on volunteering and how to sign up, CLICK HERE

For further information or questions, call the tournament office at (217) 670-2910 or go online to memorialhealthchampionship.com

A Pana motel is working to increase its offerings of unique hospitality experiences for its visitors.  Lake Lawn Inn on U.S. Route 51 offers specially themed suites among the spaces guests can stay in, and more suites with new themes are on the way.

Jared Cox is in his third year of owning the motel, a complex which previously served as apartment living.  He says the space for some of the units allowed for the themed conversions.

The hotel has space- and pirate ship-themed suites on the way.  Construction on these suites fell behind but they are expected to be completed in the coming week.

Cox bought the motel in part to provide something memorable for kids, which is something he felt the area lacked before then. 

More information on Lake Lawn Inn is available at www.lakelawninn.com.

Jared Cox appeared as a guest on the WTIM Morning Show. 

When seniors at South Fork High School assemble for graduation on Friday, May 22, four of them will address their peers from the podium.  Angelina Ippolito and Bella Sapetti earned the title of valedictorians, with Autumn Hobbs and Alyvia Mulvaney being named salutatorians.  The four received their honors based primarily on their academic performances.

For the valedictorians, their academic work has extended beyond the classroom, as they have taken dual-credit courses at Lincoln Land Community College.

The salutatorians say that strong organizational and time-management skills helped them achieve success and, along with it, their role at the ceremony. 

Both Ippolito and Sapetti had busy schedules with sports and other extracurricular and are looking to pursue careers in physical therapy and elementary education, respectively. 

Hobbs plans to study graphic design, while Mulvaney also has her sights set on elementary education. 

The graduating class consists of around 30 students, and the honorees view the graduation ceremony as a mini-class reunion before they go their separate ways. 

More information on South Fork School District 14 is available at www.southforkschools.com.

Autumn Hobbs, Angelina Ippolito, Alyvia Mulvaney, and Bella Sapetti appeared as guests on the WTIM Morning Show. 

One community member is already a winner from the Greater Taylorville Chamber of Commerce’s Dine, Drink, and Discover Taylorville & Beyond contest.  The promotion itself continues through the rest of this month, but as a surprise, the Chamber awarded a prize to Anita Brown for being the first person to submit a completed passport.  The “passport” is a brochure which select member businesses stamp for customers who present them while patronizing their businesses during March and April.  GTCC Ambassador Julie Mayer says there are still other prizes available for those who submit a completed passport before the end of the month.

Separate from the passport promotion, the Taylorville Moose Lodge has joined the Chamber as its newest member. 

More information on the Greater Taylorville Chamber of Commerce is available at www.taylorvillechamber.com.

Julie Mayer appeared as a guest on the WTIM Morning Show. 

About 40 people attended a Business After Hours at Hart Media Group’s Radio Station in Taylorville on Thursday evening, hosted by the Taylorville Chamber of Commerce and Hart Media Group.  The Hart Media Group had prizes and giveaways, including St. Louis Cardinals Tickets, tickets for Zac Brown Band, and a Digital Sales Package.  

Chamber guests had the chance to be on the radio, create a promo, and even request songs.  Station Owner Matt Hart and Executive Vice President Bobbie Dean gave station tours showing the various studios and gave a behind-the-scenes look at how “radio works,” allowing people to see many of the day-to-day happenings at the radio station.  There was also food and refreshments served. 

As always, stay tuned to taylorvilledailynews.com for all the latest up-to-date news and information.  

Those who have recently lost a family member may be eligible for survivor benefits from Social Security.  There are a number of criteria – mainly based on age, disability status, and relation with the deceased individual – which determine eligibility.  Generally, though, the deceased person must have worked and paid enough in Social Security taxes for benefits to be distributed.  The Social Security Administration’s Public Affairs Specialist Jack Myers says the agency’s website, www.ssa.gov, also lays out this information with respect to relatives who are still around. 

Myers adds that the would-be beneficiary’s income must be under a specific threshold – which currently is $24,480 per year – to receive the full benefits under this system. 

The children of a parent who has died can receive survivor benefits until they reach the age cap, which in most cases is 18 years. 

The one other scenario for receiving monthly benefits in this form involves parents dependent on a child of theirs for support.  If a child who provided at least a half of the parents’ support were to die, the parents may be eligible for survivor benefits.

There is also a one-time lump sum death payment of $255 available.  This is generally only available to the surviving spouse. 

As for how to apply for these benefits, the process for the monthly payments must generally be completed at a Social Security field office and cannot be done online.  The lump sum payment application, however, is available at www.ssa.gov/apply. 

More information on the Social Security Administration and these benefits is available at www.ssa.gov.

Jack Myers appeared as a guest on the WTIM Morning Show. 

Two arrests were made recently in Springfield following an investigation into possible child endangerment. Springfield Police conducted a welfare check on April 15 after an anonymous caller reported unsafe conditions at a home on Catalina Lane.

The caller, who had dropped off a child earlier that day, reported observing trash throughout the house, a strong odor, little food, and said the child claimed she hadn’t eaten for two days.

Officers were dispatched around 8:39 pm and initially got no response. A naked toddler, who looked to be about 2 years old, appeared in a front window alone. A 12-year-old boy later answered the back door, telling officers he was home alone caring for his siblings, ages 2, 4, and 7, while their parents had been gone for over an hour.

The children were alone from shortly after 8 pm until after 9 pm, when the parents returned after being contacted by the 12-year-old boy. 

Authorities determined the home was unsafe and posed a serious risk to the children.

The parents, 35-year-old Kwain Karrick and 32-year-old Hollie Bracco, were both arrested on charges of child abandonment and endangering the life or health of a child.

Karrick and Bracco initially refused entry to the responding officers due to five reportedly aggressive dogs, but did allow officers inside after securing them.

Once inside, police found severe unsanitary conditions: large amounts of trash, food waste, insects, overwhelming odor, and feces on floors and surfaces. The kitchen had non-functioning appliances and bugs; the bedrooms had soiled beds. The bathroom was also reported to be unusable.

Every room reportedly contained piles of trash with no clean sleeping areas, and there was insufficient food or space for food preparation.

Authorities determined the home was unsafe and posed a serious risk to the children, which led to Karrick and Bracco’s arrest.

Details regarding court appearances have not been released.

Below is a picture of Kwain Karrick (Left) and Hollie Bracco (Right), courtesy of the Sangamon County Sheriff's Office

Organizers of the 2026 Assumption Fest have announced RD and Jill Waddington as this year’s Grand Marshals. The longtime Assumption residents will be honored during the festival, set for May 21st through the 23rd.

The Waddingtons have been married for 43 years and have deep roots in the community. They raised three children, Gabrielle, Riley, and Reece, and also honor the memory of their triplet daughters, Katie, Kamie, and Kirby. Today, they enjoy spending time with their four grandchildren.

For more than four decades, RD and Jill have farmed together, raising hogs and building a life centered on hard work and dedication. RD has also spent years serving the community, including time on the Assumption Fire and Ambulance board, church leadership roles, and more than 30 years on the Rural Township Board. He also coached youth sports while his children were growing up.

Jill has been equally active in community service. She’s been involved in the Assumption Woman’s Club, helped beautify Railroad Park, and served on founding boards for local programs including a preschool and the Raiders Snack Pack initiative for Central A&M students. She’s also supported numerous school and community events over the years.

Jill also played a key role in local emergency services, helping establish the Assumption Ambulance Service in 1982. She served as an EMT for 40 years, including 11 years as chief.

In addition, she has owned and operated The Needle’s Eye, a silk screening and embroidery business, for more than 40 years, supporting local schools, teams, and businesses. Festival organizers say the Waddingtons exemplify the spirit of Assumption through their lifelong commitment to service, family, and community.

Kiwanis members made welcome Matt Hauser at their Tuesday luncheon at the Taylorville Moose Lodge.

Hauser is Principal and Administrator at Faith Bible Christian Academy in Rosamond.  FBCA, as it is more commonly referred to, is the only Kindergarten through 12th grade Christian School in Christian County.  Currently, over 100 students are enrolled at the school representing 20 different communities in Central Illinois.

The students, teachers and parents associated with FBCA promote and model a life of following Christ.  Hauser stated that “When Faith is a part of your life, you have better life outcomes”.  The mission of FBCA is to provide a comprehensive education that equips students to discover truth through the lens of Scripture, develop their potential for further educational pursuits, and conform to the image of Christ. 

FBCA provides a strong academic curriculum with small class size, focus on college preparation and dual credit courses.

You can find out more about Faith Bible Christian Academy by visiting their web page at https://www.fbcafalcons.org/ .

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 or email the club at TaylorvilleKiwanis@gmail.com

Local eateries refresh food safety knowledge at The Christian County Health Department’s (CCHD) 4th annual Food Safety Workshop yesterday. During this workshop, owners and upper-level staff of various local restaurants and establishments that handle food met at the University of Illinois Extension office in Taylorville to learn about different types of emergencies, foodborne illness, and safety procedures.

Director of Environmental Health, Joe Torres, spoke to Hart Media Group at the workshop and said that a big factor in putting these workshops together is that the overwhelming list of rules and regulations that CCHD uses to assess establishments may not be fully known by local restaurant owners. Additionally, some restaurant owners may not be fully aware of certain illnesses or what to do in the event of an emergency.

One of the biggest lessons was on what the CCHD calls the “Big Six.” The Big Six is made up of the six foodborne illnesses that restaurants typically see. The illnesses that make up the Big Six are Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC), nontyphoidal Salmonella, Salmonella Typhi, Shigella, Hepatitis A, and Norovirus.

Also discussed was what to do in the event of an emergency. It was, of course, recommended to always keep an emergency policies and procedures manual for such situations. Having this prepares your business to handle situations with on-duty staff in the event that you, as the manager or owner, are absent.

The types of emergencies a restaurant or food service establishment could potentially encounter include boil orders, floods, medical emergencies, power outages, and fires.

Some emergencies may cause you to fully close until further notice or require you to limit your operations. Examples of limited operations would be an emergency menu with recipes that don’t require the use of water while under an active boil order. Or, there could be a plumbing leak that floods a portion of the kitchen or freezer, causing you to close until the area is dried and completely cleaned.

Christian County Health Administrator Dr. Chad Anderson said how important it is to keep food safety knowledge up to date and that the CCHD will always be dedicated and committed to assisting our local restaurants grow and maintain knowledge. Dr. Anderson also said that the CCHD will forever be committed to being an educational resource.

For more information on the CCHD, go online to www.cchdil.org
.

The Taylorville Kiwanis Club is ready to welcome the community to its annual Pancake and Sausage Breakfast.  It’s set for this Saturday, April 25 from 6:30-11 a.m. at the Taylorville Moose Lodge.  Proceeds are to benefit the Kiwanis Club’s many efforts to serve youth in the community.

Will Perkins chairs the Taylorville Kiwanis Club’s fundraising committee as well as the committee which plans this annual event.  He says it’s one of the largest fundraisers his organization holds. 

Tickets cost $9 and can be bought at the event or in advance at several locations in Taylorville or from Kiwanis members.

The money the Kiwanis Club brings in through this event goes towards scholarships, the Kiwanis Park near the Taylorville Lake, and the Key Club and Builders Club at Taylorville schools. 

Perkins also works with the Key Club at the high school and the Builders Club at the junior high school.  Members of the Key Club will also be volunteering at the breakfast on Saturday.  Perkins views the clubs as youth equivalents of the Kiwanis Club.

More information on the Taylorville Kiwanis Club is available on their Facebook page.

Will Perkins appeared as a guest on the WTIM Morning Show. 

Taylorville Community Credit Union has announced the winners of its 12th annual “Stop. SHOP. VOTE!” scholarship program, awarding $1,000 each to eight graduating seniors from four area high schools.

Two students from Pana High School, Gracelynn Elliott and Kaylee Kuhn, were among this year’s recipients. Elliott plans to study criminology and criminal justice at Southern Illinois University Carbondale, while Kuhn will begin at Lake Land College before transferring to Eastern Illinois University to pursue a bachelor’s degree in education. 

TCCU President Will Perkins said the credit union is proud to support local students as they continue their education. He also thanked community members and local businesses for their participation in the program, which invites residents to “stop, shop and vote” for student candidates.

In Pana alone, 21 businesses took part in the initiative, generating nearly 7,000 votes. The program is designed not only to provide scholarships but also to encourage residents to support local businesses.

Registration for next year’s scholarship program will open in August and run through Oct. 9. Eligible high school seniors planning to continue their education can register through TCCU.

Founded in 1956, Taylorville Community Credit Union serves residents in Christian, Shelby and Montgomery counties and operates as a not-for-profit financial cooperative.

Pictured below are the two Pana High School students who were awarded the TTCU “Stop. SHOP. VOTE!” scholarship:

Gracelynn Elliott(LEFT) and TCCU Pana Branch Manager, Al Stupek (Right)

Mike Cothern, TCCU Pana loan officer (Left) and Kaylee Kuhnand (Right)

For more information on Taylorville community Credit Union, Visit them online at www.ttcu.org

The Illinois State Police is continuing efforts to combat vehicle theft, hijacking, and related violent crime through a state-funded grant program.

The initiative is supported by funding from the Illinois Vehicle Hijacking and Motor Vehicle Theft Prevention and Insurance Verification Council, which awarded ISP $10 million in its first fiscal year. Additional funding included $677,000 in June 2024 and $637,500 in July 2025.

According to ISP, enforcement missions conducted from January through March 2026 led to the recovery of 316 stolen or hijacked vehicles. Troopers made 32 arrests related to stolen vehicles and two arrests tied to hijackings. Authorities also reported seizing 10 firearms connected to those cases.

During that same time period, ISP carried out 39 targeted missions focused on vehicle theft and related crimes. K-9 units were deployed 22 times, while air operations assisted in 39 missions. The agency also reported 918 forensic laboratory assignments tied to stolen or hijacked vehicles.
State police also highlighted several recent incidents connected to these efforts. On January 29, troopers located a stolen vehicle along Interstate 64 near East St. Louis. The driver was taken into custody after parking in a nearby lot, and a firearm was recovered.

On February 17, ISP officers located a stolen vehicle on Chicago’s south side. Two individuals were taken into custody after attempting to flee the scene.

In another case on March 7, troopers responded to a crash involving a stolen vehicle on Interstate 94 near 47th Street in Chicago. Three individuals fled the vehicle but were later apprehended. A firearm was also recovered in that incident.

Illinois State Police say enforcement efforts will continue as part of ongoing strategies to address vehicle theft and related crimes across the state.

State Senator Doris Turner is advancing a pair of measures aimed at improving safety and accessibility for Illinois residents, with both proposals recently passing the Illinois Senate with bipartisan support.

One of the measures focuses on protecting students with disabilities who rely on service animals in school settings. Turner’s proposal, Senate Bill 2761, would require additional training for teachers, administrators, and school personnel on how to properly handle and support service animals. The training would be added to existing requirements under the Americans with Disabilities Act.
Turner says the goal is to ensure students who depend on service animals are treated with respect and understanding in the classroom.

The legislation was prompted by a reported incident involving a Rochester High School student who uses a medical alert dog to manage Type 1 diabetes. The student told school officials she experienced harassment from classmates, including inappropriate behavior toward the dog. Turner says the situation highlighted the need for clearer guidance and education in schools.
The bill now moves to the Illinois House for further consideration.

In a separate effort, Turner is also working to improve public access to medication recall information. Her second proposal, Senate Bill 3223, would require pharmacies across Illinois to post a visible sign near counters and drive-up windows with a QR code. The code would link patients to recall information available through the U.S. Food and Drug Administration website.

Turner says the measure is designed to give patients quicker, more direct access to important safety information about their medications without placing additional burdens on pharmacists.

That measure has also passed the Senate and now heads to the House.

The FBI Springfield Field Office is inviting high school students to take part in a unique behind-the-scenes learning experience this summer. The agency is now accepting applications for its 2026 Teen Academy, a one-day program scheduled for Friday, August 7th.

Officials say the program is designed to give students a hands-on look at federal law enforcement, including sessions focused on leadership, forensic science, fitness, and community safety. Participants will hear directly from FBI special agents, intelligence analysts, and professional staff about how the Bureau operates and the mission-driven values behind its work.

The program will also address serious issues facing young people today, including violence prevention, sextortion, and hoax threats, aimed at helping students better protect themselves in both digital and real-world environments. FBI Springfield Special Agent in Charge Ryan Presley says the program is open to students interested in leadership and service, not just those considering a law enforcement career.

He adds the goal is to help students build confidence, awareness, and leadership skills they can use in their own communities. The Teen Academy is open to students who will be juniors or seniors during the 2026–2027 school year. Selection is competitive and based on a review of grades, community involvement, and an essay. Officials say no single factor automatically disqualifies an applicant.

Students 16 and older will need to provide a Social Security number for a background check and present a REAL ID-compliant photo ID to participate. The application deadline is Saturday, May 30th, 2026. Late or incomplete applications will not be accepted. Applications and instructions are available through the FBI Springfield Field Office website, or by contacting Springfield-Outreach at fbi.gov.