Local News

Pana High School Students Of the Month---January

Genuine Country 94.3 WMKR and People’s Bank and Trust in Pana have announced their Pana High School students of the month.  The program recognizes one outstanding student from each of the four classes every month.

 

The Genuine Country 94.3 WMKR and People’s Bank and Trust students of the month are Freshman Aryn Alde, Sophomore Jillian Hamilton, Junior Gabe Wafford, and Senior Lucy Kennedy

 

L - R:  Freshman Aryn Alde; Sophomore Jillian Hamilton; Junior Gabe Wafford; Senior Lucy Kennedy; Peoples Bank and Trust Representative Joani Jones

Kyle Sims With Lake Land College Talks Adult Education

Kyle Sims is with Lakeland College and he talked about how you can earn your welding certificate at Lakeland College.

 

 

Sims went on to talk about where you can attend GED classes around Central Illinois.

 

 

Finally, Sims talked about a brand new manufacturing skills certificate that you can earn through Lakeland College.

 

 

Kyle Sims was a guest on the NEWSTALK WTIM Morning Show live from the Moultrie County Senior Center in Sullivan.

Colin Mochrie To Star In Hyprov

A show called Hyprov is coming to the Effingham Performance Center on February 8th. The show combines improv comedy with hypnosis. 

 

Colin Mochrie, formerly of the improvisation television show Whose Line Is It Anyway? is starring in the show. He explained in more detail what to expect.  

 

 

The purpose of the hypnosis differs from that of a regular hypnotist show. Mochrie explains that by hypnotizing the members of the audience, it allows them to freely improvise without nagging self-conscious thoughts. 

 

 

For tickets to the February 8th show, you can call Effingham Performance Center at 540-2788. Mochrie appeared as a guest on the Genuine Country 94.3 WMKR morning show.

Dr. Charles Ellington Talks About His Run For The Illinois 15th Congressional District

Dr. Charles Ellington is running to represent the 15th Congressional District of Illinois and he started out by talking about where he was born and raised.

 

 

Dr. Ellington went on to talk about his time in Medical School at SIU in Decatur.

 

 

Finally, Dr. Ellington gave his thoughts on Obamacare.

 

 

Congressional Candidate Dr. Charles Ellington was a guest on the NEWSTALK WTIM Morning Show live from the Moultrie County Senior Center in Sullivan.

Cowden-Herrick Engineer Talks City Projects

Being an engineer for a city can be a lot of work. While many people may not know what a city engineer does, William Lytle, the engineer for Cowden Herrick says he does keep quite busy.  Lytle says one of the goals as an engineer is to find funding.

 

Lytle talks about some of the projects that they just finished up including a sewer project for Cowden.

 

 

Lytle says grants used to go a long way towards helping not only the projects get funded, but to also pay for the engineers to put the projects together. This rule has been changed now though and grants don’t pay for the designs anymore.

 

For more information on the work that engineers do for the villages and ways that you can help out, visit your city hall or talk to your mayor. William Lytle was a guest on WTIM’s Hometown Tour.

Illinois State Representative Brad Halbrook Talks About The Issues With The AVR Program

Illinois State Representative Brad Halbrook talked about a technical glitch with the automatic voter registration program that accidentally registered 500 non residents to vote in Illinois.

 

 

Representative Halbrook went on to say that he thinks that there’s just too many chances for fraud issues with the AVR program.

 

 

Finally, Rep. Halbrook talked about the culture of corruption in the Springfield and how things had a different tone during the veto session last October.

 

 

Illinois State Representative Brad Halbrook was a guest on the NEWSTALK WTIM Morning Show live from the Moultrie County Senior Center in Sullivan.

Experts Believe Risk Of Coronavirus Low For Most People

The human coronavirus may have people confused about what it is and just how much of a threat it might be. Many physicians believe that the risk for coronavirus for most people is actually quite low despite the World Health Organization deeming it a global emergency. Lori Grooms is the director of Infection Prevention for OSF health care. Grooms says that the threat is minimal for most of the population.

 

 

Grooms says that the virus has a 14 day incubation period, which means symptoms would develop within 14 days of exposure. Grooms says also that they check for multiple things when testing for the coronavirus. 

 

 

Grooms says that even though patients have died from the coronavirus, the first 17 people that did die were largely older men who had other underlying health problems. Treatment for these cases would involve isolation and managing their systems.

 

 

For more information on the Coronavirus or if you have been to Wuhan China in the last two weeks let your primary physician know immediately.

Christian County Sheriff's Office Respond To Incident At Taylorville Hospital

There was a large police presence at Taylorville Memorial Hospital on Thursday Afternoon. Police tell Regional Radio News that a subject had shown up at the hospital with a possible gunshot wound. The subject was transported to Springfield for further observation.  A vehicle was blocked off with police tape and the front windshield was damaged heavily on the driver's side. We are still waiting for more updates on this story as they become available. Taylorville Police and the Christian County Sheriff’s Office responded. Taylorville Police said Christian County would be taking the lead on the case.

 

Local Politicians Respond To State Of The State Address

Both House Representatives and State Senators responded in force to Governor J.B. Pritzker’s State of the State Address. Representative Avery Bourne says that she is happy with Governor Pritzker’s focus on corruption but Representative Bourne says she was unhappy that nothing was mentioned about redistricting reform.

 

 

Illinois State Senator Chapin Rose felt it was a good speech but was also disappointed that there was no talk about property tax relief.

 

Illinois State Senator Steve McClure also gave his opinion on the speech saying that he was happy Pritzker was positive and supported bipartisanship. Senator McClure focused on the fair map issue as well.

 

 

State Senator Manar couldn’t be reached for comment, but he did release this statement, “What we heard today was a vision for the state that reflects the interests of working families in rural and downstate communities. Over the past year, we’ve made tremendous strides toward rebuilding our infrastructure, uplifting our public schools, making child care more accessible, and bringing high-speed internet to rural communities. I was pleased by the Governor’s renewed commitment to these issues.” 

Governor JB Pritzker Proclaims State Of Illinois Is Strong

Governor JB Pritzker gave his State of the State address Wednesday afternoon in front of a packed house in Springfield at the State Capital. Pritzker addressed the Illinoisan people and argued that the state of Illinois is doing great, but as governor Pritzker felt his first job was to listen to the people.

 

Pritzker continued his address by saying that the State of the State is growing stronger every day.

 

 

Pritzker stated that he was encouraged by the number of jobs coming to the state.


 

To watch the whole State of the State Address click here

All Three Victims Identified In Rochester Plane Crash

The Sangamon County Sheriff’s Office released a statement Wednesday morning concerning the plane crash from Tuesday afternoon. Identified in the crash were 69 year old John Evans, from Glenarm, 69 year old Frank Edwards from Springfield, and 63 year old Cinda Edwards from Springfield. The Sangamon County Coroner’s Office was notified shortly after 3 PM yesterday about the crash of a small plane near White Timber Road.  Over the next few hours the Sangamon County Sheriff’s Office, Springfield Police, Rochester Police, Rochester Fire, EMS Sangamon County Rescue Squad, and the Federal Aviation Administration investigated the plane crash.

 

Once it was determined there were no survivors, the Coroner’s Office started their investigation and the recovery effort. There were three individuals on board the plane and one K9 that perished in the crash. Those individuals were taken to the McLean County Coroner’s Office in Bloomington for scientific identification and post mortem examination.  The individuals were scientifically identified by a Forensic Pathologist. 

 

We here at Regional Radio News send our condolences to all of those involved with this crash.

Two Out Of Three People Identified In Rochester Plane Crash

Regional Radio News has learned from an unconfirmed source that Sangamon County Coroner Cinda Edwards, and former Springfield Alderman Frank Edwards, were killed when the twin-engine Piper Aerostar they were in, crashed between Rochester and Springfield at about 3:10 Tuesday afternoon.  There was a third person on the plane as well, whose identity has not been released yet. 

 

Reportedly, a dog which was also in the plane when it crashed, was killed.

 

Multiple law enforcement agencies arrived on the scene shortly after the crash.  Representatives of the Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board, are both on-site as part of the investigation.
 

Syndicated Radio Host Jim Bohannon Talks Impeachment And The Upcoming Iowa Caucuses

Jim Bohannon is the host of The Jim Bohannon Show that can be heard on the NewsTalk WTIM Network weeknights from 9pm until midnight and he talked about whether or not he thinks that President Trump has any chance at being impeached.

 

 

Bohannon went on to talk about whether or not he thinks any witnesses will actually be called.
 

 

Finally, Bohannon talked about the upcoming Iowa Caucuses and who he thinks has the best shot at coming out on top.

 

 

Jim Bohannon was a guest on the NEWSTALK WTIM Morning Show.

Motorists Urged To Slow Down Due To Icy Conditions Wednesday Morning

Motorists are urged to use caution Wednesday morning as slick roads have already made travel difficult this morning. Patches of freezing drizzle are occurring over portions of central Illinois. This is leading to scattered slippery spots on area roads. Locations around Peoria, Bloomington, Decatur, and Sullivan are seeing the greatest impacts with reports of cars sliding off roads. The freezing drizzle is expected to diminish towards late morning.

 

UPDATE: All roads are cleared. Please reduce speed and give yourself extra time to get to where you need to go. Light snow is expected in Central Illinois turning to snow and rain in the afternoon than a 40% chance of snow later in the afternoon.

OSF Takes A Look At The Benefits Of Working Out In Cold Weather

While January and February may be cold and icy, there are still ways for you to safe during cold weather workouts outside. In fact, a lot of experts believe that getting outside and doing exercise in January can beat depression and help with winter blues. Glenett Barrett, a Nurse with OSF in Urbana says that working out outside has many benefits.

 

 

Barrett says you should only go out if you are an experienced outside runner or if the roads are completely clear.

 

 

Barrett says while stretching before a workout is always important, don’t forget to stretch before you do another big winter task—shoveling snow.

 

 

For more information on winter safety with workouts contact your primary physician.

The Social Security Administration Announces Expanded Field Office Hours

Jack Myers is the Public Affairs Specialist with the Social Security Administration in Springfield and he talked about the new hours that they have at the different Social Security Administration Field Offices.

 

 

Myers went on to talk about some hires that the Social Security Administration will be making over the next calendar year.

 

 

Finally, Myers talked about how you don’t necessarily have to visit one of the Social Security Administration Field Offices to complete your business. You can do most anything online at socialsecurity.gov.

 

 

Jack Myers was a guest on the NEWSTALK WTIM Morning Show.

Take A Ten Day Trip To Italy With The Miller Media Group And Direct Travel This August

Tim Davis is with Direct Travel and he joined the WTIM Morning Show to talk about the upcoming Reflections of Italy Trip that will take place August 12th - 21st.

 

 

Davis went on to talk about some of the different places that they’ll be visiting on the Reflections of Italy Trip.
 

 

Finally, Davis talked about what you can expect when you take a trip with Direct Travel.

 

 

For more information on the Reflections of Italy Trip click on the Reflections of Italy Tour Banner at the top of TaylorvilleDailyNews.com. Tim Davis was a guest on the NEWSTALK WTIM Morning Show.

Representative Jim Durkin Gives Thoughts Before State Of The State Address

The Illinois General Assembly met for the first time in 2020 on Tuesday in Springfield and lawmakers are eager to get to work. Illinois House Republicans discussed their 2020 legislative priorities in a press conference at the capital.  House Republican Leader Jim Durkin highlighted some of the accomplishments in the last few years.

 

 

Durkin says that there is still a lot that needs to be done, especially with bringing residents back to Illinois.

 

 

Durkin says that the House Republican caucus has three goals: property tax reform, ending politically drawn legislative districts and passing significant ethics reforms.

 

The group met before the Governor’s State of the State Address on Wednesday at noon.

Small Plane Crash Occurs Near Rochester Tuesday Afternoon

Rochester Police along with Sangamon County Sheriff's Deputies, the Federal Aviation Administration, the National Transportation Safety Board, and other government agencies are investigating a plane crash that took place Tuesday afternoon about 3:10 PM just outside of Rochester between White Timber Road and Garry Road. Mark Hanna, Executive Director of the Springfield Airport Authority has confirmed that the plane has crashed and gave Regional Radio News a few details on it. 

 

 

Multiple agencies have been helping out with this crash, including Rochester Police and Sangamon County once 9-1-1 received the call since the crash didn’t occur at the airport itself.

 

Hanna says he does not have any updates on any of the people on the plane but that the plane could hold 6 people.

 

 

Stay tuned to Regional Radio News for more updates as this story develops.

THS Students Of The Month For January Announced

WTIM and People’s Bank and Trust in Taylorville have announced their students of the month for January. The program recognizes one outstanding student from each of the four classes.

 

L - R:  Peoples Bank and Trust Representative Laura Dudley; Senior Miah Klay; Junior Ben Thompson; Sophomore Abby Kriener; Freshman Kallie Havera

 

Kincaid Man Arrested; Charged with Attempted Murder In Taylorville Hit And Run Incident

Taylorville Police Chief Dwayne Wheeler released an update on Monday evening’s hit and run in Taylorville. On January 27th, at 7:28 PM Officers from the Taylorville Police Department responded to a pedestrian that was struck by a vehicle at the intersection of Adams and Clay Street.  Upon arrival, the vehicle fled the scene. The vehicle was located a few minutes later with extensive damage, unoccupied. The pedestrian that was struck was taken to the hospital in critical condition and then later stabilized.

 

TPD learned that the pedestrian had been struck intentionally. The Investigation Unit was called out along with several members of the police department.  TPD learned the identity of the driver and passengers and started looking for him. The driver eventually turned himself in to TPD. 20-year-old Preston J. Newingham of Kincaid is being charged with attempted murder, leaving the scene of an accident with personal injury, reckless driving, and other charges that are pending. The investigation is still ongoing. Newingham is currently on parole.

 

TPD and Chief Wheeler thanked States Attorney Mike Havera for spending time reviewing evidence video footage and statements and approving charges. Newingham was scheduled to make his first appearance in court on Tuesday.

 

Stay tuned to Regional Radio News for more updates.

 

Cowden-Herrick School Superintendent Talks 2020

The school district in Cowden-Herrick has an enrollment of 370 students and a K-5 building in Herrick and a 6-12 building in Cowden. Seth Schuler, who is the Superintendent of the Schools, says that at the end of the day it’s about taking care of the students of Cowden-Herrick.


 

Schuler says there are some exciting things coming to Cowden-Herrick including a distance learning classroom.

 

Schuler is also hoping that they can bring AC to the High School and the Elementary Building as well.

 

For more information on Cowden-Herrick School District visit https://www.cowden-herrick.k12.il.us/. Seth Schuler was a guest on our Hometown Tour live in Cowden, Illinois.
 

Police Chief Adjusting To Smaller Village In Windsor

Ron Bateman is the police chief of Windsor and he sat with Regional Radio News to talk about the job that he does, during the hometown tour live in Windsor. Chief Bateman says it was quite an adjustment to go from a bigger city like Mattoon to a village like Windsor.

 

 

Chief Bateman also says that the city has benefitted from some of the grants from both National and State levels, by purchasing some much-needed equipment for the force including a new police vehicle.

 

 

Bateman, who just took over last March has a lot of goals moving forward in 2020.

 

 

For more information on the Windsor Police Department, check out their Facebook page.

Park Board Announces Pool Fee Increases Due To Minimum Wage Increases

The Taylorville Park Board met on Monday evening and announced that due to minimum wage increases, they would need to raise daily pool fees. Recreational Director, Bailey Hancock, encouraged the board to increase fees to $5 to cover costs for daily swim fees and $1 for children 4 and under.

 

 

Hancock wants to keep season passes, swim lessons, and pool parties the same cost with an idea to look at it maybe next year. Daycamp fees have been upped $5 a week as well due to costs. 

 

The board agreed and voted YES to raise daily swim fees to $5 per child and $1 for children 4 and under. The Board also approved going ahead and looking for an engineer to design plans towards improving the pool. In order to apply for a grant from the State of Illinois, the Park District would need to have plans already in place for what they wanted to do. Mary Ann Becker talked about what was next for moving towards a new pool.

 

 

The board will move forward on finding an engineer and make an announcement of what they plan to do next at the next Park Meeting in February.

Police Investigating Hit And Run Incident In Taylorville

Taylorville Police are investigating a hit and run accident that occurred in Taylorville Monday evening at Adams and Clay Street. Taylorville Police Chief Dwayne Wheeler confirmed that the condition of the person hit is unknown, but they were taken to the hospital.

 

Police are still working on tracking down the person that was driving the vehicle.  Stay tuned to Regional Radio News for more updates as this story develops. 

Traci Cutler With Family Drug Talks Deductibles And Medicare Part B

Traci Cutler is a patient advocate at Family Drug in Shelbyville and she talked about what it is that she does on a daily basis.

 

 

Cutler went on to talk about deductibles and how there are some changes with deductibles this year.

 

 

Finally, Cutler went on to explain what Medicare Part B is and how it works.

 

 

Traci Cutler was a guest on the NEWSTALK WTIM Morning Show live from our studios in downtown Shelbyville.

Jill Wells With HSHS Good Shepherd Hospital Talks About The Cardiopulmonary Department

Lorrie Hayden is the Manager of Health Information and Patient Access at HSHS Good Shepherd Hospital and Jill Wells is the Manager of the Cardiopulmonary Department at HSHS Good Shepherd Hospital and Hayden discussed what it means to be apart of HSHS system.

 

 

Wells went on to talk about the Cardiopulmonary Cardiac Rehab Services at HSHS Good Shepherd Hospital.
 

 

Finally, Wells talked about the workout program that they offer.

 

 

Lorrie Hayden and Jill Wells were both guests on the NEWSTALK WTIM Morning Show live from our studios in downtown Shelbyville.

Moweaqua Golf Course Continuing To Find Success

The Village of Moweaqua’s golf course is located one mile west of the village and it continues to amaze and draw quite a number of people visiting from neighboring Decatur. The course opened in 1993.  Brad Burgener who is on the golf course board says that it was a community effort to build it.

 

Burgener says one of the goals that they have for this year is to be able to get your tee times online.

 

 

Burgener also highlighted many of the course’s improvements over the last few years and looks forward to 2020 to see what the year has in store for the Moweaqua Golf Course. 

 

For more information visit them at moweaquagolfcourse.com or find them on Facebook.

Monica Cameron Talks About The History Of The Shelbyville Public Library

Monica Cameron is the Director of the Shelbyville Public Library and she talked about how the Shelbyville Public Library was built in part due to Andrew Carnegie.

 

 

Cameron went on to say that thanks also has to go to the people who originally agreed for their tax dollars to fund the library.

 

 

Finally, Cameron talked about how some Carnegie libraries haven’t survived the test of time.

 

 

Monica Cameron was a guest on the NEWSTALK WTIM Morning Show live from our studios in downtown Shelbyville.

Windsor Mayor Tom Tull Highlights What The Village Has To Offer

The Village of Windsor, which is located between Shelbyville and Mattoon, is run by Village Mayor Tom Tull.  Tull says that he has been Mayor for three years and he says being Mayor is different than what he thought it was going to be but he quite enjoys it.

 

 

Tull says it was quite overwhelming taking over as Mayor but he has adjusted nicely.

 

 

Mayor Tull talks about some of the things to see and do in Windsor.

 

 

Some projects that Windsor is working on include a water tower project that was complete and they purchase water to have it brought in which helps give Windsor some of the best water in the area. For more information on Windsor visit www.windsorillinois.net. 

Christian County Coroner's Office Investigating Rural Palmer Death

The Christian County Coroner’s Office issued a press release concerning an incident from Thursday evening in Palmer.  On January 23rd, 2020 at approximately 10 PM 9-1-1 received a call of a male that was unresponsive and not breathing in a residence in rural Palmer. When authorities arrived on the scene they notified dispatch that the male was deceased.  

 

Christian County Coroner Amy Calvert-Winans has identified the male as 60-year-old Jay T. Edwards of Taylorville.  An autopsy was held in Bloomington on Saturday. Preliminary results indicate that Mr. Edwards had a cervical spine fracture with an underlying spinal cord injury due to a fall.  Toxicology results are still pending at this time.

 

The investigation is ongoing and is being handled by the Christian County Sheriff’s Office and the Christian County Coroner’s Office.

Tourism Offices Hopeful With Restrictions Lifting

With the state of Illinois beginning to reopen, Shelby County Office of Tourism Freddie Fry, is encouraging people to go out within the restriction limits to go and visit some of the local businesses in Shelbyville. Fry says that from where we have been it’s nice to see things getting open again.

 

 

One way that Fry is able to reach a lot of people is through their guide to Shelby County activities which will be distributed a little later than usual this year due to COVID.

 

 

The work that goes into the guide for tourism can be a struggle, but Fry knows that the hard work and perseverance can go a long way towards customers getting the right information.

 

 

For more information, you can visit lakeshelbyville.com. The Office of the Shelby County Office of Tourism is located at 315 E Main Street in Shelbyville. Freddie Fry appeared as a guest on the Newstalk WTIM Morning Show live from our studios in downtown Shelbyville.

New Insulin Bill Signed Into Law

 

A bill that has been near and dear to Senator Andy Manar’s heart was finally signed into law Friday morning. Illinois Governor JB Pritzker signed into law Senate Bill 667. This bill will make Illinois the second state in the nation behind Colorado to cap out-of-pocket insulin costs at $100 per month for all patients regardless of the supply they require. Senator Manar says that this bill wouldn’t have happened without the impact of young advocates.

 

 

Senator Manar says that thanks to a bipartisan effort and a grassroots effort this is a big victory for Illinoisans, but the fight doesn’t stop here.

 

 

Over 1.3 million Illinoisans are living with diabetes and rely on insulin to manage their blood sugar levels and price increases hurt families and individuals like Josie Edlefson.

 

The new law will also require departments to issue an “insulin pricing report” to the public that will release insulin pricing practices and recommendations to control and prevent overpricing of prescription insulin drugs.

Windsor School District Promotes Big Things For A Small Town

The Windsor School District may be small, but that isn’t a bad thing, at least not in the eyes of Windsor Elementary Principal April Drake.  Drake says that throughout it all, small classes mean that students don’t get lost in the shuffle, and they can give your child the extra attention they deserve.  There are also free lunch programs as well. 

 

 

Drake says there are plenty of activities available for the students that are in Windsor’s Elementary School.

 

 

Windsor School District also offers quite a few incentives through Windsor High School as well. 

 

 

April Drake was a guest live from the Village of Moweaqua for the Hometown Tour.

Taylorville Police Department Working On Neighborhood Watch Program

The Taylorville Police Department is working on establishing a new Neighborhood Watch program. The program is open to anyone and Taylorville Police Officer Kirsten Bolinger says that despite the weather they had quite a good turnout for their first meeting.

 

 

Officer Bolinger says that focusing on criminal behavior isn’t the only thing the Neighborhood Watch will be focusing on. 

 

 

The next meeting hasn’t been set up yet but there are still ways for you to get involved.

 

 

For more information, you can always visit the Taylorville Police Department Facebook page or contact the Taylorville Police Department.

Moweaqua Continues To Thrive Under Mayor Boomer Neece

The Village of Moweaqua continues to thrive and no one advocates harder for success in Moweaqua than the village’s own Mayor, Boomer Neece. Neece says the village continues to thrive and that he looks forward to 2020 and the projects that Moweaqua will be working on in the near future. Neece says that the business incentives that Moweaqua offers is second to none.

 

 

Neece says one of the things that he is proud of is despite having to raise water rates back in 2014 to build a new water treatment plant, but they keep a good eye on spending in Moweaqua.

 

 

Neece also talked about how it was much easier to find things using the village website www.moweaqua.org. 

 

 

Boomer Neece was a guest live from the Village of Moweaqua for the Hometown Tour.

HSHS Good Shepherd To Host Casino Night

HSHS Good Shepherd Hospital Foundation will be hosting a casino night.  The hospital will be hosting it’s 10th annual Red Event “Casino Night” on February 15th. The foundation is now taking reservations for the event. Director of Marketing, Kristy Gorden says this is an event you won’t want to miss.

 

 

Gorden says that the proceeds for the event are going toward the Foundation for home sleep study equipment.

 

 

For more information on this event, visit their website at www.HSHSGood Shepherd.org. 

Shelby County Pageant Director Continues To Work Tirelessly Behind The Scenes

As County Fairs go so do beauty pageants, and one person working tirelessly behind the scenes to make sure her girls are prepared for Judges, makeup, and talent is Shelby County Director Sara Long. Long has seen many top 15 finishes including from this year's 2020 Illinois State Fair Queen Pageant with Miss Shelby County Adilyn McCray finishing in the top 15. Long says preparation for the girls remains the same regardless of whatever age they are.

 

 

Long says that the cycle continues throughout the year and that now that the 2020 Illinois State Fair Queen Pageant is done it may seem over, but the work isn’t done just yet.

 

 

Long was appreciative of not only the work that Adilyn has put in, but also thankful for all of the support from the community as well.

 

 

For more information on Miss Shelby County and Sara Long visit Miss/Jr Miss Shelby County-IL on Facebook.

Kathleen Preissing Talks Sullivan Spark

Kathleen Preissing is a Peace Corps Fellow and AmeriCorps volunteer working with the Sullivan Chamber of Commerce and Economic Development and she talked about what the Sullivan Spark was able to accomplish in 2019.

 

 

Preissing went on to talk about what Spark is based on.

 

 

Finally, Preissing talked about two big projects that they’re working to get fully funded.

 

 

Kathleen Preissing was a guest on the NEWSTALK WTIM Morning Show live from the Moultrie County Senior Center in Sullivan.

Support Groups Offer Help For Those Who Know Someone Suffering From Dementia Or Alzheimer's

For family members who have dementia or Alzheimer's, taking care of these loved ones can be difficult. The loved one may not even realize that they have an issue, but it may be taking a toll on your work and your life. While you may feel guilty for that you are not alone. Connie Young, who is with Life’s Journey Senior Living which has locations in Taylorville, Pana, Mattoon, and Paris, says that Life’s Journey will be there to help with any questions you have through a support group for loved ones.

 

 

The next support group meeting in Taylorville will be held on February 11th at 2 PM in the C House in the Sunroom at Life’s Journey at 920 McAdam’s Drive.  The next support group meeting in Pana will be held on February 20th from 7 PM – 8 PM. Connie Young talks a little more about where to go for more information.

 

 

Connie Young has been very vocal towards a smile button campaign.  The buttons say “Share a smile with a Stranger.” For people with dementia or alzheimer’s a smile can make all the difference. Connie Young says while care for others is great, you can’t take care of others unless you care for yourself.

 

 

For more information on Life’s Journey visit www.lifesjourneymc.com. 
 

Melissa Rybolt With Pana Community Hospital Talks About The New FastCare Facility

Melissa Rybolt talked about how the new FastCare facility is the last piece of the puzzle that needs to open.

 

 

Rybolt went on to talk about what makes the Pana Community Hospital Fast Care facility just a little bit different than other FastCare facilities.

 

 

The Pana Community Hospital FastCare will be open Monday thru Friday 7am – 7pm and 10am – 4pm on the weekends.

 

 

Melissa Rybolt was a guest on the NEWSTALK WTIM Morning Show.

Questions Arise About Integrity Of Illinois Elections

Illinois House members are pushing hard for changes before the March 17th primary election. Late last year, the Illinois Secretary of State’s Office notified the State Board of Elections that a “programming error” led to over 500 non-citizens being registered to vote over a 17-month period. The letter wasn’t available to the public until this week. Illinois Representative Avery Bourne wants to stop the program completely until the problem is fixed.

 

 

According to the State Board of Elections during that 17 month period, 19 ballots were cast by individuals registered in errors. Bourne says this is about the integrity of our elections.

US Congressman Rodney Davis wrote a letter to the Illinois Secretary of State which you can read here.
 

Taylorville City Council Approves UTV's & Mural

The Taylorville City Council met on Tuesday evening. On the table was voting for UTV’s (utility terrain vehicles) along with voting for a mural to be painted on the Advanced Title building located at 101 South Washington 18’x80’ with a cost not to exceed $18,000 from the Business Development District Fund. Those funds are allotted and only allowed to be used for specific things, this being one of them. After discussion, the motion for UTV’s passed with Alderman Larry Budd and Alderman Lee Lanzotti voting no on it.  The motion for allowing Ms. Maggie Tarr to complete the mural also passed unanimously. 

 

The council voted on the wording for the lake lots and campground sites lease fee increases. This motion had already been approved but the wording hadn’t been changed yet in the ordinance. This went ahead and changed it. A motion was approved to purchase the M4000 card reader system to replace the old system for the Airport. 

 

The city also approved purchasing 10 new 11” 64 gigabyte iPad Pro’s with pens and insurance for the Aldermen, Mayor, City Clerk, and City Treasurer at a cost not to exceed $12,000.  The reason the city needs them is because of the Freedom of Information Act, this will prevent them from keeping documents on their personal phones and tablets. 

 

The next city council meeting will take place on February 6th.

Kroger General Manager Program Speaker at Taylorville Kiwanis Club Meeting

(Taylorville)--The Taylorville Kiwanis Club heard from the local Kroger store general manager, during their weekly luncheon Tuesday at the club’s new meeting place, the Taylorville Moose Lodge.  Robin Gross (left) was invited by program chair Kiwanis member Patty Hornbuckle (right).

 

Gross updated the members with happenings at the local store.  She told Kiwanis members that the Starbucks operating as part of the Taylorville Kroger store, has been very successful, and said that a new line of organic cheese, Murray’s Cheese, was recently added.

 

Gross added that the Taylorville Kroger's check out lanes have been modified to have 4 full-service lanes and 6 self-scan lanes.  

 

And, Gross indicated that the local Kroger store now offers Pick Up Service, using the Kroger app to order groceries.  The first 3 pick ups are free and then there's a $4.95 charge per pick up thereafter.  

The Taylorville Kiwanis Club is part of 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 their new meeting location, the Taylorville Moose Lodge.  For information on the club, go to taylorvillekiwanis.com.

Shelbyville High School To Host Pi Day 5k

Rachel Banfield is a math instructor at Shelbyville High School and she talked about the upcoming Pi Day 5k that will take place on March 14th.

 

 

Banfield went on to talk about you can register for the Pi Day 5k.

 


 

 

Rachel Banfield was a guest on the NEWSTALK WTIM Morning Show live from our studios in downtown Shelbyville.

Shelby County CEO Program To Host Murder Mystery Dinner

Abby Haws is a student at Shelbyville High School and Hannah Reed is a student at Windsor High School and they’re both members of the Shelby County CEO Program. They talked about what CEO stands for and what the program is.

 

 

Haws and Reed went on to talk about what they will work to accomplish in the CEO Program this year.
 

 

Finally, Haws and Reed went on to talk about the upcoming Murder Mystery Dinner event on February 1st at the Shelbyville Event Center.
 

 

Abby Haws and Hannah Reed were guests on the NEWSTALK WTIM Morning Show live from our studios in downtown Shelbyville.

Bethany Police Chief Looks Forward to 2020

There can be quite a difference between being a police chief of a small town rather than a large town but Bethany Police Chief Chris Nichols is fairly content working in Bethany and he quite enjoys his job.  As part of the Hometown tour, Chief Nichols says that working in a small town gives him more time to get to know people by name. 

 


The village of Bethany has just hired another Police Officer, and Chief Nichols is looking forward to some of his goals in 2020.

 

 

Chief Nichols also talks about not having the luxury of a field officer training you in a small village like Bethany, so you learn on your feet.

 

Chief Chris Nichols was a guest on our Hometown Tour live from Bethany, Illinois.

Melissa Rybolt With Pana Community Hospital Discusses The End Of The Building Project

Melissa Rybolt is the marketing manager at Pana Community Hospital and she talked about bringing the historic building project to a close.
 

 

Rybolt went on to talk about the reaction that patients and visitors have given when they see the new hospital for the first time.

 

 

Finally, Rybolt talked about how much of a relief that it is to finally be done with all of the renovations.
 

 

Melissa Rybolt was a guest on the NEWSTALK WTIM Morning Show.

TPD Encouraging Support Of Triad For Senior Citizens

The Taylorville Police Department is encouraging you to join Christian County TRIAD. TRIAD is not an acronym, it’s for the three founding members, AARP, the International Association of the Chiefs of Police and the National Sheriff’s Association. Taylorville Police Officer Kirsten Bolinger, talks about some of the goals of TRIAD.

 

 

Officer Bolinger talked about ways that you can get involved with helping your community through TRIAD.

 

 

Officer Bolinger says that the meeting is open to everyone and the next meeting will be this Thursday.

 

 

For more information on TRIAD hit their like button on Facebook by visiting Christian County IL TRIAD.

Christian County Speaks Out On Wind Farms

The Christian County Board met on Tuesday at 6:30 PM in the Taylorville High School Cafeteria. The big topic was wind farms, and it saw a very active public comment section.

 

Among those who commented was Pana Mayor Don Kroski, who made a case for the projects’ positive impact.

 

 

There were many who voiced concerns about the project as well. Among the concerns were placement of the turbines in designated flood plains. Daniel Nolan, a resident of Assumption, was concerned for the health of his child.
 

 

Under the Highway/Building/Grounds/Environmental/Welfare/Zoing Committee minutes the big concern surrounded the safety of an elevator. Assistant States Attorney Sarah Carlson read a statement from States Attorny Mike Havera, who was not present, in which it was stated that there is a contract with Otis Elevators and they are awaiting word from them.

 

Other motions that passed unanimously in other committees included approving the contracts of a full-time Public Defender, and approval of January claims. Chairperson Matt Wells wanted to bring up a discussion on downsizing the Christian County board since it is a Census year.

 

The Christian County Board will meet next on February 18, 2020.

Christian County Coroner Releases Cause Of Death In Rural Stonington Car Fire

The Christian County Coroner’s Office issued a press release concerning a fire in rural Stonington. On January 18th, at 6:22 PM 9-1-1 received a call of a vehicle in rural Stonington. Authorities arrived on scene and notified dispatch that there was a victim in the vehicle. With the help of dental records, authorities have identified the deceased as 71 year old Diane McCoy of Decatur. An autopsy was held in Bloomington on Monday and the preliminary results indicate that she died of carbon monoxide intoxication due to inhalation of smoke and soot due to a mini-van fire.

 

The investigation into the fire is being handled by Illinois State Police Zone 4 Investigations, along with the Illinois State Fire Marshall’s Office and the Illinois State Police Crime Scene Services.  The Christian County Sheriff’s Office and the Christian County Coroner’s Office is also assisting with the investigation. Helping with the fire was Stonington and Moweaqua Fire.

 

No other information will be released as this is an ongoing investigation.

Faith Bible Christian Academy School Broken Into And Vandalized; Suspects Arrested

The Christian County Sheriff’s Office responded to a break-in and vandalism call at 3 PM at Faith Bible Christian Academy located at 301 Mary Street in Rosamond.  Deputies responded to find damage had been done to the inside of the facility, including damage to the security system, computers, trophy cases, as well as a school-owned van. 

 

The suspects gained access to a locked office by destroying a door.  A classroom window had been destroyed as well and items such as candy, sports drinks, and an undetermined amount of money had also been stolen. The school van was stolen but later returned by the suspects. 

 

Video footage obtained showed three male suspects inside the building at approximately 12:40 AM on January 19th. The ensuing investigation led to the arrest of three male juveniles who all admitted to taking part in the incident.  Some of the stolen property was recovered in their possession.

 

Two of the three suspects were enrolled as students at the school.  All three male juveniles are facing multiple felony charges and were detained in a juvenile detention facility pending their first court appearance before a Christian County Judge.

 

Stay tuned to Regional Radio News for more information as it becomes available.

Christian County Sheriff Bruce Kettelkamp Talks About Driving In Bad Weather Conditions

Christian County Sheriff Bruce Kettelkamp talked about how when the weather conditions are bad anything can happen and how important it is to be smart on the road ways.

 

 

Sheriff Kettelkamp went on to talk about how a lot of the roads in Christian County can get flooded with the weather is bad and how mixing alcohol and bad road conditions is never a good idea.

 

 

Finally, Sheriff Kettelkamp talked about the Sheriff’s scholarship and how you can apply to win a $500 scholarship.
 

 

Christian County Sheriff Bruce Kettelkamp was a guest on the NEWSTALK WTIM Morning Show.

CEO To Host Annual Banquet On February 29th At The Pillars Event Center

Patty Hornbuckle is the CEO of the Greater Taylorville Chamber of Commerce and she talked about the upcoming CEO annual banquet on February 29th at the Pillars Event Center. There will also be a $10,000 cash raffle. Tickets are $50 for the annual banquet and $100 for the raffle and they can be purchased at the Chamber office or from any CEO student.
 

 

Hornbuckle went on to talk about a brand new event called “Sunshine and Shopping in the Vil” that will take place on March 13th and 14th.

 

 

For more information on any of these events call the Chamber at 824-4919. Patty Hornbuckle was a guest on the NEWSTALK WTIM Morning Show.

Miss Shelby County, Adilyn McCray, Finishes Top 15 In Illinois State Fair Queen Pageant

The 2020 Illinois State Fair Queen Pageant was held Sunday night in Springfield. Miss Shelby County Adilyn McCray, daughter of Chad and Faith McCray of Gays, Illinois finished as a top 15 finalist out of 73 contestants. Adilyn says that both her coach Sara Long and her parents have been very supportive of her during her pageant time.

 

Adilyn says not knowing what the judges are looking for is the hardest thing about prepping for pageants.


Up next for Adilyn, is preparing for the retirement of her crown in June, but practices in April and May will keep her busy until then. She says that if you are thinking of running for a pageant, and you don’t think it’s for you, to go for it.

 

 

Adilyn is a Junior at Windsor High School. Other area girls who finished in the finals were Makenna Green, Miss Moultrie-Douglas County, and Shayna Phillips, Miss Effingham County—2nd Runner Up.

Shelbyville High School Math Instructor Rachel Banfield Talks About Pi Day

Rachel Banfield is a math instructor at Shelbyville High School and she talked about the upcoming Pi Day celebration that they’re having at the high school in March and why it is that they celebrate it on March 14th.

 

 

Carson Beyers and Will Leach are both students at Shelbyville High School and they talked about what they’ll be doing to celebrate Pi Day.
 

 

Finally, Banfield talked about how they end Pi Day with an auction to pie a student or teacher in the face.

 

 

Rachel Banfield, Carson Beyers, and Will Leach were all guests on the NEWSTALK WTIM Morning Show live from our studios in downtown Shelbyville. 

Christian County Board To Meet Tuesday

The Christian County Board will meet on Tuesday at 6:30 PM. The board will meet at the Taylorville High School Cafeteria, which you can enter at the cafeteria west door from Knute Rockne Drive. Under highway, building, grounds, environmental, zoning, welfare issues the board will discuss courthouse business and/or repairs, they will discuss highway business and any other matters that come before the committee.

 

Under executive, personnel, liquor, and legislative issues, the board will approve public defender contracts, along with any other matters that properly come before the committee. 

 

Under audit, finance, purchasing, and budget issues, the board will approve claims for January, discuss courthouse business and repairs, adopt an ordinance authorizing an intergovernmental cooperation agreement with Taylorville and Christian County for a temporary lease for official court business.  They will review investment policies from the treasurer, get an update from WECS counsel, and any other matters that are properly brought before the committee.

 

The meeting will also discuss any new business, mileage and per diem, and appointments along with public comments and reading of communications.

Taylorville City Council To Vote On Legalizing UTV's

Taylorville Mayor Bruce Barry talked about the council meeting that will take place tonight at 7pm at the municipal building in the council chambers at 115 North Main Street in Taylorville. The council will decide tonight if they’re going to legalize UTV’s for use within the Taylorville city limits.

 

 

Mayor Barry went on to talk about how the topic of UTV’s has been a hot topic of discussion for about 6 months now and Mayor Barry encourages everyone to weigh in by calling City Hall at 824-2101.

 

 

Finally, Mayor Barry talked about why they’re considering legalizing the use of UTV’s in Taylorville.
 

 

Taylorville Mayor Bruce Barry was a guest on the NEWSTALK WTIM Morning Show.

Taylorville City Council To Talk Murals And UTV's Tuesday Evening

The Taylorville City Council will meet Tuesday evening, due to the holiday on Monday. After approval of all regular minutes, there will be a discussion of an ordinance dealing with Taylorville City Code for lake lots and campground sites leasing fee increases. Under committee reports, for lake/airport issues a motion to recommend the airport to purchase a card reader system to replace the old card reader system will be voted on. There will also be a motion for recommending approval of building a boat dock at 43 Lake Vista Drive, along with research on installing keyless entry devices on the cabins and to increase deposit when renting a cabin.

 

Under water environmental issues will be a couple of motions for water treatment payment and construction payment costs along with a recommendation for a new aluminum sulfate feed pump from Brooks & Associates.

 

Under ordinance issues, there will be a discussion for a motion to recommend a new ordinance to allow the operation of UTV’s in the city of Taylorville with the same requirements as the golf cart ordinance. There will also be a motion to modify class A and class C Liquor licenses to include a gaming option at a rate of $3,000 and to require all license holders to pay all fees in full at the time of renewal. 

 

Under finance issues, there will be a motion to approve contributions to Christian County CEO program. There will be discussion and a motion to allow Ms. Maggie Tarr to complete the historic mural on the Advanced Title Building located at 101 South Washington 18x80 at a cost not to exceed $18,000 from the BDD fund with a start date of April/May 2020.

 

There will be treasurer and mayor updates along with a closed AFSCME negotiation. The meeting will take place at the Municipal Building at 7 PM.

U Of I Extension Nutrition Educator Lisa Peterson Talks About How You Can Cut Back On Sodium

Lisa Peterson is the nutrition and wellness educator at the University of Illinois Extension Office and she talked about the topic of sodium and how much you’re supposed to have on a daily basis.
 

 

Peterson went on to talk about one of the biggest myths in regards to sodium. Peterson said that you don’t need to eat more salt prevent muscle cramping.
 

 

Finally, Peterson went on to talk about as you cut back on sodium you crave it less.

 

 

Lisa Peterson was a guest on the NEWSTALK WTIM Morning Show.

Pride Packages CEO Pat Garlick Talks About Why She Sends Care Packages To Our Troops

Pat Garlick is the CEO of Pride Packages. Pride Packages is an organization that sends care packages to soldiers. Garlick talked about how her organization got its start thanks to her son.

 

 

Garlick went on to talk about how she figured out this was supposed to be her mission in life and how she came up with the name of Pride Packages.

 

 

Finally, Garlick talked about what they include in the care packages that they send to soldiers.

 

 

Pat Garlick was a guest on the NEWSTALK WTIM Morning Show live from our studios in downtown Shelbyville.

Taylorville Chamber Of Commerce CEO Patty Hornbuckle Talks Business After Hours

Patty Hornbuckle is the CEO of the Greater Taylorville Chamber of Commerce and she talked about the recent Business After Hours that took place last week at HSHS in Taylorville.

 

 

Hornbuckle went on to talk about the next Business After Hours that will take place on February 19th at Cottage Rose and Talia’s Cookies.

 

 

Finally, Hornbuckle talked about the upcoming Kiwanis Breakfast that will take place on January 25th at the Moose Lodge. Tickets are $7 for adults and $4 for children 12 and under.

 

 

Patty Hornbuckle was a guest on the NEWSTALK WTIM Morning Show.

Christian County Sheriff Bruce Kettelkamp Talks About The Dangers Of Drinking And Driving

Drinking and Driving is a big issue in Christian County and Sheriff Bruce Kettelkamp talked about just how few drinks it takes to reach the legal limit of .08.

 

 

Sheriff Kettelkamp went on to give some important facts and statistics when it comes to drinking and driving.

 

 

Finally, Sheriff Kettelkamp talked about how a DUI isn’t just driving under the influence of alcohol, but you can also get a DUI for driving under the influence of marajuana, but that testing for it is a lot more complicated.

 

 

Christian County Sheriff Bruce Kettelkamp was a guest on the NEWSTALK WTIM Morning Show.

THS Building Trades Program Gives Update On House

The Taylorville High School Building Trades program continues to work at the house on 727 West Vandeveer Street.  The project which was started this fall under the direction of Teacher Matt Blomquist, continues to make progress. Blomquist says it’s nice to see it start to somewhat look like a house.

 

 

Blomquist says the outside is almost done.

 

 

Blomquist is in his first year of doing this, so he had to guess on timeframe but he’s still hoping to have it done in time for the end of the school year.

 

The house will be sold traditionally when it is fully complete.

Illinois Senate Names New President

The State of Illinois has a new Senate President. Don Harmon, a Democrat from Oak Park, was elected senate president after a 5 ½ hour meeting on Sunday saw a 37-12 vote go in favor of President Harmon.  Harmon was elected as former Senate President John Cullerton stepped down after 11 years. Senator Kimberly Lightford nominated Harmon saying that she can’t think of anyone else who would do as good of a job running their caucus.  Harmon says that he feels a need to work together and restore the public trust.

 

 

Harmon also promoted unity, saying that while we are diverse we all have one common goal.

 

 

Harmon has been in the senate since 2003.

Multiple Weather Warnings In Effect For Central Illinois

A winter weather advisory remains in effect for the Regional Radio News Listening area throughout the evening until midnight.  Mixed precipitation is expected. Snow changing to a wintry mix is expected as well before changing completely to rain. Snow accumulations of up to an inch are predicted which will combine with ice accumulations up to two-tenths of an inch can be expected.  Wind gusts are also expected in the 30-35 mile an hour range.

 

Impacts can be felt on the roads so give yourself extra time to get to where you need to go. Slow down and use caution when driving and remember to turn on your lights. 

 

A flood watch will be in effect from 6 PM on Friday evening through Saturday morning for the listening area.  Heavy rainfall from last weekend has resulted in saturated soil conditions especially around rivers and lakes resulting in higher levels than normal. By Saturday morning some areas will receive between 1 and 1.5 inches. Moderate to heavy rainfall will result in flooding of low lying or poor drainage areas, including flooding on smaller creeks and streams. 

 

A flood watch means there is a potential for flooding based on current forecasts. Monitor later forecasts and be alert for possible flood warnings. Never drive across a flooded roadway.

 

Stay tuned to Regional Radio News for more updates on the weather as they become available.
 

Lisa Peterson Talks About Major Myths In Regards To Sodium

Lisa Peterson is the nutrition and wellness educator at the University of Illinois Extension Office and she talked about getting ready for heart health season and an upcoming event on January 28th called “Cooking Soups Under Pressure.”

 

 

Peterson went on to talk about the importance of paying attention to the labels on the food that you eat.

 

 

Finally, Peterson talked about another major myth in regards to sodium.

 

 

Lisa Peterson was a guest on the NEWSTALK WTIM Morning Show.

Patty Hornbuckle Talks About The Start Of The LEAD Program

The LEAD Program kicked off on Wednesday in a pretty big way according to the CEO of the Greater Taylorville Chamber of Commerce, Patty Hornbuckle. They started out with Jennifer Russell with the University of Illinois Extension Office doing the Real Colors Training.

 

 

After you complete the Real Colors Training, Hornbuckle says that you do your own analysis of the people that you meet and how you might be able to relate with them.

 

 

The Real Colors Training according to Hornbuckle gives you more of an insight as to who you are as an individual.
 

 

Patty Hornbuckle was a guest on the NEWSTALK WTIM Morning Show.

Taylorville School District Dismissing Early On Friday Due To Severe Weather

With the expectation of hazardous weather conditions around noon today, The Taylorville Unit School District will be dismissing students at 10:30 AM. Student attendance is important and required like everyday. This also means buses will be in full operation as well. Stay tuned to Regional Radio News for more updates and always check out our cancellation and delays page on www.Taylorvilledailynews.com.

Kindergarten Class From St. Mary's Stops By WTIM Studios

The Kindergarten class from St. Mary's Catholic School in Taylorville came into WTIM to record the Pledge of Allegiance for National Catholic Schools Week held at the end of January. The Pledge of Allegiance will be played on WTIM at 6:55 AM January 27-31.  

 

Pictured on left Mrs. Cathy Robertson - Principal of St. Mary's Catholic School

Pictured on right Mrs. Deb Heinemann - Kindergarten teacher St. Mary's Catholic School

 

 

Christian County Sheriff Bruce Kettelkamp Talks Road Safety

Recently, Christian County Sheriff Bruce Kettelkamp has heard about a few too many close calls on the roadways and he talked about how nothing worries him more than if one of his officers ends up getting shot or hit by a car.
 

 

One of the hardest things that Sheriff Kettelkamp has experienced as the Sheriff of Christian County is when he has to attend the funeral of a Police Officer who was killed in the line of duty.

 

 

Finally, Sheriff Kettelkamp wants to remind residents to please drive carefully and make sure to slow down when you see a police officer or tow truck driver pulled over on the side of the road.

 

 

Christian County Sheriff Bruce Kettelkamp was a guest on the NEWSTALK WTIM Morning Show.

THS Presents 6th Annual Scholarship Awareness Day

The Taylorville Chamber of Commerce along with counselors at Taylorville High School want you to get a scholarship for college if you are a senior. However, counselors admit that applying for scholarships can be quite confusing so they are there to help. Sarah Heberling, who is one of the guidance counselors for Taylorville High School talks about the 6th annual scholarship awareness day and just how important it is for Students.


 

Heberling hopes that this awareness day will help students to be at ease with filling out scholarship paperwork.

 

 

Heberling says that all seniors who want to further their education should take a look at what the Scholarship Awareness Day has to offer.

 

 

The 6th Annual Scholarship Awareness Day will be held at Taylorville High School on Thursday January 23rd from 10:30 AM until 12:45 PM in the cafeteria. The Christian County CEO Program will also have representation there. For more information contact a THS Guidance Counselor at 217-824-2268.

Taylorville School District Considering Early Dismissal Due To Weather On Friday

With the expectation of hazardous weather conditions around noon Friday, Taylorville Unit School District will most likely be dismissing students at 10:30 AM. The School District is asking you to have a plan in place if the decision is in fact made to send students home early.  The district intends to keep an eye on weather conditions throughout Thursday evening and into the morning. If the forecast does, in fact, stay the same, the school district will dismiss at 10:30 AM.  Another contact will be made Friday morning to confirm the early dismissal.

 

The plan will include all students at Chrismont, Cornerstone, CACC, and Jacksonville ISVI/ISD. This also means busses will be in full operation as well. Stay tuned to Regional Radio News for more updates and always check out our cancellation and delays page on www.Taylorvilledailynews.com.

Sullivan CUSD #300 Superintendent Ted Walk Talks School Updates

Ted Walk is the Superintendent of the Sullivan Public School District and he talked about some updates that they’re planning to make at the elementary school.

 

 

Superintendent Walk went on to talk about a $25,000 grant that they recently received to do some shop upgrades.

 

 

Superintendent Walk went on to talk about some water that got into the high school and how pleased he was that so many people were able to help get the school cleaned up for school on Monday.

 

 

Superintendent Ted Walk was a guest on the NEWSTALK WTIM Morning Show live from the Moultrie County Senior Center in Sullivan.

Monica Deters With H&R Block Talks Taxes

It’s that time of year when you need to start thinking about filing your taxes. Monica Deters (DAY-TERS) is a Senior Tax Specialist with H&R Block and she talked about how the new tax law has gone over so far in Central Illinois.

 

 

Deters went on to talk about how long it typically takes for her to do a tax return.

 

 

Deters went on to talk about the new standard deductions.
 

 

Monica Deters was a guest on the NEWSTALK WTIM Morning Show live from the Moultrie County Senior Center in Sullivan.

New Studies Argue On How Much Screen Time Is Too Much Screen Time For Children

A new study shows that children are spending too much time staring at screens.  The American Academy of Pediatrics says while more studies are needed, the Journal of American Medical Association showed a significant impact on brain development when children between 3 and 5 years old were exposed to more than the amount of recommended screen time. The CDC reports that children ages 8-10 spend an average of six hours per day staring at a screen, while kids ages 11-14 spend an average of nine hours per day in front of a screen and youth ages 15-18 spend 7 ½ hours in front of a screen.

 

Dr. Ameera Nauman, an OSF Healthcare Pediatrician, says that the first five years, especially under the age of 2, are critical for brain development.

 

 

Dr. Nauman says that screen times can wind up a child as opposed to calming a child down.

 

 

Dr. Nauman says that teenagers should be allowed to use screentime, it should just be in moderation.

 

 

There are plenty of ways to limit screen times, most app stores have time calculators to keep an eye on just how much time your child is on. Recommendations from most physicians say that under 2 years old there should be no screen time. From the ages of 2-5 years, one hour is recommended and from 5-17 no more than two hours of additional screen time, homework not included.

Sullivan Mayor Richard Glazebrook On The Recent Severe Weather

With all of the rain and flooding that we’ve seen in Central Illinois recently Sullivan Mayor Richard Glazebrook wanted to remind residents to please clear any leaves that are in your ditch because the city can’t do it all.

 

 

It will be a battle this winter like it is every winter for the Sullivan city employees, but Mayor Glazebrook is confident that they’ll pull through like they always do.
 

 

Mayor Glazebrook went on to talk about how the City of Sullivan owns all of their own utilities and what the positives of that are.

 

 

Mayor Richard Glazebrook was a guest on the NEWSTALK WTIM Morning Show live from the Moultrie County Senior Center in Sullivan.

Taylorville Police Department Utilizing New Smart Phone App

The Taylorville Police Department will be utilizing a new smart phone app. Taylorville Police Chief Dwayne Wheeler sent out a press release, informing citizens that social media is a tool for law enforcement departments to disseminate information at the touch of a button, and one way that they will be doing that is through a free app called Nextdoor. 

 

When public agencies join the platform, they can communicate with the verified residents within the geographic boundaries of their service area.  While anyone can follow a department’s Facebook page regardless of where they live in the country or world, Nextdoor for Police guarantees that law enforcement departments are reaching the people they serve. While Facebook is a great tool, Chief Wheeler is encouraging Taylorville residents to download the free app, Nextdoor for communication with citizens.

 

One way that this app works, is if there is a series of thefts in one certain neighborhood, Nextdoor can target those citizens to warn them to be on alert. For additional information contact the Taylorville Police Department at 217-824-2211 or email Chief Wheeler at dwayne.wheeler@taylorvillepolice.com.  The app is available on both Apple and Android platforms.

Preventing Pneumonia This Winter Season

Anyone can get pneumonia.  That’s the message that OSF HealthCare Saint Anthony Medical Center wants to remind you of. While it is more common in the young and the elderly, anyone can get it. Dr. Amith Jacob a pulmonologist with Saint Anthony says that there are many different reasons why people get pneumonia.

 

 

Dr. Jacob says that while anyone can get it, He recommends that adults older than 65 and children under 2 should get a vaccination. 

 

Dr. Jacob says that there are many ways to prevent pneumonia by practicing good hygiene, eating healthy, avoiding smoking and alcohol, and getting rest and exercise. 

 

 

For more information on pneumonia and the benefits of a vaccination, consult your physician.

The Safe Passage Program To Re-Launch In Kincaid With A New Coordinator

Denise Evans is the coordinator of the Safe Passage Program in Taylorville and she talked about how they’re going to be restarting the Safe Passage Program in Kincaid with a brand new coordinator.

 

 

Evans went on to talk about all of the success that they’ve had in Taylorville over the first six months of the program.

 

 

Finally, Evans talked about the success of the December fundraiser and talked a little bit about the upcoming spring fundraiser.

 

 

For more information about the Safe Passage Program you can contact Denise Evans at 777-0080. Denise Evans was a guest on the Newstalk WTIM Morning Show.

Assumption Proud Of Building Murals

 

Assumption continues to work on sprucing up the city and making it beautiful. The man behind the curtain is Derek Page, head of the Assumption Community Pride Association. Page says that one of the main things that they have been working on is murals around the city.

 

Page says that the murals took all summer to complete, but it was well worth it.

 

Page says that the community has been supportive of these murals.

 

 

Derek Page was a guest on the NEWSTALK WTIM morning show as a guest of the Hometown Tour of Assumption.

Assumption Police Chief Looks Towards Goals In 2020

Assumption Police Chief Brian Wade has some lofty goals for 2020, but at the end of the day it all comes down to one thing. Helping the citizens of Assumption. Police Chief Wade continues to work with the schools and getting out in the community to improve relationships with people.   Wade says there are 3 factors that lead to traffic accidents.

 

 

Wade says that you should set up your GPS before you leave but use some common sense and don’t always rely on it.

 

 

Wade says working with people in Assumption especially people that have just moved there is paramount.

 

 

Chief Wade was a guest on the NEWSTALK WTIM Morning Show Hometown Tour.

The 1905 Brewing Company Talked About Rebuilding After The Devastating Fire

Craig Collins and Tom Dooley are both partners at the 1905 Brewing Company in Assumption and they talked about the history of their young company and how they plan to rebuild after a devistating fire in February of last year.

 

 

They went on to talk about how well things started and how they’re anxious to reopen.
 

 

Finally, they discussed how excited they are to open back up at their new location.
 

 

For more information on the 1905 Brewing Company check them out on Facebook. Craig Collins and Tom Dooley were guests on the Newstalk WTIM Morning Show.

Assumption Police Chief Talks About Flooded Road Safety

With all of the weird weather that central Illinois has gotten, rain and flooding can be an issue when driving down side roads. Assumption Police Chief Brian Wade sat down with Regional Radio News to discuss some of the ways to be safe when roads flood. Wade said that you never know when you may find yourself in a situation like that.

 

Wade says he is happy for the support that he gets from surrounding areas to deal with situations when they arise.

 

 

Wade says ultimately he wants to keep the citizens of Assumption safe.


 

Brian Wade was a guest on the WTIM Morning Show Live from Assumption as part of Regional Radio News’ Hometown Tour.

Assumption Mayor Donald Dust Talked About The Ongoing Sewer Project

Donald Dust is the Mayor of Assumption and he talked about the ongoing sewer project and where things currently stand.

 

 

Mayor Dust went on to say that the sewer project is an ongoing process and that they hope to have phase one complete by next fall.
 

 

Finally, Mayor Dust talked about how thanks to GSI there are some new jobs coming to Assumption and how continued growth is always the goal.
 

 

Assumption Mayor Donald Dust was a guest on the Newstalk WTIM Morning Show.

TMH To Teach Mental Health Class in January

Taylorville Hospital will be hosting a mental health first aid clinic to help people dealing with mental issues or in a crisis. The class will be taught on January 27th from 8AM-5PM and it is free to the community. Suzy Traughber, who is a certified instructor for the class, says that we have to get rid of the stigma of mental illness.

 

 

Traughber says they give people the tools to help them help other people.

 

The class can only take 30 people for it so people are encouraged to register. You can do so by asking for Melissa Thomas 824-6201.

Taylorville School Board Meets; Gets Technology Update

The Taylorville School Board met Monday evening to discuss business. Claims were approved. Antoinette Spinner, A Special Ed Teacher with North School, was awarded for her hard work this last year on the National Board Certification. The School Board also approved the overnight trip request to Des Moines on February 7th through the 9th for the Iowa Beef Expo Livestock Judging Contest.  Superintendent Dr. Chris Dougherty talked about some of the goals for the Strategic Planning Update.

 

Chris Kuntzman gave a technology update. In his update, Kuntzman said one of the main focuses is on cybersecurity. That focus is huge because Mt. Zion had been hacked last year, and they are still working on fixing a lot of the issues there. There is also new intercoms at Central School.  Kuntzman also says that they have been working hard to get all the computers at school updated to Windows 10.

 

 

Dr. Dougherty also has been looking for a special education director.

 

 

The school calendar adjustment used up 3 snow days. So far there are 2 left, before they have to start adjusting end of the school year dates. The board of education finished with a closed session.

Sunday Morning Crash Sends Three To Hospital

The Christian County Sheriff’s Office responded to a vehicle accident on Sunday morning just outside of Taylorville. At 2:25 Sunday morning, Christian County 911 received a call of a one-vehicle traffic crash that occurred on 1300 E. Road near 1250 N. Road. The vehicle was a 2007 Chevrolet pickup occupied by 32-year-old Stefan Bedinger from Taylorville, 40-year-old Eric Burke from Owaneco, and 29-year-old Curtis Eller from rural Taylorville. 

 

The vehicle was heading southbound on 1300 East Road when it went off the roadway on the east side of the road near 1250 N. Road.  The vehicle rolled over on its top coming to a rest in flooded water just off of the roadway. Christian County Deputies, Taylorville Police Officers, Dunn’s Ambulance, and Taylorville Rescue responded to the scene.

 

All three individuals were taken to Taylorville Memorial Hospital and then transferred to Springfield Memorial.  Mr. Burke has been transferred to a hospital in St. Louis in critical condition. Both Bedinger and Eller were released from Springfield Memorial. 

 

Road conditions were snow-covered and icy at the time of the crash. The investigation is still ongoing and the Christian County Sheriff’s Office believes that alcohol may have had a factor in the crash. It is still unknown who was driving the vehicle. The Christian County Sheriff’s Office reports that the three individuals had been at the Funky Monkey Tavern and were heading to Mr. Bedinger’s residence at the time of the crash.

 

Sheriff Kettelkamp tells Regional Radio news, that “We are very fortunate that we did not have three people drown from this crash.” The Sheriff’s Office encourages citizens to avoid driving in hazardous conditions and always make sure they have a sober driver.

New Studies Show More Young Adults, Adolescents At Risk For Prediabetes

A new CDC study published in the journal JAMA Pediatrics is warning about the increase in young adults with prediabetes. According to the study 1 in 5 adolescents (aged 10-17, and 1 in 4 young adults (ages 18-25) are now living with prediabetes. Further studies show that out of 5,800 individuals surveyed, 18% of 12-18 year olds and 24% of 19-34 year olds had prediabetes. Shanell Schulz a diabetes educator from OSF HealthCare for St. Joseph Medical Center says the issue is that healthy food is more expensive than sugary snacks. 

 

 

Schulz goes on to say that checkups and keeping up with a dietition can help possibly stave off regular diabetes.

 

 

Schulz says talking nutrition at a young age can make all the difference in the world.

 

 

For more information visit our link here

Taylorville School Board Will Meet This Evening

The Taylorville School Board will meet this evening for their January Board of Education meeting at the Administration Education Center at 7 PM.  After the treasurer’s report, there will be a consideration of personnel, along with a consideration of FFA overnight trip request to Des Moines, Iowa on February 7th through the 9th for the Iowa Beef Expo Livestock Judging Contest. The board will also consider closed session minutes for the past six months and consideration of approval of the destruction of closed session audiotapes for meetings prior to January of 2018.

 

Under old business, there will be a strategic planning update to schedule spring committee meetings. There will also be a second reading and an adoption of board policy updates. There will be a school calendar adjustment of 3 snow days utilized. The School resource officer will give an update.

 

Under new business, the board will discuss the local wellness policy, along with a district technology report and a Central School Presentation for the prekindergarten. Superintendent Chris Dougherty will give a superintendent report. Finally, there will be an executive session to discuss specific employees and security procedures.

Denise Evans Named NEWSTALK WTIM Big Smile For the Community For January

January’s NEWSTALK WTIM Central Illinois Smiles Family Dentistry “Big Smile for the Community” honoree is Safe Passage Coordinator Denise Evans.  Denise has helped over 61 people get help through the Safe Passage Program.  The Safe Passage Program helps those battling their disease known as addiction. Denise says that knowing most of the residents of Kincaid along with helping former Kincaid and current Taylorville Police Chief Dwayne Wheeler is what got her into doing this program


 

Evans encourages people who want to help to volunteer.

 

To nominate someone for the NEWSTALK WTIM Central Illinois Family Dentistry “Big Smile for the Community” award, send your nomination to bigsmile@randyradio.com.

 

Governor Pritzker Gives Vaccine Updates

Governor JB Pritzker gave an update on the COVID-19 vaccines that have had their first doses released to health care workers. The Governor says we are making progress but knows that there is still a long way to go. The program for long term care facilities is being coordinated by CVS and Walgreens and is being helped by the Federal Government. The state has received over 231,000 vaccines starting with nursing homes. There will be 172,500 outside of Chicago available. The latest vaccine numbers will be found on the IDPH website but Governor Pritzker says there may be delays in reporting.

 

 

Vaccine doses are reported immediately by the CDC so there is a mismatch between the two websites and Governor Pritzker says that is not just the case for Illinois. As far as mitigations are concerned, there is a concern about keeping everyone safe while waiting for enough vaccines.  

 

 

Moving forward, the hope is that as data shows levels going down, regions can start to open up again. Governor Pritzker says he’s looking for three factors to reopen.

 

 

Director of Public Health Ngozi Ezike announced Monday evening that she would be getting the vaccination to show that it was safe and effective. Christian County reported 60 new cases of COVID-19 over a three day period (1/9-1/11) with a 7.7% positivity rate for the region. 

The Community Action Team Makes Two Drug Arrests In Taylorville

Members of the Community Action Team (CAT) conducted a narcotics search warrant at 717 W. Poplar Street, Taylorville. The police department has received several complaints about suspected drug traffic. The CAT team conducted an investigation and was able to obtain probable cause for a search warrant authorized by a Judge.

 

The team arrested 32-year-old Bradley Masters and 32-year-old Lisa Lake from 717 W. Poplar. Both Bradley and Lisa have been charged with possession of methamphetamine and possession of methamphetamine with intent to deliver. Several items were recovered from the residence indicating drug sales.

 

Taylorville Police Chief Dwayne Wheeler said, "I would like to thank the citizens for calling about this activity. Once again, it’s a team effort. The citizens and the police department strive to make Taylorville a great place to live."

 

Chief Wheeler also wanted to thank the Christian County Sheriff’s Office for their assistance and he also wanted to thank States Attorney Mike Havera for reviewing the search warrant and approving charges.

 

 

Taylorville Kiwanis Holding Annual Pancake and Sausage Day January 25th

 Pictured are Taylorville Chief of Police Dwayne Wheeler (left) and School Resource Officer Bryan Thomas (center) purchasing the first tickets to the Kiwanis breakfast from Secretary of the Taylorville Kiwanis Club Martin Vota (right).

 

 

The Taylorville Kiwanis Club will hold their annual “All You Can Eat” Pancake and Sausage Breakfast at the Taylorville Moose Lodge on Saturday January 25th.  Kiwanis members along with assistance from the Taylorville High School Key Club and the Taylorville Jr. High School Builder’s Club will begin serving breakfast at 6:30 that morning.  Tickets to this event are available in advance.  $7.00 for adults and $4.00 for children ages 12 and under. 

Take-out orders can be phoned ahead of time to 820-4403.  Tickets are available from any Taylorville Kiwanis member, or at the Chamber office on the 2nd floor of the U-S Bank building on the square, or at People’s Bank and Trust.
Proceeds from the event will go to help support local youth causes including Coats for Kids, the Jr. High School Builders Club, the Taylorville High School Key Club, College scholarships for Taylorville High School Seniors and support of Kiwanis Park at Lake Taylorville.  
The Taylorville Kiwanis Club is part of 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 their new meeting location, the Taylorville Moose Lodge.  For information on the club, go to taylorvillekiwanis.com.

Christian County Clerk Speaks In Washington DC About Election Security

Christian County Clerk and recorder Michael Gianasi spoke in Washington DC about elections and election security during a house committee meeting on Thursday. Gianasi, who was there as a guest of Representative Rodney Davis, spoke about being in a small town and trying to handle elections.

 

 

Gianasi continued saying that he has concerns over the physical security of election equipment and having enough judges.

 

 

Gianasi always worries about election security even in smaller areas like Christian County.

 

 

Gianasi also fielded questions from multiple people inside the committee meeting. Here is the full transcript of what Michael Gianasi submitted to the Committee on House Administration.

 

 

Michael C. Gianasi Written Testimony

Committee on House Administration

“2020 Election Security--Perspectives from Voting System Vendors and Experts”

 

January 9, 2020

 

As a newer County Clerk and Recorder in Illinois, I have been quickly introduced to the constantly evolving world of elections. As the local election authority, it is my responsibility to maintain the highest standards when conducting all facets of the election process. As members of this Committee, all of you are aware of the responsibilities as a candidate in an election, but may not be aware of all of the responsibilities of the election authority challenged with successfully completing the election process. Maintaining adequate election judge staffing levels, verifying all equipment is transported and set up at the correct precinct locations, and promptly and correctly having those election judges close the election and return the machines and results to the election authority office for tabulation are some of the tasks during the time leading up to, and including, election day.

 

As a small county in central Illinois (population approx. 34,000), maintaining election security has been challenging over the years. Physical security of the equipment is maintained within the courthouse where the County Clerk’s office is located and the equipment is only outside the control of the storage area when the election judges transport the machines to the precincts and back at the end of election night.

 

Since 2016 there has been a constantly increasing pressure to advance all aspects of election security, with cyber security leading the way. Events occurring in the last several years have shown that any network has potential vulnerabilities from external and well as internal attack. The Illinois State Board of Elections, in conjunction with other organizations, has promoted the membership in the Elections Infrastructure Information Sharing and Analysis Center (EI-ISAC), the Multi-State Information Sharing and Analysis Center (MS-ISAC), and the Homeland Security Information Network (HSIN). Multiple times each day I receive emails regarding new vulnerabilities found in hardware and software; new potential attack vectors for servers exposed to the internet, and updates concerning possible threatening activities monitored by state and federal government organizations.

 

Another program provided by the Illinois State Board of Elections is the Cyber Navigator program that provides guidance in the form of a person trained to assist local election authorities in determining the best uses of available resources to protect the election infrastructure and voter registration data. My office is in the final stages of completing a connection into the Illinois Century Network. The ICN will provide secure network access from my local voter registration database to the ISBE database with traffic monitoring and other security measures. I have also subscribed to a service that provides cyber security training and email phishing tests to county employees. With many successful attacks starting at the press of a button on a link in an email, it is prudent to constantly provide training to employees to recognize those threats immediately. Christian County is fortunate that Help America Vote Act (HAVA) funds are available for these expenditures.

 

Finally, there is the election equipment itself. The equipment used in Christian County was purchased in 2004. Reliability had been an increasing concern and the new focus on cyber security also played a pivotal role in approving the decision to lease new election equipment. My current election vendor has been providing excellent service to the county for many years, as prior clerks would attest to, and continues today. With his extensive knowledge in this area, I agreed with his recommendation for Christian County to use the Unisyn Voting Solutions, Inc., optical scan and Freedom Vote Tabulators. The
security of these devices is much more substantial than the previous election hardware.

 

This equipment will provide additional comfort to the voters that the Christian County Clerk’s office is making every effort to secure the election and protect the integrity of the process and the results.

 

Respectfully submitted,
Michael C. Gianasi
County Clerk and Recorder
Christian County, Illinois

The U of I Extension Office To Host A Starting Seeds Indoors Event On January 16th In Pana

Andrew Holsinger is the Horticulture Educator at the University of Illinois Extension Office and he talked about the Starting Seeds Indoors event that will take place on January 16th from 1:30 until 3:00 at the Kehias (Ka-Hi-Es) Farm located at 2152 Illinois Route 16 in Pana.

 

 

Holsinger went on to talk about what goes wrong when someone decides to start seeds indoors.

 

 

Finally, Holsinger talked about the importance of controlling the humidity with your seedlings.
 

 

For more information or to register visit extension.illinois.edu/cjmm or call the Christian County U of I Extension Office at 287-7246. Tickets are $5. Andrew Holsinger was a guest on the Newstalk WTIM Morning Show.

Pana Community Hospital Expansion To Open On Monday

While the parking lot may be closed right now, it won't be on Monday Morning as the long-awaited Building Project expansion is nearing completion.  Picture courtesy: Melissa Rybolt.

 

 

Pana Community Hospital is nearing completion stage for Phase II of their building expansion project. The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) inspected the project and have given the hospital it’s official “Certificate of Occupancy.”  This certificate will allow PCH to move into their new addition, which they fully expect to have open Monday, January 13th. The front parking lots will also open Monday with overflow patient parking located in the West parking lot of Pana Community Hospital.

 

President and CEO Trina Casner says that she is super excited about this project and happy that the weight is off her shoulders.

 

 

Phase II of the project had begun in February immediately following the opening of the Outpatient Services Addition which includes a reception area, registration offices, and FastCare which will be like an urgent care.  The FastCare portion isn’t ready but Casner assures Regional Radio that it will be completed by the end of February.  Casner says one thing that they learned through the rebuilding process is having volunteers to help people find their way is something Pana Community Hospital will keep doing that.

 

 

The project started on August 10th, 2017 when the hospital broke ground on a $20.4 million dollar project with 30,000 square feet added to the Hospital. Phase 1 added additional space for a new surgical suite, laboratory, diagnostic imaging, cardiopulmonary, materials management, and nutritional services including the Harvest Cafe. 

 

Casner says they aren’t done yet and hope to add a new Gift Shop called “Retail Therapy.” But Casner says it all comes down to patient care.

 

 

For more information on Pana Community Hospital visit panahospital.com.

Senator Andy Manar Talks About The Development Of Pana Lake

Illinois State Senator Andy Manar talked about the recent passing of his legislation to develop Pana Lake.

 

 

Senator Manar talked about how he was approached last year by Pana Mayor Kroski about if the state could vacate that land so that the City of Pana could develop it.

 

 

Finally, Senator Manar talked about the importance of the bipartisan Rebuild Illinois plan.
 

 

Illinois State Senator Andy Manar was a guest on the Newstalk WTIM Morning Show.

HSHS Good Shepherd To Teach Yoga Classes

HSHS Good Shepherd Hospital in Shelbyville will be teaming up with Shelbyville Yoga to offer three different Yoga classes in 2020. Evening Yoga, Chair Yoga, and Golden Yoga will be offered.  Evening Yoga will be held on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 5 PM, starting on January 15th. An additional evening class will be offered on Wednesdays. Tonya Bowrey, manager of rehabilitation services, says that due to the class's success, they’ve really been able to expand on these classes.

 

Bowrey says they are trying something new this year called chair yoga.

 

 

Bowrey says that Tery Whalen, who will be teaching Golden Yoga adds so much to those classes.

 

 

No registration is required for these classes.  For more information visit HSHS Good Shepherd Hospital’s website or call 774-6434. The classes will be offered at 201 South Cedar Street in Shelbyville.

The 6th Annual Scholarship Awareness Day Is At Taylorville High School On January 23rd

Patty Hornbuckle is the CEO of the Greater Taylorville Chamber of Commerce and she talked about the upcoming 6th annual Scholarship Awareness Day at Taylorville High School on January 23rd.

 

 

The Scholarship Awareness Day will take place during lunch in the cafeteria on January 23rd at Taylorville High School.
 

 

Finally, Hornbuckle talked about these scholarships are local scholarships that will go to local students.

 

 

Patty Hornbuckle was a guest on the Newstalk WTIM Morning Show.

Natalia Hidden Joins HSHS Medical Group In Taylorville

HSHS Medical Group in Taylorville will have a new APRN. Natalia Hidden now sees patients at HSHS Medical Group Multi-Specialty Care Taylorville located at 1304 West Burnett Drive in Taylorville. Hidden works alongside Doctor Richard DelValle and cares for patients of all ages. Hidden says that her mom was a major motivator towards being a nurse.

 

Hidden says she is excited to work with Dr. DelValle.

 

 

Hidden says she’s happy to be here and she likes staying busy. Hidden sees walk-in patients only on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays from 8 AM until 5 PM. All patients are welcome and you don’t have to be an HSHS Medical Group patient to use their walk-in services.

 

Natalia received her Master of Science in Nursing from Maryville University in St. Louis and earned her Bachelor of Science in Nursing at Midwestern State University in Wichita Falls, Texas.

 

The Titus Memorial Library In Sullivan To Start A New Adult Reading Program

Michelle Nolen is the Director of the Titus Memorial Library in Sullivan and she talked about some of the different events that are coming up in the new year at the library.
 

 

Nolen went on to talk about story time that they have at the Library each and every Wednesday morning at 10am.

 

 

Finally, Nolen talked about the brand new adult reading program that they started in the new year to encourage adults to read a book a month.

 

 

Michelle Nolen was a guest on the Newstalk WTIM Morning Show live from the Moultrie County Senior Center.

Glenda Plunkett From The Moultrie County Health Department Talks About Second Hand Smoke

Glenda Plunkett is the Public Health Services Coordinator at the Moultrie County Health Department and she talked about the danger of second hand smoke.

 

 

Plunkett went on to talk about some of the side effects of second hand smoke and how over two million people have died from second hand smoke.

 

 

Finally, Plunkett talked about what you can do to avoid second hand smoke.

 

 

Glenda Plunkett was a guest on the Newstalk WTIM Morning Show live from the Moultrie County Senior Center.

Quad County Receives Patient Satisfaction Award

Quad County Home Health staff display their award.  Pictured are: Front row left to right:  Karen Beck, Mamie Campbell, Kelsey Ewing, Staci Calvert, Theresa Kile, Tom Culberson.  Back row left to right:  Rhonda Sebben, Andrea Elam, Patra Deere, Caryn Stokes, Maureen Tarrant, Da’Niel Anderson

 

 

Quad County Agency, which provides home health, hospice, and home medical supplies and equipment to 5 counties in Central Illinois, has received a Patient Satisfaction Award. The company has received Fazzi’s HHCAHPS (Home Healthcare Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems) Patient Satisfaction Award of Distinction for the second year in a row. They are also in the top 25% of Fazzi’s National patient satisfaction database. 

Tom Culberson, Quad County Director, says he’s thrilled about the award. Culberson says the business is all about patients.

 

 

Culberson also talked about how the success the company has had in Christian, Shelby, Montgomery, and Fayette Counties has allowed them to expand into Macoupin County.

 

 

Culberson says that Quad County Home Health, Hospice, and Home Medical Supplies and Equipment Incorporated have served Central Illinois since 1980.  Culberson says you can visit the Pana Hospital website to find out more information.

 

 

Quad County Office is located just behind Pana Community Hospital on 8 Huber Street.

Illinois Congressman Rodney Davis On The Recent Death Threat That He Received

Congressman Rodney Davis represents the Illinois 13th Congressional District and he recently received a death threat at his Congressional Office on Capitol Hill. He said that it’s really unfortunate that something like this happens in this day and age because anytime a threat like that is made it impacts local taxpayers.

 

 

Congressman Davis went on to talk about what happens after a threat is received.
 

 

Illinois Congressman Rodney Davis was a guest on the Newstalk WTIM Morning Show.

Taylorville Police Department To Host Kids, Cookies, And Cops At Talia's Bakery

The Taylorville Police Department along with Talia’s Cookies will be hosting an event. Kids, Cookies, and Cops will be taking place on January 18th from noon till 2:30 PM.  Officer Kirsten Bolinger says that the event all came about because of a recommendation from a Taylorville resident. 

 

Bolinger says that this event is another way for Taylorville Police to give back to the community. To get more information on the event you can visit the Taylorville Police Department Facebook Page. They have an event button for all of the upcoming events that the Taylorville Police Department is hosting.

 

 

There will be activities and games at the event as well. Talia’s Bakery is located at 112 South Main Street in Taylorville.

Taylorville Man Found Guilty By Jury For Domestic Battery

A Taylorville resident was found guilty of domestic battery on Tuesday. On January 7th, a jury in Christian County found 42-year-old Ronald E. Nigh Jr. of Taylorville guilty of aggravated domestic battery for choking his wife. The offense occurred on October 30th, 2018 and was investigated by the Taylorville Police Department.

 

After being found guilty, the Honorable Judge Christopher W. Matoush revoked Nigh’s bond and set the matter for sentencing on February 25th, 2020. Nigh Jr. is subject to a Class X sentencing range of 6 to 30 years in the Illinois Department of Corrections. Ronald E. Nigh Jr. will remain held without bond in the Christian County Jail until sentencing. 

Central Illinois Food Bank To Launch The Donation's Delivered Program In Christian County

Bob Bartolozzi is the Manager of Program Services at the Central Illinois Food Bank and he talked about the Donation’s Delivered Program which they had an informational meeting on last night at Angelo’s. They’re looking to get this new program started on February 11th. Bartolozzi talked about the new program and what it is that they’re looking for.

 

 

Bartolozzi went on to talk about how they were granted over $50,000 to help pilot this program in Springfield.

 

 

J.I. McDowell is the owner of Angelo’s Pizza and he talked about the program works and how it is that he found out about it.

 

 

For more information about the Donation’s Delivered Program contact the Central Illinois Food Bank at 522-4022. Bob Bartolozzi and J.I. McDowell were both guests on the Newstalk WTIM Morning Show.

Taylorville City Council Meet For First Time In January; Approve Body Cameras For Police

The Taylorville City Council met on Monday evening for their first meeting of 2020. Andy Goodall was sworn in as health and building officer and Taylorville Mayor Bruce Barry gave his mayoral updates that covered Goodall’s new job, community outreach, and comments from a former mayor.

    

 

The city also honored Officer Kirsten Bolinger for her work in the community.

 

 

It was voted on the purchase of eight body cameras for the Police Department, and that vote passed unanimously.

 

 

There was also a closed session to discuss collective negotiating matters between the City and AFSCME along with City Attorney.

Loving Arms Crisis Pregnancy Center To Expand Into Pana

Cathy Coker is the Executive Director of the Loving Arms Crisis Pregnancy Center and she talked about where they’re located and the history of the organization.

 

 

Coker went on to talk about the mission of the Loving Arms Crisis Pregnancy Center.

 

 

Finally, Coker talked about what they’re working on in the near future including a new social media advertising campaign, their annual fundraiser on March 12th, and an upcoming volunteer training on January 15th through the 17th.

 

 

Cathy Coker was a guest on the Newstalk WTIM Morning Show.

Officer Alwerdt Recognized As Officer Of The Quarter

 

The Taylorville Police Department named Officer Jeremy Alwerdt, the Police Officer of the 4th quarter. Chief Wheeler says that both he and Deputy Chief Vince Childers picked Officer Alwerdt because of his ability to find narcotics.

 

 

In the official writeup, Chief Wheeler and Deputy Chief Wheeler praised Officer Alwerdt’s ability to serve the citizens. They also went on to say that Officer Alwerdt and his K9 partner have proven success in the war on drugs in Taylorville and they are very excited to have the pleasure in honoring Officer Alwerdt with Officer of the Quarter. 

 

We here at Regional Radio News salute you Officer Alwerdt salute you, for your hard work and dedication to the city and citizens of Taylorville.

Illinois Congressman Rodney Davis Talks Impeachment

Congressman Rodney Davis represents the Illinois 13th Congressional District and he talked about the House’s recent passing of articles of impeachment against President Donald Trump and what he thinks Speaker Pelosi might be thinking in regards to not sending the charges to the United States Senate.

 

 

Congressman Davis went on to say that if it was so urgent to pass articles of impeachment against President Trump, then the Speaker should have sent the charges to the Senate.

 

 

Finally, Congressman Davis talked about a recent bipartisan bill that was passed to go after robocallers.

 

 

Illinois Congressman Rodney Davis was a guest on the Newstalk WTIM Morning Show.

Master Gardeners Coordinating With University Of Illinois Extension For Gardening Indoors Class

If gardening is something that has always fascinated you, or if you are just looking for something new to do to beat the cold weather, the Christian County, Illinois, Master Gardners has a workshop for you.  A new workshop at the Kehias Farm, which is between Pana and Rosamond, will be offered on January 16th at 1:30 PM wrapping up around 3 PM. The workshop will be called Starting Seeds Indoors. Master Gardener Gwen Podeschi says that the class will be a way for people to get started with an understanding of practices for a head start on gardening.

 

Podeschi says this class offers a lot, regardless if you are a veteran or a first-time planter.

 

 

Podeschi says you can register for the class through the Master Gardener’s Facebook page at Master Gardeners Christian County Illinois.

 

 

There is no limit for class size, and it cost $5. Everyone is encouraged to come out. 

Christian County Senior Center To Offer Tax Preparation Services

Jennifer Verardi is the Director of the Christian County Senior Center and she talked about the upcoming tax preparation service that they offer. If you want to sign up for an appointment you can do so by calling the Senior Center at 824-4263.

 

 

There are many possibilities to hear some wonderful music at the Senior Center over the next few weeks according to Judy Gates the Director of the CEFS Meals on Wheels Program. You can hear Cross Country Classics this Friday night from 6-8 pm and you can hear Don Bettis on the 21st.

 

 

Finally, you can get your blood pressure and blood sugar checked on Friday, January 10th at 11 o’clock at the Senior Center.

 

 

Judy Gates and Jennifer Verardi were guests on the Newstalk WTIM Morning Show.

Rep. Rodney Davis On The Assassination Of Iranian General Qassem Soleimani

Congressman Rodney Davis represents the Illinois 13th Congressional District and he talked about the recent killing of the top Iranian General Qassem Soleimani.

 

 

Congressman Davis went on to say that Soleimani was a direct threat to American national security.

 

 

Finally, Congressman Davis said that he is concerned about any response from Iran that puts any American lives at risk, but Congressman Davis believes that Iran wanted to put American lives at risk regardless of what President Trump did or didn’t do.
 

 

Illinois Congressman Rodney Davis was a guest on the Newstalk WTIM Morning Show.

Amelia, Oliver, And Levi Lead HSHS St. John's And Memorial Medical Center In Baby Names In 2019

When it comes to popular baby names in Springfield, a trend of going back to older traditional names is starting to become popular. Amelia was the most popular girl's name in 2019, with 21 baby girls named that in 2019. Oliver and Levi saw 19 children named that at HSHS St. John’s Hospital and Memorial Medical Center last year. 

Rounding out the top 5 for girl's names include Emma (19 babies), Olivia (18), Aria (15), and Ava (13). For boys, Lincoln (16), Jaxson (14), and Benjamin (11). Jessica Gonko, nurse manager of the women and infants center at HSHS St. John’s Hospital, says that it is neat to see Lincoln be a popular name in Illinois.

 

 

Gonko says that is is a very special time when parents get to pick out the names for their newborns.

 

Susan McCarty who is one of the nurse managers of Family Maternity Suites, which is the maternity unit at Memorial Medical Center says that you can see a trend with baby names when it comes to certain shows or sports teams.

 

 

HSHS St. John’s Hospital had 2,048 births in 2019 while Memorial Medical Center had 1,440.
 

Milk Needs To Be A Big Part Of Your Healthy Diet

Kelsey Bentlage is a nutrition education and registered dietitian at the St. Louis Dairy Council. She talked about how a lot of people think about health and wellness in the new year and how important it is to eat right and get enough exercise.

 

 

Bentlage went on to talk about the nutritional value of milk and how important it is to drink milk each and every day.

 

 

Bentlage went on to list off all of the foods that you would have to eat to get the same nutritional value of one 8 ounce glass of milk.

 

 

Kelsey Bentlage was a guest on the Newstalk WTIM Morning Show.

Officials Worried About Injury From Too Much Recreational Marijuana Usage

With marijuana being legalized on January 1st, many people see it as a safe outlet and as with all things, with moderation it is. However thanks to observations from other states, too much of anything can be a bad thing, and in this case, when it comes to marijuana it’s quite true. Sara Brown, who is the manager of emergency medical services at Memorial Health System says that they have lessons from other states that have legalized it.

 

 

There are no states around Illinois that have legalized it, so Illinois faces what’s called “marijuana tourism.” Where people from other areas travel to Illinois to buy it. Brown says one of the problems from marijuana is that the high doesn’t hit you right away, and so people tend to take too much of it to try to get that high, before realizing that it’s too late.

 

 

Brown says one of the other major concerns that are worrying medical workers, is that gummies look like they are safe for children, and that adults who take marijuana around kids need to hide and even lock up their marijuana gummies from children.

 

Marijuana affects someone depending on their tolerance, genetics, gender, the method in which it’s consumed, and the potency and strength of the drug.

Kiwanis Club To Host Annual Breakfast On January 25th At The Moose Lodge In Taylorville

Patty Hornbuckle is the CEO of the Greater Taylorville Chamber of Commerce and she talked about the upcoming January after hours event that will take place on Wednesday January 15th at HSHS in Taylorville.

 

 

Hornbuckle went on to talk about the yearly Kiwanis breakfast that will take place at the Moose Lodge in Taylorville on Saturday, January 25th from 6:30 until 11. Adults are $7 and children 12 and under are $4.

 

 

Finally, Hornbuckle talked about the upcoming Greater Taylorville Chamber of Commerce Spring Swing Indoor Putt Putt Tournament Fundraiser that will take place on March 7th.

 

 

For more information on any of these events please contact the Greater Taylorville Chamber of Commerce by calling 824-1919. Patty Hornbuckle was a guest on the Newstalk WTIM Morning Show.

Shelbyville Chamber Director Ariel Short Talks About The Member Of The Month Program

Ariel Short is the Director of the Greater Shelbyville Chamber of Commerce and she talked about how her first 6 months on the job has gone and what she’s most excited about for 2020.

 

 

Short went on to talk about how some people may not be familiar with the Chamber of Commerce and that one of her goals is to familiarize the city about what the Chamber is able to do for the community.

 

 

Finally, Short talked about how the Greater Shelbyville Chamber of Commerce member of the month program is a way to different businesses to get recognition within the Shelbyville community.

 

 

Ariel Short was a guest on the Newstalk WTIM Morning Show live from our downtown Shelbyville studios.

Taylorville City Council To Meet For First Time in 2020

The Taylorville City Council will meet on Monday evening at 7 PM for their first meeting of 2020. The city council meeting will take place at the Taylorville Municipal Building. Andy Goodall will be sworn in as the Health and Building Officer. Taylorville Police Officer Kirsten Bollinger will be honored by Mayor Bruce Barry and the Alderman. An ordinance will authorize an intergovernmental cooperation agreement between the city of Taylorville and Christian County for a temporary lease for the official court business. City Code 3-6-A will be repealed in order to change the age from 18 to 21 to fit with national law.  This city code talks about alternative nicotine products for persons under 18 years of age.  

 

A resolution will be authorized for the execution of easement agreement and acknowledgment and consent concerning the Jaynes Park Storm Sewer Project. A motion will be brought forward to ratify and name Julie Lilly who is the city clerk, as an agent for the IEMA Disaster Assistance Application in regards to the State Disaster Assistance to Local Government Grant. A motion will be pushed for approval to approve the appointment of Lee Beckman with Milano and Gronloh Engineers to be the administrator for the DCEO Grant at a cost not to exceed $7,500.

 

Under Committee Reports, a motion will be recommended to the City Council to approve the hire of one volunteer firefighter pending completion of physical and background notarization. There will also be a motion to recommend to the City Council to allow Taylorville Police Chief Dwayne Wheeler to purchase 8 body cameras which include HD recordings, camera mounts, docking stations, charging base, and a transfer station to download to the current server, a warranty, and licenses for all officers from Watch Guard at a cost of $13,562. 

 

There will also be a closed session to discuss collective negotiating matters between the City and AFSCME along with City Attorney and Mayoral Updates as well.

Second Annual Lake Shelbyville FHA Banquet To Be Held On February 22nd

Lee Mitchell is a Natural Resource Specialist for the US Army Corps of Engineers in Shelbyville and he talked about the upcoming Lake Shelbyville Fish Habitat Alliance second annual banquet that will take place on February 22nd at the Sullivan VFW.

 

 

Doors for the banquet will open at 4. Dinner will be served at 5 and the live auction will kick off at 6:30. There is limited seating available, so if you’re interested in purchasing tickets you can visit tinyurl.com/LSFHA2020.

 

 

Finally, Mitchell went on to talk about how they’re trying to address the problems that they’ve been having with the musky fishery.

 

 

Lee Mitchell was a guest on the Newstalk WTIM Morning Show live from our downtown Shelbyville studios.

Doctors Encouraging Patients To Get Health Screenings

With January underway, many people are focusing on New Year’s resolutions. Some people want to quit smoking, some people want to lose some weight, while others just want to spend more time with their loved ones. For those people that want to lose weight or even get healthier one way that you can do this is by getting a health screen. Doctor Omar Khokhar, a gastroenterologist with OSF Healthcare St Joseph Medical Center in Bloomington, says that simple screenings can save lives and it all starts by being proactive.

 

 

Doctors are concerned that colon and rectal cancers are on the rise in America. According to the American Cancer Society since 1994, colon and rectal cancers have increased by 51% among adults under the age of 50. 

 

Dr. Khokhar says that while screenings are important, knowing your family history is important as well but you should always talk to your regular doctor if you have any concerns.

Herpstreith Bond Set At $1,000,000

The Taylorville woman accused of stabbing a Taylorville man to death on December 31st had her bond set on Friday.  Michaela L. Herpstreith appeared in court in front of Judge Brad T. Paisley. After arguments from both sides were heard, Herpstreith’s bond was set at $1,000,000 with 10% to apply. The state had originally asked for $800,000 during her Thursday court appearance where probable cause was found. She is set to have her preliminary hearing on January 28th, 2020. Herpstreith is accused of stabbing 40-year-old Jason R. Bright on the afternoon of New Year’s Eve on the 1000 block of East Adams. She is being housed in the Christian County Jail.

Carrying Too Much Body Weight Can Cause Serious Health Issues

Tara Nickerson is the Program Director at Physician's Choice Wellness and she said that there are very few people who don’t try to use the new year as a sort of reset.

 

 

Nickerson went on to talk about how cancer, diabetes, high cholesterol, sleep apnea, and depression can all be a result of carrying too much weight.

 

 

For more information on Physician’s Choice Wellness please visit their website which is healthylifestyleweightloss.com. Tara Nickerson was a guest on the Newstalk WTIM Morning Show.

First United Methodist Church In Taylorville Announces Expansion

The First United Methodist Church In Taylorville announced a massive two-year expansion project Thursday Afternoon. The remodel and expansion will include a 12,400-foot addition to the east. It will also maintain the integrity and beauty of the existing 100-year-old sanctuary. The upgrades will focus on safety and security.  A new addition will have a covered portico for easy, ground-level entries. 

Lisa Livingston along with Bob Febus says that this is happening now because of a MAPP (ministry assessment planning process study) along with security measures. 

 

A brand new community room will have table seating for 240 with a full commercial kitchen. There will be an inviting new welcome center along with a full-size volleyball court and basketball half-court in addition to an upgraded dedicated youth area. 

 

The Church is expected to break ground in the summer of 2020 and take approximately 2 years to finish. Febus says the entire project will be debt-free thanks to contributions from the congregation and others who have contributed. 


 

Pastor Becky Lembke says there is always a church home there for anyone who wants it.

For more information visit the First United Methodist Church’s Facebook page.

 

 

 

 

Central Illinois Foodbank To Expand Into Christian County

Central Illinois Foodbank is expanding its food rescue program to Christian County. The program which was launched in Springfield in September will be hosting an informational session on January 7th from 5:30-6:30 at Angelo’s Pizza at 404 West Spresser Street in Taylorville to meet the public and answer any questions that donors may have. Ashley Earnest, Public Relations Manager, says that thanks to a grant from the Walmart Foundation, Central Illinois Foodbank can reach out to more places.

 

 

Earnest says that a lot of people don’t realize how great the need is regardless of the time of year.

 

 

Earnest says that this is a good opportunity to come see how good of an opportunity this is not just for Taylorville but all of Christian County.

 

 

For more information, you can visit www.centralilfoodbank.org and you can find them on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram as well. 

The Christian County LEAD Program Has Two Final Spots Available

Patty Hornbuckle is the CEO of the Greater Taylorville Chamber of Commerce and she talked about the LEAD Program. It starts on January 15th and they have two spots available, but you better hurry up and get your application in as they expect these last two spots to fill up in a hurry.

 

 

Hornbuckle went on to talk about the goals of the Christian County LEAD Program.

 

 

Finally, Hornbuckle talked about how they like to focus the LEAD Program on what the needs are of Christian County.

 

 

Patty Hornbuckle was a guest on the Newstalk WTIM Morning Show.

CCYMCA To Host Winter Fitness Blitz On Saturday

 

The Christian County YMCA will be hosting a workout event on Saturday, January 4th. The Winter Fitness Blitz will start at 9 AM on Saturday and allow you the opportunity to sample the land group fitness classes that are offered at the Y. Instructors will teach a shortened course, to give you a feel of what the event is like. Group Fitness Coordinator Michelle Beckmier says that working out with a group is always better than working out by yourself.

 

Beckmier says that they are excited to have Hope Weittenhiller, who is a certified nutritionist there who will discuss pre/post-workout fuel.

 

 

The event starts at 9 AM and equipment will be provided but you should bring your own yoga mat if you have one.

 

 

The Christian County YMCA has classes for every work out whether you are beginning or are an expert. The event is open to the public and free to members and $5 for non-members.

Former Taylorville Native, Founder of CEO Craig Lindvahl Passes

A former Taylorville native, and the founder of the "Creating Entrepreneurial Opportunities" program thru-out the country, has died.  Craig Lindvahl had been battling pancreatic cancer for the last few years.

The Midland Institute, which Lindvahl founded to operate the C-E-O program, made the announcement of his death, which happened Thursday morning, in an e-mail late Thursday afternoon.

In the e-mail, the Institute said that the world has lost an extraordinary man, and that he leaves behind a remarkable legacy.  The Institute added his spirit will always be a part of the C-E-O program.

A celebration of Craig's life will take place at the Effingham Performance Center at a date to be announced.

Herpstreith Appears In Court; Faces Two Counts Of Murder

A woman accused of fatally stabbing her boyfriend on New Year's Eve made her first appearance in court Thursday morning.  21 year old Michaela L. Herpstreith appeared in custody in front of Judge Brad T. Paisley and was officially charged with two counts of murder with intent to injure/kill for the stabbing death of 40 year old Jason R. Bright. Both charges are class M Felonies. Herpstreith faces 20-60 years with 3 years of mandatory supervised release. She would have to serve the whole sentence.

 

Herpstreith asked for the public defender. Gregory Grigsby, who is the acting public defender until they hire another PD, announced that he had a connection to Bright, but since Bright was deceased it wouldn’t be an issue anymore. It was still disclosed to the court, and Grigsby acknowledged that he had no knowledge of any negative information and it wouldn’t hurt the case at all. 

 

Judge Paisley also announced that they would be hiring a new public defender within the next few weeks, so it wouldn’t be Grigsby handling the case after that. Judge Paisley asked State’s Attorney Mike Havera for probable cause. 

 

Havera stated during the probable cause that the Taylorville Police received a call at 1:08 PM on December 31 to 1015 East Adams Street. When police arrived there, Bright was found laying on the deck in a pool of blood. When police started medically treating him, Bright stated that Herpstreith stabbed him. This was corroborated by witnesses who confirmed the incident occurred at 1005 East Adams Street. When police searched the location, they found blood on the porch and entryway.

 

Police received information that Herpstreith had fled to Hillcrest Trailer Park. When Herpstreith was spotted she approached with her hands up and police found on her a spring-loaded knife that had blood both on the handle and the blade. Herpstreith was taken in without incident and told police that she had used it to stab Bright. She later told police she “wanted to kill him.”

 

Probable cause was found and a bond hearing was set for Friday, January 3rd to give Grigsby time to meet with Herpstreith. When Herpstreith asked the court when she would be able to tell her side of the story, Judge Paisley assured she would have time to do so, but warned her against speaking out about it until she had talked to Public Defender Grigsby. 

 

Herpstreith will appear in Christian County Court Friday, January 3rd for a bond hearing. 

HSHS Good Shepherd Investing In Shelbyville Community

 

Over the last three years, HSHS Good Shepherd Hospital continues to make significant improvements to better serve the Shelbyville Community. Lorrie Hayden, a colleague at HSHS Good Shepherd Hospital wants people to not have to travel for services.

 

“We have expanded our surgical services recently. We have a doctor that comes to do general surgery, as well as an orthopedic surgeon. This has really been a benefit to our community to have those services available locally, so they don’t have to travel out of town.”

 

While offering greater surgery options in Shelbyville, HSHS Good Shepherd has also invested more than $2.3 million in investments, updates, and renovations to the emergency and radiology departments.  They have also added a family health walk in hours to provide convenient care to the community.

 

HSHS Good Shepherd recently celebrated 100 years of service to the community and HSHS Good Shepherd Hospital wants you to know they are committed to serving you.

Christian County CEO Program Receives New Space

 

The Christian County CEO program is getting a late Christmas present in 2020—a new space. The space which is in the back of the Greater Taylorville Chamber of Commerce offices will be a space for The Christian County CEO business partners to be able to conduct business.  Greater Taylorville Chamber of Commerce CEO Patty Hornbuckle says this space will serve as a headquarters

 

 

Hornbuckle says this wouldn’t have happened without the help from US Bank.

 

Hornbuckle says that all of this is leading towards a significant end goal.

 

The students were able to see the new space in a tour earlier in December.

Christian County Coroner Releases Official Cause Of Death In Jason Bright Case

Christian County Coroner Amy Calvert Winans released the results of an autopsy that was held yesterday in Bloomington for 40-year-old Jason Bright of Taylorville. According to Coroner Winans, Mr. Bright died of a stab wound of the chest.


Jason Bright was pronounced dead at the Taylorville Memorial Hospital Emergency Room at 3:00 P.M. on December 31, 2019.  The investigation is being handled by the Taylorville Police Department and the Christian County Coroner’s Office.

New Laws In 2020 Look At Education, Cybersecurity, And Economic Development

As 2020 rolls in, so do many new Illinois laws that will take effect as well. In economic development areas, the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity must create a Clean Water Workforce Pipeline Program to prepare people for a career in water infrastructure.  Restrictions are reduced on opening businesses for those with past criminal offenses and provides flexibility to various state departments to review those circumstances around past offenses.

 

In cybersecurity, a new law has been placed called the Blockchain Technology Act which provides for permitted uses and limitations of blockchain technology in transactions and proceedings and prohibits local governments from imposing taxes or fees and certain restrictions on the use of blockchain. Blockchain is used in cryptography. Any company that collects personal information concerning Illinois residents must report data breaches affecting more than 500 Illinois residents to the Attorney General.

 

In education laws, all school districts must report teacher employment data including the number of teachers employed to the State Board of Education. Students must take three years of math to graduate high school, but provides local school districts with flexibility over required classes to remove barriers to graduation for some students. A new law requires that sex education course material for grades 6 through 12 include age-appropriate discussions on consent. Another new law requires a student to be notified before any school student record is destroyed or information is deleted. 

 

Stay tuned to Regional Radio News all week for more, as over 250 laws take effect January 1st in Illinois.

 

WSVZ 98.3 Flips Format to 60's Oldies Today

The Miller Media Group of radio stations in Taylorville, flipped one of its radio stations to a different format effective just past midnight today, January First.

 

WSVZ 98-point-3, the group's Shelbyville radio station, flipped from "new country" to a format featuring Top 40 hits from 1960 to 1974, as "Cruisin' 98-point-3."

 

The new station will feature a live and local morning show with daily contests, from 6 til 8 weekday mornings, plus a live and local request show on Saturdays from 10am to 1pm.

 

Miller Media Group president Randal J. Miller stated that the reason for the format change, was a demographic study he did show 2018 population of the counties WSVZ covers, showing that over half the population is age 40 and over.

 

The Cruisin' format had been on a local signal that reached just Christian County at 96-point-5.  That format was moved to WSVZ today, January First, and 96-point-5 is now simulcasting programming from WRAN groovy 97-point-3.

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