Recent Posts
Of new businesses, car burglaries & ‘good kids’
Rambling through central Illinois, still aching after overseeing the planting of 425 shrubs and trees over the weekend. • • • Having lamented seeing too many storefronts go dark, it’s encouraging to write about new businesses opening. So I’m happy to type that, before this month is over, Elmwood will have two more storefronts occupied by businesses. Wednesday was the grand opening for Burrell’s Family Barbershop at 107 W. Main St., the former home to Bees and Blooms flower shop. Owner George Burrell has been cutting hair and instructing barbers for 15 years. Burrell is a Shelbyville native who has…
Taking steps to raise PTSD awareness
By MICKI McCARTHYFor The Weekly Post ELMWOOD – This is the fifth year of the annual RUCK 22 – John Pettit Memorial Walk to help bring awareness to veterans suffering with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and veteran suicide.The walk will be held Saturday, May 23, at 7:30 a.m. in Elmwood. “People of all ages are invited to walk to honor those who suffer silently, those we have lost and those we hope to help,” said Brett Powers, event organizer and member of Archie Miles VFW Post 4724. Since the first event in 2021, the RUCK 22 Memorial Walk has raised $35,000,…
Lasting generosity
Gioannini gift continues to fund education projects at Farmington By JEFF LAMPEFor The Weekly Post FARMINGTON – One measure of true generosity is giving a gift for which you never receive thanks.Anonymous donors, planters of oak trees and those who create endowments and lasting memorials come immediately to mind. So does Annette Gioannini, a long-time Farmington resident who taught briefly for Farmington Central Schools. That, however, is just a part of her legacy. The donation Gioannini made to the school district after her death in 2016 at age 101 has funded hundreds of projects worth $115,961. And that’s just the interest earned…
Hearing June 3 for man who hit trooper
By NICK VLAHOSFor The Prairie News GALESBURG – A Bureau County man implicated in a two-vehicle crash in February that injured an Illinois State Police trooper from Elmwood wants a jury trial. Joseph S. Pruiett, 46, of Wyanet pleaded not guilty March 23 in Knox County Circuit Court to multiple criminal charges that stemmed from the accident. A vehicle Pruitt was driving struck a squad car parked along the Knox-Stark county border. State Police Officer Braden McFall was inside that vehicle. Pruiett appeared in front of Judge Andrew Doyle via video conferencing from a treatment facility, according to Knox County State’s…
Nowlan denied release by judge
By JEFF LAMPEFor The Prairie News TOULON – Circuit Court Judge William Bauer on Monday denied a request for the pretrial release of Alex R. Nowlan of Toulon. Nowlan is facing 12 felony charges in Stark County, including eight counts of possession of child pornography, possession of a controlled substance, unlawful restraint, harass/threaten a person and intimidation/physical harm. Nowlan is being held in the Bureau County Jail and was transported to the Stark County Courthouse for Monday’s review of his case. Also in court was his father, Robin Nowlan, who asked to have his son released to his custody.Bauer denied that…
The Prairie News public record for 4-3-26
NOTE: Charges are merely an accusation. All suspects are presumed innocent until proven guilty. Peoria County Report3-18 – A Wyoming man arrested in Peoria was wanted in two counties on drugs-related charges.Joshua T. Humes, 44, surrendered at gunpoint about 6:30 p.m. after he ran from the rear of a residence in the 2200 block of N. Flora Ave., according to Peoria police reports. Officers were there investigating atheft. Humes was wanted in Peoria and Tazewell counties for unlawful possession of methamphetamine. He also was wanted in Tazewell County for resisting police. He said he ran because he knew he had…
The Weekly Post public record for 4-2-26
NOTE: Charges are merely an accusation. All suspects are presumed innocent until proven guilty.Police reports • PRINCEVILLE – For the second time in recent weeks, a spate of vehicle thefts and burglaries happened in Princeville. At least six incidents were reported March 28, according to the Peoria County Sheriff’s Office. One vehicle was reported stolen from a residence in the 400 block of S. Walnut St. and was recovered later in Dunlap. A vehicle reported stolen in Peoria was found at the Walnut Street address. In the 100 block of S. Tremont Ave., a 2008 Honda Accord was reported missing…
Of National Burn Day & plans for when I lose it
• • • Last Saturday was not National Burn Day. Should have been. Should also have been National Burn Your Ditch or Grassy Field Day. The skies were filled with black clouds all day, leaving a smoky smell to linger over much of the area. As anyone who burns regularly knows, there are only certain windows for a safe fire. Lots of factors come into play. Wind speed. Wind direction. Relative humidity. How much volunteer help you have on hand. And, as we learned Saturday, temperature matters too. Normally for our March burns, we are working in 40-50 degrees. Normally,…
Princeville to share more TIF revenues
By NICK VLAHOSFor The Weekly Post PRINCEVILLE – It took a little convincing, but the final holdout has agreed to a proposal to receive some Princeville village tax-increment-financing revenues. Earlier this month, the Akron Township Board approved the plan, which the Princeville Village Board first authorized in November 2024 and revised the following year. It allows nine local and area taxing bodies to share money annually from TIF 4, which covers most of downtown and west-northwest Princeville. Among other things, the agreement sets aside for the other nine taxing bodies 25% of annual TIF 4 property-tax-revenue increments. They also are to…
Closure rejected
Judge rejects railroad’s request for closure of Whittaker Road By NICK VLAHOSFor The Weekly Post The Whittaker Road railroad crossing east of Laura probably will remain open after all. A proposed order from an Illinois Commerce Commission administrative-law judge rejected a request from BNSF Railway to close the unguarded crossing. BNSF cited safety concerns and lack of use when it asked in 2023 for the closure. But the proposed order, which was issued March 17, sided with Millbrook Township officials who opposed the closure. They said oversized farm equipment uses the crossing regularly and proposed detours are unsafe. David Badillo, an…
