Moving past the brick-and-mortar projects and to infrastructure projects is the focus of Warner Hospital officials.

That's according to CEO Paul Skowron who on the WHOW Morning Show Wednesday told Regional Radio the emergency room renovation and the west side entrance will continue this year. In fact, he points out the west side entrance has experienced a setback in its timeline of completion.

For Skowron and his administration, this year is about moving past the things visible and onto their electronic medical records update.

Among those visible projects they hope to have completed very soon is the new storage unit going up on the east side of town between Wallace Fields and Love It Once More Thrift Store.

The grant is from the State of Illinois and Skowron points out it will become a storage space for emergency supplies.

As the physical projects conclude, the next big project is the electronic medical records project. Skowron points out this is necessary on several fronts. The current system the hospital has is outdated but it will also bring them in line with the larger hospital systems.

According to Skowron, the new electronic medical records software will also allow patients to make appointments and even get access to their own records.

Skowron indicates that effort will get started very soon and will take time to have in place.

He notes they have financially been preparing for this for a couple of years knowing this was going to eventually be necessary. 

DeWitt County has a new EMA Director.

Board Chair Dan Matthews indicates the Board approved the hiring of a new EMA Director after Micah Gallardo resigned for a new opportunity. Will Pavelek takes over the position starting May 20. 

While the County awaits the new director to take over, Matthews indicates Gallardo is still stepping in where he can. Matthews wishes Gallardo well in his new professional opportunity.

Matthews points out Gallardo started in DeWitt County right out of school. He feels it is a nice pipeline they have created to establish relationships with local universities to give young people looking for a jumpstart to their careers the opportunity to work in DeWitt County. 

If you enjoy getting the RV or camper out to Illinois campgrounds, the Illinois Department of Natural Resources is sending out camping reminders.

DNR Conservation Police Captain John Williamson says the camping season is already underway with some warmer days and nights already here and the thick of the camping season is about to kick into high gear.

According to Capt. Williamson, the Department runs into an instance or two about every year because of someone who takes the camper out for the first time.

Capt. Williamson gives campers credit noting they are generally very clean guests to the State's parks, leaving their spaces the way they found them.

Visit dnr.illinois.gov for the latest in camping regulations at your local park or a park you may be planning to visit this year. 

Illinois dealing with an active spring weather pattern. There has been some tornadic activity, but hail has been the stat leader thus far says State Climatologist Trent Ford.

There is a threat for some severe weather along with heavy rain in parts of Illinois this weekend.

Mylar balloons have grown in popularity over the years and while there is nothing wrong with that, when they aren't disposed of properly they can be trouble for power lines. Mylar balloons have a metallic coating that conducts electricity. Thus when one of these balloons comes into contact with a live power line, it can take out the power for the surrounding area and create a hazard for those called in to repair the outage. Brian Bretsch from Ameren Illinois lays out the stats on Mylar Balloon outages.

Proper disposal means deflating them after use, Some Mylar Balloons can actually be deflated and reinflated for reuse, but if you have no need to keep them, you should make sure they are deflated or popped and not allowed to simply float away.

Severe storms are in the forecast for the weekend.

On the WHOW Morning Show Tuesday, Ed Shimon at the National Weather Service in Lincoln told Regional Radio storms are going to dominate the lower midwest into the weekend when storms become likely in Illinois.

As severe weather rolls in, Shimon reminds to be aware of the terminology when notices and warnings are issued. 

This week is trending to end up a little cooler. Shimon notes though, April is still a degree above normal for its average temperature.

Looking to May, temperatures and precipitation are looking to be above normal. We'll hear more from Shimon on that in the days ahead on Regional Radio. 

DeWitt County Sheriff Mike Walker and his department are turning to digital communication and it will limit how much the public can consume on the scanner.

Sheriff Walker explains going digital allows them to establish a secure channel to communicate. He explains it is a safety measure for responding officers to scenes.

According to Sheriff Walker, the phenomenon of the public listening to scanners has taken on a different level of challenge in 2024. He explains people will listen to the scanners and not only draw conclusions about a situation with incomplete information but then share that on social media - creating a bigger issue.

Sheriff Walker says the social media component of speculation during incidents is particularly detrimental to law enforcement and its efforts. He indicates what is happening on the police communication lines is often only part of what is being shared among first responders.

The Sheriff's office is currently in the midst of an upgrade of its communication equipment. Sheriff Walker says they have a few hurdles to clear but believes it will be an overall positive for communications among DeWitt County first responders. 

Next Tuesday, Illinois 4-H members are invited to a statewide webinar that will promote the benefits of the Illinois Soybean Association.

Terri Miller-Casey is the Extension Director for the U of I Extension in Logan, Menard, and Sangamon Counties. She explains this is geared toward older youth but it will provide a look into the role with the Illinois Soybean Association and others like it.

Miller-Casey indicates a lot of young people may not be aware of the important role a group like the Illinois Soybean Association has on agriculture and further - the professional opportunities they offer.

That webinar is from 6 pm to 7 pm on Tuesday, April 30. Register through your local University of Illinois Extension office. 

The state’s two-tiered pension system might be accruing retirement benefits that break federal law.

14 years ago, the state changed pension benefits that new employees would earn, but those benefits must be as generous as Social Security. That might not be the case and a fix for Tier 2 employees might be needed. That won’t come without additional state dollars being spent to make sure benefits fit federal safe harbor requirements. Governor JB Pritzker says he understands that the current system might need a fix.

There hasn't been an official cost connected to any possible fix for Tier 2 pensions.

A frost concern for Illinois specialty growers this past weekend. Jenna Spychal (spy-chul) is with Jonamac Orchard in Malta in DeKalb County. She spoke with RFD Radio on Monday.

Spychal also serves as chairman of the Illinois Specialty Growers Association.

The Better Business Bureau says it received hundreds of complaints from consumers in Illinois and Missouri last year about automatic car washes. 

Some report damage that is usually not covered by the businesses, as they state, “not responsible for damage.” In other cases. BBB Investigator Don O’Brien says subscription packages have come under fire.

Other tips include researching any business and its owners carefully before paying any money. Visit the business website to see if it has a list of vehicle restrictions. 

Many car washes will only accept vehicles of a certain size in their automatic bays. Make sure to understand any subscription plans. And pay by credit card in case you need to challenge the purchase.

City of Clinton leadership will soon begin forming a new strategic plan.

City Administrator Taylor Baxter tells Regional Radio this is something that needs to be done for the community to start to move forward. He feels it is exciting to think about the future of the community.

According to Baxter, this will be an extensive process where they take time to hear from a lot of people. 

Baxter hopes to have a good mix of individuals with varying perspectives on the community. He hopes to have parents with kids in the schools, teachers, school leaders, and many more from the community at the table.

Clinton's last strategic plan was so long ago Baxter is unable to find a document attributed to it. He notes while he couldn't find a document for it, there have been some other efforts with universities to outline a roadmap but no official strategic planning effort. 

Piatt County Sheriff Mark Vogelzang is celebrating a grant his department recently received from the NRA.

Sheriff Vogelzang explains they were able to secure around $900 for ammunition to train with.

According to Sheriff Vogelzang, an annual qualification is required. He notes while that is not a high bar to reach to attain that qualification, they do a lot to train.

Sheriff Vogelzang indicates their range time has to be coordinated with the Monticello police department - which has its own range. 

These grants were the first time the Sheriff's office has taken advantage of funding from the NRA but Sheriff Vogelzang indicates the NRA is very active in a lot of firearm educational opportunities for youth. 

A Logan County school district is the latest to introduce heart testing for its students.

Fred Lamkey is the Superintendent of Mt. Pulaski Schools and on the WHOW Morning Show Monday told Regional Radio this is something that has been happening in Logan County schools and Olympia.

According to Lamkey, this is a volunteer test done on youth in the district and provides them with a quick screening for any irregularities.

The initiative is titled 'Who Do You Play For' and he looks forward to it being an ongoing effort in Mt. Pulaski. 

State Representative Amy Elik has been working on legislation designed to crack down on sexual abuse by educators and authority figures in schools. 

The House passed the measure last Friday that will do just that. The Illinois General Assembly has previously created stronger protections for school children 17 years and younger, but Elik said it is currently not illegal for an educator or staff member to have sexual contact with an 18-year-old student.

Elik believes school staff who sexually abuse 18-year-old students should be charged with a Class A misdemeanor for their first offense and a Class 4 felony for any repeat offenses. House Bill 4241 passed unanimously on a 107-0 vote and now heads to the Senate for consideration

The Illinois Ag Leadership Foundation Class of 25 is making progress. Brad Suhling of Carlinville is with Prairie Farms Dairy. He’s participating in the program.

To learn about the participating in the Illinois Ag Leadership Foundation Class of 27, visit agleadership.org.

Chicago seems poised to contribute $70 million to the care of migrants living in the city. The overall cost is expected to be over $300 million this year. The state and Cook County have already contributed tens of millions for going care. Governor JB Pritzker says migrants are legally in the United States and deserve proper care.

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Pritzker says the chaos in the system was and is being caused by bus loads full of people being sent to Chicago by state’s like Texas who have little regard for them.

It’s shaping up to be a possible franchise-defining week for the Chicago Bears. The team has the first overall pick in the draft, and they are prepared to deliver a plan for a new lakefront stadium on Wednesday. Governor JB Pritzker continues to say he remains largely against funneling public dollars to help sports teams build new stadiums.

The Bears hold the first and ninth overall picks in the draft – that happens on Thursday night.

Last month, the DeWitt County Board surprised many by approving the sale of the Clinton Lake Marina to an outfit out of Sullivan.

Many viewed the Department of Natural Resources as the favorite to be the next owner of the marina but Board Chair Dan Matthews says DNR did not provide a very comprehensive proposal and he felt there were better proposals from others in the process.

According to Matthews, the Board last month set conditions for the sale of the marina.

Among those conditions is the first right of refusal should the new owner sell the marina in the first five years. Some have questioned that condition because it leaves open the possibility after five years, the owner could sell the property off and the marina would be shut down.

According to Matthews, the sale is going to take some time and there are still some things to iron out before it becomes official. He notes in the meantime, there is going to still be activity out at the marina as the upcoming boating season soon kicks into high gear.

For Matthews, having someone own the Marina is going to mean that group will have more skin in the game and he believes having the County out of the Marina business will allow more timely improvements and quicker decision-making. He felt the way the government operates slowed down progress at the marina. 

Tax day may be in the rearview mirror but Social Security has some things for business leaders to keep an eye out for already for next year.

Employer wage reports were due to Social Security at the end of January and IRS regulations reduced the electronic filing threshold from 250 W-2s to 10 informational returns. Jack Myers with Social Security says more employers now need to take advantage of Social Security’s Business Services Online. Some companies/organizations handle the wage reporting themselves, others hire accountants or payroll services to handle it. 

Once that connection is made, you will then request services you would like to perform for your employer in BSO. Myers adds some of the options include, W-2/W2c Online, Wage file upload, the AccuWage Online, and Social Security Number Verification Service.

Additionally, Myers notes to use Business Services Online, we now require authentication through your mySocialSecurity account. Therefore, you’ll need to establish or link your mySocialSecurity account to Business Services Online.

Myers encourages employers to look ahead to next year and get your BSO access squared away now, before you need it next January. It can take some time to get everything set up. Especially if you wait until the peak time, so visit www.ssa.gov/bso today to get started.

There are helpful resources available via the “Customer support for wage reporting”  link on the BSO page. 

As a result of listening sessions held with the agritourism industry, Illinois Farm Bureau and the Illinois Specialty Growers Association have developed three webinars with industry insiders to engage farmers in a variety of topics. The agritourism miniseries will be held this spring says IFB Associate Director of Food Systems Development Raghela Scavuzzo.

More information at ilfb.org under the "Get Involved" tab.

The DeWitt County Board Chair has continued frustration with Enel Green Power over the curtailment of the Alta Farms II wind farm during severe weather.

The topic came up at Thursday night's DeWitt County Board Chair Dan Matthews told Regional Radio on the WHOW Morning Show Friday it is frustrating because Enel has only provided a written response to questions they have.

For Matthews, having the conversation face-to-face would be much better and would demonstrate a strong partnership. Having a face-to-face conversation is something he's wanted for some time.

At the Thursday night County Board meeting, Board member Joe Witte brought the topic up wanting to hear from Enel about how it curtails the turbines during weather events. 

A nutrition educator at the University of Illinois Extension is offering some tips for spring cleaning and including your kitchen in your efforts.

Caitlin Mellendorf is a nutrition educator at the U of I Extension in DeWitt, Macon, and Piatt Counties and says deep cleaning your kitchen might include pulling out appliances and cleaning the area around them as well as doing a thorough evaluation of your refrigerator or freezer and its contents.

Mellendorf encourages getting that grill out giving it a good cleaning before you throw food on it. 

Sidewalks in downtown Clinton will be addressed as part of an upcoming series of projects that is anticipated to be approved by the Clinton City Council in May. 

City Administrator Taylor Baxter says this is something that has been needed and now is the time to take care of these.

According to Baxter, some areas of the square are in desperate need of attention so they will prioritize the square and do them a little bit at a time. 

Baxter calls the project a significant investment and will be paid with dollars from the downtown TIF fund. 

A busy spring season for the Clinton Chamber of Commerce wraps up in about another month with one of the biggest fundraisers of the year.

The annual May Days Festival is May 16-19 and Chamber Director Janice Peterson is busy getting final preparations together for one of Clinton's most popular events.

Last year, wristbands that were sold for the carnival sold out well in advance of the festival and some in the community could not purchase them at a discounted rate. Peterson says this year, they've doubled the number of wristbands they will sell.

The Chamber is seeking a non-profit to help with ticket sales inside the ticket booths at the carnival during the festival. In years past, Second Chance for Pets has volunteered but Peterson indicates they are unable to this year so they are looking for a non-profit to take their place.

Follow the Chamber of Commerce on Facebook for more on May Days as it approaches. Peterson is hoping to have some new offerings this year along with traditional entertainment and of course the carnival. 

The wristbands go on sale on Wednesday, May 1.