The Housing Authority in Danville has been awarded 2.28 million dollars to modernize public housing.

Senators Dick Durbin and Tammy Duckworth announced more than $150 million to build, renovate and modernize public housing across the state. The funds will come from U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Capital Fund Program. More than 90 public housing authorities are getting funding, including the one in Danville. 

Duckworth said access to safe and dependable public housing is critically important for families all across Illinois.

A promotional service for four Danville  firefighters will be held on May 13.  It will be at 9:30 at the council chambers in City Hall. The newly promoted officers are: 

William Ryan--promoted to Assistant Chief

Chad Busick – promoted to Captain

Neil Yelenick – promoted to Captain

Brock Dieu –promoted to Lieutenant

Info. provided by Fire Department

The Danville Fire Department will be hosting two Physical Ability Test Practice Sessions for those wanting to know if
they’ve got what it takes to be a Danville Firefighter. In order to qualify as a firefighter candidate, they must successfully
complete a Physical Agility Test.
The test is comprised of an independent ladder climb and a second timed event that tests the following list of skills:
Stair Climb and Hose Carry
Hose Hoist
Equipment Carry
Forcible Entry/Sledgehammer
Hose Drag
Victim Drag
The first practice session will be May 25, 2024, from 8:00 am to 12:00 pm at Downtown Parking Garage 22 N. Walnut
Street, Danville, Illinois.
The second practice session will be June 8, 2024, from 8:00 am to 12:00 pm at Downtown Parking Garage 22 N. Walnut
Street, Danville, Illinois.
Practice sessions are voluntary, but the sessions provide candidates with insights from firefighters on how to best
approach the agility test.
Candidates should wear comfortable clothing and must sign a waiver before participating.
Potential applicants can also pick up or return applications at the practice site.
Applications are due by June 15, 2024. The physical agility test will be June 22, 2024, for anyone who does not have a
current CPAT Card.

          The City Council Tuesday approved a project to enhance and renovate downtown Danville. The project that was approved will cost more than 4.3 Million dollars. An asphalt firm was approved for the work, and an engineering firm was approved to oversee the work.

          City engineer Sam Cole says it will be a large project.

          A grant from the state is paying the lion’s share of the project. Cole says it will make the downtown attractive.

          He expects work on the project to begin soon and hopes to have it largely completed by December. During the work, there will be times when Walnut and Hazel will be one lane streets. And on Harrison and Madison, there will be limited access to local businesses.

          The council also approved some 4 million dollars for road work throughout the city. It will be for crack sealing, paving, and other street repairs.

          This was Cole’s last council meeting as City Engineer. He has resigned the post to work in private industry.

          The rates for the Danville Aquatic Center in Garfield Park have been established, now the opening date must be set. Public Works Director Dave Ruwe says work on the pool has delayed the inspection visit by the state, which could delay the opening date.

          Admission to the pool will be 8 dollars for a daily pass. Non-profit organizations will pay 4 dollars per person. Kids 3 and under are free. There will be a 70 dollar punch card for 10 daily passes.

The pool has been completely rebuild and has added slides.

The Danville city council has approved a new four year contract with Laborers Local 703. Public Works employees will receive a 3 dollar an hour increase in the first year of the contract. They will receive a 3 percent increase in wages each of the next three years.

The new contract also includes new classifications for some skilled workers, new discipline language, and updated language for insurance and licenses.

The union already approved the contract.

WITY and local sponsors are thanking 1^st responders by buying them lunch. The program is to honor law enforcement, emt's and fire departments. Tilton EMT and Vermillion County Indiana were the first two stops.

 Tilton EMT Coordinator Butch Fields says recognition is nice, but the EMT volunteers are doing it to help the community

He says it is important for people to remember to call EMT’s immediately when needed.

At Clark Chevrolet in Cayuga, Jeff Clark said 1^st responders are the backbone of the community

Sheriff Michael Holtkamp said the community is lucky to have the experience it has in his department

This program is an annual event for WITY.

A 31 year old Danville man is being held in connection with a shooting that left a man hospitalized. Deputy Chief Terry McCord says about 3:45 a.m. Monday, Danville Police Officers were on patrol and heard what sounded like shots in the 1600 block of Edgewood Drive. Patrol officers responded there and located a 20-year-old male victim with a gunshot wound. The victim was transported to a local hospital for treatment where he has been listed in stable condition.

During the investigation, warrants for apartments in the 1600 block of Edgewood were obtained with the assistance of the Vermilion County State’s Attorney’s Office. The Danville Police Department Emergency Response Unit served those warrants and placed Torrence S. Gardner of 1102 Fowler Avenue into custody. Gardner is being held on the charges of Aggravated Battery with a Firearm and Unlawful Possession of a Weapon by a Convicted Felon. This incident remains under investigation.

News provided by Rep. Kelly

Today, U.S. Representatives Robin Kelly (IL-02) and Young Kim (CA-40), who serve as co-chairs of the Maternity Care Caucus, introduced a bipartisan resolution to designate May 5-11, 2024 as “Maternal Mental Health Awareness Week” to raise awareness about maternal mental health and its effects on maternal-child health.

“Mental health challenges affect millions of mothers every year but mothers rarely ask for help or seek treatment. I am proud to join my colleague and Maternity Care Caucus co-chair, Congresswoman Young Kim, to introduce this resolution marking Maternal Mental Health Awareness Week. We must end the stigma and increase access to treatment for moms suffering from mental health challenges. These services are especially important in light of heightened maternal mortality, morbidity, and mental health needs, disproportionately impacting communities of color, following the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Congress must ensure that resources like the maternal mental health hotline are accessible and reach the communities that need them most,” said Congresswoman Kelly.

“Untreated maternal mental health disorders impact 1 in 5 mothers and cost the United States $14.2 billion each year. The emotional toll of mental health challenges on women cannot be overstated, yet far too few women seek the help that they need during pregnancy,” said Congresswoman Kim. “I am proud to lead this bipartisan resolution to recognize Maternal Mental Health Awareness week and highlight the importance of maternal health care. I will keep working as co-chair of the Maternity Care Caucus to deliver results and support women, whether they are pregnant, recovering from childbirth, or facing infertility.”

“MemorialCare focuses on enterprise-wide strategic maternal health priorities, successfully improving outcomes for both mothers and babies while expanding access to care to address health equity within its clinical programs,” said Shela Kaneshiro, chief clinical transformation officer, MemorialCare. “By providing maternal mental health support groups, participating in pilot programs like the one with the California Maternal Quality Care Collaborative and other programs has allowed us to better understand how to help our families connect to the right maternal care at the right time.”

“Mental health conditions are the most common complication of pregnancy and childbirth, and if left untreated can have long-term negative impact on the mother, baby, family, and society. We thank Congress for recognizing these challenges and elevating the importance of maternal mental health.  Our nation’s parents deserve support, encouragement, and resources during and following pregnancy so they, and their infants, can get off to the best start possible,” said Adrienne Griffen, Executive Director, Maternal Mental Health Leadership Alliance.

This resolution supports the goals and ideals of Maternal Health Awareness Week, including:

• Raising awareness of the risk factors, signs, symptoms, and treatment options for maternal mental health conditions for pregnant and postpartum women and their families, the providers who care for them, and the public;
• Recognizing that maternal mental health disorders and maternal suicide are serious public health problems;
• Honoring the mothers who have died by suicide and the children and families left behind;
• Encouraging research on safe and effective treatments for pregnant and postpartum women, dissemination of updated data on evidence-based treatments to the medical community and public, and provider training on the treatment of maternal mental health disorders; and
• Promoting initiatives that address provider shortages and increase affordable access to treatment for maternal mental health disorders so that suffering mothers and their families can recover and thrive.

Reps. Eric Swalwell (CA-14), Raja Krishnamoorthi (IL-08), Gwen Moore (WI-04), Bonnie Watson-Coleman (NJ-12), Julia Letlow (LA-05), and Susan Wild (PA-07) joined the resolution as original co-sponsors.

News supplied by VA

On May 8, 2024, at 9 a.m., VA Illiana Health Care System will hold a ceremony to dedicate a 25-year time capsule in honor of 125 years of service to Veterans of the region.

The ceremony will be held adjacent to the historic VA Illiana bandstand and it will honor public servants past and present, while looking ahead to the public servants of the future who will open the capsule in 2049. The time capsule contains anecdotes from VA Illiana staff, photographs, paper ephemera, and other objects representative of Veteran care in 2024. The ceremony will feature remarks by VA leaders and a musical selection featuring VA staff and Veteran talent.

Who: VA Illiana staff and leadership, including Veterans Integrated Service Network 12 Chief Nursing Officer Shavetta R. Williams

What: A ceremony honoring public service by dedicating a 25-year time capsule.

When: Wednesday, May 8, 2024, at 9.a.m.

Where:         Adjacent to Danville VA Medical Center’s         

                     historic bandstand.

*In the event of inclement weather, the ceremony will take place in the VA Illiana Chapel.

Article supplied by Rep Schweizer

State Representative Brandun Schweizer (R-Danville) is debuting his first annual Summer Reading Program for students in Kindergarten through 5th grade that live in or attend school in the 104th District. The Representative is encouraging students to “Get in the Game” and read this summer by joining his program. 

“I am excited to officially launch this program and encourage students to get in the game and keep their minds active by reading,” said Rep. Schweizer. “Reading is extremely important to me, and I hope by announcing this program students will continue to foster a love of reading, even outside of school.” 

The “Get in the Game” Summer Reading Program begins on May 1, 2024, and ends on July 1, 2024. Students in grades Kindergarten through 5th grade are encouraged to join by reading eight (8) books over their summer break and submitting their forms, with parent or guardian verification, online or mailing them to Rep. Schweizer’s Danville office. If a student reads a book for another summer reading program, they may also record them for Rep. Schweizer’s program. Any books read over 150 pages may count as two books. 

Once students return completed forms to Rep. Schweizer on or before July 1, 2024, they will receive an invitation to attend a summer reading celebration with Rep. Schweizer in the late summer. Printed summer reading brochures will be delivered to local schools in the 104th District before the school year ends for summer break. Those in homeschooling programs or co-ops should contact the Danville office for flyers or visit repschweizer.com and click on the “Summer Reading” tab, nested under “Resources” to submit a digital copy.

Mailed forms may be sent to Representative Brandun Schweizer at 3821 Vermilion Ste. 5, Danville, IL 61832. With questions, please contact Rep. Schweizer’s office at (217) 477-0104 or visit his website at repschweizer.com. 

The renovation of Friendly Town in Danville’s Lincoln Park brought out  a crowd of workers over the weekend. Police Chief Chris Yates says the effort is to revitalize an area that has helped kids for many years.

Every building in the area has been refurbished or had a new one made. A new fence is being installed and a new blacktop has been laid. Yates says the project was funded by a grant, and a tremendous effort from the community.

Local businesses and individuals sponsored and adopted buildings and provided much of the work. Friendly Town will be back in operation helping local kids this summer.

The pedestrian hit and killed by multiple cars on Tuesday has been identified. Vermilion County Coroner Jane McFadden identified the victim as 38-year-old Duane A. Beachy, saying he used to live in Humboldt. The Vermilion County Sheriff’s and Coroner’s Offices are still investigating the incident. The preliminary investigation shows Beachy was walking on County Road 2030 East north of Voorhees Street in the early morning hours of Tuesday wearing dark colored clothing. The roadway is in a rural area without streetlights and there was fog present at the time. 

Danville Police Officers responded to OSF Sacred Heart Medical Center early Friday morning due to a subject with a gunshot injury. 33-year-old Keith Goldsmith was dropped off at the Emergency Department door by an acquaintance. Police learned that Goldsmith received a gunshot wound while at a residence in the 900 block of Hazel St.

Goldsmith was transferred to another hospital for treatment and has been listed in fair condition. The Danville Police Department is currently investigating this incident.

Article submitted by Balloons Over Vermilion

Balloon School was in session Thursday morning May 2nd at Oakwood Grade School, as the entire
student body and staff entered a cold-inflated balloon for a short course on hot air ballooning. Ms.
Tiffany Johnson’s fourth grade class are this year’s Ambassador Class for the 2024 Balloons Over
Vermilion event to be held at the Vermilion Regional Airport on July 12 th and 13 th and a Balloon School
preview is one of the perks of being the host students.
As the Ambassador Class, students studied all areas of ballooning during the spring semester, designed
their own balloons with a short story about their creations and constructed a model balloon that they
set sail with the assistance of blow dryers. They will lead the Parade of Pilots at the beginning of the
festival.
Donna Carlton Vish, a local pilot with over 20 years of ballooning experience, served as the instructor for
yesterday’s class, a role she has played for Balloons Over Vermilion since the event originated in 2016.
Her focus is to present information so the students and staff gain a basic understanding about all facets
of ballooning in a hands-on environment. They were able to walk through the balloon, feel it, see the
lines, pulleys and vents that help pilots guide balloons in flight and ask questions.
We invite everyone to the next session of Balloon School Saturday, July 13 th from 3-4:30PM at the
Vermilion Regional Airport, Danville IL.
If you would like to be a part of this marquee summer event volunteer sign up is now open. It’s fun and
easy and you get free admission! Go to https://www.balloonsoververmilion.com/ and click the
volunteer tab. You will be able to see what positions are open with a short job description and select the
best time that works for you.
Be sure to visit our website at balloonsoververmilion.com for more information about Balloons Over
Vermilion where the Sky’s the Limit!

Article submitted by Kings of Peace

An overnight break-in by vandals has left the Three Kings of Peace

Mentoring Center in shambles.

Located on Commerce Street, Danville, in proximity to Garfield Park, the Mentoring

Center has temporarily relocated to the Roselawn Fitness Center at 302 W. Roselawn St.,

Danville, while repairs are made.

The Center offers mentoring, social activities, and lunches for children age 5 and up.

Thanks to the support of donors, the services are free.

Mentoring Center Director Reverend Frank McCullough reported the criminal trespass

on Thurs., May 2. He says, “Whoever did this had only destruction in mind. They broke

everything they could, including the windows and doors and even the children’s toys. It’s going

to take a lot of work to get the Center back to an acceptable condition to enable children to

return.”

Once word of the crime spread throughout the community, a number of citizens stepped

forward to donate money to help restore the Center. Rev. McCullough says, “I was deeply

touched by the people I’ve met today who’ve said, ‘How can I help?’ and then handed me a

check to help with replacing windows and locks and for the clean-up.”

Following the Danville Police Department’s investigation, the clean up will begin. For

more information or to help restore the Center, call Rev. McCullough at 217-766-8735 or

Edward J. Butler at (217) 920-2825.

News release from the City of Danville

The City of Danville is being proactive about future property
development throughout the city, and we feel inclined to make a statement about the
upcoming auction of the Village Mall, located at 2917 N. Vermilion Street, set to take place on
Monday, May 13, 2024.
If you look around, you might notice the hundreds of blighted structures we have removed in
the last several years and how seriously we are taking this effort. Annually, The City of Danville
invests more than $1,000,000 towards reducing blight. This funding comes from a variety of
sources including the Community Development Block Grant, the Community Reinvestment
Fund, and the Illinois Housing Development Authority. We also pull from our General Fund
when necessary.
A variety of factors have impacted the need for us to allocate a large portion of our city budget
to managing these problem properties in Danville. A reduction in our population is just one of
the major contributors. However, we also have an ongoing problem with mismanaged
residential and commercial properties and a lack of maintenance and preservation efforts from
their owners. The aftermath of this poor stewardship leaves us with devastating setbacks for
our community and a halt in development in those neighborhoods.
Some recent examples of this in our community include Bresee Tower, the Sears building, and
the Adams building, all located in our downtown district. When entities without the proper
resources purchase these large structures at a small cost without the means of developing
them or even maintaining them, the deteriorating structures eventually pose many threats to
the health and economic viability of the area. They present safety concerns such as falling
debris, increased crime, and mold growth. Bordering structures are impacted as property
values decrease and new businesses are not incentivized to locate in an area with abandoned
structures, causing a cascade of negative economic consequences.
The City of Danville is proactively rectifying these large, mismanaged problem properties in a
variety of ways, but it comes at a great cost to our city and our citizens – millions of dollars are
spent to pursue legal action to obtain the structures for demolition or restoration. The process
is lengthy, and the loss to our community is great. That is why we want to make a statement
regarding the upcoming Village Mall Auction.
The 35+ acres that comprise the Village Mall, are being divided into three parcels set to go to
online auction on May 13, 2024. Two of the three parcels are being sold as an absolute
auction with opening bids of just one dollar, meaning they will be sold to the highest bidder no
matter how low the price. This means that anyone with a dollar or more could gain ownership
of a very large, highly important structure in our city. Time and time again, we have seen what
happens when these cornerstone buildings in our community end up in the wrong hands. The
City of Danville wants to discourage entities who cannot rightfully develop the property from
bidding.
Mayor Rickey Williams Jr. says, “This structure is very important to our community, and it is
imperative that it ends up in the right hands. We will be taking this very seriously because
Danville has made too much forward progress to allow a cornerstone in our community to
deteriorate.”
The City of Danville wants to communicate loud and clear that we will proactively be enforcing
building code and maintenance standards on the Village Mall. The purchaser will be held liable
for the condition of the structure and parking lots that are acquired. This accountability for
improperly managed property comes with fines, legal expenses, and legal consequences. We
know the incredible, positive impact that could occur for Danville with this structure in the
hands of the right developer and we are doing everything possible on our end to ensure the
best possible outcome for our citizens.

Authorities are still trying to identify the man who died after being struck by several vehicles.  The Vermilion County Coroner stated that the male pedestrian was struck by multiple motor vehicles on County Road 2030 East north of Voorhees Street in the early morning hours of Tuesday. An Autopsy was performed late yesterday, and an identification has not yet been made.

The preliminary investigation shows that the man was walking in the roadway wearing dark colored clothing. The roadway is in a rural area without streetlights and there was fog present at the time. The pedestrian was struck by multiple vehicles, the driver of one of the vehicles stopped and reported the incident to law enforcement. A second vehicle that struck the pedestrian was located later. 

The Vermilion County Sheriff’s Office and the Vermilion County Coroner’s office continue to investigate. Authorities ask that anyone with information about the incident call the Sheriff’s Office at 217-442-4080 or Vermilion County Crimestoppers.

 Three new probationary police officers were sworn into the Danville Police Department Wednesday. The new officers are Roman Wagner, Trevor Snider, and Brody Yates. They will begin a 16-week law enforcement training course at the University of Illinois Police Training Institute next week. This will bring the Danville Police Department to 70 officers.

News provided by police

On 04/30/24 around 4:51 pm, Danville Police officers spotted a stolen Volkswagen Jetta in the
1300 block of E. Williams St. Officers attempted to conduct a traffic stop on the stolen vehicle and a
vehicle pursuit began when the driver refused to stop. During the pursuit, a Danville Police squad car
struck a concrete curb in the alleyway near the 500 block of Griffin St and that vehicle was rendered
inoperable.
The pursuit continued east bound to the area of Main St and Brewer Rd where the stolen vehicle
struck a Ford Flex that was traveling eastbound, both vehicles left the roadway, and the pursuit ended.
Officers took the driver of the stolen vehicle into custody and he was identified as 29-year-old Stephen
D. Reed of Danville, IL. Reed was charged with possession of a stolen vehicle, aggravated fleeing and
eluding, reckless endangerment and criminal damage to property.
The two occupants of the Ford Flex were evaluated by medical personnel and released at the
scene. The officer who struck the concrete curb in the 500 block of Griffin St was transported to OSF
Sacred Heart Medical Center where he was treated for a fractured wrist and later released.

Members of the public are reminded that a complaint is merely an accusation; the defendant is presumed
innocent unless proven guilty.
The investigation into this incident continues and no other information is being released at this time.
Anyone who has information regarding this incident is asked to call Danville Police at (217) 431-2250.
Or you can call Vermilion County Crime Stoppers at (217) 446-TIPS

Steohen Reed

Item provided by Danville Fire Dept.

Danville Fire Department Now Hiring Probationary Firefighters
Application Period: May 01, 2024 – June 15, 2024
The Danville Fire Department is opening the application period for appointment to Probationary Fire Fighter with the City of Danville. We are looking for compassionate, hardworking individuals looking to carry out the mission of the fire
department.
Minimum Qualifications:
- Must be between 20 and 35 years of age at the time of application; 21 to 40 years of age if employed as a
firefighter at time of application (certain conditions apply)
- Must possess a valid driver’s license.
- Must possess a high school diploma or its equivalent.
- Be legally authorized to work in the United States of America.
Applications may be picked up from Fire Department Headquatrters: 1111 N. Griffin Street, Danville, Illinois 61832 or
downloaded from the Cityofdanville.org website.
Applications are due by June 15, 2024.

Item supplied by CRIS

CRIS Healthy-Aging currently has openings for clients needing screened for enrollment into the Community Care Program offered through the State of Illinois. To be eligible, clients must be 60 plus years old and in need of assistance to live independently in their own homes.  The Community Care Program offers the following services to eligible clients: Home Aides, Medication Dispensers, Emergency Home Response Systems and Home Delivered Meals. Our professional Care Coordinators can come to your home and complete an assessment to see if you meet the eligibility requirements for these state funded services.

Please call CRIS today to schedule an appointment for your screening at 217-443-2999 and ask for Quinn or Kyle. 

For more information about CRIS Healthy Aging please visit our website at CRISHealthyAging.org. 

The Danville Fire Department battled a pair of fires on Saturday. Fire Chief Aaron Marcott says the First Incident was just after 1 p.m. at 1110 East Seminary Street. First arriving personnel reported a large amount of smoke coming from the roof of the building. Firefighters were told everyone was out of the building. While performing a search of the building firefighters did locate and remove two cats from the residence. The fire was determined to have started in a bedroom as a result of a malfunctioning power cord. The smoke detector was present and working. The estimated dollar loss is 45 thousand dollars.

The second incident was just before 3 p.m. A neighbor reported a possible house fire. Firefighters arrived to find smoke coming from the residence at 851 E. Seminary Street. Firefighters located a fire in the kitchen area of the residence and brought the fire under control. The cause of the fire is undetermined and Under Investigation. A detector was present and working. The estimated dollar loss is 32 thousand dollars.

Westville, IL - The Nature Center and Pioneer Homestead Cabin at Forest Glen Preserve, as well as the Bunker Hill Historic Area buildings at Kennekuk County Park, will be staffed with volunteers and open to the public for tours on Sunday, May 5, 2024 from 1 - 4 pm. 

Visitors to the Forest Glen Preserve Nature Center can learn about Vermilion County plants and animals with displays, exploration tables, and more. The Pioneer Homestead Cabin takes visitors back in time to discover how early settlers lived in Vermilion County.  Forest Glen Preserve is located at 20301 E. 900 North Road
Westville, IL 61883.

Danville, IL - The Bunker Hill Historic Area buildings of the Neff Grocery Store, Atwood Home, Bismarck Train Depot, Red Oak School, Old Time Print Shop, and the Mack and Son Barber Shop at Kennekuk County Park take people back to the time period of 1890's-1940's.  To add to the nostalgia, the Redbud String Band will be performing at the Gazebo located in the Bunker Hill Historic Area.  The Redbud String Band will play two sets, 1 pm and 2:30 pm, with a mixture of American old time, Celtic (Scots and Irish), Civil War era, and some early 20th century ragtime. Bring your lawn chairs and enjoy an afternoon of nostalgia with tours of the buildings and live music! Kennekuk County Park is located at 22296-A Henning Road, Danville, IL 61834

The Vermilion County Conservation District utilizes volunteers to staff these buildings. If you are interested in volunteering, please contact Lara Danzl, ldanzl@vccd.org, or 217-442-1691.

The City of Danville is working with neighborhood associations to make community improvements. Community Relations administrator Ashton Greer said a meeting of volunteers and city leaders  was held Saturday to work together.

The meeting discussed subjects like clean-up, blight, fire safety, and working with police. Greer said the meeting will help develop new neighborhood associations and improve existing ones.       

There are currently 10 neighborhood associations in Danville and city officials are hoping to develop more.

Greer said that working together on city problems and successes is what is needed in Danville.

Some 80 people attended the meeting.