News

Bringing Elvis home

Published by admin on Tue, 03/19/2019 - 6:51pm

    When he steps off the stage, he’ll be Dave again, and maybe for good. Dave Carlson, one of the best known Elvis Presley tribute artists in the Midwest, is going to make what may be his last professional stage appearance in his new hometown of Wilmington next week.
    Carlson always loved to sing, and has been getting paid to do it since 1958; he earned a $5 bill at age 5, singing for a fashion show his mother helped organized.

Barriers to be removed from Island Parks

Published by admin on Tue, 03/19/2019 - 6:48pm

    They’ve been in place to prevent people from driving on the grass, but last week, city officials decided that when they go, they’re gone.
    The council’s Grounds and Buildings Committee came to a consensus last week regarding the creosote-soaked utility poles that have been used as traffic barriers in the Island Parks for decades. Since the city’s been in charge of park maintenance, it has been the public works department’s practice to dispose of the posts and rails that fail, and not replace them.

Water Street parking ban proposed

Published by admin on Tue, 03/19/2019 - 6:46pm

    Patrons to downtown businesses will have a while after closing time, but then they will have to get their cars off of North Water Street in a measure that will have the street clear of vehicles for snow removal or street cleaning every day, year ‘round.
    Director of public works Darin Fowler explained that the public works crew is challenged trying to do their work of snow plowing or street sweeping because of the number of cars parked overnight in front of the businesses. Snow route and street sweeping restrictions are posted, and largely ignored.

Pop tabs for a cause

Published by admin on Tue, 03/19/2019 - 5:46pm

If Reed-Custer Elementary students lined up the  pop can tabs they’ve saved since January they’d stretch from here to Wilmington.

That’s about four miles.

Instead, they’re going to donate them to Ronald McDonald House in Oak Lawn where they will be used to support families of children undergoing intense medical treatment.

It’s estimated that RCES saved about 200 pounds, or about 253,400 tabs, and it takes 63,360 tabs to stretch a mile.

RC staff learns to ‘stop the bleed’

Published by admin on Tue, 03/19/2019 - 5:43pm

Educators at Reed-Custer are already armed with the tools to provide their students with a quality education. Now, those teachers and faculty have also learned valuable skills that may help them save a life.

On March 13, teachers from RCMS and RCHS partnered with emergency medical technicians and healthcare professionals from the Morris Hospital and Healthcare Centers for a special “stop the bleed” training session.

Van Duyne: IDOT says it will repair ditch

Published by admin on Tue, 03/12/2019 - 6:35pm

    The South Route 53 residents who are affected by frequent flooding due to an inoperable drainage system have reached out for help, and representatives from the county, the township, the area drainage district, the city and the state are working on a fix.

Council pulls back on road use agreement

Published by admin on Tue, 03/12/2019 - 6:32pm

    After hearing the concerns of a couple aldermen, which were supported by the township road commissioner, the Wilmington City Council tabled approval of a road use agreement last week and sent it back to have stronger protections added.
    Exxon-Mobil Pipeline Company is repairing infrastructure between Butcher Lane and Ballou Road, and will be drilling more than one-third mile to complete the work. The project is to replace an existing 18-inch pipeline crossing of Forked Creek due to stresses on the pipeline.

City considering notification system

Published by admin on Tue, 03/12/2019 - 6:29pm

    The city of Wilmington may soon have an inexpensive and effective tool for notifying residents about hydrant flushing, electronics recycling dates, road closures and more, if city officials take the Will County Emergency Management Agency up on its offer.
    Emergency Services and Disaster Agency director Dennis Housman invited Tom Murray from the Will County Emergency Management Agency to address the City Council about the county’s Everbridge notification system, a partnership between the county EMA, the 911 emergency telephone system and the city of Joliet.

Enterprise zone amended

Published by admin on Tue, 03/12/2019 - 5:25pm

Coal City is one of a number of government entities involved in the Ottawa Area Enterprise Zone, so when changes to the boundaries are proposed the village gets a vote.
It was recently announced the Reichold Chemical facility in Goose Lake Township would be pulling out of the zone, thus making way for the village of Diamond to extend its enterprise zone in that direction to take in the planned Three Rivers Energy facility, a natural gas-fueled generating station to be constructed by Competitive Power Ventures (CPV).

GAVC enrollment on the rise

Published by admin on Tue, 03/12/2019 - 5:24pm

Grundy Area Vocational Center's (GAVC) enrollment projections for the upcoming academic year are at an all time high.
“We are seeing GAVC numbers start to explode,” said Unit 1 Superintendent Dr. Kent Bugg, who reports enrollment is at 800 students, up about 150 students from two years ago.
He believes the increase is based on a combination of factors from ever increasing costs of higher education to an upswing in available trade jobs.
“I think parents are looking at other options for their kids, and that's a positive,” Bugg said.