McDonough County

Even though the new school year is underway, many school districts in the region are still trying to hire teachers. Regional Superintendent of Education John Meixner said almost every district downstate has struggled to fill vacant teaching positions.

Stacie Kwacala has been in business since 2009. She runs Captured Moments Photography, where she preserves memories through photos for weddings, pregnancies, high school seniors, and more.  She more recently started donating her time and skills to encourage prospective pet owners to create memories by adopting an animal from the local shelter.

A high quality reproduction of a famous photo of Abraham Lincoln was unveiled during a brief ceremony at the McDonough County Courthouse. The image was captured by highly regarded photographer Alexander Hesler in Springfield in June, 1860, which is right after Lincoln won the Republican nomination for president.

More than 80 people – many of them Macomb High School students -- braved the cold, blustery, and rainy conditions Saturday morning to demonstrate as part of the national March for Our Lives movement.  The local protest was organized by students.  They're calling for political action to end gun violence and mass shootings in schools and society.

Canada-based Capital Power believes it can start operating the Cardinal Point Wind Farm in the next couple years.  Two-thirds of the farm will be located in McDonough County, with the rest in Warren County.

Brief ceremonies were held around Illinois -- including at the McDonough County Courthouse and Macomb City Hall -- to mark the start of the state's bicentennial year. 

McDonough District Hospital CEO Kenny Boyd said the only way to prevent the hospital from losing $200,000 a year on ambulance service is by outsourcing it.

A petition drive forced the Illinois Department of Agriculture to hold a public informational meeting on plans to build a large-scale hog farm east of Macomb. But a person who helped spearhead the drive said he isn't necessarily opposed to the farm.

Plans for the Cardinal Point Wind Farm are changing before construction begins.  The current generation of turbines can generate more power than past models so fewer turbines will be needed.

About a half dozen McDonough County residents were not allowed to vote in the Illinois primary in March. McDonough County Clerk Gretchen DeJaynes blamed the mistake on human error.

An open house will be held Sunday, October 18, 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., at the historic site in a valley in western McDonough County. It's one of the few times Vishnu Springs is open to the public.

The National Weather Service reported Macomb received 2.98 inches of rain in about two hours Monday evening. Streets flooded as the city's storm water system struggled to keep pace.

The homeless shelter known as PADS has been operating out of Bushnell’s Christian Community Center on Friday nights for a little more than a month. The shelter is already looking for additional host sites.

County board members are taking it to the streets as they work to convince voters to approve a quarter-cent increase in the sales tax. The money generated would pay for road repairs.  The referendum will appear on the April 7 ballot.

Voters throughout McDonough County will be asked in April to approve a quarter-cent increase in the sales tax to pay for road repairs.

The Western Illinois Regional Council is starting up its annual Hunters Helping the Hungry program.

Even though the weather is getting cooler, the McDonough County Health Department is still on the lookout for West Nile Virus.

The Illinois War of 1812 Bicentennial Commission is leading a statewide effort to map out the locations of the graves of some 20,000 veterans.   To this point, about 3,000 have been documented.

A medical marijuana cultivation center will not be built in McDonough County.

It’s been a few years since the Cardinal Point Wind Farm was proposed, and it might be a few more years before construction begins.

Some members of the Macomb community plan to protest if "disgusting" signs show up as students return to Western Illinois University this week.

The Prairie Land Conservancy strives to protect habitat and natural areas in west central Illinois. The organization wants to include more people in its efforts.

With school getting underway, drivers are being encouraged to be on the look-out for students.

Residents of McDonough County are being asked to provide feedback on how to make the area more bicycle-friendly.

The McDonough County Board Finance Committee decided against providing funding for the sheriff department’s dive rescue team.