The Edinburg Labor Day Picnic returns this weekend. Katie White and Morgan Stevens represent the Labor Day Committee.

Stevens says that there’s five local bands coming to play live music at this weekend’s event, and they’re going to mix it up towards the end of the weekend. 

The picnic is not exclusive to adults. There’s plenty for families and children to do all weekend, but Stevens says that kids will have the most options for fun this Sunday.  

If you’re worried about having to wear a mask, Stevens says that most everything is outdoors and there’s plenty of space to social distance. 

Saturday, arrive a little early for the demolition derby as seats can fill up quite fast. No need to purchase a ticket ahead of time, either. Just show up at the gate and pay the admission cost. Stevens says it’s the only arena event this year. 

The Edinburg Labor Day Picnic kicks off with a beer garden at 5 p.m. Friday at the Veterans Memorial Park in Edinburg and wraps up Monday after the parade concludes. And of course, there will be lots of food.

School is back in session, but it’s not too late to sign up for college classes at Lincoln Land Community College in Springfield. Dee Kruger is the director of LLCC and she says that there is plenty of room. 

Kruger also says that there are lots of options available for busy folks who have work or other responsibilities. She adds, you don’t have to take college classes to go to college. 

The director says the college is adding a bunch of new programs and classes to Lincoln Land, all while celebrating traditional programs.

Kruger says the college is following COVID-19 safety protocols, but she says that Lincoln Land’s phone application should make things easier for students. The app is also not just for COVID – it will have campus events listed as well and keep students connected to the campus community. 

Dee Kruger is the Director of Lincoln Land Community College in Springfield and she appeared as a guest on the WTIM Morning show Friday. More information about Lincoln Land Community College at LLCC.edu.

For Kim Bourne, CEO and President of Taylorville Memorial Hospital, COVID-19 is still an important topic, even if she knows people are tired of hearing about it. Bourne says that even in Central Illinois, there are more people getting sick with COVID and they are getting sick quicker.

Overall, Bourne says that they are seeing all ages coming in with COVID, but predominately, it has been younger unvaccinated people coming in. 

Bourne has observed that people coming in are getting sicker quicker and their condition can change very quick.

Kim Bourne says that she has noticed that ICU beds are down across the state which means that people who may not even have COVID, are having trouble finding beds.

Kim Bourne appeared as a guest on the WTIM Morning Show.

Student registration has begun for Taylorville Community Credit Union's 8th Annual Scholarship Program has begun and will continue until Friday, October 8th. Senior students at Taylorville, Hillsboro, Litchfield, and Pana High Schools who plan to continue their education after high school graduation in May of 2022. TCCU President Will Perkins says that any senior who plans to continue their education whether it's a trade school, community college, or a 4 year university can register.  Two students from each of the four high schools will receive $1000 awards toward their education. 

Registration and parental permission forms are available at all four TCCU locations as well as TCCU's website at www.TCCU.org. All you need is your  name, a good quality photo and a completed parental permission slip. TCCU's scholarship program is different.  Award recipients are determined by votes cast by community residents.  Tri-county residents can cast votes for their preferred student's whenever they shop at participating retailers in Taylorville, Hillsboro, Litchfield, and Pana. 

For every $10 that you spend at participating businesses, shoppers can cast one vote for a student. So if you spend $100, you can cast 10 votes. Participating businesses will display a poster of registered student's photos. There is a limit of 100 votes ($1000) per any individual purchase.  There is no limit to how many businessess people can patronize or how many times they can go. 

For all high school seniors at Taylorville, Hillsboro, Litchfield, and Pana who look to continue their education should register for the program by Friday, October 8th. For more information regarding the TCCU Scholarship, or how to join the credit union, please call or stop in one of the local TCCU locations: Taylorville is 824-9658, Hillsboro is 532-5300, Litchfield 324-7496, and Pana is 562-2516.  You can also visit www.TCCU.org. 

Memorial Health Systems which includes Taylorville Memorial Hospital in Taylorville announced that they have begun scheduling a third dose of the COVID-19 vaccines at its drive-thru lab on South Sixth Street for people with compromised immune systems.  The CDC recommends that a third dose of the Moderna and PfizerNTech COVID-19 vaccines for people with moderately or severely compromised immune systems who are at least 12 years old. The FDA has amended its emergency use authorization to allow people with compromised immune systems to receive a third shot of both vaccines.

Research has indicated that the vaccines' effectiveness can diminish over time for certain patients, especially those with weakened immune systems. Dr. Anna Richie, clinical director of Memorial Physician Services ExpressCare says that with the Delta variant creating another surge in COVID-19 hospitalizations, it's vital that the most vulnerable patients need to be protected from this virus and this third dose will ensure that that can happen.

To receive the third dose, patients of Memorial Health Systems can go online to schedule their visit at vaccination.mhsil.com.  A doctor's order is not required.  The Memorial Drive-Thru Lab on South Sixth Street is at 2950 South Sixth Street in Springfield. The third shot will be available for patients who are receiving active cancer treatment for tumors or cancers of the blood, those who have received an organ transplant and are taking meds to suppress their immune system, those who have moderate or severe primary immunodeficiency, and those who have an advanced or untreated HIV infection.  You may also be eligible for the third dose of the vaccine if you are receiving active treatment with high-dose corticosteroids or other drugs that may suppress your immune system. 

The third shot must be given at least 28 days after patients have received their second dose according to CDC recommendations. The Pfizer vaccine is administered to patients who are 12 years old and older; the Moderna vaccine is for patients who are at least 18 years old. An additional shot has not been approved for the single-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine.  

Taylorville School District Superintendent Dr. Chris Dougherty released a statement on Friday concerning the new mandate from Illinois Governor JB Pritzker concerning vaccinations and masking up. The indoor masking order statewide begins today and the requirement for educational employees to begin their COVID-19 vaccine regimen is September 5th. All educational employees must get a COVID-19 vaccination or submit to testing weekly. 

Dr. Dougherty says she will communicate internally with the staff on the specifics of how the School District will verify staff vaccination status and coordinate weekly testing as its needed. 

In the press release, Dr. Dougherty says "Our consistent and continuous aim is safetym, learning, and communication. We're proud to be open, full day and full time and fully in person.  Thank you for your support and understanding, and thank you for allowing us to lead and serve the educational needs for each child, every day."

Taylorville Memorial Hospital announced COVID-19 testing sites available in Christian County as the Delta variant of COVID continues to spread. If you believe you've been exposed to the COVID-19 virus, TMH is asking you to wait three to five days before seeking a test for the most reliable results. 

The CDC says that the most common symptoms of COVID-19 are fever, dry cough, and tiredness. Other symptoms include aches and pains, sore throat, diarrhea, headache, loss of taste or smell, and a skin rash. If you are experiencing symptoms and want to get tested, in Christian County, you can visit the Christian County Health Department at 902 West Springfield Road in Taylorville.  There is rapid testing available.  The hours are 8 AM until Noon and 1 PM until 3:30, Monday through Friday. Go online at cchdil.org or call 217-824-4113 extension 122. All testing is done in your vehicle in the health department parking lot. Just call ext 111 or 122 when you arrive.

CVS Pharmacy at 401 North Webster Street in Taylorville is offering the PCR "nose swab" test. The hours for CVS are 8AM until 8 PM, Monday through Friday. On Saturday they are open 9 AM until 5 PM and on Sunday they are open 10 AM until 6 PM.  To receive a test check out CVS.com/minuteclinic to schedule an appointment or visit the drive-thru.  For more information call 217-287-7951.

At the Springfield Clinic, located at 600 North Main Street in Taylorville, you must have a primary care physician within Springfield Clinic to get tested.  Those hours are 8 AM until 5 PM on Monday through Friday.  Testing is available through the clinic's drive-thru lab. For more information call 217-287-8855. 

At Taylorville Urgent care, which is located at 1510 West Springfield Avenue in Taylorville, rapid and PCR "nose swab" tests are available with no appointment required.  The hours are 9 AM until 7 PM, Mondays through Fridays, and 10 AM until 6 PM on Saturdays and Sundays. For more information call 217-824-8244.

At Walgreens at 315 N. Webster Street in Taylorville, rapid testing is available from 9 AM until 5 PM daily.  You can register online at www.walgreens.com/covid19 or go through the drive-thru without an appointment.  Call 217-824-8154. At the Pana Walgreens at 108 South Poplar Street, you can get rapid testing available from 9 AM until 5 PM, Mondays through Saturdays. For more information, call 217-562-2770. 

If you are experiencing extreme shortness of breath or are unable to manage your symptoms at home, head on over to your hospital's emergency department or call 9-1-1.

Registration information for the 2021 Taylorville Chamber of Commerce Chillifest “Hot to Trot” Color Run taking place October 3rd, is now available on the event’s website chillifest-dot-info, that’s chillifest with 2-L’s.

Registration is open til September 17th to guarantee a swag bag of goodies.  Classes for this year’s run include 3 to 5 year olds, 6 to 10 year olds, eleven to 16 year olds, and 17 and up.  Registration is 25-dollars per person.

The event is a family color run and walk to benefit the Children’s Miracle Network, with 100-percent of the proceeds going to HSHS St. John’s Hospital’s Children’s Wing. 

This year's Greater Taylorville Chamber Chillifest takes place on the square October 2nd and 3rd.  Further information on the event, and the final schedule, will also be available on-line at chillifest-dot-info.

There are plenty of events coming to Taylorville, as the city continues to grow and expand. According to Linda Allen with the Greater Taylorville Chamber of Commerce, there are new businesses coming to Taylorville all the time which includes some ribbon cuttings.

Taylorville Music Lessons at 311 South Main Street, right across from Memorial School and the Post Office will be holding their open house, grand opening event on Saturday at 11:30 AM. Allen says owner Mike Semarau, has been putting in a lot of hard work to get it looking ready to go, including having different rooms for different instruments.

For more information on Taylorville Music Lessons, contact Mike at 217-771-7100. Another event that will be coming up on September 11th will be Taylorville Dog Days on the square. 

Allen also welcomed some new members to the Greater Taylorville Chamber of Commerce.

Linda Allen and Laura Mitchell both appeared as guests on the WTIM Morning Show.

Governor JB Pritzker is reinstating a mask mandate in Illinois for all indoor settings starting on Monday. The Governor announced on Thursday morning that regardless of vaccination status you will have to wear a mask. He says the science and the data show that numbers are rising and they fear the worst. 

Governor Pritzker says not enough Illinoisans are getting the vaccine and that is what is keeping COVID-19 hospitalizations going.  The new rules are that all healthcare workers must be vaccinated or test weekly.

Governor Pritzker is requiring vaccines for all state employees who work in congregate settings, teachers and educators must get the vaccine or be willing to test at least once a week starting September 5th. 

Governor Pritzker says the faster people get vaccinated, the quicker things can return to normal.

The Governor has said before that he will reinstate further restrictions if the numbers don’t start getting better.

Lake Shelbyville will be holding an event on October 13th at the General Dacey Trail as they hold the General Dacey Trail Hay Ride for people with mobility restrictions. The event features scenic hayride tours of the General Dacey trail for those who are physically unable to walk the trail.  Trailers used for the events are made to accommmodate wheelchairs and sitting participants. 

The US Army Corps of Engineers staff will be on standby to assist any participants that may need assistance.  Tours arrive and depart from the Shelbyville Aquatic Center parking lot in Shelbyville's Forest Park.  Departure times are 11 AM, 12 PM, 1 PM, 2 PM, and 3 PM.  To reserve a seat and time slot, contact the Lake Shelbyville Interpretive Services and outreach Program Department at 774-3951, extension 7047. 

Only a limited number of seats are provided so you should RSVP to secure a spot on the hayride.  Walk ups will be taken but not guaranteed.  This event is made possible by Lake Shelbyville USACE, General Dacey Trail, and Sloan Implement of Shelbyville. 

Grants have been given to local libraries in Springfield Decatur and Litchfield.  State Senator Doris Turner announced that nearly $300,000 has been given to the area libraries to improve services and offer new products to residents.  Senator Turner says that she wants to invest in libraries by providing free access to educational, news, and historical resources helps keep communities informed. The Lincoln Library will receive $171,468, The Decatur Public Library is expected to receive $112,279, and the Litchfield Public Library District will receive $13,263.

The money is coming from the Illinois Public Library Per Capita and Equalization Aid Grants Program and has helped public libraries with a low library tax base to ensure a minimum level of funding. For more information, visit www.cyberdriveillinois.com/departments/library/grants/plpc_equalization.html. 

Taylorville High School students are back in the classroom, after they had to evacuate this morning due to a bomb threat. According to Taylorville Police Chief Dwayne Wheeler there was a threat written on a wall in a bathroom in the High School. 

Chief Wheeler says they have a suspect in custody who they feel is connected with the threat.

Chief Wheeler says that everyone is safe and that students are back in the classroom. Another student is who found the note and reported it.

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

Taylorville High School students were evacuated after the school received a threat on Thursday morning. Taylorville Police and Fire were on the scene. All students are accounted for at this time and everyone is safe. Police were clearing the building. This is an ongoing story. Stay tuned to Regional Radio News for more as it becomes available. 

The Shelbyville Chautauqua has gotten a remake. A building that has stood the test of time, and started to feel the effects of that, was starting to crumble. Thanks to Mark Shanks and the other committee members, the Chautauqua Building has been renovated. Shanks says it’s looking very good and has been a lot of work. 

Shanks says he didn’t want to see Shelbyville lose the building.

Shanks says that there were many different plans for what to do with it, but thanks to a referendum, they were able to save it.

Shanks says it’s something that everyone should see.

Mark Shanks appeared as a guest on the WTIM Morning Show live from our studios in downtown Shelbyville.

The Scovill Zoo in Decatur is winding down for the season, but that doesn’t mean that you can’t see the animals anymore. There is still time to head out to the zoo and see some of the fantastic animals they have under their care. Ken Frye with the Zoo says there are plenty of great events coming up.

Frye says they wrap things up on October 11th but they will be back open in April. 

Frye says just because they “close” the zoo doesn’t mean they all go home. A lot goes into taking care of the animals during the winter.

Frye thanked the many volunteers that helped, saying that they have made a big impact on Scovill Zoo.

For more information on the Scovill Zoo, visit their Facebook Page or their website. Frye appeared as a guest on the WTIM Morning Show.
 

The Taylorville School Board met on Tuesday evening for a special board of education meeting to review the budget. The board said goodbye to Tonya Goodroe, PE Teacher at Memorial who will be retiring in December, Melissa Williams who will be resigning from the FaCS Department Chair at the High School, and welcoming Trevor Hooth to Memorial as an interventionist, Rachael Althoff as a speech/language pathologist, Shauna Becker, as a Secretary, and Jennifer Baird-Gant, Shelbi Turner, and Jeanie Rathgeber as cafeteria workers.  Superintendent Dr. Chris Dougherty says that the meeting held open comments from parents who had concerns.

The board proposed the FY22 tentative budget which will be placed on display at the district for 30 days. There will be a public hearing followed by a board meeting to adopt the budget on September 28th. The board also adopted a resolution to acquire the conveyance of 828 West Vandeveer Street property from the city with tax bills. Dr. Dougherty says the School District is in good shape.

The board also heard from many visitors including McKenzie Sneed, DJ Devore, Marsha Long, Erin Long, Jessica Vincent, and Carl Niemann. Dr. Dougherty says that the conversations were very important. 

The next School Board meeting is set for September 13th.

School is back in session and if you are a child of a disabled, retired, or deceased worker, you can receive benefits until the age of 18. Jack Myers with the Social Security Administration says that these benefits can continue until age 19 if your child is still a full time high school student.

That form can be found at www.ssa.gov. If you have a student who is learning how to drive, they will need their social security card.  If you’ve lost one or it needs replacing, Myers says that’s an easy fix.

Myers says there is a form that you need to fill out. You will only need to provide identification for the minor.

Disability should always be something that you are aware of—especially if something happens.

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

The Sangamon County Sheriff’s Office responded to a vehicle accident on Wednesday afternoon around 3 PM. The Sheriff’s Office responded to the area of Curran Road and Mansion Road in Chatham, in regards to a 2 car accident with injuries.  The accident was reported by a passerby. 

The female driver was pronounced dead on the scene. It is unknown her age. The male driver, also age unknown, of the other vehicle was airlifted to Saint John’s Hospital with unknown injuries.  There were no other occupants in either vehicle.  The accident is still under investigation by the Sangamon County Sheriff’s Office patrol division and the accident reconstruction unit.

While many people wanted to leave Afghanistan after spending nearly 20 years in the country, a lot of people weren’t pleased with the exit strategy put in place by President Joe Biden. Many feel he ignored warnings and could have handled things a little better than what he did. Jim Bohannon, host of the Jim Bohannon Show says that it has been very badly mishandled.

As far as the many Americans that are still in Afghanistan, Bohannon doesn’t understand how they weren’t paying attention to the news. Bohannon says we have a plan for everything but it seems to have failed with Afghanistan.

Bohannon says that Biden is faced with a dilemma as far as having a firm deadline and that means dealing with the Taliban.

Bohannon also believes that the world sees us as undependable. 

Jim Bohannon, host of the Jim Bohannon Show appeared as a guest on the WTIM Morning Show.

COVID numbers are on the increase and experts in the Christian County medical field are concerned. Christian County Health Public  Health Administrator Director Greg Seiders, Taylorville Memorial Hospital CEO and President Kim Bourne, and Pana Community Hospital President and CEO Trina Casner held a press conference to address some concerns that they had. Seiders says that they have seen an uptick in testing, but they’ve also seen an uptick in vaccines.

Kim Bourne says people still don’t believe it’s in Christian County, but the numbers say otherwise.

Trina Casner says that the impact in Pana has been felt hard.

Bourne says that she wants to make sure everyone knows that Healthcare workers are there for those who need it. 

In Christian County, 26 new positive COVID cases were detected and the positivity rate is sitting at 5.1%. 23,788 total doses of the vaccine have been given in the county. 

The Taylorville Park Board met on Tuesday evening to discuss business, go over reports, and hear from guests. The board heard from Pam Moses and Angie Goodall Younker who made a sizeable donation for a new frisbee golf course to be built. David Pistorious with Midstate bank spoke to the board about bonds. The board approved doing a new bond ordinance with Midstate to handle the work.

The board also heard from Lindsay Barry with the Quarter Midget Association and Aaron Durham who was with Men’s softball. Quite a few softballs had made their way over to the track and damaged some vehicles and Barry wanted something to be done. The two sides agreed about fencing and the board approved putting up taller netting to protect the cars and people from getting hit by softballs.

The board approved a bench in memorial for Mike Demichael who recently passed away. The board also agreed to adopt an ordinance to levy necessary taxes for the next fiscal year. Recreational Director Bailey Hancock spoke on behalf of Maintenance Superintendent Gary Brown who was absent and says that the storm caused quite a bit of damage.

Hancock says that they had to shut down the park due to the amount of damage that had happened from the storm.

Hancock says day camp was very successful.

The next Park Board meeting is set for September 27th.

The Chairman of the Pana Labor Day Horse Show has provided to Regional Radio News, details on this year's event.

Scott Loos says this year's Parade Horse Show will be held just prior to the parade on Monday, September 6th at approx. 9:30 a.m., at the former Wallace Bros. Stable, which is the old sale barn on Cold Springs Road off U.S. 51 South. Watch for the signs. 

Loos says following judging in the classes of  Hitch, Pony, Costume/Parade, and Western, and the presentation of awards for first and second places as well the Oldest and Youngest Riders, riders and horses will caravan to East Second Street to the parade staging area. 

Trophies, ribbons, and monetary awards will be given for first and second places. Anyone with a horse or pony is welcome to show as Loos says this is a fun competition to bring the community together, especially since the 2020 parade was canceled. 

Questions regarding the horse show may be directed via call or text to Loos at area code 217-565-2332.

The Taylorville Kiwanis Club heard about Camp New Hope during their weekly meeting Tuesday at the Taylorville Moose Lodge.  

Eric Jostes of Pana is part of a committee that raises funds to send Christian County children and youth that are developmentally disabled, to Camp New Hope near Mattoon.

The idea of a camp began with a parent group of children with disabilities that held meetings to support each other, back in 1954.  They established a school for their children in Mattoon in 1957, which was then absorbed into the Mattoon School District in 1969.  

Also in 1969, the school district donated 41 acres along Lake Mattoon for the parents’ group to build a camp where children and youth could attend one-week and single day camps, called Camp New Hope.

With volunteer labor and lots of fund raising, Jostes says the camp has grown over the years, and still provides these services today with a full-time staff of 4 as well as volunteers.  

Jostes became part of a committee in the Pana area that raised funds to send children with disabilities to the camp, and that committee expanded into the rest of Christian County in 2015.  Since that time, close to 35 local children have benefited from the camp each year.

Kiwanis members Blain Cornwell and Dennis Barnard were recognized for heading a committee that manned gates at the recent Illinois State Fair as a fund-raiser for Kiwanis.  State Fair officials will be giving monies to several non-profit organizations that provided manpower for the Fair gates, including the local Kiwanis Club, in October.

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 the Taylorville Moose Lodge.  For information on the club, go to taylorvillekiwanis.com.     

Sheriff Bruce Kettelkamp and the Christian County Sheriff’s Office are hard at work as we get closer to fall and football games and school are back in session.  Sheriff Kettelkamp urges caution when traveling around the school especially on Friday nights. He is also urging people to slow down and move over for emergency vehicles.

Sheriff Kettelkamp is also urging you to move over for farming equipment but he also has a message for farmers—know where you are in the field if you can.

As always, while it may seem hard, Sheriff Kettelkamp urges you to get sleep as sleepy driving can kill.

Sheriff Kettelkamp appeared as a guest on the WTIM Morning Show.

School is back in session and many organizations are working on making things easier for students whether it’s homework, sleeping better, or in this case nutrition. Jill Williams with the St. Louis District Dairy Council says there are many resources available for schools and educators. One of those programs is called “Adopt a Calf.” 

Williams says that you get pictures of the calf and can keep up with what is going on with your animal. There are other programs as well.

Williams says school lunches are more nutritious now than they have ever been.

School cafeterias have been given posters and help to promote dairy and Williams believes that these can be a big help.

Jill Williams appeared as a guest on the WTIM Morning Show. 

Legislators never stop working. Even when they have down time from session they are still busy seeing constituents, working on bills, and listening to the pulse of their district. For Representative Brad Halbrook, one thing that they have been working on hard is getting information on the census. 

Representative Halbrook says the end results of the census were very different than what was originally thought by Democrats.

At the end of the day, Representative Halbrook says there is too much gerrymandering going on.

While keeping busy, Representative Halbrook still has time for some townhalls.

Representative Brad Halbrook appeared as a guest on the WTIM Morning Show live from our studios in downtown Shelbyville.
 

The CEFS Economic Opportunity Corporation, has announced that there are funds available to assist income-eligible households with their gas, propane, electric bills, and furnace equipment. The program is set to begin on September 1st of 2021. Applicaitons will be taken on a first come first serve basis and will run through May 31st, 2022. There are no priority groups this year. Households in need are encouraged to apply.

Households must be at or below 200% of the federal poverty level to receive a benefit.  Also, starting on September 1st, AMeren customers will have the option to accept a one-time LIHEAP payment or to enroll in PIPP (Percentage of Income Payment Plan). PIPP consists of a monthly benefit customers receive if they make their monthly payment that is determined at the time of intake. THis program is offered until March 31st of 2022. 

The 30-day income guidelines are based on Federal Poverty Guidelines, State Median Income and the number of persons living in the household. Items needed at the time of application include proof of gross income from all household members for the prior 30 days, proof of social security numbers or individual taxpayer identification, a copy of current heat and electric bills, other documents to proof your need, and a copy of rental agreement if renting. 

To make an appointment contact the CEFS Christian County Outreach office at 220 West Franklin Street in Taylorville at 217-824-4712. You can also visit www.cefseoc.org/LIHEAP-application. 

The Taylorville Park District is set to meet this evening at 7 PM at the Manners Park Dining Hall for their regular monthly board meeting. The board will hear from a few guests including Pam Moses and Angie Godall Younker who will discuss a Disc Golf Course, David Pistorious for some refunding bonds, Lindsay Barry on some mens’ softball issues, and Aaron Durham to talk about fireworks.

Under new business, the board will talk about a memorial for Mike Demichael. Under old business, the board will adopt a new ordinance for a tax levy. The board will also hear from Maintenance Superintendent Gary Brown, Recreational Director Bailey Hancock, and Lisa Morillo, Office Administrator. 

Stay tuned to Regional Radio News for more on this story after the meeting is completed.

The Christian County Sheriff's Office is investigating a burglary that occured at Burton's Tap in Langleyville on August 19th around 4:30 AM. THe unknown suspect forced entry to Burton's Tap and broke open slot machines, stealing over $3,000 in cash. The burglar also caused several thousands of dollars in damage to the slot machines and business itself. 

Anyone having any information about the burglary should contact the Christian County Sheriff's Office at 824-4961. You can also contact the Christian County Crime Stoppers at 217-824-9100. 

There are some classes being conducted by the University of Illinois Extension Office on Nutrition and Wellness. Lisa Peterson, Nutrition and Wellness Educator, says one of the classes that will be taught will be on the benefits of cheese and about some of the benefits of eating cheese.

Peterson says there are many different kinds of cheese and she hopes to cover some of the basic ones.

Protein is also an important muscle builder for your body that is provided by cheese.

Peterson also highlighted how you can register for the class.

You can also visit the U Of I extension office to see what other great classes they have going on. Lisa Peterson appeared as a guest on the WTIM Morning Show.
 

Kenny Schwengel, has a close connection with his community and hopes to continue it with No Bad Days Farm.  Schwengel says that his farm started as a pop up tent and it has grown up a lot. They have some events coming up October 2nd. 

Schwengel also says that they will have a special guest who will come for the kids.

Schwengel also says there’s plenty of things to see day to day at the farm. 

Find out more on No Bad Days Farm on their website and also on Facebook. Their farm is located at Lithia Heights Road and 2300 East in Shelbyville. Their phone number is 962-1853. Kenny Schwengel appeared as a guest on the WTIM Morning Show live from our studios in downtown Shelbvyille. 

There is still much that needs to get done in Illinois and State Representative Brad Halbrook says that there aren’t any real little things that the Legislature is working on. Representative Halbrook says one big focus is the energy bill. 

Representative Halbrook has been to many plants and seen the effect they have on Central Illinois.

The coal plant that Representative Halbrook has visited is one of the cleanest he’s seen.

If the plants shut down, Representative Halbrook says that the loss of people from Illinois would be bad.

Representative Brad Halbrook appeared as a guest on the WTIM Morning show live from our studios in downtown Shelbyville. 

After missing the 2020 State Fair due to COVID-19, the Manager of the Illinois State Fair, Kevin Gordon, says they were thrilled to have a safe state fair. No numbers are available yet, but Gordon says he was pleasantly surprised by the results. 

Gordon says that it was nice to have a full grandstand lineup but it wasn’t easy trying to set it all up during the pandemic.

Gordon says he’s heard good things from vendors but there were fewer this year due to COVID. Some vendors got out because of trouble with getting supplies and trouble keeping workers or they went out of business due to the virus. 

A new state law that has been signed by Governor JB Pritzker will protect children with severe allergies. The measure requires the Illinois State Board of Education and public health officials to come up with a comprehensive guideline for preventing and handling an allergic reaction in school children. This will also apply to daycares. Illinois Department of Children and Family Services Deputy Director Bill McCaffrey says that parents deserve to know that their children are taken care of.

This law will require that staff is trained and there are proper procedures for identifying kids with food allergies, and emergency protocols. Staff needs to know how to properly respond.

The law takes effect next summer. It’s based on a similar law that was passed in New York in 2019. 

Illinois 4-H wouldn’t be where it was without the wonderful support and efforts of the countless volunteers who spend their time empowering and mentoring youth.  The program relies on 15,000 volunteers and recently, the Illinois 4-H Foundation recognized some of them for their selfless dedication to the program.

In 2021, 71 individuals received the Foundation Hall of Fame Award presented during a virtual ceremony on August 17th including four who were named posthumously. In Christian County, W. Lee Meteer was honored and inducted into the 4-H Hall of Fame for Christian County.  Meteer was a 10 year 4-H member of the Athen’s Cloverleaves and has a strong passion for helping youth reach their full potential.  As a past 4-H member, parent, and high school ag teacher, Meteer has always supported the Christian County 4-H. He has helped with the 4-H livestock judging team, and county fairs and shows.  Thanks to Meteer’s support, youth have developed skills, career opportunities, and contributors of their own to the program and community. Christian County 4-H says they are thankful for his dedication and service to 4-H and the youth of Christian County.

Illinois 4-H programs reach nearly 120,000 youth each year through clubs, camps, programs, workshops, and conferences. Volunteers fill key leadership and mentoring roles throughout the state. The Illinois 4-H Foundation established the statewide Hall of Fame in 2005 to honor and celebrate extraordinary4-H alumni, volunteers, and former staff.  Each recipient receives a commemorative Hall of Fame medallion. 

To volunteer in your community, you can request information from your local extension office. To learn more visit 4hfoundation.illinois.edu. Clem and Doris Huber of Montgomery County, Annette Sims of Shelby County, and Karen King of Macon County were among those recognized.

A vehicle crash in Macoupin county killed one woman on Friday afternoon on Interstate 55 just north of Milepost 46 in Mount Olive when the vehicle’s tire fell off. 51-year-old John B. McCutcheon and 28-year-old Katelynn K. Cook-McCutcheon of Warrenton, Missouri were traveling in a vehicle with 3 minors, a 2-year-old female, a 3-year-old male, and a 7-year-old female. 

Preliminary reports show that John McCutcheon was traveling northbound on I55 just north of milepost 46 when a rear tire of the 2003 Ford Explorer they were in fell off causing him to lose control. The vehicle traveled into the center median and overturned. Katelynn K. Cook McCutcheon was ejected from the vehicle. She was transported by ambulance to an area hospital where she passed away. The three-year-old was airlifted to a regional hospital with serious injuries.  John and the remaining two passengers were transported to area hospitals with non-life-threatening injuries.

The ISP Traffic Crash Reconstruction Unit is continuing the investigation. The crash caused I55 to be closed for 4 hours. John McCutcheon was cited for operating a vehicle in an unsafe condition and operating an uninsured motor vehicle. 

Taylorville Police Department Community Action Team went to the area of East Adams Street to conduct enforcement due to some complaints from residents of alleged narcotic activity. During the enforcement, the police encountered and gathered information which led to a search warrant at a narcotic location.  The search warrant was approved and executed at the location.

44-year-old Nicholas J. Dyer and 41-year-old Megan R. Lynn of Taylorville were arrested. Dyer is currently on parole. The Police say more arrests are expected. The subjects were arrested for delivery of methamphetamine, possession of methamphetamine, and possession of methamphetamine with intent to deliver. Taylorville police discovered and recovered several grams of meth, scales, baggies, and other items that contribute to the sale of narcotics. Chief Dwayne Wheeler thanked the Kincaid Police, Assumption Police, Christian County State’s Attorney Mike Havera, and Judge Brad Paisley. 

Chief Wheeler says that the subject has expressed concern over losing business due to Safe Passage, and Chief says that shows Safe Passage is working.  Taylorville Police started the emergency response team which consists of members of the Taylorville, Kincaid, and Assumption Police Department, in an attempt to be ready if a major incident occurs in the city or county. The team is ready 24 hours a day and has trained members on the team and currently has 10 members on it. Chief Wheeler says above all safety and protecting the city and county is his number one priority.

The Illinois State Board of Education last week placed over 50 Illinois school districts as being non-recognized and on probation, for defying Governor Pritzker’s Executive order mandating school students wear masks.

The non-recognition also means these districts face losing participation in all school sports thru the Illinois High School Association.

School districts in the Regional Radio listening area that were on the I-S-B-E list include Shelbyville, Cowden-Herrick, Beecher City, Altamont, Saint Elmo, Effingham, Vandalia, Ramsey, Teutopolis, Altamont,  and Meridian. 

Initially, schools are placed on 60 days probation and if they don't take corrective action they risk losing recognition. 

Governor JB Pritzker signed legislation making Penicillium Rubens as the official state microbe and other legislation that adds agricultural science and agricultural education as an option to fulfill the coursework requirements for university admission. Governor Pritzker says it’s important to recognize the value of agricultural science.

Sponsor of the bill, Springfield State Senator Doris Turner, says that this has been a big push of hers since she took over for former State Senator Andy Manar.

State Senator Elgie Sims says that its important to expand opportunities for children.

State Representative Ryan Spain praised the decision of making Penicillin as the official state microbe as it came from Peoria and said that the Allies wouldn’t have won WWII without it.

Both laws go into effect on January 1st, 2022.
 

HSHS Medical Group is now offering a third dose of the mRNA COVID vaccines for Moderna and Pfizer to patients whose immune systems are moderately or severely compromised.  The additional dose can be given at least 28 days after a second dose.  There are still studies being conducted on the Johnson and Johnson vaccine booster. A second dose of J & J is not recommended at this time. 

If you feel you are immunocompromised, please contact your doctor.  Guidelines for immunocompromised people include receiving active cancer treatment for tumors or cancers of the blood, if you’ve received an organ transplant and are taking medicine to suppress the immune system, if you received a stem cell transplant within the last 2 years or are taking meds to suppress the immune system, advanced or untreated HIV infection, moderate or severe primary immunodeficiency or active treatment with high-dose corticosteroids.  Above all else, check with your doctor if you should receive the booster shot.

This new booster will help offer protections against the mutation of the virus. Doctors say that the reactions to the third dose are similar to the second dose. According to the CDC, 30% of new COVID cases are in individuals younger than 20.  

HSHS continues to offer COVID-19 vaccines to community members who are 12 and older.  A parent or guardian must accompany those age 12-17 when they receive the vaccine.  Pfizer is the only type of COVID-19 vaccine available to those in the 12-17 range. If you would like a COVID vaccination, please make an appointment over phone or online at 1-844-216-4707 or online at www.hshsmyhealthrecord.com and set up a mychart account.

According to the Illinois Department of Public Health, in Christian County, there have been 23,514 residents who have received at least one dose (71%) with 36% of the population fully vaccinated. 

The weather is staying hot and Christian County Sheriff Bruce Kettelkamp is encouraging all residents to check on people and if anyone needs a fan to contact the Sheriff’s Office. He says it’s extremely important to check on Senior Citizens.

Sheriff Kettelkamp says with school starting up it’s important to remember the rules around school buses.

Sheriff Kettelkamp says he sees too many people in the county still on their cell phones while they are driving and he is encouraging residents to put their phones down.

There are also more people riding their bikes, and if you ride a bike Sheriff Kettelkamp encourages you to follow the laws for riding just like if you were driving a car.

Sheriff Kettelkamp appeared as a guest on the WTIM Morning Show.

The US Army Corps of Engineers is partnering with the Friends of Lake Shelbyville, Central Illinois Mountain Bike Association, and the General Dacey Trail Mountain Bike Club to host the 3rd Annual DirtWorx MTB Fest going on September 10th-12th.  Mountain bikers are invited to spend the weekend camping at Lone Point Campground and enjoy trails at Lake Shelbyville, including the General Dacey Trail and Camp Camfield.  Weekend activities include a night ride, group rides, pump track, beginner’s skill clinic, games, food vendors, and much more.

On Friday the pump track and night ride at the General Dacey Trail will be available. On Saturday, will be the big day with group rides, beginners clinics, and the pump track will be available. There will also be live music by “Three Shades Of Grey” will be provided and on Sunday, open rides on all trails will be available. 

All inclusive registration for single adult, with camping, live music, a food voucher, and t-shirt is $60.  All inclusive couples registration is $85, and Kids 16 and under can register all inclusive with a  paying adult for $15. 

Visit www.bikereg.com/dirtwork-mtb-fest to access online registration. Register by August 30th to win a free t-shirt.  If you have questions, contact Ashley Florey by phone at 774-3951 extension 7005 or at lakeshelbyville@usace.army.mil. 

With school starting up, it’s important to focus on nutrition and wellness for your kids as they return to the classroom.  Lisa Peterson Nutrition and Wellness educator with the University of Illinois says it’s important to start with a healthy breakfast and a well-packed lunch.

Peterson says it’s important to give kids a choice.

Peterson says picking a good healthy drink is always a better option and to stay away from soda and sugary drinks.

When you get home from school, a good snack can be something that’s quick and easy.

Lisa Peterson appeared as a guest on the WTIM Morning Show.
 

There will be an unclaimed property auction on Saturday at the Illinois State Fair. More than 15,000 items divided into 250 lots will be up for bid. According to Illinois Treasurer Michael Frerichs says there is a little bit of something for everyone. 

Proceeds from the items are held until the owner or their heir claims the money.  The auction will be held at 11 AM with previews open at 9 AM. Some of the items include coins, jewelry, and sports memorabilia.

To see a full list of the items available in the auction click here.
 

The Miller Media Group in Taylorville and Clinton, and 44i Digital of Sioux Falls, South Dakota, have formed a new digital agency to assist Central Illinois advertisers get results from the many digital platforms on the Internet.

The new division of the broadcast company is called Miller Media Group Digital, and will offer local businesses in both of the company's markets, the ability to effectively advertise on such platforms as Facebook and Google as well as provide other digital services, including web sites.

Miller Media Group president Randal J. Miller says the partnership is one more way his company can offer a full range of advertising platforms to local businesses thru-out the area.

The new Miller Media Group Digital agency will be formally introduced to local businesses in September.

Down to Earth Sustainability is a business in Taylorville owned by Jessica Oyler and she took over that business at a young age bringing a little bit of sustainability and environmental friendly products to the city. Oyler says they have something for everyone at Down to Earth Sustainability.

With a new business, there is always the thought of expanding, but for Oyler it is a daily reality, as they are constantly updating their merchandise.

Oyler says they are located in Taylorville near the square and there are plenty of ways to visit them including Facebook and Instagram. 

Oyler encourages Sunday shoppers and if you can’t make it to schedule an appointment.

Visit Down to Earth Sustainability at 105 E. Main Cross in Taylorville. 

Assumption Fest is a long time festival in its 90th year which means it’s as good a time as any to come out and check out some of the great things going on in Assumption starting today. Angela Marsters with the Assumption Fest committee says the festivities kick off at 6:30 on Thursday with the opening ceremonies.

Marsters talked about some of the stuff going on Friday including Millers Petting Zoo from 3-8:30 PM.

On Saturday there is a grand parade with a “Back To School” Theme.

Assumption Fest wraps up on Saturday evening with plenty of great music, fun, and carnival events.

For more information visit the Assumption Fest Facebook page. Angela Marsters appeared as a guest on the WTIM Morning Show.

Organ donation isn’t talked about nearly as much as blood donation, but it is just as important. Nearly 60% of the more than 100,000 men, women, and children waiting for organ transplants, are minorities, but minorities only make up 30% of registered donors. For Tina Montgomery, with the Gift of Hope Organ and Tissue Donor Network, that needs to change. Montgomery says organ donation is different than blood donation.

There are two different ways for you to donate, and while Gift of Hope works with those who died, you don’t need to die, to donate an organ like a kidney.

For minorities, you have the best chance of a match by getting another minority to help donate. The biggest thing is to communicate with your family what your desires are after you pass away.

Montgomery says that you can register and find more information at giftofhope.org. 

Find out more by visiting Gift of Hope on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
 

The State Board of Education heard from officials and parents about the school mask mandate at its monthly meeting on Wednesday. Several people spoke during the public comment segment of the meeting asking the board to leave it up to individual school districts to decide mask rules.  Many parents spoke about the vast size of Illinois and that you can’t compare Northern Illinois to Southern Illinois. There were concerns over students wearing masks all day, especially those with allergies. Some school officials like Westville Superintendent Seth Miller says that he is concerned about enforcement.

State Senator Darren Bailey spoke and brought 45,000 signatures from parents who asked for the schools to have control of the mask mandate. He asked the board where they have the authority to make the mask mandate a rule. 

Senator Bailey continued saying that Governor JB Pritzker does not have the authority to enforce the mandate. State Schools Superintendent Carmen Ayala says that it was important for everyone to wear masks at school.

The mandate requires all students and staff to wear a mask indoors whether they are vaccinated or not.

UPDATE: Missing Woman has been located. 

At the request of the Sangamon County Sheriff's Office, the Illinois State Police is activating an Endangered Missing Person Advisory. The Sangamon County Sheriff's Office is requesting your assistance in locating Catherine M Tremain, who is a 66 year old white female, who is 5 foot 9 inches and weighs 160 pounds.

Catherine has brown hair, green eyes and is wearing an orange shirt with "Barn in the USA" on it and jeans. She was last seen at 2146 Cincinnati Avenue in Grandview at 9:00am on August 18th. Catherine is driving a green 2005 Ford Freestyle with Illinois license plate, X828015. Catherine has a condition that places her in danger. Any person with information regarding the whereabouts of Catherine M Tremain should contact the Sangamon County Sheriff's Office at 2-1-7-7-5-3-6-6-6-6 or contact 9-1-1.

To see the whole missing person's report, please click here. 

Storm clean-up continues thru-out the City of Taylorville following last Thursday's severe weather.

Virginia Avenue was blocked for a time late this morning while city street crews loaded trees, branches, and other tree debris, into dump trucks to be hauled away.

City residents are reminded that if they're able, tree debris can be dropped off at the Street Department, or at the Christian County Fairgrounds.

There are new chances for working at the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum. The museum is looking for volunteers and will be holding a orientation session on Wednesday, September 8th. The event will talk about how to join the team. A volunteer greets visitors, assists at events, helps researchers, and more. 

The session begins at 5:30 PM in the presidential library's multipurpose room located at 112 North 6th Street in Springfield.  Anybody volunteering will be asked to attend three additional training sessions on Wednesday, September 22nd; Wednesday, September 29th; and Tuesday October 5th. Each session begins at 5:30. 

Volunteers contribute on average 40,000 hours of service each year and makes the experience better for all of the many visitors of the museum. To register you can contact Jeremy Carrell, director of volunteer services at 558-8872 by Tuesday, September 7th. For more information, visit www.presidentlincoln.illinois.gov or follow the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library Museum on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. 

Parts of Taylorville are still cleaning up after massive storms moved through the area late Thursday. Taylorville Mayor Bruce Barry says that you can bring any tree limbs that have been knocked down to the Christian County Fairgrounds, but if you can’t get them there, Mayor Barry says they will have people that will come and pick them up but you have to be patient.

The Municipal Building in Taylorville is back open after a couple COVID tests came positive. 

Work continues on road projects and cleaning up some of the sidewalks.

Mayor Barry also says there are some grants that have been applied to for those sidewalks.

Mayor Bruce Barry appeared as a guest on the WTIM Morning Show. 
 

Stacey Cole is chairperson of the 124th Windsor Harvest Picnic, one of the longest running events in Central Illinois.  This year’s event takes place starting tomorrow and running thru Saturday.

Cole says he’s been part of the Committee since 1990.

The Harvest Picnic Committee begins selling food tomorrow afternoon to kickoff the weekend.

Saturday’s schedule begins at 3 with the parade.

This year’s featured country music entertainment is singer Moe Bandy at 7 Friday night.  All entertainment at the Windsor Harvest Picnic all 3 days, is free….just bring your lawn chairs.

Stacey Cole was a guest on the WTIM Morning Show live from our downtown Shelbyville studios.

A lot of people dream of owning their own business, but not too many people can say they owned a business by the time they turned 21.  Jessica Oyler has achieved that goal.  Oyler owns Down To Earth Sustainability. A company that specializes in reusing products to help the Earth and the environment. Oyler says that she started off selling plants at the Farmers Market in TVL and knew that at some point she was going to own a store.

Oyler says Down To Earth Sustainability is a store that promotes environmentally friendly products that can last a long time.

Oyler is very proud of her refill station which allows you to reuse your products so you don’t have to throw them away.

Not only does Oyler have toothpaste and other toiletry products, but plenty of other items as well.

Jessica Oyler’s business is located at 105 East Main Cross Street and is open Thursday through Sunday. For more information visit the store’s Facebook page.  Oyler appeared as a guest on the WTIM Morning Show. 

The Christian County Health Department has confirmed that there have been two deaths in Christian County that have been COVID-19 related. Marcie May of the Christian County Health Department has confirmed with Regional Radio News that both deaths were completely unrelated.   

So far 102 Christian County residents have died of COVID-19. As of Tuesday, there were 28 new COVID-19 positive results. 106 are currently isolated and there are 25 cases in the hospital. The Health Department says this is the highest number of COVID related hospital stays since the pandemic began.  So far 23,373 residents have been vaccinated and the county positivity rate is sitting at 7%. Stay tuned to Regional Radio News for all of the latest COVID-19 information.

The Christian County Health Department would like to remind everyone that the Health Department is holding a free walk-in covid testing clinic on Monday through Friday from 8-12 and 1-4. If you’re feeling ill, or want to be tested, contact the health department at 824-4113. 

The Christian County Board met on Tuesday evening for their regular monthly board meeting. After approval of minutes and opening, the board discussed Blue Cross and Blue Shield which is the health care provider for the workers of the county. BCBS is disagreeing with Springfield Clinic and if the two don’t meet an agreement, it will hurt the County. The board approved looking at quotes of different insurance companies in case there is not an agreement met. 

Board president Matt Wells announced Matt Adermann had been appointed to the 911 Christian County Shelby County Board.

Dale Livingston announced that the Christian County Courthouse Fountain will be returning within the next couple months. There was also an approval for Dinner Seasoned with Love to take place in October on the Court House lawn.

A study was done on Beachwood Drive in May Township. Livingston says that there was no action taken.

The board also met for a closed session to discuss ongoing opioid litigation from a potential settlement. The next County Board meeting is set for Tuesday, September 21st. 

The 36th Annual Greater Taylorville Chamber of Commerce Chillifest is less than 2 months away, and committee members Tuesday night met to continue planning for this year’s event on the Square October 2nd and 3rd.

Event co-chair April Wolfe told Regional Radio News after the meeting committee members were excited to get together and work on the 2021 edition.

Wolfe added there’ll be some familiar acts at Chillifest this year, as well as some new acts on the 2 entertainment stages.

Wolfe shared about another new act to the Chillifest stage appear this year, and that there’ll be some surprises at the Kidzone.

Find out the latest on the Greater Taylorville Chillifest by going to chillifest-dot-info, that’s chillifest with 2-L’s.

State Senator Doris Turner has been working on some education bills. One of those bills was a bill helping families that have students with learning disabilities to stay home and get education from the safety of their own home. This isn’t the only bill that she has been pushing through. She has also helped push through one to recognize ag science for college admission.

Senator Turner believes that this is important because agriculture plays such a key role in central Illinois.

Senator Turner says despite the diversity of Central Illinois it’s important for urban places to recognize how important farming is to those communities.

Senator Turner appeared as a guest on the WTIM Morning Show.

There were 40 new COVID-19 cases over the weekend in Christian County with 275 negative tests. As of Monday, there were 4,449 positives in Christian County with 100 deaths.  There are currently 111 currently isolated cases with 25 known to be in the hospital. To date, Christian County has given 23,330 vaccines. The current positivity rate is at 7%. 

As of Saturday, Montgomery County was reporting 6 tests pending, 3,241 Positive, 99,479 Negative, and 74 Deaths. The Montgomery County Health Department will also be holding three drive-thru COVID-19 vaccination clinics.  There will be one held on Tuesday from 5-7 PM at Donnellson Village  Hall/Community Center. The clinic will be held on Jefferson Street with entry from Carson Street. On Wednesday, August 18th, Witt will hold a vaccine clinic from 5-7 PM at the Lions Club in Witt. On Thursday, August 19th, in Fillmore, there will be a vaccine clinic from 5-7 PM in the M&M Service parking lot. M&M Service is south of the 4-way stop in Fillmore. 

Preregistration is not required, you should bring your insurance card if you have one, and all three vaccines will be available: Moderna, Pfizer, and J&J. For any questions contact the Montgomery County Health Department from 8-4 on Monday through Friday at 532-2001.

The Shelby County Office of Tourism’s annual photo contest is accepting entries.  Tourism Director Freddie Fry says there are many prizes being offered.

Many non-profit organizations in the county do fund-raisers to give back.  Fry gave some examples and also talked about a September Eleventh event.

Fry says many of these fund-raising events can be found at the Tourism’s web site, lakeshelbyville-dot-com.

Fry was a guest on the WTIM Morning Show live from our downtown Shelbyville studios.

The Christian County Board will hold their monthly meeting tonight at 6:30 in the county board room.  Major agenda items include some appointments;  approving funding for a bridge; considering bids for the county’s property, auto, liability and workmen’s comp insurance; a property sale for land on County Highway 5; and going into executive session to discuss opioid litigation.

It was a short half-hour meeting, but a lot of business was transacted at Monday night’s Taylorville City Council meeting.

It started with Mayor Bruce Barry honoring T-H-S and college track and cross country runner Anna Lowry for the many records she broke.  Due to COVID restrictions, the Mayor presented Lowry her proclamation at her home earlier Monday.

Taylorville City Attorney Rocci Romano, in his attorney update, let aldermen know the city is in mediation on one law suit filed against it, and had 2 additional law suits filed against it on Friday.  

In his mayoral update, Mayor Bruce Barry reported on the tree cleanup after last Thursday’s severe storm.

Taylorville Aldermen Monday night voted to give additional duties of Airport Manager to Health and Building Officer Andy Goodall, with a 10-percent increase in pay.  Personnel Committee chair Kathy Driskell explained to Regional Radio News after the meeting how this all came about.

During the public comment session of Monday night’s Taylorville City Council meeting, Driskell questioned Mayor Barry on why taking down trees on Pawnee Street was deemed an emergency and paid for by Ward 5 funds.

The Ward 5 Fund is a fund used for emergency projects.

Alderman Megan Bryant also asked City Attorney Rocci Romano if the procedure used to pass the project was proper.   

The Taylorville Council adjourned just past 7:30 Monday night.

The Taylorville Kiwanis Club is now accepting applications for funding local non-profit organizations and activities that benefit children and youth in the Taylorville community.

The Club already funds high school and YMCA scholarships each year, but many times there are other requests for funding that come to the Kiwanis Board at various times of the year.

This effort is to request those organizations and events, to formally apply for funding.  Any application must be centered on how local children and youth will be benefited.

A link to the application is available HERE.

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 the Taylorville Moose Lodge.  For information on the club, go to taylorvillekiwanis.com.     

The Mid America Sport Parachute Club, based at Taylorville Municipal Airport, celebrated their 50th anniversary this  past weekend at their annual Old Timers Boogie.

Over 550 jumps were made from heights of up to 14,000 feet.

The Shelbyville Public Library’s 6-week summer reading program has been a big hit, according to Head Librarian Monica Cameron.

She said they had a wide age range of children that participated.

All the participants were also entered into a prize raffle.

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

The Taylorville City Council will hold their meeting tonight virtually due to the recent case of COVID in the Municipal Building.  The virtual meeting starts at 7, with major items on the agenda being approving the partial release of funds totaling some 84-thousand dollars to the Taylorville Development Association for the new Industrial Park; granting Taylorville High School a Special Events Permit for the annual Homecoming Parade September 22nd; and leasing some lake farm ground.

The Council will also consider a motion to offer the job duties of Airport Manager, to Health and Building Officer Andy Goodall with a 10-percent salary increase.  A separate motion will ask the Council to hire Bill Newberry to train Goodall, paying Newberry 35-dollars an hour not exceeding 6-hundred hours.

The Taylorville Dog Days, an annual event on the Square featuring your favorite pooches, is taking place this year on Saturday, September Eleventh from 9 til eleven that morning.  

Maureen Maple with the Dog Days Committee tells Regional Radio News they’re in the midst of organizing the event.

Maple says the Taylorville Dog Days Facebook page has the latest information on the event.

Maple was a guest on the WTIM Morning Show.

An Illinois lawmaker wants local boards to adopt a resolution asking the governor to relinquish his power when it comes to executive orders regarding schools. State Senator Neil Anderson says the more districts that support the resolution the better.

The governor issued an executive order last week requiring students and staff to wear masks while indoors.

National Weather Service officials are indicating we could see a winter that may mirror last year's.

Chris Miller at the National Weather Service in Lincoln indicates last winter was very wet. He notes long-range models are showing a La Nina weather pattern developing.

Miller says a La Nina winter does not produce as much snow as a typical winter and also the cold lingers into the spring. He notes the odds are becoming pretty good we'll have another La Nina winter.

The heat that has been stifling for much of Illinois this week causing headaches for many gardeners. You need to water your plants religiously during these hot and mostly dry periods, but not to the point of drowning them according to one garden expert.

U of I Extension Horticulture Educator Elizabeth Wahle says the time to fertilize has passed.

You can move potted plants and hanging baskets to shadier areas, and experts agree you may need to water your vegetables daily, if not more often. Again, the frequency depends upon how quickly the soil dries around their roots.

The Stonington Lions Club awarded 2 scholarships recently.  Winners of the scholarship are Lance DeClerck shown with Presenter Gene Hurelbrink and parents, Trent and Wendy DeClerck and Selah Allen shown with Presenter Gene Hurelbrink and mother, Rhea Allen. 

Lance DeClerck is the son of Trent and Wendy DeClerck of Stonington.  He plans to attend Lakeland College in Mattoon, majoring in Agricultural Production and Management.

Selah Allen is the daughter of Rodney and Rhea Allen of Stonington.  She plans on attending Southeast Missouri State University in Cape Girardeau, MO, majoring in Marine Biology.

The Stonington Lions Club congratulates both recipients.

Stonington Lions Club is a service organization who strives to support the local community in various ways.

The City of Taylorville announced late Friday afternoon, that tree limbs residents have from Thursday afternoon's severe weather, can be dropped off starting Monday, at the Christian County Fairgrounds from 7 in the morning til 3 each afternoon.  Only designated areas of the Fairgrounds are to be used by residents of the City or Taylorville Township, to deposit limbs.  

Central Commodity F-S held their annual Customer Appreciation Day at their F-S Fuel Stop 24 on North Cheney in Taylorville, on Friday.  WMKR Genuine Country 94-point-3 broadcast live.

The event featured discounted gasoline pumped by F-S personnel, free hot dogs and soda.

Logan Sarginson with Central Commodity F-S told WMKR listeners that he’s excited about working for a growing company.

Pepsi sponsored the WMKR live broadcast, and Growmark along with Central Commodity F-S sponsored the discounted gasoline that was offered.

Officials with Taylorville Park District's Manners Park Pool informed Regional Radio News this morning, that the pool was officially closed for the season yesterday afternoon when Thursday's storm knocked power lines down that power the pool.

This also means Sunday's "Paws in the Pool" event, is also canceled.

They add they appreciated the community's use of the pool this summer and look forward to re-opening the pool in 2022.

The Greater Taylorville Chamber of Commerce is the doorway to the community, and Executive Director Linda Allen says between ribbon cuttings, events formerly known as “Business After Hours” now known as “Very Important Business Events”, the upcoming Chamber Week and the annual Chillifest, it’s been a very busy summer.

Allen says the Chamber’s “VIBE” events are relaxing and fun.

The Greater Taylorville Chamber Chillifest is in full-time planning.

Allen was a guest on the weekly Chamber Chat segment of the WTIM Morning Show.

A “moving” memory for many at the Illinois State Fair is a trip to see the butter cow. And this year it’s a little more special as the sculpted bovine turns 100. Kelsey Kessler the Illinois State Fair Queen helped unveil the hundreds of pounds of salted Illinois butter that Sarah Pratt’s crafted into a work of art.

The butter cow contains 13 hidden hearts and is on display every day inside the Dairy Building at the Illinois State Fair.

The head of a national teacher’s union says there should be a vaccine mandate for educators.

The leader of one union in Illinois says any mandate should be discussed district by district.

Kathi Griffin President of the Illinois Education Association says research shows about 80 percent of IEA teachers are already vaccinated and discussion to get to a mandate should be done locally.

Griffin notes that 80% vaccinated figure came from a June survey.

As COVID-19 cases spike throughout Illinois due to the delta variant, hospitals within HSHS Illinois and Memorial Health System (MHS) will only allow one visitor in most situations – with some exceptions – beginning at 7 a.m. Friday, Aug. 13. 

The decision was made as part of the hospitals’ ongoing efforts to slow the spread of the COVID-19 virus and protect patients and health care professionals. Family members and other support persons will be able to call each hospital for assistance in checking on patients and should give nursing staff their contact information.

HSHS Illinois’ nine hospitals are St. John’s Hospital, Springfield; St. Mary’s Hospital, Decatur; St. Elizabeth’s Hospital, O’Fallon; St. Anthony’s Memorial Hospital, Effingham; 
St. Joseph’s Hospital, Breese; Holy Family Hospital, Greenville; Good Shepherd Hospital, Shelbyville; St. Francis Hospital, Litchfield; and St. Joseph’s Hospital, Highland.

Memorial Health System’s five hospitals are Memorial Medical Center, Springfield; Abraham Lincoln Memorial Hospital, Lincoln; Decatur Memorial Hospital; Passavant Area Hospital, Jacksonville; and Taylorville Memorial Hospital.

The two health systems will also continue the screening process for anyone entering their hospitals. People entering will have their temperature checked with a forehead scan thermometer and answer a brief set of questions. Medical-grade masks are required in all health care settings. 

Individuals will not be allowed to enter if their temperature is above 100.4 F, if they display symptoms of acute respiratory illness, including coughing, shortness of breath and sore throat, or if they refuse to wear a mask. 

Family members and friends can call hospitals for assistance.   Each hospital will also have limited access at designated entrances.

Damage to canopy at Circle K in Taylorville during height of storm during the 3 o'clock hour Thursday afternoon.  Picture provided by Bryan Payne.

Picture of storm damage in Kincaid submitted to taylorvilledailynews.com Facebook page by Libbe Sue.

Severe weather hit Central Illinois Thursday afternoon during the 3 o'clock hour, with heavy rain and high winds that knocked down trees.

Several counties in the Regional Radio listening area, were under severe thunderstorm warnings.

Christian County Emergency Management Agency Director Jeff Stoner spoke with Regional Radio during our severe weather coverage just before 4 o’clock and said the storm caused a lot of damage in the City of Taylorville.

Taylorville Police reported trees down all over the city at 3:32, and asked motorists to exercise caution when traveling this afternoon.

The National Weather Service in Lincoln posted on their web site, that Taylorville Airport clocked 70 mile per hour winds at 3:16 Thursday afternoon, and also that large limbs up to 3-inches in diameter fell on houses and vehicles in the Taylorville area as a result of the storm.

Stay tuned to Regional Radio for the latest weather information.

Severe weather hit Central Illinois Thursday afternoon during the 3 o'clock hour, with heavy rain and high winds that knocked down trees.

Several counties in the Regional Radio listening area, were under severe thunderstorm warnings.

Taylorville Police reported trees down all over the city at 3:32, and asked motorists to exercise caution when traveling this afternoon.

Here was the scene at the Miller Media Group studios in Taylorville at 3:20 this afternoon.

Stay tuned to Regional Radio for the latest weather information.

The Illinois Department of Transportation announced a bridge maintenance project on Illinois 48/127 in Montgomery County over the West Fork Shoal Creek, west of Raymond, started Thursday.

One lane of traffic will remain open, with traffic controlled by temporary signals and flaggers, warning signs and other devices. Work is expected to be complete by late October. 

This project consists of bridge deck patching and repairs, and removing and replacing expansion joints, all intended to preserve the bridge. 

Motorists can expect delays and should allow extra time for trips through this area. To avoid the work area, when feasible, use of alternate routes should be considered. Drivers are urged to pay close attention to changed conditions and signs in the work zones, obey the posted speed limits, refrain from using mobile devices and be alert for workers and equipment. 

The Illinois Department of Transportation has announced a 5.1-mile maintenance pavement preservation project on U.S. 51 in Christian County, stretching from Moweaqua to Assumption, started on Thursday.

Lane closures will be necessary, but at least one lane will always remain open. Traffic will be controlled with the use of flaggers, warning signs and other devices. Work is expected to be complete by early November. 

This $1.3 million project consist of micro-surfacing and cape seal of the pavement. This project is part of IDOT’s Transportation Asset Management Plan and is intended to extend the lifespan of the road to delay more costly pavement rehabilitation. 

Motorists can expect delays and should allow extra time for trips through this area. To avoid the work area, when feasible, use of alternate routes should be considered. Drivers are urged to pay close attention to changed conditions and signs in the work zones, obey the posted speed limits, refrain from using mobile devices and be alert for workers and equipment. 

The Illinois State Police report First Responders were on the scene of personal injury crash on Illinois Route 29 near Christian County Road 800N near Edinburg this morning just before 8 o'clock.  Southbound lanes on Route 29 were blocked as a result of the accident, and were opened just before 9 o'clock.  Stay tuned to Regional Radio when more information is released by the Illinois State Police.

Taylorville School Superintendent Doctor Chris Dougherty shared with Regional Radio News this morning, an e-mail she received Wednesday afternoon from Illinois State School Superintendent Dr. Carmen Ayala regarding the Governor’s executive order requiring masks be worn in all schools in the state.

Ayala’s e-mail said in part that while the state realizes they’ve put local school superintendents in a difficult position, the Governor’s executive order has the force of law, and noncompliance is not an option, adding they will not compromise the health and safety of students or staff.

Ayala’s e-mail again emphasized that local boards of education, schools, and school districts don’t have authority to deny the executive order requiring universal indoor masking in schools.  Ayala added that the Illinois State Board of Education will use its regulatory authority to ensure school districts protect students and staff.  The statement added if school districts fail to do so, they risk their State recognition.

Dr. Dougherty had previously shared this information with the Taylorville School Board and the public, during Monday night’s monthly meeting.

The Christian County Master Gardeners are an excellent resource in the community to answer questions about gardening. They’ve started to host a table at the Taylorville Farmer’s Market a couple of times a month to become more accessible. Gwen Podeschi with the Master Gardener’s says they will be out there again on August 21st.

It makes it easier for the Master Gardener’s to help if there is a sample available. Podeschi and Jan McClure explain that there are multiple Master Gardeners at the tent so they should be able to help.

At the end of the day, Podeschi says, they just want to help homeowners have a better garden.

The Master Gardeners do have experience in gardening, but McClure shares that they are constantly learning just like everyone else.

The Christian County Master Garedners appeared as guests on the WTIM Morning Show.

The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) is launching a new immunization portal, Vax Verify, that will allow Illinois residents 18 years and older to check their Covid-19 vaccination record. Vax Verify can be accessed at idphportal.Illinois.gov.

In a press release, IDPH Director Dr. Ngozi Ezike said, “ As more businesses, events, organizations, and others require proof of vaccination, Illinois residents will be able to confirm using Vax Verify that they have been vaccinated for Covid-19. With the current surge in cases, more people are making the decision to get a Covid-19 vaccine and this new tool will aid residents in confirming their vaccination where needed.” 

Immunization records are kept confidential and only the individual can access their vaccination history. Parents should talk with their child’s provider to confirm their vaccination status. Some individuals with very common names will need to take additional steps to securely prove their identities. 

Go to vaccines.gov or call 1-800-232-0233 to find Covid-19 vaccine locations near you.

Governor JB Pritzker has signed an executive order to mandate that students wear masks in school. That is something that Representative Avery Bourne says he decided on his own. She would prefer to see the schools have the local control to decide what is best for them, rather than have a blanket order for the entire state.

Representative Bourne is not against wearing masks in schools. She just thinks that the decision would be more accurate if made by those in the community.

There are those who made the decision to get vaccinated. If the delta variant isn’t spreading in an area, Representative Bourne doesn't see a reason for the vaccinated members of the community to wear a mask.

Representative Bourne says if the science is being followed then there should be more consistency from the Governor. 

Representative Bourne appeared as a guest on the WTIM Morning Show.

Gazing into the skies at night can be a great way to open up the mind and take in comets and planets in our own solar system to distant galaxies. Coming up at the end of the month is an event called the Astronomy Jamboree with live music, crafts for kids, and of course telescopes to view the skies. It’s an annual event that’s been going on for 30 years. Alysia Callison with Nature Manager Center Rock Springs in Decatur, says what’s going on.

You will be able to see Saturn, Jupiter and the Moon. 

Callison mentioned the meteor shower currently going on.     

According to Callison, we are at the height of the Perseid Meteor Shower. 

Alysia Callison with Nature Manager Center Rock Springs in Decatur appeared as a guest on the WTIM Morning Show. 
 

It’s almost time to start school for the Taylorville School District. Teachers report on  Monday, then on Wednesday the 18th it’ll be time for students to roam the halls. Dr. Chris Dougherty, Superindentdent for Taylorville Schools, is extremely excited to have campus buzzing again. 

As the first day draws closer, it’s important to get students back in a routine to make the transition from summer to school year easier.

The incoming freshman will be the first to be at the high school if they are able to go. Dr. Dougherty says they will have some activities for them coming up.

It may have been summer for the students, but for Dr. Dougherty and her colleagues , they’ve been hard at work getting ready for the school year.

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

Out with the old, in with the new.

Farm Credit Illinois' former building on West Route 104 in Taylorville, is gone, and is to be replaced with a new expanded building for management and staff to provide farm lending services to area farmers.

Here's an artist rendering of what the new building will look like.

As the first day of the new school year draws closer, so does the first day of teaching for the newest crop of educations from the Golden Apple Accelerators Program. One of those new teachers is Ashley Tyler who will be teaching 2nd and 3rd grade special education at the Dennis Lab School in Decatur. She has been a paraprofessional in the past, but this will be a new experience and she can’t wait to have the students in the classroom.  

Between mask mandates and so many other things, it’s a tough time for an outsider looking in on schools. That isn’t going to stop Tyler who is extremely proud to teach at Decatur Public Schools.

Tyler was a part of Golden Apple’s inaugural Accelerators program.

The pandemic has affected many things including people’s mental health. Stress has become more prevalent and Director of Public Health at Shelby County Community Services, Ed Lacheta, explains new research from Cornell University found that life expectancies have dropped.

Lacheta goes into detail just what this added stress is doing to people.

Lacheta tells us what our tendencies are as humans and how we change.    

Lacheta even says that returning to “normal” from this pandemic isn’t enough. He says we have to do better than we did before. 

Ed Lacheta, Director of Public Health at Shelby County Community Services, appeared as a guest on the WTIM Morning Show live from our studio in downtown Shelbyville. 
 

Taylorville Memorial Hospital has named its Colleague of the Month for June. Gina Rogers, a cook in the dietary department at the Hospital was awarded the recognition. In Rogers, hospital officials have said she makes sure patients are comfortable when she brings food and contacts the nurse if they are not. 

The person who nominated Rogers said that she is known for her upbeat attitude and the pride she takes in her work. Rogers joined Taylorville Memorial Hospital in 2018 and sees herself working at TMH for many years. She said, “The best part of my job is interacting with our patients, hearing their stories, and seeing their smiles.” 

Rogers enjoys spending time with her grandchildren, gardening, camping, boating, motorcycle rides, and walks with her dogs. 

This morning at 10:30 there will be a ribbon cutting on the square. The Greater Taylorville Chamber of Commerce will be welcoming in new owners to Spurling Title. Executive Director with the Chamber, Linda Allen, says it’s just a way to welcome them to the neighborhood.

Allen continues, saying they are welcoming a very important business with this ribbon cutting that plays a part in many people’s lives.

One of the people with Spurling Title was a part of the Christian County CEO program. Allen says it’s awesome to see Ben Robinson grow into the business world.

Spurling Title has been a part of the Chamber for a while now, but this is a new ownership group that decided to keep the relationship alive.

Spurling Titles is located on the Taylorville Square.

The Taylorville Kiwanis Club heard from the Executive Director of the Taylorville Memorial Hospital Foundation, during their weekly meeting Tuesday at the Taylorville Moose Lodge.  

Raedena Ryan shared with Kiwanis members that the Foundation was founded in 1991, and incorporated in 1995, with 3 areas of focus:  Patient Care, Education, and Community Health.

Ryan added that each area has provided grants from dollars raised by the Foundation. Patient Care grants have gone towards providing mammograms and purchasing medical technology, while Education grants have provided college scholarships to students attending nursing training and coming back to work at T-M-H.  Community Health grants have provided funding for a pediatric dental program.

Ryan told Kiwanis members that the T-M-H Foundation raises funds in the community, to then use in these 3 areas of focus in giving those funds back.  The Foundation also has had several donors establish endowments.

She’s proud of the work she and the Foundation are doing.

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 the Taylorville Moose Lodge.  For information on the club, go to taylorvillekiwanis.com.     

Per a press release from Mayor Barry’s Office, the Municipal Building in Taylorville will be closed until further notice due to a COVID-19 outbreak. Taylorville Mayor Bruce Barry says this is out of caution and you can still do things like pay your water bill.

Mayor Barry says they felt it was best to make the safe decision. There are still ways to reach those who work in the Municipal Building.

With COVID trending up, Mayor Barry gives best wishes and reminders to residents of Taylorville.

There was no given date in the press release on when the Municipal Building will reopen. 

The Christian County Sheriff’s Office reports a fatal accident that occurred on Illinois Route 29. On August 8th a call came in reporting a single vehicle crash on Route 29 near 2300 East Road. Christian County Sheriff’s Office, Pana Police, Fire, and Ambulance all responded to the scene where they discovered 78 year old James A. Emerick of Pana in a vehicle in a ditch embankment. It is believed he was heading southbound before exiting the roadway. Mr. Emerick was transported to St. John’s Hospital in Springfield where he would later succumb to his injuries.  The Christian County Sheriff’s Office, Christian County Coroner, and Sangamon County Coroner are still investigating the crash.

Kincaid Police Chief D-J Mathon tells Regional Radio News the village has hired 2 new police officers.

Aiden Merker will attend police academy at SWIC in Belleville, Illinois beginning August 28th. Merker currently serves in the Army National Guard based from Effingham.

Jonnie Kleckner is already a certified police officer for the Edinburg Police Department.  Kleckner currently serves in the Army National Guard based from Springfield.

Pictured from left to right:  Officer Jonnie Kleckner, Chief DJ Mathon, and Officer Aiden Merker.  

Morrisonville American Legion is hosting a Community Blood Drive from 2 until 7 pm Wednesday, August 25 inside Legion Hall on 607 Ricks Street in Morrisonville. 

Schedule an appointment to donate by contacting ImpactLife Springfield at 800-747-5401 or visit bloodcenter.org and use code 60031 to locate the drive. Masks and appointments are required. 

To donate blood you must be at least 17 years of age and weigh more than 110 pounds. A photo I.D. is required to donate. Donors who last gave blood on or before June 30 2021 are eligible to give at this drive. 

ImpactLife is the provider of blood and blood components to more than 100 hospitals in Illinois, Iowa, Missouri, and Wisconsin. ImpactLife is the exclusive provider to Pana Community Hospital and Taylorville Memorial Hospital.

Blood donation is a safe, simple procedure that takes about 45 minutes to one hour.

All donors will receive a voucher for either a lightweight long sleeve zip pullover or a $10 gift card redeemable at Amazon, Target, Lowe’s, Starbucks, Dunkin Donuts or Walmart. Donors will also be entered in a drawing to win $500.

The Community Blood Drive is inside Legion Hall on 607 Ricks Street in Morrisonville from 2 until 7 pm Wednesday, August 25.
 

It’s not possible to grow everything in a garden in Illinois, there are a lot of factors at play. Blueberries are one example of that, though it’s not impossible to do. Gwen Podeschi with the Christian County Master Gardeners says it just takes a little extra effort to make that happen. That is why coming up on August 19th they will be holding a workshop called Raising Blueberries.

Podeschi grows blueberries and she says it can be a fun venture, but this workshop can really help someone get started.

In order to properly grow the blueberries, Podeschi says you need to do something called amending the soil.

Podeschi appeared as a guest on the WTIM Morning Show.

Governor JB Pritzker has been busy, and will continue to be busy with bills. One of the biggest bills sitting in front of him has to do with ethics. Representative Avery Bourne and the rest of her party have been pushing for ethics reform, but not like this. Representative Bourne explains this is not what they had in mind, and it could cause one member of the government to resign.

While the bill isn’t all bad, there are some very bad parts to it. Representative Bourne explains they are all just small things, but she believes they will hurt in the long run. 

She continues to explain what would make the Inspector General want to resign her position. 

Part of Governor Pritzker’s power is to amend the bill before signing. Representative Bourne says that is what she is hoping for in regards to this ethics bill.

Representative Bourne appeared as a guest on the WTIM Morning Show.

The Abraham Lincoln Library and Museum will join the Illinois State Fair festivities with giveaways, pictures with the President, and telegraphs. The Museum will also be offering half-price admission to the museum. The special admission price will be $7 for adults, $6 for seniors and students, $5 for members of the military, and $3 for children 5-15. These ticket prices will be available August 13th through Sunday August 22nd.

While lower prices are available to everyone, there will be special entertainment and activities for those who go to the fair. At the Governor’s tent, fairgoers can take their picture with a life sized cut out of the President and pick up special goodies like Abraham Lincoln guitar picks and fans. There will also be daily drawings for family four-packs of tickets to the museum. The Museum will also be at the Orr Building with an exhibit on the telegraph and its impact on the Civil War. 

At First Lady MK Pritzker’s tent, there will be a display on the state’s agriculture history. There will also be a Lincoln Presenter will be at the fairground for you to chat with, take pictures, and collect a fan. 

For more information, visit www.presidentlincoln.illinois.gov or follow the ALPLM on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

It was a tale of 2 meetings at the Taylorville School Board proceedings Monday night at the Junior High Library.

While the last half of the meeting included reports from Superintendent Doctor Chris Dougherty, building principals and other department heads on preparing for the first day of school August 18th, the first 40 minutes was used by many of the 35 or so residents who attended to voice their displeasure with the Governor’s decision mandating children wear masks in school this year.

Many parents addressed the board during the public comment period, including Darrell Devore, a 2001 Taylorville High School grad, who told school board members it should be up to parents to decide whether a child should wear a mask to school.

Board president David Driskell numerous times emphasized to the gathering, that the state has made it clear school districts could lose funding and certification if the mask mandate was not enforced.  Taylorville will require masks to be worn by children per the state mandate.

Taylorville resident Frank DeAtley addressed the school board on a different topic, asking them not to buy the mental health building that’s for sale across from the Junior High and North Elementary Schools, saying it was not needed by the school district.

Later in the meeting, the board voted 6 to nothing, with one abstention, to table pursuing purchase after lengthy discussion.

The Taylorville School Board Monday night passed, with a slight revision, the latest version of the district’s COVID-19 Learning Plan.  They also renewed the district’s health insurance plan with Blue Cross Blue Shield with a 2-percent decrease, but have Health Alliance as a Plan B if Blue Cross Blue Shield and Springfield Clinic don’t come to an agreement by a November 17th deadline.   

The board learned that its Building Committee continues to study the possibility of building a new 536-seat Performing Arts Center in the circle drive adjacent to the Band Room at Taylorville High School, with more information being gathered.

Lake season might seem like it’s coming to a close soon with the start of school coming up, but there is plenty going on. For those planning on getting out to the lake, it can be important to know the lake levels. Ashley Florey with the US Army Corps of Engineers shares what the levels were on Lake Shelbyville as of Friday, and what those levels mean.

Florey asks for people to be careful because the lake gets busy as people try to get some last minute lake time in.

There are still events coming up, according to Florey. She says in September there will be a mountain biking event.

Florey shares where to register for the mountain biking event.

Florey appeared as a guest on the WTIM Morning Show live from out studios in downtown Shelbyville.

With school starting soon it means the participants of the first ever Golden Apple Accelerators program will be in classrooms teaching. This program was designed to help with the teacher shortage by helping those seeking a career change to have an accelerated path into the world of teaching. That is what happened for Ashley Tyler, who took part in the program and will now be teaching with Dennis Lab School in Decatur. 

Changing careers can be scary. Tyler had a degree in psychology. Luckily for her she fell right into a school role and just knew it was for her.

The pandemic did not make the career change process any easier. However learning to teach with that uncertainty became a point of confidence for Tyler and her fellow members of the Accelerator program.

Having your first year teaching in person in the year following the pandemic is not for the faint of heart. Tyler knows it’s going to take some adapting and changing to get through it.

Tyler was a part of Golden Apple’s inaugural Accelerators program.

Due to thunderstorms early Monday morning there are some areas left without power. According to the Ameren Illinois power outage map, some customers in Taylorville, Kincaid, and parts of Springfield in the Regional Radio listening area have reported to have lost power because of the storm. Stay tuned to Regional Radio News for more on this story as it develops. 

Governor JB Pritzker recently signed an executive order that says kids will have to wear masks to school. The Delta variant of the COVID virus is making its way through the state and causing the positivity rates and hospitalization rates to increase to the point where the Governor felt something needed to be done for the upcoming school year. Representative Avery Bourne was not a fan of this order because she believes this should’ve been handled on a more local level.

This is not a different stance for Representative Bourne. She’s always advocated for local decision making, especially with schools.

Representative Bourne also takes issue with the lack science behind this order.

Things are still changing all the time and due to the sheer speed of it, according to Representative Bourne, could leave the state under executive orders long after the increase in rates subsides. 

Students will be required to wear masks while at school regardless of vaccination status.

Illinois State Fair officials announced discount booklet prices for the 2021 Illinois State Fair will not increase and remain $45 throughout the fair. The booklets contain 11 admission tickets, one for each day of the fair. 

Great strides have been made to make coming to the fair more affordable for families. Sunday through Thursday admission to the fair will be $5 and admission will remain $10 for Friday and Saturday. 

To purchase your discount admission booklets, mega passes, jumbo passes or seasonal parking passes call 217-782-6661 or stop by the Emmerson Building on the Illinois State Fairgrounds or go online at IllinoisStateFair.Info. 

Free admission days are Sunday, August 15 for Veterans and immediate family members with proper ID; Monday, August 16 for Seniors and Scouts; and Friday, August 22 for First Responders and Health Care Workers with proper ID.

The Illinois Department of Public Health and Illinois Department of Agriculture announced mitigations to prevent the spread of the Covid-19 Delta variant during the Illinois State Fair. The Illinois State Fairgrounds are located in Sangamon County which is currently experiencing high transmission rates of the virus. 

All fair attendees will be required to wear masks in public indoor settings regardless of vaccination status. All Grandstand concert goers must wear masks to all performances. Ticketholders in the Grandstand track area will be required to provide a print or digital copy of personal Vaccine Card, Vaccine Record, or Negative Covid-19 test within 72 hours preceding the concert. Masks will be provided at the grandstand upon entrance as well as in other locations throughout the fairgrounds and must be worn over the nose and mouth indoors for the duration of all grandstand performances. 

The Illinois State Fair is August 12 through August 22 in Springfield, IL. For more information head to IllinoisStateFair.info.
 

The Taylorville School Board will meet this evening for their monthly school board meeting. The meeting will take place at the Taylorville Junior High School Library at 120 East Bidwell Street in Taylorville at 6 PM. The board will discuss registration, Harbor Freight announced that Matt Blomquist and CACC have been selected as finalists for the Harbor Freight Tools for Schools Prize for teaching excellence.  

The board will review claims, go over the treasurer’s report, and consider approval of an overnight trip to Memphis for the Taylorville High School band in 2022. Under old business, the board will consider some purchases, discuss the COVID-19 learning plan for 2022, and review the student online personal protection act compliance.

Under new business, the board will hear the first reading of the press plus policy updates from ISBE, renew the district health care policy and discuss the tax distribution levy from Christian County. There will be a consideration of district evaluators, along with a paper bid.  There will also be a special board meeting set up for August 24th to discuss the budget and a public hearing date set for September 28th for approval. The board will consider a hazardous walkway resolution along with hearing from Superintendent, Dr. Chris Dougherty.  

Stay tuned to Regional Radio News for more on this story.

Officials at the Illinois State Fair Friday night announced that attendees to all Grandstand and Multi-Purpose Arena concerts and events, must wear a mask regardless of vaccination status, due to the rise in COVID cases.

The Fair added that those holding “Standing Room Only” tickets for the Grandstand track at concerts, must either show a vaccination card, or get a COVID test at one of 6 Illinois Department of Public Health booths on the Fairgrounds to then obtain a Wrist Pass showing they’ve tested negative.

Fair officials said these measures are being taken due to the spike in COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations.

Find the complete mandates announced Friday night, by clicking HERE.

The mission of providing food to those who need is a never ending one. Part of that mission is spreading the word about it.  That is where the newest employee of the Central Illinois Foodbank comes in. Tim Kirsininkas just joined to do public relations and while he’s not originally from Central Illinois, he’s enjoyed his time here so far. 

Partner Resource Coordinator with the Central Illinois Foodbank Adam Handy is excited to have someone on board to share their message. 

Because of his passion for public service, Kirsininkas knew this job was an opportunity he could not pass up. 

Something that Kirsininkas wants to do to spread the word is to get out into communities and share the stories of those who need the help.

Kirsininkas and Handy appeared as guests on the WTIM Morning Show.

Improving health within the community is something that is coming to the forefront for Taylorville Memorial Hospital and the Taylorville Memorial Hospital Foundation. That is why they started a new grant program that will give money to other non-profits that have a plan to better health in the community. Raedena Ryan, Executive Director of the TMH Foundation, says that community health is just one of their three main focuses.

The grant program is just the newest way the TMH Foundation can reach the community. Billy Williams, Chairman of the Grant Board, and Ryan share just some of the other ways they’ve invested in the health of the community.

What’s different about this grant program is that it puts more control into the hands of those in the community. 

There’s a lot of creativity that comes with this program. That is what Ryan and Williams say they are looking for; those in the community that have a passion for a healthier environment to live and work.

Ryan and Williams appeared as guests on the WTIM Morning Show.

The school year will be starting soon and students will be back in the classrooms. That also means Rebecca Livingston, Ag in the Classroom Coordinator for Christian and Montgomery County, will be back in the classroom too. She’s planning her lessons for the year and for one of them she’s planning to build a pumpkin catapult with the students. 

It’ll take a lot of prep work to get it ready for the classroom, but Livingston explains the pumpkin catapults are pretty easy to make. 

Livingston believes the pumpkin catapult is a valuable—and fun—lesson that will teach kids about the important role pumpkins play in the state of Illinois.

It’s not just the catapults, however. At every level Livingston teaches she has lessons ready for the fall that revolve around pumpkins. 

Livingston appeared as guest a guest on the WTIM Morning Show.

A new book and vinyl store has opened in Taylorville and it is the talk of the town. Doug Cowell and Joey Cavatorta opened the store and they have 1,800 vinyl records and 1,6000 books. Sydney Lynn’s Little Book Shop is at 109 W. Main Cross and The bookstore is located on the Taylorville Square right by the Lock-up gym. Cowell says that the store opened due to having trouble finding a job.

Cavatorta says that it’s a growing business with youth discovering vinyl.

Cowell hopes that this becomes a place for people from Central Illinois to come to find vinyl.

He says that books were his escape.

Cowell and Cavatorta appeared as guests on the WTIM Morning Show.

One of Taylorville’s hidden gems is the Christian County Coal Mine Museum. It just got a new location thanks to a generous donor, and the doors are open for anyone to come in and be transported through time. Museum Board Member Kevin Corely says they need the support from the public so they can remain open to share the history of coal mining in the area. 

Corley continues saying they will have a golf outing coming up in September as a fundraiser.

The museum in Christian County is among the best in the state, according to Corley, because of the rich history mining has in the community. 

Corley appeared as a guest on the WTIM Morning Show.

Shelby Electric Co-op relies on Prairie State Energy Campus to provide energy and under the Illinois legislative energy proposal, the plant, which is located in Marissa Illinois will be required to close by 2035 or sooner.  This could result in electric bills going up 20%-25%.  President and CEO Josh Shallenberger, says that the latest version of the energy bill has provisions for early closure.  The plant still has outstanding loans of $188 million dollars.

Shallenberger says that a lot of people don’t realize how volatile the market can be sometimes.

This is a two-part campaign: one for awareness and one for people to act.

Coal contributes up to 47% of the generational mix with natural gas at 34% and nuclear at 12%.  Over 90% comes from this energy. 

Visit www.voicesforcooperativepower.com/illinois for more information and how you can help.

The Illinois State Police are hiring new troopers. There are upcoming cadet classes and ISP Sergeant Calvin Dye says they are looking for their next cadet class on August 22nd. They are looking at raising female hires by 30%.  Dye says the whole process starts with a physical exam.

There is no application deadline, but it can close at anytime if they get a lot of recruits. The job pays well, has good benefits, and offers several different career paths.

One of the biggest things Sgt Dye looks for is integrity.

There are many different jobs that you can do with the ISP.

Sgt Dye has spent 18 years with the ISP. You can apply at www.illinoistrooper.com. 

Lake Land College, located in Mattoon, will be implementing new pandemic response safety protocols in accordance with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Illinois Department of Public Health.  The Emergency Operations Center Team for Lake Land will make masks mandatory immediately covering the nose and mouth while inside campus buildings, regardless of vaccine status. Masks can be removed when alone in an enclosed room with the door shut or in a designated eating area on campus. 

All plans for in-person services, classes, events, and meetings are continuing as planned. For the fall session, students can select from in-person, virtual, and online courses to do what is best for them. Employees, students, and visitors are encouraged to self-screen for COVID-19 symptoms and refrain from visiting if feeling ill. 

Pandemic safety protocols are always subject to change based on decisions that are made by the CDC, IDPH, and the Illinois Community College Board, the Illinois Board of Higher Education, and the Governor’s Office. Continue to pay attention to Lake Land College’s website and Regional Radio News for more information as it changes and develops.

Christian County 4-H has received a donation from Central Commodity FS. The Ag appreciation luncheon that was held on July 22nd landed a $2,000 donation from Central Commodity FS. 4-H Youth Development Program Coordinator Alexis McDowell says that Christian County 4-H is thankful for the support of Central Commodity FS and that the support will help 4-H continue to grow in Christian County to reach more local youth.

McDowell also stressed that 4-H is a great way to make connections, build leadership skills, and explore interests. If you are interested in joining 4-H or would like more information, contact Alexis McDowell at amcdo6@illinois.edu or call 217-287-7246. 

Photo Caption: Members of Central Commodity FS presents a check to Christian County 4-H members.
(L to R) Krystle Miller, Lily Barr, Nash Waterman, Kace Waterman, Chad Waterman, Aarika May, Darin Hennings

Taylorville School District will enforce the mask mandate set forth by Governor JB Pritzker. According to a press release issued by Superintendent, Dr. Chris Dougherty, the mask mandate will be enforced for grades K-12 with limited times for mask breaks.  Dr. Dougherty says that she wants to create conditions and environments for children to learn and teachers to teach and wearing masks can hinder that. 

According to the local health department, if there is a positive COVID-19 case, a close contact will be defined as exposure longer than 15 minutes within 3 feet of a confirmed case of COVID.  If a child or staff emmber is a close contact, the health department has the legal authority to impose a 7-10-14 day quarantine to which the school will have to impose. If all are masked and maintain a safe distance of 3-6 feet, the individual will not be a close contact won't have to quarantine.  The ulimate goal, according to Dr. Dougherty is to keep children in school where maximum learning can occur and that can happen with mask wearing.

Dr. Dougherty says that her and the school board is committed to reviewing transmission rates and vaccination ability in an effort to phase out preventative measures around masking and social distancing, but ask that parents request cooperation until they can meet the conditions set by the Illinois Governor.

The district website has posted the reopening plan including multiple preventative measures. The Christian County Health Department has definitions of close contact and quarantine guidelines. If staff or students are vaccinated, you still must wear a mask at this time. 

School returns in session on August 18th. 

WRAN groovy 97.3 and the Taylorville Kiwanis Club, on Tuesday held its annual Radiothon to raise money for local Kiwanis projects for children and youth.

Kiwanis member Mellisa McMillan chaired the Radiothon Committee, securing $2450 in sponsorships from local businesses for the club to purchase the day of broadcasting.

Kiwanis members then delivered live commercials for those sponsors, in the 7-hour broadcast.  Kiwanis member and Miller Media Group president Randal J. Miller emceed the day-long event.

During the Radiothon, Miller presented Kiwanis president Adam Jeffrey with a check from WRAN for $1225.  The station annually gives half of the total sponsorship sales, back to the Kiwanis Club for local Kiwanis projects, which include Kiwanis Park, Coats for Kids, high school and YMCA scholarships.

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 the Taylorville Moose Lodge.  For information on the club, go to taylorvillekiwanis.com.     

Taylorville High School senior Markus Goodman this week was presented his 500-dollar college scholarship by the Taylorville Kiwanis Club.

Goodman could not attend the Kiwanis cookout last month, where the other Kiwanis scholarship winner, Isabelle Norris of Palmer, was presented her scholarship.

Goodman plans to attend Lincoln Land Community College this fall and major in engineering.

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 the Taylorville Moose Lodge.  For information on the club, go to taylorvillekiwanis.com.     

If you are going to school in the fall, you will need to wear a mask.  That is the mandate from Governor JB Pritzker who issued the orders Wednesday afternoon. Governor Pritzker said that he was hoping it wouldn’t come to this, but he says not enough people have been vaccinated and that is why the virus is still spreading as much as it has. 

Any sports indoors you will have to wear masks and tests will be required to check for outbreaks early. Governor Pritzker also announced that free masks and testing will be provided to all public schools statewide. 

All state employees must be vaccinated and anyone working in long term care facilities. Dr. Ngozi Ezike, Director of the Illinois Department of Public Health says if you can get vaccinated, you need too. 

Dr. Ezike says the numbers show that breakthrough incidents where people end up in the hospital after having the vaccine are very rare.

To hear the entire press conference, see below.

With the newly opened location for the Christian County Coal Mine Museum, it’s not secret that Christian County has a rich history in mining. What comes with coal mining is, unfortunately, disasters. There was one that happened in Mowequea. Local author and Coal Mine Museum Board Member Kevin Corley explains it all started when they tried to introduce technology. 

The disaster in Mowequa happened just as the Progressive Mine Workers of America were getting going, according to Corely. That meant they weren’t prepared to help.

Corley calls himself and accidental author, but he is able to consistently find new stories. Each story seems to come from his last. 

All the money from Corley’s books go towards education in some way, he does not take a profit. 

Corley appeared as a guest on the WTIM Morning Show.

Food drives are such an important thing to do in order to help out local food banks. The Miller Media Group and the Taylorville Kiwanis Club teamed up in the month of July to raise food and money for the Taylorville Food Pantry. Co-Coordinator Amy Hagen has tallied the numbers, and issues a challenge to the community for when the Drive Thru Donation Days return in September. 

Adam Handy with the Central Illinois Food Bank reminds people that they are always open for partners to run a food drive. 

Holidays are a great time to run food drives, but Handy says they are helpful any time of year. 

After collecting the food, Hagen says it’s easy to deliver it to the Taylorville Food Bank, or others. Handy reminds you to make sure the food is taken care of.

Hagen and Handy appeared as guests on the WTIM Morning Show.

There are many great reasons to ride a bike. Riding a bike helps you stay fit, helps strengthen your muscles and bones, prevents disease, and supports mental health by decreasing stress. Riding a bike can also pose some risks as can all physical activity, so it’s important to stay safe when riding. 

According to the National Center for Health Statistics, 1089 bicyclists died in 2019.  More than 700 of those were involved in motor vehicle crashes. Dr. Bill Walsh, Chief Medical Officer for OSF Healthcare in Evergreen Park says head injuries are the most serious injury you can get riding a bike so you should always wear a helmet. .

Dr. Walsh also warns that fractures can be a real possibility as well.

Dr. Walsh says taking the right safety precautions can make all the difference in the world.

Other safety precautions such as wearing a helmet, riding your bike on the right side of the road, and paying close attention to traffic signs and signals will also help you have a successful ride.

If you or a loved one are involved in a bike-riding incident that needs medical care make sure you call 9-1-1 or head to the closest emergency room. 
 

Volunteers are always needed for food banks, and the Taylorville Food Bank is always looking for help. Glenn Barry, has been volunteering with the food bank for 2 years and he says that you can help as much as you want. It’s all about what you want to give.

Barry says there is always something that needs to get done at the food bank on distribution days and non distribution days.

Barry says that he is there to help people and make a difference.

Glenn Barry appeared as a guest on the WTIM Morning Show.

Taylorville’s National Night Out was a huge success as during the three hour event estimates at nearly 1000 people showed up for food, friendship, and fun. Taylorville Police Officer and coordinator Kirsten Bolinger talked about the event and what it meant to her.

Officer Bolinger says that it was a huge hit among people that were there, who got to see a K-9 demonstration and a drone demonstration.

There was also a raffle with proceeds that went to the Special Olympic Torch Run.

The Taylorville Police Department thanked the many agencies that helped put on a fantastic National Night Out at the Christian County Fairgrounds. 
 

Central Illinois and Christian County was a very successful place for coal mining. There is a museum dedicated to it in Taylorville, and among the board members is author Kevin Corely, whose books focus on much of that coal mining life in the area. Coal mining was not successful everywhere, however, and Corley shares why it worked in Central Illinois.

There was a lot that Corley learned while writing his books. One of the things that stick out is how a lot of people came to the area for the mining. 

Mining families from inside the state moved to Central Illinois too, says Corley, especially following the mine disaster in Peru, Illinois.

Because of previous work done by Corley, the Christian County Coal Mine museum has the actual voices of coal miners telling their stories available. 

Corley appeared as a guest on the WTIM Morning Show.

The Christian County Health Department has confirmed that there has been another death in Christian County that has been COVID-19 related. Marcie May of the Christian County Health Department has confirmed with Regional Radio News that one female has died from COVID-19.  

So far 99 Christian County residents have died of COVID-19. As of Monday, there were 32 new COVID-19 positive results. 62 are currently isolated and there are nine cases in the hospital. So far 22,605 residents have been vaccinated and the county positivity rate is sitting at 4.7%. Stay tuned to Regional Radio News for all of the latest COVID-19 information.

The Christian County Health Department would like to remind everyone that the Health Department is holding a free walk-in covid testing clinic on Monday through Friday from 8-12 and 1-4. If you’re feeling ill, or want to be tested, contact the health department at 824-4113. 

As elections draw closer, there will be many decisions to make on the ballot. One of those options will be for Appellate Court Judge in the 5th district. Judge Michael McHaney thinks back a lot to the Founding Fathers when it comes to his job. One thing he knows for certain is that the Founding Fathers would never be able to predict politics would end up where they are now.

Judge McHaney continued by saying he’s certain that the Founding Fathers would not have nice things to say about where things have gone since signing the constitution. 

All of this is the groundwork for what Judge McHaney believes. Though he can’t publicly say how he would rule, he knows that he can only control, to an extent, what happens his district. 

History is important to Judge McHaney and he wants to not only learn from it, but it drives him. He says the constitution needs to be held up. 

Judge McHaney appeared as a guest on the WTIM Morning Show.

Illinois Governor JB Pritzker has signed new legislation that will impact FOID users and change the way that state firearms are handled.  The FOID Modernization bill allows police to combine FOID and the Conceal Carry License together. It also grants card holders who submit fingerprints an opportunity to have automatic renewal. The Governor says that there are plenty of safety provisions as well including universal background checks on all gun sales, public and private in Illinois starting in 2024. 

ISP Director Brendan Kelly says that the opportunity to have FOID and Conceal Carry Licenses done together is a win/win—for both the customer and the state.

Not everyone was on board with the new FOID Modernization bill. State Senator Darren Bailey, who is also running for governor, says that the bill doesn’t offer any real merit and is more for show than actual substance. Bailey said, "This bill does nothing to curb gun violence and crime across our state, instead it prompts innocent people to undergo a redundant process, costing state resources and card holders more money. This bill is also a gateway for mandatory fingerprinting and a registry on our guns. It hurts small businesses and private dealers by placing new taxes and liability during the private transfer process.”

The Taylorville National Night out is taking place this evening from 5-8 PM at the Christian County Fairgrounds.  The event is open to everyone regardless of wherever you are from and it’s family-friendly. There will be plenty of free food including burgers, hot dogs, pizza, and popcorn. 

The National Night Out is coordinated and put together by the Taylorville Police Department as a way to get the community together. There will be a raffle and dunk tank benefiting the Law Enforcement Torch Run for the Special Olympics.  There is plenty of opportunities for merchandise, a camper, a Harley, and many other things as well. 

There will be a bouncy house, an inflatable obstacle course, and inflatable ax throwing along with face painters. The evening will also consist of a K-9 demonstration at 6 PM and a drone demonstration afterward. For more information visit the Taylorville Police Department Facebook page. 

A contentious city council meeting in Taylorville saw a little bit of a standoff between some Aldermen and Taylorville Mayor Bruce Barry on Monday evening. The issue at hand was trees on Pawnee Street that needed to be removed. Aldermen Kathy Driskell asked Taylorville Mayor Bruce Barry why they were voting on something after trees had already been removed. Mayor Barry said that it was about safety. The wish from Mayor Barry was to take funds from Ward 5 which is the emergency fund money as opposed to Ward 1 funds to remove the trees and to fix the sidewalk.

Alderman Chris Skultetty backed up Alderman Kathy Driskell saying that its not an emergency.

Alderman Skultetty says this isn’t the first time things have been done without Council approval. 

The vote was 5-4 with Aldermen Megan Bryant, Steve Dorchinecz, Kathy Driskell, and Chris Skultetty voting no and Aldermen Larry Budd, Jim Olive, Jeremy Wilson, and Doug Brown voting yes. This prompted Alderman Megan Bryant to exclaim, “Why even be on this council.” With the tie, Mayor Barry voted yes and the matter was closed. The sidewalk repairs from Pleasant Street to Esther Street were also voted yes 5-4 with Mayor Barry voting the tie-breaking vote. 

The city announced that it was saving $146,000 after issuing some new bonds for the city. The improvements for East Main Cross were also approved beginning a process that Mayor Barry called “long overdue.” Mayor Barry also encouraged everyone to come to National Night Out taking place at the Christian County Fairgrounds on Tuesday evening from 5-8.

The council honored the Taylorville Honor Guard made up of American Legion and VFW members and gave the oath of office to new Taylorville Police Officer Josh Niles. The next City Council meeting is set for August 16th.

Unfortunately, domestic violence is something that is constantly occurring. In Shelby County DOVE is around to do their part to help stop and provide support to victims. Suzie Kinzel, Coordinator of DOVE in Shelby County, says they have been there for 21 years and they work closely with other counties such as Macon County.

Kinzel says at DOVE when they go to help those victims of domestic violence, they try to provide help that other wouldn’t think about.

There was a recent influx of funding to DOVE that has been a huge help to them.

According to Kinzel, DOVE’s roots start in the Christian faith and the goal was just to help as many people as they could. 

Kinzel appeared as a guest on the WTIM Morning Show live from our studios in Downtown Shelbyville.

The University of Illinois Extension office is warning of a possible invasive species that may be coming into Illinois. The Spotted Lanternfly, as Andrew Holsinger, with the U of I says, is quite interesting.

The Spotted Lanterfly is an invasive species that feasts on fruit, ornamental and woody trees. They are native to China, Bangladesh and Vietnam but was discovered in Pennsylvania in 2014. Since its discovery it has spread to eight states the closest being Indiana. Holsinger says that while it’s not in Illinois right now, it is in Indiana and has capability of spreading quickly eating plants such as grapes.

Holsinger explains that if you do see this species to report it to your local extension office. 

The spotted lanternfly has one generation per year with up to 30-50 eggs that can be distributed on tree bark, stones, and man-made structures, from September until early November and can cause quite significant damage such as mold and infestation. If you see one send a photo and a detailed email to lanternfly@illinois.edu. 

Andrew Holsinger appeared as a guest on the WTIM Morning Show. 

IDOT will be closing Illinois 128 north of Shelbyville starting today for road construction.  The closure is needed to replace two box culverts along Illinois 128. There will be posted detour signs that will take vehicles through Windsor and Sullivan. 

No traffic will be allowed between 1800 N and ½ mile south of 1950 N during the repairs. They will allow local traffic but motorists are asked to allow for plenty of extra time to get to where you need to go and follow all detour signs. The Illinois Department of Transportation is asking all drivers to pay close attention to changed conditions and signs in work zones, obey all speed limit signs, and do not use mobile devices while you’re driving.

Through the Rebuild Illinois plan, IDOT is planning on improving more than 3,300 miles of highway and 8.4 million square feet of bridge deck over the next six years. The Rebuild Illinois Plan has invested $33.2 billion into all transportation with nearly $2.7 billion put into improvements in the first year with 1,706 miles of highway, 128 bridges, and 228 safety improvements completed. 

The work on Route 128 is expected to be completed by the end of August. For more updates, visit www.gettingaroundillinois.com. You can also visit their twitter site at IDOTDistrict7. 

The Taylorville City Council will meet on Monday evening to discuss business, review ordinances, and go over committee agendas. The board will review committee agendas including accepting quotes for the removal of 11 trees on Pawnee Street to be paid from 5th ward funds. The board will also recommend allowing R&B Peters Construction to repair the sidewalk from PLeasant Street to Esther Street also to be paid from 5th ward funds.  Other committee agenda items include the rebidding of the Municipal Building rear parking lot project.

The board will also discuss some bonds, an execution of a new escrow agreement, and a look at a few engineering proposals for some street repairs on East Main Cross and Illini Drive and Franklin Street. 

The board meeting will get a SmallTown Taylorville update, hear from city attorney updates, and an update from Taylorville Mayor Bruce Barry. 
 

Illinois State Police are investigating a fatal crash that occured Saturday evening around 11:16 PM in Montgomery County. 51 year old John E. Thompson of Witt was traveling southbound on Illinois Route 16 near North 19th Avenue.

For unknown reasons, Thompson veered off the roadway to the right, overcorrected and came back onto the roadway. Thompson again overcorrected and went off in the right ditch. The crash ejected both Thompson and 21 year old James E. Thompson of Witt. Another passenger was in the back seat, 24 year old Dakota L. Cook of Clinton, Illinois.

Both John Thompson and James Thompson were killed in the vehicle crash and Cook was transported to an area hospital with injuries. The roadway was closed for about 4 hours during the crash investigation. The crash remains under investigation and there is no further information at this time.