Rambling through central Illinois, pondering squirrel pups. • • • Well, I’m not sure of the legal term for what the 4th District Court of Appeals did in the wee hours last Thursday. But I’d say “weaseling out” adequately describes the court’s non-decision on the temporary restraining order issued by Sangamon County Circuit Judge Raylene Grischow, a Toulon native who definitely did not weasel out when she was faced with a difficult decision. The appeals court basically passed the buck, though Justice Lisa Holder White did note they should have ruled on whether Gov. Pritzker’s executive orders were proper. Now,…

NOTE: Charges are merely an accusation. All suspects are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. Traffic citations & Ordinance violations 2-10 – Joshua A. Hurley – Unlicensed, driving 15-20 mph above limit, mufflers and operating an uninsured vehicle. Felonies & Misdemeanors 2-2 – Criminal Felony – Heather M. Riley – Possession of methamphetamine and possession of a controlled substance. Incidents & Accidents Stark County 2-15 – Kevin D. Kull, 41, Neponset, was arrested for driving on a revoked license. He was also cited for illegal transport of adult use cannabis, and for driving without insurance. He…

Lady Indians face Mendon for title today By JEFF LAMPE For The Weekly Post Regional titles never get old, not even in Brimfield, where the girls basketball team celebrated its 20th championship last Friday following a 67-39 victory over Annawan at Woodhull. After a tight first quarter, Brimfield (28-4) took control with a 26-13 run in the second quarter that basically did away with the 21-11 Lincoln Trail Conference champions. “We started feeling pretty comfortable in the second quarter and they just didn’t recover after that,” Brimfield Coach Maribeth Dura said. “Our press was pretty effective and it has been for a…

NOTE: Charges are merely an accusation. All suspects are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. Police reports • YATES CITY – Josie R. Moore, 24, of Yates City was charged on Feb. 14 with possession of methamphetamine between 5-15 grams, unlawful delivery/possession, unlawful possession of a controlled substance, unlawful possession of drug paraphernalia and unlawful possession of a hypodermic needle, according to a Peoria County Sheriff’s report. • BRIMFIELD – Mark Edward Moore, 67, of Brimfield was charged on Feb. 14 with possession of methamphetamine between 5-15 grams, unlawful delivery/possession, unlawful possession of a controlled substance,…

NOTE: Charges are merely an accusation. All suspects are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. Traffic citations & Ordinance violations 2-10 – Jessica J. Braker – Driving 21-25 mph above limit. 2-11 – Michael D. Tucker – Driving 15-20 mph above limit. 2-14 – Jose M. Valentin – Driving 15-20 mph above limit. 2-5 – Quinn M. Durbin – Driving 21-25 mph above limit. 2-10 – Elizabeth R. Horack – Driving 15-20 mph above limit. 2-5 – Zachary L. Graham – Driving 15-20 mph above limit. 2-11 – Chad M. Clift – Speeding 26-34 mph over…

Lincoln Trail, Prairieland joining for 2023 season By JEFF LAMPE For The Prairie News The Prairieland and Lincoln Trail conferences will merge for football only starting with the 2023 season. Coaches and athletic directors have spent the past few months working on details of the merger, which will create a 17-team league split into large-school and small-school divisions based on IHSA enrollment figures. Teams will play one inter-division game per season and large division squads will need to find one non-league game per season to fill their schedule. Stark County will be part of the small-school division along with Princeville, ROWVA-Williamsfield,…

NOTE: Charges are merely an accusation. All suspects are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. Police reports • PRINCEVILLE – Collin M. Hause, 24, of Princeville was charged Feb. 11 with two counts of domestic battery/bodily harm, according to a Peoria County Sheriff’s report. • YATES CITY – Tonya L. Marsh, 43, of Peoria was arrested by Yates City Police on Jan. 14 on an outstanding Peoria County warrant for Driving Under the Influence of Alchohol. She was transported to Knox County Jail. • YATES CITY – On Jan. 14, Benjamin L. Price, 38, of Yates City turned…

Brimfield a top seed as girls tourney opens Saturday By JEFF LAMPE For The Weekly Post After a one-year absence due to COVID, the girls basketball postseason resumes starting this Saturday. And at least two area teams look poised for extended runs in the IHSA tournament. Brimfield earned the top seed in its 13-team Sub-Sectional B, which saw Elmwood No. 2, Illini Bluffs No. 3, Princeville No. 4 and ROWVA-Williamsfield end up at No. 8. The other 13-team Sub-Sectional A has a top four of: 1. Mendon Unity, 2. Mount Sterling Brown County, 3. Havana, 4. Abingdon-Avon. Winners of the two…

By JEFF LAMPE For The Weekly Post When seedings come out today, Farmington figures to have the loftiest position among area boys basketball teams. The Farmers (20-6) made new coach Marty Lozier a 20-game winner in his first season with a 60-37 home victory against Orion before the snowstorm hit. “We really played well and it was a good game to get all the kids some action,” Lozier said. Farmington was without senior Corbin Rutledge, who occasionally misses games for medical reasons. While the 6-foot-5 senior is a difference maker on the court, the Farmers have learned to adjust to playing…

Sangamon County Circuit Court Judge Rachel Grischow has restored my faith in Illinois government, no matter how temporarily. For the past two years, it has seemed abundantly clear that Gov. JB Pritzker was overstepping legal bounds by issuing executive orders and mandates without votes being cast by other elected officials. To me, the issue was not whether Pritzker said to wear a mask or not. It’s that he made that decision without following the proper legislative channels – even when he had time to do so as the pandemic continued. But in the absence of a response from the courts, or…