Rambling through central Illinois, relieved there was no KC threepeat. • • • If you sense pride oozing from the pages of this edition, that’s due in part to all the local college students making the Dean’s list at their respective schools. As you may know, we publish names of Dean’s-list honorees who are graduates of the high schools we cover. Actually, we publish the names of some local Dean’s listers. Since so many proud parents and grandparents have asked about the list in recent weeks, here’s how that imperfect process works. Many schools subscribe to Merit Pages, a service…

By NICK VLAHOSFor The Weekly Post ELMWOOD – As Elmwood Police Chief Aaron Bean was driving Daniel Coons to jail, he knew this criminal suspect had a substance-abuse problem. More accurately, Bean’s nose knew. “He stunk so bad you could tell he was doing some nasty stuff,” Bean said. “He was in real bad shape.” Bean recounted the journeys and the arrest of Coons, a 50-year-old homeless Peoria man, for the Elmwood City Council when it met Feb. 4.Accused initially of stealing a bicycle from a rack at Elmwood Elementary School, Coons also possessed a methamphetamine pipe and a jar that…

By MOLLY RICHESONFor The Weekly Post FARMINGTON – Another parent has stepped forward urging the Farmington School Board to review and/or audit its policies regarding safety and discipline. Adam Henkhaus of Farmington spoke at the school board’s Monday meeting about an incident involving his son Drew, who was shot in the face with an airsoft gun in the school parking lot on Dec. 16 prior to a band concert. According to the Farmington Student Handbook, “Law enforcement officials will be notified in any situation that involves drugs, drug paraphernalia, weapons, firearms, arson, bomb threat or any situation deemed necessary by administration.”…

School board to ponder possible cuts By NICK VLAHOSFor The Weekly Post WILLIAMSFIELD – Layoffs might soon be coming to the Williamsfield School District. As many as two certified staff members, two food-service employees and all teachers’ aides would be let go under a proposal Interim Superintendent Rolf Sivertsen presented Monday night to the Williamsfield School Board. The cuts would save the cash-strapped district between about $575,000 and $680,000, depending on how many aides might be recalled. Job reductions are part of Sivertsen’s three-pronged plan to return the district to financial health. The district is to receive money this week from the…

NOTE: Charges are merely an accusation. All suspects are presumed innocent until proven guilty. Police reports • PEORIA – A Farmington man who was in court recently regarding a 2023 drunken-driving charge was intoxicated during that appearance, authorities stated. Remington R. Isbell, 21, was accused of contempt of court in connection with the incident, which happened about 1:45 p.m. Jan. 30 at the Peoria County Courthouse. A Peoria County Sheriff’s Office deputy was told someone in Judge Suzanne Patton’s courtroom might be drunk, according to a report. A test revealed Isbell’s blood-alcohol level was .205. The legal limit is .08….

Rambling through central Illinois, pondering how it’s possible for the temperature to drop 40 degrees in one day. • • • The generosity of local folks continues to impress. Every weekend brings a new fundraiser and every weekend there’s more money being donated to good causes. In Brimfield last weekend, the final Whitney’s Walk for Life Chili Cook-Off raised $20,400 for mental health and suicide prevention programs. That’s an amazing amount of money for a one-day event and brings the total for 16 chili cook-offs to $183,000, according to organizer Janet Fishel. In Farmington, a recent fundraiser held by Officer…

By NICK VLAHOSFor The Weekly Post GALESBURG – The oft-delayed jury trial of a woman accused of murdering the former Maquon police chief has been delayed again. Issues regarding admissible evidence and other pretrial matters have resulted in Marcy Oglesby probably standing trial the week of April 21 instead of this month, according to Knox County State’s Attorney Ashley Worby. Jury selection is scheduled to begin April 23. “We are all mindful that unexpected events can throw a wrench in things,” Worby told The Weekly Post. “However, we all feel confident at this time that the matter will proceed to trial…

By JEFF LAMPEFor The Weekly Post FARMINGTON – The continued growth of a local business has the Farmington City Council pondering vacating a city street. At Monday’s council meeting, Mayor Kenn Stufflebeam directed the council to read through a proposed ordinance that would vacate Sunny Street on the city’s southwest side. “Sunny Street is encompassed completely by Lozier Oil these days and the city has not taken care of it at all lately,” Stufflebeam said. “(Lozier Oil) would like to take over complete maintenance of this so the city doesn’t have to.”Stufflebeam said Lozier Oil in recent years has spent more…

By NICK VLAHOSFor The Weekly Post WILLIAMSFIELD – With village finances finally in order, Williamsfield officials believe it’s time to make some plans. Or one big plan, to be more precise.During the Village Board meeting Monday night, trustees discussed formulating a strategic plan. Village President Robert Johnson emailed them a list of ideas that might be part of such a plan. Among proposals are new street signs, stormwater abatement, water-tower inspection, sidewalk repairs and creation of a tax-increment-financing district. TIFs divert property-tax dollars to a fund used for infrastructure improvements that can lead to area redevelopment. Less-expensive and less-complicated items can…

NOTE: Charges are merely an accusation. All suspects are presumed innocent until proven guilty. Police reports• DAHINDA – Three people were killed as the result of a two-vehicle head-on crash on Interstate 74 south of Dahinda. Pronounced dead at the scene shortly after 3 a.m. Jan. 30 were Todd A. Graves, 61, of Springfield, Ohio, and Steven H. Youngquist, 70, of Galesburg, according to Knox County Coroner Jacque Dare. Youngquist’s wife, 72-year-old Christine Youngquist, died at 4:55 p.m. at OSF Saint Francis Medical Center in Peoria. Graves was driving a 2012 Cadillac sedan headed west in the eastbound lanes of…