Last week, the Clinton School Board announced the Hiring of Chuck Nagel as the interim Superintendent. 

Board Member Chris Hammer told the Hart Media Group that now that an interim has been hired, they are beginning the search for a permanent Superintendent to fill the role. He says the board is not limiting itself to searching internally or externally exclusively. 

Nagel and the future superintendent will be coming into the district during a season of transition. From new elementary administrators and the elementary restructuring to upcoming contract negotiations, the district is in need of a strong leader. 

The 2026-27 School year will be the last for retiring high school principal Jerry Wayne and assistant principal Bob Svencner, and Hammer indicates that they plan to take a similar approach for that hunt. 

Nagel has years of teaching and administrative experience, including in the Clinton School District. 

Keep up with all the latest from Clinton Schools by finding them on Facebook or by visiting cusd15.org. 
 

E-bikes are surging in popularity on the streets of communities across the country as a way for legal transportation for those who are identification-challenged or for those who are seeking a cheaper source of transportation.  

But as e-bikes gain more popularity across the country, the attention to the rules of the road is causing a disturbance on busy community roads. Clinton Police Chief Ben Lowers explains that while e-bikes do not require a driver's license, operators are legally obligated to obey the flow of traffic, ride on the far right side of the roadway, and use proper hand signals.

Chief Lowers points out his department has received a steady stream of complaints regarding e-bikes weaving through intersections and darting through parking lots. In response, they will be ramping up traffic enforcement around e-bikes to prevent a serious accident from occurring.

The Chief reminds the public that e-bikes are prohibited from being ridden on city sidewalks due to the danger they pose to pedestrians. He urges both youth and adult riders to practice defensive driving habits.

Because e-bikes operate virtually silently compared to motorcycles, Chief Lowers stresses that riders must remain highly visible and cautious, as larger vehicles are often not conditioned to spot them at intersections.

Several law enforcement officials in central Illinois have talked recently with the Hart Media Group about this growing trend in their communities and how they are addressing it.
 

After a wet start to July and then a massive heatwave, things might moderate going forward.

Ed Shimon at the National Weather Service indicates the precipitation outlook is not showing any above-normal chances for rainfall for the rest of the month.

Daylight begins to slightly diminish later in July, while average temperatures remain pretty steady throughout the month.

Getting past August, Shimon says there is not much indicating we could be headed for a flash drought as the harvest season soon approaches. Additionally, the temperature signal for August through October is showing below normal - a rarity.

Visit weather.gov/Lincoln for the latest in forecasts, weather data, and outlooks. 
 

Losing a parent is one of the most difficult experiences a child can face.

Along with the emotional challenges, families often must navigate new financial realities. Jack Myers with Social Security says that what you may not realize is that Social Security can help support children through monthly survivor benefits.

If a parent worked and paid into Social Security, their surviving children should be eligible for monthly survivor benefits. In order to qualify, the surviving child must be unmarried and under the age of 18; unmarried and under the age of 19 but still a full-time high school student; or unmarried and disabled before age 22.  

To learn more about these benefits, visit www.ssa.gov/survivor or go to the publications section and look for 'Benefits for Children'.  
 

The CH Moore Homestead is inviting the community out to have as much ice cream as they care to enjoy. 

On the WHOW Morning Show Friday, CH Moore Homestead Executive Director Joey Long told the Hart Media Group that this Sunday from 2 to 5 PM, they will be hosting the "Old Fashioned Ice Cream Social," which will feature live music from the duo Peaches & Bacon, horse-drawn carriage rides, and of course, free ice cream. 

If rain does not permit gathering on the front lawn of the Homestead, the event will be moved to the carriage barn. Learn more about the event at chmoorehomestead.org or by finding them on Facebook.

More housing is needed for DeWitt County communities to ensure they have the living space to bring in new residents and growth. 

Executive Director of the DeWitt County Development Council, Curt Homann, told the Hart Media Group that more rental units as well as single-family homes are coming to communities like Clinton and Farmer City. 

Homann attributes the national need for more housing to the ever-increasing costs of construction and other expenditures that come with being a homeowner. 

Housing development has been a long-standing discussion at the city and county levels of local government in the area. 
 

After the departure of Drew Goebel as Superintendent of the Clinton School District, the School Board has announced his temporary replacement. 

Board Member Chris Hammer told the Hart Media Group that many community members may remember Chuck Nagel as a teacher or coach, and now he is stepping into the role of Clinton Schools' Interim Superintendent. 

Hammer says the Board did their due diligence when it came to the hunt for an interim; however, it was Nagel's experience and glowing reviews from others that set him apart. 

Nagel joins the district in a very busy state as new administrators take the helm through the elementary restructuring. 

We'll have more next week with Hammer from the Hart Media Group on how Nagel will lead the district through these projects, and how they will take up the search for a permanent superintendent.