MC receives $12 million donation
Monmouth College has received the second largest donation in its history.
The nearly $12 million gift of Mercer County farmland comes from the late Marilyn Johnston, a 1948 graduate of the college and longtime supporter.
The farmland will become part of the college’s investments, helping support scholarships and academic programs.
Johnston was a longtime donor to the college, giving annually for nearly four decades, including a major gift to the Monmouth chaplaincy endowment.
She died in September 2023.
RAGBRAI LI to finish in southeast Iowa
Burlington will be the final stop this year for the annual bike ride across Iowa.
Organizers of RAGBRAI announced the route over the weekend.
The 51st annual ride will begin on July 21 in Glenwood and wrap up on July 27 in Burlington.
Organizers said the entire route will stretch for 424 miles, which is the eighth shortest in RAGBRAI history.
But it will also be the hilliest, with more than 18-thousand-700 feet of uphill pedaling.
Grant to develop park former Galesburg school
The city of Galesburg has received a $500,000 state grant to develop a park at a former south-side school.
The Open Space Land Acquisition and Development grant from the Illinois Department of Natural Resources will pay for half the cost of the project.
Cooke School, 652 W. Second St., closed at the end of the 2013-14 school year.
The proposed park development includes the creation of a trailhead, playground, picnic shelter, pathway for accessibility, parking area, restroom, trees, and other native plants.
New athletic director at SCC
The new athletic director at Southeastern Community College is hoping for another successful run at the school.
Joe O’Brien spent eight years as head coach of the men’s basketball team in the late 1990s and early 2000s. During that time, the school won National Junior College Athletic Association basketball championships in 2000, 2003, and 2004.
Davis said SCC offered five sports when he left the school in 2004. Now there are 14, with plans to offer more.
Davis began work as athletic director on Jan. 15.
He replaced Peyton Deterding, who left in November.
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