Area News
Young Tuscolian sets his eyes to the sky
By Dominik Stallings Tuscolian Hunter Branca received the $11,000 Ray Aviation Scholarship from the Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) Chapter 29 in Champaign. Branca is the second person to be awarded the scholarship from Chapter 29. Noelle Ramaly was the first person awarded and finished her final test a day before Branca was announced as the…
Read MoreNew water-bottle filling station for North Ward
North Ward Elementary will be one of 70 Illinois schools to receive new water bottle-filling stations as part of the H2O On the Go grant program, an initiative created by Delta Dental of Illinois Foundation and Illinois Children’s Healthcare Foundation to encourage students to drink more water. Illinois elementary, middle, and high schools selected statewide…
Read MoreTuscola says ‘yes’ to another RC-Fest
By David Porter Adam Munds was back in front of the Tuscola City Council Monday to seek permission to plan another RC Fest for next summer. The festival showcases remote-controlled cars, trucks and boats. Munds said it’s good, family fun. He plans on bringing back the monster truck demonstration, and he wants to add a…
Read MoreTuscola man injured in ADM explosion
By Dominik Stallings Eight people, including a Tuscola man, Yoan Heredia, were injured in an explosion at 7:11 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 10, at the Archer Daniels Midland (ADM) plant in Decatur. Ambulances transported six of the eight injured to Decatur Memorial Hospital. Medivac helicopters later transported four to a trauma center at Springfield Memorial Hospital.…
Read More5-Star Villa Grove State Bank
BauerFinancial, Inc., the Nation’s premier bank rating firm, announced that Villa Grove State Bank has earned its top (5-Star) rating for financial strength and stability. This marks the 136 consecutive quarter that Villa Grove State Bank has earned Bauer’s recommendation (5-Stars or 4-Stars). This latest rating was assigned in September 2023 based on June 30,…
Read MoreIntroducing Villa Grove school district’s new teachers
By Tony Hooker Emma Harris Emma Harris recently began her career at Villa Grove as a special education teacher. She recently took a few minutes to answer some questions about herself. Where did you graduate from High School? College? Arthur Lovington Atwood Hammond High School. University of Illinois Urbana Champaign When did you know…
Read MoreVilla Grove Community Center slated for November
The Villa Grove City Council met Aug. 28 for a regular meeting. Mayor Cassandra Eversole-Gunter called the role at 6:09 p.m. and found that Alderman Matthew Pangburn and Chief of Police Robert Rea were absent. The Council then heard from Administrator Jacki Athey, who noted that she had found the economic development conference to be…
Read MoreThe vine of drug addiction
Local family shares stories on Overdose Awareness Day By Dominik Stallings “Because the problem with addiction is that it creeps in. It gets in all the little cracks and crevices, just like the roots of a vine. It shoves itself in every single tiny space that it can and tries as hard as it can…
Read MoreTuscola 4-H youth and his steer win Grand Champion
By Dominik Stallings During the Illinois State Fair, Maddox Reedy’s steer was chosen to be the Grand Champion Land of Lincoln steer in the junior livestock division. “I think my steer … stood out the most because of his deep rib and muscle, and how good he also walked and how wide topped he was,”…
Read MoreTuscola looks for competitve insurance quotes
By Dominik Stallings Tuscola City Council approved sending a notice of potential withdrawal to the Illinois Municipal League Risk Management Association (IMLRMA) to find better insurance rates. City Administrator Drew Hoel said the city has been a member of the IMLRAMA for over 20 years. According to Hoel’s report, the city solicited competitive bids for…
Read More