Month: October 2024

TIF grant to pay for half of improvements By NICK VLAHOSFor The Weekly Post ELMWOOD – A former doctor’s office in downtown Elmwood is being converted to another medicinal purpose – this one for the mind and soul, perhaps. The Elmwood Center for the Humanities is scheduled to open sometime next spring at 120 W. Main St., according to its primary organizer. Elmwood-area resident Bill Seipel said the center is to feature an art gallery-museum, arts-related classrooms and a coffee shop. “I want to see this turn into a place where somebody can go in the daytime and appreciate the art…

By JOHN A. BALLENTINEFor The Prairie News WYOMING – Quietly, the Stark County law enforcement vehicles loaded with police personnel rolled into position on the evening of Oct. 11 in downtown Wyoming. A combined force of law enforcement officers wound up arresting two people and recovering a cache of drugs, weapons and stolen goods. Law enforcement included Stark County Sheriff Steven Sloan and deputy sheriffs, the Toulon, Wyoming and Bradford police departments, the Wyoming Fire Department, the Stark County Ambulance Service, the State of Illinois Secretary of Police bomb squad, the Peoria Police Explosive Ordnance Disposal unit and the Henry/Stark…

NOTE: Charges are merely an accusation. All suspects are presumed innocent until proven guilty. Traffic Citations9-29 – Karl E. Griffin – Speeding 26-34 mph over the limit.10-10- Stephanie Garza – Driving 15-20 mph above the limit.10-14 – Samantha N. Reatherford – Driving 21-25 mph above the limit. Misdemeanors &Felonies6-8 – Criminal felony – Charles D. Slightom Jr. – Failure to register a new residence in three days. Incidents & AccidentsStark County10-7 – Payton M. Rose, of rural Kewanee, reported her 2018 Dodge truck with a homemade trailer was stolen. The incident remains under investigation but the vehicle was later reported…

By JEFF LAMPEFor The Weekly Post KEWANEE – The Princeville boys cross country team defended its Lincoln Trail Conference title last Thursday at Midland Golf Club. The victory came by the tightest of margins as the 17th-ranked Princes edged Annawan-Wethersfield, 30-31. Four Princeville runners finished in the top 10 to earn all-conference honors, led by senior Tucker Sennett, who was third in 16:37. The other all-LTC runners were junior Taylor Hess (5th, 16:54), sophomore Jacob Bosch (6th, 17:16) and freshman Hunter Keyster (7th, 17:23). Sophomore Collin Bowers (14th, 18:14) was the fifth runner for Princeville. “Hess, Bosch, Keyster and (freshman Michael)…

NOTE: Charges are merely an accusation. All suspects are presumed innocent until proven guilty. Police reports• PRINCEVILLE – A Princeville man admitted guilt regarding an apparent domestic-violence incident. Peoria County Sheriff’s Office deputies were dispatched about 11:15 a.m. Oct. 4 to a residence in the 6000 block of Illinois Route 90. A telephone call from a 10-year-old indicated Marco A. Pequeno Jr., 40, was beating up an unidentified person, according to a redacted sheriff’s-office report. Accused of unlawful restraint and domestic battery/bodily harm, Pequeno was transported to the Peoria County Jail. But he was deemed unfit medically to be confined,…

NOTE: Charges are merely an accusation. All suspects are presumed innocent until proven guilty. Traffic Citations9-11 – Marguerite I. Ashwood – Suspended registration.9-14 – Jennifer L. Moody – Uninsured vehicle, expired registration, failure to yield on private drive and improper traffic lane usage.9-14 – Amanda L. Hight – No valid registration.9-24 – Hannah L. Houchin – No valid registration.9-25 – Reeve L. Winkler – Disregard stop sign.9-25 – Marselle A. Dunn – Driving 11-14 mph above limit.10-1 – Braden M. Clark – No valid registration, uninsured vehicle and seatbelt required.10-3 – Amy Frank – Uninsured vehicle and no valid registration.10-4…

By JEFF LAMPEFor The Weekly Post FARMINGTON – Some games you just survive. Last Friday was one of those for the Farmington football team, which found itself in a 14-point hole against Macomb before touching the ball on offense.From there, the Farmers did just enough right to hand the Bombers a first loss, 26-20, in overtime. The victory gives No. 2-ranked Farmington (6-0, 5-0) a firm grip on first place in the LincolnLand Conference large division headed into Friday’s crossover game against resurgent Annawan-Wethersfield.“I think there was a little hangover from the Elmwood game,” Farmington Coach Toby Vallas said in reference…

By MOLLY RICHESONFor The Weekly Post WILLIAMSFIELD – The Williamsfield Village Board swore in its third treasurer in the past year at Monday’s meeting, welcoming April Bouchez. Bouchez, also a member of the Williamsfield School Board, replaces Linda Baker. She resigned from the job in September after eight months in the position. Baker was hired Jan. 6 to replace longtime Treasurer Mary Rice, who resigned three days earlier. Rice and Board President Robert Johnson differ regarding the circumstances. Rice said she was forced out of the job. Johnson said she resigned rather than learn the new computer systems. Baker summarized her…

NOTE: Charges are merely an accusation. All suspects are presumed innocent until proven guilty. Police reports• BELLEVUE – A Farmington man was injured in a two-vehicle crash near the Peoria international airport. Gerold L. VanMiddlesworth was driving an eastbound 2013 Dodge Ram pickup truck about 6:15 a.m. Sept. 26 on Illinois Route 116 at Airport Road when his vehicle was struck by a 2020 Toyota Sienna driven by Zhu Xinguang of Rancho Cucamonga, Calif., a Peoria County Sheriff’s Office report stated. Zhu was turning from westbound Route 116 to southbound Airport Road. VanMiddlesworth said he had a green light to…

By JEFF LAMPEFor The Weekly Post Harvest is going very well across central Illinois. Dry conditions and mature crops have many farmers well ahead of the normal pace. Yields have so far been generally good, with most of the state’s corn and soybean crop rated good or excellent. But as is often the case in agriculture, there’s always something to foul up a perfect fall. This year that something is low commodity prices, with typical per-bushel cash payments on Tuesday around $3.90 for corn and $9.85 for soybeans delivered to an elevator.That’s a far cry from the $7 per bushel of…