HSHS Hospice Illinois invites community members to join them for a butterfly release ceremony at HSHS St. Francis Hospital on Thursday, June 2 at 5:30 p.m. in the circle drive in front of the hospital, by the St. Francis statue.

Shawna O’Dell, director of post-acute care, shared, “The butterfly represents the transformation of the spirit as our loved ones transition from this life. We look forward to sharing in this special time with the families in our communities.”

Family and friends are invited to celebrate and remember the life of a loved one who has passed. The ceremony will include a butterfly release and the reading of the names of those being honored.  

If you would like to participate in the ceremony, please RSVP to Valerie Engelbart, volunteer/bereavement coordinator, at 217-685-0702 or email valerie.engelbart@hshs.org.  Butterflies will be released for all of those honored, but you are invited to personally release a butterfly for your loved one by reserving a butterfly for $15 to be paid prior to the ceremony.

For more information about HSHS St. Francis Hospital, visit stfrancis-litchfield.org.

Earl Flack has really outdone himself this time. In case you weren’t sure what kind of clout McKay Auto Parts has with international auto parts giant Napa, question no more. The most popular driver in Nascar’s Cup Series for four straight years and the 2020 Cup Champion is coming to town. Chase Elliott with the Hendricks Motorsports #9 car will appear at the new McKay Napa Auto Parts Distribution Center in Litchfield next Friday (June 3rd) during an event from 11 to 1 featuring food trucks, autographs and kids activities. Elliot tt will take part in a meet and greet from 11:30 to 12:30. Elliott will be in the area to race at Madison’s Worldwide Technology Raceway for the Inaugural Enjoy Illinois 300. The Distribution Center is located at 120 South Industrial Drive.  

The City of Hillsboro will have dumpsters available from 7:30 am to 2:30 pm Thursday, May 26 th ,through Saturday, May 28 th for residents who wish to dispose of household items. The dumpsters will be at the City maintenance building, 722 City Lake Rd., at the entrance to the Old Lake Park. Residents must check in at the maintenance office and provide proof of residency in order to use the service. Each household is limited to one truck load of items. Items that will not be accepted are; tires, paint cans, batteries, electronic equipment, large appliances and household garbage. Please call 217-532-5566 if you have any questions.

U.S. Rep. Rodney Davis (R-III.) announced today that he is accepting applications from students who wish to seek a congressional nomination to one of our nation's service academies for the Class of 2027. Davis can nominate to the following academies: U.S. Air Force Academy (USAFA), U.S. Military Academy (USMA), U.S. Naval Academy (USNA), or the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy (USMMA). His office will also be hosting a Service Academy Day informational event for interested students, parents, and school officials with the office of U.S. Rep. Darin LaHood in Springfield on Saturday, June 18th. More details below and registration is required. 

Service academies offer fully funded four-year scholarships to young U.S. citizens with a desire to serve their country, who qualify by age and academics, who demonstrate desirable leadership qualities, and who have the wherewithal to strive for excellence in all their endeavors. A four-year education at one of the service academies has an estimated value of approximately $300,000. 

“As a Member of Congress, each year I have the honor of nominating well-qualified, accomplished young men and women to our nation’s service academies,” said Davis. "I encourage any student interested to visit my website, call my office, or attend our event to get the process started.” 

Application Information: 

To receive an application or for more information about the nomination process visit rodneydavis.house.gov/service-academy and submit your information or call Davis' Champaign office at (217) 403-4690. 

Event Information: 

WHAT: Service Academy Day hosted by Offices of U.S. Reps. Rodney Davis (IL-13) and Darin LaHood (IL-18) 

WHEN: Saturday, June 18th, 10:00am-12:00pm, doors open at 9:30am 

WHERE: Springfield Air National Guard, 183d Wing, 3101 J. David Jones Parkway, Springfield, IL 

WHO: Students, parents, school counselors are invited to join congressional staff and representatives from the service academies 

RSVP: Registration is required by June 15th to enter the Air National Guard facility. E-mail Rachel.Kaiser@mail.house.gov or call (217) 403-4690 to register. 

Keep an eye out for our pavement stripe painting crew working today in Montgomery Co. They will be on Illinois routes 185, 127 and 16. 

The FBI and Crimestoppers are looking to crack the case of a costly arson spree last month at a pipeline repair site in Harvel. On or around midnight on April 21,  someone gained access to an excavator owned by Vance and Associates, Inc. using it to destroy a trailer and a sandblaster. The subject(s) then set fire to the excavator and a semi-tractor trailer resulting in several hundred thousand dollars of damage. A reward of up to $10,000 is being offered by Vance and Associates, Inc. for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person(s) responsible for this crime. If you have information regarding this incident call FBI Springfield at 217-522-9675, email: springfield@fbi.gov, or contact Macoupin/Montgomery County Crimestoppers at 800-352-0136. 

Residents in the Litchfield community and surrounding areas will have the opportunity to receive free dental services at Litchfield Family Dentistry on Friday, May 20. 

Dr. Apok Gupta and team at Litchfield Family Dentistry will be improving the oral health of the community as part of Free Dentistry Day, a day dedicated to providing free dental care to the growing number of Americans without dental insurance. According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, approximately 108 million Americans are living without dental insurance. 

“We understand that many people in our community and across the nation haven’t been to the dentist for a long period of time. Some don’t understand the importance of dental health, but more often than not, they don’t have the financial means,” said Dr. Gupta. “This event is a great opportunity for us to share our time and resources with those less fortunate and give back to the community.” 

There is increasing evidence that links oral health to overall health and well-being. The signs and symptoms of over 100 medical conditions, including diabetes, HIV/AIDS, Lou Gehrig’s disease and oral cancer may first be detected through traditional oral examinations. 

“Dental health is a vital part of a person’s overall health,” said Dr. Gupta. “Through this event, we hope to educate patients on the importance of dental health and encourage them to adopt an ongoing oral care regimen.” 

During Free Dentistry Day, cleanings, fillings and extractions will be provided to patients on Friday, May 20, between 8 a.m. and 12 p.m. at 620 West Union in Litchfield. Patients will be accepted on a first-come, first-served basis. For more information, please call 217-324-3431 or visit www.FreeDentistryDay.org. 

“It’s very gratifying to see the impact that events like Free Dentistry Day can have on the life of a person. While we’re changing their life, they’re changing ours,” said Dr. Gupta. 

About Litchfield Family Dentistry 

Dr. Apok Gupta and team are proud to serve the Litchfield community, providing first-class general, cosmetic and restorative dentistry and outstanding patient service. For more information or to schedule an appointment, please call 217-324-3431 or visit http://LitchfieldFamilyDentistry.com/. 

It seems so safe when it comes to the eye test, traveling along on your mower at speeds that would never test the speed limit if you were on the highway. But tragically, maintaining lawns and grass has its share of dangers. That was proven again over the weekend when a Rural Hillsboro man was killed in a mowing accident. 72-year-old Fred Roach was killed Saturday night when he became pinned beneath the mower on Old Litchfield Trail, four miles west of Hillsboro. He was pronounced dead at the scene by the Mongomery County Coroner’s Office.  

A Carlinville motorcyclist loses his life in a Route 108 crash, just west of I-55. 49-year-old Ronald Schaaf was trying to pass a pair of vehicles when his motorcycle collided with a truck hauling a box trailer just before 6pm Wednesday. The box truck driver was turning left onto East Second Street as Schaaf approached. He was pronounced dead at the scene. The crash shut down the highway for some four hours as police investigated.  The driver of the truck, Harold K. Schmidt, 57, of Carlinville, was not injured. There are no indications of citations.  

It was a long evening in the muggy conditions for Litchfield residents impacted by an Ameren power outage last night. Nearly 1200 customers were impacted by the outage that began In the late afternoon. About 500 were back on by 5:40 pm. Roughly 250 were back on around 1:;30 pm as Ameren crews rerouted power to the impacted residents. . The last customers were expected to see power restored by 2 a.m. The Issue appears to be a fault on the power lines.

Taylorville, IL - U.S. Representative Rodney Davis (R-IL) has announced that his staff will be holding a series of Traveling Help Desks in May. Traveling Help Desks are held while Congress is in session to ensure constituents in every corner of the district have an opportunity to connect with staff if they need help with a federal agency or have questions about legislation. Traveling Help Desks will take place in Bond, Champaign, Christian, DeWitt, Greene, Jersey, Macon, Madison, and Montgomery counties. The details can be found below and on Davis' website, rodneydavis.house.gov. 

 Details for Constituents 

The office of Congressman Rodney Davis will be hosting a series of Traveling Help Desks with congressional staff in May. If you need assistance with a federal agency, have policy issues you would like to discuss or just want to say hi, please stop by to meet with them. We encourage you to make an appointment in advance of these help desks. To do so, please contact the appointment number listed with the help desk you wish to attend. 

Montgomery County 

Litchfield Traveling Help Desk 

WHEN: Tuesday, May 10th from 1:00pm - 2:30pm 

WHERE: City Hall, 120 E. Ryder St., Litchfield, IL 62056 

Appointment Number: 217-824-5117 

Hillsboro Traveling Help Desk 

WHEN: Wednesday, May 11th from 10:00am - 11:30am 

WHERE: City Hall, 447 S. Main St., Hillsboro, IL 62049 

Appointment Number: 217-824-5117 

Christian County 

Morrisonville Traveling Help Desk 

WHEN: Tuesday, May 10th from 9:00am - 10:30am 

WHERE: Village Hall, 307 S.E. 6th St., Morrisonville, IL 62546 

Appointment Number: 217-824-5117 

Pana Traveling Help Desk 

WHEN: Wednesday, May 11th from 2:00pm-3:30pm 

WHERE: City Hall, 120 E. 3rd St., Pana, IL 62557 

Appointment Number: 217-824-5117 

Madison County 

Godfrey Traveling Help Desk 

WHEN: Thursday, May 19th from 11:30am - 1:00pm 

WHERE: Village Hall, 6810 Godfrey Rd., Godfrey, IL 62035 

Appointment Number: 618-205-8660 

Bond County 

 Mulberry Grove Traveling Help Desk 

WHEN: Thursday, May 19th from 9:00am - 10:30am 

WHERE: Village Hall, 205 N. Wood St., Mulberry Grove, IL 62262 

Appointment Number: 618-205-8660 

For the second time in less than a month, a driver has been shot on I-55 in Northern Montgomery County. State Police report a driver told authorities he was shot Sunday morning just after 11:30 on Southbound 55 at Milepost 67, some five miles south of the Farmersville exit. The victim reported a white passenger car pulled alongside his vehicle and fired into his vehicle before driving off. The victim was struck by gunfire and transported to an area hospital for treatment, where he was later released. If anyone has information about this incident, please contact Special Agent Thomas Miller (618-402-5979). 

He won't be able to bring his whistle but it appears Litchfield High Track and Field and Golf Coach Dan Newkirk is taking his skills to Corwin Hall.  He’s Litchfield Mayor Steve Dougherty’s choice to fill the City Council seat of Mark Brown, who resigned from his Ward Two seat last month.  

The choice of Newkirk will be discussed at tonight’s meeting. Newkirk has also played a key role in the Litchfield wrestling programserving as coach for the grapplers at Litchfield Middle School 

Montgomery County Clerk/Recorder Sandy Leitheiser recently 

announced the County Clerk/Recorder’s office recently received a 

copy of Hillsboro’s Deer Run Coal Mine 2021 Annual Mining Map. 

The map defines the location of both previously mined areas and 

proposed mining areas for Deer Run Coal Mine on a yearly basis. 

Leitheiser stated anyone interested in viewing the Deer Run Coal 

Mine 2021 Annual Mining Map may do so on the Montgomery 

County website’s (montgomeryco.com) G.I.S. mapping page, 

looking for the “Deer Run Coal Mine Annual Mining Map” link. A 

printed copy of the map is also available for viewing at the County 

Clerk’s office. Anyone with questions relating to the map is 

encouraged to contact Patton Mining Engineering Associate Brian 

Monk at 12051 9 th Av, PO Box 457, Hillsboro, IL 62049. 

The Litchfield School Board is back up to full strength. Jimmy Growoski has been chosen to fill the seat vacated by former board member Mike Fleming. Like Fleming, Gorowski is no stranger to crunching numbers. He serves as a financial planner for Ameriprise Financial Services in Litchfield. He also doesn’t have to work hard to relate to the needs of teachers. His wife Brooke is a kindergarten teacher in Hillsboro 

There will be now be two competitive races for Montgomery County Board and those races won’t happen until November. A three way battle between Republicans in District 2 has been averted after Kurt Aumann of Nokomis opted to pull out of the race. One of the challengers in that race, Ken Folkerts of Harvel, joined the county board this week to fill the vacancy created when Jim Havera resigned due to a move out of the county. So now Folkerts will remain on the board along with incumbent Gene Miles.  

A new agreement between Greenville University and the Regional Office of Education #3 gives employees of the ROE #3 region a discount for online courses and opens opportunities for GU students.   In addition to offering educational opportunities to employees of the ROE #3 region, the MOU also brings the potential of collaboration with schools in the ROE #3 region to provide opportunities for GU students pursuing careers in education.The Regional Office of Education #3 serves Bond, Christian, Effingham, Fayette, and Montgomery counties in Illinois. Any business or organization interested in offering the benefit of reduced tuition for GU’s online classes to its employees, may contact Shaila Wong at shaila.wong@greenville.edu. 

Litchfield has a new budget. Without objections, the city council agreed to a budget plan that is in the black, producing a positive balance despite sales taxes that have been slowed by the pandemic. Covid relief money helped balance out that shortfall. Among the highlights of the budget is money for a new street dept building. Speaking of budgets, the council also voted to keep spending blueprint architect Jereme Zook of Kerber, Eck and Braeckel on board as budget officer.  Facing a mix of mandates and needs, the council also agreed to a 2-year plan to increase sewer rates 12% each year for fiscal years 2022-2023 and 8% for 2023-2024 to cover maintenance and operational costs. The city is also getting help from Congressman Rodney Davis in a bid for federal dollars to help with sewer upgrades. Meanwhile, Lincoln Land Community College is facing overwhelming demand for their trucking school at the Springfield campus. Mayor Steve Dougherty says interested students face a five to six month wait. Now part of the solutions appears to be bringing additional training opportunities In college big rigs to the L-L-C-C Litchfield Center. The City won’t have to invest in the project to make it happen. The council approved a Memorandum of Understanding with Lincoln Land and Litchfield School District. The city’s support was needed for Lincoln Land to seek USDA grant dollars for the project. In football, they say next man up. The same thought can be applied to the Litchfield Fire Dept. Bob Beechler was honored as he is retiring after 13 years of volunteer service and received a standing ovation.  Last night, Jeremy Heigert was sworn in to become the latest volunteer member of the dept.  He will now undergo 180 hours of training before scoring his own space at the firehouse. 

Shawn Balint

Twitter:  @ShawnBalint

Visitor restrictions put in place at HSHS St. Francis Hospital have been updated due to a decline in COVID-19 numbers in our region. 

Effective April 6, two visitors per patient per day will be allowed for COVID positive patients. Visitors of COVID positive patients must check in with nursing staff before entering a room to be provided with the mandatory personal protective equipment (PPE) for their safety. As the pandemic has improved, the adequate supply of PPE has allowed St. Francis to provide this protection to families and visitors. It is also recommended that visitors of COVID positive patients leave personal belongings at home, as purses and bags will not be allowed in the patient’s room. 

Paper, medical-grade masks (non-cloth) are still mandatory for all in health care facilities, per CDC guidelines. 

Hospital leadership reminds the public that no one should visit persons in a health care facility if they have any of the following: 

1. A positive viral test within the last 10 days for SARS-COV-2, 

2. Symptoms of COVID-19, or 

3. Close contact with someone who has been diagnosed with COVID-19. 

Visitors guidelines for other areas of the hospital remain unchanged and are as follows: 

COVID-19 patients or under investigation for COVID-19: Two visitors per patient per day. 

Emergency Department: 

• Adult patient: Two visitors who must stay in the patient’s room for duration of visit. 

• Pediatric patient: Two parents and/or guardians who must stay in the patient’s room for duration of visit. 

Inpatient units: 

·         Adult inpatients: Two visitors per patient per day. 

·         Pediatrics inpatients: Two parents or guardians allowed. 

·         Women and infants center: Two support persons during delivery who must remain the same for the hospital stay. 

·         End-of-life patients: Two visitors per patient per day. 

Surgery (inpatient and outpatient): Two visitors in waiting room only for the duration of the surgical procedure. 

Outpatient diagnostic and therapy services: Two visitors may accompany the patient or wait in designated waiting areas. Patients receiving outpatient services are encouraged to come alone whenever possible or have visitors wait outside until services are complete. 

Patients with intellectual and/or developmental disability or cognitive impairments: Two support persons. 

Approved visitors/support persons must be over the age of 18 unless they are parents of a child receiving care. 

These guidelines are subject to change at any time to address the health needs of our communities. By putting these guidelines in place, St. Francis Hospital is exemplifying its commitment to the dignity and care of all, especially the most vulnerable among us. 

Get ready for that sinking feeling again.  Deer Run Mine has informed the Montgomery County Sheriffs Office and other county agencies that Route 185 will begin seeing subsidence between Hillsboro and Coffeen again starting Tuesday.   The road will remain open at a reduced speed during the mining process which we expect to last approximately 60 days.  They have already placed changeable message boards at the specified locations stated in our IDOT permit, and we will begin placing barricades along the shoulder of the road once subsidence begins to alert the public of our presence. Road crews will be working along the road as mining progresses, patching and temporarily smoothing the surface until final repairs can be made once subsidence is complete. 

Deer Run officials say it is their intention to insure the traveling public complete safety when passing through this work zone, and in some rare occasions they may have no option but to close the road during this period. Any closures would be brief, and would not likely extend more than 4 hours. These closures (if necessary) will be reported immediately through the IDOT and of course on WSMI and www.WSMIradio.com. .  

The Illinois State Police (ISP) Division of Internal Investigation (DII) is leading an  investigation into the discharge of an Illinois State Police Trooper’s duty weapon after the pursuit  of a homicide suspect wanted in connection to the murder of two women in the Collinsville area.  

On Saturday, April 2, 2022, at approximately 11:14 a.m., the ISP Collinsville Communications  Center communicated information via the Illinois State Police Emergency Radio Network  (ISPERN) provided by the Madison County Sheriff’s Office concerning a suspect wanted for a  double homicide in the Collinsville area. Shortly after 1:00 p.m., local law enforcement located  the vehicle north bound on IL Rt. 127 near Hillsboro. A pursuit ensued after officers attempted a  traffic stop, which was later joined by ISP Troopers. The pursuit crossed IL Rt. 16 then north onto US Rt. 51.  

After becoming partially disabled, the suspect vehicle came to a stop on US Rt. 51 just north of  Pana, IL at approximately 1:53 p.m. The driver of the suspect vehicle exited and pointed a firearm  in the direction of an ISP Trooper. The ISP Trooper discharged their duty weapon in the direction  of the suspect. The suspect was taken to a regional hospital for the treatment of serious, life 

threatening injuries. The cause and nature of those injuries is under investigation. He was pronounced dead Sunday morning.  No law  enforcement officers were injured in this incident.  

The involved ISP Trooper is a 26-year veteran of the Illinois State Police.  

In accordance with the Police and Community Relations Improvement Act (50 ILCS 727) and the  Illinois State Police Law (20 ILCS 2605), Special Agents of the Illinois State Police Division of  Internal Investigation are investigating these events. The Madison County Sheriff’s Office is  investigating the double homicide in the Collinsville area. 

This investigation is open and ongoing, and all evidence and facts will be submitted for review  upon completion of the investigation to the Christian County State’s Attorney's Office. To fulfill  our commitment to integrity and transparency, additional information will be made public when  possible, with the advice and concurrence of the State’s Attorney. No additional information is  available at this time. 

EARLIER At 10:26 a.m. today ( Saturday April 2) the Madison County Sheriff’s Office along with the Collinsville Police were dispatched to a residence in the 1000 block of McDonough Lake Rd, in reference to a 911 call where it sounded like a possible disturbance. Upon arrival, Officers found the deceased bodies of 2 females outside this residence. Both females appeared to be victims of a possible homicide. The Madison County Sheriff’s Office took over the scene and after clearing the scene with the assistance of Collinsville and State Police Officers, it was determined the suspect had fled. The scene is currently being processed by the Madison County Sheriff’s Office, Madison County Coroner and the Illinois State Police Crime Scene Services.

A possible suspect was later identified and a regional broadcast was made to help locate the suspect. This afternoon, the suspect was observed  by the Illinois State Police at a location several miles North of Madison County and he was taken into custody. 

The Montgomery County Sheriff's Office spotted the suspect's white 2015 GMC Sierra near Hillsboro and Witt.   Police tried to pull the suspect over but he reportedly refused.  He drove onward into Nokomis and then traveled to Christian County.  Another attempt to pull him over there failed.  Eventually, the suspect was stopped on US 51, 5 miles south of Assumption, where the suspect exited the vehicle and police opened fire.  The suspect was airlifted to a Springfield hospital.  There's no further word on his condition.  No officers were injured.  A press conference is expected tomorrow (Sunday) to reveal more details on the incident.  

Effective this (Friday) evening, the entire Village of Harvel is under a boil order for the water supply.  The boil order will remain in place until further notice.

Montgomery County: Construction on Interstate 55 between the Carlinville and Litchfield interchanges resumes with nighttime lane closures this week and then full lane closures beginning Friday, April 1. I-55 will then be reduced to one lane in each direction through late October. 

Less than a year into his term, Witt Mayor Shawn Cady has called it a day, leaving office along with his wife and sister, who serve on the City Council in Ward One. Lyn and Catherine Cady joined Mayor Cady in resigning last week. It all began after an intense conversation about Mayor Cady’s cleanup push and questions from Council member David Cearlock in particular, who didn’t question the need for cleanup but the legal bills the city would face with potential court fights.  There were also questions about the long term success of nuisance complaints in the courts. Alderman Tim Taylor is the Mayor Pro Team and is a likely choice to serve as Mayor for the timebeing.  The City has to find replacements for the three Cadys in a 60 day period already underway.  Taylor says he’s sorry to see Shawn Cady go.  Cady won the Mayor's race over Taylor through an Easter Egg drawing and then brought Taylor back to the City Council when a vacancy occured.   

‘ 

The date, time and locale is set for the 74th Annual Litchfield Chamber of Commerce Annual Awards Banquet. This year’s event is set for April 29th at 5:30 at Litchfield Community Center.  

 5:30-6:30pm Cocktail Hour & Appetizers 

6:30-7:00pm- Awards Presentation 

7:00-9:00pm- Dueling Piano 

Meanwhile, the chamber is asking the public to nominate recipients for two community awards, including one award making its debut. 

We would like to announce to the public the request for nominations for Citizen of the Year, and a new award that we are extremely excited to be presenting for the first time – Educator of the Year. 

The Litchfield Chamber of Commerce would like to continue to recognize citizens that make a difference in our community and calls on the community to submit nominations on who they believe should be awarded the 2021 Citizen of the Year.  

In addition to our annual awards, we have added a new award for Educator of the Year.  We want to take this opportunity to ask our community to let us know who they believe should be awarded based on the criteria listed below. 

Please take a moment to review the criteria for each award and send us your nomination on who you would like to see recognized for their service and commitment to Litchfield. 

Citizen of the Year criteria: 

• Participates in activities that make a difference in community/quality of life 

• Strives to improve and preserve the Litchfield community 

• Models ethical qualities 

• Displays great citizenship/volunteer spirit 

• Litchfield Resident 

Educator of the Year 

• Educator of students at a public or private organization within the Litchfield city limits, from Pre-K through Grade 12.  

• Can include educators in childcare/daycare facilities, preschools, public and private schools. 

• Demonstration of commitment to student success and love for learning 

• Exhibition of the quality and/or innovation of an educational program or entity 

• Demonstration of supportive and caring attitude toward students 

• Demonstration of support for the school mission and vision 

Send nominee’s full name, address, and telephone number, along with a description of why the nominee deserves this award. 

Email or Mail nomination by Thursday, March 31st, 2022. 

info@litchfieldchamber.com