News

Back on stage

Published by admin on Tue, 10/26/2021 - 5:23pm

For the first time in what seems like forever, the doors to the Coal City Performing Arts Center will open for a school production.
In two weeks a cast of 49 Coal City Middle School students and their high school mentors will take the stage for the first full scale school production inside the facility since March 2020.
Last year’s middle school production, “You’re a Good Man Charlie Brown,” was recorded in various locations and streamed for home viewing, and the last three high school productions have all taken place outdoors in order to comply with COVID mitigations.

Aging water lines breaking in Coal City

Published by admin on Tue, 10/26/2021 - 5:22pm

Village officials are a tad perplexed as to what has caused a series of water main breaks in the last few weeks. Typically water line breaks happen in the winter months when the deep freeze enters the ground.
Cracks and breaks in the water lines have been popping up around town, mainly in areas where older pipes exist.
Although there is no conclusive answer as to what is causing the breaks, there is a theory and it is directly related to the weather.

Students to haunt high school hallways

Published by admin on Tue, 10/26/2021 - 5:21pm

Coal City High School students will once again haunt the school’s hallways as various clubs and organizations take part in Hunted Hallways.
Following a pandemic break, the haunting will resume and are being coordinated by the school’s chapter of Future Business Leaders of America [FBLA]. The Haunted Hallways fundraiser, an indoor costumed trick-or-treating event for children ages 9 and under, is scheduled for today [Wednesday, Oct. 27.]

Constructing a cabin

Published by admin on Tue, 10/26/2021 - 5:20pm

Almost two centuries ago John Cragg settled along the banks of the Mazon River.
It was the winter of 1834 or maybe 1835 when Cragg built a two story 20-foot by 20-foot cabin for his family on land he’d purchased at auction in Chicago for $1.25 an acre.
Along with his wife, Agnes and their six children—five boys and a girl—the 325-acre Cragg homestead along what is now Grand Ridge Road in Maine Township was home to cows, horses and chickens, They grew grain and operated the county’s first tavern from the cabin. It was also the site of the township’s first polling place.

Reed-Custer students track well, despite pandemic interruptions

Published by admin on Tue, 10/26/2021 - 5:02pm

Educators with the Reed-Custer School District are pleased with how well this year’s batch of students are performing academically this school year.

On Oct. 20, Assistant Superintendent for Teaching and Learning Danielle Valiente told members of the board of education that teachers will be sorting through reading and math testing data. Valiente said Northwest Evaluation Association (NWEA) testing this fall to check progress of students shows that students have been able to progress despite classroom interruptions during the pandemic.

Braidwood TIF III funds used for infrastructure projects

Published by admin on Tue, 10/26/2021 - 4:59pm

The city of Braidwood has released its annual financial report for its tax increment finance (TIF III) district for the 2020 fiscal year (FY20), which ended on April 30, 2020.

The report was issued in advance of this week’s Joint Review Board meeting, which was held on Tuesday afternoon at City Hall.

A TIF district works by establishing a base value for all the property in the district, and then freezing the amount of taxes from those properties that is paid to the taxing bodies for a time period not to exceed 23 years.

COVID spread remains low at Wilmington, Reed-Custer

Published by admin on Tue, 10/26/2021 - 4:57pm

Local school districts are reporting that efforts to keep COVID-19 from spreading among students are working.

On Oct. 18, during the regular meeting of the Wilmington School District 209-U board of education, Assistant Superintendent Kevin Feeney and Superintendent Dr. Matt Swick told the board that school has been a safe place for students and staff.

“Covid, as far as here in the Wilmington School District, numbers are low,” Feeney said, adding that there were no cases for students or staff in the district for the week of Oct. 11.

Parents in Wilmington, Elwood join lawsuit over school mask mandate

Published by admin on Tue, 10/26/2021 - 4:55pm

Local school districts Wilmington 209-U and Elwood 203 are among 145 school districts named in a lawsuit filed last week to try to overturn the school mask mandate put in place this year by Gov. JB Pritzker.

The lawsuit was filed on Oct. 20 in Macoupin County by attorney Thomas Devore on behalf of dozens of parents across the state.

Wilmington 209-U exploring options for aging HVAC

Published by admin on Tue, 10/26/2021 - 4:53pm

The Wilmington School District is exploring options to fix the aging heat, ventilation, and air conditioning system (HVAC) at Stevens Intermediate School.

On Oct. 18, Superintendent Dr. Matt Swick updated the board of education on the proposed project during its regular monthly meeting.

The district had to use a temporary chiller in August and September after the air conditioning in the building broke.

While there were some hot days in October, the district was able to go this month without worrying about the air conditioning.

Wilmington continues to work with public on late water bills

Published by admin on Tue, 10/26/2021 - 4:51pm

Efforts to get residents who are behind in their utility payments in Wilmington appear to be working.

On Oct. 19, finance director Matt Hoffman reported to the Wilmington City’s Council’s finance committee that as of Oct. 1, the city has a total of 505 utility accounts with past due balances.

A memo given to the committee members shows an 8% reduction in late accounts from the month prior, when there were 551 accounts with past due balances.
Hoffman said most of the late accounts were 60 days late or less.