NOTE: Charges are merely an accusation. All suspects are presumed innocent until proven guilty.Police reports • PEORIA – A Peoria man was found guilty of murdering his girlfriend, who was found with two mortal gunshot wounds in 2021 in a ditch west of Kickapoo. Joshua A. McGee, 39, also was convicted Aug. 20 in Peoria County Circuit Court of unlawful possession of a weapon by a felon. The verdicts culminated a three-day trial. Sentencing for the crimes McGee committed Aug. 22, 2021, is scheduled for Oct. 2, per the Peoria County State’s Attorney’s Office. Alerted by a 911 telephone call,…

LincolnLand LargeFarmington 49Elmwood-Brimfield 38Macomb 38Illini West 34Bureau Valley 21Knoxville 19West Hancock 18LVC 7 LincolnLand SmallAnnawan-Wethersfield 58Princeville 57Rushville-Industry 56Abingdon-Avon 34ROWVA-Williamsfield 34Stark County 34Havana 28South Fulton 14Monmouth United 9 NOTE: Coaches voted for all teams except their own.

Farmington and A-W favored, but not as heavily as last season The LincolnLand Conference football favorites remain unchanged from one season ago, but the competition is creeping closer based on preseason votes cast by coaches (who were not able to vote for their own teams). Farmington is the overwhelming favorite in the LincolnLand large division, earning first-place votes from every coach. That’s no surprise, as last year’s league champs and Class 2A semifinalists have 23 seniors and a league-best 85 players out this fall. Farmington’s strength is at wideout, where 6-foot-3 North Dakota recruit Jack Gronewold, 6-4 Landon Crawford and speedy…

By JEFF LAMPEFor The Weekly Post ELMWOOD – In many prep football programs, Layne Johnson would have pushed harder to be quarterback. Not so much at Elmwood-Brimfield, where the offense goes entire games without throwing a pass. And so Johnson, one of two full-time starters and two part-time starters back on offense for the Trojans, is happy to be playing wingback. “Definitely, I like playing running back a little bit more than quarterback in our offense. Just watch the film,” Johnson said. “But I’m willing to play any position coach puts me in.” Expectations are that the 6-foot-1, 210-pound senior back…

By NICK VLAHOSFor The Weekly Post ONEIDA – By spending a summer slinging melons, Drake DeJaynes might have learned a few things about throwing a football. Or at least about how to assemble a successful football team. In that regard, time will tell how well DeJaynes and his ROWVA-Williamsfield teammates produce.For the second consecutive season, DeJaynes is to start at quarterback for the Cougars. A mid-season five-game losing streak resulted in a 4-5 record in 2024 and no state-playoffs berth. That came after R-W won at least once in each of two successive Class 1A postseason appearances. DeJaynes and teammate…

By JEFF LAMPEFor The Weekly Post FARMINGTON – One year ago, Farmington football was loaded with 21 seniors and 19 returning starters – a talented core that put together the finest season in school history. This year, the Farmers return just two starters to a defense that was the heart of their success in last year’s run to the Class 2A semifinals. Five returnees are back on offense but the quarterback position is still uncertain. Down year? Hold on a second, says Coach Toby Vallas, pointing 23 seniors on the 2025 roster – many of whom are finally getting their chance…

By NICK VLAHOSFor The Weekly Post PRINCEVILLE – Noah Geiger has been reporting about Princeville sports for a while. This football season, he and his Princes teammates hope to provide plenty of headlines. A running back and linebacker, Geiger is one of about a dozen Princeville seniors returning from a 7-3 team that advanced to the first round of the Class 1A state playoffs. That 60-30 home loss to Stockton was a sour ending to a sweet 7-3 season. “If you hear me get mad today, you might hear me yell about Stockton,” Princeville Coach Jon Carruthers said before a…

By JEFF LAMPEFor The Weekly Post ELMWOOD – Among the job duties of a school superintendent is handling budget matters for a school district. That list may also soon include driving a bus, at least for Elmwood CUSD 322. A shortage of bus drivers has led Elmwood Superintendent Joel Schmieg to pursue the steps to become a driver. Schmieg outlined the driver shortage and discussed the proposed Fiscal Year 2026 budget at Monday’s school board meeting. “We need two full-time bus drivers to sustain our current routes and that’s even after we reduced our routes,” Schmieg said. He noted parents would…

School board makes its case By NICK VLAHOSFor The Weekly Post PRINCEVILLE – The Princeville School District wants more of a say in how the village handles tax-increment financing. The school district also appears to want more of that property-tax revenue, too.School Superintendent Tony Shinall and two district board members stated their case during a Village Board TIF Committee meeting Aug. 19. They suggested a TIF-induced limit on the school’s share of property-tax increases in most of the village impacts operations adversely. “We feel like there’s a lack of collaboration and urgency,” said School Board member Erin Murphy. “That’s why we’re…

Misdemeanors &Felonies 7-14 – Michael D. Jones – Driving under the influence of a drug, DUI any amount of a drug, uninsured vehicle and no valid registration. 8-16 – Dustin D. Lindsley – Driving under the influence of a drug, suspended license, unlawful use of cannabis, driving 15-20 mph above limit, suspended registration, operating wipers without headlights, registration light and seat belt required. Incidents & AccidentsStark County 8-16 – Arthur G. Neal was cited for driving without a license.8-20 – Beau A. Spencer, 20, Walnut, ticketed for driving on an expired registration.8-21 – Alexia J. Cardenas, 20, Hampton, cited for…