The DeWitt County 4-H annually sells ice cream and drinks at the fairgrounds during the Apple n' Pork Festival.

Dan Enos, DeWitt County 4-H Fair Board President, indicates proceeds raised during the festival will fund premiums for the junior open show and general maintenance of the fairgrounds.

As for upkeep on the fairgrounds, Enos notes a major project they are currently looking into is a new roof for the home ec building.

The fairgrounds have had several major renovations completed in the past few years including handicap-accessible restrooms and the show barns.         

An affordable meal program for seniors is continuing to increase its outreach.

Shelly Tolly with OSF Peace Meal told Regional Radio on the WHOW Morning Show Thursday, that Peace Meal is now serving almost every town in Piatt County. They also opened a new route in August serving Ford and Iroquois counties.

In addition to the home-delivered meals during weekdays, Tolly indicated earlier this year they have expanded to now offer breakfast and frozen meal programs.

If you want to refer yourself or a senior you know for Peace Meal you can call (309) 665-5900.

An annual local history event in Bloomington-Normal returns this weekend.

Candace Summers with the McLean County Museum of History, told Regional Radio on the WHOW Morning Show Friday, that this year marks the 29th annual cemetery walk at Evergreen Cemetery in Bloomington.

Tickets are available for purchase at the McLean County Museum of History, at Evergreen Cemetery, and online at mchistory.org. 

It’s the first weekend of archery season for deer in Illinois. As hunters start to head out the Illinois Department of Natural Resources wants you to be safe.

Mike Wefer, Chief of the Wildlife Resources Division says take caution when hunting from a tree stand.

Archery season in most counties runs from October 1st through the middle of January. Archery permits can be bought online and through proper vendors.

Illinois' candidate for Miss United States is on a mission to help high school students understand finances.

23-year old Aaliyah Kissick of Athens is bringing her passion of financial literacy to the forefront while she completes her bachelor's degree in agricultural and consumer economics at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and while being a contestant in Miss United States in October.

Kissick started her own brick-and-mortar business in Springfield at the age of 17, which she now runs solely online in between studying, competition, as well as serving as a member of the Illinois Army National Guard.

Kissick, who wants to become a financial planner, is lobbying the Illinois General Assembly to make financial literacy a cornerstone of high school education.

Kissick said she had to learn everything about finances on her own back when she started her business. She hopes to provide help to small families and small businesses, or even kids with a dream of their own to get started on their path.

Kissick will compete on Oct. 19-20 in Memphis, Tenn., for the national title of Miss United States.

Visiting picket lines for politicians is becoming more common place. US Senator Dick Durbin stopped by a UAW picket line in Bolingbrook to support their efforts.

He wasn’t weighing in specific union demands but was there to support the striking workers.

There are about 180 striking workers right now in Illinois.

A plant that builds Ford’s in the south suburbs of Chicago is not part of the strike – as UAW leadership says the company and union have made good headway on negotiations.

The Federal Government looks to be headed to a shutdown.

Democrat Senator Dick Durbin says its totally unnecessary and a bill should be passed Friday to avert it. If the Government shuts down, it means missed paychecks and critical services will be under pressure to perform while funding is stopped.

There have been 14 government shutdowns from 1981 to 2020.

Students at Clinton Junior High School who need extra help will be able to receive it at no cost thanks to a grant.

Jim Peck, principal of CJHS, indicates Illinois State University is offering grants to local schools through the Illinois Tutoring Initiative. The grant will allow teachers and aides to be paid during after-school tutoring sessions.

Mr. Peck feels students are still feeling the learning gap from the COVID pandemic. Currently, students are behind in math and reading so when the grant opportunity became available he said, "It was a no brainer."

Students are recommended for the tutoring program based on early benchmark testing and previous teacher recommendations. Mr. Peck anticipates more students being added as the program and school year continues.

Mr. Peck hopes that students recommended for the program will begin with tutoring sessions the first week in October.

The Alta Farms II wind project in DeWitt County went live earlier this year but the County continues to have issues with compliance with the company.

DeWitt County Board Chair Dan Matthews tells Regional Radio, they are having issues staying connected with Enel regarding some of the compliance items they are not meeting in the county ordinances.

According to Matthews, they are also having issues getting Enel to complete a required noise study and finally curtailment. He reminds of the issue of the derecho storm from June and two more since then.

The wind farm was very delayed getting constructed and then going online as well. It is fully functioning at present but Matthews hopes the company will do the right thing and be a good partner to DeWitt County. 

One of the mainstays of the Apple n' Pork Festival is the pork chops from the Clinton FFA Alumni.

Proceeds from the Clinton FFA Alumni booth will go towards helping the FFA chapter at Clinton High School. FFA Advisor Hannah Riedle says in the past the alumni have purchased jackets and provided scholarships. The FFA Alumni are always willing to assist with the needs of the chapter.

Riedle notes Davis Howell was named as a national proficiency finalist in August for his breeding and show swine project. Howell is one of four finalists selected and the chapter will find out the results at the National Convention on November 3.

The Clinton chapter has had a busy start to the year with horse judging and livestock judging. Riedle says she would like to see the chapter compete in career development events they have not previously such as food science, veterinary science, parliamentary procedure, and meat judging.

With the National Convention about a month away, Riedle notes there is an application process to decide who from the chapter will attend. Factors include grades and involvement with the chapter.

In addition to the Apple n' Pork Festival, the Clinton FFA chapter helped out at Mum Fest and the DeWitt County Farm Bureau annual meeting.

Clinton Schools are hitting the ground running with a new curriculum coordinator and her impacts are already being felt.

Karrah Jensen is the district's new  Director of Teaching and Learning and Superintendent Curt Nettles says her work is already being felt as the district will embark on updating its reading curriculum.

According to Nettles, this will streamline the curriculum and get everyone on the same page.

The Board approved the plan at last week's Board of Education meeting. 

Parents sending their children to the Vault can now feel more confident regarding their children's safety.

Tammy Wilson, Executive Director of  The Vault in Clinton, told Regional Radio they were able to install new electronic security doors thanks to a grant from the DeWitt County Board.

In addition to the new front doors, new security cameras were also installed inside The Vault. Wilson notes the front desk mentor is responsible for monitoring the camera feed.

Wilson says they are awaiting the arrival of a new air filtration system. She hopes this will provide parents with an extra sense of peace of mind. Randomized backpack checks have been in place at The Vault since its opening and Wilson says this will continue into the foreseeable future.

To keep up with the latest at The Vault check out their Facebook and Instagram pages or visit thevaultclinton.org.

Last week the DeWitt County Board hired Tony Harris as a part-time animal shelter administrator.

Tony Harris will be splitting his time with CENCOM and the animal shelter. He hopes to take a more hands-off approach once he hires staff for the shelter.

Harris indicated the shelter had been closed for about a month before his appointment. Currently, the shelter has two dogs and three cats that are awaiting adoption.

The animal shelter works very closely with Second Chance for Pets. Harris is very thankful for this partnership and is looking forward to continuing the partnership.

Harris notes he is currently hiring for the warden position. He is looking for someone who has previous experience working with animals.

To learn more about the animals currently up for adoption at the shelter, visit secondchanceforpets.com or find the Friends of the DeWitt County Animal Shelter Facebook page.

Low water levels continue to be an issue on the Mississippi River. It’s something that Illinois State Climatologist Trent Ford is following.

Ford spoke with RFD Radio Tuesday. He says the winter could use some good snowpack with a gradual thaw to feed the river.

How is the pumpkin season going in Illinois? Randy Graham is owner operator of Curtis Orchard in Champaign.

Graham also serves as chairman of the Illinois Specialty Growers Association.

Illinois’ US Senators are backing UAW workers on the picket line.

Dick Durbin and Tammy Duckworth both visited UAW workers this week. She says the workers on strike right now are asking for the right things.

This week President Joe Biden visited striking workers in Michigan and former President Donald Trump is also going to be in Michigan to talk with auto workers.

A dry spell was broken this past week in Northern and Central Illinois as we hear in this week's crop report.

State Crop Statistician Mark Schluessner says temperatures and rainfall were slightly above average this past week.

Schluessner says six percent of the soybean crop has been harvested.

81 percent of corn has been rated as mature. The corn harvest was down compared to last year.

Pasture conditions improved this week and winter wheat planting is ahead of this time last year.

The third cutting of alfalfa is 94 percent finished compared to 85 last year and 94 percent normally.

You may know someone gets a monthly Social Security benefit or Supplemental Security Income payment.

If that person needs help managing their money, Social Security can appoint a person or organization to act as a representative payee. According to Jack Myers at Social Security, the representative payee would be responsible for receiving and managing the person’s benefits and would need to ensure that the person’s needs were being met with the benefit before other purchases could be made.

The form as well as other helpful services for the payee can be completed through our Representative Payee Portal at mySocialSecurity. The Representative Payee Portal is accessed through the payee’s own my Social Security account and it is not available to organizations who serve as payee. Myers adds when you apply for Social Security benefits, you have the option to designate up to 3 different people who could be your representative payee if you ever need one.  

When Social Security assigns a payee, they select someone who knows the beneficiary’s needs and is in position to best use their benefits for the person’s care and well-being. Myers points out representative payees are accountable for how they use the beneficiary’s funds and reporting issues to us that may affect beneficiary’s eligibility.

To learn more about the payee program, visit www.ssa.gov/payee. 

The various Boy Scouts troops in Clinton came together to run four different booths during the 55th Annual Apple n' Pork Festival.

Assistant Scoutmaster Ed Cicenas indicates in Clinton there are four different Scout organizations: the Venture Crew, Boys Scouts Troop 1142, Boys Scout Troop 7142, and Cubs Scouts Pack 142. The different organizations worked together to sell apple fritters, pork burgers, apple cakes, and caramel apples.

Bob Kreitler notes the money raised during the festival will help the Scouts attend summer camp. Summer camp is the hallmark of the program and features hiking, camping, fishing, and merit badge work. The Scouts also have an opportunity to go to Canada next year.

Ron Armstrong is the Scoutmaster and he says the troop currently has five Boy Scouts who are applying to be Eagle Scouts. Eagle Scout is the highest rank within the organization and candidates are required to complete a community service project.

For more information on Clinton Boy Scouts or to join visit clintontroop142.com or follow them on Facebook.

Last week, the DeWitt County Board named DeWitt County CENCOM Director Tony Harris the County's new Animal Shelter Administrator.

DeWitt County Board Chair Dan Matthews tells Regional Radio Harris brings a passion for the shelter to the post and will continue in his role as 9-1-1 Director and animal control administrator.

Matthews believes any concerns about Harris being stretched thin between the two roles are valid but also believes he can handle the two roles. He also hopes it saves the County money in the long run. 

According to Matthews, the hiring of Harris provides a lot of stability at the shelter, something it has lacked for quite a while.

With Harris in place, it will now be up to him to hire his support staff. 

A large grant worth over a million dollars has been awarded to Central Illinois Regional Airport to help with infrastructure projects.

The grant, part of Governor Pritzker's Mega sites investment program, is designed to make 2-hundred 50 acres of the airport 'shovel ready' for future businesses.

Here's CIRA deputy director Fran Strebing.

The grant is part of 1-hundred 44 million dollars in total investments in nine projects across the state.

It’s called a swipe fee – the amount of money that banks and credit card companies charge merchants to process transactions. They can be as much as four percent of the purchase price and Visa and MasterCard are planning an increase to those fees in October.

US Senator Dick Durbin is reintroducing a bill to bring competition to the market. The Credit Card Competition Act would require the biggest banks and credit card companies to enable two options to process purchases.

Durbin says competition is needed - currently Visa and MasterCard control about 80 percent of credit card transactions.

It's Homecoming Week in Clinton.

After Clinton schools took Monday off for a Teacher Institute Day and to recover from this weekend's Apple n' Pork Festival, the school will host its traditional Homecoming festivities. Clinton Police Chief Ben Lowers also looks forward to Homecoming week.

The Maroons host Tuscola in Friday's Homecoming football game.

Clinton High School could have new field turf at the high school football complex as soon as next fall and that has administration extremely excited.

Matt Koeppel - the school's athletic director - says they are going to start to think about designs and come up with something that will be one of a kind for Clinton

.

As Koeppel travels with the various programs, he's seen a lot of places that have good things going on and hopes to take a little bit of the best of what he's seen as the football complex gets developed.

For High School Principal Jerry Wayne, doing things right is his goal for his school and the district. He indicates it can be athletics or academics but he wants Clinton to be where people look to for how things are done right.

For Wayne, things can move much quicker if the district were to pass the one-cent sales tax, which could bring in around one million dollars per year.

For Koeppel, the one-cent sales tax is so ubiquitous in Illinois, it is hard to find a place you go where you are not paying it. 

Clinton Mayor Tom Edmunds has been around for most of the City of Clinton's Apple n' Pork Festivals and is appreciative of the impact it has on the community.

With the economic boom it provides along with the lift to the community's non-profits, the acting mayor says the growth of the festival has been remarkable.

The Mayor says the flea market has created some revenue from the Festival but also those vendors are spending their weekends in Clinton and going into restaurants and getting gas - all helping the community.

This year's Festival saw just short of 86,000 people attend. 

Is the DeWitt County Board softening its stance on carbon capture?

In August the Board approved a ban on carbon capture in DeWitt County but last Thursday at the DeWitt County Board meeting, the Board discussed zoning for carbon capture in DeWitt County. On the WHOW Morning Show Friday, DeWitt County Board Chair Dan Matthews told Regional Radio the Board perhaps a bit too quick to ban CO2 storage.

According to Matthews, this is also a move that anticipates the State of Illinois stepping in with regulations like they did with wind and solar. He admits they also need to learn more about the process.

For Matthews, how they worded last month's revision to the County code to ban the practice could have been handled differently. He points to a few surrounding counties that have put moratoriums on projects and other temporary measures.

Matthews did defend his Board's decision noting Navigator was telling them in early 2023 they planned to have applications ready to submit and so the Board felt compelled to act but as it got closer to those dates they were talking about, things started to change for them.

Matthews believes the County has a good relationship with Navigator, the company seeking to develop CO2 storage wells in DeWitt County. He also believes they have been fair in giving them the attention they have been seeking as they pursue their project in DeWitt County. 

The nation is on the brink of a governmental shutdown unless lawmakers can find common ground on a new fiscal budget.

But the clock is ticking for lawmakers to strike a deal before an October 1 deadline. Illinois Senator Dick Durbin says...

Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy said he would give lawmakers ample time to return to the nation's capital for a vote.

Due to the crunched time, lawmakers could pass a short-term funding bill before a government shutdown on October 1.

A US Senator has been blocking military promotions over objections to a policy of giving time off to service members who are seeking an abortion or fertility treatment.

The Senate sidestepped the block by Alabama’s Tommy Tuberville by calling for a full vote of the appointment of a new Joint Chiefs of Staff. The continued blockade of that promotion and others has angered Illinois Senator and combat veteran Tammy Duckworth.

Hundreds more promotions are in limbo and will be difficult to handle if a full Senate vote is needed on each one.

Illinois Congressman Mike Bost says he’s fighting to fix FEMA’s formula for natural disasters to get more payouts based off region, not state population. 

He says the current formula puts rural communities in states with large population centers at a disadvantage when seeking assistance. Bost points to a tornado that hit Crawford County earlier this year that devastated that community.

Bost’s legislation would require FEMA to consider factors such as the local accessible tax base and local sales tax, the median income, and the poverty rate. It would also require states to provide a 10 percent, non-federal cost share for public assistance.

Just short of 86,000 attended the 2023 edition of the Apple n' Pork Festival.

Clinton Police Chief Ben Lowers points out while it was short of the last two Apple n' Pork Festivals - which were each record-setting - it is right on average for the Festival pre-COVID.

A trend the DeWitt County Museum has experienced over the last few years has been the increase in young people interested and touring the CH Moore Mansion during the Festival and Director Joey Long tells Regional Radio that trend continued this year.

For Long, the Museum now turns its attention to the 'Mourning Moore' exhibit coming next month.

For Chief Lowers, the Festival brings a great crowd out that causes very few, if any, problems He credits this to the fact the Festival is very traditional and centered around food.

Keep it to WHOW and dewittdailynews.com for continued coverage of the Apple n' Pork Festival from our time covering the event this weekend and be sure to click on the Apple n' Pork Festival icon at dewittdailynews.com for all the coverage of the annual Festival in Clinton. 

Slightly down from last year's record attendance but a typical turnout for the Apple n' Pork Festival.

That's how Clinton Police Chief Ben Lowers describes this year's Apple n' Pork Festival Saturday turnout. 

According to the Chief, the Sunday crowd of the Apple n' Pork Festival tends to be a little lighter than Saturday.

The Apple n' Pork Festival continues Sunday in Clinton. 

Clinton authorities are sending out some annual reminders for those planning to come out for the annual Apple n' Pork Festival in Clinton.

Clinton Police Chief Ben Lowers says things are going to be congested most of the weekend throughout the community so plan accordingly. He credits all the leaders that have come before him for creating a well-oiled machine that is the annual Apple n' Pork Festival. 

It's all hands on deck for the Clinton Police Department and Chief Lowers thanks the DeWitt County Sheriff's Office and the State Police to help with the Festival and the crowds that come with it.

Chief Lowers has some tips for those coming into Clinton for the two days of the festival...

The Apple n' Pork Festival comes up this Saturday and Sunday in Clinton.

Be sure to tune into WHOW and WEZC for live coverage of the Festival all weekend long and keep up with the latest news from the Festival at dewittdailynews.com. 

A Clinton non-profit is promoting a free retreat for one of its programs next month.

'Deeper Still Ministries' is part of the Neighborhood Lab at the Neighborhood Care Center in Clinton and Tori Moore says their fall retreat is for men and women who are post-abortive.

Moore explains they share their stories in small breakout sessions. She explains they want everyone to feel loved, protected, and safe at this retreat.

The retreat also offers break-out sessions. According to Moore, there are breakout sessions all day Saturday and she indicates there are numerous 'Deeper Still' team members to meet with the men and women of the conference.

Once individuals or couples leave the conference, Moore says they are given resources for further consultation and they try to stay connected with those participants after the retreat as well.

The retreat comes up on Oct. 6-8. You can visit deeperstill.org and find information for the Central Illinois Chapter's retreat. 

For now, you still need to have a small piece of plastic if you want to show someone your driver’s license. 

As more things shift to a digital world, will your driver’s license in Illinois be able to be held as a file in your cell phone? Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias says there is plenty of modernization going on with his office and this will be something that will be coming at some point.

8 states currently offer digital driver’s license

Illinois Farm Bureau staff continue to stress the importance of engagement at the local government level.

The organization’s Director of Local Government and Political Engagement Ryan Whitehouse says there are some differences across the state as it relates to county governments.

Whitehouse was on the road this week meeting with the Mercer County Farm Bureau.

If you totaled up all the high school students that are a part of all the programs that have a hand in helping with the Apple n' Pork Festival, you would get to nearly half of the student body in Clinton that helps with the annual festival.

That's according to high school Principal Jerry Wayne who says it isn't an exact number but so many of the school's programs are part of the annual festival in some form or fashion.

For athletic director Matt Koeppel, the opportunity for kids to spend an hour and a half parking cars to make budgets for all the extra things they want to do is an opportunity unlike anything he's ever been a part of.

Wayne says the high school band gets things started for the musical entertainment on the CH Moore Homestead on Saturday morning. The sports teams will help park cars at the high school throughout the weekend. There will be the FFA pork chops on the 4-H fairgrounds. The M-squad will be serving their caramel apples and many more students will be helping in other phases of the festival throughout the weekend.

The struggles of the Clintonia Eagle Theater could be helped out after an agreement was approved Tuesday night between the City of Clinton and the theater.

City Administrator Taylor Baxter tells Regional Radio entertainment venues were been hit especially hard during the pandemic as streaming services ramped up their offerings and he explains the Eagle Theater is no exception.

Residents have likely heard rumors over the years of the struggles of the theater in Clinton and Baxter says its ownership has made it known that is no secret so it is the hope of City leadership this would be a benefit to all parties involved and keep a valuable asset in Clinton.

Baxter and other members of the Council are at the Illinois Municipal League annual conference in Chicago this week but were able to still hold its meeting Tuesday night. 

It's been several months that the Clinton Board of Education has been discussing and planning for an update of the sports facilities on the high school campus. On the WHOW Morning Show Wednesday, Clinton Schools Superintendent Curt Nettles told Regional Radio they have been approved by the Board to go out for bid to turf the football field and expand the track.

According to Nettles, the sports complex should be taken care of in pretty short order. He explains they hope to see the press box moved to the west side of the grounds and then turn their attention to the baseball and softball fields.

The district is making this happen despite not having a one-cent sales tax in place which is how many districts are able to make these improvements happen. Nettles indicates we could see in the next year or two, a referendum on the ballot to push for that in DeWitt County.

Making the track eight lanes and turfing the football field would cost around $ 2.5 million if the architect's projections are accurate. 

Oil refinery issues in the United States are sending prices at the pump up nationwide except for Illinois.

Over the past week, prices at the pump in Central Illinois are down about a nickel. But for other states - that's not the case. GasBuddy's Patrick DeHaan says prices are up in 37 out of the 50 states.

According to DeHaan, the refinery snag could shoot prices up 50 cents to one dollar per gallon in the corn belt.

Low water levels on the inland waterway system continue to draw concern, especially as harvest season ramps up and grain moves down the Mississippi River. John Baranick is an ag meteorologist with DTN.

Rain is in the forecast for the region through the weekend, which should help the cause.

Recognizing National Rail Safety Week. A few reminders in rural areas, where crossings may only be served by crossbucks. Jeffrey Price is with CN Railroad Police.

There were 148 collisions at Illinois rail crossings in 2022 with 25 deaths and 44 injuries.

It's Apple n' Pork Festival week in Clinton and it was the talk of a short Clinton City Council meeting Tuesday night.

Acting Mayor and Commissioner of Finance, Tom Edmunds encouraged folks to come to Clinton, enjoy their time here, and support our local groups on the Homestead grounds on Clinton's north side.

Commissioner of Streets and Public Improvements Ken Buchanan told the Council crews are out picking up brush this week ahead of the Festival to make the community look good.

The Apple n' Pork Festival comes up this weekend in Clinton. Tens of thousands of visitors to the community will converge on the CH Moore Homestead grounds as well as out to the 4-H fairgrounds as well as the flea market. Additionally, the west side of the community has seen significant growth in festival-adjacent happenings but organizers encourage getting to the Homestead grounds to support the DeWitt County Museum and CH Moore Homestead and non-profits in the community. 

Monday officially began the elimination of cash bail in Illinois - the first state in America to take up such a policy.

Clinton Police Chief Ben Lowers says there are still a lot of things to work through with the State's Attorney's office even as this is now in effect. 

One thing that concerns the Chief is the fact drug addiction is going to see no break in the cycle and he believes that is very significant in combatting the drug problem in our communities.

Law enforcement across the State is concerned with letting criminals return to the streets, keeping their victims and the general public in fear of rampant crime in their communities. 

The choice of when to start receiving Social Security retirement benefits is a difficult one for many people as you can start to collect at age 62, and should do so sometime between age 62 and 70 depending on your circumstances. 

Jack Myers with Social Security tells us you can get personalized estimates of your own benefit amount at various ages through your mySocialSecurity account at www.ssa.gov/myaccount. He adds you should know that your full-retirement age is sometime between 65-67 depending on the year you were born but the significance of full retirement age is two-fold - benefits paid prior to FRA are permanently reduced for age and you’re also subject to an earnings limit if you want to work and collect Social Security benefits prior to FRA.  

Once you reach full retirement age you can work as much as you want and still collect your retirement benefits. If you start to collect your benefit at full retirement age it will be unreduced. If you wait beyond the full retirement age to start collecting your benefit, it will increase because of delayed retirement credits until age 70. 

You should apply for your retirement benefits to start at age 70 by visiting ssa.gov or calling 800-772-1213 and monitoring those benefits by visiting ssa.gov/myaccount. 

The “We are the 96” campaign continues this fall with a corn maze at Jonamac Orchard in Malta in northern Illinois. Kevin McArtor details the work that goes into designing the maze.

The “We are the 96” campaign highlights the fact that 96-percent of Illinois farms are family owned.

If you've been searching for this summer's DeWitt County 4-H fair results at dewittdailynews.com, those are up and posted now. 

Visit the home page of dewittdailynews.com and at the very top of the page, click the 'Fair Results' icon for all the results from this year's fair. 

The Clinton City Council meets tonight with some unfinished business from earlier this month.

City Administrator Taylor Baxter tells Regional Radio some of the items on tonight's agenda deal with the project service agreements for the coming Park Lane West subdivision as well as a bid to purchase a property on North Maple Street.

Other business at tonight's meeting includes the approval of just over $6300 in 2023 fire prevention materials for the Clinton Fire Department as well as approving an ordinance for the motion picture ticket tax and a redevelopment and economic incentive agreement between the City of Clinton and the Eagle Theater. 

Entertainment for the annual Apple n' Pork Festival is set for this weekend's 55th annual event in Clinton.

CH Moore Homestead Director Joey Long indicates along with entertainment on the stage of the Apple n' Pork Festival, there will also be entertainment scattered across the grounds.

Conxxus is sponsoring the tent that sits on the lawn of the homestead where attendees can enjoy their food while listening to the music. Additionally, Abraham Lincoln will be at the Homestead for both days of the festival and Long raves about his knowledge and expertise of Lincoln and his ties to DeWitt County.

Long points those interested in learning about all things Apple n' Pork Festival to check out the Apple n' Pork Facebook page.

The Apple n' Pork Festival is this Saturday and Sunday in Clinton. 

Dry weather continued for most of Illinois this past week as we hear in this weekly crop report.

State Crop Statistician Mark Schluessner says it was another dry week as crops continued to dry out in anticipation of the harvest getting into full swing.

Schluessner says the soybean crop declined slightly with the crop ahead of last year's pace and the five-year average.

Corn has nearly completely reached the dent stage and the harvest is underway - in line with the five-year average.

Pasture conditions declined this week and Schluessner updated the soil moisture progress.

Winter wheat has reached eight percent finished and the third cutting of alfalfa hay is 93 percent finished, in line with the yearly average.

Warner Hospital and Health Services in Clinton is in the midst of 2 construction projects going on at the same time.

C-E-O Paul Skowron told Regional Radio News that access to their Speciality Clinic will be greatly enhanced with a new parking lot just west of the hospital campus, and an enclosed entrance also on the west side of the hospital building.

Above is where the new Specialty Clinic entrance will be built.

Skowron added it'll eliminate Specialty Clinic patients having to go thru the entire hospital to get to their appointment.

And he says it's all about providing a better experience for the patient.

The second project that just started is enlarging the hospital's emergency room and waiting area.

It's the 55th annual Apple n' Pork Festival this weekend.

The festival this year ushers in the official start to the fall season and Executive Director of the CH Moore Homestead Joey Long is ready for all the crowds to join them on Clinton's north side.

While there will be some new things happening at the festival this year, Long says it's a step back in time and immerses itself in tradition.

Woolridge reminds the festival had very modest beginnings and grew out from there and now encompasses a lot of the community from non-profits and businesses that span from the downtown square to the Homestead grounds and even the outer edges of Clinton.

The festival is this Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 23 and 24. Get more information by finding the Apple n' Pork Festival Facebook page.

We'll have more coverage of the annual Apple n' Pork Festival throughout the week on Regional Radio. 

A Clinton business is taking its product and expanding to Monticello.

Jumpstart Nutrition in downtown Clinton has become a must-stop for people young and old in the last year and owner Jena Garrett tells Regional Radio she is expanding to Monticello.

Sage Nutrition will set up shop in downtown Monticello. Garrett says things will be very similar to her shop in Clinton with the hopes of having various programs and challenges for those who are hoping to dial in on their health.

Garrett credits Callie Jo McFarland at the City of Monticello as well as Shelly Crawford-Stock at the Monticello Chamber of Commerce for getting her plugged into the City's 'Business Bootcamp'.

Follow Sage Nutrition on Facebook and Instagram to keep up with the latest developments of Garrett's store in Monticello. 

If you're a Piatt County resident in the Clinton area, get a preview of Sage Nutrition by stopping into Jumpstart Nutrition in downtown Clinton at 103 East Side Square. 

Drought is re-emerging in Illinois thanks to a recent dry trend.

Nicole Albano at the National Weather Service in Lincoln indicates we're seeing a deficit in rainfall so far this month which is helping move us back to a drought.

According to Albano, a typical late August or September will see the remnants of a tropical storm or two roll up into the midwest, unfortunately, that hasn't been the case so far this year.

The next chance of rain comes our way as we get into the upcoming weekend. Otherwise, as we head to October, precipitation is trending to equal chances of above or below average. 

A HORTICULTURE EDUCATOR AT THE UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS EXTENSION SAYS FALL IS A GOOD TIME TO TEST YOUR GARDEN SOIL. 

SOIL TESTING PROVIDES INFORMATION ABOUT P-H LEVELS AND NUTRIENTS IN THE GROUND, WHICH WILL LET YOU KNOW IF YOU NEED FERTILIZER OR OTHER SUPPLEMENTS. THE EXTENSION’S KEN JOHNSON SAYS IT SHOULD BE DONE EVERY THREE YEARS, TESTING DIFFERENT AREAS OF THE GARDEN.

JOHNSON SAYS SOIL TESTS USUALLY COST BETWEEN 15 AND 25 DOLLARS. 

THE RESULTS WILL HELP DETERMINE IF FERTILIZER OR OTHER ADDITIVES ARE NEEDED. 

THE WEBSITE: EXTENSION DOT ILLINOIS DOT EDU SLASH SOIL HAS A LIST OF LABS THAT DO SOIL TESTING.

Thinking about heart health during harvest. It’s important to get out and stretch those legs.

Matt Janus is an exercise physiologist with OSF Healthcare.

WHETHER YOU ARE MAKING SNACKS TO WATCH DURING A FOOTBALL GAME OR COOKING FAMILY DINNER, THE ILLINOIS DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH IS STRESSING THE IMPORTANCE OF FOOD SAFETY. 

HERE’S THE BASICS FOR PREVENTING FOODBORNE ILLNESS SAYS PUBLIC HEALTH’S DARRAH DUNLAP.

DUNLAP SAYS FOOD SHOULD BE TOSSED OUT IF IT’S BEEN SITTING OUT LONGER THAN TWO HOURS. IF IT’S HOT OUTSIDE, FOOD SHOULD ONLY BE OUT FOR ONE HOUR.

LEFTOVERS ARE ONLY GOOD FOR ABOUT THREE OR FOUR DAYS IN THE FRIDGE SAYS DUNLAP.

THIS IS SUICIDE PREVENTION MONTH AND THE ILLINOIS DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES IS REMINDING THOSE STRUGGLIING ABOUT AN IMPORTANT RESOURCE. 

THE 9-8-8 SUICIDE AND CRISIS LIFELINE HELPS TO SAVE LIVES BY PROVIDING SUPPORT TO ANYONE FEELING SUICIDIAL OR BATTLING P-T-S-D, SELF HARM AND MORE SAYS D-H-S SPOKESPERSON PATRICK LAUGHLIN.

CALLERS WILL BE DIRECTED TO LOCAL RESOURCES IF APPROPRIATE. 

IF YOU OR SOMEONE YOU KNOW IS IN EMOTIONAL DISTRESS, CALL OR TEXT 9-8-8 OR VISIT: 988 LIFELINE DOT ORG TO CHAT ONLINE.

The deadline approaching for the latest round of truck driving scholarships. Five, $2,000 awards will be offered through the IAA Foundation’s Driving Agriculture Forward program. Johnny Reel of Congerville was a recent recipient. He received his CDL training through Heartland Community College.

Reel will haul grain for area farmers this fall and will push snow for his local township this winter. More information on the scholarship program available at iaafoundation.org.

As you stroll down Center Street for the upcoming Apple n' Pork Festival, a Clinton entity is hoping you'll swing by and say hello.

The Warner Library in Clinton will be set up at the big green space across the street on Center Street next week and Executive Director Bobbi Perryman says they will be promoting libraries and giving away books.

We'll have full coverage of all things Apple n' Pork Festival next week on Regional Radio. The Apple n' Pork Festival is Sept. 23-24.

As the harvest gets underway, Illinois is re-entering drought.

While it's only a moderate drought, Nicole Albano at the National Weather Service in Lincoln indicates the dry air and dry ground could create the possibility for field fires, something central Illinois has dealt with the last few years.

October shows equal chances of above or below-average precipitation however, next weekend, there appears to be chances of rain. 

It felt more like fall this week but how long will these moderate temperatures last? State Climatologist Trent Ford gives us more...

One of the companies seeking to develop carbon dioxide storage in DeWitt County is reacting to last month's DeWitt County Board ban on CO2 storage.

On the WHOW Morning Show Thursday, Danielle Anderson with Navigator CO2 told Regional Radio Navigator was frustrated because initially, there was very limited conversation with the County about the project.

Anderson says the geological structure of DeWitt County is exceptional for CO2 storage.

Concerns have been expressed at the County Board level regarding the potential for the storage of CO2 to seep into the drinking water source, the Mahomet Aquifer and Anderson says that is highly unlikely it will happen and there is constant monitoring to make sure it doesn't happen.

Anderson indicates the amount of CO2 that would be pumped into the earth would take years upon years to occupy the space available. 

Additionally, she notes drinking water is around 300 feet below the surface while the CO2 storage would happen over a mile below the surface. 

A University of Illinois Extension Nutrition Educator is hoping producers and their harvest crews will not forget to make sure to eat this harvest season.

It may seem like it would be difficult to ignore eating but Caitlin Mellendorf at the University of Illinois Extension in DeWitt, Macon, and Piatt Counties encourages producers and their support systems to not only eat but try to find healthy foods this fall. 

Mellendorf indicates there are plenty of easy snacks that can be packed to have at your leisure as you work. Additionally, she has some recommendations on foods that will be filling and sustaining.

Mellendorf also hopes producers will keep hydrated. If the days are warmer, it will certainly be necessary but staying hydrated will also help keep producers alert. 

She encourages visiting extension.illinois.edu for more nutritional information this harvest season. 

A couple of Crop Scouting teams from Illinois heading to the Regional Youth Crop Scouting Competition next week—including the Wesclin FFA Chapter. Their FFA adviser is Taylor Zurliene (zur-lean--ee)

The Pontiac FFA Chapter also headed to the regional competition, which is next Monday at the University of Nebraska.

Truck parking legislation could get some movement in Congress this fall. It’s an issue that needs to be addressed says Don Schaefer with Springfield, Illinois based Midwest Truckers Association.

The Mid-West Truckers Association represents 4,200 members in 15 states, including Illinois.

The University of Illinois Extension promotes mental health resources for the farming and rural community. Josie Rudolphi is an extension specialist.

This is suicide prevention week.

A deadline is looming for the US Farm Bill.

It expires on September 30th and Illinois Republican Rep. Mary Miller from the 15th district says spending on farm bill needs to be reined in. That includes pulling back funding for food safety net programs.

SNAP and other nutrition programs make up the bulk of farm bill spending.

LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR JULIANA STRATTON IS REFLECTING ON HER RECENT TRIP TO THE JAPAN TO PROMOTE ILLINOIS. 

LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR STRATTON LED A DELEGATION TO THE MIDWEST U-S JAPAN ASSOCIATION CONFERENCE. SHE TOLD COMPANY LEADERS SHE MET WITH THAT THERE IS NO BETTER TIME TO DO BUSINESS IN ILLINOIS.

STRATTON SAYS BUSINESS LEADER SHE SPOKE WITH WERE IMPRESSED WITH ILLINOIS’ CLEAN ENERGY EFFORTS.

STRATTON SAYS JAPANESE COMPANIES SEEM TO RECOGNIZE THAT ILLINOIS HAS A SKILLED WORKFORCE AS WELL. THERE ARE ALREADY MORE THAN ONE THOUSAND JAPANESE COMPANIES WITH A PRESENCE IN ILLINOIS.

The Vault in Clinton is celebrating a record-setting start to its new programming year.

As students get back into the swing of the school year, Executive Director Tammy Wilson on the WHOW Morning Show Wednesday to Regional Radio they saw a record turnout for their back-to-school event last month.

 For Wilson, The Vault's name and reputation are beginning to grow within the community, in addition to the outreach they are doing.

Many might think The Vault is open every day after school and kids come and go but Wilson explains they are only open a few nights a week with a lot of structured programs and mentors so students are seen and heard.

Learn about all things The Vault in Clinton by finding them on Facebook, Instagram, or thevaultclinton.org. 

The climatological start to fall has actually felt like fall the last few weeks but it won't last.

That's according to Nicole Albano at the National Weather Service in Lincoln who told Regional Radio on the WHOW Morning Show Wednesday warmer temperatures should move in shortly after the weekend.

Looking ahead to next weekend for the Apple n' Pork Festival, temperatures are looking above normal but still comfortable. However, there are some chances of rain but she points out, that is still a ways off to know for sure.

September has started very mild and Albano indicates that is thanks to a trough of air that is coming in from the northeast keeping temperatures very seasonal to this point.

Albano indicates September has also been dry so far and that is taking Illinois back towards moderate drought conditions. We'll have more on that later this week on Regional Radio. 

NEW COVID-19 VACCINES ARE NOW AVAILABLE AND THE ILLINOIS DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH IS RECOMMENDING EVERYONE SIX MONTHS AND OLDER GET THE SHOT. 

THESE LATEST VACCINES FROM MODERNA AND PFIZER TARGET THE COVID STRAINS THAT ARE CURRENTLY CIRCULATING SAYS STATE CHIEF MEDICAL OFFICER DOCTOR ARTI BARNES.

BARNES SAYS THE VACCINES CAN ALSO REDUCE THE RISK OF CONTRACTING LONG COVID. SHE NOTES THAT COVID-19 HOSPITALIZATIONS ARE ON THE RISE IN ILLINOIS.

BARNES SAYS THAT COVID-19 RELATED HOSPITALIZATIONS ARE ON THE RISE IN ILLINOIS. SHE NOTES THAT YOU CAN GET YOUR COVID SHOT AT THE SAME TIME AS YOUR ANNUAL FLU SHOT.

STATE PUBLIC HEALTH OFFICIALS ARE HOPING TO PREVENT A TRI-DEMIC THIS FALL WINTER. 

IT’S RESPIRATORY VIRUS SEASON, WHEN ILLNESSES LIKE COVID-19, R-S-V AND THE FLU ARE MORE PREVALENT. YOU CAN PROTECT YOURSELF BY STARTING WITH YOUR ANNUAL FLU SHOT SAYS STATE CHIEF MEDICAL OFFICER DOCTOR ARTI BARNES.

SHE SAYS THERE’S A NEW MONOCLONAL ANTIBODY SHOT FOR INFANTS UNDER EIGHT MONTHS TO PROTECT AGAINST R-S-V…AND A VACCINE FOR SENIORS.

BARNES SAYS A NEW PREVENTATIVE TREATMENT FOR R-S-V IS AVAILABLE TO INFANTS UNDER EIGHT MONTHS. IT’S NOT A VACCINE BUT RATHER A MONOCLONAL ANTIBODY SHOT.

The fall veto session is upcoming for the state’s lawmakers. 

Governor Pritzker issued a few veto’s this summer that might face possible overrides. Governor JB Pritzker says he’s aware of a possible override vote and waiting to hear more from House and Senate leadership about the direction of the upcoming session.

The fall veto session begins at the end of October.

Ag groups continue to express concern with low water levels on the inland waterway system as harvest season gets underway. It marks the second year in a row that barge shipping has been impacted.

Rodney Knittel serves as Illinois Farm Bureau Assistant Director of Transportation and Infrastructure.

The annual Terror on Washington Street Haunted House season is almost here and Clinton Chamber of Commerce officials are hastily getting the building ready.

Janice Peterson is the Executive Director of the Clinton Chamber of Commerce and says she and many volunteers have been hard at work the last few months getting the house ready for its guests in October.

October 6-7 kicks off the Haunted House season. Peterson explains they are rebuilding entire rooms with new and better scares from the year prior. She explains at the end of each year they tear down the rooms and put all the props in storage.

If you're coming out for this year's Haunted House, Peterson reminds there are several fun things to take advantage of while you wait.

Additionally, Peterson reminds of the 'friendly ghost tours' that are geared to the younger attendees.

The Haunted House relies on volunteers to help make each night's presentations happen. Peterson hopes any community or school groups in central Illinois might consider helping and they do compensate the groups for their time.

Visit clintonhuntedhouse.com or find the Clinton Terror on Washington Street Haunted House on Facebook for all the details. 

A Piatt County non-profit is getting ever closer to its full opening of a new location in downtown Monticello.

Willow Tree Missions for the past few years has been getting its new location in downtown Monticello ready for a full opening. Andrea Kocher is the Director of Services for the agency and indicates things are about a month away from being ready.

To make it to the grand opening in early October, Kocher indicates they need a lot of help between now and then. It is her hope the community will hear this call and step up as they always seem to do.

Once the lower level is complete, the agency will begin to shift to the upper level of their building and Kocher reminds the vision is for those to be safe havens for someone getting out of a domestic violence situation to be able to stay in while they get back on their feet.

Kocher hopes anyone who is compelled to help them would contact them via their Facebook page by finding Willow Tree Missions on Facebook or you can stop into the store in downtown Monticello at 100 East Washington Street. They are also hosting work days on Saturdays in September and Kocher encourages simply stopping in during those times to help out. 

If you're an art enthusiast interested in seeing what your local art scene has to offer, an event this weekend in downtown Decatur is for you.

The Decatur Area Arts Council is hosting its annual 'Arts in Central Park' this weekend in downtown Decatur. Executive Director Jerry Johnson says it's a free event and a great opportunity to see the talent of local artists.

While you're there, Johnson hopes those can, will purchase some art from artists at the event. He says that makes the time and travel of those artists worthwhile and reminds this isn't a fundraiser for the Arts Council, so all proceeds go to the artists themselves.

Johnson calls it a fun, relaxing weekend with great artwork and music while you stroll. 

Visit decaturarts.org for more information on this weekend's event or find the Arts Council on Facebook. 

The US Secretary of Education stopped in Springfield last week and ahead of his visit, Illinois Republican Congresswoman Mary Miller said in a statement that schools are now places where the Biden Administration and Governor JB Pritzker think children should be indoctrinated with radical gender ideology and other political beliefs. Secretary Miguel Cardona says her thoughts and feelings aren’t shared by many others.

Cardona visited St. Louis, Springfield and Peoria.

THIS IS NATIONAL SENIOR CENTER MONTH AND THE STATE DEPARTMENT ON AGING IS URGING OLDER ILLINOISANS TO EXPLORE THEIR LOCAL FACILITY. 

COMMUNITY SENIOR CENTERS MAY OFFER THINGS LIKE EXERCISE CLASSES, TRIPS TO BASEBALL GAMES OR VIRTUAL WINE TASTING NIGHTS. DEPARTMENT ON AGING DIRECTOR PAULA BASTA ENCOURAGES SENIORS TO GET IN ON THE FUN.

BASTA SAYS PARTICIPATING AT A LOCAL SENIOR CENTER CAN HAVE MANY BENEFITS SUCH AS:

BASTA SAYS SENIOR CENTERS CAN ALSO CONNECT PEOPLE WITH LOCAL RESOURCES AND OFFER VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES.

FORECASTED YIELDS FOR CORN AND SOYBEANS ARE DOWN A BIT IN ILLINOIS. 

BASED ON SEPTEMBER FIRST CONDITIONS, THE FORECAST FOR CORN IS 198 BUSHELS PER ACRE SAYS CROP STATISTICIAN MARK SCHLEUSENER.

SCHLEUSENER HAS THE FORECAST FOR THE ILLINOIS SOYBEAN CROP.

The US Senate Judiciary Committee held a hearing on book bans and the impact on libraries and librarians. Senator Dick Durbin chairs the committee, and he called Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias to DC to testify.

He says a robust library is a place that welcomes perspectives and information that might not otherwise be known or understood.

A new state law holds state funding from libraries that ban or prevent books from being stocked on the shelves.

THE ILLINOIS STATE POLICE IS URGING DRIVERS AND FARMERS TO BE CAREFUL DURING THE FALL HARVEST SEASON. 

DRIVERS NEED TO BE PATIENT AND SHARE THE ROAD SAYS TROOPER JOSH ROBINSON. GIVE BIG FARM EQUIPMENT PLENTY OF SPACE AND BE CAUTIOUS WHEN PASSING.

ROBINSON SAYS FARMERS SHOULD MAKE SURE ALL REFLECTORS AND FLASHING LIGHTS ARE CLEAN SO THERE IS MAXIMUM VISIBILITY. THEY ARE ALSO ADVISED TO STAY AS FAR TO THE RIGHT OF THE ROAD AS POSSIBLE AND TO MOVE OFF THE ROADWAY IF THERE IS TRAFFIC BACK-UP.

ROBINSON SAYS THE MAJORITY OF ACCIDENTS OCCUR WHEN A DRIVER TRIES TO ILLEGALLY PASS LARGE FARM EQUIPMENT.

THE ILLINOIS STATE FAIR SET A NEW ATTENDANCE RECORD THIS YEAR. 

MORE THAN 700-THOUSAND PEOPLE VISITED THE FAIR LAST MONTH, ENJOYING THE MILD TEMPERATURES, DAILY PROMOTIONS AND FREE ENTERTAINMENT. STATE FAIR MANAGER REBECCA CLARK SAYS ANOTHER BIG DRAW WAS THE RETURN OF THE MULTI-PURPOSE ARENA, WHICH HAD A RODEO, TRUCK AND TRACTOR PULLS AND MONSTER TRUCKS.

CLARK SAYS GRANDSTAND CONCERT TICKET SALES WERE THE SECOND HIGHEST IN THE LAST FIVE YEARS WITH TIM MCGRAW AND NELLY DRAWING CROWDS OF OVER 10 THOUSAND PEOPLE.

CLARK CREDITS THE NICE WEATHER, IMPROVEMENTS TO THE FAIRGROUNDS AND RETURN OF ENTERTAINMENT AT THE MULTI-PURPOSE ARENA WITH THE SUCCESS OF THIS YEAR’S ILLINOIS STATE FAIR.

The Warner Library in Clinton is hosting its semi-annual book sale this weekend.

It's a fundraiser for the Friends of the Warner Library and its Board President Katrina Held says the book sale is the group's primary fundraiser and it goes a long way to supporting the library.

Executive Director of the Library, Bobbi Perryman indicates the Friends of the Library have been a huge help to the library beyond just the summer reading club support. She explains they are very willing to help out to improve all areas of the library when called upon.

New for this year's book sale is an educator discount. Those who have supported the library in the past know about the $1 a bag for books on Saturday of the sale but Held says they are doing that deal for educators on Friday and Saturday they can fill two bags of books for $1.

Books come from the library collection that have been weeded out as well as donations from the public.

The sale is Friday from 9 am to 4 pm and Saturday from 9 am to 2 pm in the Revere Room on the lower level of the library.

Get more information by finding the Warner Library on Facebook or stop into 310 North Quincy Street in Clinton. 

September is Hunger Action Month and food banks like the Central Illinois Food Bank, ramp up communication and inspire passion for the issue of food insecurity. 

Feeding America is a nonprofit organization that partners with their involved food banks to bring awareness to a topic that affects many people in central Illinois. Brooke Dunn, Public Relations Manager for the Central Illinois Food Bank says, that if there is any month to get involved in your local food bank or pantry, September is the time to do so.

Food pantries are seeing unprecedented traffic to their facilities, supplying food to more and more families that are in desperate need to get food on the table. While donations have increased in areas like fresh produce, volunteers, and coordinators are struggling to keep up with the ever-expanding needs of the community.

The Central Illinois Food Bank is getting involved by giving tours of the massive warehouse that stores the food being served to the food pantries. This is an effort to increase awareness of the food bank process, and what goes into food coordination, to understand the efforts of workers in the food bank industry.

For information about the Central Illinois Food Bank, you can visit their website at, https://www.centralilfoodbank.org/.

The five-second rule is not protecting your food from bacteria. The second that potato chip hits the ground a food-borne illness could already be attached to it. This is just one of many myths that need busting in the world of food.

Helping to get to the bottom of these common food misconceptions, Lisa Peterson, a University of Illinois Extension Nutrition and Wellness Educator came by to share her expertise. A perfect way to enter September, as it is food safety education month.

Food-borne illnesses are an odorless, tasteless, and colorless contaminant. Peterson says the best way to ensure your food is safe to eat is by keeping track of when you bought the product. Peterson gives an example of raw chicken, as the raw meat will only be good for about 3-4 days in the fridge. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) utilizes the FoodKeeper App which acts as a reminder system for your food, letting users know when that food item is ready to be thrown out.

A popular myth that Peterson addressed is the differences between local, organic, and natural foods. Peterson says simply, there is no difference in nutritional quality. The difference, Peterson notes, is the better environmental effects that these food items possess.

For information about food safety, you can visit the U of I Extensions website at, https://extension.illinois.edu/cjmm.

As Congress gets back to work in Washington DC members of the Freedom Caucus are pushing for 12 appropriation bills to be approved to get their support to avoid a government shutdown.

Some of bills include holding the government to spending below what was agreed upon this year during the debt ceiling debate, building more walls at the southern boarder and a general stance against more funding for Ukraine. Congresswoman Mary Miller from the 15th and a Freedom Caucus member says she supports the hardline stance and won’t believe that there isn’t time to get those bills voted on.

The Senate is now pressing hard on short-term stop gap measures to keep the government open.

DESPITE A DRY WEEK, CROP CONDITIONS HELD STEADY FOR THE MOST PART. 

THIS PAST WEEK WAS SLIGHTLY WARMER AND DEFINITELY DRIER THAN NORMAL. CROP STATISTICIAN MARK SCHLEUSENER SAYS 87 PERCENT OF CORN ACRES HAVE REACHED THE DENT STAGE. ADDITIONALLY...

SCHLEUSENER HAS THE RUNDOWN ON SOYBEANS.

THE THIRD CUTTING OF ALFALFA IS NOW 85 PERCENT COMPLETE. AVERAGE STATEWIDE TOPSOIL MOISTURE DECLINED TO 22 PERCENT VERY SHORT, 43 PERCENT SHORT AND 35 PERCENT EXCELLENT.

The Red Cross is running low on blood, and the blood donation shortage is nationwide. 

Fewer donors than needed gave this summer, drawing down the national blood supply and reducing distributions of some of the most needed blood types to hospitals. Hurricane Idalia further strained the blood supply with blood drive cancellations and reduced blood and platelet donations in affected areas. Sharon Watson, spokesperson for the American Red Cross says several factors played into this year’s shortage.

When Idalia slammed into the Southeast it compounded a shortfall of about 30,000 donations in August. Right now, blood product distributions to hospitals are outpacing the number of blood donations coming in. You can find a list of area blood drives at www.redcrossblood.org.

Now through Saturday is National Suicide Prevention Week, and an expert at OSF HealthCare in Alton wants you to see the warning signs if someone you care about is in need of mental health services. The average time from onset of symptoms to diagnosis is 11 years, possibly because of the societal stigma associated with mental health and the thought can just “shake it off.” Staci Knox, manager of Psychological Services at OSF HealthCare in Alton says warning signs for suicide vary by age.

If you’re dealing with a mental or behavioral health issue, you can call or text 9-8-8 to be connected with a trained counselor who’s part of the existing National Suicide Prevention Lifeline network.

THE ILLINOIS STATE POLICE IS CELEBRATING THE 20TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE STATEWIDE TERRORISM AND INTELLIGENCE CENTER.

THE "STIC" AS IT'S CALLED, WAS CREATED IN 2003 IN RESPONSE TO THE NINE-ELEVEN TERRORIST ATTACKS. IT'S ONE OF 80 FUSION CENTERS ACROSS THE COUNTRY SAYS CHIEF INTELLIGENCE OFFICER AARON KUSTERMANN (coosterman).

KUSTERMAN (coosterman) SAYS THEY WORK TO GATHER INFORMATION AND FIGURE OUT WHAT IT ALL MEANS.

 THE STIC IS OPEN AROUND THE CLOCK, 365 DAYS A YEAR.

THE ILLINOIS DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION IS ANNOUNCING MORE THAN THAN 11 MILLION IN PLANNING GRANTS IS BEING AWARDED TO COMMUNITIES AROUND THE STATE. 

THE MONEY IS FUNDING INITIATIVES RANGING FROM TRANSIT SERVICE FOR THOSE IN NEED IN LEE AND OGLE COUNTIES TO A LONG RANGE TRANSPORTATION PLAN FOR COOK COUNTY SAYS I-DOT SPOKESPERSON PAUL WAPPEL.

FUNDING WILL ALSO GO TOWARDS A BICYCLE TRANSPORTATION PLAN FOR THE CITIES OF PICKNEYVILLE, DUQUOIN AND WEST FRANKFORT...AS WELL AS CARTERVILLE, HERRIN AND MURPHYSBORO.

PROJECTS INCLUDE BICYCLE TRANSPORTATION PLANS IN SEVERAL SOUTHERN ILLINOIS COMMUNITIES, A PUBLIC TRANSIT STUDY IN JACKSON COUNTY, A PARKING REIMAGINED INITIATIVE IN THE ROCKFORD AREA AND A CAMPUS TRANSPORTATION SAFETY STUDY IN NORMAL.

An update on proposed CO-2 pipelines impacting Illinois. Here’s Illinois Farm Bureau Director of Business and Regulatory Affairs Bill Bodine.

Bodine says what complicates the issue is that the regulatory process is different state to state.

Last week, the South Dakota Public Utilities Commission unanimously denied the Navigator CO2 project's permit application.

Enrollment numbers are up at Illinois State University, as the campus eyes the biggest freshman class in 35 years.

Those numbers include almost four thousand incoming freshmen, boosting the campus enrollment to over 20-thousand. The reasoning for the increase is simple for Jeff Mavros, the Executive Director of Admissions and Recruitment Marketing at ISU.

Last month, the University announced a nine-million-dollar investment in the Center for the Visual Arts Rotunda.

The Rotunda is four of I-S-U's busiest classrooms.

On Sunday, Sept. 10, at approximately 7:11 p.m., there was an explosion at the East Plant within ADM’s industrial complex in Decatur. 

Five employees remain in the hospital receiving treatment for their injuries. Eight were reported injured in the accident.

The main fire was extinguished overnight, and the company continues to closely monitor and assess the extent of the damage to the complex as the investigation continues.

The East plant, which produces soybean oil and white flake for soybean protein production, is down at this time, and the adjacent corn processing plant is also temporarily down until ADM can safely resume operations. 

The topic of women's reproductive health is among the many cultural buzzwords in today's America and a local group is hoping to cut through the noise and make post-abortive men and women aware they are there to help.

The Neighborhood Care Center in Clinton's 'Neighborhood Lab' has welcomed the ministry 'Deeper Still' and Tori Moore helps lead the program at the Neighborhood Care Center. She explains her life experiences led her to the ministry and help women in her situation.

According to Moore, abortion has a huge impact on the individuals who are involved in that decision or sometimes excluded from that decision. She says this is why 'Deeper Still' ministries exist.

'Deeper Still' ministries host retreats twice a year and Moore explains she had the mentality she was going to be a help to post-abortive people at this retreat but it turned out she was the one that ministered to that weekend.

Moore indicates there is a lot of pain and suffering for the individuals who make the decision to abort a child and while society celebrates this decision in a lot of ways, she indicates it is a decision that has incredible impacts for those people.

'Deeper Still' has a free retreat coming up Oct. 6-8. You can visit deeperstill.org and find the retreat for the Central Illinois chapter. 

The 2023 LIHEAP year is reverting to the way things were before COVID.

That's according to Breann Titus - Director of Agency Development for Community Action - and on the WHOW Morning Show Friday told Regional Radio that means there are new application periods. She indicates the public needs to be aware of when the scheduling of appointments begins. 

Priority periods are returning this year and Titus encourages those that do not fall within the initial priority period to refrain from calling right away so those that do can get through and get appointments made.

Titus reminds eligibility for LIHEAP is income-based. She explains based on your income and how many people are in your household will determine your level of assistance.

Energy bills tend to be the highest in the winter with natural gas costs at their peak and consumption at its peak. With that in mind, Titus encourages those who might be considering the program to try to utilize assistance in the winter months to get the most out of the program.

Capcil.info is the website with all the information. You can also call 217-732-2159. 

ILLINOIS HAS LANDED A NEW ELECTRIC VEHICLE BATTERY MANUFACTURING PLANT. 

GOTION, INC. IS BUILDING A TWO-BILLION-DOLLAR STATE-OF-THE-ART PLANT IN MANTENO...NORTH OF KANKAKEE SAYS GOVERNOR J-B PRITZKER.

THE MANUFACTURING FACILITY IS EXPECTED TO CREATE 26 HUNDRED NEW, GOOD-PAYING JOBS.

THE PLANT IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN PRODUCTION IN 2024.

THE ILLINOIS DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES IS RECOGNIZING NATIONAL RECOVERY MONTH. 

THE CHICAGO SKYLINE WILL BE LIT PURPLE THROUGH NEXT WEEK TO BRING AWARENESS TO OPIOID ABUSE AND TO SUPPORT THOSE TRYING TO BEAT THEIR ADDICTION SAYS D-H-S SPOKESPERSON PATRICK LAUGHLIN.

THE STATE ALSO HAS A HOTLINE FOR THOSE BATTLING DRUG ADDICTION AND CONSIDERING RECOVERY AND THEIR FRIENDS AND FAMILY MEMBERS. 

THAT HELPLINE NUMBER IS: 1-833-THE NUMBER TWO-FIND HELP. CALLERS WILL TALK TO TRAINED COUNSELORS AND BE DIRECTED TOWARD LOCAL RESOURCES IF APPROPRIATE.

MISSOURI NOW BANS GENDER-AFFIRMING CARE FOR MINORS, BUT THAT’S NOT THE CASE IN ILLINOIS SAYS GOVERNOR J-B PRITZKER. 

A NEW LAW IN MISSOURI PROHIBITS HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS FROM PERFORMING TRANSITION-RELATED SURGERIES OR PRESCRIBING HORMONES AND PUBERTY BLOCKERS TO ANYONE UNDER 18. GOVERNOR PRITZKER WAS ASKED FOR HIS THOUGHTS ON THE BAN AT AN UNRELATED PRESS CONFERENCE.

GOVERNOR PRITZKER SAYS THAT IS DESPICABLE.

BACK IN JANUARY, THE GOVERNOR SIGNED A LAW PROTECTING THE RIGHT FOR MINORS IN ILLINOIS TO SEEK GENDER AFFIRMING CARE AND THE HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONALS THAT PROVIDE TREATMENT.

SOUTHERN ILLINOIS UNIVERSITY IN EDWARDSVILLE IS GETTING A NEW 105 MILLION DOLLAR HEALTH SCIENCES BUILDING.

THE STATE-OF-THE-ART FACILITY WILL CONNECT EXISTING BUILDINGS, BRINGING TOGETHER THE SCHOOLS OF NURSING AND PHARMACY. GOVERNOR J-B PRITZKER WAS ON HAND TO KICK OFF THE PROJECT.

THE NEW BUILDING WILL HAVE CLASSROOMS, RESEARCH LABS, A NURSING SIMULATION LAB, STUDY AREAS AND OFFICES. 

CONSTRUCTION IS EXPECTED TO BE COMPLETED BY THE SUMMER OF 2025.

The Clinton Chamber of Commerce is highlighting some upcoming activities of interest around DeWitt County.

On the WHOW Morning Show Friday, Executive Director Janice Peterson says there's a few things happening this weekend with more to come throughout the month of September including, of course, the annual Apple n' Pork Festival.

Visit clintonilchamber.com for a full list of events happening in Clinton. 

The Kenney Fall Festival is this weekend.

It's the 38th annual event this Friday and Saturday in Kenney put on by the Kenney Civic League. 

Things kick off Friday night at 5:30 pm with opening ceremonies including an opening prayer and the National Anthem.

Friday night's activities include games of bingo, the Sugar Creek Cloggers, and performances from 'The Modern Cowboyz' and 'Next Thing Smokin'.

Saturday, things get going bright and early with a biscuits and gravy breakfast at 7 am. A parade is at 10 am with more bingo, a cake walk later in the afternoon.

Musical performances Saturday will include the gospel due 'Echo's of Grace', the 'Heartland Cloggers', and 'The Green Diamond Express'. A light-hearted hypnosis show as well as performances from the Clinton M-Squad and the junior high school dance team will take place during the day Saturday. 

Additionally, there will be a petting zoo, food booths, a bags tournament, arts and crafts, a stock car display, a balloon twister and free face painting.

Organizers also remind to check out the Kenney Fire Department's chicken supper from 2:30 pm to 5:30 pm.

There will be plenty of food and prizes along the way. 

Things start at 5:30 pm on Friday and wrap up at 9 pm on Saturday. 

First-year Central A&M Schools Superintendent Sacha Young has the first three weeks of school under her belt as she leads her staff into a successful school year. 

The former Clinton Elementary School Principal's primary goal for the school year was to stick by the school district's mission - “Empowering and celebrating excellence in each of our students.” Young recognizes the well-oiled machine she has stepped into with the Central A&M School District and saw not much needed changing.

Young says that one of the many great practices of Central A&M School District is the way they celebrate their students. Recognizing accomplishments on social media and to parents, praising students when a goal has been reached. Also keeping staff and parents updated on current events and information is another factor that has worked well.

Central A&M Schools are making a push for more social-emotional and mental health support. There are upcoming professional and development programs on the way to provide skills and tactics to handle and address social-emotional learning and mental health first aid. Josh Shipp, of Kemmerer Village will be presenting on October 6th with the presentation titled, “Every kid is one caring parent away from being a success” and Central A&M staff have been invited to come out to hear these meaningful words.

Young continues to be a leader for the staff of the Central A&M School District. With the tall task of Superintendent in front of her, Young has met the responsibilities with grace, guiding staff and students to a successful 2023-2024 school year.

Current Illinois State Comptroller, Susana Mendoza took the office in 2016 with much work to be done, fixing the issues that past comptrollers neglected to complete. 

Illinois has ended its FY 2024 in a position that in decades past would not have been reached. All States General Revenue Fund Vouchers have been closed out, meaning there are zero bills on hand to pay for the State of Illinois. But this was not always the case. Mendoza says Illinois was a unique entity, continuing that the state of Illinois had the worst fiscal condition in the United States and in recent state history upon her arrival. 

Mendoza told Regional Radio when whe took the Comptroller's Office in December of 2016, the state of Illinois owed vendors and providers almost $17 billion in unpaid bills, some over two years overdue. This left many vendors and service providers out to dry as many could not withstand the fiscal crisis without being paid by the state.

Under Mendoza, the state has eight full-credit upgrades after losing those credits and being downgraded years prior. She indicates the backlog of bills has been paid off and the state can begin healing economically under the watchful eye of comptroller Mendoza.

With years of overdue bills and an office in disarray paid and back in order, Mendoza says, rest assured your money is protected, pointing out Illinois State Treasurer Mike Frerichs and herself are protecting the state funds.

Social Security is highlighting elder abuse and is giving the public tips to recognize elder abuse and report it.

On the WHOW Morning Show Thursday, Jack Myers at Social Security explained elder abuse is the intentional mistreatment or harming of an older person. A older person is defined by the Social Security Act as someone over age 60 and abuse can take many forms including physical, emotional, and sexual harm, neglect, and financial exploitation.

Statistics show that more than 10% of older adults experience some form of abuse each year. Unfortunately, that number is likely even higher because elder abuse often goes unreported. Additionally, Myers points out abusers are often someone the older person knows and trusts.

According to Myers, you can help make a difference by checking in with older loved ones and looking for the signs above or for physical signs of abuse such as bruises, burns, or unexplained injuries. Additionally, neglect is a form of abuse as well. Signs of neglect include poor nutrition or hygiene, lack of necessary medications or medical aids like glasses that a caretaker should be providing.

If you suspect that someone is a victim of elder abuse , you can report it to Illinois Adult Protective Services at 866-800-1409. They also assist with reports of abuse against people with disabilities who are between the ages of 18-59.  

Residents in the area of the new Dollar General in Clinton have been before the Clinton City Council for months now disgruntled over the happenings at the new store on the community's northeast side.

On the WHOW Morning Show Wednesday, Clinton City Administrator Taylor Baxter he has heard personally from residents in that area of the community and is working with those residents to address the concerns they have.

According to Baxter, he has a good working relationship with leadership at the new Dollar General store and plans to discuss the local residents' concerns. He indicates everyone is going to have to get along because Dollar General isn't going anywhere but also Dollar General is coming into the space of those residents on that side of the community.

For Baxter, the dynamic of social media isn't new to him in situations like this where a lot of the conversation happens online instead of with the people 'in the know'. He encourages residents to voice their concerns to the City Council or contact him rather than on social media because that is not where change is going to happen.

Baxter believes keeping up with some of the conversations on the Facebook pages where community members are has helped him in his learning curve of the community. Additionally, he continues to get to know the community and get acclimated to his role as administrator. 

The Monticello marching band is bringing the chill this fall.

Band director Allison Allender says the band year is off to a great start as her Marching Sages will be performing a show called 'Frost' this fall.

Allender is turning to a young core of drum majors to lead the band but she says they all three work very hard and do a great job leading.

The band this year is ahead of schedule from year's past and Allender attributes that to a couple of things. She believes while this is generally a younger group, as we get farther removed from COVID, things continue to return to normal for the program.

Cut: frost3 :

Allender indicates this is a very dedicated group but also a fun group with a lot of goals. She says it has been an enjoyable season so far. 

GOVERNOR J-B PRITZKER VISITED EASTERN ILLINOIS THIS (WEDNESDAY) MORNING TO CELEBRATE THE EXPANSION OF INCOBRASA INDUSTRIES’ MANUFACTURING FACILITY.

THE COMPANY IS AN INDUSTRY LEADER IN SOYBEAN PROCESSING AND THE 250 MILLION DOLLAR PROJECT IN GILMAN WILL BOOST THAT PRESENCE FURTHER SAYS GOVERNOR PRITZKER.

THE PLANT PROCESSES SOYBEANS TO PRODUCE ANIMAL FEED, PACKAGED VEGETABLE OIL AND BIODIESEL.

INCOBRASA’S PROJECT INCLUDES ADDING A NEW STATE OF THE ART SOYBEAN CRUSHING FACILITY AND AN ARRAY OF SOLAR PANELS TO HELP FUEL THE PLANT.

GOVERNOR J-B PRITZKER JOINED THE U-S SECRETARY OF EDUCATION ON THE “BACK TO SCHOOL” BUS TOUR AT A STOP IN SPRINGFIELD WEDNESDAY. 

SECRETARY MIGUEL CARDONA HAS BEEN VISITING SEVERAL SCHOOLS TO KICK OFF FALL CLASSES. AT FAIRVIEW ELEMENTARY IN SPRINGFIELD, HE PRAISED ILLINOIS FOR WHAT HE CALLS “INTENTIONAL COLLABORATION.”

GOVERNOR PRITZKER SAYS THAT’S JUST WHAT ILLINOIS IS DOING…

CARDONA SAID POLITICAL DIVISION IN EDUCATION NEEDS TO END. GOVERNOR PRITZKER SAYS ILLINOIS SETS HIGH STANDARDS FOR STUDENTS AND SENDS MORE FUNDING TO THE SCHOOLS THAT NEED IT MOST.

Tuesday night at the Clinton City Council meeting, Clinton Police Chief Ben Lowers praised the responding officers to Sunday's fatal shooting in rural DeWitt County.

Chief Lowers praised the DeWitt County dispatch center for their response in Sunday's incident just outside of Kenney and praised the team of officers he summoned for backup.

Chief Lowers praised Officer Joe Krasney who was the first on scene Sunday and potentially saved the life of one of the young victims at the scene.

At a time when recruitment and retention of law enforcement officials across the country is at an all-time low, he is proud of everyone on his staff and serving the community.

The suspect in the Sunday crimes was found dead late Monday night of a self-inflicted gunshot wound just on the other side of the Macon/DeWitt County line in northern Macon County. 

There was one fatality in the Sunday incident. It was 78-year-old John Wesley Anderson, who was the suspect's father-in-law. 

Also injured in the incident was Kigan Antonio Munoz - the suspect's son - who was treated for multiple gunshot wounds and is listed in stable condition in Champaign.

The in-school banking program returns today (Wednesday) to Clinton Elementary School thanks to the partnership of two DeWitt County groups.

The First National Bank in Clinton and the Clinton Community Education Foundation, or CCEF, came together last year to get this program up and going in the elementary school. First National Bank Financial Coach Connie Unruh told Regional Radio on the WHOW Morning Show Tuesday this program gets kids started in basic money-saving practices and used to depositing money at a bank.

This program started in the second semester of last year thanks to the collaboration with the CCEF. Unruh explains for students who will be a part of the program and participated last year, all they have to do is bring their money to deposit.

For Unruh, she saw some real creativity out of the students last year and feels it has fostered an entrepreneurial spirit in the students.

While the program resumes today, Unruh says students can join at any time during the school year. She stresses if they are new to the program, they need to have a signed permission slip on file.

Contact Unruh at First National Bank in Clinton for more information. You can call directly at 217-935-7464. 

ILLINOIS TOPSOIL MOISTURE LEVELS FELL THIS PAST WEEK AS WE HEAR IN THE WEEKLY CROP REPORT.

AFTER A COOL AND DRY WEEK, CROP STATISTICIAN MARK SCHLEUSENER SAYS 87 PERCENT OF CORN ACRES HAVE REACHED THE DOUGH STAGE.

SCHLEUSENER SAYS 89 PERCENT OF SOYBEAN ACRES ARE DROPPING LEAVES.

AVERAGE STATEWIDE LEVELS CAME IN AT 22 PERCENT VERY SHORT, 34 PERCENT SHORT AND 44 PERCENT ADEQUATE.

THE THIRD CUTTING OF ALFALFA IS NOW 80 PERCENT COMPLETE.

THE ILLINOIS STATE POLICE IS MAKING CHANGES TO WIDEN THE POOL OF POTENTIAL TROOPERS.

THERE IS NOW ANOTHER PATH FOR CURRENT LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS TO JOIN THE RANKS OF THE STATE POLICE. SERGEANT ALDO SCHUMANN SAYS UNDER OPTION THREE, THE EDUCATION REQUIREMENT WILL BE WAIVED IF THE APPLICANT MEETS CERTAIN REQUIREMENTS.

ADDITIONALLY, OPTION TWO IS BEING EXPANDED TO MAKE MORE VETERANS ELIGIBLE TO APPLY. 

MORE INFORMATION IS AVAILABLE ONLINE AT: ILLINOIS TROOPER DOT COM.

AUGUST WEATHER WAS ABOUT NORMAL IN ILLINOIS, WRAPPING UP A MILD AND DRIER SUMMER. 

ACCORDING TO PRELIMINARY NUMBERS, AUGUST TEMPERATURES WERE PRETTY AVERAGE. THAT’S EVEN WITH THE HEAT WAVE WHERE THE FEELS LIKE TEMP ROSE WELL ABOVE 100 DEGREES. STATEWIDE AVERAGE PRECIPITATION WAS AROUND AN INCH ABOVE NORMAL LAST MONTH, BUT STATE CLIMATOLOGIST TRENT FORD SAYS TOTALS VARIED LOCALLY.

FORD SAYS TOTALS VARIED LOCALLY.

THIS WAS THE 13TH DRIEST SUMMER ON RECORD IN MOLINE WHILE IT WAS ONE OF THE WETTEST IN FAR SOUTHERN ILLINOIS.OIS.

A state lawmaker has filed legislation that would create age-verification requirements for children on the internet. 

State Senator Erica Harriss' Adult Content Age Verification Act, Senate Bill 2950, would require businesses to put in place “reasonable age verification methods” to ensure that individuals entering pornographic websites are indeed of legal age. Harriss says she filed this legislation to help protect children from accessing explicit material intended for adult viewership by requiring more accountability from pornographic websites.

Harriss’ legislation identifies the “reasonable age verification methods” a business must follow, include requiring a government-issued ID or any commercial method that relies on specific transactional data to verify the person is 18 years or older. Businesses would be given 30 days to comply. She hopes to present the bill during the upcoming Fall Veto or Spring sessions.

Moving toward harvest season, which can mean some very stressful times for farmers. The Farm Family Resource Initiative is reminding about the 833-FARM-SOS helpline says the group’s Karen Stallman.

The Farm Family Resource Initiative is a joint program of Southern Illinois University's School of Medicine and the Illinois Department of Agriculture.

A complete government shutdown is less than a month away unless lawmakers can decide on a new funding bill with the clock ticking.

October 1 marks the start of a new fiscal year, but Congress has yet to strike a bipartisan deal. Freshman Democratic lawmaker Eric Sorenson says...

If lawmakers can't find common ground on a new budget, lawmakers could pass a stopgap measure to keep agencies running.

The IRS is warning Illinois residents about a new scam going around. 

Scammers are spoofing IRS letterhead and using it to send out letters that attempt to get you to give up identity information. Lauren Winebrenner with the Internal Revenue Service wants you to be aware...

This new scam is featured on IRS.gov as part of the Dirty Dozen campaign which identifies new and insidious financial scams.

A congresswoman is looking to make sure that the investment in agriculture research happens each year and doesn’t stop growing. 

Democrat Nikki Budzinski says her America Grows Act would make sure that the government’s investment in ag research would grow by 5 percent each year for a decade. She says it’s more critical than ever to keep competitive with the rest of the globe.

Budzinski was recently at the University of Illinois learning about their latest ag research.

The suspect from Sunday's shooting in DeWitt County that left a Kenney man dead has been found deceased in rural Macon County.

On the DeWitt County Sheriff's Facebook page Tuesday morning, around 9 pm Monday evening, authorities were called to the scene of a wind tower in Macon County just south of the DeWitt County line. They found the vehicle driven by Jose De Jesus Gomez Munoz.

Authorities found Munoz deceased from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. 

Sunday afternoon, authorities were summoned to Kenney Road just outside of Kenney around 3:30 pm for an active shooter. It was discovered Munoz had shot his father-in-law, identified as 78-year-old John Wesley Anderson to death, and his son, Kigan Antonio Munoz, was taken for multiple gunshot wounds and is listed in stable condition in Champaign.

Most of the hours following the shooting, authorities asked residents within a two-mile radius of the incident to leave the area or shelter in place as Munoz was at large. 

The Macon County Sheriff's Office, Macon County Coroner, and Illinois State Police will handle the death investigation of Munoz. 

The 2023 edition of the Apple n' Pork Festival is just a few short weeks away.

Joey Long, Executive Director, of the DeWitt County Museum, indicates they are all set for the Apple n' Pork Festival. She is excited about this year's flea market.

Long attributes the increased interest in the flea market is due to the success of the past couple of years in addition to word of mouth. She notes they added more spaces and are happy to welcome new vendors this year.

The Apple n' Pork Festival is Saturday, September 23, and Sunday, September 24 at the C.H. Moore Homestead in Clinton. 

Tickets for an annual event in the Bloomington-Normal area will be going on sale soon.

Candace Summers with the McLean County Museum of History, notes tickets for the 29th annual cemetery walk at Evergreen Cemetery will go on sale Tuesday, September 5.

For those who would like to participate in the cemetery walk but are unable to, Summers indicates they can purchase an online pass to watch a virtual cemetery walk. The museum originally only planned for the virtual walk to be a pandemic substitute, but has decided to keep it going due to the response received.

This year's cemetery walk will feature a tie to Clinton with John Jackson Mayes. Mayes was a photographer based out of Bloomington who for a short time lived and ran a photography studio in Clinton.

Like most cemetery walks, the purpose of the McLean County Museum of History's cemetery walk is to promote cemetery preservation. Summers says before the walk began, Evergreen Cemetery saw a large amount of vandalism. Since then, vandalism has dramatically decreased.

Again, tickets for the cemetery walk go on sale September 5. Tickets are available for purchase at the museum, Evergreen Memorial Cemetery, or online at www.mchistory.org. 

The Evergreen Cemetery Walk will take place on September 30, October 1, 7, and 8. 

The Scovill Zoo's annual Zoorific Evening gala will return on Saturday, September 16.

Scovill Zoo Executive Director Ken Frye told Regional Radio on the WHOW Morning Show Friday, that the gala will serve as the kickoff for a fundraising campaign for a new alligator exhibit.

Frye says the event is an adult-only night and guests can expect a dinner along with animal encounters. Guests can expect to see camels, penguins, cheetahs, pelicans, wolves, and more.

The exhibit the alligators are currently featured in was retrofitted to add the alligators. Frye explains they want to be able to build a new exhibit that is designed for alligators. He notes it will contain a building that the alligators will be in during cold weather and will allow patrons to still be able to see them.

Again, the Zoorific Evening gala will be held on Saturday, September 16, at the Scovill Zoo in Decatur beginning at 5 pm. Tickets are $100 per person. To purchase tickets call (27) 422-5911 or visit decatur-parks.org/scovill-zoo/zoorific-evening-at-scovill-zoo.

The cases against former President Donald Trump are 'politically' motivated; at least, that's the word of a Central Illinois Congressman.

In late August, former President Trump became the first U.S. President to have a mug shot taken. But for Republican Congressman Darin LaHood, the cases are just 'politically' motivated.

Former President Trump faces four separate cases related to classified documents, business fraud, and election interference.

The calendar has turned to September meaning fall agritourism season is ramping up. Many great opportunities says Randy Graham, chairman of the Illinois Specialty Growers Association.

A complete list of Illinois agritourism spots is available online at specialtygrowers.org.

On Sunday, September 3, 2023, at approximately 3:23 pm DeWitt County Cencom received a 911 call of an active shooter at 635 Kenney Road in DeWitt County. Responding Deputies located one of the victims in his vehicle on Illinois Route 54 and Jordan Street in Kenney. The victim had sustained multiple gunshot wounds and was transported to Warner Hospital in Clinton and later transferred to Carle Hospital in Champaign where he remains in stable condition. 4 Other occupants had remained at the scene hiding from the suspect. While speaking with the other victims it was confirmed that a fifth person still at the scene had been fatally wounded. Law enforcement was successful in safely getting the 4 hidden victims to safety.

Through the investigation, the DeWitt County Sheriff's Office has identified the suspect as Jose De Jesus Gomez Munoz, a Hispanic male 5 feet 6 inches tall and 165 pounds with black hair and brown eyes. Mr. Muoz is believed to have left the scene in a White 2019 Honda Accord bearing Illinois registration of DT 50632. He should be considered armed and dangerous, please do not confront or approach him.

Munoz is wanted for Murder and several other charges pertaining to this incident.

All suspects are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

The DeWitt County Friendship Center will be the beneficiary of the Baum Chevrolet Buick Apple n' Pork Sunday car show later this month and Friendship Center leadership says the fundraiser will help them reach their goal of getting a new roof.

On the WHOW Morning Show Friday, Executive Director Paula Jiles told Regional Radio it is a very exciting opportunity to be the beneficiary of the annual car show at the Clinton dealership.

According to Jiles, there are a number of projects that need attention at the Friendship Center. They've started to update the backdoor of the Center to an ADA-compliant entrance. They've updated security and the roof project will be next. She says the County's ARPA funds have been extremely helpful.

Jiles indicates the roof of the Friendship Center is in pretty rough shape with a few leaks they have to put buckets under in the building. 

In the event the Baum car show doesn't get them all the way to their goal for the roof, they will continue fundraising this fall. 

The car show is on Sunday of the Apple n' Pork Festival, Sept. 24 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Baum Chevrolet Buick in Clinton. 

The DeWitt County Board is seeking to sell the Clinton Lake Marina and that process is ongoing.

DeWitt County Board Chair Dan Matthews indicated at the August DeWitt County Board meeting will not renew its lease with the current leaseholder, 1125 Property Management. He says this is a standard action at this time of the year.

The Department of Natural Resources seems to have the most momentum in terms of the best fit from public perception. Matthews says the County will do its due diligence in reviewing all proposals from those interested.

In July, Matthews indicated he hoped to have the request for proposal call out and those proposals received by November. 

A statewide breakdown of cash rent data has been released for Illinois.

Mark Schleusener is with the USDA National Agriculture Statistics Service.

Social Security is promoting a section of its website where those interested can keep up with the latest in Social Security news and information.

It's called the 'Communications Corner' and Jack Myers at Social Security says once there you will find the latest news for the media, advocate community, and the public.

Among the new features is an audio series called “SSA Talks” and Myers points out episodes include a fact sheet and transcript. The transcript provides more information about working at Social Security. 

On the SSA Talks page, there is a link where you can subscribe to receive alerts about future episodes. You can also access the Social Security blog, Social Security Matters, newsletter, bulletins, and more from the “Communications Corner”.

An Illinois high school football historian continues to update a list of winning programs. Kev Varney researches plenty of data.

The first high school football game in Illinois dates back to 1885—involving the Illinois School for the Deaf in Jacksonville taking on a local college.

Dewitt County Sheriff's Office and multiple assisting law enforcement agencies are actively investigating an active shooter incident that occurred just south of Kenney, IL on Kenney Road at approximately 3:23 p.m. The lone male suspect is still at large, believed to still be in the area and is considered armed and extremely dangerous. Everyone is asked to avoid the entire Kenney and surrounding area while law enforcement works to mitigate this ongoing situation. Sheriff Walker requests that everyone within a two (2) mile radius of Kenney shelter in place, or safely evacuate the area if able. Lock doors, stay safe and report any suspicious activity immediately by calling 911. More information will be released as it becomes available.

It felt more like a late-September week than late August this week. It's going to feel like an early-August week rather than the first week of September. State climatologist Trent Ford has more...

Illinois Congresswoman Nikki Budzinski is right at home with the Farm Progress Show this week. Decatur sits within her Congressional district. Among the bills she promoted this week was the Next Generation Fuels Act.

Budzinski serves on the House Ag Committee.

State runner-up Tri-Valley visits Clinton tonight for what the Maroons hope would be a statement win for the program.

It comes on the heels of a rollercoaster week and Coach Ron Bass says despite all the ups-and-downs of last week, his team handled it all very well as they rolled Tremont 40-6.

There were a lot of positives from the opening week win including senior quarterback Mason Walker's ability to run the football effectively. Coach Bass says there is a noticeable difference in his game this year.

This week the Maroons will need to stop the run and limit the turnovers.

Coach Bass was the defensive coordinator at Tri-Valley before coming to Clinton as the head coach and says he doesn't know what to expect. He says the kids on that team are kids that are friends his sons and he knows very well so he just doesn't know what to expect from an emotional perspective.

Game time is 7 pm. Weather is looking perfect for Friday night and all the action can be heard on WHOW and its many online platforms.

Central Illinois Conference matchups

Carlyle at Tuscola

Eureka at Shelbyville

Meridian at LeRoy

Marshall at Central A & M

Warrensburg-Latham at Tremont

The Clinton Lady Maroons got off to a strong start with a first set win but Heyworth recovered and rallied to win the next two and took down Clinton 21-25, 30-28, and 25-22 in non-conference high school girl's volleyball action Thursday evening from Clinton High School. 

Blue Ridge was able to dispatch DeLand-Weldon in two sets, 25-21 and 25-20 from DeLand-Weldon High School Thursday in non-conference high school girl's volleyball action. 

Phoebe Reynolds led the Lady Knights with seven kills, five aces and nine digs. Lexi Phelps recorded five kills.

Alissa Edwards had 15 assists, five digs and three kills while Ava Hammer recorded 12 digs and a pair of assists.

Blue Ridge improves to 3-5 overall. 

El Nino is giving fall forecasters a difficult time pinning down what the next several months may look like.

We're going to usher in September on a warmer note but according to Ed Shimon at the National Weather Service in Lincoln, the remainder of the fall looks to be up in the air at this point.

Shimon explains when we get to this time of the year, the remnants of tropical storms in the Gulf can sweep up into the midwest giving us a sudden soaking of rain.

Shimon anticipates a warmer and drier winter thanks to the developing El Nino signal. He explains while will trend drier, when precipitation does come our way, it could very well come in the form of ice.

Temperatures will hover around 90 degrees throughout the holiday weekend but then the signals fall off to equal chances of above or below-normal temperatures and precipitation for the rest of the first part of September. 

Warrensburg-Latham Schools have done an overhaul of its mission statement.

Superintendent Cheryl Warner explains this was about a year's process and they want to see not just staff and administration involved in carrying out the mission statement, but students and families as well.

According to Warner, they have tried to do a lot of outreach to make sure everyone is aware of the new mission statement and why it is important to the district.

Many districts face a variety of polarizing topics, often centered around the curriculum. Warner admits this was a topic recently and so they set expectations on how to communicate when it comes to topics not everyone sees eye-to-eye on.

Warner believes Warrensburg-Latham Schools does a good job of analyzing its data and using it to make curriculum decisions and that is part of its new mission statement. 

Thousands of asylum-seeking migrants are now living in Illinois and with plenty of unfilled jobs in the state, leaders both elected and in business want those people to get to work. 

But asylum seekers aren’t legally allowed to work right away, the legal limbo they live in leaves them getting by on meager safety-net services or working illegally and subject to possible exploitation. 

That’s why a group of elected officials and business groups are asking for the Federal Government to allow migrants to have access to state work permits. In Illinois, the Governor, Mayor of Chicago and others want to be able to offer a work permit. Mark Denzler of the Illinois Manufacturers Association says everyone would benefit.

The letter is also asking for access to work permits for long-term undocumented workers.

LABOR DAY TRAFFIC ENFORCEMENT IS UNDERWAY IN ILLINOIS.

STATE AND LOCAL POLICE Are BOOSTING PATROLS IN HOPES OF KEEPING THE ROADS SAFE THIS WEEKEND SAYS ILLINOIS DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION SPOKESPERSON PAUL WAPPEL.

WAPPEL SAYS IF YOU'RE PLANNING TO DRINK THIS WEEKEND, YOU SHOULD FIGURE OUT AHEAD OF TIME HOW YOU'RE GOING TO GET HOME SAFELY.

WAPPEL SAYS IF YOU SEE WHAT LOOKS TO BE A DRUNK DRIVER, YOU CAN CALL 9-1-1 AND REPORT THE VEHICLE TO THE POLICE.

THE ILLINOIS LIQUOR CONTROL COMMISSION IS WARNING ABOUT THE DANGERS OF DRUNK DRIVING A BOAT. 

JUST LIKE ON LAND, SOMEONE OPERATING A BOAT WHO HAS HAD TOO MUCH TO DRINK CAN BE CITED FOR DRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCE. AND BESIDES GETTING A COSTLY TICKET, THE OFFENSE CAN BE DEADLY SAYS COMMISSION EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR LISA GARDNER.

GARDNER SAYS DRUNK BOATING IS ONE OF THE MOST COMMON CITATIONS ISSUED EACH YEAR. THE TOP OFFENSE IS NOT FOLLOWING LIFEJACKET LAWS.

THE U-S COAST GUARD SAYS DRUNK BOATING IS THE LEADING CONTRIBUTOR TO FATAL BOATING ACCIDENTS ACROSS THE COUNTRY.

ILLINOIS SECRETARY OF STATE ALEXI GIANNOULIAS' NEW "SKIP THE LINE PROGRAM" IS NOW IN EFFECT IN ILLINOIS' BUSIEST D-M-V'S. 

44 FACILITIES, INCLUDING THOSE IN CHICAGO, THE SUBURBS AND SOME IN CENTRAL AND DOWNSTATE ILLINOIS NOW REQUIRE PEOPLE TO MAKE AN APPOINTMENT TO GET THE REAL I-D, A NEW DRIVER'S LICENSE OR I-D CARD OR TO TAKE A DRIVING TEST. SECRETARY GIANNOULIAS SAYS IT'S ALL ABOUT CONVENIENCE AND SAVING PEOPLE TIME.

ADDITIONALLY, ALL ILLINOIS D-M-V'S ARE EXTENDING HOURS AND ARE NOW OPEN FROM EIGHT A-M TO 5:30 P-M. 15 FACILITIES WILL BE OPEN SIX DAYS A WEEK, INCLUDING A HALF A DAY ON SATURDAY.

GIANNOULIAS URGES THE PUBLIC TO TAKE CARE OF WHAT THEY CAN ONLINE, SUCH AS RENEWING A LICENSE PLATE STICKER. THE WEBSITE IS: IL SOS DOT GOV.