WTIM and People’s Bank and Trust in Taylorville have announced their students of the month for March. The program recognizes one outstanding student from each of the four classes. Students of the Month for March are: Ravienne Neville, Brooklyn Little, Cameron Smith, and Ella Davis. 

 

L - R:  Freshman Ravienne Neville; Sophomore (not pictured) Brooklyn Little; Junior Cameron Smith; Senior Ella Davis

A ribbon cutting event took place on monday at CNB Bank located at 402 North Webster Street in Taylorville. The cutting of the ribbon was to welcome Heartland Bank and Trust’s newest branch to the Taylorville Chamber of Commerce.

In attendance at this event was Taylorville Chamber of Commerce Member, Mark Wolfe, as well as other individuals including Taylorville Alderwoman, Amy Hagen, and staff from the bank.

The Banks Retail Manager, Heather Jones, got to do the honors of holding the big scissors, and cutting the ribbon, making the bank an official member of Taylorville’s Chamber of Commerce.

CNB has also officially merged with Heartland Bank, adding many new features and benefits for bank account holders. The legal merger of Heartland and CNB, initially took place on March 1st of this year with March 23rd being the date that bank account holders began using the Heartland Bank and Trust app and website.

Some of the new features and benefits include connectivity of your bank account to Venmo, which is a money transferring app available to download to your smart phone. You will also have the ability to deposit checks into your bank account from the Heartland Bank App on your phone using the camera. However, many things that CNB Bank account holders are already familiar with will not change.

Account holders can still use the same branch locations they have always used and the staffing will still remain the same. Loan payments, bill pay, and safety deposit boxes will continue to be handled and operated as usual too. Bank account holders also don’t need to worry about finding a new bank branch as the locations will continue to remain the same.

Of course a company merger can come with a few issues as well. In the event you run into any issues during or after the merger has finalized, you can call the Heartland Bank Customer Care Line at 888-897-2276. The Taylorville Branch located at 402 N Webster Street can be reached at 217-287-2265.

For more details on changes, added benefits, and other disclosures you can find Heartland Bank’s welcome booklet online. The welcome booklet shares helpful tips on getting through the process of merging with CNB, gives insights on what can be expected from the merger, and can be found at www.hbtbank.com/welcome/

168 students along side of their 24 telephone and electric cooperative sponsors from across Illinois gathered at the State Capitol on March 25 for Youth Day.

Youth Day is an annual event designed to introduce students to state government, leadership, and the cooperative model that serves their communities.

Represenatives of Shelby Electric Cooperative were Haley Key and Jack Clark of Shelbyville, Kooper Cole of Tower Hill, Lilly Jostes of Pana, Grady Spannagel and Shae Conder of Stewardson, Hezekiah Wiegand of Findlay, and Elizabeth Hampton of Windsor.

Throughout the day, the group of students toured the Capitol, observed government operations, and met with elected officials, including State Senator, Steve McClure, and Illinois State Treasurer, Michael Frerichs.

While Frerichs was adressing the students, he shared his experience growing up in a small Illinois community and told the tale of the journey from small town Illinois to becoming the State Treasurer. Frerichs’ address to the students focused on encouraging them to remain engaged, continue learning, and pursue their goals.

Organizers said the event reflects a continued commitment by cooperatives to invest in youth and promote civic involvement among the next generation of leaders.

At the end of the day, students interviewed for the annual Youth Tour, which is a weeklong leadership trip to Washington, DC. Shae Conder and Elizabeth Hampton were selected to represent Shelby Electric Cooperative on the trip, where they will visit historic sites, learn more about government, and further develop leadership skills.

Left: Elizabeth Hampton Right: Shae Conder. Elected to represent Shelby Electric Cooperative on the Youth Tour Trip.

The Youth Tour is scheduled to take place June 15th through June 22nd of this year.

For more details go to shelbyelectric.coop
 

The Christian County Genealogy Society is finalizing plans for the Christian County Countryman program.  It’s their plan to unearth and present records about county natives who served in wars central to the United States’ history.  It comes as the U.S. celebrates 250 years of independence.  The Society invites the community to learn more about this information and even see if they have connections or familial ties to those who served.

Vauna Crowder is the vice president of the Christian County Genealogy Society.  She says a number of soldiers in these wars came from Christian County, including Private Jonathan Hicklin who served in the Revolutionary War.

Crowder adds that this is a way for community members to honor their descendants who served and – if nothing else – learn more about the events that led to 2026 being the country’s 250th anniversary of independence.

The Christian County Genealogy Society has added Ancestry and Newspapers.com to their library computers.  It allows visitors to dig deeper into their family history. 

CCGS taught a genealogy badge class at the Boy Scouts Merit University on March 7.  Crowder was impressed with the turnout, which amounted to around 30 scouts across two sessions. 

More information on the Christian County Genealogical Society is available at www.christiancountyilgenealogicalsociety.org. 

Vauna Crowder appeared as a guest on the WTIM Morning Show. 

The FBI states that they are currently searching for additional victims in the January 2026 case involving Illinois Church Official,  Michael William Mohr. Mohr was recently charged with production and possession of child pornography. The FBI believes that Mohr may have victimized several individuals in Central Illinois that have not come forward yet.

The FBI is requesting that any victims who have not yet spoken up about what they had gone through in regard to Michael Mohr to fill out an online form or call the FBI Help Line. Once the form is filled out, an investigator will reach out to you shortly after to discuss matters with you. 

54 year old, Michael W. Mohr of Springfield, was arrested on January 28th of this year on child pornography charges and appeared in U.S. District Court in St. Louis on the following day. Mohr was charged by complaint with one count of producing child pornography.

A court approved the January search of Mohr’s Springfield residence, a search which lead to the finding of storage devices that contained videos of three juveniles in the bathroom.
A secondary search of the residence that Mohr used in Vandalia, uncovered several hidden cameras. One of the cameras was disguised as a wall clock, and another one was even disguised as a Bluetooth speaker.

The investigation began after a juvenile victim from Vandalia came to the Vandalia Police Department reporting to have found a hidden camera disguised as an electronic device charger in a hotel bathroom. In the report from the Vandalia juvenile, the juvenile stated that he awoke in the morning to Mohr standing above him masturbating, thinking he was still asleep. The juvenile, due to being in shock, pretended he was still asleep.

At the time of his arrest, Mohr was the President of the Central Illinois District of the Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod.

The FBI has provided a link for the public to use to come forward as a victim, with any information of a victim, or for anyone looking to come forward but that doesn’t quite know how or where to speak up.

If you or someone you know has been a victim to Michael Mohr please call 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324)

To fill out an online form as a victim yourself, or for your child/dependent, CLICK HERE.

WMKR and Peoples Bank And Trust have announced the Pana High School Student of the Month for March.

The program recognizes one student for each of the 4 classes of high school.

This month's Pana High School Students of the Month are Freshman Spencer Peters (Far Left), Sophomore Luke Fitzpatrick (Left), Junior Harrison Cothern (not pictured), and Senior Rhylie Allen (Right) standing next to Peoples Bank and Trust Representative Jennifer Mathis

WTIM and People’s Bank and Trust in Taylorville have announced their Taylorville Junior High School students of the month for March.

The program recognizes one outstanding student from each of the four classes.

The TJHS Students of the Month for March are 8th Grade Kali Duknoski (Far Left), 7th Grade Avery Pope (middle left), 6th Grade Brandon Blanchetti (middle right), and 5th Grade Ava Lathom (far right.)

Taylorville Memorial Hospital has a new president and CEO. Aaron Puchbauer takes over the role beginning today, replacing Kim Bourne, who retired in December.

Puchbauer brings extensive leadership experience at rural critical access hospitals. He previously served as president and CEO of HSHS Good Shepherd Hospital in Shelbyville and HSHS St. Joseph’s Hospital in Breese.

Memorial Health Senior Vice President Dolan Dalpoas says Puchbauer has a strong commitment to rural health and a wide range of experience helping critical access hospitals grow and better serve their communities. Dalpoas says that leadership will help Taylorville Memorial Hospital continue its tradition of quality care while exploring new ways to meet patient needs.

Puchbauer says Taylorville Memorial Hospital already has a strong reputation as one of the top rural hospitals in the region, and he’s looking forward to joining the team. Puchbauer is a graduate of the University of Missouri–Columbia, where he earned degrees in agribusiness management, business administration, finance and banking, along with master’s degrees in health administration and business administration.
 

With the warm weather finally here, these beautiful days will start to attract more electric bikes and scooters to the streets and sidewalks of the community. Despite what some may think, there are actual laws and regulations when it comes to the usage of micro-mobility vehicles such as scooters,

e-bikes, gas powered bicycles, and other mobility devices such as hoverboards or electric skateboards.

As the community starts to break out the electric bicycles, scooters and even electric dirt bikes onto local streets, officials and riders are being reminded that these popular micro-mobility devices are subject to specific Illinois laws and restrictions.

Pedal bicycles equipped with an electric motor, also known as E-Bikes,  are generally treated like traditional bicycles, but they are not permitted on sidewalks.

Models that top out under 20 mph carry no age restriction, while those capable of 20–28 mph require riders to be at least 16 years old.

Gas-powered bicycles are similarly classified and also banned from sidewalks and they are limited to a maximum speed of 20 mph. Gas powered bicycles may only be operated by riders aged 16 and older.

Electric scooters, whether stand-up or seated, face tighter limits. Unlike the higher speed cap on E-Bikes and gas powered bicycles, the top speed for electric scooters is capped at 10 mph, they are allowed only on roads with posted speed limits under 35 mph, and riders must be 18 or older to operate them on public streets.

Other motorized devices, including hoverboards, electric skateboards, electric dirt bikes or ATVs, and scooters ridden by those under 18,  are restricted to private property and may not be used on public roadways.

Riders are urged to check local ordinances and the Illinois vehicle code for specifics, wear helmets and reflective gear, and follow traffic laws to keep themselves and others safe as micro-mobility use increases.

For your specific city or counties regulations on micro-mobility vehicles, contact your county sheriffs office or your local police station

The Family Life Center in Shelbyville is inviting the community to its annual Prayer Walk for Life.  It’s scheduled for Saturday, April 25 at 10 a.m. at the West Dam Access point on Lake Shelbyville.  FLC is using the event to bring supporters of their cause together, promote their many services, and raise funds to continue to provide said services.  Dawn Adrian and Linda Spindler, respectively the center director and development director, hope the event will also attract more people to become involved with FLC’s work.

The Family Life Center – which also has locations in Effingham and Newton – offers a number of classes, trainings, and tests for those of all ages.

The Center’s schedule for April and May includes a number of dates for their breastfeeding class.  The class focuses on the basics of breastfeeding.

FLC’s Shelbyville office is at 225 East South 1st Street.  More information is available at empowerflc.com.

Dawn Adrian and Linda Spindler appeared as guests on the WTIM Shelbyville Morning Show.

County fair season is just around the corner, and even more so are deadlines for 4-H fair competitions through the University of Illinois Extension.  Interested participants must submit their project plans by April 15.  This allows the Extension to coordinate their own logistics as needed before the fairs open up. 

Taylor Sinclair is a 4-H youth program coordinator with the University of Illinois Extension.  She says Extension staff can guide new participants through the online submission process

As the weather warms up, the Extension is running more events as part of their 4-H program.  A subset of them require that participants be 4-H members.  This includes the first such event, which is a horse showmanship workshop.  It’s scheduled for Saturday, March 28 from 10-11:30 a.m. at 32271 Deer Creek Road in Girard. 

The next event does not require 4-H membership.  This is a youth canning class taking place on Thursday, April 2 from 9-11 a.m. at the First Baptist Church in Morrisonville. 

Just four days later is a career exploration trip.  Participants will visit two manufacturing facilities in Litchfield.  This event is open only to 4-H members aged 13 and up. 

The Extension office is also beginning a new community service project called “Kindness Rocks.”  In this effort, participants paint uplifting messages on rocks and leave them in public places. 

More information on the University of Illinois Extension’s 4-H involvements is available at 4h.extension.illinois.edu.  This website also has links to register for the aforementioned programs as well as many others.

Taylor Sinclair appeared as a guest on the WTIM Morning Show. 

The world of agriculture will hopefully see bright days ahead of them as State Senator, Doris Turner, is making moves to help shape our future agriculture leaders. Building on her work to expand education in agriculture, Turner passed a measure through Senate to increase access to agricultural education programs across the entire state of Illinois.

Turner says that our states agriculture industry provides various paths that can lead to good paying jobs and that students deserve to have the opportunity to discover the number of avenues within the ag industry.

Her bill that recently passed, known as Bill 3226, requires the Illinois State Board Of Education to submit a report on the status and availability of agricultural education programs state wide.

The report would also be required to include trends, challenges and obstacles to overcome, opportunities for expansion, and recommendations to better line up agricultural education with workforce and post secondary opportunities in agriculture and agribusiness.

Turner also says that shes seen students who joined the FFA after taking one agricultural education course, and that by expanding access to ag ed programs that are currently available, we are shaping our future ag leaders.

Senate Bill 3226 passed the Senate with bipartisan support.

An exciting and intriquing event will take place in April at The Eastern Illinois University. The university’s Booth Library is set to continue its Authors at EIU series with their second event. The second event will be offered at 5 p.m on Thursday, April 9th, 2026. The event will be featuring two published members of their faculty.

The two members being recognized are Alan Pocaro, associate art and design professor at the university, and Gary Canivez, Ph.D., Professor of Psychology.

EIU says they will be welcoming it’s community members, students, as well as regional community members to attend this free event.

Alan Pocaro’s long-form essay, titled “In The Beginning” is featured in the 2025 book Tom Torluemke: Live! On Paper, 1987-2024. The book was published by what the EIU calls the prestigious SKIRA in 2025.

Pocaro’s essay traces the evolution of drawing into works on paper, charting a larger shift in which images move from active agents in the world, to autonomous artworks and commodified objects.

Gary Canivez’s published work is titled Assessing Psychometric Fitness of Intellignece Tests Toward Evidence-Based Interpretation Practices, of which Canivez was a primary editor. His work was published by Bloomsbury Publishing in April of 2025.

Cavinez’s publication features different regulations and underpinnings for the ethical interpritation of intelligence test score comparisons.

For further information or to discover more about the Booth Library you can reach out directly to them by calling 217-581-7400.

For more information about Eastern Illinois University call the school’s public information office at 217-581-7400 or go online to eiu.edu.

Strong thunderstorms moved across central Illinois Thursday evening, bringing wind gusts of up to 60 miles per hour and reports of minor damage in several communities.

According to storm reports generated by the National Weather Service, the highest wind gust reached 61 miles per hour just north-northwest of Danville earlier in the evening.

However, in central Illinois, gusts peaked one mile per hour short of that at 60 miles per hour in both Pana and Shelbyville around 9 p.m.. Wind gusts were also reportedly harsh in Taylorville as well.

The Taylorville Airport recorded a 54 mile per hour wind gust, while a location southeast of Morrisonville saw winds reach 59 miles per hour.

There was also a report of wind damage west of Pana, though details on the extent of that damage were not given in the report.

Stay tuned to WTIM, Your Only Local News Radio, and taylorvilledailynews.com to always stay up to date on sever weather outbreaks, local news, and sports.

No injuries have been reported at this time.

State Representative Regan Deering of Decatur has advanced legislation aimed at increasing transparency in child abuse and neglect investigations conducted by the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services.

The measure, House Bill 4242, passed unanimously out of the Adoption and Child Welfare Committee and now awaits further consideration by the General Assembly.

If approved, the bill would require DCFS to provide written notification to individuals identified as alleged perpetrators in an investigation. The notice would include details such as the specific allegation and finding, how long the finding will remain on record, and information about the process for requesting an administrative appeal.

It would also outline deadlines for filing an appeal and explain how to obtain a copy of the investigative file, regardless of whether an appeal is pursued.

Deering says the goal of the legislation is to provide clearer information to those involved in investigations and improve understanding of the process.

The bill now moves forward for additional legislative action.
 

Construction on Illinois Route 29 in Pana is now underway, and it’s not the only work happening in the city.  This summer, downtown revitalization work in Pana will also begin. The two projects are expected to be completed around the same time in the summer of 2027.  This comes amid other work happening throughout Christian County to attract businesses and employment.

The Christian County Economic Development Corporation is involved in these plans, and so too is its executive director Matt Hart.  He says the work is much needed and will be worth the effort and the $10 million price-tag.

As for downtown Pana, the upcoming work there features multiple projects worth around $6.5 million. 

More centrally in Christian County, there has been progress on the industrial park on the north side of Taylorville.  The lots for new businesses have been marked off, and some have already been claimed. 

Hart says businesses that develop on any of the lots take advantage of benefits through three incentives: the enterprise zone, business development district, and TIFF.

More information on the CCEDC is available at www.christiancountyedc.com. 

Matt Hart appeared as a guest on the WTIM Morning Show. 

The Pana Police Department has conducted and finalized another round of Tobacco Compliance Checks. All of the investigated businesses passed the compliance checks.

These checks were performed at 10 Local businesses, in Pana, to see if businesses would sell age restricted products such as alcohol or tobacco and vape products to an underage minor.

These compliance checks are performed and executed by both the Christian County Health Department as well as Pana Police Department to ensure that regulations on the sale of age restricted products are followed. Compliance checks are anonymous, similar to the concepts of a secret shopper.

Usually an officer or an emissary for the police department will make an attempt to purchase alcohol or tobacco products either without showing ID, with an ID that is expired, or an ID that may even show the person is not of age.

To pass compliance, the business must firest request to see ID. Then, if the provided ID is not sufficient, simply decline the sale.

For example, if you look under 40 years old in most cases, the business must ask you for your ID.

If you choose not to provide it, don’t own an ID currently, or your ID is expired, the transaction must be denied.

All 10 businesses that were looked into passed the compliance check by asking for proof of age, denying sales to individuals who refused to provide ID, or by catching underage consumers trying to make an age restricted purchase.

More tobacco compliance checks will continue to be scheduled throughout the year at random to ensure that Pana businesses continue to follow regulations.

Get all of your local news, sports, and weather coverage online at taylorvilledailynews.com
 

South Fork schools are enjoying considerable success when it comes to sports.  The high school’s eight-man football team reached the state semifinals.  The junior high school’s track-and-field team will make its debut shortly.  In addition, there is a major coaching change on the horizon for the high school girls basketball team.  This all comes amid standardized testing and end-of-year field trips throughout the school district. 

Superintendent Chris Clark has his eyes on the sporting happenings at South Fork.  He says the junior high track-and-field team consists only of South Fork students this season, but they may co-op with Edinburg in the future.

Josh Mulvaney has left his position as head coach of the high school’s girls basketball team.  Clark spoke positively about his impact on his players while serving as coach. 

Off the field and court, South Fork students recently completed the Illinois Assessment of Readiness (IAR), the state standardized testing for students in third through eighth grade.  When reviewing the results, the district is especially focused on the growth that students show from one year to the next. 

The schools are planning field trips at the end of the academic year to celebrate students’ accomplishments.  Initial potential destinations include Scovill Zoo, international cuisine, and even other states.

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

Chris Clark appeared as a guest on the WTIM Morning Show. 

The Christian County Health Department recently ordered a temporary closure of Los Rancheros in Taylorville. Hector Lopez, owner of Los Rancheros, stated that clear water from a clogged drain was one of the main culprits that led to the closure by the health department. This water was in fact, draining, but was draining slowly. The Health Department cited that this violation, along with several others, was reason enough to shut down the restaurant.

According to Lopez, a drain Clog like this is not uncommon, and is not a threat to the public.

Lopez believes the reason for their closure was actually because of the health inspector not wanting to wait for the plumbing fix to happen, even though Jeff Nolan from Nolan’s Plumbing was on site actively working to fix the clogged drain. Lopez also states that he understands why they chose to order them to close is for the public’s safety, and he hopes the community can return to a safe restaurant.

Lopez also said that if this event had happened earlier in the day, the closure may not have happened. The restaurant has reopened, thanks to a passed re-inspection.

The Health Department has not publicly commented on this case.

The Social Security Administration’s efforts to educate the public on Social Security-related scams are a year-round operation.  They did, however, set aside March 5 as National Slam the Scam Day.  The goal was to give current and prospective beneficiaries alike the tools to spot scams and protect their personal information.  SSA Public Affairs Specialist Jack Myers says this initiative comes amid an increase in complaints of government impostor scams in the last two years.

In addition, around 14% of reported Social Security impostor scams resulted in the victim losing money.  Signs that a call is a scam include requests for unusual financial transfers and a heightened sense of urgency.

While Social Security does occasionally call beneficiaries, it is typically in response to a benefits application.  Myers stresses the agency will never ask for payment in unusual forms, threaten suspension or arrest, or ask for money in exchange for assistance or extra benefits. 

The Social Security administration urges anyone to report scams related to that agency via www.ssa.gov/scams.  Myers acknowledges that victims may feel too embarrassed about the situation to do so but adds that everyone in the U.S. is vulnerable.

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

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

Students in the Christian County CEO program are preparing to present their hard work to the community, all in one place.  It’s part of the program’s annual trade show, which is scheduled for Wednesday, April 29 from 4-7 p.m. at VisionWay Christian School.  Every student’s individually run business will be set up for visitors to learn more about and even purchase from, if desired. 

Ella Davis, a CEO student, will be there as owner of Streetlight Press.  It’s a publishing company she founded to publish a poetry book she has written. 

For Charley Craggs, another CEO student, the trade show is an opportunity to showcase candles she has made through her business, Wick’d Candles & Melts.

The Christian County CEO class recently held its Men Who Cook event at the Moose Lodge.  Despite logistical challenges, the group exceeded expectations with regards to profit.

This CEO class will celebrate their hard work this year in style.  A St. Louis Cardinals game is just one stop of three in a trip they will take at the end of the academic year. 

More information on Christian County CEO and the trade show is available at www.christiancountyceo.com. 

Charley Craggs and Ella Davis appeared as guests on the WTIM Morning Show.

Central Commodity FS and Gateway FS are merging this year.  Stakeholders across both entities voted in favor of the merger on March 13.  It will take effect on August 1, which is the turn of the fiscal year for what will become the one farm supply cooperative.

Mark Bauman has served as the general manager at Central Commodity FS and is also doing so for Gateway FS until the merger takes effect.  He says initial discussions on a merger began last November after key departures from the organizations. 

Bauman says the merger will help expand their reach with the many services they provide, while minimizing additional operating costs. 

In the meantime, both organizations will be busy working with member farmers as part of planting season, in the capacities in which they currently operate. 

More information on Central Commodity FS is available at fscooperatives.com/centralcommodityfs.  More information on Gateway FS is available at fscooperatives.com/gatewayfs.

Mark Bauman appeared as a guest on the WTIM Morning Show as part of our special live broadcast from the Christian County Farm Bureau for National Ag Day.

A Taylorville restaurant has been ordered closed following a health inspection that found multiple serious violations.

According to the Christian County Health Department, Los Rancheros in Taylorville was shut down after inspectors discovered raw sewage on the kitchen floor during a routine inspection on March 24th.

Health officials say the presence of sewage created an immediate risk for foodborne illness and cross-contamination, prompting an emergency suspension of the restaurant’s operations.

The inspection report also cited a number of additional violations, including improperly stored food, incorrect sanitizer levels in the dishwashing machine, and issues with pest control. Inspectors noted full fly traps located near food preparation areas, as well as structural concerns like holes in walls and unsealed flooring.

Officials say the sewage issue must be fully repaired before the restaurant can reopen. In addition, all other violations must be corrected and the facility must pass a follow-up inspection.

The health department says a $100 reinspection fee will be required and at least 15 separate violations must be fixed before approval is given to resume operations.  Recent social media posts from Los Rancheros have since been deleted. 

To view the full inspection click here. 

Kiwanis members hosted a visit by Jeff Whitten, representing the Boy Scouts of America at their Tuesday luncheon at the Taylorville Moose Lodge.

Whitten is a Scout Executive with Abraham Lincoln Council of Boy Scouts of America.  During his presentation Whitten stated the Council currently serves nine counties in Central Illinois overseeing activities for more than 1300 scouts.  The Abraham Lincoln Council supports 235 local councils associated with Boy Scouts of America.

Historically, Boys Scouts is known for Camping and other activities focused on building character in youth offering 140 different merit badges.  To earn the rank of Eagle Scout requires earning 24 badges.

Today the organization promotes a STEM Laboratory bus scheduling visits local events.  Called the VORTEX, the bus is a mobile laboratory and classroom designed to bring hands on learning to youth.

Boy Scouts of America is made up of fifth grade to 18 year old members.   

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

This spring, families across the country, and even here in the Illinois Region, may suddenly discover they need a safe place to sleep, a warm meal, and help replacing essentials that have been lost in minutes.

This is the time of year that severe and volatile weather loves the most. That spike in severe weather increases the risks of flooding from coast to coast. Wildfires also add a threat to the drought stricken Southwest to Southeast.

The American Red Cross of Illinois is urging you to help out of you can. You can help ensure families don’t face these tragic and life changing disasters alone on Red Cross Giving Day. Red Cross Giving Day takes place today and you can support disaster relief at redcross.org/givingday.

According to a report by the American Red Cross, January produced severe winter storms that forced families across multiple states to turn to The Red Cross for support. In that specific month alone, the organization provided more meals and snacks than during the previous years record breaking wildfires in Los Angeles.

In February, The Red Cross opened more than 100 shelters across the country for families displaced by winter storms stretching from California to the Northeast, alongside of extensive flooding on the West Coast and Wildfires across the Plains.

To narrow it down to Just Illinois, The American Red Cross states that over the past year Illinoisans have experienced disasters such as the Kankakee Tornado Response, which impacted hundreds of people.

Additionally, local volunteers have provided comfort and hope to over 2,275 people after 475 house fires across Illinois since January 1st.

Donating on Giving Day provides assistance to The Red Cross with stocking warehouses with urgently needed relief supplies, training volunteers in advance so they can respond immediately, maintain ready vehicles, logistic systems and equipment, set up shelters quickly in pre-identified and safe locations, and making sure families aren’t all alone in their first few hours of tragedy.

According to the Red Cross, a gift of any size makes a difference. If financial support isnt an option,  donating blood or volunteering for relief efforts is just as appreciated.

The American Red Cross states also that they need blood now more than ever. This years severe weather impact has already caused thousands of blood donations to be forced to go uncollected. Donors in unaffected ares make it possible for the Red Cross to continue meeting patient needs.

Among its many other objectives, the Christian County Farm Bureau looks to reach younger farmers and facilitate their involvement with the Farm Bureau and agriculture more broadly.  They do so through field trips, appearances at the Christian County Fair, and other fun events.  The Farm Bureau also does its part to raise funds for these efforts.

Kent Girard is a member of the Christian County Farm Bureau’s Board of Directors and also serves as chairperson for the Young Ag Leader group.  He plays a major role in these outreach endeavors, of which there are many.

Clint Epley, another board member and the director of the Farm Bureau, spoke about the Homegrown Heroes series.  In it, the Farm Bureau collaborates with the TommyTV program at Taylorville High School to spotlight local farmers and how they contribute to the community. 

The Farm Bureau is holding a golf outing to raise funds for the aforementioned outreach programs along with a scholarship.  The golf outing is scheduled for Saturday, March 8 at Lake Shore Golf Course in Taylorville.

As expected, the Christian County Farm Bureau will be ever present at the fair this summer.  They will be involved with the Ag Appreciation Luncheon as well as a booth at the fairgrounds. 

More information on the Christian County Farm Bureau is available at www.christiancfb.org.

Clint Epley and Kent Girard appeared as guests on the WTIM Morning Show as part of our special live broadcast from the Christian County Farm Bureau for National Ag Day.

The WSVZ and Family Drug-Shelbyville Students of the Month for March were recently presented with their awards.

A shout out and big congratulations goes to Freshman,Tessa Tomblin, Sophomore, Kaelynn Voyles, Junior, Zavier Hankins, and Senior, Michael Taylor. 

(Far Left): Tessa Tomblin- Freshman; (Left) Kaelynn Voyles- Sophomore; (middle) Zavier Hankins- Junior: (right) Michael Taylor-Senior; (Far Right) Tina Wade, of Family Drug.
 

The WSVZ and Family Drug-Shelbyville Students of the Month for February were recently presented with their awards.

A big congratulations goes to Freshman, Alivia Storn, Sophomore Jonathan Kirk-Bride, Junior, Brielle Ko, and Senior, Kenzie Jones. 

(Far Left): Alivia Storn - Freshman; (Left)  Johnathan Kirk Bride - Sophomore; (middle) Brielle Ko- Junior: (right) Kenzie Jones - Senior; (Far Right) Trinity, CPhT of Family Drug.

A new study is raising concerns about how screen time could impact kids’ long-term health.

Research published in the Journal of the American Heart Association shows children and teenagers who spend more time on screens, especially while getting less sleep, may face a higher risk of future heart and metabolic issues, including high blood pressure, blood sugar, and cholesterol. The study looked at more than one-thousand young people in Denmark and found teenagers with the most screen time were especially at risk.

Doctor Natasha Noel with the OSF HealthCare Cardiovascular Institute says the findings highlight how everyday habits can impact long-term health.

Doctors say one key factor is sleep. Experts warn too much screen time, especially late at night, can disrupt sleep patterns, which play a critical role in regulating hormones, metabolism, and blood pressure.

While the study focused on children in Denmark, doctors say more research with a broader population would be helpful. Still, the connection between screen time, sleep, and health risks is hard to ignore.

The findings also highlight the importance of physical activity.

Doctors say time spent in front of screens could mean less movement which is something that’s essential for heart health.

Health experts say the goal isn’t to eliminate screen time altogether, but to create balance.
That includes setting limits, keeping screens out of bedrooms at night, and maintaining consistent sleep schedules.

Doctors say the habits kids build now, including how they sleep, move, and use technology, can have lasting effects on their heart health well into adulthood.

 Peter Meyer Chapter, NSDAR recognized seven students from area high schools as DAR Good Citizens at their March 14 meeting at the Ministry Center of First United Methodist Church Taylorville. 

The DAR Good Citizen Program was started by National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution (NSDAR) in 1934 and recognizes the qualities of Leadership, Dependability, Service, and Patriotism. One senior student may be selected for the award by their peers and faculty. The students receive a certificate and pin in recognition of their accomplishments. 

Each of the students has the opportunity to write a 550 word essay on a specified topic to be entered into competition with DAR Good Citizens from other schools in the District V competition. One winner is selected from each of the seven Illinois DAR districts to advance to competition for a $1000 scholarship. 

Those recognized by Peter Meyer Chapter were: Jamesly Jesse, Central A & M High School; Paisley Swinger, Edinburg High School; Rian Deardorff, Morrisonville High School; Parker Moore, Pana High School; Carson Contreras, Pawnee High School; Angelina Ippolito, South Fork High School; and Madison King, Taylorville High School.  

Jamesly Jesse is an active member of his school community serving on the student council for four years, participating in soccer, basketball, football, baseball, and Fellowship of Christian Athletes.  In the fall he was crowned Homecoming King. Jamesly is active in his church and has been a member of mission teams to Guatemala, New York, and Alabama. He is an Eagle Scout and was the winner of The National Eagle Scout Service Project of the Year. Jamesly’s Eagle Scout project raised over $35,000 to provide 100,080 meals to the community of Milot, Haiti. In the future Jamesly plans to attend college and to serve others.

Paisley Swinger has been a FFA member for five years, a student council representative for four years, and National Honor Society member for three years. During her high school career she has been on the Highest Honor Roll all four years and is on the Dean’s List at Lincoln Land Community College. Paisley extracurricular activities include varsity volleyball, basketball, and softball. She is a cheerleader for football and basketball and is on the competitive cheer team. Paisley serves the community by volunteering at the animal shelter and food pantry.  Her future plans are to study nursing and become a pediatric or NICU nurse. 

Rian Deardorff has been a class officer for three years and a member of the National Honor Society for two years. She has been on the varsity golf team for four years where she has won many medals. She participated in Fellowship of Christian Athletes.  Academically, Paisley has many academic awards including the President’s Award for Educational Excellence, Certificate of Academic Excellence, and Society for Academic Achievement.  She is currently the president of her FFA chapter. Rian’s future plans are to attend SIUE and become a Radiologic Technologist specializing in radiation therapy.

Parker Moore is an Illinois State Scholar and a member of the National Honor Society. During his high school career Parker has been on the Exceptional Honor Roll. He is a Scholar Athlete and played football, baseball, basketball, and participated in track. In addition, he was Football Media Director his senior year. Parker designed a class curriculum and taught a Junior High class in basic Chromebook repair techniques and etiquette. He is a member of the German American Partnership Program and was a foreign exchange student in Germany for two weeks in 2025. Parker’s future plans are to become a pilot. His application has been submitted to the U.S. Air Force Academy.

Carson Contreras is a member of the National Honor Society and Interact Club where he volunteers his time and energy to help support community events and service projects. Throughout his four year high school career Carson has been a member of the scholastic bowl, FFA, and has played soccer and baseball. He also donated countless hours to help with youth baseball and basketball teams. Carson received numerous awards from the Eastern Illinois University Academic Challenge Engineering and Science in 2024 and 2025. Carson’s future plans are major in political science at a four year university and find a career in government where he can help people. 

Angelina Ippolito has been a member of the National Honor Society her entire high school career. She has participated in many community service projects at school, her church, and in the communities of Kincaid and Taylorville.  Angelina is on the Student Council serving as its President her Junior and Senior year. She has also been the President of her Junior and Senior Class. She serves on a Peer Advisory Committee where she instructs Junior High students on bullying prevention, setting goals for the future, and provides mentorship, guidance, and advice. Angelina played volleyball and basketball for four years. Her future plans are to attend Clarke University as an accelerated physical therapy major and play basketball.  

Private First Class (PFC) Madison King enlisted in the Illinois National Guard in February 2025. She completed Basic Combat Training throughout the summer of 2025 and attends Drill one weekend per month. In her high school career, Madison has been a High Honor Roll student all four years. She has participated in Scholastic Bowl all four years. She was a cast member for the Spring Musical in 2023 and 2024 and a Journalism staff member. She has been enrolled in advanced classes her entire high school career and is currently enrolled in dual credit classes at Lincoln Land Community College. Her future plans are to attend AIT for the Military through the  summer and fall of 2026, finish her freshman year at LLCC, and then transfer to another college to study nursing or forensic science.  
Madison King was chosen as the recipient of the Peter Meyer Chapter award of $300 based on her information submitted including letters of recommendation and her essay.                                               
 

A Lincoln Land Community College student is earning national recognition.

Samantha Ulm of Auburn has been named one of 485 semifinalists nationwide for the Cooke Undergraduate Transfer Scholarship.

Ulm was selected from a pool of more than 13-hundred applicants, representing over 200 community colleges across 37 states. Candidates are evaluated on academic achievement, leadership, and perseverance.

The scholarship would allow recipients to complete their bachelor’s degree debt-free at any accredited four-year college or university in the U.S., with funding of up to 55-thousand dollars per year for up to three years.

Beyond financial support, the program also provides academic advising, career guidance, and access to opportunities like internships, study abroad programs, and graduate school funding.

Ulm is an active member of the Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society and serves as president of the Honors Club.

In a statement, English professor and advisor Doctor Gillian Bauer called Ulm an exemplary student leader and said the recognition is well deserved.

Final scholarship recipients will be announced in May by the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation.
 

The general election ballots in Illinois are set after the spring primaries on St. Patrick’s Day.  This includes key statewide races for governor and the U.S. Senate.  Shifts in campaign funding and legislative maps for both the U.S. Congress and the Illinois General Assembly are seen to have much to do with the March election outcomes.  

Dr. Kent Redfield is a professor emeritus of political science at the University of Illinois-Springfield.  He says the major donors to Republican gubernatorial candidates in past candidates have not turned up this time. 

On the Democratic side, Julianna Stratton and Margaret Croke won the primaries for U.S. Senate and Illinois Comptroller, respectively.  Governor JB Pritzker endorsed both candidates.  Dr. Redfield says the results boosted Pritzker’s standing in a possible presidential run, but not as much as it would have dropped had they not both won. 

The governor is also running this year to keep his spot against the challenge of Darren Bailey, who won the Republican nomination.  While Bailey won downstate areas solidly in the primary, he will likely need a significant boost in the Chicagoland area to win the general election. 

More information on elections in Illinois is available at the Illinois State Board of Elections website, elections.il.gov.  More information on UIS’s political science program is available at www.uis.edu/spia.

Dr. Kent Redfield appeared as a guest on the WTIM Morning Show. 

The Taylorville Park Board met tonight for its regular monthly meeting. Topics that were discussed were the repairs at the Lake Shore Golf Course and what the cost of those repairs will be, as well as the Red Bland Youth Softball and Baseball team, which had a request for new lighting that would run on generators, for the ability to host later games, and new netting for one of their batting cages.

There were also updates on the recent oil spill in the Manners Park North Pond.

The first topic that was discussed was the Lake Shore Golf Course. A representative from the golf course stated they request new heating units for the cafe and other areas on the grounds, with a project budget of $14,296.

The Red Bland Youth Baseball Team sent representatives to the meeting as well to request new generator powered lighting and batting cage netting for their youth baseball teams. One of the issues in needing these new updates was the ability to host later games, and for safety of participants using the batting cages.

The requests made by the Red Bland Youth Team were approved across the board.
The final update was on the cleanup and situation of the North Pond at Manners Park.

The Park’s Maintenance Superintendent, Ben Dempsey, made a statement to the board in regard to the cause of the oil spill.

According to Dempsey’s beliefs, the spill did lead from an oil drum at the nearby train depot. The EPA States as well that the pond is currently not a threat to the public, but further testing of the quality of the water is still ongoing.

For any further information you can call the park districts office or visit them online at www.taylorvilleparkdistrict.com

Get all your local news updates at taylorvilledailynews.com

Christian County high school graduates have several scholarship opportunities available through the Taylorville Memorial Foundation for 2026.

The Carolyn M. Butterfield Trust Nursing Scholarship will award one thousand dollars to a student who graduated from a Christian County high school and is currently enrolled in a two- or four-year college nursing program. Applicants must have completed at least their first year. The deadline to apply is April 17th.

Two 25-hundred dollar Dr. George Ferry Memorial Scholarships will be awarded to seniors at Taylorville High School who plan to major in a healthcare field. Applications are available through the high school guidance office and must be submitted by March 30th.

The Katie McCarty Nursing Excellence CNA Scholarship is also available to students accepted into a certified nursing assistant program. Preference is given to Christian County residents, and applications are accepted year-round. Award amounts vary and may be used for tuition, books, or fees.

More information and application details can be found online at memorial dot health slash TMF under the education assistance tab.

The Taylorville Memorial Foundation is a nonprofit organization that supports the mission of Taylorville Memorial Hospital in improving community health.

For additional details, you can contact the foundation at 217-707-5271.
 

The Christian County Sheriff’s Office has added a new member to its team.

Deputy Seath Hubbs has joined the department as a full-time officer, coming over as a lateral hire from the Assumption Police Department. Hubbs began his law enforcement career in 2020 with the Village of Kincaid and has also previously served part-time with the Christian County Sheriff’s Office.

He fills the position left vacant by Deputy Alan Bailey, who retired in February after years of service.
Sheriff’s officials say Hubbs brings valuable experience and a strong commitment to public service as he begins his new role serving the community.

Welcome Deputy Hubbs!

Drivers across Illinois are seeing a sharp jump at the pump.

According to GasBuddy, the average price for gasoline in Illinois has risen nearly 47 cents in the past week, now sitting at 4-dollars-16-cents per gallon.

That’s more than a dollar higher than a month ago and about 77 cents higher than this time last year.

Prices across the state vary widely, with the lowest reported at 3-dollars-38-cents per gallon and the highest at 5-dollars-49-cents.

Nationally, gas prices are also climbing, up about 24 cents in the last week to an average of 3-dollars-92-cents per gallon.

Diesel prices are seeing an even steeper increase, jumping 27 cents to just over 5-dollars-22-cents per gallon — the highest level since late 2022.

Closer to home, prices in Peoria are averaging just over 4-dollars a gallon, while drivers in St. Louis are paying around 3-78, and Champaign sits just under 4 dollars.

Analysts say seasonal trends and ongoing global supply concerns are driving the increase, with the national average expected to reach 4 dollars per gallon in the coming days.

Experts warn there are few signs of prices leveling off anytime soon.

Recent rainfall is providing some much-needed relief to drought conditions across central Illinois.

According to the National Weather Service office in Lincoln, Illinois, much of the region has seen significantly above normal precipitation over the past 30 days, with some areas receiving between 200 and 300 percent of their typical rainfall totals.

That surge in moisture is already making an impact. Soil conditions have improved across much of the area, and streamflows are beginning to return closer to seasonal norms. Water levels at key reservoirs, including Lake Decatur, are now reported to be near or even slightly above normal for this time of year.

Despite the improvement, drought conditions have not completely disappeared. Much of central Illinois remains classified in a severe drought, while isolated pockets of extreme drought continue to linger in parts of east-central Illinois.

Officials say while recent rainfall has helped stabilize conditions, some deeper soil moisture deficits still remain, particularly in the hardest-hit areas. In addition, a few communities in the region are still encouraging voluntary water conservation as a precaution.

Looking ahead, the outlook remains encouraging. Forecasts call for a continued chance of precipitation along with above-normal temperatures as the region heads into April. Those conditions could further reduce drought intensity and potentially bring a return to more normal conditions as spring progresses.

For now, forecasters say the trend is moving in the right direction—but consistent rainfall in the coming weeks will be key to fully eliminating drought concerns across central Illinois.
 

Jake Dukett, the Supervisor of Natural Gas Public Awareness for Ameren, explains what its like to live a day in the life of an Ameren Natural Gas Journeyman.

In an interview with Taylorville Daily News, Dukett talked about job duties, how he prepares for his shift upon arrival to work, and even what the most common jobs typically are.

According to Dukett, The most common duties a Journeyman handles in a work day for a natural gas worker are different every day. 

The daily work shift starts with a morning briefing that lets the natural gas workers know their assignments, followed by vigorous stretching to prepare the body for the long, tiring, and potentially strenuous workday. Then, since safety and clarity are very important to Ameren, they go back over the briefing as a team one more time, and its off to the job site.

Among other topics discussed, Dukett also spoke about what it takes to get in to a career field like his. Dukett made points about apprenticeship and how long that usually takes to reach completion and why it takes so long, as well as what the most challenging obstacle in his apprenticeship was.

Dukett also had advice for anyone seeking a career in Natural Gas.

Get updated on all of your local news at taylorviledailynews.com

The Strasburg Alliance Club is preparing to bring the community together through its annual Spring Fest.  It’s scheduled for the weekend of April 25 and features food, music, and fun activities.  This year is the first one with the club in primary charge, taking over for the location which ran it previously.  The Alliance Club is also promoting its youth community service initiative, run through local Lions Club chapters. 

The Spring Fest will take place at Vahling Vineyards.  The Strasburg Alliance Club’s Jim Weiss says the winery served as the original event organizers before delegating it to the Alliance Club.

Music will entertain visitors the duration of the weekend, with local acts coming to perform. 

Separate from the Spring Fest, Weiss is involved with the local LEO Club.  The acronym stands for Leadership, Experience, and Opportunity.  It’s a group of high school students who complete a variety of community service projects, mostly for senior citizens and those with disabilities. 

Weiss says this and other LEO Clubs help introduce a mindset of service in younger community members. 

More information is available at e-clubhouse.org/sites/strasburg. 

Jim Weiss appeared as a guest on the WTIM Shelbyville Morning Show. 

The Christian County Health Department is now doing lab draws for patients.  Those who require blood work or similar tests can visit the Health Department’s offices at 730 North Pawnee Street.  The new offering is designed to help patients receive these tests for a lower cost, in many cases, than they would incur at a doctor’s office.  It’s just one of several changes the CCHD has implemented for 2026. 

Chelsey Davis is the Director of Nursing at the Christian County Health Department.  She says these tests will be available on Mondays.

The department’s new mental health screening tool, Credible Mind, is now available.  Peyton Langen, Mental Health Case Manager with CCHD, says users can answer questions, and the system uses the responses to look for signs of mental health challenges.  The screening is available at christiancountyhealth.crediblemind.com. 

Langen along with Public Health Administrator Dr. Chad Anderson also note that the screening tool is designed to direct users to local resources based on their responses

More information on the Christian County Health Department is available at www.cchdil.org. 

Dr. Chad Anderson, Chelsey Davis, and Peyton Langen appeared as guests on the WTIM Morning Show. 

The Shelby County Sheriff’s Office is reporting a drug arrest and the discovery of a suspected explosive device following a search warrant in Shelby County.

Officers say on March 21st, just before 4:30 p.m., deputies, along with a K-9 unit from Shelbyville Police, executed a court-approved search warrant at a residence on West North 3rd Street in Herrick.

During that search, 33-year-old Quinton D. Wallace was taken into custody.

He’s facing multiple charges, including possession of more than 100 grams of methamphetamine with intent to deliver, unlawful possession of a weapon by a felon, possession of stolen property, and drug paraphernalia.

Investigators also say Wallace was found in possession of what appears to be a homemade explosive device.

The Illinois Secretary of State Police Bomb Squad responded to the scene and secured the device, which will now be turned over to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives for further evaluation and disposal.

Officials add Wallace was already out on pretrial release from a previous 2025 arrest on similar drug and weapons charges at the time of this incident.

He is currently being held in the Shelby County Jail pending formal charges and a detention hearing.

 State Senator Doris Turner is inviting residents to attend a senior resource fair on Thursday, April 9. 

The event will take place from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Salvation Army of Decatur and Macon County, located at 229 W. Main St. in Decatur. It is free and open to the public.

“The upcoming event will give seniors a one-stop shop to learn more about state and local resources available in the Decatur community,” said Turner (D-Springfield). “People will have the opportunity to get information to help them stay safe, informed and healthy.”

Seniors will be able to ask questions and obtain information from a variety of service and health care providers, state programs and local groups that provide resources to older adults.

People with questions can reach out to Turner’s office at 217-782-0228 or SenatorDorisTurner.com.

As concerns about sleep health continue to grow nationwide, a Central Illinois furniture retailer is expanding its mattress offerings in response to changing consumer demand.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, nearly one in three U.S. adults does not get enough sleep—something experts say can impact overall health and daily performance.

Wright’s Furniture & Flooring recently announced it has expanded its Wright Sleep mattress line to 28 models, including seven new designs introduced this year. Company officials say the expansion reflects increasing interest in sleep quality, affordability, and locally made products.

The mattresses are manufactured in Central Illinois, a move the company says allows for more control over production and quicker delivery. The designs also focus on features aimed at improving comfort and durability, including upgraded spring systems and temperature-regulating materials.

Company leaders say the industry as a whole is seeing a shift away from one-size-fits-all mattresses, with more consumers looking for options that match individual sleep preferences.

Wright’s Furniture & Flooring, a family-owned business, is marking its 137th year in operation.
 

A chance for athletes from around the country to compete in traditional Celtic and Scottish events comes to Horace B. Garman Park. This marks a new location for The Fifth annual D-Town Throwdown Highland Games, set to be held on Saturday, April 25th.

Historically the number of athletes along with their family members who attend ranges between 60 and 70 competitors.

You can feel free to bring your kids along for the fun as well as this event has no age limit for spectators. Entry to the event is also completely free.

Ancient Athletics, which is a unit of the St. Andrew’s Society of Central Illinois, organizes the games as part of it’s mission to promote and celebrate Celtic culture through community involvement and athletic events.

Athletes of all ages are welcome to register to compete. To register online as an athlete in the competition, CLICK HERE.

This event also welcomes sponsors, vendors, and volunteers. Those interested in supporting or participating as a vendor should reach out via email to scottishheavyevents@gmail.com

Get all your local news updates at taylorvilledailynews.com, or tune into 96.1 WTIM, Your Only Local News Radio.

The Wilborn Creek Recreation Area near Lake Shelbyville will see closures beginning March 24 and ending on March 26.

This closure includes the entirety of the area. That specific area also includes the entrance road, fishing shelf, and boat ramp.

The temporary closure is needed for park maintenance to have the ability to safely complete required maintenance work within the park.

The Army Corps of Engineers say they recognize the inconvenience that the closures may cause and appreciate the public’s patience and cooperation for the duration that this work needs to be completed.

For additional information call the Lake Shelbyville Project Office at (217) 774-3951.

Get all of your daily news and local updates at taylorvilledailynews.com.

Jim Baker, the Republican nominee for Christian County Sheriff, is in the early stages of preparing to take up the role on December 1.  He secured the nomination in Tuesday’s primary elections, with no candidates outside of the Republican primary race.  As the current Chief Deputy in the Sheriff’s Department, Baker says he intends to begin working towards implementing specific plans he campaigned on. 

Chief Deputy Baker believes that through his current role, he understands how the role of Sheriff operates, adding that it will make the transition smoother.

He also intends to use the transition time to search for and decide on his successor to the Chief Deputy role.  The final decision would not be announced until after he takes over as Sheriff.

Chief Deputy Baker also spoke on Sergeant Deputy Alan Bailey, who retired from the Sheriff’s Department after 27 years.  The two began there around the same time.  Baker credits what he sees as Sergeant Deputy Bailey’s dedication to the area of law enforcement. 

Find out more about the Christian County Sheriff’s Office by visiting them at their Facebook page. You can also download the CCSO IL App on your mobile device for the latest news and information.

Jim Baker appeared as a guest on the WTIM Morning Show.

Authorities in Sangamon County have arrested a New Berlin woman following an investigation into allegations involving a minor.

The investigation began on April 15th, 2025, when the New Berlin School District notified local police about information they had received regarding a school employee and an alleged inappropriate relationship with a minor. The case was later turned over to the Sangamon County Sheriff’s Office Investigations Division.

Detectives worked alongside the Department of Children and Family Services, the Sangamon County Child Advocacy Center, and the Sangamon County State’s Attorney’s Office. That investigation led to an arrest warrant being issued for 43-year-old Lindsey Prather of New Berlin on five counts of aggravated criminal sexual abuse and one count related to child sexual abuse material.

Prather was taken into custody Thursday, March 19th, and is currently being held at the Sangamon County Jail. She is awaiting arraignment and a detention hearing.

The Sangamon County Sheriff’s Office is thanking the New Berlin School District for its cooperation. Authorities say no further information will be released at this time.
 

The Christian County Historical Society is preparing for its two major events early spring events.  They include the clean-up day on April 4 and the Earth Day celebration on April 19.  These events come not long after the Historical Society returns to its summer hours as the weather warms to temperatures more fit for exploring their grounds. 

Jodi Heberling is a co-president of the Christian County Historical Society.  She says while local organizations have helped with clean-up days in recent years, more volunteers are still needed this time around.

The clean-up day will prepare the grounds for, among other happenings, the annual Earth Day celebration.  It’s scheduled for April 19 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.  The pie auction is back for another year as part of the celebration.  It’s the second year in which the auction pays tribute to one of its longtime contributors, Jim Blakely.

The Earth Day celebration will feature many activities returning from past editions as well as some new ones. 

Soil Sammy is one activity meant to pay tribute to Earth Day.  The Christian County Farm Bureau will help organize this activity. 

The Christian County Historical Society’s summer hours begin April 1.  At that point, they will be open Thursday-Saturday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.  Find out more about the CCHS at www.christiancountyhistorical.com.  More information is also available at their Facebook page.

Jodi Heberling appeared as a guest on the WTIM Morning Show. 

Members of the Christian County Board met on Wednesday, March 18th to discuss various topics. One of the biggest topics discussed was the matter of elected officials salary ordinances. Topics also included the appointment of Nokomis Fire District’s Marvin Johnson and Matt Hoffman to the Board of Trustees, The States Attorney from Christian County and the Public Health Coordinator from the County Health Department gave their 2025 Departmental Summary as well.

The salaries for elected officials that were subject to change included County Board Members, County Board Chairman, County Treasurer, Supervisor of Assessment, and County Clerk.

All of the salary ordinances for the elected officials carried with no discussion except for the salary ordinance for the County Board members, which rendered a lengthy discussion. After the discussion reached a close, the County Board Member salary ordinance ended up in a motion to amend the original salary change to $300 a month instead of the originally proposed amount of $350 a month.

County Board member, Venise McWard, started the discussion about the amendment to raise County Board Salary, by claiming she thought that $350 per month was too high. Board Member Clint Epley agreed with McWard and said that the increase was quite a jump.

The County Board also carried a motion to appoint two new members to the Nokomis Fire District Board of Trustees.

The newly appointed members are Marvin Johnson, and Matt Hoffman.
Bryan Sharp introduced Johnson and Hoffman to the board, resulting in the two individuals being successfully appointed to the Nokomis Fire District Board of Trustees.

The States Attorney, John Ward, also delivered his Departmental Summary for the year 2025. With an excited emphasis of his departments ability to open and close cases very quickly and efficiently.

The Health Department also sent the Public Health Administrator, Dr. Chad Anderson, to discuss some of the changes that are coming in the health community as well as other updates.

The next Meeting will be on Tuesday, April 21st at 6PM. Stay tuned to taylorvilledailynews.com for all of your local news updates.

A pharmacist at Taylorville Memorial Hospital is being recognized for his work improving patient care.
Adam Lux has been named the hospital’s Colleague of the Month for February after helping launch a new antimicrobial stewardship project aimed at reviewing microbiology results for patients discharged from the Emergency Department.

Hospital officials say the initiative addresses a gap in post-discharge care by ensuring culture results are reviewed and that patients receive appropriate follow-up treatment when needed.

In a nomination for the honor, Lux was described as a standout pharmacist whose initiative and collaborative approach have made a lasting impact across the organization. The project helps improve patient safety while also promoting responsible antibiotic use and reducing the risk of antibiotic resistance.

Lux has also volunteered to serve on the Memorial Health ICU and Emergency Department Workgroup, where he works alongside other healthcare professionals to improve patient care practices.

Colleagues say Lux is frequently praised by nurses and physicians for his professionalism, clinical expertise and willingness to collaborate with the healthcare team.

The Colleague of the Month recognition honors Memorial Health team members who demonstrate excellence in their roles and reflect the organization’s mission and values.

State Senators Doris Turner and Mike Halpin are starting an initiative that would hopefully eliminate program viewers’ discomfort and annoyance by banning higher volumes on commercials that are aired on streaming services.
 
Turner relates to those viewers and stated in a news release that she knows the feeling when you are enjoying a show on your favorite streaming service, and when it cuts to a commercial break, the volume skyrockets causing you to need to constantly adjust the volume on the TV.

 
The Federal Communications Commission preempts most state and local regulation of cable or broadcast television, but streaming services operate over the internet and fall outside that scope.

Senate Bill 3222 would prohibit commercials from being played louder than the programming on video streaming services, directly improving viewership experiences.

Halpin says that its unfair that viewers need to go through all of the trouble just to regulate volume, and have no choice in the matter as it is up to the streaming service to control the output volume limit on their streaming platforms.

Senate Bill 3222 passed the Senate Energy and Public Utilities Committee Thursday.

Get all your daily news updates at taylorvilledailynews.com.

In a recent press release, The Shelbyville Community School District #4 shared it’s gratitude for the community voting in favor of it’s proposition for a new elementary school building.

The School District also says that they are very happy to see the tremendous voter turnout and states that the turnout is a testament to the value of education by the community.

Out of a total of 2,278 ballots cast in an area with 5,227 registered voters, 63% of the Shelby County voters chose yes, which was 1,346 votes. 787 of the remaining voters voted no.

In the press release, The Shelbyville School District state they recognize the thoughtfulness put into this decision made by the community.

The district also mention that they sincerely thank every voter who participated in the process, with a very special thanks of course going those who attended tours, informational meetings, and contacted the school district via email, phone, and in person.

The school district also recognizes the impact of the 4 Our Future Shelbyville Committee under the leadership of Shannon Smith, and showed appreciation for the staff, school families, and countless others who worked with the committee to inform the community.

As the school district moves forward, they are excited to turn the support from the community into meaningful improvements that enhance learning, strengthen schools, and create new opportunities for students and staff alike.

The Shelbyville Community School District #4 will happily and diligently share updates on the progress as they move along and look forward to working together as a community to ensure these improvements have a lasting and positive impact on students, staff, and the community.

Continue to Stay up to date at TaylorvilleDailyNews.com

Severe storms tore across portions of Illinois late Sunday evening. Some of those storms not only produced straight line winds of near 70 miles per hour, but also triggered tornado warnings in several communities within Central Illinois.

The heaviest of the storm damage was reported from Nokomis, Witt, Coffeen, and Raymond.

In a news release sent by The Montgomery County Emergency Management Agency, the EMA states that damage reports began to come into the 9-1-1 dispatch center at 6:30 PM from the affected areas.

In the same press release, Witt Fire Department reported that there was significant damage to the Witt Lion’s Club Building, and some mobile campers in the area.

Nokomis Fire Protection District reported that several pieces of a steel roof had been blown off of the east side of the Nokomis Junior High School Gymnasium. Damage was also identified near the Nokomis High School.

Reports of downed power lines as a result of the heavy hitting winds and falling tree branches were also made from across Witt, Nokomis, Coffeen and Raymond.

The National Weather Service conducted a thorough investigation into the Sunday evening storms and the results of the National Weather Service’s investigation yielded the confirmation of 7 total confirmed tornadoes throughout Central IL that evening. 3 confirmed tornadoes were rated at EF0 while the remaining 4 were rated at EF1.

One of the communities awaiting the confirmation of a tornado was Nokomis. The National Weather Service’s investigation has confirmed that a tornado did in fact touchdown at the edge of town.

According to The National Weather Service, the Confirmed EF1 tornado, started on the east end of Nokomis. The tornado also went through Rosamond, and ended in Pana.

The National Weather Service’s report states the Nokomis tornado touched down on the east side of town, causing widespread tree damage. The tornado then began to push northeast toward Ohlman, causing more tree damage.

At one point, the tornado crossed into Christian County and curved east into Rosamond where it produced more tree damage and some roofing damage. The tornado then advanced into Pana where it uprooted and snapped off several large trees.

Tune in to WTIM or taylorvilledailynews.com to stay up to date during inclement and severe weather, and to help keep you and your family safe during this year’s severe weather season.

Memorial Health has added two new members to its Board of Directors.

Jennifer Cunningham of Decatur and Eric Kahle of Taylorville were recently appointed to the board.

Cunningham serves as Vice President of Human Resources at ADM and currently chairs the board at Decatur Memorial Hospital. She is also involved with several community organizations in the Decatur area.

Kahle has been a State Farm agent in Taylorville since 1997 and chairs the board at Taylorville Memorial Hospital. He has also previously served with the Taylorville Chamber of Commerce and the TMH Foundation.

Both say they look forward to representing their communities and supporting the health system’s mission moving forward.
 

General ticket sales for the 5th annual Tommy Awards are just around the corner.  This year’s edition is set for Saturday, May 9, with dinner at 6 p.m. and the show itself beginning one hour later, all inside the Dolph Stanley Gymnasium.  Attendees for the event – meant to honor school and wider community members and organizations in a variety of areas – can buy tickets starting on Monday.  By that point, however, award nominees will have had their chance to buy tickets, with those notifications sent out this week.  Preparation for the show is an all-hands-on-deck effort to secure aesthetics, sponsorships, and more before the purple carpet is rolled out. 

Ella Hohenstein is helping produce this year’s Tommy Awards and will also serve as an emcee.  She says the Tommy Awards team is looking for enough sponsors to cover the five-figure cost the show carries. 

Grayson Craggs is another show emcee; he also serves on the show’s sponsorship committee.  He says while securing sponsorships is an arduous task, there is a high level of enthusiasm from businesses which step up to help. 

TommyTV will broadcast the Tommy Awards.  Their team’s work also entails some of the digital visual elements seen inside the Dolph. 

Craggs and Hohenstein find enjoyment in the collaborative nature of the work and in the final product and the days leading up to it. 

More information on the Tommy Awards is available at www.tommyawards.tv. 

Grayson Craggs and Ella Hohenstein appeared as guests on the WTIM Morning Show.

A Lake Land College student from Taylorville has been recognized nationally for academic achievement and leadership.

Jay Bliler has been named to the 2026 Coca-Cola Academic Team and will receive a 13-hundred dollar scholarship.

Bliler is enrolled in the college’s agriculture transfer program and serves as Student Trustee, representing the student body on the school’s Board of Trustees.

The Coca-Cola Academic Team program, sponsored by the Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation, recognizes top community college students across the country for their academic success, leadership, and community involvement.

Students are nominated by their colleges, with selections based on achievement both in and out of the classroom.

Bliler will be recognized at ceremonies at the local, state, and international levels, including the PTK Catalyst convention later this month in Baltimore.
 

The Christian County Board is set to meet on Wednesday evening at 6 PM. Several appointments will be announced including Marvin Johnson and Matt Hoffman to the Nokomis Fire District.  There will be a departmental 2025 summary from the state’s Attorney’s Office and Health Department, The board will hear elected officials salary ordinances for several departments including county board, chairman, county treasurer, supervisor, and county clerk.

Under highway, building, and grounds, the board will look at a courthouse grounds application for turning the town teal, by the Prairie Center Against Sexual Assault, along with boardroom ceiling update and a jail update.  Under executive, personnel, liquor there will be a ema update, a county engineer appointment, change to vacation leave policy, an update on the veterans assistance commission, and a look at an agreement with Madison County for juvenile detention.  Under audit and finance, there will be a discussion concerning a couple referrals including a look at an ac unit for the sheriff’s admin building. 

Under new business, there are several things that will be discussed and potentially voted on including Goebel’s Acres Minor subdivision,  collective bargaining agreements, and per diem reports.  

Stay tuned to Taylorvilledailynews.com for all the latest on the county board meeting.  

Peoples Bank & Trust has made a $35,000 donation to the Pana Community Unit School District to support a new K-through-12 literacy initiative.

School officials say the funding will go toward a reading comprehension program designed to help teachers strengthen literacy skills across all grade levels.

Superintendent Jessica Miller says the district plans to use the money to train teachers in proven strategies aimed at improving student reading and comprehension. She says strong literacy skills are key to long-term academic success and this investment will help build a stronger foundation for students.

Bank President and CEO John Gardner says the donation reflects the bank’s commitment to supporting education and the community. He adds the goal is to help give both students and teachers the tools they need to succeed.

District leaders say the initiative will focus on improving instruction, analyzing student progress, and helping students stay engaged in their learning.

The Pana School District serves about 1,150 students from pre-kindergarten through 12th grade across parts of Christian, Shelby, and Montgomery counties.

Shelby County saw a few contested races in the March 17th primary election. The results are now in.

On the Republican ballot, 2,450 of 2,733 voters elect Brad Halbrook as the next 107th District State Representative. Halbrook’s 2,450 votes give him a 795 vote lead against John Hauge who received 1,655 votes.

The Republican ballot shows that the 15th Congressional District’s State Representative victor will be Mary Miller, with a 2,574 vote lead over Ryan Tebrugge. Miller received 3,058 votes out of the 4,343 ballots cast. Tebrugge fell behind with only 484 votes.

The Republicans chose Don Tracy as the Illinois State Senator with 1,439 votes, leading against Jeannie Evans who received 803 votes.

The Republican ballot for the State and Lieutenant Governor shows Darren Bailey and Aaron Del Mar to be the Republican choice with 3,244  out of 4,343 votes cast. This gives Bailey and Del Mar the lead over Dabrowski and Mendoza, who only have a mere 530 votes.

In the case of the Secretary of the State, Republicans choose Diane Harris. Out of 4,343 Voters, Harris leads against Walter Adamczyk with 2,151 votes against Adamczyk’s 1,343 votes.

Republicans see Jessica Fox as the new Shelby County Clerk and Recorder with 3,458 against Christie Otis’s 737 votes.

Shelby County will continue with Brian McReynolds as the Shelby County Sheriff, as he won the republican ballot with 3,445 votes against Joseph Duncan, who only received 678.

The decision between Erica Firnhaber and Donald Debolt shows the Republicans have chosen Debolt in the race for Shelby County Treasurer with a final count of 2,522 for Debolt and 1,687 for Firnhaber.

The Shelbyville School District Building Bond Proposition received 1,346 yes votes and 787 no votes out of 2,278 ballots cast.

The Shelby County Federal Scholarship Tax Credit Advisory Referendum shows 2982 out of 5,131 ballots cast showed a vote for yes, being 67% of voters.

For the Democratic side, Raja Krishnamoorthi takes the win for U.S. Senator with 303 total votes leading the race against Juliana Stratton who received 237 votes out of the total 730 ballots cast.

On the Democrat side, in the case of Comptroller, Margaret Croke takes the seat with 243 votes. Beating Holly Kim who had 192 votes.

The Democratic choice for the 15th Congressional District was Jennifer Todd with 307 votes out of the 730 voters, beating Paul David who only had 258 votes.

Katherine Daniels wins against Terry C. Redman in the race for the 15th Congressional Districts State Central Committee Person.

To see the full results and more detailed information go online to il-shelby.pollresults.net

Mowequa has announced its finalist for Sparklight’s Dream Bigger Award to be the Mowequa Public Library of Mowequa, IL. The library is among 24 finalists in the Dream Bigger Contest.

The Dream Bigger Contest supports science, technology, engineering, and math education projects also known as STEM projects.

The Dream Bigger Award Finalists are gearing up to compete for one of 12 grants worth $2,500 to help bring their STEM ideas to life in the classroom.

You can see the finalists and find the winner of this year’s Dream Bigger Awards online at www.sparklight.com/contest.

Stay tuned to taylorvilledailynews.com and WTIM for all your news and weather updates.

Lake Land College hopes to make its applied engineering technology program more logistically accessible to all.  Starting this fall, the department will run courses in a Competency-Based Education (CBE) format, and enrollment is already open.  This system combines asynchronous remote learning with open lab time in lieu of scheduled class sessions.  It’s designed to be more flexible with students’ lives outside of education and their prior experience with the subject matter. 

Michael Beavers is an instructor in electronics engineering technology and also serves as program coordinator.  He says from students with full-time jobs to those who often travel, the new format will better suit them. 

He adds that students who are already familiar with portions of the material will benefit by being able to advance through the curriculum at their own pace. 

Students would still need to complete the course before its established end point.  Some classes last an entire semester, while others run through only a portion of the term.

Beavers says Lake Land’s applied engineering technology program prepares and connects students with a multitude of job opportunities within central Illinois.

More information on Lake Land College is available at www.lakelandcollege.edu.

Michael Beavers appeared as a guest on the WTIM Pana Morning Show.

Just over 20 percent of eligible voters turned out in Montgomery County for Tuesday’s Primary Election, with 3,573 ballots cast out of 17,231 registered voters.

On the Republican side, 2,379 ballots were cast, accounting for just over 66 percent of the total vote.
In contested Republican races, for State Senator, Steve McClure secured the local vote with 1,364 votes (57.64%) over Erika Harold who received 1,003 votes (42.36%).

For Secretary of State, Diane M. Harris received 1,384 votes (61.52%) over Walter Adamczyk who received 865 votes (38.48%).

In the 15th Congressional District, Mary Miller led the field with 1,421 votes (62.44%), followed by Ryan D. Tebrugge with 473 votes (20.78%). Jim Acklin received 227 votes (9.97%), and Michael Wood had 155 votes (6.81%).

Moving to the Democratic side, 1,194 ballots were cast, making up about 33 percent of the total vote.
In the race for United States Senate, Juliana Stratton led locally with 456 votes (38.18%), followed closely by Raja Krishnamoorthi with 428 votes (35.81%). Robin Kelly received 140 votes (11.73%), with the remaining candidates receiving smaller totals.

In the Comptroller race, Holly Kim secured the local vote with 500 votes (41.89%), followed by Margaret Croke with 327 votes (27.43%), Karina Villa with 209 votes (17.52%), and Stephanie Kifowit with 157 votes (13.16%).

In the 15th Congressional District Democratic primary, Paul Davis narrowly edged out Jennifer Todd, receiving 456 votes (38.50%) to Todd’s 453 votes (38.24%). Randy Raley received 190 votes (16.04%), while Kyle Nudo finished with 86 votes (7.22%).

Unopposed Democratic candidates receiving 100 percent of the vote locally included JB Pritzker for Governor, Kwame Raoul for Attorney General, Alexi Giannoulias for Secretary of State, and Michael Frerichs for Treasurer.

Many local county races in Montgomery County were uncontested in the primary.

For more information on the election, visit the Montgomery County Clerk’s website.

Jim Baker will be the next Christian County Sheriff as only 22% of the eligible voters in Christian County voted in the Primary on Tuesday. Baker received 3,002 votes (63.05%) over Phil Deal who received 1,759 votes (36.95%).   Out of the 21766 Republican Ballots cast only 4,833 Ballots were cast. 

In other contested election results, on the Republican side, for the Governor Race, Darren Bailey/Aaron B. Del Mar secured the vote with 3,508 votes (77.63%) over Dabrowski/Mendoza (11.64%). For the Senator Race, Don Tracy secured 1,639 votes (39.74%) over Jeannie Evans (807 (19.57%).

For the Republican Secretary of State, Diane M. Harris received 2,590 votes (63.42%) over Walter Adamczyk’s 1,494 (36.58%). In the 15th District, Mary Miller received 2,688 (61.36) votes over Ryan D. Tebrugge with 893 (20.38).In the 107th district, Brad Halbrook received 2,476 votes while John Hauge received 452.

In Christian County elections, on the Republican Side, In District 1, Samuel A. Sassatelli received 710 (40.34%), Susan N. Wise received 627 (35.63) and Luke Millan received 423 (24.03%). In District 2, David Puccetti received 711 votes, Vicki McMahon received 656.   In District 3, Bryan Sharp received 690 votes (44.06), Sherri Craggs received 494 (31.55) and Ray Koonce received 382 votes (24.39%). In the 4th District, Clint Epley received 757 votes (51.29%) while Jeff Scott received 719 votes (48.71%). For the advisory referendum, the vote passed for the Federal Scholarship Tax Credit Yes 3,868-1,718.

On the Democratic ticket there were 21,766 registered voters with 1,257 ballots cast.  For United States Senator, Juliana Stratton held of Raja Krishnamoorthi 517 (42.45%) -435 (35.71). In Comptroller race, Margaret Croke received 480 votes (41.74%) against Karina Villa with 225 votes (19.57%). In the 15th District, Jennifer Todd received 500 votes (43%) against Paul Davis who received 437 votes (37.67). Katherine Daniels defeated Terry C. Redman 946 (56)-738(43). 

For more information on the election, visit https://il-christian.pollresults.net/
 

Lincoln Land Community College’s Taylorville campus will soon welcome over a hundred fourth-grade students over two days for a campus visit.  It’s part of the school’s mission to introduce the college experience and several career opportunities to younger students.  This follows a similar visit by area eighth-graders.  

The fourth-graders will visit on March 26 and 27, with half coming on each day.  Elizabeth Fines Workman, Taylorville campus director, says it will be a smaller version of the visit the students four years ahead did. 

She adds that in addition to nursing, faculty in areas like biology, electrical maintenance, and the truck driving program. 

Fines Workman hopes the visit will go as smoothly for the fourth-graders as it did for those in eighth grade. 

Aside from campus visits, LLCC Taylorville is getting in on the excitement of the NCAA basketball tournaments, which tip off this week.  Plans include public viewings with food and a bracket contest.

More information on Lincoln Land Community College is available at www.llcc.edu.

Elizabeth Fines Workman appeared as a guest on the WTIM Morning Show. 

The Christian County Prevention Coalition is looking to raise awareness of (CRAY-tum) kratom.  The term references the leaves of a tropical evergreen tree native to southeast Asia.  Excessive consumption of kratom is shown to carry effects similar to illicit drugs, including opioids.  This has led to bans on the substance in the states of Utah and Washington, while officials in Massachusetts and Idaho have proposed similar measures.

Sam Brown is a committee member with the Christian County Prevention Coalition.  She says while the substance is consumed in southeast Asia for specific medical purposes, it is being sold in parts of the U.S. in more concentrated forms. 

Brown says CCPC wants to communicate the dangers of kratom, along with the ways it is marketed to consumers. 

This is just one part of the work the Christian County Prevention Coalition does.  Along with Brown, Erin Crommett – another committee member – says the group helps the community through a holistic approach, which includes addressing food insecurity. 

The Coalition also works closely with law enforcement agencies in their efforts to help those experiencing drug addiction.  Committee members have attended the graduation ceremonies as part of the Safe Passage program. 

The Christian County Prevention Coalition is also promoting a “family movie night” it’s hosting as part of Mental Health Awareness Month, which is in May.  The event is set for Saturday, May 30 in the Chautauqua building at Manners Park in Taylorville.  The featured movie that night is Inside Out. 

More information on the Christian County Prevention Coalition is available at www.cc-pc.org. 

Sam Brown and Erin Crommett appeared as guests on the WTIM Morning Show. 

Taylorville School Board members held a meeting earlier this month to discuss a handful of topics. Those topics ranged from changes in the time students would be released from school to upcoming projects. A major focal point of the meeting was Taylorville High School’s new performing arts center.

Taylorville has been planning this project carefully for several years and now motions are made to move forward with the project.

A spokesperson from O’Shea Construction explained the reason for the delay, stating that the school board must decide on the budget, and that the company is on standby for the board to tell them they have the green light to start the design phase.

O’Shea, has 4 quotes for the projected budget. After a discussion, and some concerns , the school board unanimously approved a budget of $8,475,568. This budget allows the building of a 10,500 square foot structure with 350 fixed seats for the new performing arts facility.

There were however some concerns brought up from Board Member Dr. Ronald Mizer on approving this projected budget plan.  His concerns were that this would set the project budget and design plans in stone permanetly.

Dr. Mizer is now happy with the plan since he understands that the approved budget plan is subject to change

The school board still has the ability to change certain aspects of the design plans as needed such as adding more seats or square footage if they chose too.

The approval of this motion now allows O’Shea Construction to begin drawing up designs. Stay up to date on this and other breaking news at Taylorville Daily News.com and by tuning in to 96.1 WTIM. Your Only Local News Radio

To check out other topics discussed in the recent school board metting, CLICK HERE

County-farm bureaus across the state will take to Springfield in a week’s time to share their thoughts on state-level ag policy.  It’s all part of Ag Legislative Day, which is set for Tuesday, March 24.  Alec Myers, the Christian County Farm Bureau manager, says farm bureau representatives will hear from the governor and interact with a number of key legislators.

Myers says issues around ethanol and preserving family farms are expected to dominate discussions this year. 

Away from Ag Legislative Day, the Christian County Farm Bureau held a member appreciation event series.  The purpose was not only to pay tribute to the Farm Bureau’s members but also to present talks on topics important to them. 

The Farm Bureau’s membership total is around 1,500 people.  They include ag stakeholders from a variety of roles, ensuring every perspective is presented and heard. 

More information on the Christian County Farm Bureau is available at www.christiancfb.org. 

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

Three tornadoes have now been confirmed in the area following Sunday evening’s severe storms across central Illinois. This was part of a larger system that brought five tornadoes overall throughout the state. 

According to the National Weather Service, survey teams determined that tornadoes touched down near Assumption, Bethany, and Arthur on March 15. Fortunately, no injuries or deaths were reported.

Pictures courtesy of Assumption Fire Department

The strongest of the three occurred in Assumption, Illinois and was rated an EF-1 tornado with estimated peak winds of 90 miles per hour. The tornado was on the ground from approximately 6:18 to 6:20 p.m., carving a path about 1.4 miles long and reaching a maximum width of 80 yards. Officials say it touched down just southwest of town near West Illinois Street, where it uprooted and snapped numerous trees and knocked over several power poles. As it moved through town, additional trees were damaged and roofing material was torn from a downtown building and thrown into a nearby alley. The tornado then exited to the northeast, causing additional tree damage before dissipating prior to reaching Highway 51.

A second tornado developed near Bethany, Illinois at about 6:37 p.m. This tornado was rated EF-0 with estimated peak winds of 85 miles per hour. It began roughly two miles west of town, uprooting an old tree before curving northeast. Survey crews say the tornado damaged several trees and destroyed an outbuilding along County Road 225 East before dissipating near Highway 121 around 6:40 p.m. The tornado traveled about 2.2 miles and reached a width of 50 yards.

A third EF-0 tornado touched down near Arthur, Illinois at about 6:54 p.m. The storm formed roughly two miles southeast of town near North County Road 100 East. Officials say the tornado produced tree damage and destroyed an outbuilding, tossing debris into a nearby field. As it curved east along East County Road 300 North and later turned north toward Highway 133, the tornado caused additional tree and outbuilding damage before dissipating around 6:57 p.m. The storm also traveled about 2.2 miles and reached a maximum width of 80 yards.

While the tornadoes caused scattered property and tree damage across the region, officials say the lack of injuries is a positive outcome following the evening storms. The National Weather Service continues to review storm reports from the system that moved through central Illinois Sunday evening.

The Taylorville City Council honored the 7th-grade volleyball team, reviewed ordinance, committee reports, and new business, along with swearing in of new water superintendent Josh Nicol at the second monthly meeting in March. Taylorville Mayor Bruce Barry first recognized the Taylorville 7th Grade Volleyball team, which finished 3rd in the state on Sunday.

Barry also thanked Coaches Matt Peabody, Kim Peabody, and Mazie Fleming for their wonderful job on an amazing season.  March 16th, 2026, was named as Taylorville 7th Grade Girls Volleyball Team Day. Josh Nicol was sworn in as the new Water Superintendent. 

Various ordinances were approved, including evaluations of city non-bargaining employees, water service connection fees, columbarium rules and regulations, and work done at the Hangar Roof Project at the Taylorville Municipal Airport. A motion also allowing certain billboards to the Industrial zone was also approved.

A motion concerning a donation to be taken for the 2026 fireworks was tabled.  The city still finds themselves fairly short of the goal that it is looking for.  Fireworks will cost 16K to be able to be launched.  Right now, the city is well short of that goal but still feels it has plenty of time to reach that mark. 

The city approved a couple of purchases, including a compact utility tractor from John Deere and a F150 truck from Bob Ridings. A motion was approved to raise rate increases at the cemetery grave sales from $700-$1000, cremation $500-$800, cremation-holidays & Saturdays  $600- $900, Weekday Regular Interments $700-$1000, Holidays & Saturdays Regular Interments $800-$1,100, Perpetual Care-when more than 1 internment $105-$150, Foundation for Monuments (per sq. Ft) $0.75-$1.50. All these rates are set to increase on May 1st, 2026.  The motion passed 7-1 (Driskell No). 

Taylorville Mayor Bruce Barry gave his update, praising Taylorville Fire Chief Matt Adermann for his work on the situation at Manners Park. 

The next city council meeting is set for April 6th. 

Hundreds gathered on Saturday morning at the Shelby County Senior Citizens Center for the Shelby County Farm Bureau Ag Breakfast.  The breakfast ran from 7-9 AM and was sponsored by Shelby County Farm Bureau, Shelby Electric Cooperative/Shelby Fiber & Doug Up & E.H.U. Farms, Inc. 

Several special guests stopped by to speak to Hart Media Group about the many wonderful things going on including Shelby Electric Cooperative.  Brandon Faulkner, Senior Generator Technician with Shelby Energy, says that he values the relationships that Shelby Energy has with farmers and looks forward to running into all kinds of people that he knows around town.

Dustin Theiss, working with Shelby Fiber, says that this has been a long time coming. He is excited to see this coming because of how much it allows you to do.

Faith Wheeler, Member Service Specialist with Shelby Electric Cooperative says her favorite part of her job is the connection between herself and the people she works with.

Kevin Bernson, Vice President, of Media and Public Relations spoke about the Ag Breakfast and says that it means so much to work with the Farmers.

Hart Media Group broadcast live from the Farm Bureau Ag Breakfast on Saturday morning live on 98.3 WSVZ. 

There are several contested elections that are going to be decided in tomorrow’s primaries in Christian County. Taking a look at county board seats. For County 1 on the ballot is Susan Wise, Samuel Sassatelli, Luke Millan, and Linda Curtin, In District 2 is David Puccetti and Vicki McMahon, in District 3 is Sherri Anderson Craggs, Bryan Sharp, Ray Koonce, and Jeanie Rathgeber, and in district 4 is Jeff Scott, Clinton Epley and Kenneth Crowe. 

For Sheriff Phil Deal is running against Jim Baker. 

If you receive a republican ballot in Christian County on the US Senator box you will have Casey Chlebek, Don Tracy, R. Cary Capparelli, Pamela Denise Long, Jimmy Lee Tillman II, and Jeannie Evans. On the Democratic ballot you will have Kevin Ryan, Robin Kelly, Juliana Stratton, Raja Krishnamoorthy, Steve Botsford Jr., Bryan Maxwell, Jonathan Dean, Sean Brown, Awisi A. Bustos, and Christopher Swann.

For Governor, on the Republican side you will have Ted Dabrowski/Carrie Mendoza, James Mendrick/Robert Renteria, Darren Bailey/Aaron B. Del Mar, Rick Heidner/Christina Neitzke-Troike, and Joseph Severino/Rantch Isquith. 

For Secretary of State, on the Republican side, you will have Walter Adamczyk and Diane M. Harris. For 15th District Congress, on the Republican side you will have Judy Bowlby, Mary E. Miller and Ryan D. Tebrugge.  On the Democratic side you have Jennifer Todd, Randy Raley, Paul Davis, and Kyle Nudo. For the State Central Committee on the 15th District you will have Terry C. Redman and Katherine Daniels.  For 107th Representative on the Republican side you will have Brad Halbrook and John Hauge. 

On the comptroller side on the Democratic side you will have Karina Villa, Stephanie A. Kifowit, Holly Kim, and Margaret Croke.

For Fourth Judicial Circuit you will have Brenda Mathis, Wesley A. Gozia, Aaaron C. Jones, and Phillip Givens. 

There will also be a advisory referendum to the voters concerning a question that states “Should Illinois opt into a federal program that would provide Public K-12, private school, and homeschool students with privately-donated funds for academic needs, such as tutoring and test preparation, educational therapies for students with disabilities, tuition, books, exam fees or for other specified academic needs?  Yes or No.”

Keep in mind, if there are no contested candidates we did not list that race.
 

The National Weather Service Weather Spotter Class is still scheduled for this evening in Taylorville.

The class will begin at 6:30 tonight at the Christian County Emergency Operations Center, located at the Taylorville Fire Department at 202 North Main Street. Dinner will be provided for those attending.

The training is designed for emergency responders, including police, fire and EMS personnel, to help them quickly identify severe weather as it approaches. Officials say the goal is to improve early reporting and provide faster warnings to local residents when hazardous weather develops.

The class is hosted by the Christian County Emergency Management Agency in partnership with the National Weather Service Lincoln Illinois, which helps lead the training each year.

Moderate damage is being reported after Sunday nights storm blew through Central Illinois. The Nokomis Police Department has deputies out assisting with the clean up of debris. This storm was part of a long line of strong thunderstorms that produced heavy rain and straight line wind gusts up to 70 mph which passed through parts of Illinois late Sunday evening.

Taylorville Daily news spoke with Nokomis Police Chief, Earin Land, about the damages reported, if there were any injuries, current business and school closures, and how long they estimate cleanup will take

.

Chief Land also says that even though there is still a considerable amount of damage throughout town, he feels Nokomis is very fortunate. Chief Land also reports that Nokomis was not the only town to see damage from this storm as Coalton and Witt were hit hard as well.

Chief Land also shares some of the damage that he is currently aware of, and states that cleanup will not be a one day job considering Nokomis High School had severe roof damage, and multiple residential properties saw downed trees and limbs throughout the county.

Chief Land notes that other than schools, the rest of town should be open with no issues.
 

Taylorville Daily News has attempted to reach out to Montgomery County Emergency Management but has not yet made contact. Taylorville Daily News will keep you up to date on any additional closures, or in the event that any more damages or injuries be reported. To keep yourself informed and up too date, stay tuned to Taylorville Daily News and 96.1 WTIM Your Only Local News Radio.


Picture Courtesy: Montgomery County EMA

State Senator Doris Turner is pushing a plan she hopes will help revitalize downtown Springfield.

Turner says one of the most common concerns she hears from residents is the need to “fix downtown,” adding that local leaders, businesses and community groups all want to see the area thrive again.

Her proposal, Senate Bill 2829, would rename the Mid-Illinois Medical District as the Capital City Downtown Medical District and expand its boundaries. The district, created in 2003, currently covers about a one-square-mile area just north of downtown Springfield and was designed to attract health care and research facilities.

Under the plan, the district would stretch from Madison Street to South Grand Avenue, excluding the area set aside for the Capitol Complex master plan.

Turner says the change would broaden the district’s mission beyond health care to include research and innovation, while also allowing the commission to build housing, educational buildings and research facilities.

She says the goal is to bring new economic development opportunities to downtown Springfield and help restore what she calls a once “buzzing central hub.”

Senate Bill 2829 cleared the Senate Local Government Committee on Wednesday.
 

The Macon County Conservation District and the Macon County Conservation Foundation are celebrating milestone anniversaries with a community tree planting event next month.

The groups will host the “Rooted in Community 1,000 Tree Planting Event” on Saturday, April 18th beginning at 9 a.m. The event will take place on newly acquired property connecting Fort Daniel Conservation Area and Woodbine Farm near Dalton City.

The conservation district is marking 60 years, while the foundation celebrates its 45th anniversary. The event also ties in with Earth Day and Arbor Day.

Organizers say the 1,000 trees will help convert about 220 acres of former farmland back into native habitat. The project will create a 34-acre oak savanna, a once common ecosystem across Illinois and the Midwest that has nearly disappeared due to fire suppression and the loss of grazing animals like bison and elk.

Officials say less than one-hundredth of one percent of the original savanna landscape remains today.

Community members can take part by purchasing trees for 20 dollars each, volunteering to help plant, or supporting the project through fundraising and sponsorships. Organizers say individuals, families, businesses, schools, churches and community groups are all invited to participate.

Only a small handful of contested candidates are on the ballot for Montgomery and Shelby Counties  in the upcoming primary election set to be held on March 17th.

The candidates for Shelby County Clerk and Recorder are Jessica Fox and Christie Otis.

For Shelby County Treasurer, the candidates are Erica Firnhaber and Donald Debolt.

Also on the ballot for both Shelby and Montgomery Counties are the candidates for the Judge of the 4th Judicial Circuit. You will only be allowed to vote for one candidate in this case. The contested candidates include Brenda Mathis, current standing Circuit Judge Wesley Gozia, Aaron Jones, and Phillip Givens.

For Shelby County Sheriff, the candidates are current standing Sheriff Brian McReynolds, and Joseph T. Duncan Junior. 

There are no candidates for Montgomery County Sheriff

Stay tuned to Taylorville Daily News and WTIM for coverage on the March 17th Primary for Shelby County.

Schools across Illinois are gearing up for the Illinois Assessment of Readiness (IAR).  It’s the statewide standardized test for students in grades three through eight sanctioned by the Illinois State Board of Education.  This week is when sixth, seventh, and eighth-graders will be tested, with students in the other grade levels taking the tests the following week.  At Moulton Middle School in Shelbyville, administrators are looking to use the fine details in the results as guidance for where to focus their instructional attention. 

Leading the charge is Principal Russ Tomlin.  He says they will also use national data trends to assess where the school is at in comparison. 

He goes on to say that the IAR is one of the best tools the school has to take stock of its overall academic performance, with the wider goal of better setting students up for success.

Away from the classroom, the school’s track team is preparing for the start to its season.  The team includes some athletes coming off top finishes in state-level competition a year ago. 

More information on the IAR is available at www.isbe.net/iar.  Moulton Middle School is on the website for the Shelbyville Community School District, www.shelbyville.k12.il.us. 

Russ Tomlin appeared as a guest on the WTIM Shelbyville Morning Show.

The Taylorville City Council is set to meet on Monday evening at 7 PM to review ordinance, hear from the public and approve committee points at the second regular city council meeting of March. The 7th Grade Volleyball Team will be recognized, they just placed third at state over the weekend.  Josh Nicol will receive the oath of office as water superintendent.  

Under ordinance, the council will potentially approve amending various sections of the city code concerning non bargaining employees, water service connection fees, and columbarium rules and regulations.  The council will look at a motion to sign documents concerning traffic control at the airport, and to allow certain billboards in the industrial zone. 

Under committee reports, the council will look to approve $10,000 to be taken from Admin funds for the 2026 fireworks from the 2026-2027 budget, approve a purchase of a video camera for the Taylorville Square, accept a quote from John Deere to purchase a tractor, purchase a F150 truck, and approve rate increases at the cemetery.

Also under committee reports, there are more motions concerning potentially approving a purchase of a CF Moto U10 Pro Highlander XL, a deck from Sloan Implement, a Well and Pump for well pump testing, and a enclosed trailer from KD Custom Trailer. 

The council will hear from the city attorney, Taylorville Mayor Bruce Barry, and any potential comments from the public. Stay tuned following the conclusion of the meeting for all the latest. 

An Eastern Illinois University alumna is being recognized for her leadership in education.
Dr. Angie Codron, the principal at Normal Community West High School, has been named one of seven finalists for the 2026 Golden Apple Award for Excellence in Leadership.

The award, presented by the Golden Apple Foundation, recognizes outstanding school leaders who make a lasting impact on their school communities while fostering student growth and inclusive learning environments.

Codron began her career at Normal West 20 years ago as a science teacher and coach and is now in her 10th year in school administration. She served seven years as associate principal before becoming principal three years ago.

In addition to her work at the school, Codron also leads professional development training for more than 2,000 staff members across the district each year and remains active in several student leadership programs.

Last summer, she was also named president of the Illinois Principals Association for the 2025–2026 academic year.

Codron earned both her bachelor’s degree in chemistry education and a master’s degree in athletic administration from Eastern Illinois University. During her time there, she was also recognized as a Women’s Basketball Academic All-American.

Nearly 100 nominations were submitted for this year’s award, with seven finalists selected from across Illinois. Winners will receive a ten-thousand-dollar prize, split between the school leader and their school for a project of their choice.

Illinois farmers, food businesses and community organizations are being encouraged to begin applying now for a state grant program aimed at strengthening the local food supply chain.

The Fiscal Year 2026 Local Food Infrastructure Grant Program is currently accepting applications through March 27th. But advocates say interested applicants should start the process soon because several required state registrations must be completed before submitting an application.

The program supports infrastructure projects designed to help Illinois-grown food reach consumers, schools and grocery stores. Eligible projects include cold storage, food processing equipment, transportation capacity and food distribution systems.

The Illinois Stewardship Alliance is urging farmers and food businesses to prepare early.
Executive Director Liz Moran Stelk says farmers across Illinois are ready to meet growing demand for locally produced food, but many need better infrastructure to expand and reach new markets. Since launching, the grant program has attracted strong interest from farms, cooperatives, nonprofits and food hubs looking to grow their operations.

Previous grant recipients include Sola Gratia Farm in Urbana, which used funding to expand refrigerated transportation and distribution capacity to supply schools and food pantries. Advocates say improving infrastructure can strengthen supply chains, reduce food waste and help keep more food dollars within Illinois communities.

Applications for the grant program remain open through March 27th.

Prospective students will have the opportunity to explore campus life and academic programs during a special visit event at Lake Land College later this month. The college will host its annual Laker Visit Day on Friday, March 20, giving future students a chance to learn more about programs, resources and opportunities available on campus.

Check-in will begin at 8:15 a.m. in the Luther Student Center, with the event starting at 9 a.m. Student ambassadors will guide attendees on campus tours while sharing their experiences as Lake Land students.

Visitors will also be able to meet with faculty members to learn more about specific academic programs and speak with representatives from several student services, including counseling, career services, student accommodations, student wellness, TRIO Student Support Services and financial aid.

Parents or guardians are encouraged to attend as well, with a special session planned to provide information tailored to families of prospective students. Following the morning activities, the college’s Broadcast Communication Department will host a special open house from noon to 2 p.m., with lunch provided at noon.

The open house will give prospective students an inside look at Lake Land’s broadcasting program, including the chance to meet faculty and current students, learn about career paths in media and participate in hands-on activities with audio and video equipment. Visitors will also tour the college’s student-run radio station, WLKL 89.9 The Max Alternative.

According to Greg Powers, Speech Communication and Broadcasting instructor and director of broadcast operations, the event is designed to give students a deeper look at opportunities in the field.

Students enrolled in Lake Land’s Broadcast Communication program can earn an associate degree that prepares them for immediate employment or transfer to a four-year university. The program also offers three certificate options.

Students gain hands-on experience through a variety of media opportunities, including broadcasting live on WLKL, anchoring newscasts, working in the TV production studio and control room, producing podcasts, commentating on live sports events and using professional audio, video and digital editing equipment.

More information and registration for both events is available on the Lake Land College visit page at LakeLandCollege.edu/visit.

Residents in several area counties may qualify for help paying their energy bills through a partnership between the Energy Assistance Foundation and CEFS Economic Opportunity.

Through the Warm Neighbors Cool Friends program, eligible Ameren Illinois customers in Christian, Clay, Effingham, Fayette, Montgomery, Moultrie and Shelby counties can receive financial assistance to help cover heating and cooling costs.

Ameren Illinois recently contributed an additional two million dollars to the program to help Illinois households in 2026.

Qualifying households may receive up to $500 during the heating season and up to $400 during the cooling season. Applicants must have made a matching customer payment within the past 45 days. The program is designed for income-qualified households who may not qualify for federal assistance but still need help paying their energy bills.

Energy Assistance Foundation Executive Director Susan Sams says the program provides peace of mind for hardworking families who may be struggling to cover essential energy costs.

Funding is limited and applications are required. Residents are encouraged to apply as soon as possible. For more information or to apply, visit warmneighborscoolfriends.org or cefseoc.org.

Kiwanis members were informed on how to be efficient when it comes to energy at their Tuesday luncheon at the Taylorville Moose Lodge.

Representatives from Ameren spoke on the many programs available to assist customers with energy efficiency.  Energy efficiency offers significant benefits, primarily reducing energy consumption and reduced bills for consumers. Recent upgrades at the Christian County YMCA included all new LED lighting.  This project was made more affordable with help from the Ameren Illinois Energy Efficiency Program incentives.

The Ameren representatives went on stating that Ameren is looking at committing $140,000,000 in energy efficiency projects in Illinois for 2026.  Ameren has met with Taylorville Mayor Bruce Barry in an attempt to assess the needs of the community.  Currently, Ameren is working on plans for upgrades for the Christian County Courthouse.

Programs are available for both commercial and residential customers.

For information regarding residential programs visit     AmerenIllinoisSavings.com/Residential

To see discounts and rebates available on select Energy Efficient products visit AmerenIllinoisSavings.com/Products

Should you have any questions regarding these programs you can call (866) 838-6918.

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

Manners Park in Taylorville has reopened after crews responded to a fuel-type oil spill in the park’s north pond Thursday afternoon.

According to the Taylorville Fire Department, firefighters were dispatched around 3:20 p.m. Thursday after an unknown liquid was reported floating on the pond. Upon arrival, crews determined the substance was a fuel-type oil entering the water through a storm sewer drain.

Firefighters deployed absorbent booms in the pond to slow and contain the spread of the oil while the Taylorville Street Department assisted in tracing the flow through the storm sewer system. The source of the oil was eventually traced to an area north of the park near the train depot.

Additional absorbent pads were placed in nearby catch basins to help stop more oil from reaching the pond. An environmental cleanup contractor was also called in to assist with mitigation efforts.

The Illinois Environmental Protection Agency has been notified and is expected to conduct a more detailed assessment of the situation.

Officials say there was no threat to the public during the incident. Manners Park had been temporarily closed to allow crews room to work but has since reopened.

Potential Circuit Judge Candidates met on Thursday, March 4 to introduce themselves, and discuss what they feel makes them great choices to be Circuit Judge for the next 4th Judicial Circuit.

 Taylorville Daily News and Tommy TV had live coverage of the event.

Judge Wesley Gozia who is currently the acting Circuit Judge until post election, is running against Phillip Givens, Aaron Jones, and Brenda Mathis.

Judge Wesley Gozia, the current acting Circuit Judge until after the election, explained how he got appointed to the position and also how thrilled and honored he is to currently serve the community.

Phillip Givens, is the current States Attorney for Clay County. He stated that properly upholding the law and providing fair punishment are closest to his heart.

Aaron Jones, the current States Attorney for Effingham County, stated for him that his good relationship with law enforcement and proven ability to collaborate with police and other agencies combined with years of experience in prosecuting would make a him a well picked choice to be elected next Circuit Court Judge.

Brenda Mathis, the current Fayette County States Attorney, agreed with Givens when it came to the oath to uphold the constitutions of IL, and the United States. Mathis also added that experience should be something that every candidate should have, especially in the field of law and prosecution.

The primary election is set for March 17th.

The Greater Taylorville Chamber of Commerce is in the midst of a busy March.  They recently began a professional development seminar series for member business owners.  The month is a similar story for Suessie’s Resale, which is undergoing a major transition and assisting with this month’s Business After Hours gathering.  This all comes amid the introduction of no fewer than seven new members within the last month. 

Mark Wolfe, member of the Chamber’s executive board, spoke on the professional development series.  He says Leadership DNA helped run the most recent session. 

The next Business After Hours event is set for Wednesday, March 18.  Suessie’s Resale owner Becky Adcock says the Unlimited Possibilities area of her business is set to co-host it along with one of the many vendors whose products are in her store. 

On the topic of Suessie’s Resale, they are re-branding as “Suessie’s on South Main,” in part to reflect their broader array of offerings. 

Seven new members have joined the Chamber within the last month.  Wolfe first introduces Taylorville Home Source, Washed in Grace Laundry, and ApexNetwork Physical Therapy. 

Briar & Bramble Events and North Side Veterinary Clinic are two other new members.

The Party Place Event Center and Heartland Bank & Trust Co. round out the list of new members.  The latter firm joins as it prepares to carry out the logistical transitions associated with its merger with CNB Bank & Trust. 

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

Becky Adcock and Mark Wolfe appeared as guests on the WTIM Morning Show.

Manners Park is Currently Closed due to contamination from a suspected fuel leak from the nearby train depot.  According to Board president Marlane Miller fuel has leaked into the pond from the nearby train depot. A company is enroute to work on cleaning up the mess but it is unclear how long this will take to clean up the mess but as of right now the park is closed. 

Norfolk Southern owns the Train Depot, and there was six feet of water mixed with fuel oil. According to Miller the water was pumped straight into the storm sewer. 

Taylorville Fire Chief Matt Adermann says it is still unclear at this point what caused the leak but they have kept the leak to just the north pond.  He says that everyone needs to wait until the EPA finishes their investigation to find out what caused the leak.  Chief Adermann says there is no threat to any persons that live near the park, but people are asked to avoid visiting the park to allow the workers to do their job. 

This is a breaking news story.  Stay tuned to Taylorville Daily News for the latest on this breaking story.

Pana Mayor Nathan Pastor says a long-awaited road project will soon get underway in the city.
Pastor announced that reconstruction of Illinois Route 29 through Pana will begin Monday, March 23rd, following more than three years of planning and coordination with the Illinois Department of Transportation.
 

The project carries a price tag of about 10.5 million dollars and will include a complete rebuild of Route 29 from the “Welcome to Pana” sign near the Lincoln Prairie Bike Trail south to The Junction Garden Center. Work will also include new sidewalks, curbs, and gutters along the route.

Construction could take up to a year, with a projected completion date of July 28th, 2027.

Pastor says IDOT will work with the city on traffic control, lane closures, and detours, and drivers should watch for posted signage and updates from the City of Pana.

The mayor says the project is expected to make a positive impact on travel through the community.

An unusually warm and humid air mass pushed into central Illinois on March 10, sending temperatures soaring into the upper 70s and low 80s and setting several records.

According to the National Weather Service, new record highs were recorded in several cities, including Springfield at 84 degrees, Peoria at 83 degrees, and Lincoln at 82 degrees. Each of those marks broke previous records that had stood since 1955.

The warm conditions helped fuel a volatile atmosphere later in the day. A stationary front stretching from Iowa into Indiana created a sharp temperature contrast across the region, helping set the stage for severe weather.

Storms were slow to form during the afternoon, but activity ramped up later in the day as weather conditions became more favorable.

The first severe thunderstorm developed near the line between McLean County and Woodford County. The storm initially produced quarter-size hail before strengthening as it moved northeast.

Near Pontiac in Livingston County, the storm dropped destructive grapefruit-sized hail — more than four inches in diameter — before producing a long-track tornado in Kankakee County that continued into northwest Indiana.

Additional storms developed farther west along the same weather boundary. A few of those storms moved across Knox County, Stark County, and Marshall County, where several funnel clouds were reported. Two brief EF-0 tornadoes were later confirmed in Stark and Marshall counties.

Another round of storms developed around midnight as a cold front approached the Mississippi River. One storm produced a powerful downburst in Havana with winds estimated between 80 and 90 miles per hour.

Shortly after, the storms intensified again and produced two EF-1 tornadoes. One tornado tracked from east of Havana toward Topeka, while another moved from south of Forest City to south of Green Valley.

The tornadoes snapped trees and power poles, overturned irrigation systems, and partially destroyed a horse barn.

Storms continued moving through eastern and southeastern Illinois overnight, producing scattered wind damage, heavy rainfall, and frequent lightning before finally weakening.

Changes to the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) program are now in effect.  They primarily affect eligibility, along with the kinds of foods the credits can be used for and what substitutions can be made.  The Christian County Health Department hopes to educate people on these alterations, in addition to the program itself more broadly. 

Chelsey Davis is the director of nursing at the health department.  She says the changes to food options reflect new federal dietary guidelines. 

Other changes now allow beneficiaries to collect more of certain items in place of another one. 

Davis also reminds the public to check if they are eligible to receive benefits through WIC.  She says many people who do not use the program incorrectly believe they are not eligible. 

Separate from WIC, the Christian County Health Department is in need of more tobacco enforcement volunteers.  The department allows those aged 17-19 to take part.  The goal is to ensure local businesses comply with laws surrounding tobacco sales and asking for identification in such instances.  Ellen Jackson, an emergency response coordinator with CCHD, says local police keep any purchased tobacco products.

Jackson also reminds Christian County residents to prepare emergency kits in the event of a natural disaster.  It comes amid severe weather in the middle of this month. 

More information on the Christian County Health Department is available at www.cchdil.org or by calling (217) 824-4113.

Chelsey Davis and Ellen Jackson appeared as guests on the WTIM Morning Show. 

Moweaqua is currently hurting and likely a nervous village with the resignation of the entire police force. Taylorville Daily News is working on uncovering more details as to why this has happened but recently spoke with Shelby County Sheriff, Brian McReynolds, about the coverage and how they plan to keep the village safe in the meantime.

Sheriff McReynolds has reassured villagers that in the time while they look to fill the police department with new staffing, Shelby County will be there to help.

Sheriff McReynolds stated that there is work in progress on restaffing the department.

Despite assistance from Shelby County, Moweaqua residents should still exercise caution and expect delayed response times. Sheriff McReynolds explained why that delay may happen.

Sheriff McReynolds and the Shelby County Sheriff’s office does have a plan in place for emergency calls as well.

Taylorville Daily News has made multiple attempts to reach out to the current acting mayor, who took over for Sean Conlin who also resigned in late February. However, despite multiple attempts, Taylorville Daily News has not made contact and does not have any further details at this time.

A musical recounting the stage-acting careers of three Tony-nominated performers is coming to the Effingham Performance Center this month.  Mama, I’m A Big Girl Now will be featured on Saturday, March 21 at 7 p.m.  It features Kerry Butler, Laura Bell Bundy, and Marissa Jaret Winokur, the latter of whom in fact won a Tony for her role in Hairspray.  Mama, I’m A Big Girl Now is a depiction of the actresses' own lives using music from the many shows in which they have performed. 

The trio met while part of the cast for Hairspray.  They sang the song “Mama, I’m a Big Girl Now” together, hence the name of this musical.  Bell Bundy says the show chronicles their lives in showbiz and as mothers. 

The show includes a “mom medley,” which is a set of parodies of well known songs. 

Bell Bundy does a number of impersonations in the show, a skill she developed from an early age. 

Bell Bundy says so far, Hairspray has been the highlight of her career.  She highlights the timing of the show and the role it played in her stage-acting career, which Mama I’m a Big Girl Now highlights. 

Tickets are available at the Effingham Performance Center box office and on Ticketmaster.  More information on the show is available here.

Laura Bell Bundy appeared as a guest on the WTIM Morning Show. 

Students, faculty, and staff at Pana Junior High School have a new canine companion.  Kevin, the school’s “comfort dog,” belongs to counselor Bonnie Sowarsh.  She has brought him in for the past five years on a more limited basis with permission from administrators, but only now is the dog formally certified to be present. 

Now, Kevin comes in typically all but one day of the week.  He is present when students enter in the morning and throughout the day.

Sowarsh says Kevin’s presence in the school is yet to cause any problems, and she takes extra steps to ensure this remains the case. 

Kevin is certified through the American Kennel Club’s Canine Good Citizen program, which is one of the few options within a reasonable distance from Pana.  After that, school and district administrators were quite receptive to his arrival. 

Sowarsh has taken Kevin to other school districts, which has inspired some of them to consider a similar endeavor at their schools. 

More information on the American Kennel Club and their certification programs is available at www.akc.org.  More information on Pana Junior High School is available at www.panaschools.com.

Bonnie Sowarsh appeared as a guest on the WTIM Pana Morning Show.  Kevin was absent due to a grooming appointment. 

Shelby Electric Cooperative is working to further roll out its fiber connection service.  This offering is run through the organization’s subsidiary ShelbyFiber.  It’s designed to increase Internet access for people in rural areas while also placing them at the heart of the organization’s operations, in line with its co-op status. 

Kevin Bernson is the vice president of media and public relations with Shelby Electric.  He says the addition of fiber to their lineup of services is part of how they have evolved in their nearly 90 years of existence. 

Nate Miller is the fiber project manager of ShelbyFiber.  He says the organization has found grant funding to help offer the service for a low rate to customers.

Customers in Shelby and Macon counties have been among the first to to be able to take advantage of fiber.  

ShelbyFiber hopes to go further in the coming years and offer fiber to every customer who does not already have it. 

More information on Shelby Electric Cooperative and Shelby Fiber is available at www.shelbyfiber.coop or by calling (217) 777-2323. 

Kevin Bernson and Nate Miller appeared as guests on the WTIM Pana Morning Show. 

The Taylorville School Board met on Tuesday evening and approved the building blocks of the performing arts center.  Taylorville Daily News will have a full story write-up on this update later on this week, but there were several other important things to note from the monthly meeting. The Taylorville High School Band overnight trip was approved for Nashville.  The Spring Musical Actors and Actresses swung by to let everyone know to come see the show “All Shook Up,” March 26-28,  

Superintendent Goals for 2026-2027 were approved.  FOIA Requests concerning CT Mills, Sunlight Access, and Michael Henry were discussed.  Several employees were announced that they were honorably let go at the end of the school year due to a reduction in force including Trista Wiseman, Natalie Howard, Jessica Johnson, Monica Haines, Emily Leers, and Allison Hansen.  Gabrielle Manasco, Paige Williams, Ryan Griffiths, and Doug Bowsher were also released upon dismissal of Professional Educator Licensed Employee. 

The Fiscal Year 2027 calendar was approved, most notably from that is the changing of 2:30 dismissals and that they will be ending after frustration from parents. 

After executive session, it was announced that there was a motion to deny the retirement revocation letter. That motion passed. There was approval of reclassification of Megan Tryon from SIS Coordinator to New Combined Title of SIS Coordinator and Accounts Payable Coordinator effective December 2026.  Superintendent Brandi Bruley explained the budget breakdown.

Superintendent Bruley gave her report-which focused on the budget.

Again, stay tuned to Taylorville Daily News for the latest updates on the Performing Arts Center as we will have a full story on that development but the board did approve going forward with the first stages of the project Tuesday night. The next school board meeting is set for April 14th. 

The National Weather Service is warning of the potential for severe weather across parts of central Illinois Tuesday afternoon and evening.

A Hazardous Weather Outlook issued Tuesday afternoon by the National Weather Service Lincoln indicates an enhanced risk (Level 3 of 5) for severe storms along and north of the Interstate 72 corridor.

Forecasters say two rounds of thunderstorms are possible.

The first round is expected to develop between 3 p.m. and 7 p.m. along and north of a warm front. Any storms that form during that time could rapidly intensify, bringing the potential for strong tornadoes, very large hail, and damaging wind gusts.

A second round of storms may develop later in the evening and continue into the overnight hours. Those storms are expected to mainly pose a threat of damaging winds, though an isolated tornado cannot be ruled out.

Forecasters also say pockets of flash flooding could develop if heavy rainfall overwhelms urban drainage systems.

The weather service says storm spotter activation may be needed between 5 p.m. and midnight, with storms expected to move northeast at 30 to 40 miles per hour.

At this time, no hazardous weather is expected from Wednesday through Monday.

Phil Deal, the current Assistant Chief with the Stonington Police Department, is leaning on his lifelong ties to Christian County in his candidacy for Sheriff.  He is running as a Republican, with the primary election scheduled for Tuesday, March 17.  Deal previously served in the Sheriff’s department for a large percentage of his law enforcement career.  He finds the current morale at the Sheriff’s department to be low and says he would step in to help the deputies he would oversee if elected.

Deal calls for greater training for deputies regarding mental health and how to respond to incidents in which mental health and a risk of harm is involved.

A major focus of his candidacy has been on increasing cooperation with the Sheriff’s Office and other agencies.  He points to examples from his time currently with the Stonington Police Department.

Deal concluded by pointing to endorsements he has received from law enforcement officials and related organizations.

More information on elections in Illinois is available at the Illinois State Board of Elections’ website, elections.il.gov.

Phil Deal appeared as a guest on the WTIM Morning Show.

The chairman of the Christian County Board is vying for another term in the courthouse.  Bryan Sharp is looking to secure a third term on the board, representing the county’s third district.  His name is on the ballot in his district for the spring primary elections, which are set for Tuesday, March 17.  Sharp says redevelopment projects and the Christian County jail are the key topics entering what he hopes will be another term on the board. 

He credits the other members of the board for doing their part in these efforts and says he is happy with the way the board functions. 

Sharp also speaks on the county’s various departments, saying the board’s work has allowed them to function effectively. 

Sharp more broadly touts his experience and what he views as the need for consistency in the county board in his pitch to voters. 

More information on elections in Illinois is available at the Illinois State Board of Elections’ website, elections.il.gov.

Bryan Sharp appeared as a guest on the WTIM Morning Show.

The Taylorville School Board is set to meet this evening at 6 PM.  After approval of minutes, claims, and treasurer report, the board will discuss consideration of an overnight trip and personnel, before jumping into new business.

Under new business, the board will hear from Ann Chandler who will talk IASB Talking Points, receive a NPT Update from Lori Wemple, Approve the goals for Superintendent Brandi Bruley for 2026-2027, and discuss several FOIA requests.  The board will review action on several dismissals and reduction in force of several employees, along with consideration and approval of a facility usage agreement.  The board will review a second reading and potential approval of the FY27 School calendar along with action on the IHSA membership renewal.  

The board will vote on seating options, square footage and costs for the Fine Arts Center, and approve a intergovernmental agreement with ROE 3 along with revisions of the 2023-2027 TEA Contract.  There is a potential executive session along with action on a retirement revocation letter and a reclassification of Megan Tryon from SIS Coordinator to a new combined title of SIS Coordinator and Accounts Payable Coordinator. 

Finally the board will hear from the Superintendent. Stay tuned for more following the conclusion of the event. 

March is an ideal time to begin preparing gardens for gardening season.  Whether it’s testing soil or picking the right plants to go with vegetables, the warm-weather days provide good opportunities to get started on these plans.  Cleaning gardens is also a significant first step to ensure this season’s plants can thrive in them. 

Gwen Podeschi and Linda Smith are Master Gardeners with the University of Illinois Extension.  They say cleaning gardens gets rid of last season’s growth, and good weather is the best time in which to do this. 

Fall is the best time to test soil.  For those who did not do so last fall, Farm Supply locations will accept samples and provide testing results. 

Gardening experts advise planting pollinator-friendly flowers next to vegetable plants to attract pollinators to both kinds of plants.  Plants native to the area work best.

The Extension will host a workshop on grafting fruit trees.  It’s scheduled for Saturday, March 28 from 10 a.m. to noon at their Montgomery County office in Hillsboro.

Registration for the workshop is available here.  More information on the University of Illinois Extension is available at extension.illinois.edu.

Gwen Podeschi and Linda Smith appeared as a guest on the WTIM Morning Show. 

State Senator Doris Turner is pushing a measure aimed at expanding agriculture education across Illinois.

Turner, a Democrat from Springfield, is sponsoring Senate Bill 3226, which would require the Illinois State Board of Education to prepare a statewide report on the availability of agricultural education programs.

The report would examine current trends, challenges and barriers to expansion, as well as opportunities to better align agriculture classes with workforce needs and post-secondary programs in agriculture and agribusiness.

Turner says agriculture remains the economic engine of Illinois and students should have greater awareness of the opportunities available in the industry.

As chair of the Senate Agriculture Committee, Turner has previously supported measures to strengthen ag education. That includes legislation allowing students to count participation in programs like FFA and 4-H toward required school hours, and a law ensuring agriculture teachers are compensated for additional hours worked.

Senate Bill 3226 has now passed the Senate Education Committee and moves forward for further consideration.

Free at-home colon cancer screening kits will be available in Taylorville this week as part of Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month.

The drive-thru distribution event will take place Thursday, March 12th, from 8 to 11 a.m. at Taylorville Memorial Hospital, located at 201 East Pleasant Street.

The effort is sponsored by the Regional Cancer Partnership, which includes Memorial Health, SIU School of Medicine, Springfield Clinic and HSHS St. John's Hospital.

Tia Rapps, community cancer education coordinator for the Regional Cancer Center, says March is Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month and encourages residents to take advantage of the free opportunity. She says screening is one of the simplest ways to protect your health and notes that completing the test at home could truly save your life. Early detection, she says, makes all the difference.

Drivers are asked to follow posted signs and remain in their vehicles. Kits are available while supplies last.

Completed tests should be mailed back within 10 days using the postage-paid envelope included in the kit. Participants will receive their results by mail.

Take-home colorectal cancer screenings are recommended for adults 45 and older, as well as younger individuals with risk factors such as a history of colorectal polyps, inflammatory bowel disease, smoking, obesity, heavy alcohol use, or diets high in processed or red meats. Anyone 18 or older is eligible to receive a kit.

For more information about the Taylorville distribution, you can call 217-707-5258.

A Lake Land College student is receiving national recognition — and a scholarship to help her finish her degree.

Sarah Housh of Charleston has been named an Oberndorf Scholar by Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society, earning a 15-hundred dollar scholarship.

Housh is a liberal arts student at Lake Land College and has been active on campus since enrolling in the fall of 2024. She serves as president of the college’s Phi Theta Kappa Honors Society and has worked as a teaching assistant, math tutor and lab assistant. She was also nominated last year for Lake Land’s Non-Traditional Student of the Year Award.

Right now, Housh is leading an effort to organize the official Lake Land archives as the college prepares to celebrate its 60th anniversary.

Before enrolling, Housh faced significant mental health challenges that delayed her path to higher education. College officials say her scholarship is a testament to her resilience and determination.

The Oberndorf Lifeline to Completion Scholarship helps Phi Theta Kappa students overcome unexpected financial barriers as they work to complete their associate degrees. Housh plans to graduate in the spring of 2026 and transfer to a university, with the goal of becoming a museum archivist.

Students interested in applying for the scholarship can find more information through Phi Theta Kappa.

Lake Land College students could see a small increase in tuition next year.

The college is proposing a 3.25 percent increase in tuition and fees for the 2026–2027 academic year. The measure is scheduled to go before the Lake Land College Board of Trustees during its regular March meeting on Monday.

If approved, in-district tuition would increase by five dollars per credit hour. Fees would remain unchanged, bringing the total cost to 159 dollars per credit hour.

For a full-time in-district student taking 30 credit hours during the academic year, that would bring the total cost to 4,770 dollars — about 150 dollars more than the current year.

College officials say the increase will still keep Lake Land among the most affordable community colleges in Illinois. During the current school year, the average tuition and fees at Illinois community colleges is nearly 4,943 dollars, while the average tuition at Illinois public universities tops 16,000 dollars.

Lake Land College President Josh Bullock says the increase will help the college continue providing high-quality programs while keeping education accessible and affordable for students.

Officials also note that students benefit from a textbook rental program included in tuition and fees, which can save up to 1,400 dollars a year. In addition, the Lake Land College Foundation awards more than 500-thousand dollars in scholarships annually, and about 81 percent of students receive some form of financial assistance.

If approved, the new tuition rate would take effect beginning with the Summer 2026 semester.

The turn of the season to spring can be emotionally difficult for some.  A number of factors contribute to this, including the change of routines and the beginning of daylight savings time, which for this year took place on Sunday.  Recognizing these causes and effects and taking action can help mitigate the difficulty of the time. 

Ed Lacheta is the Clinical Director of Shelby County Community Services’ mental health division.  He says the longer days and shift in daylight time from the changing of the clocks can disrupt routines.

Another change involves being outside.  While the warmer weather is often viewed as a good change, the expectation of being outside more can become a detriment to mental health. 

Spring is also prime time for seasonal allergies to develop.

Lacheta suggests using blackout curtains and making gradual adjustments to sleep schedules to help the brain develop a sleeping routine.

He also urges putting away phones and other electronic devices that emit blue light shortly before going to bed. 

More information on Shelby County Community Services is on their Facebook page. 

Ed Lacheta appeared as a guest on the WTIM Shelbyville Morning Show. 

A company by the name of Finlete makes it possible for baseball fans and anyone interested to invest in professional baseball prospects who are up and coming to the major leagues. Ron Connolly, founder of Finlete, says that the investments will help the prospective player grow in their career.

For example, one of their currently sponsored players is a prospective Saint Louis Cardinals shortstop and their #12 prospect, Yairo Padilla, whose career is currently and has been consistently showing great promise.  Connolly also commented that the reason Finlete picked Padilla was for his natural born skills in athletecism showing a promising future.

Connolly explained that most prospective baseball players these days are taking advantage of deals through private hedge funds. Hedge funding, he says, gives the prospect a cash advance to support the growth of their current baseball career, then, if they make it big, they must split a percentage of their gross earnings with the hedge fund. if the player does not make it to the major leagues, you’re out of money for the cost of your investment. However, the hedge fund doesn’t get to be as intimately involved with a prospect player, as the investor gets a personal stake in the expansion of the player's entire career.

Connolly explained also that the hedge fund and investment are still somewhat similar. The prospect gets money to support the growth and expansion of their current baseball career, then if they make it big, they must split a percentage of their gross earnings with the hedge fund, whereas only a small percentage of earnigs goes back to the investor, along with other perks that the investor will receive.

The investors, who receive a small stake in that prospective player, get to now compete with the hedge funds, and Finlete and Connolly boast that this is something great to help the advancement of our major league players, and to help advance those players who are trying their hardest to get to the major leagues. Connolly says that compared to hedge funding, a number of players have been looking into Finlete for that growth support.

Connolly also makes a point that the prospects are not just chosen at random. There is a great deal of factors that come into play when deciding who gets to be on their list of prospect choices. Connolly says, for Finlete, so long as you are an athlete who shows a high potential for getting into the major leagues along with little to no risk factors, you are qualified for their investment programs, especially if you show signs of a superstar level outcome.

The potential investor will make a fair percentage of the prospect's earnings based on how much they invested and the amount of money the prospect’s contract is worth. Connolly exclaimed at the level of ease that investors have when trying to track their chosen prospect’s progress on their online platform. Investors can also earn rewards such as merchandise related to the team and other great perks that are custom-tailored to the true baseball fan.

Find out more information about Finlete on their website at Finlete.com, and you can tune in to the St. Louis Cardinals Games all season long right here on WTIM, The Big 870, Your Information Station.

Applications are now being accepted for a special deer hunt designed for people with disabilities at Lake Shelbyville.

The 36th Annual Deer Hunt for People with Disabilities, hosted by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and Wolf Creek State Park, will take place November 20th through the 22nd.

Applicants must have a state-issued disabled person identification card or a disabled veteran identification card to participate. The first ten spots in the hunt will be reserved for disabled veterans.

Applications are available at the Lake Shelbyville Project Office or online, and must be submitted by March 27th. Twenty-five hunters will then be selected in a drawing on March 30th to take part in the hunt during Illinois’ first firearm season.

Participants will take part in morning and afternoon hunts from ground blinds and elevated stands, with meals and lodging provided. Organizers say the event has had an average success rate of about 75 percent over the past five years, with nearly every participant getting an opportunity to take a shot.

For more information or to volunteer, you can contact the Lake Shelbyville Environmental Stewardship Department.

Daylight Saving Time begins this Sunday, and the American Red Cross is reminding residents to take a moment to check an important safety device in their homes. When you turn your clocks forward this weekend, the Red Cross says you should also test your smoke alarms to make sure they’re working properly.

Illinois Red Cross CEO Kellie O’Connell says working smoke alarms cut the risk of dying in a home fire in half. She says people often have only about two minutes to escape a burning home, making early warning from an alarm critical.

The Red Cross recommends installing smoke alarms on every level of your home, including inside and outside bedrooms. Alarms should be tested monthly, and batteries replaced at least once a year if the model requires it. Smoke alarms should also be replaced every ten years because sensors become less sensitive over time.

The organization also encourages families to practice a two-minute escape plan, making sure everyone in the household knows at least two ways out of every room and where to meet outside the home. Parents are also encouraged to teach children what a smoke alarm sounds like and what to do if it goes off.

More fire safety information is available at RedCross.org. The Red Cross is also recognizing March as Red Cross Month, highlighting the volunteers who make up about 90 percent of the organization’s workforce and respond when disasters strike.

Authorities are investigating after a deadly camper fire in Shelbyville.

According to the Shelby County Sheriff's Office, emergency crews responded around 12:25 Friday afternoon to a report of a camper fire at Robin Hood Woods Campground along Illinois Route 16.

When firefighters extinguished the fire, they discovered the body of an adult woman inside the camper. Officials say the camper was located at a permanent campsite within the campground.

The investigation is now being led by the Illinois State Police Zone 5 Investigations Division. Assisting agencies include the Illinois State Fire Marshal’s Office, the Shelby County Coroner’s Office, and the sheriff’s office.

Authorities say no additional details are being released at this time in order to protect the integrity of the investigation. However, officials say there is no ongoing threat to the community.

Additional information will be released by Illinois State Police as it becomes available.

March is National Nutrition Month, and the University of Illinois Extension wants to help community members mind their nutritional intake better.  To that end, they are hosting a class called “Carbohydrates Made Simple.”  It’s set for Tuesday, March 31 at 10:30 at Pana Community Hospital, and the class is free.  The Extension hopes the class and its other forms of communication will clarify misconceptions about nutrition and set the public on the right path to healthier eating. 

As a food & nutrition educator with the Extension, Lisa Peterson is playing a significant role in these efforts.  She says this class – like many others the Extension runs which pertain to food – will include hands-on components. 

The course will also distinguish simple carbohydrates and complex carbohydrates and which foods specialize in which ones, as this is typically not indicated on labels.

Interested participants can register by calling LiveWell Fitness at (217) 562-6231 or at the fitness center’s front desk. 

Myths about consuming carbohydrates are some of many that nutritionists and educators aim to bust during National Nutrition Month. 

In addition to the classes, Extension educators use blogs, newsletters, newspaper columns, and more to reach the public with their tips. 

More information on the University of Illinois Extension is available at extension.illinois.edu. 

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

Taylorville High School is set to bring the style of Elvis Presley to life later this month.  Their spring musical, All Shook Up, will be presented the evenings of March 26, 27, and 28 at the junior high school.  The final day also features a matinée performance.  The performers and the team behind the scenes hope the thick plot and musical spirit will captivate audiences. 

Rani Gosnell is the musical director.  She says love triangles and a wide geographical range are part of the synopsis of the play as it will be presented. 

Caydon Finks and Kendall Moehring portray Chad and Natalie, respectively.  Chad is the traveller, while Natalie is one of the characters who meets him. 

Both Moehring and Finks say they enjoy the experience of expression as someone else when on stage.

Gosnell appreciates the social side of working in musicals and notes that it’s an opportunity for those even with little skill in performing to hone it in the preparation process.

The school is accepting sponsors who wish to financially support the efforts behind this musical and future ones. 

Tickets are $15 for adults and $9 for K-12 students.  They can be bought in advance at tcusd3music.booktix.com or at the door. 

More information on Taylorville High School and the performance is available at ths.tcusd3.org. 

Caydon Finks, Rani Gosnell, and Kendall Moehring appeared as guests on the WTIM Morning Show. 

State officials are warning Illinois taxpayers to be on the lookout for scams during tax season.
Susana Mendoza says this time of year often involves sharing sensitive information like Social Security numbers and bank account details — making it a prime target for identity thieves.

A recent report from McAfee found nearly one in four people surveyed say they’ve lost money to a tax scam, with the average loss topping one thousand dollars.

One of the most common scams involves criminals pretending to be from the Internal Revenue Service. Victims may receive phone calls, text messages, or emails claiming there’s a problem with their tax return or refund. Officials say messages should raise red flags if they’re unexpected, threaten immediate action, promise refunds or credits, or pressure you to provide personal information or make a payment right away.

The Illinois Department of Revenue is also warning residents about similar messages pretending to come from their agency. Officials say taxpayers should remember the IRS typically makes first contact through regular mail, not text or email.

One scam in particular targets people expecting refunds. Messages may claim your refund has been delayed and ask you to click a link to verify your information — often leading to fake websites designed to steal personal data. Other scams include fake tax preparers advertising large refunds on social media, texts claiming you’ve been overcharged on taxes, and phone calls demanding immediate payment.

Comptroller Mendoza says the bottom line is simple: don’t click suspicious links and don’t share personal information if you’re unsure who you’re dealing with. Taxpayers can check the status of their Illinois refund through the Find My Refund feature on the Illinois Office of the Comptroller website. The deadline to file federal and state income taxes this year is April fifteenth.

Taylorville Junior High School is establishing a new way for students to make a permanent mark on the school.  It’s through an initiative known as the “president’s project.”  The president, in this case, is that of the student council.  Advisors Courtnie Cummins and Shelly Graves say this is the first year of the custom, and they are just beginning to think of ideas. 

Chapter President Ella Bates would be the first person to take part in the custom.  She and Vice President Nora Curtin have facilitated multiple service projects from the student council this year, including working with the Taylorville Food Pantry.

The council officers say their service work falls in line with the group’s values, which also include keeping students informed through newsletters and intercom announcements.

While the student council holds significant decision-making power, they do consult with the students they represent from time to time. 

More information on Taylorville Junior High School is available at tjhs.tcusd3.org. 

Ella Bates, Courtnie Cummins, Nora Curtin, and Shelly Graves appeared as guests on the WTIM Morning Show as part of our Taylorville Schools Good News Segment. 

This is part 1 in a series covering the Thursday night election debate. 

Two candidates for Sheriff met on Thursday evening to discuss why they felt they are the best candidate for Christian County Sheriff. Phil Deal, and Chief Deputy Jim Baker had their debate with Judge Ron Spears moderating.  Deal says he’s a policeman not a politician.

Baker says he has worked in many different capacities in law enforcement.

When it comes to collaborating with other police departments, Deal wants to see more collaboration and working together as a team for the betterment of the public.

Baker says strong collaboration is safe and wants to continue progress towards working with the Community Action Team. 

Baker says he is working on ways to increase safety at the jail. 

Deal says that even after renovations, the jail is still unsafe. 

To hear the full debate, visit this story at

 

Incumbent U.S. Congresswoman Mary Miller is facing a primary challenge this spring.  Judy Bowlby is among the challengers for the Republican nomination for the seat representing the state’s 15th congressional district.  Voters will choose the nominees for this race and many others when they head to the polls on Tuesday, March 17. 

Bowlby previously worked in governmental affairs with respect to agricultural issues.  She says her view of the evolution of the political climate in America is what compelled her to run. 

Bowlby says she sought bipartisan efforts to craft and advance legislation, also bringing in outside groups and ordinary citizens.

The challenger cites her rural experiences, having grown up on a farm, in explaining her platform for aiming to cut costs on food, gas, and other essentials. 

Bowlby closes by promoting what she considers her moderate approach to solving problems constituents in the 15th congressional district face.

More information on elections in Illinois is available at the Illinois State Board of Elections' website, elections.il.gov.

Judy Bowlby appeared as a guest on the WTIM Morning Show.

A Central Illinois community bank is adding to its business banking team.

Peoples Bank & Trust has announced that Justin Richards has joined the bank’s Altamont branch as Assistant Vice President of Business Banking.

Richards brings more than 17 years of banking experience to the role. In his new position, he’ll work with customers at the Altamont branch and partner with local businesses to help them reach their financial goals.

Bank President and CEO John Gardner says Richards’ experience and focus on building relationships makes him a strong addition to the bank’s team.

Richards is a lifelong resident of Cowden and, along with his wife, helps operate their family farm while raising their four sons.

Peoples Bank & Trust is a locally owned community bank with 13 locations across Central Illinois, including offices in Taylorville, Pana, Altamont, Springfield and several other communities.

Central Illinoisans will have the opportunity to enjoy an evening of food and entertainment while supporting Kemmerer Village.  The Assumption-based Presbyterian child-care agency’s spring fundraiser is called “Diners, Drive-Ins and Duels.”  It’s set for Saturday, April 18 at Route 66 Motorheads Bar and Grill in Springfield. 

Marketing and Public Relations Manager Carson Cole played a significant role in orchestrating and promoting this event.  She says the entertainment comes in the form of dueling pianos.

Interested attendees can purchase either general admission tickets – which admit them only to the music show at 7:30 p.m. – or VIP tickets which also include the dinner starting at 6 p.m.

Outside of the fundraising event, the Kemmerer Village Foundation recently began an initiative called the Village Circle.  Members make monthly donations to the organization. 

Kemmerer Village’s Executive Director Schäles Nagle says these donations are wide-reaching, considering the many services the agency provides. 

More information on Kemmerer Village and the fundraiser is available at www.kemmerervillage.org. 

Carson Cole and Schäles Nagle appeared as guests on the WTIM Morning Show. 

The Taylorville Food Pantry is approaching a notable milestone: It will reach a million pounds of food received from partners through the Food Rescue program.  The initiative has lasted for over a decade.  The pantry has nearly quadrupled its contingent of partners supplying food which may otherwise have been disposed of. 

Amy Hagen, a co-coordinator with the Taylorville Food Pantry, says the initiative is important both for reducing food waste and feeding those in need.

She adds the program’s newest partners include the recently-opened Dollar General in Edinburg and Starbucks in Taylorville.

Pam Moses, another co-coordinator with the Taylorville Food Pantry, says businesses typically initiate the conversation by sharing what and how much they can donate.

She goes on to note that the program and the evolving food stock they receive ensures that from one week to another, a variety of food is available for those who need it. 

Separate from Food Rescue, the Taylorville Food Pantry is ready to welcome the help of multiple local organizations through their food drives.  The local Boy Scouts troop will begin their drive this month. 

Then on Mother’s Day weekend, local letter carriers will hold their Stamp Out Hunger campaign. 

The Taylorville Food Pantry is located at 1429 East Main Cross.  They are open Tuesdays from 8:30-10 a.m., Thursdays from 5:30-7 p.m., and Saturdays from 8:30-9:30 a.m.  More information is available at www.taylorvillefoodpantry.com or by calling them at (217) 820-2651.

Amy Hagen and Pam Moses appeared as guests on the WTIM Morning Show. 

Shelbyville’s FFA chapter is busy with several local projects.  The goals are to support area farmers while also giving members extra exposure to the field.  Mylee Hall and Audrey Durbin are the chapter’s president and secretary, respectively.  They say the projects involve agricultural plots and farmer mental health.

The chapter also creates remembrance wreaths to place on the monuments of late veterans in town. 

Like many FFA chapters, Shelbyville’s is involved in Ag in the Classroom efforts.  They visit classrooms multiple times per week, which is more frequent than most chapters. 

Both Hall and Durbin also serve as officers of their FFA section, which allows them to connect with other chapters’ members. 

More information on Shelbyville’s FFA chapter is on their Facebook page.  You can also learn more at www.ilaged.org.

Audrey Durbin and Mylee Hall appeared as guests on the WTIM Morning Show during National FFA Week. 

Sparklight is expanding its services with the launch of a new prepaid wireless option for customers.

The broadband provider, which serves more than one million customers across 24 states, has introduced “Sparklight Mobile,” a no-contract wireless service available exclusively to Sparklight internet subscribers.

The company says the new service includes unlimited talk and text, nationwide coverage and simple pricing. Plans start at 15 dollars per month when bundled with Sparklight home internet. Customers can choose from one gig of data for 15 dollars, five gigs for 25 dollars, or unlimited data for 30 dollars per month.

As part of a limited-time promotion, eligible new and existing customers can receive one unlimited mobile line free for 12 months. Standard pricing applies after the promotional period, and a one-time SIM activation fee and taxes may apply.

Tony Mokry, Senior Vice President of Residential Services at Sparklight, says the new mobile option gives customers a flexible and reliable way to stay connected both at home and on the go, while bundling services with a provider they already trust.

Sparklight Mobile is available in all Sparklight service areas as of March  2nd.

Customers can learn more or check eligibility online at sparklight dot com slash mobile.

A long-standing local auction company is joining forces with a national name in the industry.

Aumann Auctions and Cory Craig Auctioneer have announced a merger and partnership, bringing together more than 125 years of combined auction experience.

Cory Craig Auctioneer has served the local community since 1965, while Aumann Auctions has conducted auctions across the Midwest, the United States, and Europe since 1962.

Under the agreement, Cory Craig Auctioneer will join the Aumann Auctions organization, while continuing to operate under its trusted local name. Company leaders say clients will still work with the same familiar faces — now backed by expanded resources, technology, and marketing reach.

Tyson Reed says Cory Craig has built a strong reputation through honesty and relationships, and the partnership will benefit both buyers and sellers.

Cory Craig says the move allows the company to continue serving the community while offering new tools and services to clients.

Julie Craig adds that the partnership helps lighten the day-to-day workload, allowing Cory to focus on helping clients through major life transitions.

Aumann Auctions founder Kurt Aumann says the partnership was a natural fit, with Aumann’s backend operations supporting continued growth.

Company leaders say the transition will happen gradually over several years, with no immediate changes to staff or operations.

The combined teams plan to focus on expanding services, strengthening marketing efforts, and maintaining the personal relationships that have defined both companies for decades.

The Pana Police Department is looking to fill a vacancy after the retirement of long-time officer Richard Rahar.  For a small town like Pana, finding a replacement is a tall order.  They have sought officers from other police departments but also consider turning to the community to find their next officer. 

Police Chief Daniel Bland says Officer Rahar was part of the department through major shifts in the availability of technology and played a significant role in the transitions. 

The department has brought in some of its officers through “lateral transfers.”  This means they moved into the same role from another police department. 

Around half of the team at the Pana Police Department is originally from that city.  These officers typically have increased familiarity of the area in which they enforce the law.  However, as they are more likely to know the people they interact with, this may make the job emotionally challenging to execute at times. 

Separate from the turnover, incident numbers from 2025 are in.  Chief Bland says they are moving in the right direction overall.  He notes that calls are down around 40% between 2017 and now. 

Chief Bland credits the improvement to being proactive and using programs like Safe Passage to help people escape cycles of committing crimes

More information on the Pana Police Department is available at www.cityofpana.org/police-department.

Police Chief Daniel Bland appeared as a guest on the WTIM Pana Morning Show. 

A Central Illinois retailer is expanding its locally made mattress line as more Americans struggle to get enough sleep.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, nearly one in three adults in the U.S. does not get enough sleep. Wright’s Furniture & Flooring says it wants to be part of the solution.

The fifth-generation, family-owned company — now celebrating 137 years in business — has expanded its Wright Sleep private-label mattress line to 28 models. Seven new designs were introduced this year, marking the largest expansion of the line so far.

Company president John Wright says sleep impacts everything from mental clarity to productivity, and the quality of a mattress can make a major difference. He says the goal has been to offer locally manufactured options at an accessible price point.

Unlike many national brands, Wright Sleep mattresses are built in Central Illinois. The company says they feature Swiss-engineered steel spring systems designed to reduce motion transfer and improve durability, along with moisture-wicking fabric to help regulate temperature.

Vice President Alex Wright says the broader mattress market is shifting away from “one-size-fits-all” options, with more customers wanting to test products in-store and find a mattress that fits their personal sleep preferences.

Wright’s Furniture & Flooring also offers home furnishings, flooring and design services, and operates Wright at Home in Effingham.

More information is available at wrights furniture dot com.
 

Voters in Christian County will have the opportunity to learn more about the candidates in the races for Christian County Sheriff and Circuit Court Judge.  The candidates in both races will speak at a forum Thursday at 7 p.m. at the Pillars in Taylorville.  This comes ahead of the spring primary election on Tuesday, March 17.

Retired judge Ron Spears will moderate the forum.  While it has been marketed as a debate, his aim is that the candidates will speak more to the audience than to each other. 

For many people who have not been in court, the forum will be their first – and perhaps only – look at the Circuit Court candidates.

Moderating is not new for Judge Spears.  He has done so previously for debates, on top of his work as a judge. 

He says he intends to moderate such that the forum runs smoothly and that the focus is more on the candidates than on him. 

Judge Spears hopes the electorate will use the opportunity to educate themselves on these candidates and others and, most importantly for him, vote in the primaries.

WTIM Your Information Station will carry live coverage of the candidates’ forum on Thursday night.  More information on elections in Illinois is available at the Illinois State Board of Election's website, elections.il.gov.

Judge Ron Spears appeared as a guest on the WTIM Pana Morning Show.

The Christian County YMCA is preparing for multiple fundraisers just in March, both of which involve food.  The fundraisers are a continuation of the Y’s aim to ensure everyone in the community can access their services regardless of financial situation.  These plans come as sports programs prepare to move outdoors for warmer weather. 

The first fundraiser is called Dine to Donate.  It’s set for Tuesday, March 10 at Pizza Man in Pana.  Executive Director Bruce Blanshan says the organization is looking to reach beyond Taylorville in their fundraising efforts. 

This is the YMCA chapter’s first time in Pana.  Blanshan notes that a number of members are from there and believes it is fitting to take the fundraising to that city. 

They will also host a drive-thru dinner on Wednesday, March 25 in partnership with Angelo’s.

Both events are part of the Y’s annual Strong Kids sustaining drive.  They have run this drive almost every year of the chapter’s existence. 

Blanshan also reports that the Christian County YMCA’s membership roster is at an all-time high.  The members’ uses of the location encompass all that they provide. 

Currently, registration is open for their spring soccer program.  Practices will begin in the middle of March, with the first matches scheduled for the end of the month. 

More information on the Christian County YMCA, as well as registration for the soccer program, is available at www.ccymca.org. 

Bruce Blanshan appeared as a guest on the WTIM Morning Show. 

A Taylorville student is bringing home top honors from this year’s Lake Land College Agriculture Banquet.

Jay Bliler was recognized during the college’s annual Ag Banquet for the 2025–2026 school year. Bliler received the High GPA Award for the Ag Transfer Program and was also named the Ag Overall Outstanding Student — the highest honor presented among all Lake Land College agriculture programs.

The Overall Outstanding Student Award is given each year to the top-performing agriculture student across every division, recognizing academic excellence and achievement within the college’s Ag programs.

The banquet also honored students across several other agriculture disciplines. In the Ag Business program, Eva Meinhart earned the High GPA Award, while Jonika Nickles was named Outstanding Student. Beau Doedtman took both top awards in Ag Power, and Brent Runyan swept the honors in Ag Production. Melissa Brummer earned both top awards in Horticulture.

In the John Deere Tech program, Joseph Faulkner received the High GPA Award and Hayden Hoerchler was named Outstanding Student. Aubrey Killey was recognized as Outstanding Student in the Ag Transfer Program.

The college also honored Mark Niemerg of Mattoon as an honored alumnus of the Lake Land College Ag Division.

But the night’s highest student honor belonged to Taylorville’s Jay Bliler, recognized as the top agriculture student at Lake Land College for the year.
 

There continues to be progress in construction projects within Taylorville.  Work on West Main Cross is in a new phase, with the focus now on repairing underground infrastructure.  The airport and lake continue to be focal points of upgrades, as well. 

Taylorville Mayor Bruce Barry has his eyes on these endeavors.  He says grants have helped provide much of the funding, but the city still hopes for more funding in that fashion. 

The work on the airport is a subsequent portion of an existing project.  Mayor Barry says the importance of the airport to the area justifies the expenditure. 

Lake Taylorville is another site of work being done.  It’s expected to be finished by the end of this month, in time for visitors.

There have been discussions on increasing the allowance of placing billboards in industrial zone areas; the mayor is in favor of this proposal.  It comes amid a request by E.L. Pruitt for a billboard.

More information on the City of Taylorville is available at www.taylorville.net.

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

Central A&M’s FFA chapter is enjoying consistent success when it comes to competitions and awards.  Most recently, the chapter topped the table at a poultry judging competition at Meridian-Macon High School.  In addition, advisor Betsy Burgener was recently surprised with a district-level award from the FFA and has been nominated for another. 

Chapter President Adyson Lowrance and Reporter Charleigh Minott helped orchestrate the surprise assembly.  They had contrasting back-stories for joining the FFA. 

The chapter emphasizes community service.  They aim for 50 hours of service as a chapter per academic year. 

Lowrance and Minott’s involvement extends, as well, into recruiting the next set of members.  They plan to visit middle school classes to share what the FFA is all about. 

The two officers say their involvement in the organization has helped introduce them to experiences they would never otherwise have had. 

More information on Central A&M’s FFA chapter is on their Facebook page.  You can also learn more at www.ilaged.org.

Adyson Lowrance and Charleigh Minott appeared as guests on the WTIM Morning Show during National FFA Week. 

With the high school basketball season in its final stages, ILSportsWire is also preparing for the coming months.  The digital media initiative operates as part of this website's parent company, the Hart Media Group.  ILSportsWire will trade the basketball court for the baseball and softball diamonds and even the track this spring.  They will also be busy in the summer months with multiple objectives. 

Jack Hart is the founder of ILSportsWire.  He says he and his team will have to experiment to find the best angles to take in the action. 

Hart expects Taylorville’s baseball and softball teams to turn heads this season with their new acquisitions. 

ILSportsWire has looked to differentiate itself from other platforms by taking fans beyond what’s happening on the field.  Hart admits this will look different from football and basketball but will still look for different perspectives.

The platform has focused on high school sports, which will be largely inactive in the summer.  However, they will look to cover other local events – sporting or not – and will also be preparing for football in the fall.

More information is available at www.ilsportswire.com. 

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

The Taylorville City Council approved a full slate of ordinances, resolutions, and spending measures during Monday night’s regular meeting. The meeting included recognition of FFA State Degree winners, honoring local students for their achievements in agricultural education.

Council members also administered the oath of office to Chance Dickey as a new firefighter.

Among the ordinances approved was a first amendment to the Business District Redevelopment Agreement between the City of Taylorville and Dustin Clark for property located at 100–102 North Main Street. Council members also approved changes to city code redesignating stop signs at the intersections of Cheney and Adams Streets, and Cheney and Vandeveer Streets.

Several resolutions were adopted supporting the city’s participation in the Community Project Funding Program for infrastructure improvements, including projects on South Cherokee Street, Northern Avenue Storm Sewer, and West Spresser Street.

In personnel matters, the council approved the appointment of Josh Nicol as Water Superintendent and adopted an amended city budget.

The council also approved submittal of purchase agreements for Barker Implement Incorporated and Joshua D. Weakly, along with Galaxy Trucking Logistics Incorporated, as well as a revised memorandum of understanding regarding take-home squad vehicles which is 6 ½ miles.

On the finance side, council members approved a $10,000 request from the Greater Taylorville Chamber of Commerce for the 2026 Chillifest event, with funds coming from the Hotel/Motel tax line item. The purchase of an office desk for the Human Resources office, not to exceed $2,500, was also approved, along with the sale of industrial park property with proceeds returning to the Business Development District Fund.

Infrastructure and public works items made up a significant portion of the evening’s approvals. The council authorized the purchase of a Komatsu 238 excavator from Roland Machinery at a cost not to exceed $270,000, funded through the Ward 5 reserve account. Members also approved moving forward with specifications for two single-axle dump trucks and one pickup truck.

Engineering agreements were approved with Benton and Associates for an $6,000 resurfacing project from Silver Street to Houston Street, and for Phase Two of the downtown project totaling $525,000, with the city’s share set at $65,000 under a previously approved joint funding agreement.

Additional approvals included bidding for concrete, sidewalks, curbs, guttering and fuel, as well as the purchase of an EZ-H2O drinking fountain for City Hall from Rikki Plumbing for $2,480. The council also accepted the Treasurer’s Report and approved payment of bills totaling $299,802.95. All agenda items were approved as presented. The Taylorville City Council will meet again on March 16th.

The First United Methodist Church in Shelbyville also operates a food pantry.  The pantry seeks to serve those in need within a wide radius.  Like most other food pantries, they have many sources of food and value the contributions of their volunteers, especially as they have no paid employees. 

The food pantry is located at 480 South Heinlein Drive.  They are open Mondays from 10 a.m. to noon and Thursdays from 4-6 p.m.  Jennifer Redmon is a co-director of the church and helps operate the food pantry.  She says it is not necessary to present any financial or income documents to prove eligibility. 

The community supplies much of the food offered at the pantry, including through community gardens, but they have other sources as well. 

The volunteers at the pantry play a crucial role in the operations.  Some volunteers take part in an individual capacity, while some local businesses get involved as groups. 

The food pantry also requires a comprehensive effort to move the food.  This includes getting it to the property and then from the truck to the shelves.

More information on the food pantry is on the Shelbyville First United Methodist Church’s Facebook page. 

Jennifer Redmon appeared as a guest on the WTIM Shelbyville Morning Show. 

As Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month comes to a close, parents are being reminded to stay engaged and informed about their teens’ relationships.

Sojourn Shelter & Services is encouraging families across central Illinois to talk openly with teens about what healthy — and unhealthy — relationships look like.

Experts say healthy teen relationships are built on mutual respect, honest communication, trust, and personal boundaries. Dating violence, however, can take many forms beyond physical abuse — including emotional manipulation, controlling behavior, sexual coercion, and digital abuse like constant texting or tracking.

Parents are urged to watch for warning signs such as sudden mood changes, withdrawal from friends, anxiety around phones or social media, or fear of upsetting a partner.

Sojourn says one of the most important steps parents can take is simply listening. Asking open-ended questions, staying calm, and avoiding judgment can help teens feel safe sharing concerns. If a teen is in immediate danger, parents are advised to call 911.

Help is available locally. Sojourn operates a 24-hour hotline for residents of Sangamon, Christian, Logan, Menard, and Montgomery counties at 217-726-5200.

Additional resources include Love is Respect, a project of the National Domestic Violence Hotline, and the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline.

Throughout February, Sojourn has been offering school presentations, parent education, and free confidential support services focused on prevention and awareness.

More information or help is available at help4dv.org, or by calling 217-726-5100.

The Taylorville City Council is set to meet Monday evening at 7 PM at the Municipal Building to discuss old and new business, review ordinance, hear from the public, Mayor, and city attorney, and review ordinance.  The FFA State Degree Winners will be recognized.  Chance Dickey will be sworn in as new Firefighter. 

Under ordinance, BDD agreements will be discussed and potentially approved between the city of Taylorville and Dustin Clark (100-102 N. Main Street), stop signs at CHeney and Adams and Cheney and Vandeveer, and support of various community project funding programs at South Cherokee, North Avenue Storm Sewer, and West Spresser.  There is a motion to approve the appointment of Josh Nicol to Water Superintendent, the amended budget, and purchase agreements. There is also a motion to approve the revised Memorandum of Understanding pertaining to the take Home Squad Vehicles.

Under ordinances, there is a motion authorizing the sale of Personal Property Owned by the City of Taylorville such as property from the Lake, Cemetery, Water, Street and Sewer Departments.  There is a motion to reflect suggested changes by Superintendent Marlin Brune,  After the yearly review, the Mayor, Human Resources Manager, and the Chair of the Personnel Committee may suggest a pay raise for certain city employees. The City Council will decide whether to approve or deny any pay raise. If a raise is approved, it will not lower or change the minimum pay amounts already set by city law.  

A motion was made to recommend that the City Council direct the City Attorney to update the City Code to allow billboards in areas zoned for industrial use.  A motion will be presented to approve $10,000 requested by the Greater Taylorville Chamber of Commerce for Chillifest, purchase an office desk for Human Resources, and sale of property at the industrial park. 

There are several pay approvals as well up under council discussion along with approval of bills, and hearing from the city Mayor, attorney, and the public. 

Speaking in front of a small group of people in Christian County, Governor hopeful Darren Bailey said that it was a whole new ballgame for his run for office in 2026. Darren Bailey and Aaron Del Mar stopped by Christian County on Friday Night for a public fundraiser. Bailey hit on many of the topics that he considers his pillars including education, property taxes, reducing government waste, crime reduction, and promoting a pro-business climate. 

Bailey says one of the big things that is different this year is Chicagoans are hurting this year just like the rest of Illinoisans. 

Bailey says it’s important that people go out and vote for the primary. 

One of the other big topics of conversation is the Safe-T Act. 

The General Primary is set for March 17th, 2026. 
 

The Morrisonville FFA chapter is taking extra steps this academic year with respect to outreach and networking.  They have a program to help comprehensively introduce their activities and opportunities to junior high school students.  In addition, chapter members have been able to connect with other chapters and elected officials. 

Rian Deardorff, Adelaide Dunkirk, and Ava Walton are the chapter’s president, vice president, and reporter, respectively.  They discuss the “discovery members,” who are eighth grade students who can attend FFA events.

Dunkirk also serves as the vice president of her FFA section.  The experience has allowed her to meet FFA members from other schools and learn how their chapters operate. 

This Friday, the trio will attend a conference hosted by an organization known as Women Changing the Face of Agriculture (WCFA).

They will also take part in Ag Legislative Day.  It’s an opportunity to make agriculture-related needs heard to elected officials in Springfield. 

The three officers say the diversity of experiences – along with developing soft skills and leadership skills – are what stand up to them about the FFA experience.  

More information on Morrisonville’s FFA chapter is on their Facebook page.  You can also learn more at www.ilaged.org.

Rian Deardorff, Adelaide Dunkirk, and Ava Walton appeared as guests on the WTIM Morning Show during National FFA Week.