Article provided by Rep. Schweizer

In late January, House Bill 4603 was filed in the Illinois House that would have prohibited police officers from making routine traffic stops based on the following:

• Failing to display registration stickers or license plates.
• Operating a vehicle with expired registration.
• Speeding, if it is not at misdemeanor or felony speeds.
• Improper lane usage.
• Operating a vehicle with the interior lights on.
• Operating a vehicle with excessive tint.
• Operating a vehicle with defective mirrors.
• Operating a vehicle with obstructed windshield or defective windshield wipers.
• Operating a vehicle with defective bumpers.
• Operating a vehicle with excessive exhaust.
• Operating a vehicle without a seat belt.

State Rep. Brandun Schweizer (R-Danville) says he has been disturbed by an overriding lack of respect being shown to police officers and law enforcement officials through the introduction of what he calls anti-police legislation.

“I am appalled by the constant attacks on our brave police officers by politicians in this state,” Schweizer said. “The men and women in blue deserve our unwavering and utmost respect, including the ability to successfully do their jobs without interference by politicians with an anti-police agenda. I may be new to Springfield, but I do know that this legislation is absurd, and I adamantly oppose it”.

The Illinois Sheriffs’ Association expressed strong opposition and law enforcement throughout the state sounded off in opposition to the bill. Earlier this week, the bill’s sponsor announced he will not seek to move the legislation forward in the spring session. However, the Chicago Democrat reiterated his commitment to continue to pursue this flawed concept sometime after this Spring.

“Thank you to the Illinois Sheriffs’ Association for working to inform the public of this threat to our law enforcement officials, and for helping to stop this bill in its tracks,” Schweizer said. “Because the threat of anti-police legislation remains alive and well in this state, we must remain vigilant in our partnership and protection of our police officers and stand against any further efforts to undermine the important work that they do.”

Item provided by Sen. Faraci

In partnership with CU Schools Foundation, State Senator Paul Faraci is hosting an essential items drive to support local students and Champaign and Urbana public schools.

“CU Schools Foundation provides an amazing opportunity for the community to donate essential items like shoes, clothes, and backpacks,” said Faraci (D-Champaign). “All of the items donated go to students in need, free of charge.”

Community members who wish to participate can view the list of items in need by visiting SenatorFaraci.com/Students.

The essential items drive will run from Tuesday, Jan. 30 through Friday, Feb. 29. This is a great opportunity to provide direct support to local students without having to jump through any hoops.

"We created Operation Caring Closets to encourage our community to help support students with basic needs, so they can continue to come to school and learn alongside their peers,” said Kelly Hill, Executive Director for the Champaign Urbana Schools Foundation.  "We appreciate Senator Faraci stepping up and helping us to get the word out about this simple opportunity to provide a hand up to our students in need."

For more information or any questions, call Faraci’s Champaign office at (217) 355-5252.

A Georgetown man has pleaded guilty to driving under the influence of alcohol in connection with a car crash in Indianola that killed three people.

47 year old Anthony Austin on Monday pleaded guilty to one count of driving under the influence resulting in two or more deaths. In exchange, prosecutors dropped all other charges and agreed to limit their sentence recommendation to 20 years in prison.

Just after midnight on October 2, 2022, Austin was at the intersection of Catlin-Indianola Road and County Road 550 when he crossed into the opposite lane of traffic. Austin’s car slammed head-on into a car that contained three members of a family from Oxford Ind. Lee Hall, 52, his wife Felisha, 46, and daughter Madison, 18, all died in the crash.

Austin’s sentencing hearing has been scheduled for April 3. He will be required to serve 85% of the sentence imposed.

The Danville Fire Department battled two house fires recently. Firefighters responded to a reported structure fire in a large residence located at 912 N. Hazel Street on Friday evening. Upon arrival firefighters encountered heavy fire coming from the building. By-standers told firefighters that everyone was out of the building. Firefighters found a dog and several cats in the building and removed them.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation. No injuries were reported. No working smoke detectors were present. The estimated Dollar Loss is over 26 thousand dollars.

On Tuesday, Firefighters were called to an early morning fire located at 310 N. Crawford Street. The first arriving fire crews located a fire on the outside of the structure. A pile of building materials had burned and spread to the exterior of the home. Firefighters extinguished the fire before it could enter the residence.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation. No injuries were reported, and the damage estimate is 15 hundred dollars.

News provided by State's Attorney

On January 26, 2024, Bailey Castigliola (DOB: 1/25/1987), formerly of Danville, Illinois, plead guilty to First Degree Murder for a sentence of 27 years in the Illinois Department of Corrections. Following incarceration, Castigliola will serve a term of 3 years mandatory supervised release.
Circuit Judge, Robert McIntire, heard evidence that on December 28, 2020 the Vermilion County Sheriff’s Department received a missing persons report regarding Richard Truett by his mother. Through the course of the investigation witnesses provided information that Michelle Ingram was involved with the disappearance of Richard Truett. Witnesses reported that Mr. Truett was seen getting into a vehicle with Bailey Castigliola and Michelle Ingram on December 27, 2020.
As the Vermilion County Sheriff’s Department looked for leads into the disappearance of Mr. Truett, bloody clothes and an identification card for Mr. Truett were located in a dumpster in Rossville, Illinois, along with Castigliola’s DNA. Michelle Ingram was taken into custody and stated to investigators that she and Castigliola picked up the victim in Castigliola’s vehicle and that Castigliola stabbed the victim once in the upper thigh. Ingram described that after some time
she and Castigliola dumped the victim’s body in a rural location in Indiana. Ingram cooperated with police and attempted to assist them in locating the body. After months of searching, Truett’s body was located in Fountain County, Indiana. The forensic pathologist confirmed that Mr. Truett died from a stab wound of the left medial thigh. Multiple witnesses came forward with information that Castigliola had made statements regarding stabbing the victim and dumping his
body. On September 26, 2022, in exchange for her agreement to cooperate and testify against Castigliola, Michelle Ingram (2021CF215) plead to Attempt First Degree Murder, a Class X felony for 21 years in the Illinois Department of Corrections, followed by 18 months mandatory supervised release.
State’s Attorney Jacqueline Lacy thanked the Vermilion County Sheriff’s Department for their perseverance throughout the lengthy investigation. She also stated, “Through the cooperation of witnesses and diligent work by the Sheriff’s Department we were able to provide some closure to the family of Mr. Truett.”

Article provided by Kennekuk Education Center

Did you know the Vermilion River basin is home to over 30 species of freshwater mussels? Have you ever wanted to know more about what goes on beneath the water’s surface? Come learn about these lovely critters from mollusk experts from the Illinois Natural History Survey on Tuesday, February 13, 2024. Experts will be available at the Kennekuk Education Center, Kennekuk County Park, from 10 am – noon, with a Seminar at 10:15 am. The Illinois Natural History Survey now has grant funding to sample streams in the Vermilion River basin to find new (or old!) populations of rare mussel species. Bring your questions or concerns about how we search for freshwater mussels!

Freshwater mussels are important animals in the riverine ecosystem and serve several roles. They actively filter sediment and bacteria, they stabilize and aerate substrates, and they deposit nutrients and food for other bottom-dwelling species. Unfortunately, many species of mussels – over 60% – are imperiled. The Vermilion of the Wabash River basin in east-central Illinois and western Indiana supports populations of several rare and imperiled mussel species, though researchers need updated information on the size and age structure of these populations to accurately conserve them. A new study funded by the US Fish and Wildlife Service and Illinois Department of Natural Resources will provide updated population information for this basin. If you’d like to learn more about these efforts, email lead investigators – Alison Stodola or Sarah Douglass. 

This public education seminar is free and open to the public. Refreshments will be provided. RSVP for the seminar at go.illinois.edu/MusselTalk.

Kennekuk County Park is located at 22296 Henning Road, Danville, IL 61834

The local unemployment rate in December increased from where it was a year ago. In Champaign County the rate was 4 percent, up from 3.1 a year ago. In Vermilion County the rate stood at 5.4 percent, an increase from 4.4 percent in 2022. The jobless rate in Danville was 6.3 percent, a  hike from 4.9 percent a year ago. In both Urbana and in the City of Champaign, the jobless rate stood at 4.1 percent. That is an increase from 3.3 percent in Urbana, and 2.9 percent in Champaign in December of 2022.

Despite these numbers, there were more than 500 more jobs in Vermilion County than last year. There were 300 more jobs in Champaign County in the past year.

Aqua Illinois officials have clarified the water company’s filing for a rate increase with the Illinois Commerce Commission. Aqua officials say if approved a local customer’s average monthly residential water-only bill would increase by $8.50 a month or 28 cents a day starting in December 2024.

Earlier news announcements spoke of a higher rate, but that was for water/wastewater customers. Aqua has various customer types in Illinois. Aqua’s local division are water-only customers.

The ICC will have hearings, and it doesn’t have to approve the rate increase request in full.

Article supplied by Danville Police

On Wednesday 1/24/24 the Danville Police Department was involved in two separate incidents that included arrests and seizures of firearms.

Incident #1:

At around 2:00 p.m., members of the Danville Police Department Problem-Oriented Policing Unit stopped a vehicle on the west side of Danville for traffic violations. Once the vehicle stopped and contact was made with the driver, he then fled from the officers in the vehicle he was driving. After a pursuit the vehicle stopped and Officers arrested the driver, 20-year-old Darriontez McMillion of Danville along with a 14-year-old juvenile passenger in the vehicle who fled on foot.

During the investigation, P.O.P. officers recovered a loaded handgun. Mr. McMillion is charged and is being held on Aggravated Unlawful Use of a Weapon, Resisting a Peace Officer, Aggravated Fleeing and Eluding, and Driving with a Suspended or Revoked Driver’s License. The juvenile is charged and being held on Aggravated Unlawful Use of a Weapon and Resisting a Peace Officer.

Further investigation into this incident continues.

Incident #2:

At around 4:00 p.m. Danville Police Officers were proactively patrolling on the east side of Danville. Patrol Officers stopped 3 subjects illegally walking in the roadway. During their investigation officers learned the subjects were juveniles and one was illegally in possession of a firearm. The 15-year-old juvenile in possession of the weapon resisted officers during this interaction and was eventually placed in custody and charged with Aggravated Unlawful Use of a Weapon and Resisting a Peace Officer.

All subjects described in these incidents are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. If the public has any further information that can help in these investigations please contact the Danville Police Department at 217-431-2250 or Crime Stoppers at 217-446-TIPS (8477)

Information supplied by State's Attorney

On January 24, 2024, Lou Ann Saint Onge, formerly of Danville, Illinois, pleaded guilty to a charge of Second Degree Murder, and was sentenced to 14 years in the Illinois Department of Corrections. Second Degree Murder is punishable by a term of probation, or 4 to 20 years in the Illinois Department of Corrections. Her prison term will be followed by one year of mandatory supervised release.
During the plea Circuit Judge Robert McIntire heard evidence establishing that on July 16, 2023, Ms. Saint Onge went to a bar with her longtime domestic partner, Michael Woestman, and after some time they got into an argument and left the bar. He left on foot and she in a car, and the argument continued. Eventually, after his final refusal to get into the car with her, “something snapped” in her mind and she intentionally drove into Mr. Woestman, striking and killing him. An eyewitness called in to the police what they had seen, and Ms. Saint Onge was eventually
taken into custody. She made a full confession, which was corroborated by a number of independent witnesses.
Vermilion County State’s Attorney Jacqueline Lacy thanks the Danville Police Department for their thorough investigation, and the many civilian witnesses for their cooperation. “The integrity of the cases prosecuted by my office is largely dependent on witnesses who are willing to come forward and tell the truth.”

The City of Danville is hoping to get a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts to fund some new murals and other art installations downtown. Community Relations Administrator Ashton Greer  told the Public Services Committee that the project is a joint effort.

This collaboration will mean a larger project if the grant of 50 thousand dollars is approved.

 Greer says several locations have already agreed to have a mural.

Greer… spots

Other locations are being sought. Improving the look of downtown is part of an effort Danville is undertaking with another grant it has received. The proposal now moves to the full city Council in February.

 Feeling down during these dark, cold winter months? It could be a vitamin D deficiency due to lack of sunlight. Tim Ditman of OSF HealthCare has tips to feel better from a local doctor.

If your mental health issues reach a crisis, talk to someone or call the 9-8-8 hotline.

The Danville Police department wants to hire a crime intel analyst to examine the various data now received by police.

Chief Chris Yates told the Public Services Committee that such a position is needed in this technical era.

He says such an analyst could develop the why, how, and where from all the information the department receives from cameras in the city and various electronic sources.  The new post could be funded through existing revenue from the police budget.

Danville is also looking at changes to the rental housing registration. Corporation Counsel Jim Simon told the committee that the proposal would be designed to protect renters, but not to hurt quality landlords.

The city plans to hire two rental inspectors who would inspect all rental properties on a regular basis.

Comptroller Ashlyn Massey informed the committee that she has done a study on whether the presence of the casino has hurt the revenue from videos games in local bars and restaurants.  She says the revenue from these games has held steady.  Danville got about 500 thousand dollars in video game taxes this fiscal year.  It has gotten over a million dollars from the Golden Nugget Casino.

Danville’s Public Services Committee has approved a proposal to purchase seven properties for more than 254 thousand dollars. The properties are in the 300 block of Harmon and the 400 block of Robinson. City Engineer Sam Cole says the property is being purchased for upcoming community development

The committee also approved spending more than 400 thousand dollars for a new sewer vacuum truck.  It will be used for sewer cleaning and maintenance.  The committee also approved paying more than 100 thousand dollars to line a sanitary sewer in South Danville. A sewer collapse showed the sewer line is in poor condition. The city plans to hire a company to line the sewer from 4^th to 1^st streets to stabilize it.

All of the committee’s actions will come to the full city council in February.

Item submitted by Aqua Illinois

Over the past few hours, we have lifted the remaining precautionary Boil Water Advisories in our Danville system. While we did not see any water quality issues in our system, our testing in partnership with the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency is an important step to ensure the safety of our water.

While water pressure continues to improve, we’re asking customers to continue to conserve water so that service returns to normal operating pressure across the system as quickly as possible. We will provide an update when we are back to normal operating levels.

Thank you to our customers and community leaders for their patience and partnership as we resolved our operational challenges, and to our Aqua Illinois team who worked around the clock to restore clean, safe, reliable water to the community.

Jonathan Keim, Aqua Area Manager

The Vermilion County Courthouse, the Cannon Building, the Health Department and the Animal Shelter are closing at 3 p.m and will be closed tomorrow. This is the result of the icy conditions that caused schools and other government offices to close today.

The City of Danville Public Works Department is working diligently to apply salt to the roads, however, with the ongoing weather conditions, it will be impossible to ensure that all roads are clear of snow and ice at all times.  Crews will  continue working to keep roads as safe as possible through the entirety of this event.

Danville Firefighters responded to a structure fire at 1713 North Logan Avenue Saturday night. Upon arrival, firefighters were advised that all occupants and pets had evacuated the building. Fire had vented from the home and entered the attic space of the structure. Firefighters entered the residence and began a quick-fire attack on the main fire room. Firefighters then worked to extinguish the fire located in the attic.

Danville Mass Transit brought a warming bus to the scene for the residents and firefighters. The fire is under investigation.  Dollar loss was estimated at more than 36 thousand dollars.

Gaming appears to be a good revenue source for the City of Danville.  The Public Services committee this week will hear a report on gaming money coming into city coffers. So far it the current fiscal year, which started in May, Danville has received more than 1.1 million dollars from the Casino wagering tax.  And Danville has gotten another 169 thousand dollars on the Admission tax it receives from the Golden Nugget Casino.  All those video games in local bars and restaurants also have helped city revenue.  Danville has obtained more than 500 thousand dollars in video game taxes.

The committee on Tuesday will also discuss paying more than 100 thousand dollars to line a sanitary sewer in South Danville. The sewer at 7 East Second street collapsed and needed emergency repairs. The repairs showed that a sewer line in poor condition and where collapses were imminent.  He city plans to hire a company to line the sewer from 4^th to 1^st streets to stabilize it.

The committee meets at 6 p.m. Tuesday at City Hall.

Information provided by Aqua Illinois

As water pressure in our Danville system returns to normal, we are testing water in the communities where we’ve issued precautionary Boil Water Advisories. While we did not experience negative water quality impacts at our plant during this incident, our testing and collaboration with the Illinois EPA provides assurance that the water is safe to consume for those previously notified customers.

As of 9:15 p.m. on Sunday, January 21, we’ve lifted the Precautionary Boil Water Advisory for customers west of Lowe's, north of Boiling Springs Road to West Newell Road, and North Vermilion to Bowman Avenue in Danville.  We are awaiting test results for the other areas under Boil Water Advisories, and we hope to have positive updates for all customers by tomorrow.

We will update customers directly as we lift the other Boil Water Advisories through our WaterSmart Alerts, as well as providing a public update.  Customers can sign up for WaterSmart alerts here: https://www.aquawater.com/watersmart-alerts.php

Article submitted by County Clerk

Vermilion County residents who, due to a disability, are unable to appear in person to register to vote may contact the County Clerk’s Voter Registration Department at 217-554-1900 for assistance. The office can arrange for in-home registration services. Registration forms are also available by mail or may be printed from
the County Clerk’s website www.vercounty.org. Paperless online voter registration is also available on the
same website under “County Clerk,” “Voter Information,” “Online Voter Registration.”
The last day for Vermilion County residents to register to vote or file changes of name or address prior to the
March 19, 2024 General Primary Election under traditional Illinois voter registration is Tuesday, February 20th.
Grace Period registration and voting will be conducted in person at the County Clerk’s office from February 21st
through March 19th. Grace period registration requires two forms of identification, at least one of which includes
a correct current address.
Illinois law provides for early voting & vote by mail for all registered voters, without the need to specify a reason
for doing so. Those who wish to vote by mail may request an application from the County Clerk’s office as soon
as possible. A paperless online application for an early ballot is also available on our website. The last day in
which a ballot may be mailed to a voter is Thursday, March 14th. In-person early voting is available at the
County Voting Center beginning Thursday, February 8th through Monday, March 18th.
Voting aids and assistance in marking the ballot are provided in all Vermilion County polling locations. In
addition, special voting equipment designed to meet the needs of physically challenged voters is available in
every polling place.
For further information about voting by mail, early voting, and the FVT-TS, please call Carrie Wilson, Assistant
Chief Deputy County Clerk / Supervisor of Elections at 217-554-1911 or email ccelections@vercountyil.gov.

Information supplied by Aqua Illinois

Aqua Illinois reports it has corrected the equipment malfunction at our Danville water treatment plant, caused by the extreme temperatures in the region over the past week. Our operations are stabilized - we’re seeing increased water pressure in our plant, in readings we’re taking across the system, and through feedback from our customers. We anticipate that pressure will continue to improve over the weekend.

 We are still filling our reserves to increase pressure, which will take some time. We’re working on ways we can speed up the process and we ask customers to continue conserving water to help expedite our return to normal water levels.

 Once water pressure increases to an acceptable level, we can begin the process of working with the Illinois EPA to lift the precautionary boil water notice in effect for a number of previously notified Danville customers. 

A spokeswoman  said the problem started on Friday. Due to rain, Aqua Illinois saw increased flow and organic matter in Lake Vermilion and the treatment facility. The rain was quickly followed by extremely cold temperatures, and the combination of turbid water and extreme cold created difficult treatment conditions. This severely strained the treatment facility and equipment and required Aqua to operate at lower production levels than normal to maintain water quality. Specifically, sections of the intake and parts of the softening/treatment tanks froze and were damaged. 

The spokeswoman said water quality was never compromised but Aqua has been operating at lower flows than typical.

The number of areas under an advisory boil order has expanded to four areas. The areas include neighborhoods west of Lake Vermilion (including Denvale), the Winter Park and Holiday Hills areas, neighborhoods north of Boiling Springs Road, and areas south of Winter Street and east of Bowman Avenue, to the Indiana State Line. That includes the Eastgate area. Maps showing the areas can be found on the website aquawater.com. Customers in these areas should boil their water at least FIVE minutes before using, or use bottled water. 

Aqua Illinois has released details on what caused the water supply issues in the Danville area. And the number of areas under an advisory boil order has increased.

A spokeswoman  said the problem started on Friday. Due to rain, Aqua Illinois saw increased flow and organic matter in Lake Vermilion and the treatment facility. The rain was quickly followed by extremely cold temperatures, and the combination of turbid water and extreme cold created difficult treatment conditions. This severely strained the treatment facility and equipment and required Aqua to operate at lower production levels than normal to maintain water quality. Specifically, sections of the intake and parts of the softening/treatment tanks froze and were damaged. 

The spokeswoman said water quality was never compromised but Aqua has been operating at lower flows than typical.

The number of areas under an advisory boil order has expanded to four areas. The areas include neighborhoods west of Lake Vermilion (including Denvale), the Winter Park and Holiday Hills areas, neighborhoods north of Boiling Springs Road, and areas south of Winter Street and east of Bowman Avenue, to the Indiana State Line. That includes the Eastgate area. Maps showing the areas can be found on the website aquawater.com. Customers in these areas should boil their water at least FIVE minutes before using, or use bottled water. They should use boiled or bottled water for drinking, making ice, washing dishes, brushing teeth, and food preparation until further notice. If boiling water, bring it to a rolling boil, let it boil for five minutes, and let it cool before using. 

Danville and Westville schools were closed today due to the water issues and harsh winter weather. Danville Area Community College, Danville City Hall and the Public Works building are also closed today due to the water situation. City employees are working remotely.

The Aqua official said the system is responding well to recent changes and reduced consumption, and now they’re working to build back reserves and increase pressure in the system. They are hopeful to have a resolution soon. Customers are urged to conserve water, using it only as necessary.

Significant equipment failure at the Danville water treatment plant is causing closings of schools and businesses and boil orders for some customers.

Aqua Illinois said in a news release that due to recent harsh weather, the water treatment plant and the water system has been under extreme stress. Aqua is experiencing limited service disruptions and decreased water pressure.

Danville schools closed early Thursday. Danville and Westville schools are doing e-learning Friday, so the students do not have to go to school buildings. Danville officials say the decision also was made due to forecasts of high winds, below zero wind chill temperatures, and accumulating snow. Danville city Hall and the Public Works Building are also closed. The normal garbage collection will not be affected by the closing. While City hall is closed, employees are working remotely and can be reached via email. If you need assistance, call the main line (217.431.2200) during regular business hours. Danville Area Community College also closed early Thursday, and the Vermilion County tournament game was moved to Bismarck.. Golden Nugget Danville casino and Saltgrass Steakhouse also were closed Thursday evening due to the water situation.

OSF Sacred Heart Medical Center officials said they are following Aqua’s guidance for conserving water, but operations are continuing fine. OSF Medical Group locations moved patient appointments to video visits today.

Aqua says that while it has no indication of water quality issues, it is issuing a precautionary Boil Water Advisory for some customers. One advisory affects customers in the Eastgate area, including customers east of Daisy Lane, Brewer Road, and Markley Street. Another boil order is for customers North of Boiling Springs Road and on West Newell Road South to airport, and at N. Vermilion Street to N. Bowman Ave. Customers in the areas listed above should boil their water at least FIVE minutes before using or use bottled water. They should use boiled or bottled water for drinking, making ice, washing dishes, brushing teeth, and food preparation until further notice. If boiling water, bring it to a rolling boil, let it boil for five minutes, and let it cool before using. 

Aqua said that it is working around the clock to address the issue, and the reduced service will continue until the problems are fixed. Customers are urged to conserve water, using it only as necessary.

The Danville Police Department Tuesday evening responded to a man being shot at The Grove Housing Complex. Deputy Chief Terry McCord said officers arrived at an address on Moore St. and spoke with a 29-year-old victim who had been shot multiple times. The victim was transported to Carle Hospital and then released later that night with non-life-threatening injuries. Detectives are still investigating this incident.

Two teenagers have been arrested for weapons violations. On Wednesday evening members of the Problem Oriented Police Unit and the Police Community Housing Unit stopped a vehicle in the area of Fairchild and Section Streets for  traffic violations.

Two subjects exited the vehicle and ran on foot. Both subjects were quickly taken into custody by officers. Two firearms were located, and both subjects are being held on charges including Aggravated Unlawful Possession of a Weapon, and Possession of a stolen firearm.

If anyone has information about either incident, please call 217-431-2250 or Crime Stoppers at 217-446-TIPS (8477).

Problems at the Aqua Illinois water treatment plant in Danville are causing closings and users are being urged to conserve their water usage.

Aqua Illinois said in a news release that due to recent extreme weather recently, the water treatment plant and the system has been under extreme stress the last few days. Aqua is experiencing limited service disruptions and decreased water pressure.

District 118 closed schools early today and sent students home due to the water challenge.  Danville schools will have an e-learning day on Friday so students will not have to go to the buildings.  Danville Area Community College also closed early and ordered students to leave the campus because of the water situation.  The Vermilion County tournament is being moved from DACC to Bismarck tonight. A decision about Friday and Saturday will be made at a later time, depending on resolution of the water pressure issues. All ticket pre-sales will be honored.

Due to the water situations, Danville’s  Public Works facility at 1155 E. Voorhees Street will be closed for the remainder of the day today and tomorrow. Trash pickup schedules will remain unaffected, and operations outside of the building will continue.

Danville City Hall will be closed tomorrow. All employees will be working remotely and can be reached via email. If you need assistance, you can call the main line (217.431.2200) during regular business hours. 

Aqua said that it is working around the clock to address the issue, and the reduced service will continue until the problems are fixed. Customers are urged to conserve water, using it only as necessary. Aqua says it will keep customers informed about the situation.

Seven members of a Danville family escaped a fire in their home Wednesday morning. Danville firefighters were called to 1003 Kingdom Street and found heavy fire on the front porch of the residence with fire extending into the attic space of the home.

Five adults and two children as well as two dogs and a cat were displaced by the fire. All had evacuated prior to the arrival of the fire department.

The cause of the fire remains undetermined. There were no working smoke detectors in the home, and the estimated dollar loss is 12,500 dollars. Danville Public Works brought in salt for the icy roadway left from the fire engine’s water supply.

In another fire, a barking dog Tuesday evening alerted a woman of a fire at 839 John Street. The occupant stated she was in the basement when the dog began barking. When she went to investigate, she noticed smoke. She gathered the dog and exited the structure.

Firefighters found a large amount of smoke and fire coming from the rear of the structure. The occupant of the home said there was a cat inside the home. Firefighters brought the fire under control and located the cat. The occupant and the cat were treated by Ambulance at the scene.

The cause of the fire is under investigation. Smoke detectors were present in the home but were not working. The damage estimate is 15 thousand dollars.

Information  provided by State's Attorney

Jim Smith, (DOB: 2/21/1985) formerly of Danville, IL, plead guilty to the offenses of Unlawful Possession of Weapon by Felon, a class 3 felony, and Criminal Damage to
Property, a class 4 felony. Smith was sentenced to a total of 11 years in the Illinois Department of
Corrections for the two offenses and will serve a term of six months of mandatory supervised
release following his incarceration.
The Honorable Derek Girton heard evidence that on March 6, 2022, Jim Smith and another
individual were outside an apartment building on Garden Drive in Danville. As the victim
walked up to the apartment building where he resides, Smith asked to borrow ten dollars. The
victim refused and then went inside to his own apartment. Later, the victim was inside his
apartment when he heard a knock at the door. Expecting it to be his girlfriend, he answered, but
on the other side of the door was Smith. An altercation ensued in the hallway of the apartment
building between Smith and the victim. Smith was then handed a gun by an individual in a
nearby apartment. Smith then chased the victim to the victim’s apartment and shot through the door of his apartment. The incident was captured on security cameras.

Article provided by Sen. Faraci

State Senator Paul Faraci is collecting food items to support homeless military veterans and to support the Danville Township Food Pantry. 

“Let’s come together to address this pressing need in our community,” said Faraci (D-Champaign). “Every little bit helps, as we can assist those who have selflessly served our country.”

From now until Feb. 19, community members can drop off donations at Senator Faraci’s Danville office, located at 201 N. Vermilion St., and at the Danville Public Library, located at 319 N. Vermilion St.

Items most in need include: chicken noodle soup, saltine crackers, spaghetti, spaghetti sauce, noodles, macaroni, apple sauce, canned tuna, canned meat, canned salmon, beans, shelf-stable milk, oatmeal, mashed potatoes, rice and snack crackers.

The collected items will benefit homeless military veterans and their families at Cannon Place on the campus of the Illiana VA and the Danville Township Food Pantry.

"We are seeing, since the pandemic, increasing numbers of first time visitors, senior citizens coming in for help with basic groceries because they can't stretch their social security incomes as far as they used to,” said Tina O’Brien, Danville Township Program Coordinator. “We are grateful for this food drive, it will help." 

For more information or questions, please contact Betty at Senator Faraci’s office at (217) 442-5252.

The Danville City Council has approved a zoning change to allow construction of a fire station for the Bismarck Fire Protection District. The station will be on the north side of West Newell Road near Walmart and Menards.  The site is outside of Danville, but still within the mile and a half zoning area controlled by the city.

Bismarck Assistant Fire Chief Jake Wright told the council this a great opportunity for his department,

The new station will replace a garage on West Lake Boulevard that is being used as a station.

Dustin Wells spoke against the plan.  His family owns the property next to the proposed station.  He says the Bismarck Fire Department has pledged to control noise, but he worries it could affect property values

He also worries about the increased traffic.

Danville Firefighters fought bitter cold as well as a house fire on Sunday. Firefighters were called to 516 W. Clay Street for a vacant building heavily involved in fire. Early reports from a bystander stated that someone may be inside the structure.

After bringing the fire under control, firefighters initiated a search of the building, and no one was found to be inside.

A warming bus was brought by Danville Mass Transit for the firefighters battling the blaze. The cause of the fire remains undetermined.  There were no utilities in the building, and no working smoke detectors. The damage loss is estimated at 21 thousand dollars.

Information provided by State's Attorney

On Friday, January 12, 2024, a Vermilion County jury convicted 20-year-old Terrion Tinsley in
the brutal and heinous murders of Nathaniel Gentry and Cordell Reed. Tinsley will face a
sentence of 40 years to Natural Life in prison at a future sentencing hearing. Tinsley will remain
in custody without bond pending the sentencing hearing.
State's Attorney Jacqueline Lacy, who prosecuted this case along with two of her assistants, said
the evening of January 22, 2020 was a complete nightmare for three men and their families.
"These victims were at home playing cards with each other, having a good time. They were
friends who grew up in Danville, who were simply spending time together."
On January 23, 2020, Danville Police responded to 440 Elm Street after a 911 call by a family
member who found victims, Nathaniel Gentry, Anthony Jones and Cordell Reed, Sr., all
deceased inside Mr. Reed's home. First responders found the three victims stabbed and brutally
beaten.
Two of the suspects, including Tinsley were juveniles at the time of the incident. One defendant
is still awaiting trial. The third defendant plead guilty to robbery and agreed to cooperate as a
state's witness and testify at court to assist the prosecution in securing the conviction for
Tinsley.
Testimony at trial indicated that the three defendants were invited into the home on Elm Street
by the owner of the home, Cordell Reed, Sr. Once invited in, they planned to steal some weed in
the victims’ possession. Tinsley and his co-defendants entered the home wearing latex gloves
under knit gloves.
In the early stages of the investigation, a detective with the Danville Police Department was
alerted by a citizen who located three pairs of latex gloves inside of knit gloves that appeared to
have been discarded in storm drains less than two blocks from the crime scene. The gloves, along
with multiple pieces of seized evidence, were sent to the Illinois State Police (ISP) Crime Lab.

ISP forensic scientist Jennifer Aper testified that DNA from Tinsley was found inside one of the
latex gloves.
Evidence presented by Forensic Pathologist, Dr. Scott Denton, showed that all three victims died
as a result of multiple stab wounds and multiple injuries of blunt force trauma.
Lacy expressed her appreciation to the jury for their service. "The jury's verdict of guilty against
Terrion Tinsley sends a strong message that the people of Vermilion County are tired of the
senseless violence. The jury spoke for the victims today." She added, "Without the cooperation
of these brave witnesses, the Danville Police Department and the Illinois State Police, this
prosecution would not have been possible."
The third defendant is scheduled for trial in May, 2024.

Information provided by State GOP

State Representative Brandun Schweizer (R-Danville), a retired U.S.M.C. Master Sergeant and current City of Danville Code Enforcement Inspector, spent his first day Tuesday at the Illinois State Capitol as the State Representative of the 104^th District.

Schweizer took the opportunity to briefly address his new colleagues.  

Schweizer was introduced to House members by House Republican Leader Tony McCombie.

One of Danville’s unsung heroes was given special recognition during the Martin Luther King day celebration on Monday. Mary Thompson has been the chairman of the King Day celebration for 25 years. Sandra Finch, Danville’s Human relations Administrator, told the crowd that Mrs. Thompson was originally reluctant to take the leadership post. But she has made the MLK celebration what it is today.

She says that Thompson has for many years been active in a variety of events for her community.

Other speakers praised Thompson for the work she has done in the community including Elder Tyson Parks, current chair of the MLK Celebration committee, and Danville Mayor Rickey Wiliams.

Thompson briefly addressed the crowd, saying she couldn’t have done it all without their help.

Despite frigid temperatures, a crowd of people participated in Danville’s Martin Luther King Day celebration Monday. The event at St. James Methodist Church had presentations, music, songs, and reminders of what Dr. King meant to the nation.

The chief speaker was Rev. Katrese Kirk McKenzie. She is an elder with the African Methodist Episcopal Church, a Danville native, and a past MLK scholarship winner. She urged people to “use what you got” to improve your community and yourself, saying the Bible states everyone has gifts. And she says people should not compare themselves to others and perhaps feel they fall short. All jobs have purpose and dignity, and Rev. McKenzie says everyone must use their special gift to make the world a better place.

Danville High School senior Davari Boyd is the winner of the 4 thousand dollar scholarship from the MLK committee. He plans to major in Criminal Justice and wants to be a Danville police officer. He has been accepted at both Eastern Illinois University and Indiana State University.

The MLK Committee also gave a 1 thousand dollar scholarship to the competition’s runner up. Josiah Hoskins is a DHS senior planning to attend Danville Area Community College and become a physical therapist.

The following are current cancellations, postponements, and announcements for the WITY listening area (UPDATED 10:45 P.M.):

Tuesday 01/23/24:

Schools

Illinois:

Armstrong Township High School –Closed on Tuesday

Armstrong Ellis Grade School –Closed on Tuesday

Bismarck-Henning CUSD #1 –E-Learning on Tuesday

Champaign Unit 4—Snow Day on Tuesday

Champaign Head Start –Classes Cancelled Tuesday, Staff Report at 11 am.

Christ Lutheran School in Buckley –Closed Tuesday

Circle Academy (Vermilion and Urbana) –Complete Weather Packet #3 for Tuesday

Danville District 118 –E-Learning on Tuesday

First Baptist Christian School –Closed on Tuesday

Georgetown-Ridge Farm Schools –E-Learning on Tuesday

Hoopeston School District –E-Learning on Tuesday

Iroquois West Schools –E-Learning on Tuesday

Iroquois County CUSD #9 Watseka Schools –E-Learning on Tuesday

Judah Christian –Late Start Tuesday (Doors open at 9:30 a.m., Classes Starts at 10 a.m.)

Kankakee Community College Facilities will be Closed Tuesday

Milford Schools—Closed on Tuesday

Oakwood Schools –E-Learning on Tuesday

Potomac Grade School –E-Learning on Tuesday

Rantoul Head Start –Classes Cancelled Tuesday, Staff Report at 11 a.m.

Rantoul St. Malachy –Late Start Tuesday (Doors open at 9:30 a.m., Classes Starts at 10 a.m.)

Salt Fork Schools –E-Learning on Tuesday

Schlarman Academy –Late Start Tuesday (North Campus Start 9:30 a.m., South Campus Start 9:40 a.m.)

St. Thomas More in Champaign --(Opening at 9:30 a.m.)

Urbana School District –E-Learning on Tuesday

Urbana University Lab High School –E-Learning on Tuesday

Urbana Head Start –Classes Cancelled Tuesday, Staff Report at 11 a.m.

VASE-Middle Fork –Closed/E-Learning on Tuesday

West Champaign Head Start –Classes Cancelled Tuesday, Staff Report at 11 a.m.

Westville CUSD #2—E-Learning on Tuesday

Indiana:

Benton Community School Corporation –2 Hour Delay Tuesday

Parke County Head Start – 1 Hour Delay Tuesday

South Vermillion County Head Start –1 Hour Delay Tuesday

Municipalities

Illinois:

Brookens Administrative Center in Urbana—Opening at 10 a.m. Tuesday

News provided by Danville Police

The Danville Police Department announced it has been awarded a
Federal Fiscal Year 2024 Sustained Traffic Enforcement Program (STEP) grant to
conduct additional traffic safety enforcement efforts. The STEP program focuses on high-visibility enforcement and strategies aimed at saving lives and preventing injuries by reducing traffic crashes.
“We’re pleased to receive this grant to step up our road safety efforts,” said Chief Chris Yates, “Our mission is to make travel safer through directed, proactive patrols and to stop, cite and arrest, if necessary, those who choose to violate traffic laws. We are asking for the community’s assistance in this. Our objective is not to issue citations but is to slow speedy drivers and decrease distractions to reduce the number of traffic crashes that cause injury to our citizens and cost millions in property damage and societal economic
loss.”.
During the STEP grant year, which runs from Oct. 1, 2023, through Sept. 30, 2024, the Danville Police Department will conduct additional enforcement efforts to supplement mandatory and optional campaign enforcement dates scheduled during some of the deadliest times of the year.
The additional efforts will focus on the leading contributory causes of crashes: speeding, impaired driving, electronic device use, failure to yield and disobeying traffic control signals, as well as occupant restraint violations.
The STEP grant is funded by federal highway safety funds administered by the Illinois Department of Transportation.

The Burlington store in the Village Mall is closing. Company officials have confirmed that the store will close at the end of February.

Burlington opened 11 years ago on the back side of the mall.  No information has been released on why the store is closing or what will happen to employees.

Local economic and political figures expressed disappointment in the store closing. Danville is not alone in the changing retail picture as mall stores are closing throughout the nation.

Information supplied by OSF Health

Varicose (VARE-ah-cose) veins are a common problem. But OSF HealthCare surgeon in Urbana...Doctor Greg Ward...says many people don’t want to talk about it...because they don’t know about the range of treatment. Tim Ditman of OSF has more.

Risk factors for varicose veins include being overweight, sitting or standing for long periods, lifting heavy objects, being female, pregnancy and having a family history of vein issues.

A Danville home was heavily damaged in a fire Tuesday.  The people who lived there were not at home when the fire broke out.  However, two pets in the home died in the fire.

Danville Firefighters were called to the 900 block of North Bowman Avenue and observed a large amount of fire and smoke coming from the building.  They entered the home and began extinguishing the fire. Other firefighters performed a search of the residence, and no one was found to be inside.  The Danville Fire Department is being assisted by the Illinois State Fire Marshals Office with the investigation into the cause of the fire which remains undetermined. Damage was estimated at 45 thousand dollars.

Cancer care can be a trying time. But radiation treatment – where precise radiation is delivered outside your body to shrink tumors – has come a long way, making things safer and more convenient. Tim Ditman of OSF HealthCare has more from a Danville doctor.

Doctor Sharma encourages you to talk to your cancer doctor about all options.

Because of the pending report for inclement weather on Monday, January 15, 2024, the motorcade/parade scheduled for the Martin Luther King Celebration has been cancelled.

Therefore, the celebration will now begin with the Community-Wide Service at St. James United Methodist Church will start at 11:30 a.m. The Reverend Katrese Kirk-McKenzie, who is an Itinerant Elder of the African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Church and member of the Chicago Conference, will serve as the speaker for the service. Kirk-McKenzie is a Danville native, and she was the recipient of the MLK Scholarship in 2000.
Also, the service will include the presentation of the $4000.00 MLK Scholarship to a Danville graduating high school senior. In addition, an ensemble of singers, under the direction of MLK Music Director Brett Dupree, will perform at the service.
On a special note, in honor of 25 years of serving as the chair of the MLK Committee, the MLK Committee will give a special tribute to Mrs. Mary Thompson.
For additional information, contact the Human Relations Department at 217-431-2280.

Message from Danville Police Chief Chris Yates

As many of you have noticed, your Verizon services for cell phone use has been interrupted, spotty, or simply not working. I have contacted Verizon and they have informed me that they are aware of the problem and working on it. Unfortunately, they were not able to provide an estimated duration until it is corrected. You may have the ability to call when you are in one part of town and then unable when you are in another. If you can call out, you may try calling Verizon Customer Care-Corporate Office at (800)922-0204 and report your problem to ensure they know that it is creating a hardship. Obviously, many cannot call but can text or have internet access. You can go to the "myverizon" app and use the “talk to text” option and send a message to report your interrupted service. It appears that texting is still working.

Remember that the 911 Communications Center can receive emergency texts. You just text 911 and state your emergency and they will dispatch officers as they would in any emergency. We do ask the public not to text 911 to report interrupted cell service or non-emergency concerns. For non-emergency concerns that need to be directed to the Police Department in which an immediate response is NOT necessary, you may go to the City of Danville website and go to the “Report a Problem” tab. (cityofdanville.org)

We hope that this issue will be corrected soon. As with any challenge, big or small, we can work through it with patience, partnership and community. Please keep an eye out for those who are affected more than others. While many of us may be relieved by a reduction of phone calls, others may be subject to more stress and anxiety. Look out for your neighbors, friends, and family as with any concern and we should be fine. Thanks.

The City of Danville’s Public Works Committee has okayed a plan to spend 259 thousand dollars to replace a street/stop light. The light post was damaged by a motorist and City Engineer Sam Cole says due to federal requirements replacing it will be costly.

The city hopes the insurance company will pay about 130 thousand dollars of the cost.

The committee also approved adding 53 thousand dollars to the project for concrete improvements throughout the city.  Cole says the budget was increased due to the addition of certain areas and  discoveries of unknown conditions.

The committee also heard of the plan to seek a 250 thousand dollar grant from the Illinois EPA. If approved, the grant would help fund renovation of the HVAC system at the Public Works building.  The entire renovation project is expected to cost about 1.5 million dollars.

All of the committee’s actions will go to the full council next week.

Talented local people submitted proposed logo designs for the City of Danville, and now the public gets a chance to vote on them.

30 local artists submitted over 50 designs.  Community Relations Administrator, Ashton Greer, says the quality and number of entries was wonderful.

Voting will take place until Wednesday, January 24. Only one vote per person will be counted.

You may vote in person on paper at either Mad Goat location. you can vote online at this survey link:
https://s.surveyplanet.com/h4p19xbd.

This logo will be used in conjunction with City Seal, not as a replacement. The winning artist will receive a $500 cash prize. The final logo will be announced on February 1.

Many of the logos feature the tagline  – “You Decide What’s Possible.”  This will become the new City of Danville tagline.  

News submitted by Sen Faraci

State Senator Paul Faraci announced that seven school districts in the 52^nd Senate District will receive more than $20,000 to provide resources to libraries through books, e-books, audiobooks, periodicals, multilingual materials, technology and programs.

“This funding to school district libraries isn't just an investment in books, it's an investment in the heart of our communities and the minds of our future,” said Faraci (D-Champaign). “We want to empower these libraries to be able to make the necessary investments for our children.”

Based on a statutory formula, school districts receive $0.885 per student enrolled at each school with a qualified library. Funding for the School District Library Grant Program originates from the General Reserve Fund and is appropriated for this purpose by the Illinois General Assembly.

The following school districts in Faraci’s district received a total of $20,051:

• Champaign School District 4 - $8,782
• Danville School District 118 - $3,823
• Oakwood School District 76 - $850
• Rantoul School District 137 - $1,364
• Rantoul School District 193 - $850
• Urbana School District 116 - $3,411
• Westville School District 2 - $971

The grants, awarded once every fiscal year, will support school library services for over 1 million students enrolled in kindergarten through 12th grade across the state.

Repairing a corner traffic light can get expensive. Danville’s Public Works committee Tuesday will discuss repairs of the traffic signals posts, lights, and associated infrastructure at the intersection of Bowman Avenue and Voorhees Street. It was damaged by a motorist; and due to the extent of the damage, a full signal post replacement is required. Due to the federal requirement to meet ADA standards, the work must also include sidewalk/curb ramp upgrades.

The total cost of the project will be more than 259 thousand dollars. The motorists insurance company will pay 130 thousand dollars, with the city funding the rest. The committee meets at 6 p.m. at City Hall.

Article supplied by OSF Health

A longtime stroke coordinator at OSF HealthCare in Danville, Leslie Ingold has seen a problematic nationwide trend: a gap in stroke treatment for women compared to men. It doesn’t mean health systems aren’t striving to provide the best care. Rather, Ingold says women – specifically those 80 and up – may be unaware of stroke risk factors that greatly impact them. Tim Ditman of OSF has more.

Ingold adds if you have stroke symptoms, don’t sleep them off. Call 9-1-1 and have a doctor evaluate you.

Information provided by City of Danville

Enjoy a culinary and cultural experience at the Folklore
Progressive Dinner, on Friday, February 2, starting at 5:30 PM in Downtown Danville. Start your
journey at your selected ticket time at the historic Fischer Theatre. Spend 30 minutes at each
location and enjoy each course of your meal and the progressive storyline from KottrGrimm
Theatrical Storytellers at the first three locations.
$25.00/ticket (21+ Only)
Stop 1: Start at the Fischer Theatre (158 N. Vermilion) for hors d’oeuvres and wine pairings in
the lobby. Storytelling will take place in the auditorium!
Stop 2: The next stop is the Masonic Temple (109 W. North Street), where you will enjoy the
beer cheese soup and a smoked cheddar bacon salad! Don’t forget to grab a drink served by
Fatmans Warehouse as the story continues.
Stop 3: Then, venture to The Wolford for a delicious dessert from Kaylas Chic Treats and drinks
from 7 Brew. This will be the location of the finishing piece of the progressive story!
Stop 4: Finish the evening with a nightcap at The Heron (34 N. Vermilion) with some hors
d’oeuvres. Stay at this location until 10:00 PM and enjoy the live music and incredible
atmosphere. Cash bar open until close, hosted by Vermilion River Beer Company.
Start times: 5:30, 6:00, 6:30, 7:00, 7:30
Reserve your preferred time slot here:
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0F44ACAF2DA3FEC43-46943040-folklore#/
Tickets will be mailed to you in advance. You must bring the physical ticket for admission at
each location. Only 25 tickets per starting time will be sold. You must arrive at The Fischer
Theatre at your ticketed time and go in order so that each venue can anticipate crowd size and
accommodate the guests. You will spend 30 minutes at each location.

Information supplied  by VERMILION COUNTY CONSERVATION DISTRICT

The Vermilion County Conservation District will be hosting "Celebrate Squirrel Appreciation Day" on Sunday, January 21, 2024, at the Kennekuk Education Center, Kennekuk County Park. Did you know squirrels can find food buried beneath a foot of snow? Or that the front teeth of a squirrel never stop growing throughout their life? Through crafts, games, activities, snacks, and more, people of all ages can stop by anytime from 1 - 4pm to learn more about these fascinating animals.  The event is free with no pre-registration needed.

Kennekuk County Park is located at 22296 Henning Road, Danville, IL 61834. For more information, please call 217-442-1691.

Article from OSF Health

Here’s a new year’s resolution for kids and their parents: keep your hands clean and away from your face to prevent the spread of illness. Tim Ditman of OSF HealthCare has more from a Danville expert.

Visit the OSF Newsroom for a video on handwashing technique.

Information submitted by City of Danville

The City of Danville is excited to announce that the second annual
Danville’s Got Talent will take place on Friday, March 1 at 6:30 PM at The Fischer Theatre!
Do you have a talent? Audition for Danville's Got Talent! Auditions will be held at City Hall (17 W. Main St.) in the basement on Thursday, January 18, and Friday, January 19 from 5:30 – 8:30 PM.
Sign up as early as possible to reserve your preferred audition time. Please do not audition if you are not available on Friday, March 1 to perform and participate in rehearsals during the day.
A panel of judges and a videographer will be present for the auditions. Come prepared to complete your performance and a quick interview with a videographer. Performances must be five minutes or less. If you require music, please bring the audio file on your phone. A Bluetooth speaker will be available to connect to.
If your audition requires large instruments that cannot be easily transported into the basement at City Hall, we will consider a virtual audition during your timeslot, hosted by Zoom or FaceTime.
Performers must reside in Vermilion County, IL. Finalists will be selected by our judges and will be notified at the following auditions. To register to audition, follow this link: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0F44ACAF2DA3FEC43-
46981043-danvilles#/, or email Rheanna Ollis, event coordinator at rollis@cityofdanville.org.
We can’t wait to see what you’ve got!

The Adult Education department at Danville Area Community College
along with Vermilion County Works invites adult learners who have not earned a
high school diploma to elevate their lives through the Elevate 2.0 Integrated Career
and Academic Preparations System (ICAPS). Elevate 2.0, funded through the Illinois
Community College Board (ICCB), affords adult learners the opportunity to earn an
Illinois High School Diploma while simultaneously enrolling in college –level
courses in pursuit of career certification.
Available areas of study in the Elevate 2.0 program are Public Healthcare Billing
Management; Commercial Driver’s License (CDL); Heating, Ventilation, and Air
Conditioning (HVAC); and Welding. The initiative, open to anyone 16 years or
older, who has not earned a high school diploma, has no cost to participants.
Participants must meet individual program eligibility. Most programs are two
semesters, with the exception of the CDL program.
All classes will be held on DACC’s Danville Campus and will begin January 16, 2024.
Registration and placement testing will take place on campus in Prairie Hall
between the hours of 8am to 1pm, Monday through Thursday. As space is limited,
student must register by Friday, January 12, 2024. For more information, call
217.443.8782. Information will also be available at the New Year…New You event
sponsored by the Adult Education department from 1pm to 3pm, Saturday, January
6 at the Village Mall.

Information provided by City of Danville

The MLK Committee will host only a one-day celebration for the 2024 MLK Celebration:
“Cultivating Joy.”
The celebration will begin with a motorcade/parade on Monday, January 15, 2024. The line-up for
the motorcade/parade will begin at 10:00 a.m. at the corner of Main and Logan Streets, and the
procession will start at 10:30 a.m. The motorcade will turn east on Main Street. It will travel north
on Vermilion Street. Then it will turn right onto Seminary Street. Travel until it gets to the corner of
Jackson and Seminary. Make a left onto Jackson Street. Travel on Jackson Street to the corner of
Jackson and Williams. Pause for a small ceremony at the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Monument.
Then proceed west on Williams Street to Vermilion Street, turn right on Vermilion Street, then it will
turn left onto Davis Street and park on the northwest side of St. James United Methodist Church’s
parking lot. This event is open to the public.
The Community-Wide Service at St. James United Methodist Church will start at 11:30 a.m. The Reverend
Katrese Kirk-McKenzie, who is an Itinerant Elder of the African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Church and
member of the Chicago Conference, will serve as the speaker for the service. Kirk-McKenzie is a Danville
native, and she was the recipient of the MLK Scholarship in 2000.
Also, the service will include the presentation of the $4000.00 MLK Scholarship to a Danville
graduating high school senior. In addition, an ensemble of singers, under the direction of MLK
Music Director Brett Dupree, will perform at the service.
On a special note, in honor of 25 years of serving as the chair of the MLK Committee, the MLK
Committee will give a special tribute to Mrs. Mary Thompson.
For additional information, contact the Human Relations Department at 217-431-2280.

Information from the City of Danville

We are happy  to welcome four more sworn Probationary Officers to the Danville Police Department! Logan Appelman, Ryan Mullins, Gaige Wright, and Elijah Nardoni (left to right) will begin a 16-week law enforcement training course at the University of Illinois Police Training Institute next week. We wish them the best of luck at the academy!"

Local OSF health facilities are not returning to mask mandates at this time. ABC news reports that 31 states report "high" or "very high" levels of COVID, flu or RSV.  Hospitals in at least six states – including  Illinois - have reinstated mask policies.

Tim Ditman of OSF Health says the OSF policy continues to be based on the COVID county-by-county levels as published by the CDC. If it’s high, masks are required. If it’s low or medium, masks are encouraged. Right now, Vermilion County is medium, so masks are encouraged but not mandated. He says hospital leaders are monitoring respiratory illnesses constantly and make decisions based on what’s best for their facility.

Infectious disease doctors say prevention exists for all three conditions: vaccination.

The City of Danville has hired a new Director of Mass Transit. Steven White has been chosen to replace Lisa Beith, who is retiring.

White is a Danville native.  He spent several years working in the South before returning to Danville to be with family.

Beith will be serving as a consultant for a while, and White says he will work closely with her to learn the system.  He says Mass Transit is an important service to the many riders.

Beith is retiring after 21 years of service.  Mayor Rickey Williams says Beith successfully won millions of dollars in grant money for the community and led through many transitions, including the opening of the new Transfer Zone, major facilities updates, and the replacement of over half of the DMT fleet.

The issue of housing demolition again came up at Tuesday’s City Council meeting. Alderman Jon Cooper asked if the city couldn’t be faster in removing some burned out local homes.  The Mayor, the Corporate Council, City Engineer and Director of Public Works all discussed the difficulties with such demolition. Dealing with absent owners, insurance claims and legal procedures slow down the process. Danville has demolished some 600 homes in the past five years.

Information provided by City of Danville

Join us on Friday, January 5th at the David S. Palmer Arena for
our second annual Fire & Ice First Fridays event from 4-9 PM.
Keep cool with ice skating, sledding, and an indoor snowball fight! Then you can warm up with
the Danville Fire Department’s fire safety activities and with the Danville Public Library’s
campfire stories! Don’t forget to check out the fire spinners performing outside the main
entrance and enjoy many more fun activities!
Themed concessions will be for sale featuring items like hot cocoa, s'mores cupcakes, candy, and
more! Join us for door prizes, a photo booth, and face painting at this FREE event on January 5th
from 4-9 PM at the David S. Palmer Arena.
Please use the north-facing entrance off Main Street at the corner of Main and Franklin to enter
the event. The David. S. Palmer Arena has a clear bag-only policy that will be in place for this
event.

The local area saw slightly higher local unemployment rates in November compared to a year ago. The November rate in Champaign County was 3.6 per cent, compared to 3.3 last year. In Vermilion County the jobless rate was 4.8 percent. It was 4.6 percent in 2022. In the City of Danville, it was 6 percent, compared to 5.2 percent last year. In the city of Urbana it was 3.8 percent, up from 3.6 in 2022. The City of Champaign stood at 3.7 percent. It was 3.3 percent in November 2022.

Non-farm employment in both Champaign County and Vermilion County increased by 800 jobs in the year. Government and Leisure-Hospitality were large growth sectors in both counties

Swearing in ceremonies will take place this week for 4 police officers and the promotion of a firefighter.
On Wednesday at 9:00A.M. Mayor Rickey Williams Jr. will conduct a Swearing-in Ceremony for four new Probationary Police Officers– Elijah Nardoni, Gaige Wright, Logan Appelman and Ryan Mullins.

The Mayor will conduct a Swearing-In Ceremony of Lieut. Matthew Kosik at 9:30 AM on Thursday, Lieutenant Kosik was hired by the Danville Fire Department in August of 2012. He is a Certified Paramedic and is involved in the Fire Departments EMS Operations in addition to his normal duties.
He and his wife Diane have two children -- Bryson and Brystol.

Both ceremonies will take place in the City Council chambers in City Hall at 17 West Main. 

Information supplied by DACC

Danville Area Community College learned on Dec. 22
that it received a $90,000 grant through the State’s FY2024 Rev Up EV Community
College Initiative. DACC will use the funds to purchase an electric automobile to train
students in the College’s Automotive Technologies program.

Automotive Technologies Instructors Alan Wilson and Dean Graves have already
modified the automotive-technician program to include maintenance and repair for
electric vehicles. “We’re both very excited to add electric vehicles to the mix,” Says Mr.
Graves, “The first time our students see an EV up on a lift, they’ll be surprised by what
they find. The undercarriage is all a solid piece. Students will feel like they’re looking at
a gigantic matchbox car.”

This is the second grant that DACC’s Brandy Marron has successfully acquired since
becoming the College’s liaison with the Illinois Green Economy Network. Her first was a
$60,000 grant to build a model board for teaching students how to repair geothermal
heat-and-air-conditioning units.