The Taylorville Park Board is set to hold a special meeting on Thursday at 11:30 AM.

In this special meeting, the park board will hear from Seven Utilities Manager, Dale Snyder, they will hear the Midwest Environmental report from July 31st.

The board will also have a discussion regarding Landmark Aquatic and discuss board committees and trustees’ communication.

The meeting will then go into executive session before officially adjourning. 

Keep following along with taylorvilledailynews.com for updates after the meeting.

Below is a copy of the meeting agenda.

Central Commodity FS and Gateway FS are now one company.  The two entities’ merger – the plans of which were finalized in March – took effect August 1.  Executives hope the merger will improve their ability to serve customers in all parts of the state.  General Manager Mark Bauman says the merger brings together two units which had already been providing similar services.

Bauman says one challenge the merger will pose is unifying its employee base around common efforts, considering the geographical separation between them. 

More information on Gateway FS is available at www.fscooperatives.com/gatewayfs.

Mark Bauman appeared as a guest on the WTIM Morning Show.

The Village of Kincaid has issued a boil order for 5 residences west of James Street, in the direction of Bullpitt.

Health officials at the Christian County Health Department urge residents within the effected area to boil any and all water used for consumption at a rolling boil for no less than 5 minutes before using the water for drinking OR cooking.

The Village of Kincaid will notify residents when the boil order has been lifted. 

Follow along with taylorvilledailynews.com for an update once the order has been lifted.

The Montgomery County Sheriff's Office is reminding the public that parking restrictions will be in place at the Sheriff's Office during the upcoming Old Settlers celebration.

This parking restriction has been put in place to ensure emergency vehicles and first responders have uninterrupted access to the facility. The Old Settlers Days Festival in Hillsboro began Saturday August 1st and ran through Sunday, Then reopened again today, Wednesday August 5th, and will go through tomorrow.

Starting this morning, the east parking lot at the Sheriff's Office will be closed to the public. Additional restrictions will take effect tomorrow afternoon when the North Main Street entrance to the Sheriff's Office will also be closed.

Officials are asking residents and visitors not to park in any blocked, barricaded, or otherwise restricted areas. Vehicles left in those locations may be towed at the owner's expense if they interfere with emergency access.

A limited number of parking spaces will remain available on the west side of the Sheriff's Office property and can only be accessed from Hamilton Street. Those spaces are reserved exclusively for individuals conducting business with the Sheriff's Office and are not intended for festival parking.

The Sheriff's Office says the temporary parking restrictions are necessary to ensure deputies, emergency responders, and other public safety personnel can quickly respond to calls throughout the Old Settlers festivities.

Officials thank the public for their patience and cooperation and encourage everyone attending the festival to use designated public parking areas while helping keep emergency access routes clear.

For all of your local news, weather, sports, and much more, visit taylorvilledailynews.com.
 

The Christian County YMCA’s fall soccer program is set to begin soon.  They are expecting high enrollment and are happy with the numbers so far with respect to sign-ups.  Executive Director Bruce Blanshan says the program is drawing interest even from outside the county. 

Blanshan says the “World Cup bump” he predicted earlier in the summer appears to be materializing. 

More information on the Christian County YMCA is available at www.ccymca.org.

Bruce Blanshan appeared as a guest on the WTIM Morning Show. 

The City of Taylorville is preparing for possible legal roadblocks associated with the recently passed ban on Kratom.  The city council voted in favor of a ban on synthetic and natural forms of the substance at their Monday meeting.  The city-level ordinance follows a tabled vote by the Christian County Board in July.  That motion came as a result of a proposal the Christian County Health Department passed two months prior.

Taylorville Mayor Bruce Barry says the concerns on the ban’s validity are associated with what can and cannot be enacted at city level. 

More information on the City of Taylorville is available at www.taylorville.net. 

Mayor Bruce Barry appeared as a guest on the WTIM Morning Show prior to Monday’s city council meeting. 

The Christian County Health Department (CCHD) has confirmed a second mosquito sample has tested positive for West Nile virus this season.

The latest positive sample was collected on August 3 in Morrisonville and tested by Environmental Health staff on August 4 at the CCHD’s laboratory. The positive result confirms West Nile virus is continuing to circulate in the county.

According to the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH), a county is considered positive for West Nile virus when the virus is detected in a mosquito, bird, horse, or human. Currently, the health department has not announced any human cases in Christian County.

Health officials say mosquito surveillance and testing will continue throughout the county for the remainder of the season. Residents are encouraged to do their part by removing standing water around their homes, where mosquitoes can breed. Common sources include bird baths, buckets, flowerpots, old tires, and clogged gutters.

People can also reduce their risk of mosquito bites by using insect repellent, wearing long sleeves and pants when outdoors during dawn and dusk, and making sure window and door screens are in good repair.

Anyone with questions about West Nile virus or other disease vectors can contact the Christian County Health Department at 217-824-4113.

Information on the Illinois Department of Public Health can be found online at dph.illinois.gov.

Get all your local news online at taylorvilledailynews.com.