Derby Day - the biggest fundraiser of the year for the Clinton Community Education Foundation - returns this weekend.

CCEF Treasurer Chris Shaffer says the event is centered around the Kentucky Derby and those who come out always get into it by dressing up Kentucky Derby garb.

According to Shaffer, during the event, there are 50/50 games, a silent auction and when the Kentucky Derby runs, they put on a big screen for everyone to see.

Shaffer reminds the CCEF is a support system for the school district that provides opportunities for students in various ways.

While Derby Day is the primary fundraiser for the CCEF, they also do a mailing campaign in the winter and Shaffer indicates those two fundraisers help them do all the things they do for the schools.

Derby Day is this Saturday, May 4. Shaffer directs anyone interested in attending to visit ccef15.org. You can also contact Shaffer for tickets at 309-826-1955 or Ruth Lowers at 217-519-2071. 

Social Security’s SSI program provides payments to children with disabilities whose families have limited income and resources. 

In order to qualify, the child must must have a medical condition that results in marked and severe functional limitations. Jack Myers with Socials Security explains this means the condition must very seriously limit the child’s activities and the child’s condition must be expected to last for at least a year or result in death. 

Income and assets will affect SSI eligibility so Social Security will want to talk with you about those things. According to Myers, if a child is under the age of 18 and lives at home, we may consider some of the parent’s income as the child’s income tho they do make allowances for other non-SSI eligible children living in the home when we consider parents’ income.

Learn more with the Social Security publication Benefits for Children With Disabilities available at www.ssa.gov or at www.ssa.gov/ssi.

Charting the summer weather outlook for Illinois. State Climatologist Trent Ford has been looking at models.......

Meteorological summer runs June through August.

Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) on the U of I campus of Champaign Urbana have reestablished an encampment of tents on the quad.

Students had begun to take it down this weekend, only to rebuild it later on Sunday afternoon. The University says the tents violate campus rules. The protesters behind SJP want the university to divest investments in Israel.

The protests in Champaign Urbana mirror many around the county, others have turned more combative between police and protestors. US Senator Dick Durbin says protesting is a protected freedom.

Classes are expected to be running as normal on Monday.

With severe weather expected throughout the Midwest this week, the National Weather Service is promoting weather awareness.

Ed Shimon at the National Weather Service in Lincoln says to keep an eye to the sky and be aware of the latest weather forecasts.

After a wet weekend, next week is predicted to be ideal as farmers look to find windows to get the crop in the ground through all this rain. 

Fifth-grade students interested in being a part of The Vault next year are encouraged to attend 'Fifth Grade Night' in May.

Jason Kitson is the Program Director at The Vault in Clinton and says this is an open-house style event for The Vault that allows fifth-grade students to learn more about The Vault.

The Fifth Grade Family Night is Monday, May 6 from 4-5:30 pm. Visit the thevaultclinton.org or find The Vault on Facebook or Instagram.

Encore Developmental Services is recovering from a January flooding incident after a burst pipe did extensive damage to its program spaces.

On the WHOW Morning Show Thursday, Stephanie Coonce, Executive Director of Encore Developmental Services, told Regional Radio the pipe burst in a closet and flooded the entire program area.

Coonce reminds the day services are a core part of the mission of Encore. The day programs give Encore clients a place to go during the day with several opportunities.

According to Coonce, while the flooding forced Encore to close its doors for nearly a month for clean-up and restoration, they were able to make some positive changes to the space to better serve its clients.

Despite not being able to offer services to clients during the month-long restoration, Coonce explains they tried to still have things for their clients to do to keep them active.

Coonce says Encore is fortunate that insurance covered most of the repairs for damage as they continue to deal with getting the facility up to code for the Illinois Fire Marshal's Office. 

We'll have more on that process with Coonce in the weeks ahead on Regional Radio. 

We will see a lot of rain this weekend and even some severe weather but once that moves off, we're in store for more spring-like weather next week. 

Ed Shimon at the National Weather Service in Lincoln indicates next week will be a very pleasant week.

The above-normal temperature signal remains strong as we get into May and Shimon anticipates some very nice weather days in the month ahead.

In addition to some pleasant days in May, Shimon is predicting a very pleasant summer as we continue to see an above-normal temperature signal carry us all the way to next winter. 

Illinois Farm Bureau and the Illinois Specialty Growers Association promoting a great resource highlighting farmers market, local foods, and agritourism.

Raghela Scavuzzo serves as Illinois Farm Bureau Associate Director of Food Systems Development.

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.