News

Braidwood leaders seek beautification ideas

Published by admin on Tue, 08/15/2023 - 5:27pm

The city of Braidwood is on the lookout for beautification projects. And, they already have some volunteer labor ready to tackle those projects as they come along.

On Aug. 8, City Administrator Tony Altiery told the members of the Braidwood City Council that the city had been approached about getting some efforts off the ground.

New educators settle in to Reed-Custer

Published by admin on Tue, 08/15/2023 - 5:24pm

When classes resumed in the Reed-Custer School District on Monday, there were a lot of new faces, and not just of students.

The district welcomed a total of 18 new educators for the 2023/2024 school year.

Here, a look at who is new at the head of the class:

Tyler Anderson
Lives in Wilmington (originally from Wilmington)
Coming from Morris District 54 - Dean/AD
Will be the AP/AD at RCMS

Dancing for a cause

Published by admin on Tue, 08/15/2023 - 4:37pm

school for her senior year, and she began the first week of classes by completing a graduation requirement.

In order to receive her diploma in May, Fritz was charged with completing a service project as part of her civics instruction and she took the assignment to a new level.

“I have a tendency to go above and beyond,” Fritz said.

In completing the assignment, Fritz wanted to do a charity event and raise funds for a good cause—autism awareness and advocacy.

The public’s right to know

Published by admin on Tue, 08/15/2023 - 4:34pm

The Illinois Open Meetings Act, created in 1957, serves to protect the public’s right to know. It’s the same foundation for which the Freedom of Information Act was put into law 10 years later.

The Open Meeting Act [OMA] ensures citizens are provided notice of and the right to attend meetings of the public body. And, the Freedom of Information Act [FOIA] provides the public with access to the records of those public bodies—municipal governments, school boards, township and county boards among them.

Fall Fest returns with two evenings of fun

Published by admin on Tue, 08/15/2023 - 4:33pm

The village of Coal City will host its third annual Fall Fest to include an evening of fundraising and fun.

The agenda for the Saturday, Sept. 16 event is being organized by the Coal City Park Board and will include a kick-off event on Friday, Sept. 15, as Bob’s Advanced Auto & Tire will open its parking lot to the community for music and dancing.

Larger garage, fence get village approval

Published by admin on Tue, 08/15/2023 - 4:32pm

Two variance requests were granted by the Coal City Village Board last week. One will allow for the expansion of a garage and the other authorizes a fence to be installed on a corner lot.

The owner of the home located at 250 Short Dr. in the Meadow Estates Subdivision petitioned the village for a variance of the corner side yard setback of 25 feet.

The petitioner, North Cantrell, has an irregularly shaped lot located on the northwest corner of a cul de sac at Short Drive and Jesse Court, which reduces the total square footage of the rear yard that she is able to utilize.

Four-year contract for Unit 1 educators

Published by admin on Tue, 08/15/2023 - 4:30pm

In the final days leading up to the new academic year, an agreement has been reached between the Unit 1 Board of Education and teachers union that includes an annual salary increase of just over 5%.

“The Board of Education recognized that the teacher shortage and inflation has had an impact on certified staff recruitment and retention, post the pandemic,” said a news release issued by the Board of Education following a special meeting on the morning of Aug. 11.

Coming out of the woods may never look the same at WHS

Published by admin on Tue, 08/08/2023 - 4:56pm

Becker Field, home for the Wildcat football team for the past 76 years, will be brighter than ever thanks to new LED lighting installed last week by Clennon Electric of Wilmington.

Gone are the eight banks of energy inefficient mercury-vapor lights mounted in eight poles. The new lights needed only four poles so the other four will be removed.

“The original poles were not in good shape and needed to be replaced,” noted District 209-U Superintendent Kevin Feeney. “For this reason, we delayed the project one year to plan and budget for the new poles.”

Love’s Travel Center construction could start this fall in Wilmington

Published by admin on Tue, 08/08/2023 - 4:53pm

After a contentious public hearing last November, the Wilmington City Council approved an Annexation agreement that will allow Love’s to build a Travel Center at River Road and Route 53. But despite the initial timeline to break ground this past spring, dirt has yet to be moved.

This month, the Wilmington City Council approved an amendment to that annexation agreement, fixing an issue that was helping to create the delay.

On Aug. 1, a public hearing was held on that amendment, which included a change to the legal description of the map of the property.

Wilmington sets its sights on the roads

Published by admin on Tue, 08/08/2023 - 4:48pm

The city of Wilmington is finally moving ahead with much anticipated roadwork projects.

The plan to repave Water Street was slated to get underway this week. While the work did not begin by the anticipated Aug. 7 start date, the plans call for a complete repaving of Water Street from Baltimore/Route 53 to Chicago Street, a much anticipated makeover for the downtown thoroughfare that has been plagued with potholes for the past several years.