Isaac Ferguson of Eureka (Architecture Undergraduate), Chase Howerton of Germantown Hills (Nursing Undergraduate), Madeleine Dorcy of Metamora (Nursing Undergraduate) and Madison Custer of Washington (Education Undergraduate) have all been named to the Dean’s List at the University of Wiscon…

Allison Blicharz of Washington (Biology), Madison Bonati of Metamora (Biology), Audrey Datzman of Germantown Hills (Biology), Olivia Fabish of Washington (History), Delaney Farwell of Morton (English), Cameron Gillespie of Tremont (Pre-Medicine), Owen Greenfield of Germantown Hills (Politica…

Scott Bates of Metamora (Arts and Sciences), and Morton students Claire Finch (Biological Sciences), Anna Kieffer (Accounting), Claire Kraft (Biocomputing) and Kathryn Rochford (Middle/Secondary Education) have been named to the Dean's List for the fall 2020 semester at Marquette University …

Beginning Monday, March 1, 2021, Morton Public Library will open to the public at 9 a.m. on Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday. The Library will remain closed to the public on Tuesdays and Thursdays for group home and school visits, but phone services will be available beginning at 9 a.m…

Morton Youth Baseball Association has announced that online registration is now open for the following youth leagues:

The fundraising dinner for the Community Claus Project, originally scheduled last November but cancelled due to COVID-19 restrictions, will now be held on Thursday, March 4 from 4:30-6:30 p.m. at St. John’s Faith Fellowship Hall in Minier.  The meal will be carry-out only to protect the volu…

Officials from the hotel, restaurant and convention industries told a state Senate panel last Thursday that they need a clear plan for how they will be allowed to reopen as the COVID-19 pandemic wanes, warning that without such a plan, many will go out of business permanently.

National Doctor’s Day is celebrated yearly in the United States on March 30.  It was first observed in 1933 in Winder, Georgia by Eudora Brown Almond, wife of Dr. Charles B. Almond as a day to honor physicians.  The first recognition was by sending greeting cards and placing flowers on grave…

Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White is issuing an urgent reminder to motorists to adhere to the state’s Move Over Law, also known as Scott’s Law, designed to protect law enforcement and emergency responders who are stopped on the side of roadways. White also underscored the importance of…

The Office of the Illinois State Fire Marshal (OSFM) and the Illinois Department of Aging (IDoA) are encouraging older Illinoisans to keep fire safety a top priority. Some seniors have decreased sight, hearing and restricted mobility, needs that should be considered when creating a fire esca…

Former House Speaker Michael J. Madigan, 78, announced last Thursday he will step down from the state House of Representatives after 50 years in office.

The Illinois Commerce Commission is continuing to monitor the power situation in Texas and other areas of the country experiencing extreme weather events and warns that increases in wholesale energy prices could have an impact on some Illinois electric and natural gas customers. The ICC is u…

Brennan Long of Germantown Hills (mechanical engineering, senior), Seth Gudeman of Morton (mechanical engineering, senior), Lucas Seltveit of Morton (aerospace engineering, senior), Anna Schneider of Washington (ceramic engineering, senior) and Brady Watson of Washington (engineering, freshm…

Superintendent’s report

Sierra Sonnemaker, of Washington, and Elena Cordoba, of Morton, were among the more than 1,000 students who were named to the Carthage College Dean's List for the fall 2020 semester. Dean's List honors are accorded to Carthage students who achieve a minimum 3.5 grade-point average while carr…

Prolonged cold weather opens many recreational opportunities. It also opens up the potential for tragedy.

Illinois Central College and its Career and Technical Education (CTE) division proudly celebrate the Association for Career and Technical Education’s annual CTE Month. Each February, the nationwide public awareness campaign takes place to celebrate the value, the achievements, and the accomp…

Illinois Secretary of State and State Librarian Jesse White is awarding $1,142,645 in CARES Act funding to 292 Illinois libraries, school districts and library systems. CARES Act funding was provided to the Illinois State Library from the Institute of Museum and Library Services to prevent, …

Governor JB Pritzker is encouraging eligible Illinoisans who do not have health insurance to enroll in an ACA Health Insurance Marketplace plan beginning February 15.  An executive order signed by President Biden allows states, including Illinois, which utilize the federal marketplace to reo…

Gov. JB Pritzker’s office says he will propose a budget with no tax increases for the upcoming fiscal year, and the deficit is now projected at about $2.5 billion less than previously thought.

Megan Andrews of Morton, daughter of Michael and Denise Andrews, has been named to the Dean’s List for the fall 2020 semester at Illinois Central College. The academic honor is awarded to student who earn a 3.5-3.99 grade point average on a 4.0 scale. She is majoring in pediatric nursing and…

Athletic Directors Scott Jones (MHS) and Chris Carter (MJHS) gave an update on the startup of sports this week.  All home games will be live streamed via NFHS website/MPTV.  Some opponents are broadcasting their home games in various ways.  No schools are allowing visiting team fans.

Pete Kuhl of Morton has earned his Bachelor of Science in Personal Finance the University of Wisconsin-Madison’s School of Human Ecology.

The family of a fallen soldier received a gift of a lifetime--three decades after his death, thanks to East Peoria native and country music star Tim Atwood. 

Almost 900 undergraduate students at the University of Iowa earned President's List status for their academic work at the conclusion of the 2020 fall semester. Among them are local students Aiden Atkins of Hopedale (College: College of Engineering; Primary program of study: Biomedical Engine…

More than 7,400 undergraduate students at the University of Iowa were named to the Dean's List for the 2020 fall semester. Among those named were the following area students:

The University of Iowa has announced that local students Jami Hagemann of Metamora (Degree: Master of Physician Assistant Studies; Major: Physician Assistant Studies; College: Carver College of Medicine) and Jaden Wadas of Eureka (Degree: Bachelor of Arts; Major: History; College: College of…

In order to increase the limited supply of vaccine to eligible recipients, the State of Illinois is working with Walgreens and CVS pharmacies to temporarily redirect approximately 97,000 coronavirus disease (COVID-19) vaccine doses that have not yet been used for the federal Pharmacy Partner…

Leadership in the Illinois Senate has formed a new committee to focus on mental health issues in the current General Assembly as the COVID-19 pandemic continues to significantly alter everyday life.

Illinois Central College will host Explore ICC, a new online series providing potential students information on programs and degrees typically shared during an on-campus visit. Students can discover a variety of career paths, such as earning a certificate to join the workforce quickly, earni…

Did you postpone or cancel a screening for breast, lung or colorectal cancer during 2020?  Well, it is 2021 now and the Partnership for a Healthy Community would like to remind you to get your screenings up to date.  Talk to your healthcare provider about scheduling a screening today.  Your …

Millikin University is pleased to announce the following local students have been named to the Dean's List for the fall 2020 semester:

Sixty percent of those with Alzheimer’s disease will wander at some point during their diagnosis. This is a significant safety concern for the more than 230,000 people living with Alzheimer’s in Illinois. A person living with Alzheimer’s or another dementia may not remember his or her name o…

Luke Witzig and Sophia MacLean, both of Morton, were named to the Dean's List for the fall 2020 semester at Wheaton College.

The University of Alabama awarded some 2,257 degrees during its fall commencement held December 12, 2020.

Congressman Darin LaHood (IL-18) has officially nominated 21 remarkable young men and women to the U.S. Military Academy, U.S. Naval Academy, U.S. Air Force Academy, and U.S. Merchant Marine Academy, where they will be evaluated for a potential appointment.

Taxpayers may be in line for a larger refund this year because of the federal Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) and its Illinois counterpart, the Illinois Earned Income Credit (EIC). But to get it, individuals must file a tax return and claim it.

1099-G tax forms are now available for claimants who received unemployment insurance (UI) benefits in 2020, the Illinois Department of Employment Security (IDES) announced last Friday.  Claimants who collected UI benefits last year need the 1099-G tax form from IDES to complete state and fed…

Cold winter winds continue to bring a chill to the state meaning many Illinoisans will be turning up their thermostats to stay warm for the rest of the winter season. The Office of the State Fire Marshal encourages residents to have their furnaces checked, change furnace filters and to make …

Jacob Hauter of Morton and Larissa Smith of Metamora have been named to Cedarville University’s fall 2020 semester Dean's List. This recognition requires the student to obtain a 3.75 GPA or higher for the semester and carry a minimum of 12 credit hours.

The Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum has been voted one of America’s best places to hold special events in the 2020 “Best Of” awards by Unique Venues magazine.

The Illinois Department of Revenue (IDOR) will begin accepting 2020 state individual income tax returns on Friday, February 12, the same date that the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) begins accepting federal individual income tax returns. If a taxpayer electronically files an error-free retur…

Senior High Honor Roll