Once upon a time, I was a naive new business owner who thought everybody paid their bills. That was back when we started printing the magazine Heartland Outdoors. As part of the purchase, we inherited a stack of past-due invoices. I figured a few weeks of tracking down non-payers would end that problem. But non-payers have never disappeared, even as we moved on from the magazine to our current weekly newspapers. Lately, unpaid debt has reached a level that has raised my ire and rekindled memories of past collection forays. One such expedition ranged far and wide across Illinois and…

By JEFF LAMPEFor The Weekly Post ELMWOOD – Prep girls basketball has evolved into a rough-and-tumble sport, with physical play and plenty of fouls a feature of most games. This year’s Elmwood girls team appears to be well-suited for the rigors of that brand of basketball.Even after dropping a 43-27 decision to visiting Canton on Monday, the Lady Trojans (4-1) have started fast despite graduating three starters and learning a new system under first-year coach Kevin Faulkner.Deep, fast and physical, Elmwood capped a 4-0 record at its Thanksgiving tournament last Friday with a 49-38 win over Tremont. That followed a 42-40…

By NICK VLAHOSFor The Weekly Post KEWANEE – Five games into the season, Josh Fugitt is cautiously optimistic about his Elmwood boys basketball team. Elmwood finished 3-2 and placed third at the Wally Keller Invitational in Kewanee. The Trojans won the middle three games they played – 62-43 on Nov. 26 against Putnam County, 58-48 on Nov. 27 against host Wethersfield and 63-48 on Nov. 29 against Stark County. The bookends were a 50-37 loss Nov. 30 against Bureau Valley and an opening 55-28 loss Nov. 25 to tourney-champion Annawan. The other matchups were more favorable, according to the Elmwood coach….

By JEFF LAMPEFor The Weekly Post FARMINGTON – The Farmington Police Department will soon have a new way to remain compliant with changing law-enforcement regulations. The Farmington City Council on Monday voted to approve an agreement with Lexipol, an online service that provides up-to-date, state-specific policing policies and training opportunities. Farmington will pay $2,172 for the remainder of this fiscal year (through April 30) and $5,212.80 for Fiscal Year 2025 service. “Our general orders need to be revamped either using Lexipol or a local attorney,” Farmington Chief Chris Darsham said before the vote. Farmington Attorney Bill Connor advised that the service was worthwhile….

NOTE: Charges are merely an accusation. All suspects are presumed innocent until proven guilty. Misdemeanors &Felonies11-27 – Dirk K. Madison – Driving under the influence, improper lane usage, illegal transportation of alcohol by a driver, driving while his license was revoked and failure to reduce speed to avoid an accident. Madison was charged in connection with a two-vehicle accident that occurred one mile north of the West Jersey Blacktop on Illinois Route 78. Incidents & AccidentsStark County11-26 – Cody L. Smith, 27, of Toulon was involved in a deer-related vehicle accident at 600E and Sharkey Highway. No injuries were reported…

NOTE: Charges are merely an accusation. All suspects are presumed innocent until proven guilty.Police reports • FARMINGTON – A Lacon-area woman was cited for stealing a credit card from an elderly Canton couple and using it to purchase gasoline. Taylor M. Beach, 28, was the subject of a police investigation regarding an incident on Sept. 13 at Circle K, 1006 E. Fort St. in Farmington. She was a caregiver for the Canton couple, a 95-year-old man and a 92-year-old woman. According to a Farmington police report, the stolen credit card also was used in Canton, Decatur, Elmwood and Galesburg. Beach…

NOTE: Charges are merely an accusation. All suspects are presumed innocent until proven guilty.Police reports • KICKAPOO – An employee of a Kickapoo-area gasoline station was accused of stealing $190 in Illinois Lottery tickets from it. Matthew D. Ayers, 29, of Pekin was arrested regarding an incident that took place sometime before 9:30 a.m. Nov. 14 at Freedom Oil, 7200 N. Kickapoo-Edwards Rd. Missing were $100 in Cashfall instant tickets and $90 in Super Bonus instant tickets, a Peoria County Sheriff’s Office report stated. Ayers was charged with two counts of theft and transported to the Peoria County Jail. In…

Rambling through central Illinois, wondering if bickering about the presidential election will ever end. • • • In between Iowa pheasant hunts last week, we spent an evening watching boxing. It was frustrating, though the experience did take me back to one of my favorite college courses. Word on campus back in the day was that there was no easier “A” than The History of Public Relations. My gpa smiled when I showed up for the first class and saw nearly the entire hockey team in the lecture hall. Though I only attended once more to earn my “A,” I…

By NICK VLAHOSFor The Weekly Post DWIGHT – The Farmington football team made some history last week. So did the Farmers’ next opponent in the Class 2A state playoffs. Which team creates additional accomplishments will be determined beginning at 2 p.m. Saturday (Nov. 23). That’s when Palos Heights Chicago Christian is to visit Farmington for a semifinal game. Chicago Christian (11-1) is seeded sixth in the 2A northern bracket, and Farmington (12-0) is seeded first. The winner advances to the state championship, set for 1 p.m. Nov. 29 at Hancock Stadium in Normal, against Maroa-Forsyth or Johnston City. Those teams meet…

NOTE: Charges are merely an accusation. All suspects are presumed innocent until proven guilty.Police reports• HANNA CITY – No injuries were reported following a two-vehicle crash at the western edge of Hanna City.Jessica K. Neel of Hanna City was driving a 2024 Chevrolet sport-utility vehicle west on Illinois Route 116 about 6 p.m. Nov. 8 when at McAllister Road it struck a 2019 GMC truck, a Peoria County Sheriff’s Office report stated. Kyle D. Stenger of Elmwood was the other driver. Stenger said he was stopped on southbound McAllister Road at the intersection and did not see Neel’s vehicle approaching as…