Fort Madison has again left the Main Street Iowa program, which works with downtown businesses in the state. Those behind the change hope it will result in a stronger, more cohesive downtown district for the community.

I read a public radio article titled Survey Finds the Public Lacks Knowledge of State Government that inspired me to take a look at the Illinois General Assembly – our elected representatives and senators. It's easy to conclude that our elected state officials accomplish little since they couldn't agree on a state budget for more than two years, and have not followed their own pension funding rules for decades. We don't have much personal contact anymore since few elected officials of either party have public meetings without pre-selecting their audiences. It is hard to get a positive impression from election materials alone.

Early voting has started for the February 5 special election in the Keokuk School District. Residents are being asked to support a plan that the district said will increase the amount of money available for infrastructure improvements without hiking property taxes.

Inmates are once again being lodged at the Warren County Jail. The facility reopened last week after closing in August due to a staffing shortage.

Shop Talk panelist Jasmine Crighton said she recently filed a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request with Western Illinois University.  Crighton told the Shop Talk panel she filed the FOIA to obtain data her students might use for a story. She also filed the request so that she could talk about the FOIA process with her students.  She was surprised by what happened next.