Three and a half years after Governor JB Pritzker came to Hillsboro to announce creation of the Rebuild Illinois Downtowns and Main Streets grant program, dollars from that program are flowing back to the place whree the program was launched.   The City of Hillsboro is receiving just over $749,000  for the city’s Downtown Main Street Improvement Project Phase II.  That phase will addresses sidewalks, curbing, water service and lighting.    Nokomis is receiving just over $330,000  for The Downtown Streetscape & Beautification Project which will lead to installation of storefront ADA sidewalk along Illinois Route 16 (W. State St.) from S. Spruce Street to Pine Street. The City of Pana is receiving $1,240,000  under a Rise Grant for developing a three-parcel lot in downtown Pana.  It will become an  outdoor event space, including service hook-ups for food trucks, ADA-compliant restrooms and outdoor seating. 

Former Witt Mayor Shawn Cady is now undefeated in election lotteries after his  name was drawn Tuesday to break a tie between himself and Randall Lowe for the Ward One aldermanic seat.  He tied with Randall Lowe on election night with 16 votes each.  Cady defeated Tim Taylor in similar fashion when they tied in the Mayor’s race in recent years.  Cady later stepped aside setting the stage for Taylor to serve as Mayor.   

Litchfield Ward 3 Alderwoman Kassidy Payne's time on the City Council is drawing to a close. She reflected on her seven years on the council with a statement. 

 

"Serving on city council is quite the roller coaster ride. There are ups and downs, goals and victories you get to accomplish as a team and hurdles that you tackle together. It's been my honor to serve the community in this way for the last 7 years, and I'm thankful for all the projects I was able to be a part of during my terms. I love my community and want to see it grow and thrive. It's time to turn over the reigns and I wish my replacement alderperson the best of luck in continuing our ongoing projects and starting new ones. Thank you to everyone who supported me and encouraged me during this time, and I want to give a special thank you to Tonya Flannery who was an amazing mentor and role model for me."

SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois Department of Transportation announced that a 14-mile patching and resurfacing project on Interstate 55 from Litchfield to the Macoupin/Madison County line begins Monday, April 21. Work is expected to be completed by the end of September. ?

Additionally, ramps for Litchfield (exit 52), Mount Olive (exit 44) and Staunton (exit 41) will be resurfaced. Most of the work is expected to take place between 7 p.m. and 6 a.m. Sunday nights through Friday mornings. Lane closures are expected, and message boards will be used to direct traffic through the work zones. Motorists can expect delays and should allow extra time for trips through this area. Benefits of this project include a smoother driving surface.

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

Over the next six years, IDOT is planning to improve more than 3,200 miles of highway and nearly 9 million square feet of bridge deck as part of Rebuild Illinois, which is investing $33.2 billion into all modes of transportation. Accomplishments through Year Five of Rebuild Illinois include approximately $16 billion of improvements statewide on 6,541 miles of highway, 686 bridges and 986 additional safety improvements

For IDOT District 6 updates, follow us on Twitter at @IDOTDistrict6 or view area construction details on IDOT’s traveler information map on GettingAroundIllinois.com.

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Hillsboro Health, is hosting a diabetes management class today from 4:30-6 p.m. This class, open to the public at no cost, is designed to help people with diabetes or pre-diabetes learn simple ways improve their diet and physical activity to help manage their condition.  

 

Refreshments will be served. Enter the hospital main doors and the class will be held in the Cloud Room in the front lobby at 1200 E. Tremont St. Hillsboro. RSVP not required. 

No one ran for the Mayor's office in Farmersville, so trustees turned to one of their own for the timebeing to fill the role.  Lynn Clarke was sworn in at Monday Night's Board of Trustees meeting. 

'The University of Illinois Cooperative Extension Service is looking to give Macoupin and Montgomery Counties a better high speed connection to the internet.  A rural broadband survey is available through Friday.   U of I Extension officials discuss the mission of the survey.

 

High-speed internet empowers our residents to connect with loved ones, health services, e-learning, and businesses online. Your opinions are very important to our planning process and we are very thankful for your participation. Although you are not required to answer every question, complete responses will give us the best results to help us build a broadband plan for Macoupin and Montgomery Counties.  
 

Here are the links.  

 

https://go.illinois.edu/connectMacoupinCounty 

 

https://go.illinois.edu/connectMontgomeryCounty 

The voters have spoken in Montgomery County and in Litchfield, where the Lion’s Share of competitive races occured, some old familiar faces will remain and new ones will emerge.  Alderman Jacob Fleming coasted to victory last night in the three way race for Mayor.  He racked up 46 percent of the vote to roughly 27 percent each for opponents Dwayne Gerl and Dave Hollo.   

Bert Holloway took a commanding lead in early returns and won the four way Ward 3 race handily with 38 percent of the vote.  Ward 4 incumbent Ray Kellenberger held off a challenge from Cliff Ingram.  In Ward 1, incumbent Marilyn Sisson held off a challenge from Robert Plowman Jr.  (Pronounced like farm plow).   

 

In Walshville, incumbent Village President Joy McDonald has appeared to hold off a challenge from Brenda Hegel by a 13-10 margin.  

 

In Taylor Springs, incumbent Village president Harry Jackson holds a ten vote edge over Warren Hall and in the 2-year term trustee race, Trustee Jody Jackson appears to have held off Patty Rufus. 

 

In Witt, former Mayor Shawn Cady has a knack for ties.  After tying Tim Taylor for Mayor in recent years and winning the Mayor’s race through an Easter Egg challenge, for the moment is tied with Randall lowe with 16 votes each,. 

 

Denny Held will continue his long run as Raymond Mayor.  Held faced two write in candidates in this cycle. Preliminary totals show that Held racked up 57 percent of the vote. 

 

In Grisham Township, 5 candidates battled for 4 trustee slots.   Michael Laughlin, and Trent Laughlin were top vote getters along with James Carroll and Charles "Butch" Logsdon.   Brenda Logsdon trails Carroll by 5 votes with more votes being potentially counted through mail in ballots.   

 

In the East Fork township highway commissioners race, Devon Odle grabbed 64 percent of the vote in defeating Troy White. 

 

In the Hillsboro township trustee race, Jennifer Anderson was the top votegetter with  Mark Hughes, Bart Paden and Ben Hemken appearing to land the three remaining spots.  Amanda Daniels appears to be the odd candidate out.   

 

In the SOUTH LITCHFIELD TOWNSHIP HIGHWAY COMMISSIONER race, it looks like Nicholas Weatherford is your winner with 312 votes to Richard Wendel’s 301.   

 

In the SOUTH LITCHFIELD TOWNSHIP TRUSTEES race, Steve Heyen, Todd Bergman and Martin Savage Jr were your top vote getters.  For the moment, Tom Currie holds a two vote lead over Louis Taylor.   

 

In the WITT TOWNSHIP TRUSTEE race, Gary Yeske was your top votegetter with  Russell Ulrici,   John Charnisky and  Bernard Hand defeating Michael Cheek.   

 

In the Hillsboro School board race, your winners were top votegetter Nathan Kirby, William "Bill" Christian Sr. and Kassie Greenwood with   Matthew Jones the odd man out.   

 

Voter turnout was just under 26 percent in Montgomery County,. 

Weeks after being charged with aggravated cruelty to animals, Montgomery County Animal Control Warden April Pier is now the former warden.  The Montgomery County Board voted to terminate her this (April 1st) morning.  Pier is set to appear in court next week in connection with the death of a horse who had to be euthanized in East Fork Township.  In a 2014 case, Pier, then April Elliott pleaded guilty after  a sheltie dog was not provided food or water and was not provided sufficient warmth and shelter and died as a result.  County Board Chairman Doug Donaldson notes that Pier appeared to be doing her job well, with Animal Control getting a nod of approval from the Illinois Department of Agriculture.  Last night (3/31), the County Board's Personnel Committee voted to have a human resources firm perform backgrond checks in the future.   The issue will be discussed by the full county board next Tuesday.