The City of Clinton is turning the space formerly known as the Roque Court Peace Park into a toddler park.

On the WHOW Morning Show Wednesday, Clinton City Administrator Tony Harris told the Hart Media Group the project was spearheaded by Public Works Director Steve Lobb, who worked alongside the city council to secure funding for the development in the current municipal budget. 

The inspiration for the project stems from a desire to safely accommodate different age groups within the community's recreational areas. According to Harris, Director Lobb recognized a need to separate smaller children from older kids playing at the nearby Kiwanis Park. 

Harris anticipates the park being ready for use this summer.

Residents may remember, about a decade ago, the Clinton High School Class of '73 renovated that space for Roque court. While underutilized in recent years, the space offers a pergola and benches along with custom-fit fencing. 

The cost of the project was approved at a cost of just under $100,000.
 

With the summer boating season about to kick into high gear this Memorial Day weekend, local outdoor authorities are sending along annual reminders about the consumption of alcohol in those watercrafts. 

Department of Natural Resources Conservation Police Officer Noah Workman explains that extended exposure to summer heat can rapidly deplete a boater's water storage, making consistent hydration essential.  

While State law permits the consumption of alcohol on a boat, operators must strictly adhere to legal impairment limits. Officer Workman emphasizes that impairment thresholds fluctuate heavily from person to person, and individuals can display distinct signs of slurred speech and coordination issues well below the legal 0.08 blood alcohol concentration mark.

Officer Workman reminds that, unlike traditional motor vehicles, boats feature open compartments without seatbelts. Because a boat is subjected to constant fluid motion and pivoting on open water, impaired decision-making or sudden impacts drastically increase the probability of an occupant being violently thrown and ejected from the vessel.

Furthermore, alcohol heavily impairs reaction times and crucial judgment calls regarding right-of-way navigation when encountering oncoming vessels. Operators are urged to consume water between drinks or step back from navigating entirely if they begin to feel any effects of alcohol.

Conservation police will continue actively patrolling local waterways throughout the seasonal stretch to enforce standard safety protocols, including life jackets, proper throwables, and OUI regulations.
 

Prices at the pump remain at record levels across Illinois as many fuel up their cars for one of the busiest travel days of the year.

As the war in Iran lingers on, Patrick DeHaan, the Head of Petroleum Analysis at GasBuddy, reports prices will remain at record levels as long as the Strait of Hormuz remains closed.

Last week, Illinois set a record for diesel prices, with the average price above six dollars a gallon.

While the U.S. continues to tap the Strategic Petroleum Reserve, DeHaan reports, the level in reserves is now under 375 million barrels.
 

The summer grilling season is upon us, and a local food safety expert is offering some annual reminders to keep those foodborne illnesses out of sight and out of mind.

For many households, grills are coming out of sheds or garages after months of storage. Caitlin Mellendorf, Nutrition Educator with the University of Illinois Extension in DeWitt, Macon, and Piatt Counties emphasizes before any cooking begins, the grill must be thoroughly cleaned of dust and debris. 

The first step, cleaning, requires washing hands with soap and water. Mellendorf is stressing the importance of handwashing - especially critical when transitioning between separate kitchen tasks, such as switching from preparing side salads to handling raw meats.

The second pillar focuses on separating raw meats from other items to avoid cross-contamination. Mellendorf warns that raw chicken or ground beef must stay completely isolated from utensils, cutting boards, and ready-to-eat foods. 

We'll have more with Mellendorf later this week about making sure those cooking surfaces are also a safe zone, as an unclean or unscraped cooking surface can also cause problems when dealing with different proteins. 

The USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline is available toll-free at 1-888-MPHotline, or 1-888-674-6854. You can also email MPHotline@usda.gov, or a live chat option is available via www.ask.usda.gov

The USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline is manned weekdays, Monday through Friday, from 10 am to 6 pm ET.
 

A Piatt County nonprofit is introducing a new collaborative effort to provide local support, education, and resources.

On the WHOW Morning Show Tuesday, Executive Director of the Piatt County Mental Health Center, Tony Kirkman, told the Hart Media Group the Piatt County Mental Health Initiative brings together local non-profits, healthcare providers, and small businesses to design a community-wide approach to emotional well-being.

The initiative features specialized workshops held every Wednesday in May, covering topics such as emotional wellness, mindfulness, trauma-informed care for first responders, and suicide awareness. 

Among a great deal of local participation, Kirkman indicates that high school and middle school students in Monticello have created custom coffee sleeves featuring messages of hope and encouragement, which are currently being utilized at local coffee shops.

The broad involvement from schools, civic organizations, and local business owners underscores a shared commitment to keeping mental health support strictly localized. Kirkman emphasized that utilizing local strengths to meet community needs allows neighbors to better support and take care of one another.

Find the Piatt County Mental Health Center on Facebook for more about this initiative and the happenings in real-time. 
 

A local school district is working to return to normal after being faced with significant damage due to a severe weather event. 

DeLand-Weldon Schools Superintendent Dr. Michael Tresnak explains that just a few weeks ago, they were frantically moving items out of classrooms and trying to minimize water damage after part of the elementary school roof was damaged in a severe storm.

Dr. Tresnak states that after two days of hard work from the community, they were able to bring students back into the building and resume in-person education in other, non-damaged classrooms. 

The district is fortunate not to be taking a large financial hit due to the damage. Dr. Tresnak indicates that working with insurance has been easy, the roof is already repaired, and the calendar for the district only had to be pushed back by a single day. 

Dr. Tresnak is very grateful to everyone involved in getting the district back on track as they finalize repairs and recover from the damage. Learn more about DeLand-Weldon Schools at dwschools.org or by finding the district on Facebook. 
 

As the unofficial kickoff to the summer boating season approaches with Memorial Day weekend, the Illinois Department of Natural Resources is reminding boaters to prioritize safety equipment alongside mechanical prep.

DNR Conservation Police Officer Noah Workman notes that while boat owners are often eager to get their vessels onto the water, they frequently overlook required safety items after a winter in storage. Life jackets, fire extinguishers, and throwable flotation devices remain a few of the most common violations on the water. 

According to State regulations, every boat must be equipped with at least one Coast Guard-approved life jacket per occupant, and crucially, those jackets must properly fit the passengers on board. Officer Workman emphasizes that a life jacket cannot perform its function if it is sized incorrectly for the individual wearing it.

We'll have more with Officer Workman throughout the week leading up to the busy Memorial Day holiday boating season in Illinois.