It's prom season in central Illinois, and a local law enforcement official is promoting safety among youth headed out for a fun night.

Clinton Police Chief Ben Lowers knows kids will have a great experience at prom this spring, but wants them to enjoy the night safely. He is encouraging a night of sobriety and not getting in a vehicle with an intoxicated driver.

Chief Lowers encourages making plans in advance and letting parents and guardians know where you will be and when.

According to the Chief, part of making a plan is to be somewhere safe and, if possible, stay in that place. The Chief reminds it is not just you on those roadways.

Prom in Clinton is on April 25.

With an early Memorial Day in 2026, Prom celebrations are earlier in the calendar, as many schools have gone away from Memorial Day weekend graduations. 
 

Collegiate programs from around the country will converge on DeWitt County this weekend. 

Curt Homann, Executive Director of the DeWitt County Development Council, explains that the University of Illinois will host rowing teams from around the USA for the Illinois Rowing Invitation this weekend at Clinton Lake - bringing hundreds of visitors into DeWitt County. 

The Fighting Illini utilize Clinton Lake all summer long because it is one of the premier locations for rowing in central Illinois due to its ideal conditions. 

Homann is asking the community to be prepared to welcome guests into the community, not only this weekend, but throughout the summer, as Clinton Lake is a popular destination for visitors. Learn more about the DCDC at dcdc-illinois.net or find them on Facebook. 
 

Last month, DeWitt County Emergency Management Agency Coordinator Will Paveleck requested a few necessary accessories for the recently approved truck. A planned absence caused that discussion to be tabled until now. 

At Thursday Night's DeWitt County Public Safety Committee Meeting, Paveleck welcomed questions from committee members about the proposed items and their costs. The first of which was a mounted mobile radio that would be a replacement for the current unsupported model, which the Sheriff's office is also doing. 

Second on the agenda was the purchase of emergency red-and-blue lights that would go on the interior of the vehicle. Paveleck emphasized that these would not be used while on the way to or from an emergency, but rather while parked on the road to be visible to passing vehicles. 

Annually, the City of Clinton and the County agree to a Memorandum of Understanding that provides the City with EMA Services in exchange for $15,000. Paveleck feels that this amount is insufficient. Conversations with City Administrator Tony Harris revealed that those increases would have to come next year. 

Both purchases for the new EMA vehicle were approved by the Committee. The renewal of the MOU with the City of Clinton was also passed unanimously and will be voted on by the full board next week. 

DeWitt County's Animal Control has received an influx of non-monetary donations recently, so much so that they are looking to redistribute some of it to the community. We'll have more on that in the days ahead from the Hart Media Group.
 

The DeWitt County 708 Board has wrapped up its latest community needs assessment and is looking ahead to how it can address the concerns brought out through that assessment. 

On the WHOW Morning Show on Thursday, Sharon Mills with the DeWitt County 708 Board told the Hart Media Group that the organization has been reviewing the findings from its community assessment, conducted in partnership with Heritage Behavioral Health, to better understand the specific needs of the people they serve. 

Mills explains that the survey results have led them to focus on the challenges of accessing care and the stigmas that surround the resources they provide, like a perceived cost barrier. 

Mary Garrison with Heritage feels that spreading the word is the best way to break the stigmas around care. She wants people to know that no matter your financial status, anyone who walks through the door will be welcomed and seen. 

Mills adds that although the population of the County has decreased slightly, through this assessment, they have found that the number of people in need has increased, especially in rural areas. That, combined with the rarity of mental health resources in rural places, emphasizes the need for what they provide. 

We'll have more in the days ahead at the Hart Media Group from Mills and Garrison on their findings from the community assessment.

In the meantime, learn more about the DeWitt County 708 Board by finding them on Facebook or going to dewittcountymhb.com. Follow along with Heritage Behavioral Health Center at heritagenet.org. 
 

It's baby animal season in central Illinois, and local outdoor authorities are reminding the public to leave wildlife alone - even if you suspect its mother is not going to rescue it.

On the WHOW Morning Show Thursday, Department of Natural Resources Conservation Police Officer Noah Workman told the Hart Media Group people often become concerned about baby animals because they cannot see their mom. 

According to Officer Workman, trying to rescue a baby animal and then letting it back out into nature is not going to help that animal.

Additionally, residents may find animals nesting. There are a couple of options for residents. Officer Workman explains that you can either obtain nuisance permits or hire companies to remove them. He notes that DNR cannot remove animals.

We'll hear from Officer Workman next week on trash build-up at Clinton Lake - a frustration of local DNR authorities.
 

Central Illinois authorities annually deal with an increase in property crimes when the weather gets nicer, and people are more mobile.

Lincoln Police Chief Joe Meister indicates Lincoln sees this trend, too. With more foot and bicycle traffic, there's more opportunity for people to fall victim to a property crime.

Like any property crimes in Lincoln, these are often crimes of opportunity. Chief Meister encourages keeping those doors locked on vehicles and garages and those valuables out of your cars.

Chief Meister has some tips for how those power tools and electronics could potentially be tracked down, even if they've been stolen. We'll have more on that next week with the Chief at the Hart Media Group.
 

Over the weekend from the Hart Media Group, a local financial advisor covered an uptick in scams related to fraudulent checks. 

Connie Miller with the DeWitt Savings Bank reminds that check washing and the printing of fraudulent checks have been increasing recently. She notes that they have even seen it in Clinton and DeWitt County, and it could be stemming from stolen mail. 

As is the case with any conversation about scams, A.I. is a tool that is making scammers' jobs easier. Miller indicates that checks handed over to someone could be put into artificial intelligence with the intention of creating blank fraudulent checks. 

When it comes to check fraud, Miller notes that unfortunately the victim is often the retailer as it is very easy for an employee to accept a fraudulent check that could be worth nothing. She says that the sooner your report the fraud, the less you could be liable for. 

It may seem insignificant, but when writing checks Miller recommends using a gel pen instead of a ballpoint pen, as ballpoint ink is easier for someone with ill intentions to erase. 
 

This week is National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week, a time to celebrate and appreciate those on the other end when you dial 9-1-1. 

On the WHOW Morning Show Wednesday, DeWitt County CENCOM Coordinator Karen Clevenger told the Hart Media Group that she and local first responders have been celebrating the County's dispatchers this week. 

Emergency Dispatchers are often considered the unseen heroes of emergency response, and Clevenger says their job has changed a lot in recent years. While it may seem like a dispatcher's job is just to ask questions and follow a script, they are gathering crucial information that could mean life or death. 

Clevenger is asking anyone with a dispatcher or other form of public safety telecommunicator in their life to thank them and celebrate them this week for all the work they do in keeping the community safe. 
 

It's going to be a soggy finish to April in central Illinois.

That's according to Ed Shimon at the National Weather Service, who told the Hart Media Group there is an indication the end of April is going to be very wet.

April is already above normal for precipitation, and with more on the way, easing the drought that lingered from a dry winter may just diminish.

The running joke of ever-changing weather in Illinois is largely due to competing air masses during this season of change. Shimon indicates that this is why one day we can go from 70, even 80 degrees, and drop into the 30s in just a matter of hours.

The amount of daylight continues to increase each day in April as well. Shimon reminds the sun's energy will continue to warm the atmosphere the closer we get to May and June. We'll have more with him on the summer outlooks coming up in the next few days at the Hart Media Group. 
 

A school district on the border of Piatt and DeWitt Counties is developing an outdoor education space for students. 

DeLand-Weldon Schools Superintendent Dr. Michael Tresnak indicates that one of their middle school science teachers, Janelle Harper, has been passionately pursuing funding to help the district develop an outdoor space that she and other educators can use to supplement their lessons and promote getting outdoors. 

In this effort, the district invited conservation experts to help them plan out what and where they can plant to develop their green space. He reminds that students will be involved in the process to give them a sense of ownership over the project. 

Reinstating FFA and agriculture education in the district has been a recent focus, and Dr. Tresnak says this will be a big help in that effort. He has dreams of a greenhouse being built in the future, but adds that even landscaping practices can be a part of FFA. 

This project is already turning from dream into reality, with the new pavilion set to be installed by contractors by the end of April. By the end of the school year, there will be a new shed in the space, Dr. Tresnak notes that they will have to be patient as the plants grow in their own time. 

Dr. Tresnak is grateful to all of the groups from the DeWitt and Piatt County Farm Bureaus to the Clinton High School Industrial Tech Department, who have helped them get this project moving. Learn more about DeLand-Weldon Schools by visiting dwschools.org or by finding the district on Facebook. 
 

The springtime is often a season of increased crime in rural communities as more people can be mobile, free of the elements.

Clinton Police Chief Ben Lowers is reminding people to lock those car doors. With more people able to be out, it is the time of the year when they encounter a spike in theft of motor vehicles.

Chief Lowers indicates they do not often encounter circumstances of forced entry to vehicles, but rather these are often crimes of opportunity, people looking for those unlocked cars.

Local authorities are also seeing increased encounters with loose pets. Chief Lowers reminds there is a leash law in Clinton.

With nicer weather will also come gatherings in residential neighborhoods. Chief Lowers always reminds to be a good neighbor by being respectful of your neighbors around you.
 

Despite a resolution affirming DeWitt County's lack of ordinances regarding data centers, interest from developers is beginning to stir. 

At Monday night's DeWitt County Land Use Committee Meeting, Chair Buck Carter shared a shift in opinion on data centers since last month's proposed moratorium. After attending a seminar about them with Pat Ryan, he says it could be beneficial to look at creating an ordinance in partnership with a legal firm. 

Although there were conversations last month about a lack of interest in the County, Joe Witte alerted the board to an interaction he had with a data center developer recently. Witte proposed notifying the full board at this month's meeting, to give them a month to decide if they would like to pursue an ordinance. 

Hiring a legal firm to assist in creating the ordinance could expedite the long process and help the board finish the ordinance before there is turnover in November, should they be interested in doing so. 

Ryan consulted with Kelly Murray, Executive Director of the Illinois Association of County Board Members, and she agreed that utilizing the legal expertise of a firm that has created data center ordinances could be a good idea. 

The Committee agreed that it would be a smart choice to notify the full board next week of the interest and take a vote in May on whether or not they would begin the process of developing an ordinance. 

Last month, the board passed a resolution that affirmed their lack of ordinances regarding data centers, which, for the time being, disallows developers from making applications. 
 

Piatt County residents have seen its local medical center grow; in fact, just last year, the group hired over 100 new employees for all the services they continue to roll out.  

Andrew Buffenbarger, Chief Compliance Officer at Kirby Medical Center in Monticello, indicates that between facility updates, the addition of fitness programs, and the hiring of 130 new employees last year, they are doing everything they can to improve their services.

Buffenbarger credits CEO Steve Tenhouse for his steady leadership, as the fiscal mindfulness has allowed them to grow responsibly, while still doing so efficiently. 

One of the major goals for Kirby Medical Center is proactive care. Buffenbarger explains that getting patients to their providers in a timely manner helps them catch issues early and prevent ER visits. In turn, those who need to visit the ER experience shorter wait times. 

To learn more about Kirby Medical Center in Piatt County, find them on Facebook or visit kirbyhealth.org. 

>>Possibility for Severe Weather Tuesday Night

Warm and muggy conditions will bring the possibility of more severe weather in central Illinois midweek.

Ed Shimon at the National Weather Service in Lincoln told the Hart Media Group on the WHOW Morning Show on Monday the next few days will be above normal for temperatures, setting up the possibility for severe weather around midnight on Wednesday.

Shimon indicates Wednesday will definitely have rain, and the storms from Tuesday night could carry into the morning commute with more rain expected the rest of the day.

According to Shimon, Thursday and Friday will remain warm. There isn't an immediate cool-down coming to central Illinois until the weekend.

Just this week in central Illinois, we could be looking at over two inches of rainfall. Shimon says it will be a huge relief to the ongoing drought concerns stemming from the dry winter months.

There will be a brief cool-down into early next week. We'll have more with Shimon in the days ahead on next week's forecast, the rest of the spring, and an update on the drought. 

Get more weather data and forecasts at weather.gov/Lincoln. 

A local nonprofit has received a designation that will broaden the scope of what it can do. 

Ron Sprague with the Friends of the Warner Library explains that they have applied for and been awarded 501 (c)(3) status by the Internal Revenue Service. This designation is important because it allows them to apply for grants that they could not before due to a lack of that status. 

Emily Dunham, Adult Program Coordinator at the Library, says this will benefit them greatly. Any grants that are received by the friends will be directly gifted to the Library or used in a project that will benefit it. 

On top of their support of the Summer Reading Program, Sprague says they have supported the Library in numerous ways over their 48 years of existence. In recent history, it has been projects like the outdoor reading pavilion. 

To learn more about and get involved with the Friends of the Warner Library, find them on Facebook. Keep up with all the latest from the library at vwarner.org. 
 

Community Action is expanding its ability to support central Illinois' unhoused population through a new grant. 

Community & Personal Development Director Dea Welsh explains that this grant is designed to help people suffering through temporary hardship from becoming homeless, or giving someone who is on the street a place to stay. What makes this grant special is the lack of income requirements. 

The lack of income guidelines is important because it leaves the door open for a new demographic to access it. Welsh indicates that many of Community Action's programs serve low-income people, and this can help them serve those who are considered middle-income and do not qualify for other resources. 

According to Welsh, applicants can receive up to six months' worth of back rent through this grant. She notes it can be used for things like rent or mortgage payments, but also a deposit on a new residence or utilities expenses. 

If this could benefit you, Welsh encourages calling their office to find out if the program, or another one of CAPCIL's resources, is right for you. If you are eligible, the next step is going to the office for an interview. 

Funds are only available through June 30th. Welsh says that if you get your application in before the deadline, they can "pay forward" for two months following. She adds that it is paid in a lump sum. 

To learn more about Community Action and this grant, find the organization on Facebook, call 217-732-2159, or visit capcil.info. 
 

When a person dies, certain members of their family may be eligible for survivors' benefits. 

A survivor may receive monthly Social Security benefits if the deceased worked and paid Social Security taxes long enough to be eligible for benefits. Jack Myers with Social Security indicates that spouses and divorced spouses are among those who would be eligible for benefits.

An unmarried child of the deceased who is either younger than age 18, younger than age 19 if they’re a full-time student - grade 12 or lower, age 18 or older with a disability that began prior to age 22, or grandchildren can potentially qualify if deceased grandparent was raising child and both parents of the child are deceased or receiving Social Security disability benefits.

One-Time lump sum death payment can pay a one-time payment of $255 to the surviving spouse if they were living with the deceased or if they were living apart from the deceased and eligible for certain Social Security benefits on the deceased’s record.

Contact Social Security at 800-772-1213 or visit www.ssa.gov/locator for local office contact info.
 

Area school superintendents are keeping a close eye on the latest budget process in Springfield as cuts to mandated categoricals - specifically transportation - could be on the way.

Mt. Pulaski Schools Superintendent Jason Spang indicates the funding for things like transportation, among the services schools are mandated to provide, continues to see funds cut year after year.

According to Spang, Mt. Pulaski isn't planning for drastic changes to its transportation department - a story not all districts in Illinois are able to tell right now.

Spang has been among many Superintendents in central Illinois to offer their thoughts on the topic to the Hart Media Group in the last month. 
 

Z-Suite is the online platform used by the University of Illinois Extension to communicate with 4-H parents. 

Haley Jones, 4-H Youth Development Educator with the Extension in DeWitt, Macon, and Piatt Counties, is reminding families of an important deadline that they will need to pay attention to if their child wants to show their projects this summer. 

Again, you must enroll within Z-Suite by April 30th and select the project areas your child is interested in for them to be able to show at the fair this Summer. Do so at 4h.zsuite.org. Learn more about the 4-H program in DeWitt, Macon, and Piatt Counties at extension.illinois.edu/dmp. 
 

A local financial advisor is warning of the latest way fraudsters are attempting to steal your money. 

Connie Miller with the DeWitt Savings Bank explains that check fraud has been seen firsthand in Clinton, and it can take on many different forms. All of which are intended to fool you into handing over your hard-earned cash. 

If a scammer can get a hold of your banking information, for example, through stolen mail, then Miller indicates it is now possible for them to print a fraudulent check that looks real. 

To prevent this, Miller recommends securing your mail quickly after it is delivered, and do not allow anyone but yourself to write a check in your checkbook. She notes that reckless use of a checkbook that leads to theft could be considered non-fraudulent. 
 

Weather permitting, the Farmer City Raceway's season will be kicking off with a big event this weekend. 

Curt Homann, Executive Director of the DeWitt County Development Council, explains that last night racers were on the track in Farmer City getting ready for Friday and Saturday's Illini 100 Race. The event will be the season opener for the venue. 

A lot of planning goes into an event like this. Due to the size of the crowd it typically draws, and the economic development that brings, the raceway is working with community law enforcement and other organizations to make sure everyone has a fun and safe experience. 

Tickets are not yet sold out for the races, taking place this evening and tomorrow at the Farmer City Raceway. Learn more and purchase tickets by visiting farmercityracing.com. 

While races on the dirt track are always fun, the University of Illinois Rowing team and many others will be competing at Clinton Lake this summer. We'll have more with Homann on that in the days ahead from the Hart Media Group. Learn more about the DCDC at dcdc-illinois.net. 
 

With the weather getting warmer and foot traffic picking up in communities across the area, local authorities are reminding their residents to secure vehicles, garages, homes, and personal belongings.

It's an annual issue for local communities to see a spike in crime as more people walk, looking for opportunities to swipe valuables and money. On the WHOW Morning Show, Thursday, Lincoln Police Chief Joe Meister told the Hart Media Group that property crimes are one of the most common this time of the year.

Chief Meister, like most law enforcement officials in rural Illinois, indicates that the property crimes they encounter are simply crimes of opportunity. That is why he encourages locking doors to cars, garages, sheds, and homes.

A recommendation that could be instrumental in law enforcement recovering any stolen property is for owners to have serial numbers for their property recorded somewhere. Chief Meister indicates that, particularly if a thief takes items to a pawn shop, it makes it very likely that an item can be recovered.

Chief Meister notes that they are seeing more and more items stolen from residents put up for sale on Facebook Marketplace, Craigslist, and other online secondhand sites. He indicates it can be more difficult to recover stolen items on those platforms. 
 

Illinois school leaders are bracing for impending budget cuts from the State of Illinois.

Blue Ridge Schools Superintendent Ryan Peyton, like many other superintendents in the State, is concerned about the impacts on his school from cuts to mandated categorical funding that are typically reimbursed by the State - specifically for transportation. While this may not affect them immediately, he says they will feel it in the long run.

Hiring bus drivers is something that many districts already struggle to accomplish. Cuts would only make it harder for competitive wages to be offered. Peyton notes Blue Ridge's 212-square-mile footprint could be stressed even more to get kids to school with these likely cuts. 

The first-year superintendent shares his frustration over continued funding cuts to things that the State requires districts to provide. Despite that, Peyton says they are committed to adapting to changes, as well as advocating with local lawmakers. 

To keep up with all the latest updates from Blue Ridge Schools, visit blueridge18.org or find the district on Facebook.

Flock cameras have been a hot topic in Clinton recently, as the City is purchasing them for the major entry and exit points of the community.

Clinton Police Chief Ben Lowers understands the criticisms of the cameras, specifically the invasion of privacy concerns; however, he explains that these cameras are not the traditional surveillance camera.

According to Chief Lowers, the software is not tracking vehicles, and it is not taking images of the people inside the vehicle. The Chief calls it a snapshot in time that authorities, and only authorities, can use to help solve crime.

Chief Lowers points out that flock cameras are very popular in many areas of central Illinois. When he found out flock cameras were going to be a part of the renovation of Kiwanis Park, he hoped the Police Department could partner with the City to purchase more for their purposes - something they've wanted for a few years now.

Chief Lowers indicates the flock cameras in other communities have helped them solve crimes for Clinton Police purposes and calls them a tremendous crime-solving resource. 
 

Clinton's America 250 Committee is still welcoming vendor applications for this summer's big celebration. 

On the WHOW Morning Show Wednesday, Bobbi Perryman told the Hart Media Group that the $40 application fee for vendors covers the spot for all three days of the event. As of right now, the deadline to submit is May 1st. 

Perryman highlights some of the vendors that have already secured their spots and adds that they are looking to have a lot of food options for the spots that are still open. 

If you're interested in being a vendor at this summer's America 250 Celebration in Clinton, find the Clinton Celebrates America 250 Facebook page. You can also pick up applications at the Warner Library.