A Taylorville man is dead after being struck by a truck on Illinois Route 29 Wednesday morning.

According to a preliminary investigation by the Illinois State Police, Luis Delacruz Hernandez of Taylorville was laying in the roadway on Route 29 near Pershing Road south of Taylorville when a white 2013 Volvo truck traveling southbound struck him. The driver of the truck - identified as Jesse Mayfield, Jr. of Avon, Indiana - stated that he was unable to avoid Hernandez in the roadway.

Hernandez was pronounced dead at the scene by the Christian County Coroner's office. The drive was not injured.

The crash is pending further investigation.

Summer Repertory Theatre at Blackburn College will present Shrek the Musical in August.

The performances well be held in Bothwell Auditorium on the Blackburn campus in Carlinville on August 4, 5, 6, 12 and 13 at 7:30pm and August 7 and 14 at 2pm. Tickets can be purchased at CNB Bank and Trust, Carlinville Public Library or online at www.blackburnsummerrep.org.
Tickets will also be available at the door. Adult admission is $12 and $6 for those 12 and under.

In gratitude for the years of support from the audience members from the area communities, the performance on opening night, Thursday, August 4th is a pay what you are able to pay at the door only for any admission.

Until furhter notice, the city of Litchfield will no longer allow brush to be dropped off at the City Street Shed facility.

For the time being, residents must deliver brush to the city facility on South Adams Street Monday through Friday from 7:00am to 3:00pm. Brush may only be dropped off during open hours. If gates are closed, do not leave anything.

The property is located on the west side and south of Saxby Oil. The area will be marked with a sign.

The city will continue to provide brush pick-up in the spring and fall, and additional times will be considered if warranted by severe weather. For additional questions or clarification, call 217-324-4716.

The Nokomis school board voted on employment changes during their monthly meeting on Tuesday evening.

After returning to open session, the board approved the hire of Brandon Engelman as the high school varsity girls basketball coach replacing longtime coach Rachelle McDowell who resigned last month. The board also accepted Engelman's resignation as the junior high baseball coach, effective immediately.

Others hired as either coaches or for extra-duty activities were Ben Cunningham as the high school junior varisty football coach, Sarah Gorecki as the music director, and Lydia McDonald as the junior high advisory sponsor and the high school scholastic bowl sponsor.

School faculty hires at the meeting included Lydia McDonald as the junior high math teacher and Dan Dewerff as the junior high and high school social studies teacher.

The next Nokomis school board meeting is scheduled for August 16 at 7:30pm.

The Montgomery County Sheriff's Office is asking for your help in locating a tow truck that was involved in a fatal motorcycle crash east of Van Burensburg on Burg road north of Route 185 on Sunday evening.

59 year old Ricky L Wyant of Mulberry Grove was killed when he laid his bike down to avoid a tow truck that was traveling across the center line. Montgomery County coroner Rick Broaddus pronounced Wyant dead at the scene.

Wyant was the only passenger on his bike and was riding alongside another motorcycle when the accident occurred. 36 year old Dustin Wyant and 32 year old Shalet Wyant, both of Fillmore, were on the other bike. Shalet Wyant was transported by ambulance to Hillsboro Area Hospital and Dustin Wyant was treated at the scene and released.

The Montgomery County Sheriff's Office is seeking information on the tow truck involved. It is a black, roll back tow truck with orange and yellow writing.

Anyone with information is asked to e-mail crimestoppers at macmontcrimestoppers.com or 1-800-352-0136. Contact the Montgomery County Sheriff's Office at 217-532-9511.

The Carlinville Municipal Band will present its fifth concert of the 2016 summer season Friday evening July 22 from the gazebo on the square. The free concert entitled "Images of Fantasy" will be begin at 7:00pm. The program will highlight music from "Wicked" and selections from Disney's "Fantasia".

The band's trombone section will be featured as they perform Henry Fillmore's well-known composition "Lassus Trombone". This piece was chosen to pay tribute to on of its own members, Darwin Rosenthal, who passed away in 2015.

Those attending are encouraged to bring lawn chairs for their comfort.

Maple Street Clinic will be hosting a Back to School Fair on Thursday, July 21 from 9am until 4pm at the Macoupin County Public Health Department located at 805 North Broad St. in Carlinville.

The event will feature school and/or sport physicals and immunizations from 9am until 4pm. School age dental exams will be provided from 1pm until 4pm. It is a wal-in event and no appointments are needed. Each participating student will receive a Back to School gift bag.

The cost for a school or sport physical is $25.00 plus additional fees will be charged for laboratory testing, such as urinalysis, and immunizations. If a child requires both a sport and school physical the charge will be $30.00. Dental exams will be free of charge.

Participants must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian and to receive immunizations the child must have their past immunization record. Medicaid participants are asked to bring their Medicaid card.

Maple Street Clinic will be hosting a Back to School Fair on Thursday, July 21 from 9am until 4pm at the Macoupin County Public Health Department located at 805 North Broad St. in Carlinville.

The event will feature school and/or sport physicals and immunizations from 9am until 4pm. School age dental exams will be provided from 1pm until 4pm. It is a wal-in event and no appointments are needed. Each participating student will receive a Back to School gift bag.

The cost for a school or sport physical is $25.00 plus additional fees will be charged for laboratory testing, such as urinalysis, and immunizations. If a child requires both a sport and school physical the charge will be $30.00. Dental exams will be free of charge.

Participants must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian and to receive immunizations the child must have their past immunization record. Medicaid participants are asked to bring their Medicaid card.

Legislation to commend and honor two Hillsboro veterans who lost their lives in the Vietnam War was recently unanimously adopted by both the Illinois House and Senate.

Senate Joint Resolutions 33 and 34, sponsored by State Representative Avery Bourne and State Senator Andy Manar, recognize U.S. Army Specialist Charles Irby and Marine Corps Lance Corporal Larry Claybrook. Each gave their life defending the United States during the Vietnam War, and these resolutions seek to pay tribute by naming roads in their hometown of Hillsboro in their honor.

At Age 19, Irby gave his life after taking enemy small arms fire while serving in Company B, 3rd Battalion, 25th Division. United States Marine Corps Lance Corporal Larry Claybrook gave his life at age 22 during a landmine explosion while on patrol duty while serving in the 1st Battalion, 4th Marines.

"Army SP4 Charles Irby Memorial Highway" will cover Route 16 along School Street from South Main to the corner of 22nd Street. "Marine Lance Corporal Larry D. Claybrook Memorial Highway" will stretch along Route 127 between School Street and to its Junction with Illinois Route 185.

The Litchfield Pickers Market will resume on Sunday, July 10th in downtown Litchfield.

From 9am to 3pm beginning on the corner of Route 16 and State Street, Vendors will span blocks of downtown Litchfield selling antiques, vintage items, collectibles and more. All items sold at the pickers market must be prior to 1980.

Live entertainment will be provided at Library Park. The Bearup Brothers will perform at 9am, and B and B Strings will begin at noon. The pickers market is held every second Sunday of the month from April to October.

Roads to be closed in Litchfield from 4am to 5pm Sunday include State Street from Route 16 to the Brown Shoe Apartments, Monroe Street from Route 16 to Ryder, and the side streets of Kirkham, Ryder and Edwards from Monroe to Madison Street.

For more information, you can log onto visitlitchfield.com/events, visit the Litchfield Pickers Market Facebook page, or call the tourism office at 866-733-5833.