Coal City Courant

Coffee and conversation

Published by admin on Tue, 07/25/2023 - 4:17pm

Citizens young and old stopped in the Coal City McDonald’s last week for coffee, cookies, conversation and a bit of coloring with cops.

The Coal City Police Department and Grundy County Sheriff’s Office teamed with the local McDonald’s on a Coffee with a Cop event and 50-plus people turned out to enjoy a cup of joe and a warm chocolate chip cookie.

Chief Chris Harseim was handing out travel cups with the department’s logo and other police-branded merchandise.

Four responsible for damage to North Park

Published by admin on Tue, 07/25/2023 - 4:15pm

Four teenagers are prohibited from being in Coal City parks, a punishment for damaging park property and equipment. Juvenile petitions were filed against the teens with the Grundy County State’s Attorney for criminal damage to state supported property.

Village maintenance personnel discovered a picnic table, concrete slab and porta potty located in North Park had been defaced with blue spray paint in early June.

Officer Dave Moran began a review of footage captured on the park’s security cameras and it provided a clear view of what had occurred around 5 p.m. on June 8.

Unapproved and non-complying shed must come down

Published by admin on Tue, 07/18/2023 - 4:46pm

Wayne Smith believes he is being singled out over a shed and quite frankly says he is not being treated fairly.

The Coalfield Subdivision resident asked the village of Coal City to provide a variance for a storage shed he constructed on his property at 75 E. Barney Way. They told him no, it has to go. Now it looks as if he will challenge the decision.

It’s gonna be good...it’s gonna be great

Published by admin on Tue, 07/18/2023 - 4:43pm

Some stories are difficult to tell, but through them we learn about life and love, joy, grief, hope and faith.

"Next to Normal" is one of those stories and I can think of no other theatre company to share this narrative than Small Town Theatrics.

For 14 seasons, Small Town—as we call it—has been telling stories that make us laugh, cry, expand our minds and most importantly, open our eyes.

This year’s production does all of that in the course of about two hours and 30 minutes.

Mayor wants more cameras in Diamond

Published by admin on Tue, 07/18/2023 - 4:31pm

License plate reader cameras are being utilized by more than 2,500 communities across the country, including the village of Diamond.

“It’s kind of like having a police officer at each corner,” Diamond Mayor Terry Kernc said.

It is the goal of the mayor to have no fewer than six license plate reader cameras in operation. The village currently has one at the intersection of Berta Road and Route 113, and a second one going near the entrance to Interstate 55.

A reclassification for Reed Road

Published by admin on Tue, 07/18/2023 - 4:30pm

The village of Coal City wants to classify a portion of Reed Road in order to receive certain federal funds for roadway improvements.

Town officials seek to have three miles between South Broadway and Gorman Road categorized as a collector rather than a local road per the Roadway Functional Classifications maintained by the Illinois Department of Transportation [IDOT].

Unit 1 support staff getting a jump in pay

Published by admin on Tue, 07/18/2023 - 4:29pm

The starting salaries for special education aides, building secretaries and others in support staff positions with the Unit 1 School District are increasing by 3%.

Superintendent Chris Spencer said the 3% bump allows the district to stay competitive and keeps up with the times as far as compensation for work fulfilled.

In the case of a building level secretary who would start off with an hourly pay of $19 the increase will bump that to $19.57 per hour.

Death of missing man found in lake ruled a suicide

Published by admin on Tue, 07/18/2023 - 4:27pm

The death of a Manhattan man who drowned in a CECO Recreation Club lake has been ruled a suicide.

Grundy County Sheriff Ken Briley and Grundy County Coroner John W. Callahan released the findings of a joint investigation into the death of 47-year-old Anthony Fehrenbacher.

On the morning of Saturday, June 10, a fisherman discovered a body in the water at the members-only recreation club located at 1210 N. Dresden Rd.

Summer improvements for Unit 1 schools

Published by admin on Tue, 07/11/2023 - 4:12pm

The most visible improvement being undertaken this summer is the construction of a new access road at Coal City Middle School. But that’s not the only project on the school district’s to-do list.

Big ticket items like the roadway and new and reconfigured parking lots at the middle school and renovations to the high school weight room are included in the district’s facility improvement plan.

Unit 1 spending to top $39.5 million

Published by admin on Tue, 07/11/2023 - 4:11pm

The Unit 1 School District entered into a new fiscal year on July 1 and five days later it placed on file a budget that, in its tentative form, puts expenditures at $39.5 million, an increase of 4.52% from the prior year.

Revenues for fiscal year 2024 are projected at $38.7 million, an increase of 9.1%. The figures reflected in the financial plan are guaranteed to change prior to the budget adoption in September.