The Danville City Council Tuesday night will act on a plan to obtain a one million dollar grant designed to help the police department enhance violent crime prevention and community/police development.
 

The grant may be awarded by the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity made available through a special house bill. The money would be used to create a Police Training Center that would be housed in Danville’s Public Works facility on Voorhees Street. It also would go toward improvements to Friendly Town and police equipment and supplies, and the enhancement of police/community projects.
 

The council Tuesday will also reorganize after the city election. Those who recently were elected will be sworn into office. Those include

• Mayor Rickey Williams, Jr.
• Treasurer Chris Heeren
• And aldermen Ed Butler, Rick Strebing, Sherry Pickering, Mike O’Kane, Eve Ludwig, Jon Cooper, and Bob Iverson.
   

There also will be election of Vice-Mayor and organization of the oversight committees including selection of Chairmen and Vice Chairmen.

The following provided by the City of Danville
 

Come Downtown on Friday, May 5 from 5-8 PM to enjoy Sweets in the Streets, a fun and fantasy experience! Many themed activities will take place, and it is sure to be a sweet time for all who attend.
 

The Danville Public Library will host a life-sized Candy Land game on the lawn!
 

Also Downtown, we will have a DJ and other activities including a bake sale benefiting local nonprofits, balloon animals, face painting, Wonka and Seussical Characters, an old-fashioned candy cart, Kayla's Chic Treats cupcakes and cake auction, Joyful Bubbles, and many food options! Grab a bite at Downtown staples like Lovin' Cup and Lainey’s or others such as Kona Ice, Kayla’s Chic Treats, Exotic Pina to Go, Castle’s Candies, Norah’s Smokehouse, and Berzerker's Grill!
 

The Amazing Giants will be present for the event and look for fun activities at local shops!
 

Strolling musicians will serenade you as you peruse downtown.
 

At 5:25 PM, enjoy a Danville Barbershop Chorus performance at Temple Plaza!
 

At 6 PM, there will be an Uncle Joe Cannon Naming Ceremony at the County Administration building. The first 300 attendees will receive a coupon to redeem for complimentary Chuckle's candy at Lima Bean Glassworks and Gifts. The ceremony will also host The Vermilion Voles Demonstration of 1858 Baseball in Classic Uniforms and the "Uncle Joe Cannon Classic Car Cruise In" from 5-8 PM.
 

The David S. Palmer Arena will host the Market on Main with a variety of vendors to shop!
 

Bring the family down for all of this and MORE as we continue to add activities to the roster for the evening!

Following is provided by Cannon recognition committee
 

A former 15th District Congressman who represented Danville and much of central and southern Illinois will be returning to Danville  next month for a special ceremony. John Shimkus of Collinsville will be the keynote speaker at a May 5th event remembering former Speaker of the House Joseph G. Cannon. Cannon served nearly five decades in  Congress --including eleven as Speaker of the House. Cannon - who  was also known as 'Uncle Joe' - will be the subject of special activities on Friday, May 5th and Saturday, May 6th, in Danville. 
 

On (Friday) May 5th, at 6:00 p.m., a program at 201 North Vermilion Street in Downtown Danville will include dedicating the Vermilion County Administration Building as the Joseph G. Cannon Building. The Danville Barbershop Chorus will open the ceremony by singing the  National Anthem. Congressman Shimkus was instrumental in securing the former post office building allowing it to be used for county offices. 
 

Also scheduled to speak is local historian Timothy Smith, who will discuss 'Why Joe Cannon is important in 2023." 
 

A 'Sweets in the Street Cruise-in Car Show' in Downtown Danville 

will start at 5:00 p.m. It will run until 8:00 p.m. with coupons for Chuckles candy being passed out. The candy was manufactured earlier 

in Danville and was a favorite of Cannon. In addition to the car show, 

the Vermilion Voles Baseball Club will demonstrate how baseball was played using 1858 rules. 
 

After the ceremony the public will be able to tour the building. 

The activities honoring Joseph Cannon on Friday, May 5th. are part of Danville's Summer in the City events. The Cannon Celebration continues Saturday, May 6th, with events including a 'Do You Know Joe? 5k Walk/Run'. It starts at 8:00 a.m. at the Vermilion County Museum at 116 North Gilbert Street. 
 

Advance registration for the walk/run is available online and will 

also be available on the morning of the race at the Vermilion County Museum. The cost is five dollars per person, and all participants will get  a Joseph Cannon pin. 
 

After the race there will be an Open House at the Fithian Home (which  is the old Vermilion County Museum Building at 116 North Gilbert  Street.) It runs from 10:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m. giving the public a chance to see historical Cannon artifacts which are on display there. 
 

T-shirts honoring Cannon will be available for purchase at both the Friday (May 5th) and Saturday (May 6th) events. 
 

The Joseph G. Cannon Committee is chaired by State Representative Mike Marron. The committee has been working on plans for weeks with the goal of making sure the former Speaker of the House from Danville is not forgotten. 

The local unemployment rate was largely unchanged in March from rates a year ago, according to the Illinois Department of Employment Security.
 

The March rate for Vermilion County stood at 5.4 percent, identical to the 2022 rate. The jobless rate in Danville increased slightly to 5.7 percent.
 

Unemployment in Champaign County stood at 3.5 percent, a decrease from 3.9 percent last year.  The rate in Urbana was 3.4 percent, a drop from 3.6 percent last year.  In the City of Champaign it was 3.3 percent, compared to 3.6 percent in 2022.
 

The Champaign County area had one of the largest increases in jobs over the past year, more than 4 thousand.

Runnings, a Minnesota-based retailer, reached an agreement to purchase R.P. Home & Harvest, a family-owned company with 22 locations across four states, including one in Tilton
 

Upon completion of this acquisition, Runnings’ will have 80 locations, serving customers in 12 states from New York to Montana.
 

The transaction between Runnings and R.P. Home & Harvest is scheduled to close in June. The stores will continue operating as R.P. Home & Harvest for a limited period of time as Runnings transitions the stores. The R.P store in Tilton used to be known as Big R.

A Champaign man has been sentenced to life in prison for the murder of two Danville men. Attorney General Kwame Raoul announced his office obtained the sentence against 42 year old Nicholas Trimble.

Vermilion County Circuit Court Judge Derek Girton sentenced Trimble Wednesday. He was previously found guilty of first-degree murder in the shooting deaths of Rafael Arevalo and Omar Roman. Both men were 26 years old.

According to Raoul, Trimble arranged a meeting to buy cannabis from Arevalo on Sept. 4, 2017. During the meeting, Trimble and another individual attempted to take the cannabis by force. Trimble shot Arevalo six times. Trimble and the individual who accompanied him opened fire on Roman, who was shot a total of 15 times. The Attorney General’s office prosecuted the case with Vermilion County State’s Attorney Jacqueline M. Lacy’s office.

State Representative  Mike Marron  wants to increase the number of qualified community college professors in the state of Illinois and maintain a strong community college system.   That’s why he has sponsored a Resolution which creates the College Insurance Program Task Force.

The task force will be charged with studying the College Insurance Program and present policy and legislative recommendations to the General Assembly to ensure the program remains a viable and healthy benefit.  Marron’s bi-partisan resolution now heads to the Senate for its consideration.  The measure was adopted in the House by a vote of 109-0.

Information supplied by Vermilion Advantage
 

Earthrise Energy today awarded Vermilion Advantage $20,000 to
expand a high school career development initiative in Vermilion County. The funds, awarded through Earthrise Energy’s RISE grant program, will support the expansion of Vermilion Advantage’s Skyepack initiative, a specialty curriculum designed to educate students about workforce skills and competencies to include renewable energy and healthcare sectors.
 

According to Vermilion Advantage, the economic development agency and chamber of commerce for Vermilion County, approximately 52% of county senior high school students are now skipping college upon graduation and lack a career path. To help these students find local employment, Vermilion Advantage rolled out its Skyepack initiative last fall with an initial focus on the manufacturing sector.
 

“Earthrise Energy was founded to accelerate the clean energy transition, and we need a trained and educated workforce to make that happen. Our partnership with Vermilion Advantage will grow the local talent pool we need for the future,” said Earthrise Energy CEO Carla Tully. “We also believe it is critical to close the healthcare service gap that exists in Vermilion County and ensure that our employees, their families, and those throughout the county receive the health care they need.”
 

Earthrise Energy owns and operates five natural gas plants in Illinois, including the Tilton Energy power plant in Tilton as well as the Gibson City Energy Center and the Shelby County Energy Center in central Illinois. The company is also building more than 1.5 gigawatts of renewable energy projects in the state.

“We thank Earthrise Energy for supporting this educational initiative, working to keep local talent local and working for our wonderful employers in our county. Many students in the area are graduating high school without a plan and unaware of the job options available to them here at home,” said Tim Dudley, CEO of Vermilion Advantage. “There are many growth opportunities in the renewable energy sector right now as the country shifts to a clean energy economy. We also need to encourage more students to consider joining the local healthcare industry. This funding will help us do both.”
 

The Earthrise Energy RISE Grants were launched in 2022 and are awarded to nonprofit organizations directly providing programs or services that aspire to improve the environment, support excellence in education, and uplift the communities where Earthrise operates.
 

For more information about Vermilion Advantage, go to vermilionadvantage.com.

About Earthrise Energy Earthrise Energy, PBC, is an independent power producer advancing the clean energy transition. As a public benefit corporation, Earthrise seeks to power our world more responsibly, sustainably, and equitably than ever before. The company acquires, develops, and operates power generation facilities to provide reliable electricity, support decarbonizing the grid, and meet the evolving needs of our customers and communities. The company is developing more than 1.5 gigawatts of renewable energy projects and has an operating portfolio of flexible natural gas peaking plants that provide nearly 1.7
gigawatts of capacity to support a future energy system that is reliable, resilient, and renewable. Learn about Earthrise Energy at earthriseenergy.com.

A committee has approved a measure restricting abortions in Danville. The Public Services committee approved it after hearing from 30 citizens who spoke for and against the plan.

3 members of the committee voted yes…Ethan Burt, Eve Ludwig, and Robert Williams. Two aldermen were absent, and Committee Chairman Rick Strebing left the room during the vote. Alderwomen Tricia Teague was the lone no vote, saying the measure is unenforceable

She also said the measure would be challenged in court and the defense could cost millions of dollars. The ACLU was warned the city that the measure violates state and federal law.

Mayor Rickey Williams agreed that the issue will go to court because the proposal says it is following federal law, and carries a fine up to $1500. But the Illinois law does not allow any restrictions on abortions.
 

The issue came up to light when an Indianapolis company bought a business on Logan Street in Danville to open a Women's Health Clinic. One of those speaking against the business at the meeting Tuesday was Doug Knapp.
 

Jason Matthews told committee members that a firm from Texas is behind this effor and the measure is a voilation of Illinois law.
 

The measure goes to the full city council next Tuesday where it will need 8 votes to pass.

In other business Tuesday, the committee okayed purchasing a Dell server and more computer items, buying a heavy duty truck, and approving a professional services agreement for creating a downtown revitalization plan.

Vermilion County Coroner Jane McFadden stated that a two vehicle accident Monday afternoon claimed the life of a Kingman, Indiana man. The victim has been identified as 29 year old Curtis D. Maxey.  The accident was on 2000 North Rd.,  just west of 1970 East Rd., in Danville. An autopsy is scheduled for Wednesday. The cause and manner of the accident are under investigation by the Vermilion County Sheriff’s Office, the Illinois State Police and the Vermilion County Coroner’s office.

Information supplied by AFL-CIO
 

A ceremony remembering Vermilion County workers who died while on the job will be held in Danville – continuing a call for greater safety measures for all workers.
The Workers Memorial Day ceremony takes place at 2pm April 28 at the Workers’ Memorial on North Hazel Street, just south of Cherry Street (beside the Kruger Coan Pape Funeral Home) in Danville.
 

Among those scheduled to attend are Ward 7 Alderman and Vice-Mayor Bob Iverson, Vermilion Advantage President/CEO Tim Dudley, as well as members of the Vermilion County Workers Memorial Committee, led by the Vermilion County AFL-CIO and East Central Illinois Building Construction Trades Council.

Workers Memorial Day has taken place each year since the Occupational Safety and Health Act went into effect more than 50 years ago. While labor unions are leading the fight for greater workplace protections, the day honors all of those whose lives were lost on the job, regardless of whether they were union members.
 

“We want to recognize those we’ve lost to ensure they are never forgotten,” said Kevin Sage, Building Trades President. “Far too many friends, family members and colleagues have died due to situations that could have been prevented. We must continue to work together to ensure workplace safety is a fundamental right and that everyone goes home safely at the end of their workday.”

Information supplied by the VA
 

In celebration of 125 years of service to America’s Veterans, VA Illiana is inviting all Veterans and community members to a pop-up historical exhibit and PACT Act enrollment event at Danville Area Community College on April 28, 2023.
 

The event will showcase artifacts and photographs that tell the story of 125 years of Veteran care in Danville and connect Veterans with information about the new PACT Act expansion of VA care. Specially trained VA staff will be on site to answer questions, provide information, and, if appropriate, enroll Veterans in VA care.

What:                  A pop-up historical exhibit and PACT Act information event
 

When:                 Friday, April 28, 2023, 9 a.m. until 3:30 p.m.
 

Where:                Danville Area Community College Vermilion Hall, Room 302

A Career Expo is coming to the David Palmer Arena on Friday. The Expo will be from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. and will include some 80 employers along with on the spot interviews. This event is free for everyone and is sponsored by Vermilion Advantage, Danville Area Community College and the Danville Area Visitors Bureau. The City of Danville is providing bus passes for those who need help with transportation. Bus passes are available at the American Job Center at 407 N. Franklin Street in Danville.

The U of I Community Credit Union is taking over the CIBM bank in Danville.

The UI credit union announced the takeover, saying it would be assuming most consumer deposits. Those include certificates of deposit, money market deposit accounts, IRA savings accounts and checking and savings accounts associated with the branch. The transaction is expected to close in the second quarter of 2023.

As of the end of 2022, the retail deposit balances at CIBM Danville were approximately $29 million. UI credit unions were $530 million.

Once the transaction is completed, affected CIBM depositors will automatically become depositors of UICCU.

The Public Services committee this week will consider the idea of making an addition to the Danville Code of Ordinance to require compliance with federal abortion laws. The ordinance is an effort of people supporting an idea to make Danville a so called Sanctuary City where abortions are not allowed. The issue has come up because of plans for a women’s Health care clinic to open in the former Dillman Eye Clinic on Logan Street in Danville.

The proposed addition would make Danville comply with what backers call federal abortion laws.

Council members also will have to consider the fact that abortions are legal in Illinois. When the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, it did not say abortions are illegal, it said the issue is up to each state.

The Public Services Committee meeting is at 6 p.m. on Tuesday at City Hall.

Walk a Mile in her shoes held Saturday in Danville was a fun event with a serious purpose. Event coordinator Brooke Kuchefski says it’s fun to see men and women put on the high heels and walk through downtown Danville
 

The event is designed to support the work of the Survivors Rescource Center says Executive Director Marcie Sheridan
 

Sheridan says the Survivors Resource Center provides a variety of free services to victims of sexual abuse.

Kuchefski says the community is very generous its support for the event
 

Some 200 people braved cool, windy temperatures to make the high heel walk.

Carle Health is opening more clinical departments at the Riverfront Medical Campus. The Oncology, Oncology Pharmacy and Laboratory departments will open at The Riverfront Monday. These departments used to be at the Carle facility on Vermilion Street. Carle has been moving all of its departments from Fairchild and Vermilion Street locations into the new building.
 

For the latest information about upcoming Carle department moving dates, visit Carle.org or call (217) 431-7600.

Vermilion County remains in the low community level for COVID. The Illinois Department of Public Health announced that the CDC is reporting two counties in the state are at a Medium Community Level for COVID-19 this week, compared to six a week ago. There are no counties at High Level for the fifth straight week. There will be free COVID testing Tuesday and Wednesday from 1-6 pm. at the Vermilion County Health Department. You must register and make an appointment at www.vchd.org.

IDPH has recorded a total of more than 4 million cases and over 36 thousand deaths in the state since the beginning of the pandemic.

Good food and a chance to help children…that’s the idea behind the Chicken and Noodles Supper on Monday at the Danville Masonic temple.
 

Mike Puhr says the event is a fundraiser for the East Central Illinois Dyslexia Center,
 

The event also has a return of the highly regarded Bob Jones recipe bread pudding.
 

The Center has a specialized two year program for each child.  The program is free to students and parents. Julie Boersma says the tutors all have college degrees and specialized training.
 

Each student has an individual two year program. The program is free for students and can change their life with new skills.

The chicken and noodles meal costs $10 for adults and $5 for children, Serving will be from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and again from 4-7 p.m. Tickets are available at the door.

Sean Lange has been chosen as Danville’s Firefighter of the Year  Lange is a 22 year veteran who was nominated and selected by his peers as this year's outstanding firefighter. He was recently presented with the award at the Fire Department’s annual banquet where he was recognized for his hard work, dedication and leadership.

Following item was presented by the City of Danville.
 

Danville Police Chief Chris Yates  is announcing a program designed to promote safety in school zones.
 

"There have been numerous complaints of speeding motorists in school zones and the areas surrounding by school staff, parents of students, as well as neighborhood residents concerned for the safety of our community’s children during drop off and dismissal.  It is understood that many of those who are in violation of speed limits are not recklessly disregarding the safety of our children, and they simply may not be paying attention to the time of day or trying to get back and forth to work, appointments, or other reasons for travel.  Sometimes we don’t realize we are speeding and just need reminders.

Danville School District 118, Danville Police Department, and Danville Public Works partnered to address the complaints and concerns.  Multiple Radar Speed Signs have been purchased and placed in the areas in which there have been the most complaints.  These signs will provide assistance to drivers to be aware of their speed in areas in which students may be present.

There may be misconceptions to what these signs will do.  For clarification, they:

• Remind drivers of the speed limit in the posted areas
• Will register your speed and display it with bright LED lighting and tell you to “SLOW DOWN!” if you are speeding or “THANK YOU!” if you are going at or below the posted speed limit
• Will provide data on peak traffic times and indicate peak times in which there is excessive speeding
• Will reflect speed restrictions/changes during applicable hours in marked school speed zones
• Will NOT issue tickets automatically such as a Traffic Enforcement Camera

We believe that the vast majority of Danville residents and travelers will comply with speed zones for the safety of our children.  However, there will be some who may disregard this plea.  The Danville Police Department will conduct details and assign traffic enforcement units to monitor and enforce the traffic speed zones.  We do not want to “catch” anyone, and hope that the reminder of the speed limits, especially around our schools, will be all that is needed.  It is true that there are better things that officers can be doing with their time IF there was no concern for safety of pedestrians and other motorists.  Please assist us by doing your part of keeping yourself and others safe by slowing it down and keeping your focus on the road.  Together we can increase everyone’s safety.  Thanks! "

Information provided by DACC
 

As we celebrate Community College Month in April, it’s a wonderful opportunity to showcase the many ways our colleges serve the public beyond educational opportunities. It is a part of our Mission to be a good partner and to share our resources with the community whenever possible.

Danville Area Community College has a reputation for excellence when it comes to hosting sports tournaments. From its 30-year (and still going) history with the NJCAA National Basketball Tournament to the Vermilion County Principals’ Association Basketball and Cheer Tournaments, DACC has become the place to hold a sporting event. That reputation for hospitality and service will grow with the addition of the Vermilion County Volleyball Tournament this fall on October 14 and 16 in the Mary Miller Gym.

Aside from traditional sports, DACC has been making a name for itself in the eSports world. For the second year, DACC will host the IHSA eSports Sectional Tournament. The Clock Tower Center at DACC is being taken over by 170 competitors from 20 high schools in Central Illinois. Saturday’s (April 22) event begins at 9am and will last all day.

Michael “Guido” Esteves, eSports Coordinator at DACC says, “We’re excited to host the IHSA eSports regionals for the second year. eSports is booming and this year’s tournament has doubled in size from last year. This is a homerun as far as a recruiting event for DACC, both as a College and for the eSports program.” Students will compete as individuals in FIFA (Soccer), and Super Smash Bros.; and as teams for Mario Kart Deluxe, Rocket League, and Super Smash Bros. Crew Battle.

In addition to DACC’s reputation for hosting major tournaments, Esteves says the College was chosen to host because, “We are one of the few places with the space and gear necessary to accommodate the competition.” This one event requires more than $25,000 of gaming gear and will encompass spaces in the entire Clock Tower building.

On Saturday, April 22, teams and individual players will descend on Danville from high schools in Bloomington, Eureka, Normal –(Community), (Community West), and (University), Kankakee (McNamara) and (Senior), Milford, Peotone, Streator (Woodland), Washington, Danville, Flanagan-Cornell, Mahomet-Seymour, Pontiac, Salt Fork, Armstrong, Donovan, Morton, and Westville.

The Danville City Council Tuesday okayed plans to build two new restaurants at the corner of Fairchild and Vermilion Streets. The project will bring a Sonic and a Jimmy Jones to the site.

Patrick Wampler is one of the project developers and said they will open the restaurants as soon as possible

The project will bring new property tax and sales tax revenue to the city.

The council Tuesday approved spending more than 4.5 million dollars on road maintenance. The work will include sealing, overlays, concrete improvements and paving. City engineer Sam Cole says the work will be done on roads throughout the city.

The council also okayed repairs for the grinder at the yard waste facility. Public Works Director Carl Carpenter said the damage was extensive
 

The repairs will cost 126 thousand dollars. Carpenter estimates a new grinder would cost more than 700 thousand dollars.

State Representative Mike Marron welcomed two Danville women to Springfield on Tuesday for a women’s brunch that honored the contributions of emerging female leaders from throughout the state of Illinois.

Brooks is Principal of North Ridge Middle School and Greer is Community Relations Administrator for the City of Danville. They joined 50 other leaders from across the state who are each taking bold steps to make Illinois a better place to live and work. The group participated in a discussion about what issues are important for Illinois women, and how the General Assembly can create policy that reflects their priorities.

Article provided by the City of Danville
 

The City of Danville is excited to continue its efforts to preserve, maintain, and replace its roads in 2023.

See a map of Danville’s 2023 Road Improvement Plan here:
https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?mid=1AdIiooNE6DhEtxo1ztKZIIVg0d7D3us
&usp=sharing

While many of these projects are an inconvenience to drivers, the long-term benefits of preservation and maintenance are well worth it. Utilizing preservation treatments extends the life of major roadway investments, improves average roadway network conditions, reduces greenhouse gas emissions, and frees up more funding for complete reconstruction where it is the only option.

For example, instead of milling and overlaying all asphalt streets, the City of Danville utilizes a treatment known as cape seal. This treatment consists of a chip seal followed by a layer of microsurfacing. The benefits of a cape seal are many, but one major benefits is the value provided to the citizens. This year, the City is cape sealing over 23 lane miles of roadway for a total cost of around $1.7 million. The estimated life expectancy of these improvements is 8-10 years. If the City were to mill and overlay these streets with 2.25” of asphalt, the cost of this work would be approximately $8 million, and would have a life expectancy of 12-15 years. In the end, the cape seal method is around one third of the cost per year of pavement life when compared to an overlay. Strategic pavement preservation is the cornerstone of the City’s strategy to preserve its good roads so that it can strive to reconstruct the failing roads, curbs, and sidewalks. In the current budget year, the City is able to spend $1.2 million on infrastructure improvements from the local motor fuel tax and $1.5 million in transportation improvements from the state motor fuel tax. In all, normal funding would pay for the following quantities of the various treatments.

0.5 - 1 mile of road reconstruction, or
3.5 - 5 miles of mill and overlay, or
10 - 20 miles of pavement patching, or
16 - 21 miles of cape sealing, or
43 - 50 miles of sealcoat (chip seal), or
125 - 167 miles of crack sealing.

Fortunately, the sound fiscal practices of the City over that last few years are enabling investments in roads well above these normal levels. While there are still not enough funds to meet the annual reconstruction needs, these funding levels have provided adequate levels of funding for pavement maintenance and preservation.
 

Overall, the City of Danville is responsible for 354 lane miles (approximately 3 million square yards) of roadway pavement. This number, which does not include City owned park roads or parking lots, makes up about 6%, or 1.1 square miles, of the total area of the City limits. At the City of Danville, our goal is to provide the right pavement treatment, in the right place, and at the right time. Doing so helps ensure that road funding goes as far as possible, ensuring that taxpayers get the most “bang for their buck”, and that we are preserving large investments made in the past. Danville Public Works is prioritizing pavement maintenance and replacement by developing a pavement management strategy that includes roadway asset inventory, condition assessment, and a preservation/replacement strategy.

While many roads are too deteriorated to attempt preservation, we cannot ignore
maintenance and focus only on replacement of failed roads. Such an approach would lead to even more failed roadways. Fortunately, with preservation, we hope to maintain what is in fair or good condition so that we can afford to replace those roads where reconstruction is the only option.

Below is a brief summary of pavement treatments that we are utilizing in 2023 and a bit more about them:
Treatment Lane Miles % of Road Network
Crack Sealing 14 8.0
Seal Coat 30 6.6
Cape Seal 23 7.5
Pressure Pave 2.8 1.4
Mill & Overlay 5.8 1.6
Reconstruction 3.7 1.1
Total 79.3 26.2

Crack Sealing:
arger cracks in asphalt or concrete pavement are routed and
cleaned followed by placement of a flexible sealant. The sealant prevents water
from entering through the cracks where it can result in pavement failures due to
softening subgrade, freeze/thaw cycles, corrosion, and separation of pavement
layers. This is the lowest cost and most cost effective preservation method that
we have.

Cost: $1 per foot of crack ($15,000 - $20,000 per mile)
Life extension of roadway: 3-5 years
Traffic down time: less than 1 hour
 

Sealcoat (Chip Seal): Consists of an application of a thin layer of asphalt binder
(oil) followed by a thin application of stone (chips). We apply this treatment to
roadways that were originally constructed as sealcoat roads, which is the case for
one-third of City streets, or as a preservation treatment on asphalt pavements.

Cost: $3-$3.50 per square yard ($50,000 - $58,000 per mile)
Life extension of roadway: 5-7 years
Traffic down time: less than 1 hour

Cape Sealing: The treatment is applied to asphalt roads that are in fair to good conditions. Cape seal consists of a chip seal treatment followed by a micro surfacing treatment, which is intended to seal cracks, improved skid resistance, seal the pavement, protect against oxidation, and restore a uniform appearance.

Cost: $7 – $9 per square yard ($120,000 - $150,000 per mile)
Life extension of roadway: 7-10 years
Traffic down time: less than 2-4 hours

Concrete Patching:
The treatment involves removal of existing failed portions of pavement and replacement with new concrete pavement. Typically, this is limited to concrete pavements in which the failures are severe enough that other temporary patching methods are not adequate.

Cost: $150 – $200 per square yard patched ($125,000 - $250,000 per mile)
Life extension of roadway: 5-15 years
Traffic down time: several days

Mill & Overlay: The treatment is performed on asphalt roads that are in poor condition. First, the surface of the existing pavement is ground off (milled) to remove defects and deteriorated asphalt pavement (usually to a depth of 2-3 inches) and then a new asphalt pavement surface is paved. At times, just an overlay without milling, is placed on concrete streets to extend pavement life before reconstruction is required. While this looks like new pavement, it relies on the existing pavement and base for support.

Cost: $30 – $40 per square yard ($500,000 - $700,000 per mile)
Life extension of roadway: 12-20 years
Traffic down time: several days to weeks
 

Reconstruction: When pavement has reached a failed condition, often times the only long term solution is some form of reconstruction. Reconstruction usually affects the road, sidewalks, driveways, curbs, and utilities present. Reconstruction methods vary but are very disruptive and costly, so they are reserved to cases in which other options are not viable.

Cost: $150 – $300 per square yard ($2,500,000 - $5,000,000 per mile), including design and construction management Life extension of roadway: 30-50 years

Traffic down time: can range from a few months to a few years

The Danville Police Department is partnering with Rosecrance to host the National Prescription Drug Take Back Day on Saturday.  It will be from 10AM-Noon in the east side parking lot of the Public Safety Building.

Police will collect tablets, capsules, patches, and other solid forms of prescription drugs. The site will not accept syringes, sharps, and illicit drugs. Liquid products, such as cough syrup, should remain sealed in their original container. The cap must be tightly sealed to prevent leakage.

This event helps local residents easily rid their homes of unneeded medications—those that are old, unwanted, or expired—that too often become a gateway to addiction.

State Senator Paul Faraci and the Department of Human Services have announced grant awards to a pair of  human services providers in Champaign County. Bradley Street Day Care Center will be awarded $93,908, while Habitat for Humanity of Champaign County will receive $130,635. This funding will address capital improvements for nonprofit human services providers.

Danville and Vermilion County fans enjoy coming to Danville Stadium and watching the Dans play baseball every summer. And once again the Dans will be giving groups the opportunity to earn money for their organization.

The DansShare program helps support area nonprofits, school groups and sports teams by having their organization work in the concession stand or sell 50-50 tickets. The concession groups receive a donation for their work, as well as accepting tips from hungry fans. Fans also purchase 50-50 tickets from the groups selling the chances during the games, with the selling group receiving a portion of the proceeds.

Through the DansShare program, more than $12,500 was given to area groups during the 2022 season.
 

Groups interested in selling 50-50 tickets should email danvilledansbaseball @gmail.com. Those interested in working in the concession stand should contact concession manager Luann Grimm at lgrimm74@gmail.com. The schedule will go "live" on Friday, April 21st, for groups to claim dates.
 

Just as Dans fans enjoy coming to the ballpark every summer, the Dans enjoy giving back to our community.
 

The Danville Dans are a founding member of the Prospect League, a 17-team summer collegiate wood bat league. Baseball players from across America come to Danville to improve their pitching and fielding skills along with hitting with wood bats. For more information about the Dans, including the 2023 schedule, visit www.danvilledans.com.

Attorney General Kwame Raoul announced his office obtained guilty pleas in two unrelated child pornography cases in Vermilion County. 22 year old Daton J. Books of Danville pleaded guilty to dissemination of child pornography. He was sentenced to nine years in prison. Books was arrested by the Danville Police Department in August 2021 in the 900 block of Harmon Street.

49 year old Mark Kerkering of Henning who pleaded guilty to dissemination of child pornography. He was sentenced to eight years in prison. In November 2021, Raoul’s investigators, with the assistance of the Vermilion County Sheriff’s Department and the Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville Police Department, conducted a search of a residence in the 200 block of North Loren Street in Henning and arrested Kerkering after discovering evidence of child pornography.

Danville is going to be the host of the national junior college basketball tournament for two more years. DACC was told on Friday that it will be hosting the 2024 and 2025 tournaments.

Next year’s tournament will add a new wrinkle with four more teams and an extra day.

Carle has moved more of its departments into the Danville Medical Office Center at The Riverfront. Surgical Specialties, Cardiology Clinic, Diagnostics, Nuclear Medicine and Home Health departments open at the new location today. These departments had been at the Carle facility on Vermilion. For the latest information about upcoming Carle department moves visit Carle.org or call (217) 431-7600.

Danville police are investigating a recent shooting. Police responded to the 1200 block of Garden Drive in reference to shots fired in the area. Officers learned a 31-year-old Danville man had been shot in the leg. The victim stated he was walking in the parking lot when he approached a white colored van. He said someone started shooting at him from the van and he was struck by the gunfire. The victim was transported to an area hospital for treatment. No other injuries were reported during this incident.

A new building on the U of I’s campus will be named after a Danville native. The building will be named after alum Steven S. Wymer. Wymer is a portfolio manager and a leading expert in investment management. He is a graduate of the U of I, and grew up in Danville. Wymer donated 25 million dollars to the project. The building is expected to cost a total of 105 million and open in 2025.

Charleston Attorney Chris Wetzel has been selected by the Circuit Judges of the Fifth Judicial Circuit as an Associate Judge. Wetzel will fill the vacancy left as a result of former Associate Judge Brian Bower's election as a Circuit Judge. 

Wetzel is a graduate of Mattoon High School. Wetzel received his bachelor's degree from Millikin University in 1995 and his law degree from Southern Illinois University. Wetzel will begin his judicial duties on May 1, 2023. 

It was in the works for years and under construction for months. Now, the renovated patient space at OSF HealthCare in Danville is making visits a little more organized. Tim Ditman has more.
 

Call 477-4770 to make an appointment.

 Story provided by DACC
 

In its storied history, DACC has produced four faculty who received national recognition from the Association of Community College Trustees as winners of the prestigious Meardy Award. No other community college in the country can boast of more than two Meardy winners.

Science Professor Kathy Sturgeon is the last Meardy winner still teaching at DACC.
The former dean of Math, Sciences, and Health Professions returned to the classroom last year on a mission: Revamping DACC’s engineering program. While she was a dean, Prof. Sturgeon introduced a waiver program that awards two free classes (a $1,000 value) for students who receive a B or higher in Calculus I and Physics I. Says Prof. Sturgeon, “Students who do well in both disciplines tend to be successful in engineering. These are students who ought to consider engineering as a major.”

During this past semester, Prof. Sturgeon introduced the second part for her plan to enhance DACC’s engineering program—by adopting a hybrid option. Prof. Sturgeon says, “The lab is the face to face component. All lectures are done online. The labs will be conducted in a one-week period, during finals weeks. This allows students who live both inside and outside the District to reduce travel cost.”

An engineering degree can open many doors for students. “There are many types
of engineering. Once a student chooses a type, there are several separate career
paths for each category. The salary is around $80,000.”

Prof. Sturgeon also points out that students graduating with an Associate in
Engineering Science from DACC  have transferred to some of the nation’s
top engineering universities, including the University of Illinois, where they do as
well as or better than the students who started at that university.

Murder charges against a Danville man have been dismissed. 34 year old Christopher Echols has spent the last 16 months in jail for the killing of 35 year old Jose Pacheco.
 

Vermilion County State’s Attorney Jacqueline Lacy said on Thursday that she dismissed murder charges against Echols because newly discovered evidence suggests that he was not responsible for the shooting death of Pacheco. The Danville man was found wounded Jan. 18, 2021, in a yard in the 400 block of Avenue A. He was pronounced dead at a local hospital. Echols had been charged nine months after the killing and was arrested in Joplin, Mo., in December 2021. He’s been jailed ever since.
 

Lacy says that during the preparation for trial with the Danville Police Department, new evidence in this case was discovered, which prevents the prosecution of Echols at this time. So the murder charges against him have been dismissed. She says when a prosecutor knows of new, credible, and material evidence creating a reasonable likelihood that a defendant did not commit the offense charged, the prosecutor must remedy the circumstances. Once new evidence is discovered, justice requires that the prosecutor in cooperation with the police evaluate the new evidence and determine if the prosecution can move forward to a trial.
 

Lacy says the newly discovered evidence is being assessed and reviewed by the Danville Police Department and her Office.

The following is provided by the City of Danville

Come Downtown on Friday, May 5 from 5-8 PM to enjoy Sweets in the Streets, a fun and fantasy experience! Many themed activities will take place, and it is sure to be a sweet time for all who attend. The Danville Public Library will host a life-sized Candy Land game on the lawn!

Also Downtown, we will have a DJ and other activities including a bake sale benefiting local nonprofits, balloon animals, face painting, Wonka and Seussical Characters, an old-fashioned candy cart, Kayla's Chic Treats cupcakes and cake auction, Joyful Bubbles, and many food options! Grab a bite at Downtown staples like Lovin' Cup and Lainey’s or others such as Kona Ice, Kayla’s Chic Treats, Exotic Pina to Go, Castle’s Candies, Norah’s Smokehouse, and Berzerker's Grill!

The Amazing Giants will be present for the event and look for fun activities at local shops! Strolling musicians will serenade you as you peruse downtown.

At 5 PM, enjoy a Danville Barbershop Chorus performance at Temple Plaza! At 6 PM, there will be an Uncle Joe Cannon Naming Ceremony at the County Administration Building. The first 300 attendees will receive a coupon to redeem for complimentary Chuckle's candy at Lima Bean Glassworks and Gifts. The ceremony will also host The Vermilion Voles Demonstration of 1858 Baseball in Classic Uniforms and the "Uncle Joe Cannon Classic Car Cruise In" from 5-8 PM.

The David S. Palmer Arena will host the Market on Main with a variety of vendors to shop! Bring the family down for all of this and MORE as we continue to add activities to the roster for the evening!

None of this is possible without our First Fridays Sponsors:
Champion Sponsors:
Hayley Siefert with Keller Williams Realty, TREC
Carle Health
Investor Sponsors:
OSF Healthcare
Aunt Martha's Health and Wellness
 

Contact: Ashton Greer
Community Relations Administrator
City of Danville
agreer@cityofdanville.org
217-431-2317
 

Partner Sponsors:
Christie Clinic
Two Roads Wellness Clinic
Hall of Fame Plaques and Signs
Country Financial - Pete Goodwin, Chris Griffin, Amanda Galloway
Watchfire
Vermilion Advantage
Old National Bank
thyssenkrupp Dynamic Components
Child Care Resource Service at University of Illinois
Supporter Sponsors:
Lima Bean Glassworks and Gifts
Aqua Illinois
Ameren IL

The Danville Public Works Committee Tuesday approved spending more than 4.5 million dollars on road maintenance. The work will include sealing, overlays, concrete improvements and paving. City engineer Sam Cole says the work will be done on roads throughout the city
 

The committee also okayed a plan to bring two restaurants to the corner of Vermilion and Fairchild streets.

Community Development Administrator Logan Cronk says the agreement with the developer involves land owned by the city and one strip of privately owned land.
 

The city will also get sales and property taxes from the new buildings.

The private land is being purchased for 100 thousand dollars, with the city and the developer each paying half. Developers hope to have the restaurants open by Summer of 2024

Public Works Director Carl Carpenter told committee members that a grinder at the yard waste was damaged recently. The committee gave permission to have it repaired from more than 120 thousand dollars. Carpenter said a new grinder could cost as much as 700 thousand dollars.

All of the committee’s actions will come before the full city council next week.

Vermilion County State’s Attorney Jacqueline Lacy is one of the State's Attorneys of 32 counties that have joined Madison County State's Attorney Thomas A. Hanie in a brief seeking to overturn the state's ban on certain types of weapons.
 

The “friend of the court” brief asks the Supreme Court to strike down the state's Assault Weapons Ban. The legislature passed the ban in January, and Gov. JB Pritzker signed it into law.
 

“As the duly elected State’s Attorney of Vermilion County, I took an Oath to seek justice and defend the Constitutional rights of all citizens of our County,” stated Lacy.

The legal battle over Breese Tower continues. On Monday, the Illinois Fifth district Appellate Court reversed the Vermilion County Circuit Court’s decisions regarding Tower ownership. The local courts in February and May of last year granted an order declaring the building abandoned and granting the city of Danville the deed to the tower.
 

The appellate court ruled that the City’s claim against C.A. Collins Enterprises does not meet the requirements of state statutes for abandonment. Effective immediately, C.A. Collins Enterprises has regained ownership of the building. The Tower is officially named Collins Tower, but it is better known as Breese Tower.
 

Mayor Rickey Williams says the city intends to keep going on it efforts to protect the safety of residents.
 

The tower is the tallest building in Danville, and has been vacant since 2005. Debris started falling from Breese Tower in February 2006. A protective covering was installed for pedestrians. Part of Main Street has been closed since 2019 when debris from the building fell onto the Street.

There has been talk of groups willing to renovate the building, but nothing specific has come to the city. The issue now will go back to local courts. No new court dates have been sent.

The Danville Area Community College Technology Division is holding a One-Day Course on Beginner Drone. The course will be held Saturday, April 15 from 9AM-3PM and costs $50. The course will be taught by DACC’s Brandy Marron, Associate Professor, Agriculture, Business & Technology Division.

The use of Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) has increased rapidly in various industries such as law enforcement, film, and agriculture. This one-day course will cover drones and the technology of operation. Students will spend the morning learning FAA regulations in preparation for the Part 107 exam to be taken at an FAA testing facility. The afternoon portion will include hands-on experiences with multiple drones including the Drone Deploy software that is used in many industries.

The first four hours will be spent in the classroom learning about the rules, regulations, and flying basics. The final two hours will be spent practicing flying the drone. Drones will be provided.

Register by calling 217-554-1667 or email bmarron@dacc.edu.

The Danville Area Community College Business & Technology Division will host an Open House on Thursday, April 20 from 2-5PM at the Technology Center building.

The public is invited to the Open House. Come visit DACC’s Tech Center to see what’s in store: computer programming, robotics, automotive, welding, wind technology, information systems and more!

For more information call the Business & Technology Division at 217-443-8787.

The following was submitted by the archery team

There are 12 archers from the Danville High School JROTC Archery team headed to Sandy, Utah for the JROTC NASP Western Nationals.  They are also competing in the JROTC NASP Western National IBO/3D Challenge.  The team is leaving Danville on April 26 and will compete on 4/28 and 4/29.  It will take them an average of 23 hours to get there.
 

They will return to Danville on 4/30/23. 1SG Powell is the new JROTC Instructor who is overseeing this trip. Below are the archers who will be competing.  We are very excited for this opportunity and can’t wait to see how they shoot! Thank you District 118 for allowing them to attend and to the Army for their support.

Christian Bryant

Anistyn Coleman

Kyna Corley

Kyndal Corley

Nevaeh Doughtery

Apache Johnson

Nitya Patel

Kyle Porter

Rosalie Reiling

Alli Rodgers

Garrett Shuter

Jace Vasquez

The Illinois Office of Broadband is hosting broadband listening sessions around the state. Bill Bodine, Illinois Farm Bureau Director of Regulatory Affairs has been following the process
 

One of the listening sessions will be at Danville Area Community College’s Vermilion Hall, Room 306, from 5:30 to 6:30 PM this Thursday.

OSF HealthCare leaders, community representatives and others gathered Monday to celebrate a months-long renovation designed to improve patient care in Danville. OSF hosted a blessing for its new primary care and occupational health clinics at 707 N. Logan.

The first-floor renovation and expansion allow for all of the office’s primary care providers to be in one location. Three clinics will also be in the primary care space. A post-discharge clinic provides follow-up visits for hospitalized patients to make sure they are recovering as expected. The nurse clinic provides hypertension and diabetes education, Medicare wellness exams and advanced care planning. And a third clinic supports people on anti-coagulation medication.

The renovations also allow OSF to soon expand primary care hours to give residents expanded access to care. The expansion also paved the way for a standalone occupational health department.