News

Scouts need more space

Published by admin on Tue, 07/09/2019 - 5:17pm

In the past 10 years Scoutmaster John Cairns has witnessed the local Boy Scouts of America organization grow by “leaps and bounds.”
Cairns reports Boy Scout Troop 466 and Cub Scout Pack 466 have always been one of the larger BSA groups in Grundy County, and membership has doubled in the past decade. The organization currently has 65 members—40 students and the rest adults.
Increasing membership numbers are a good thing, but it’s become a problem when it’s time for everyone to gather in the organization’s shelter. According to Cairns there simply isn’t enough room.

Farmers market opens Thursday

Published by admin on Tue, 07/09/2019 - 5:16pm

Summer is in full bloom and that means its once again time for the village of Coal City’s farmers market—Market Fresh on Broadway — to begin its season.
The popular community event opens Thursday, July 11 and will be highlighted by locally grown produce, herbs, fresh cut flowers and handcrafted items. Held in Campbell Memorial Park, 580 S. Broadway, the market will be open from 4 to 7 p.m.
This summer marks the fourth season for the market that will continue throughout the season with six additional markets.

Coal City will demolish house on Broadway

Published by admin on Tue, 07/09/2019 - 5:14pm

A $10 bill could have purchased a home on South Broadway St. But since no bids for the single family home owned by the village of Coal City were received, the structure will be torn down.
The village was offering the home at 160 S. Broadway to the highest bidder. If purchased, it had to be moved.
Town leaders approved the purchase of the home last fall with the intent of utilizing the property as a parking lot to accommodate for downtown parking spaces lost due to the reconstruction of South Broadway.

Illegal dumping won’t be tolerated

Published by admin on Tue, 07/09/2019 - 5:14pm

Coal City Mayor Terry Halliday has issued a warning to residents and guests that illegal dumping will not be tolerated in his town.
After seeing garbage dumped on Kankakee Street and on the southwest corner of Broadway and Reed Road, the mayor said he will take action against anyone caught illegally dumping trash within the village limits.
“It’s ridiculous and pure laziness for people to go around throwing garbage out in town because they can’t find a place to put it, it’s unacceptable,” the mayor said.

Interested in the intersection

Published by admin on Tue, 07/09/2019 - 5:13pm

A developer has expressed interest in the vacant land located on the southeast corner of Broadway and Division streets, and it appears the village is prepared to strike a deal.
While the Village Board has not publicly named a developer, a redevelopment agreement handed out during the last town meeting indicates the site may become a Dunkin’ Donuts and Baskin Robbins restaurant with both dine-in and drive-up service.

Man charged after threatening to kill Wilmington officers

Published by admin on Mon, 07/08/2019 - 2:57pm

A man who said he intended to kill officers of the Wilmington Police Department is in the county jail on felony charges. While on routine patrol in the early hours of Sunday, July 7, an officer located an occupied vehicle that appeared to have been involved in an accident parked in the parking lot of a business in the 800 block of East Baltimore Street. The business had been closed for several hours. When the officer approached the occupant, later identified as Larry D.

WIPD brings it all together in the park

Published by admin on Tue, 07/02/2019 - 8:35pm

It’s been happening every Tuesday and Thursday from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.: Parents and kids show up for a free box lunch, games and making new friends at the Children’s Memorial Park in Northcrest.
The twice-weekly program is offered by the Wilmington Island Park District in partnership with the Northern Illinois Food Bank, which strives to ensure every hungry child gets a meal. The district’s selection to the food bank program was based on population and need.

A little chuckle may help on the road

Published by admin on Tue, 07/02/2019 - 8:29pm

There’s a traffic jam on the interstate, and Wilmington Police are dealing with stressed drivers diverting through town with a little much-needed levity.
The Illinois Department of Transportation just started a project to replace the decks on the bridges carrying Interstate 55 over the Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railroad and Grant Creek just north of the North River Road interchange in Wilmington. On Monday, June 24, one northbound lane was closed, and that first morning commute was extended for a lot of drivers.

Catfish Days may be without its famed event

Published by admin on Tue, 07/02/2019 - 8:24pm

People who like to play in the mud are just three weeks away from their Nirvana, but this year, they may be disappointed.
Ralph “Tuffy” Stevens announced at the end of Catfish Days 2018 that he would no longer host the event. As of this week, there doesn’t seem to be a definitive plan for the event, but at least a couple of people are working on it.
Marty Orr, who has chaired the committee organizing Catfish Days since 1999 when it was resurrected, said mud volleyball is great on two counts — it gets businesses involved and it draws a crowd.

Garbage collection pushed back

Published by admin on Tue, 07/02/2019 - 8:18pm

Due to the Independence Day holiday, trash pickup in Wilmington will be delayed one day.
Instead of pickup on Thursday, July 4, trash will be collected from residences on Friday, July 5.
The regular pickup schedule will resume next week with a scheduled pickup on July 11.