A vision of Clinton Mayor Helen Michelassi officially gets off the ground this weekend.
The first Clinton home to be taken up by the block-by-block program will be the focus of local volunteers. Mayor Michelassi indicates they will begin work on the first of three approved houses for the program this weekend.
Mayor Michelassi promoted this program during her campaign in March of 2025. She indicates it mirrors a similar successful program in Decatur.
Farmer City has been wading through red tape as they await permits from the Illinois Department of Transportation on the I-74 project.
City Manager Halley Roberson says slow progress is being made on the project near I-74. She adds the big picture is constructing rental properties to help with the need for housing in DeWitt County. Plans could also include a strip mall or gas station.
This project is another piece of ongoing economic development efforts happening not only in Farmer City but all throughout DeWitt County.
After a pretty wet week in central Illinois, scattered rain chances are going to persist for another week.
On the WHOW Morning Show Friday, Ed Shimon at the National Weather Service in Lincoln told the Hart Media Group this week's rain dropped up to three-quarters of an inch of rain in some places.
According to Shimon, chances of rain are going to persist this weekend, with it remaining pretty humid.
Next at the Hart Media Group, we'll hear from Shimon on those persistent rain chances through the week, the outlook for the ten days of the Illinois State Fair, the fall outlooks, and much more.
Visit weather.gov/Lincoln for all things local weather forecasts and data.
The Lincoln Police Department is gearing up for a busy August.
Lincoln Police Chief Joe Meister indicates the Railsplitter Festival this year is moving to the same weekend as the 'Balloons Over 66' event and 'Up in Smoke' BBQ competition on the square.
According to Chief Meister, the balloon launches for 'Balloons Over 66' always draws a big crowd. Last year was the first year for some changes in traffic on Lincoln's east side where a majority of watchers congregate.
Before the big weekend for the trio of events in town, students will be getting back to class. Chief Meister indicates there are a couple of areas where they see traffic patterns get congested.
Chief Meister encourages following the City of Lincoln and the Lincoln Police Department on Facebook for further information on the happenings for all the events in Lincoln during August.
The Illinois Back-to-School State Tax Holiday opens today and runs through August 16. It waives the state sales tax on back-to-school necessities. This 10-day period is expected to provide an estimated $10 million in savings to online and in-store consumers on essential back-to-school items, including clothing, footwear, and school supplies. During the tax holiday, the state will waive its 5% sales tax on qualifying purchases. Any applicable local sales tax will continue to apply. Rob Karr is President and CEO of the Illinois Retail Merchants Association.
Qualifying clothing and footwear with a retail selling price of less than $125 per item are eligible for the reduced tax rate. Examples of qualifying items include shirts, pants, dresses, shoes, and other everyday clothing items. Qualifying school supplies, including items such as notebooks, folders, binders, pens, pencils, and calculators, are also eligible for the reduced tax rate. There is no price limit on qualifying school supplies.
This year’s Illinois State Fair theme is “Miles of Smiles” to commemorate historic Route 66’s centennial. State Fair Manager Rebecca Clark says if you’re visiting the state fair Aug. 13-23 be sure to make time for the Route 66 Experience.
The Illinois State Fairgrounds are the only state fairgrounds in the country that sit along historic Route 66.
Awareness is one of the most important efforts when it comes to helping those who struggle with mental health, alerting the public to the local resources that can help.
Tony Kirkman with the Piatt County Mental Health Center explains that in October, the 708 board is bringing in the 'Hidden Threats Trailer', in partnership with the Illinois National Guard and Monticello Fire Department. It is an effort to inform parents of the warning signs of youth substance abuse or struggles with mental health.
Farmers are an at-risk group that often go unseen when it comes to mental health issues. With many uncontrollable variables that can affect a farmer's livelihood, farmers often struggle with high stress levels. Kirkman says they need to encourage the farming community to seek out help when needed.
Nearing the next fiscal year, Kirkman indicates the 708 Board will be looking for more services that residents can take advantage of. He points out, they recently refreshed the list of resources on the organization's website.
Go to 708piatt.org or find the Piatt County 708 Board on Facebook to learn more about the resources offered and their latest initiatives.
