The expansion of broadband in rural America has been a hot topic for the last several years. 

COVID provided evidence that the availability of broadband in rural America needed to be improved. Communities across Illinois have experienced broadband companies installing infrastructure for expansion DeWitt County Board Chair Dan Matthews indicates they have been hearing from a few of those entities in recent meetings.

According to Matthews, these outfits are coming whether the County offers them funding or not because there is federal funding behind its efforts. He calls it a race to see who can get it done first.

Some rural broadband services are already up and operating in parts of DeWitt County. 

Are you struggling with mental health issues? You may want to consider a change in your diet. An expert with OSF HealthCare says organs and body parts can influence each other. Carly Zimmer is a registered dietitian-nutritionist at OSF HealthCare:

Some foods that have proven mental health benefits include fatty fish, like salmon, tuna and herring; foods with probiotics, like yogurt, kefir and sauerkraut; foods high in magnesium, such as nuts and beans; and foods with tryptophan like our Thanksgiving turkey. As for the not-so-good: processed foods, like candy, pastries and potato chips; caffeine; and alcohol, which can also make you sluggish and sad.

Hunters in Illinois harvested a preliminary total of 54,661 deer during the first weekend of the Illinois firearm deer season between Nov. 22-24.

Comparatively, hunters took 53,348 and 52,354 deer during the first firearm weekends in 2023 and 2022, respectively.

In DeWitt County, 261 deer were harvested compared to 220 from 2022 and 2023. 

Piatt County harvested 100 deer. That is up from 89 in 2022 and 84 in 2023.

Logan County harvested 252 deer. That is up from 193 in 2022 and 215 in 2023.

Hunters in McLean County harvested 407 deer while Macon County harvested 156 and Champaign County harvested 165 deer. 

Illinois seven-day firearm deer season will conclude Dec. 5-8.

Remaining deer hunting opportunities in Illinois include muzzleloader-only deer season Dec. 13-15, ate-winter antlerless-only and chronic wasting disease deer seasons in select counties only, Dec. 26-29 and Jan. 17-19, and archery deer season continues through Jan. 19. 

Archery deer hunting is closed Dec. 5-8 in counties open for firearm deer season.

A local senior center is celebrating fellowship this holiday season.

Paula Jiles with the DeWitt County Friendship Center explains they are hosting a free holiday luncheon for local seniors on December 4th, and Christmas Bingo will follow shortly after the event. 

Jiles notes they make all the food themselves. This time around they're serving meatloaf and mashed potatoes. 

Tickets are already available. You can pick them up at the DeWitt County Friendship Center, located at 410 E Main St in Clinton. 

The DeWitt County Board is funding a study to do an update to its fines and fees structure.

DeWitt County Board Chair Dan Matthews indicates with costs going up, it is time to find out if the fines and fees structure is up to date.

The study will cost the County $10,000. 

With the sale finalized for the Clinton Lake Marina, the DeWitt County Board is now turning its attention to establishing a new committee.

DeWitt County Board Chair Dan Matthews tells Regional Radio they are working on a compliance and IT committee.

According to Matthews, the County rolled out a new website and hopes to see some enhancements with it. He notes the committee wouldn't meet every month.

The Board will reshuffle next week. Matthews and Brian Riddle will exit the Board. 

The hustle and bustle of the holiday shopping season gets underway today with those 'Black Friday' deals that take place both in stores and online.

Clinton Police Chief Ben Lowers says as you head out to the major shopping centers to find those Christmas presents, be mindful of things like knowing where you parked in the big parking lots, keeping your wallets and purses close, and not keeping lots of cash in those wallets and purses.

For Chief Lowers, preparation goes a long way whether it's knowing your route of travel to a location or being ready to swiftly get into your vehicle when you're ready to leave.

Whether you're hitting the road for a holiday gathering or to do some Christmas shopping, the Chief encourages making sure you let someone know where you're headed and do not drive distracted.

Authorities also remind, if the weather is bad when you're planning to travel, keep a safety preparedness kit in your vehicle in the event you become stranded and help is not immediately available. 

The Thanksgiving rush for a local non-profit has ended. 

Mandy Ries from the Neighborhood Care Center explains their biggest volunteer event of the year has just wrapped up. They delivered 144 Thanksgiving baskets to people in Clinton and McLean County. 

Cody Monkman says they don't have an open sign-up list for the Thanksgiving baskets because they are trying to make an effort with people whose struggles may be unseen.

Ries reminds us that they partner with several local grocery stores and farms to keep a project like this running smoothly year after year. 

Thanksgiving baskets are just one of the many services offered by the Neighborhood Care Center. Find out all they have to offer at neighborhoodcarecenter.net

Schools across the country are struggling to get kids to come to schools.

Clinton Junior High School Principal Jim Peck explains that allowing students to participate in extracurriculars incentivizes them to have good attendance habits. 

Peck notes they've changed their approach when contacting families regarding a student's attendance. He feels their new method does a better job of explaining its importance. 

Keep up with all things going on at Clinton Junior High School by visiting cusd15.org or following Mr. Peck on Instagram @mrpeckcjhs. 

A local extension office is hosting a summit to educate on agronomy.

Reagan Tibbs, Commercial Ag Educator for the University of Illinois Extension in Logan, Menard, and Sangamon Counties says this January they will be hosting an agronomy summit at Lincoln Land Community College. 

There will be a number of speakers at the summit. Tibbs says he will kick off the event, followed by a number of agriculture experts from local universities. 

With the new presidential administration on the way, Tibbs notes the agricultural political climate will be a big topic of discussion. 

The summit will take place on January 21st, 2025 at Lincoln Land Community College, and there is a $30 registration fee which includes a free lunch. Get registered for the event at extension.illinois.edu/lms

For several months, DeWitt County authorities have looked forward to upgrades to communication equipment.

Those upgrades went live earlier this month and DeWitt County Board Chair Dan Matthews indicates the funding for the project wasn't officially approved until last week.

Matthews reminds this is an upgrade of the entire communications system across the County. It will provide better coverage for all first-responding agencies in DeWitt County. 

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DeWitt County first responder administrators say the early returns on the upgrades of communication equipment have shown to be very positive. 

Thanksgiving has passed which means it's time for holiday celebrations in central Illinois.

Joey Long, Director of the CH Moore Homestead and DeWitt County Museum, explains that candlelight tours are a long-standing tradition at the homestead, and this year's theme is Christmas Fantasy. 

The tours take place on Friday evenings and are self-guided. You will make your way through the dimly lit rooms and experience the decorations, music, and, most importantly, history the museum has to offer. 

Long notes Santa will be at the carriage barn on the 29th only. She uses this event to usher in the holiday season and as a bonus, it creates a great photo op for families. 

Admission for the tours is $10 for adults, $5 for ages 6 to 8, and free for children 5 or under. Find more information on the candlelight tours at chmoorehomestead.org or find them on Facebook. 

A local nutrition educator is employing families to avoid food-born illnesses by practicing good food safety habits. 

Caitlin Mellendorf, nutrition educator for the University of Illinois Extension in DeWitt, Macon and Piatt counties explains thawing a large piece of meat such as a turkey can be no small task. She notes the USDA recommendation of thawing in the refrigerator for 24 hours for every 5 pounds of turkey. 

Cross-contamination can be a big issue when preparing large meals, but Mellendorf says you should be extra cautious of any utensils or surfaces that raw meat has touched. 

With lots of food comes lots of leftovers, and Mellendorf mentions eating them quickly is a good way to prevent them from staying in the fridge past their expiration. 

Get more information on Thanksgiving food safety at extension.illinois.edu/turkey

The vacant space at Kiwanis Park in Clinton has many looking forward to the new playground that will be ready to be put up this spring.

Clinton City Administrator Taylor Baxter indicates the playground equipment should arrive throughout the next few months and be ready to go up in the spring.

The former Miller Container facility will house the equipment as it arrives until the weather allows for its construction in the spring.

Kiwanis Park was torn down in the early fall after City officials deemed it to be too dangerous to play on and in disrepair. 

For the past few months, the DeWitt County Board's Land Use Committee has been leading the discussion on the future of the Zoning office.

DeWitt County Administrator DeeDee Rentmeister is planning to step away from those responsibilities. Board Chair Dan Matthews indicates the conversation is about how to proceed with who will lead that office.

According to Matthews, the Board seems split on whether to allow DeeDee to step aside without someone in the office or whether to continue to ask her to execute the duties of the office until they find someone.

While a little bit of turnover in the Emergency Management Agency office has taken place in the last few years, the County is on a trajectory to give young people a chance to cut their teeth in a small market before moving onto a bigger market. Matthews believes that may be a direction for DeWitt County in its zoning office.

For DeWitt County, it is hard to compare its zoning officers' duties and job description with others because Matthews notes it seems many counties do it differently.

Matthews points out, there has been some interest in the job in the short time it has been advertised as the Land Use Committee will take up a few interviews next month. 

Ushering in Thanksgiving is one of the biggest nights of the year for bars across the country.

It's become known as 'Blackout Wednesday' says Clinton Police Chief Ben Lowers who is hoping those planning to be out tonight will be extra cautious, drive safely, and get a ride home if needed.

It's all about making good choices says Chief Lowers.

While applicable at all times, this weekend especially, Chief Lowers recommends giving loved ones a heads up where you're going and how long you will be away. 

The holiday hustle and bustle will soon be here and he encourages slowing down and giving yourself plenty of time to get to where you're headed.

Black Friday shopping is still a very busy time but with so much Christmas shopping having gone online, Chief Lowers has some general holiday shopping tips we'll have for you later this week on Regional Radio. 

As you make your way over the river and through the woods to Grandmother's house, you better bundle up and have a winter preparedness kit in your car.

That Thanksgiving weather forecast is looking cold. Leading up to the busiest travel day of the year, some snow will impact the northern plains. On the WHOW Morning Show Tuesday, Ed Shimon at the National Weather Service in Lincoln told Regional Radio that snow shouldn't have too much of an impact on central Illinois.

According to Shimon, some cold air up north is going to shift down to the midwest creating some very, very cold air that will be here to stay for a while.

The cold air is going to be here for the football championship games this Friday and Saturday in Normal. We'll have more on that with Shimon later this week on Regional Radio.

A local nutrition educator is promoting food safety during the Thanksgiving season. 

On the WHOW Morning Show Tuesday, Caitlin Mellendorf, nutrition educator for the University of Illinois Extension in DeWitt, Macon, and Piatt counties told Regional Radio they get so many questions on food safety this time of year, that they've created a website devoted to it. 

Mellendorf states there are 4 major components to being food safe. Those are clean, separate, cook, and chill. This applies to all cooking, not just during the holiday season. 

Check out the extension's Thanksgiving food safety website at extension.illinois.edu/turkey. Keep it to Regional Radio tomorrow evening for more information on staying food-safe this Thanksgiving. 

A local school district is starting to plan how they will spend new funds received from a wind farm. 

Dr. Michael Tresnak, superintendent of DeLand-Weldon Schools explains the is anticipated influx of revenue thanks to the wind farm development in northern Piatt County. With that increase in revenue, they have some decisions to make. 

The district recently hosted a meeting to discuss strategic planning and Dr. Tresnak says this is one of the topics they covered. 

Although they don't have any plans set for the funds yet, Dr. Tresnak points out there are potential projects they could pursue. 

Dr. Tresnak is excited about the future of the district given this added revenue they anticipate in addition to enhancements to the district like expanding the ag program this year. 

It is official for DeWitt County - come next summer, Show Bus will be out and Piatt-Tran will be in.

That's according to DeWitt County Board Chair Dan Matthews who indicates changes at the State of Illinois level would have made it difficult for DeWitt County to maintain the Show Bus services.

Show Bus has long been the public transportation service in DeWitt County and Matthews indicates there was a big change when McLean County backed out of the intergovernmental agreement.

The DeWitt County Board approved the new contract last week at its monthly Board meeting. 

The final crop report of 2024 shows the state doing well from a moisture perspective.

State Crop Statistician Mark Schluessner indicates temperatures were above-normal last week. Top soil moisture is 11 percent surplus in Illinois.

Winter wheat continues its growth progress. 

USDA NAS has mailed out its end-of-year questionnaires and Schluessner says those are confidential by law, encouraging producers to participate if they can. 

The Illinois Farm Bureau hoping for progress on estate tax reform legislation during the "lame duck" session in Springfield in early January. IFB Director of State Legislation Chris Davis provided an update to the RFD Radio Network.

The Family Farm Preservation Act was introduced earlier this year.

It doesn't look like this Congress will get a new Farm Bill done this year. So says RFD Radio Washington Correspondent Matt Kaye.

The 118th Congress adjourns Jan. 3.

A number of Ameren customers, both business and residential, are targeted by scammers over the course of a year. 

Company officials are mounting a counter-attack on the scammers, hoping to educate as many customers as they can about the crooks that often pose as an Ameren officials asking for the customer to make a payment or face losing their service. Ameren Spokesman Paula Nixon says they will not call their customers and demand immediate payment. She says while anyone can be a target, they like to focus on a couple of demographics:

Anyone who hears from someone claiming to be a utility representative and asking for immediate payment on a bill is urged to hang up, call police and call the utility right away. Last week was Utility Scam Awareness Week.

Thinking about preparing that holiday feast over the next month...don't forget about locally sourced food. A great online resource—specialtygrowers.org/shoplocal says Illinois Farm Bureau Associate Director of Food Systems Development Raghela Scavuzzo.

Again, that specialtygrowers.org/shoplocal.

The first firearm deer hunting weekend wrapped up Sunday in Illinois with the second and final one Dec. 5-8. A reminder about two Illinois Department of Natural Resources websites.

Dan Skinner is Forest Program Wildlife Manager with IDNR.

Keep in mind family living costs when creating 2025 crop budgets, that's the latest FarmDocDaily piece for Illinois Farm Business Farm Management's Brad Zwilling.

You can find the piece at farmdocdaily.illinois.edu.

Local veterans organizations are putting the "giving" in Thanksgiving. 

On the WHOW Morning Show Monday, Josh Thielen, Department Adjutant for the American Legion, told Regional Radio that every year, the Clinton American Legion, the AmVets and the VFW all come together to give out free Thanksgiving meals to anyone in the community in need.

While the deadline to guarantee a meal has already passed, Thielen states they do their best to accommodate people at the last minute with the leftovers they may have. 

The Legion receives support for this project from anyone. This includes several local volunteers who will help prepare and deliver the meals.

Thielen notes this project depends heavily on community donations and support due to the amount of food it provides. He says it's all worth it in the end.

If you're interested in supporting this event financially or through volunteering, reach out to the American Legion at 217-935-5183. The American Legion is located at 219 North Elizabeth Street in Clinton. 

Plans for a new City Hall in Clinton hit a standstill earlier this year when bids for the needs of the City came in way over budget.

City Administrator Taylor Baxter tells Regional Radio while there hasn't been a lot of discussion about the next step for the City, the project is not dead.

While the City has a substantial amount they can dedicate to this project, they are not trying to tie up all the community's assets into this one project.

For Baxter, getting the project remains a priority and they are going to collaborate with some local professionals to evaluate what the City wants to do. While frustrated, he indicates they remain committed to making wise decisions.

The City's water tower project is also going to be a big ticket item for the City in the next several years. While it will receive some grant funding and state loans, there could be a lot of money spent by the City of Clinton in the years ahead. 

Lower turkey prices are bringing the cost of that Thanksgiving dinner down this year.

Dave Jackson owns the Clinton Save A Lot and indicates the price of turkey is down substantially from last year which is bringing the cost of that Thanksgiving meal down.

Jackson indicates he is well-stocked for the needs of the community this year. He is not anticipating running out of anything for that Thanksgiving rush which will start to kick into high gear today.

According to Jackson, eggs are up this year however, despite the egg shortage, Save A Lot is subsidizing the cost of the increase to keep prices lower for consumers.

For Jackson, the only thing that could create an issue for his store is if the other grocery store in Clinton were to run out of an item or items, then all the traffic from there would move on to Save A Lot.

The Clinton Save A Lot is located at 205 East Washington Street just off the downtown Square. 

If you receive Social Security or Supplemental Security Income (SSI) disability benefits and want to try to start working or return to work, Social Security can help. 

Jack Myers with Social Security indicates the two programs have different rules on how work affects income, but returning to work doesn't necessarily mean you will lose your benefits right away. If you receive SSI, we can exclude the first $65 of earned income and then will reduce your SSI by half of your remaining earned income. 

if you receive Social Security disability benefits you get a nine-month trial work period when you are entitled to disability benefits. According to Myers, this offers an opportunity for you to attempt to work without jeopardizing your Social Security benefits. 

If you want to get back to work, but need help getting started, the Ticket To Work program may be for you. The Ticket to Work is a program that supports career development for SSDI beneficiaries and SSI recipients. It is free and voluntary and can help by connecting you with the services and support you need to succeed in the workforce. 

Learn more at www.ssa.gov/work or by calling 1-866-968-7842 or 1-866-833-2967 (TTY).

A local grocery store owner says he's stocked up and ready for the Thanksgiving rush that will kick into high gear next week, but he also says - don't wait.

Dave Jackson is the owner of Clinton Save A Lot and says this weekend, the store will likely experience its normal level of traffic but come Monday, the Thanksgiving rush will start to kick in.

The holiday meal is going to cost less this year thanks to a decline in the price of turkeys. We'll have more on that with Jackson next week on Regional Radio. 

You can now get groceries from Clinton Save A Lot delivered.

On the WHOW Morning Show Friday, Save A Lot owner Dave Jackson told Regional Radio he has partnered with DoorDash to get groceries to local residents.

The DoorDash app has more information. We'll have more with Jackson on this development next week on Regional Radio. 

The City of Clinton has several big projects potentially on the horizon.

Between planning for a new City Hall a new playground at Kiwanis Park and a new water tower in downtown Clinton, a lot is keeping City Administrator Taylor Baxter busy. He says the water tower project is moving slowly.

Currently, Clinton remains in the planning stages with the pursuit of funding top of mind. Baxter explains there are a lot of deadlines and steps along the way they have to be ready for and so they are always preparing for the next steps in the process.

 According to Baxter, the goal is to not just stop at getting a new water tower in downtown Clinton but parlay the funding into a major overhaul of some of the infrastructure in Clinton.

The City is also awaiting the arrival of new playground equipment for Kiwanis Park and taking the next step for building a new City Hall and fire/police station. 

We'll have more with Baxter on those projects next week on Regional Radio. 

Clinton Schools is joining several districts in helping purchase the former State Farm building in Bloomington/Normal to expand a career center for high school students.

On the WHOW Morning Show Thursday, Clinton Schools Superintendent Drew Goebel told Regional Radio they are chipping in a little less than $80,000 to help purchase a former State Farm building to expand the Bloomington Area Career Center.

According to Goebel, the BACC has a great vision for the future and this has been well thought out to offer a better program for students of central Illinois.

While the BACC is a great opportunity for local students because of all the programs they have to offer, Goebel also touts the great things happening in Clinton schools for its students.

One of the appeals for the BACC for Goebel is that not every student is meant to be in a four-year university setting. He believes the BACC is a great opportunity for students to get hands-on experiences in a variety of fields and find out what they are good at or what they enjoy. 

Artificial intelligence continues to grow and become a more useful tool in many industries, and agriculture is no different. 

Reagan Tibbs, commercial ag educator for the University of Illinois Extension in Logan, Menard, and Sangamon Counties, explains that he took a trip to San Antonio to attend the American Society of Agronomy's annual conference.

According to Tibbs, this year's conference's main focus was AI and how its growth and development will affect the future of agriculture. 

AI has been in agriculture in some form for longer than many realize. Tibbs references auto steer on combines as an example. Companies like John Deere have also developed agricultural uses for AI.

Tibbs notes that as more ag companies develop A.I. tools, the information and resources they offer will only become more and more capable. Get more information from the University of Illinois Extension at extension.illinois.edu/lms

Longview Community Bank's new Clinton building on the west side of town is taking shape.

Bank officials hope to have this location open in the spring.

Having accurate and up-to-date information in the hands of first responders can be immensely helpful in cases of emergency.

Clinton Police Chief Ben Lowers explains his department has come across the issue of needing information to help someone in distress only to have information that isn't up to date.

According to Chief Lowers, they've taken to social media recently to promote having accurate information about your residence and the inhabitants of the dwelling. 

Authorities reference the available information for a particular address for contact information, information about the resident and any impairments they may have, as well as other information that can help them in a response.

For emergencies when you may not be able to communicate, Chief Lowers indicates it is still important to call 9-1-1 because responders will be sent to the traced location to investigate if there is an emergency.

Chief Lowers says the more information available to authorities, the better their response will be. You can submit information to local authorities by calling the non-emergency number in Clinton at 217-935-9441. 

This week, Illinois Congresswoman Nikki Budzinski announced that 11 farmers and small business owners in Piatt, Madison, and Macoupin Counties will receive a combined $952,249 in Rural Energy for America Program (REAP) grant funding from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. 

These funds will go directly to energy efficiency upgrades - namely the buildout of new solar arrays - that will lower energy bills for recipients. 

In total, the solar energy capacity added from this funding will generate $140,000 in energy savings per year for local businesses, and the energy generated from the new installations is enough to power 75 homes.

$45,375 will go to Levchas LLC, a building lessor in Monticello and $51,870 will go to Pregame Sports, a fitness and recreation center in Monticello.

The Rural Energy for America Program offers guaranteed loan financing and grants to agricultural producers and rural small businesses for renewable energy systems or to make energy efficiency improvements. 

These innovations help recipients increase their income, grow their businesses, reduce emissions and lower energy costs for families. 

Agricultural producers may also apply for new energy-efficient equipment and new system loans for agricultural production and processing. 

So far, REAP has invested more than $2.7 billion in 9,901 renewable energy and energy efficiency projects across the country. 

Schools all around central Illinois are receiving their grades from the Illinois State Board of Education.

Dr. Hillary Stanifer, Superintendent of Blue Ridge Schools explains all of her schools received the title of 'commendable', however, they've struggled with chronic absenteeism. 

The district's English and math scores have sharply increased over the last couple of years. They are celebrating that success.

Dr. Stanifer says the formula the ISBE uses to grade schools is very complicated and can change depending on the size of the school, however, there are talks of changing the system. 

Get the district's report card data at blueridge18.org or find them on Facebook. 

The Illinois Farm Bureau annual meeting is set for next month. An update from Illinois Farm Bureau Vice President Evan Hultine—chair of the resolutions committee.

The Illinois Farm Bureau Annual Meeting is Dec. 7-10 through at the Palmer House in Chicago.

DTN ag meteorologist John Baranick trying to get a gauge on the winter outlook.

Meteorological winter runs Dec. 1-to-Feb. 28

It's class business time of the year for a group of central Illinois entrepeuner students. 

Sangamon Valley CEO students are tasked with putting together a business and on the WHOW Morning Show Wednesday, they told Regional Radio they are hosting their 'Grinch Chase 5K'. CFO of the business Russ Brown explains the event will take place on December 21st at Allerton Park in Monticello. 

Michael Freese notes the deadline to register early is November 26th. He says registering before that date gets you a tee-shirt as part of your entry. 

The class business is an integral part of the CEO program because it teaches students how to work together in a professional setting. Gabby Block points out it is important because it paves the way to creating their own businesses which happens in the second semester of the class. 

The event will feature fun aspects like a kid's race, as well as a Grinch who will give everyone a 5-minute head start, and try to beat them to the finish. 

Find more information about the race and the program at sangamonvalleyceo.com. You can also follow the Sangamon Valley CEO program on Facebook and Instagram. 

A longtime local leader and current Clinton Mayor Pro-Tem, Tom Edmunds, is in the ICU.

Mayor Edmunds was absent from Tuesday night's Clinton City Council meeting and acting Mayor for the night, John Wise informed the community the longtime public servant was in intensive care in Peoria - doing better as of Tuesday.

Residents have likely noticed distinct odors and water quality changes in the last few weeks. Commissioner Wise reminds of the things happening with the water treatment plant and those issues were anticipated.

Also Tuesday night, Commissioner Ken Buchanan told the community brush pickup, scheduled for this week, will be put off until next week because they have a lot going on with the leaf clean up and Christmas decorations have started going up around the downtown area. 

Every year, the Illinois State Board of Education, or ISBE grades schools on their performance and how they rank throughout the state. 

Adam Ibbotson, Superintendent of Maroa-Forsyth Schools explains that although the report cards may not always paint the whole picture he is very proud of his district. 

ISBE takes multiple variables into account when grading schools. Ibbotson says they break it down subject by subject and student growth. 

Ibbotson notes the growth targets they are trying to reach can be challenging, but he believes it's a good way to keep schools accountable. 

A common issue among central Illinois school districts is chronic absenteeism but Ibbotson says they were graded highly in this category. 

Maroa-Forsyth's report card data is available at mfschools.net.

The winter months approaching marks the end of the harvest season in Central Illinois.

Reagan Tibbs, Commercial Ag Educator for the University of Illinois Extension in Logan, Menard, and Sangamon Counties explains the rain came just in time. 

With the crops all out of the ground, it's now time for applicators. Tibbs reminds soil temperatures must be at 50 degrees before you can start applying. 

Commodity prices are looking a little scary, but Tibbs has confidence producers will do the right things to stay in as good of a financial position as possible.

Find more information and resources from the University of Illinois Extension in Logan, Menard, and Sangamon counties at extension.illinois.edu/lms

Hunters have been chomping at the bit ready for the first firearm deer season of 2024 and the wait is about over.

On the WHOW Morning Show Tuesday, Illinois Department of Natural Resources Conservation Police Capt. John Williamson told Regional Radio this weekend is the Super Bowl for his officers.

DNR Conservation Officer Noah Workman says property disputes during the hunting season have been one of the most common complaints he gets in his six years in DeWitt County.

While some landowners may be at odds over differences of opinion, Capt. Williamson encourages hunters to have agreements with neighbors over retrieving deer on another property and communicate with landowners over those things.

Officer Workman also encourages motorists to be mindful of the increased deer activity on rural roadways. The hunting season has the deer moving more but it's also the time of the year for deer rut. 

The Illinois Alliance of YMCAs and the IHSA are partnering together offering young adolescents the chance to hoop at the boys and girls state tournaments next March.

On the WHOW Morning Show Monday, Clinton YMCA Executive Director Rennie Cluver told Regional Radio the Illinois Alliances of Ys is a contributor to the NFHS Network, the video streaming service offered by numerous high schools across the state. With that said, the Y alliance wanted to be more visible than just the logo showing up on the streams of viewers at home.

Youth Sports and Program Director of the Clinton Y, Melinda Akers says the game 'two-ball' is a basketball shooting competition with two individuals. The teams of two will be broken up by ages seven to 14. 

Boys and girls can register for this tournament at their respective schools in Clinton. Registration begins Monday, Nov. 25. Akers indicates students from Clinton schools or surrounding school districts can participate. 

Information about the tournament and how the game works will be posted at the Clinton Ys website, clintoncommymca.org. Akers and Cluver anticipate a lot of interest in this opportunity so they encourage getting registered as soon as you can. 

The girl's state basketball tournament is at Redbird Arena in Normal and the boy's tournament is at the State Farm Center in Champaign. 

As school districts around the state set their levies for the upcoming year and finalize budgets for the year ahead, one Piatt County school leader is trying to make her community aware of how school funding works.

The formulas and rules around school funding are a lot for green superintendents to wrap their heads around and for Mary Vogt, the third year Superintendent at Bement Schools, it took her a while to be able to knowledgably describe it all.

According to Vogt, her community has been inquiring why they are not addressing some of the facility needs of the district when there appears to be money available. She has had to do a lot of education to understand that dollars are often limited in where they can be spent.

For the public, budgeting at home is how many relate to budgeting for schools. Vogt points out, however, there are dollars designated for certain funds under the umbrella of a district's budget and cannot be spent for other purposes.

When it comes to addressing issues of building maintenance or other projects, unlike a personal budget where someone can hire a reputable contractor in their community with a simple phone call, Vogt explains schools are beholden to a process of securing bids and other processes to address those issues.

Districts levy certain rates within property taxes for funds in their budgets. Administrators around Illinois this year seem much more intentional about raising awareness of how budgeting works within the school systems. 

Earlier this month, voters in Piatt County gave the thumbs up to a tax to support mental health services, including the Piatt County Mental Health Center. 

Tony Kirkman is the Executive Director of the Piatt County Mental Health Center and told Regional Radio after the election, he is very excited for all the things they are going to be able to do with proper funding levels. 

The ROSC program, or Recovery Oriented System of Care, is a recovery-oriented approach to addiction. Kirkman indicates they have been very successful with this program in both Piatt and DeWitt Counties. 

Through the ROSC program, Kirkman is celebrating the introduction of four new support groups in Piatt and DeWitt Counties. He explains a large part of their system is building communities. 

Kirkman hopes as this program develops, it gives people suffering from addiction the courage and confidence to get the help they need. He says there is still a lot of work to do. 

If you are struggling with addiction, no matter the case, there is a space for you with the Piatt County Mental Health Center. Find more information at piattmhc.org. 

It was a warm, dry week in Illinois as the harvest season is about wrapped up.

State Crop Statistician Mark Schluessner indicates temperatures were slightly above normal and rainfall was slightly below normal.

With the harvest largely wrapped up, attention turns to the winter wheat crop.

There is one remaining crop report left for the year. 

The ag industry continues to follow the import tariff issue with the incoming Trump administration. RFD Radio Washington correspondent Matt Kaye says it's a subject he is closely monitoring.

President-elect Trump will take office on Jan. 20. He's yet to name his pick for U.S. Ag Secretary.

The key to success is planning and a local school district is doing just that. 

Dr. Michael Tresnak, Superintendent of DeLand-Weldon Schools, explains they have begun strategic planning for the first time in a long time. He notes revenues from local wind farms will be a big part of the short and long-term outlooks for the district. 

The District held an open forum as a part of the planning process earlier this month. Dr. Tresnak says the community did not participate as much in their meeting as he would have liked. He attributes that to their feelings about their situation. 

According to Dr. Tresnak, most of the discussion revolved around the facilities, finances, and curriculum. His goal was to show everyone where the district stands. 

The district will look to develop short and long-term goals with reasonable timelines. Dr. Tresnak explains his job is to decide where the district's priorities are. 

Keep up with all of DeLand-Weldon Schools' projects and efforts at dwschools.org or follow them on Facebook. 

As producers get those tractors and combine put away for the winter, a University of Illinois Extension Educator is reminding producers to make sure those storage units have protections from rodents.

Small Farms Educator and agronomist Doug Gucker is reminding producers that rodents are especially drawn to the cables of those large pieces of machinery and can do some serious damage if precautions aren't taken.

Gucker reminds to get those bait stations set up soon and if you have small animals like cats, get them in those barns to prevent the rodents from doing a lot of damage that will hold up that spring field work cycle.

As the anhydrous applications begin, producers will soon begin turning their attention to the winter meeting season with things like the Greater Peoria Farm Show right after Thanksgiving and then the Illinois Farm Bureau Annual Meeting. 

The open enrollment period is an annual opportunity for those enrolled in Medicare to reevaluate their plans and runs until December 7.

Medicare beneficiaries can compare their options for health and prescription drug coverage. Jack Myers explains this includes Medicare Advantage plans, Medigap plans, and Medicare Prescription Drug plans, and signing up now makes them effective Jan. 1, 2025.

If you are happy with your current plan and don't see any major changes to it, you don't need to do anything. Myers directs anyone wanting to compare plans on Medicare's website at www.medicare.gov or by calling 1-800-Medicare. In IL you can also call the Senior Health Insurance Program through the IL Dept on Aging at 1-800-252-8966.

During Open Enrollment, Social Security always reminds of the 'Extra Help' program and Myers explains how it works and pertains to Open Enrollment.

Again, Open Enrollment lasts until Dec. 7. Get more information at medicare.gov or call 800-MEDICARE.

A chance to view an original Gettysburg Address through November 24 at the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum says the museum's Chris Wills.

Lincoln delivered the Gettysburg Address in 1863. The museum is offering free admission on Tuesday in honor of the anniversary date.

Do you feel you are in a slump during the winter season? Is your mood affecting your relationships, social activities, or workdays? You may be experiencing Seasonal Affective Disorder, also known as SAD. 

An expert with OSF HealthCare says there are ways to deal with it. Marybeth Evans, Licensed Clinical Social Worker, OSF HealthCare says it is estimated five percent of adults in the U.S. experience SAD with symptoms typically lasting about 40% of the year.

According to the American Psychiatric Association, common symptoms of SAD include fatigue, even with too much sleep, and weight gain associated with overeating and carbohydrate cravings. SAD symptoms can vary from mild to severe and can include many symptoms similar to major depression.

Retailers and shippers across the nation will be hiring hundreds of thousands of seasonal employees this holiday season, but the Better Business Bureau says there are others saying they are hiring but are not on the up-and-up. Employment scams continue to put people at risk both locally and nationwide, so the BBB has some advice to protect yourself from scammers. Especially if you are looking at a work-from-home opportunity, BBB Investigator Don O'Brien says you should beware of offers that promise big money for little work.

If you are able to find an actual job, let your employer know if it is a second job, be upfront and clear with your new employer about your availability. And if you are working at a physical location, you should remember as a seasonal employee you can expect to work long, sometimes inconvenient hours, possibly including Thanksgiving and Christmas Eve.

The DeWitt County Board's Land Use committee this week discussed briefly the flashing red lights at night on the Alta Farms II wind turbines. 

First-term board member Patrick Ryan wondered about those lights not complying with the ordinance and was met with information that there is no penalty for Enel Green Energy not meeting the requirements in the DeWitt County code.

Earlier this year, Enel addressed the DeWitt County Board with pledges of new leadership and better communication. Land Use Chair Buck Carter suggested reaching out to those individuals for an update on the progress of getting the required motion detection system to eliminate the flashing lights.

DeWitt County's ordinance calls for a motion lighting detection system so only if an aircraft is flying within a certain distance of the wind farm do the lights activate. Enel representatives told the County Board they have a system developed but it is not functioning properly.

County officials questioned if the energy company was committed to making it work because there were not many ordinances like DeWitt County's in its book of business. 

Hearing loss is a common part of aging and a local senior center hopes to help combat that problem.

Paula Jiles with the DeWitt County Friendship Center says they hope to offer hearing tests in December or January. 

Jiles says this service would be separate from the hearing aid maintenance they offer already. They will try to provide the service once a month.

Find more information on all the DeWitt County Friendship Center has to offer on their Facebook page or give them a call at 217-935-9411. 

High input costs and low commodity prices are putting the pinch on some producers as farmers head into the offseason.

Doug Gucker is an agronomist and small farms educator at the University of Illinois Extension in DeWitt, Macon, and Piatt Counties and says those variables can get farmers down but he is encouraging anyone struggling to keep in mind, there is help available.

Grain farmers are feeling the pinch almost across the board as Gucker describes. He points out even with cash rents dropping, soybean prices are below the cost of production.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is 800-273-TALK (8255). The Crisis Text Line is 'TALK' to 741-741.

The Illinois Farm Bureau also has a page dedicated to resources for farmers at ilfb.org/resources/farmer-rural-resources, then click on 'Mental Health and Wellness'.

Roughly 25 percent of farmers worldwide struggle with mental health and as of 2020, agriculture saw the highest suicide rate of any industry in America. 

A local non-profit celebrates the holidays by doing what they do best - fundraising for the community. 

Breann Titus with Community Action explains the Holiday Hearts Campaign is a fundraiser to purchase toys for children in the community so that everyone can enjoy the holiday. 

Titus notes last year's Holiday Hearts Campaign was their biggest one yet. They were able to give out personalized gifts to 80 children. 

In the words of Nat "King" Cole, Christmas is for kids from 1 to 92, and Community Action is living up to that. They create 'Blizzard Bags' full of non-perishable foods for seniors who may have difficulty getting out in the winter. 

Titus recommends visiting their Facebook page to find where to donate for Holiday Hearts and to find the Amazon wishlist for Blizzard bags. She says she posts there almost daily. 

Find more information on all of Community Actions' efforts to support their service area at capcil.info or on their Facebook page. 

The post-harvest time means rural drivers are sure to encounter deer on the roadways.

Piatt County Sheriff Mark Vogelzang indicates with the crop out of the ground, the habitat for deer is greatly reduced so he is encouraging drivers on almost any road to be mindful of the increased deer movement.

One other component driving the increased movement in the deer population is the hunting season is underway. Sheriff Vogelzang is imploring safety among hunters.

For drivers, Sheriff Vogelzang encourages keeping an eye on the side of the roads for deer that may jump out. Heavily wooded areas become a popular place for deer to hide in the fall and winter months.

With falling leaves, authorities also remind wet leaves can also create slick conditions on roadways as well. 

State ag pest survey coordinator Kelly Estes is compiling data from the growing season.

You can follow Estes on X...at ILPestSurvey.

It's been a mild fall, but a hard freeze is arriving later this month for most of Illinois says Freeze-Notis Weather Meteorologist Paul Otto.

As far as tracking soil temperatures, a good resource can be found at the Illinois State Water Survey's website at warm.isws.illinois.edu/warm.

Retailers and shippers across the nation will be hiring hundreds of thousands of seasonal employees this holiday season, but the Better Business Bureau says there are others saying they are hiring but are not on the up-and-up. Employment scams continue to put people at risk both locally and nationwide, so the BBB has some advice to protect yourself from scammers. Especially if you are looking at a work-from-home opportunity, BBB Investigator Don O'Brien says you should beware of offers that promise big money for little work.

If you are able to find an actual job, let your employer know if it is a second job, be upfront and clear with your new employer about your availability. And if you are working at a physical location, you should remember as a seasonal employee you can expect to work long, sometimes inconvenient hours, possibly including Thanksgiving and Christmas Eve.

Candidates seeking office in Illinois' consolidated elections started filing their nominating petitions Tuesday. 

The election will feature contested races for mayor, trustee or alderman, school board, and many other municipal offices around the region. Voter turnout for the Presidential Election broke many records, but most predictions are for a much smaller number in the spring. Macoupin County Clerk Pete Duncan says that while all elections are important, your vote probably counts more in these local elections.

In Clinton, there is going to be a special election for the vacant Mayor's seat left by Roger Cyrulik. 

The last day to file nominating petitions in Illinois is Monday, November 18.

2024 harvest at the finish line, so farmers are starting to think about considerations for 2025. Pioneer Field Agronomist Jason McVicker.

McVicker's territory is along the I-80 corridor. He says 2024 corn and soybean yields were variable in his part of the state.

The Illinois Ag Leadership Foundation Class of 2025 is approaching the final stretch. Jill Carlson of Henry County is the Communications Manager for Wyffels Hybrids and is participating in the program.

Applications are being accepted for the Class of 2027. More info at agleadership.org.

The program was founded in the 1980s.

With the traditional winter weather months ahead, the La Nina weather pattern that was predicted is slow to develop.

Ed Shimon at the National Weather Service in Lincoln indicates the next three months (Dec-Feb) are showing above-normal precipitation and equal chances of above or below-normal temperatures.

According to Shimon, La Nina is struggling to develop but it's still forecasted to be a La Nina winter in the United States. 

Weather.gov/lincoln has plenty more data and weather information available. 

In the age of the internet, young people are often faced with situations that may not always be safe online. 

Nat Dorgan, Assistant Principal of Warrensburg-Latham Elementary School explains online safety with students has been a big part of his new position. 

Dorgan notes although he has limited time with the students each day to work on internet safety, his goal is to spread awareness. He wants to teach kids to think twice when coming across something that may be unsafe. 

Dorgan focuses on teaching kids what is safe to share online, and what is not such as personal information. He uses emojis as a tool to reach the students in a way they understand. 

Dorgan indicates the online gaming community and social media are two especially toxic places for children, because they are being exposed to things they don't often comprehend. 

Before the program began, Dorgan sent a letter home to let parents know what they were teaching, but he used that as a lesson too by having A.I. write the letter. 

Although this lesson is being taught to elementary students, it's always important to be safe online no matter your age. Superintendent Cheryl Warner mentions this is just the start. 

The Illinois Secretary of State’s office has upgraded its Clinton DMV to a “One-Stop-Shop” design, improving the customer experience through reduced wait times and increased efficiency.  

The renovation also includes updated signage to create a more logical flow and help customers know where to go, Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias announced today.  

As a part of the Secretary of State’s ongoing modernization efforts, the new DMV experience will save customers considerable time and several steps by offering both vehicle and driver services at a single service counter.

Driver services and vehicle services employees at “One-Stop-Shop” DMVs are now cross-trained to provide both sets of services. 

At a single service counter, customers will be able to apply for a REAL ID or a new driver’s license or state ID card, renew a driver’s license, state ID or Temporary Visitor Driver’s License, register or renew their vehicle registration and obtain vehicle stickers, order a new license plate, and join the Illinois Organ and Tissue Donor Registry.

The Clinton DMV, located at 1255 State Rte. 54 East, is among the initial facilities in central Illinois to undergo the “One-Stop-Shop” transformation and is now re-opened following extensive renovations to allow customers to access services at one single station. 

PICTURED: Manager of Secretary of State Field Operations Jim Snider, Secretary of State Administrator of Field Services Julie Vickers, Secretary of State Regional Manager Jaclyn Swigert, Clinton City Administrator Taylor Baxter and Secretary of State Deputy Director of DMV Operations Andy Simmons cut the ribbon at the newly remodeled Clinton DMV

Commodity markets had much to consider last week. A Presidential election, interest rate decision, and a USDA report. Has any of that resulted in a clear direction going forward?

Joe Camp is with Commstock Investments.

Analyzing votes in rural America. Donald Trump was a big winner in those areas in his election victory over Kamala Harris. Monmouth College Political Science Professor Robin Johnson says messaging appears to be the difference.

In Warren County where Monmouth College is located, Trump won by a 4,244 to 2,037 margin—or a breakdown of 66-percent to 32-percent.

A reminder about excavation projects on the farm—like tiling. You need to call JULIE before you dig. That's 811 or 800-892-0123 says Bill Bodine—Director of Business and Regulatory Affairs for Illinois Farm Bureau.

There's also a website......JulieBeforeYouDig.com.

Illinois Ag in the Classroom with a new award this year.

Illinois Ag in the Classroom's Kevin Daugherty says Arnold will be recognized at the Illinois Farm Bureau Annual Meeting in Chicago next month.

Tis' the season for holiday shopping scams, at least that's the word from the Better Business Bureau.

Research from the B-B-B indicates online shopping scams accounted for 41% of scams tracked in 2023. According to Don O'Brien with the B-B-B, most scammers use the holiday to exploit busy shoppers.

For those shopping on a new website, O'Brien recommends consumers check the spelling of the U-R-L.

Often, bad grammar could be a dead giveaway to a scam website.

Warner Hospital and Health Services has been upgrading its facility for the better part of the last three years and the final leg of those upgrades is in the works.

On the WHOW Morning Show Wednesday, CEO Paul Skowron told Regional Radio they are watching the west side entrance take shape as the weather this fall has allowed for a good amount of progress in that project.

In addition to the west side entrance, the Hospital finished an extensive remodel of its emergency room entrance. Now they are in the midst of their latest electronic medical records update. Skowron explains the final leg of the facility improvement is going to be a minor update of its second floor.

At one time, Skowron had visions of a new hospital building but since COVID, that vision has changed and he believes the partnership with Gibson Area Hospital and their providers as well as the renovations to the existing building are going to last for the next ten-plus years.

Skowron indicates updating the workspaces for its nursing staff is going to go a long way in employee retention. While he credits the nurses who have been with them for many years, they have nurses who have worked in larger systems who know the equipment they use every day can be much better - and he hopes to improve that. 

Christmas festivities are right around the corner in Clinton.

Janice Peterson, Executive Director of the Clinton Chamber of Commerce notes the Clinton Christmas Parade comes up on Saturday, December 7 in Clinton and the deadline to participate is this Friday. The theme for this year's parade is 'A Cinematic Christmas'. 

Peterson notes it's very simple to have a float in the parade - fill out the registration form to let the Chamber know who you are and what your plan is.

The Chamber is still looking for a Grand Marshal and asks that nominees be community-oriented. You can make nominations for the honored role on the Chamber's website. 

Submit your floats and nominations for Grand Marshal and the Chamber's Christmas Parade by this Friday at clintonilchamber.com 

The DeWitt County Land Use Committee has made some progress in the search for a new Planning and Zoning Administrator.

At Tuesday night's Land Use Committee meeting, County Administrator Dee Dee Rentmeister told the committee she would be officially resigning from her Interim Zoning Officer duties effective November 30th. 

Luckily for the committee, they have received two applications, and Committee Chair Buck Carter says both are looking viable. They landed on Wednesday, November 20th to interview both candidates. 

The committee reminds the position is for the part-time Planning and Zoning Administrator.

Harvest is winding down as we hear in this weekly crop report.

State Crop Statistician Mark Schluessner says both temperatures and rainfall were well above normal for last week.

The wet week allowed topsoil moisture to rebound says Schluessner.

With the harvest wrapped up in most of Illinois, the attention now turns to the winter wheat crop.

There are just two crop reports remaining for the year. 

Dinner theater is the theme of this winter's production for the Clinton High School theater department.

Emma Sanders and Adyson Beebe will headline the story of a feud between a mall pizza food court vendor and a corporate big wig over the food court space.

Sanders explains the production will involve a light dinner as a part of the theme of the show and even engages members of the audience.

Sanders plays the corporate big wig 'Ms Montgomery' while Beebe plays the role of Nikki Valenti - the food court pizza store owner.

While there is not a large cast, the crew that helps make the show happen is tremendous according to the two leads.

'Totally Murder' opens this Saturday afternoon at Clinton High School with two shows on Saturday and a matinee Sunday. Tickets are limited and the two actresses encourage finding the Clinton High School theater's Facebook or Instagram pages for ticket information. 

A Piatt County entity is celebrating the passage of a tax that will help keep its doors open and service operating.

On the WHOW Morning Show Tuesday, Piatt County Mental Health Center Executive Director Tony Kirkman told Regional Radio Piatt County voters approved a tax establishing a '708 Mental Health Board' that will oversee funding that will go to groups like theirs.

Kirkman has spent the last few months getting in front of Piatt County leadership and voters to promote the tax and its benefits.

While Kirkman was out publicly promoting the tax and its benefits, he believes the Mental Health Center's involvement in all of Piatt County over the years has led to its awareness across the county. It is that familiarity that Kirkman believes was instrumental in the passage of the tax referendum.

The 708 Mental Health Board will be made up of individuals appointed by the Piatt County Board and Kirkman says they will be charged with collecting those dollars and then deciding how they are to be distributed.

Kirkman thanks the Piatt County voters for their support of the tax and looks forward to the great things they are going to be able to accomplish with being appropriately funded for the first time in a long time.

One of the great things the Piatt County Mental Health Center has done is establish a ROSC program, or Recovery Oriented System of Care, in both Piatt and DeWitt Counties. 

Kirkman touted the good things happening with the program on Tuesday and we'll hear more on that with him in the weeks ahead on Regional Radio. 

October has come to an end and so too have all the local spooky celebrations. 

Janice Peterson, Executive Director of the Clinton Chamber of Commerce, explains while the Haunted House season was a little slower than last year, the online ticketing they introduced this year was a huge success. 

Peterson notes one of the challenges they encountered was volunteers. She explains they had to close the house down for a night because they had some volunteers fell through at the last minute. 

The Chamber will be looking for volunteers starting much earlier next year. Peterson compliments the groups that return every year because they are always a big help in creating a good experience.

Peterson reminds any groups who volunteer with the Chamber's Haunted House will receive seven percent of the nightly sales. She hopes this will entice more groups to volunteer next year. 

If you are interested in volunteering for next year's Chamber Haunted House, reach out to the Clinton Chamber of Commerce's office at 217-935-3364 or visit clintonilchamber.com

With the harvest wrapped up in most of central Illinois, producers will be looking to turn the page onto the fall applicator season.

Doug Gucker is an agronomist and small farms educator with the University of Illinois Extension in DeWitt, Macon, and Piatt Counties and reminds as producers  anticipate that anhydrous ammonia application, to be mindful of those soil temperatures.

Producers are likely aware but Gucker reminds of the training that is now required for anyone that will be handling anhydrous ammonia. It is a free training and it can be completed through the Extension. 

Gucker indicates the harvest has pretty well wrapped up across central Illinois thanks to a very favorable weather month in October.

Gucker shares a lot of educational material at extension.illinois.edu/dmp on the end of the harvest season and the end of the growing season for a lot of small farms as well. There, you can also find more information on upcoming educational opportunities through Extension. 

Administrators from a central Illinois school district recently returned from a unique opportunity for international service overseas.

Cheryl Warner, Superintendent of Warrensburg-Latham Schools explains she and her high school principal were asked to participate in a service trip to the Dominican Republic. 

Some of the service projects during the trip included learning how to sustain the local mangroves and coral reefs, planting coffee plants, and rebuilding a playground. Warner called it phenomenal. 

The trip was six days at four educational institutions. Warner says one of the goals was reflecting on how they could bring the things they learned through this experience, back to their district. 

Warner looks forward to implementing lessons from the trip into Warrensburg-Latham Schools and hopes to have the opportunity for other administration and staff to participate. 

With the harvest wrapped up in most of central Illinois, producers may not mind hearing November is going to be a little wet.

Precipitation in November has already been substantial and Ed Shimon at the National Weather Service in Lincoln indicates things could get even more wet.

According to Shimon, the jet stream is very active right now and for the time being, it has no place to go to, so things are wet and warm.

Temperatures from the start of November to the end drastically decrease.

Shimon indicates La Nina is taking a while to activate and so the outlooks for the winter are showing some volatility. We'll have more on that with Shimon later this week on Regional Radio. 

A central Illinois veteran has opened a business just outside of Clinton.

Rick Knowles is a veteran who has opened 'Knowles Motors' on Clinton's south side in the old Martin Auction space. He tells Regional Radio he buys and restores various vehicles for resale.

According to Knowles, there's also a small building that is a part of his outfit and his son will run a re-sale shop. This won't be your typical second-hand thrift store type of place.

Knowles indicates the vehicle sales side of his business won't be like a big-lot dealership with financial backing from many institutions and a large fleet. He explains they will do some trading in but he encourages checking out their website for the latest on their inventory and coming ready with your financing.

As far as the re-sale shop, Knowles indicates they acquire a lot of very nice things and they have thrown away a lot of it. He is hoping to get connected with local non-profits to make sure those items get used.

Knowles Motors is open Tuesday through Friday noon to 5 pm and Saturday 10 am to 2 pm. For more information call or text 217-501-8000 or visit knowlesmotors.com. Knowles Motors is located at 9484 Meadowbrook Road, next to the new 'Highway 51 Exchange'. 

A Monticello veteran is promoting his final book in a long-running series on various involvements by the United States around the globe.

Dick Fox has penned ten books based on his experience in the Vietnam War. He told Regional Radio he had long wanted to write about Vietnam because so many people do not know much about it.

According to Fox, he researched Vietnam very heavily for his first book, then he began researching Cuba and that was what his second book was on. Each book focused on a different region of the world.

Fox just recently published his final book in the ten-book series, 'Returning from Vietnam' and each book is between 400 and 500 pages of his research combined with his experiences in the Vietnam War.

For Fox, the desire to write about his experience in Vietnam started when he returned from his tour of duty and things in America changed so much that veterans of the war were treated very poorly even in their journeys home.

The ten books written by Fox are only available in digital copies. For more information, email Fox at thedomesticseries10@gmail.com. The ten books are $50 - and again are in digital form. 

Today is Veterans Day.

Every year on this day we honor all veterans who served our country and risked their lives to protect us. Jack Myers with Social Security encourages if you know a veteran, please let them know about the Military and Veterans webpage at www.ssa.gov/people/veterans - or just search "veterans" once you get to the ssa.gov homepage.

According to Myers, the webpage shares information about Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefits for veterans including how SSDI benefits are different from benefits available through the Department of Veterans Affairs and require a separate application.

Additionally, there's information about how Social Security expedites the processing of Social Security disability claims for service members who develop a disability while on active duty on or after 10/1/2001 regardless of where the disability occurs.

Myers also encourages just browsing the information available at ssa.gov/people/veterans for details on aspects of Social Security they may not have been aware of.

If active-duty service members are unable to work due to a disabling condition and continue to receive pay while in a hospital or on medical leave, they should consider applying for SSDI if their condition is expected to keep them out of work for at least a year.

A person can't be approved for SSDI benefits if actively working and earning above substantial gainful activity level wages - $1550/month in 2024 - but if they aren't working, we don't have to count the wages.

A local extension office will not have 4-H fees this year, all thanks to the 4-H Foundation.

Kendra Wallace, 4-H Coordinator for the University of Illinois Extension in DeWitt, Macon, and Piatt Counties, explains that the DeWitt County 4-H Foundation will cover the typical fees a 4-H member has to pay this year.

Wallace notes that the usual fee is only $20 for the whole 4-H year, but the DeWitt County 4-H Foundation is looking to play a bigger role in funding the program and helping the 4-H families and kids. 

Find more information on 4-H in DeWitt, Macon, and Piatt counties at go.illinois.edu/dmp and follow all the Extension's news and events on their Facebook page.

A staple event of a central Illinois non-profit will hold its final event in 2025.

'Cheeseburger in Paradise' has been a staple of Community Action's outreach in its seven county service area and Chief Visionary Officer Breann Titus told Regional Radio on the WHOW Morning Show Friday its April 2025 event will be its last.

Titus indicates they have reached out the community for help in planning the final event and look forward to the last year of 'Cheeseburger in Paradise' and what is ahead for a reimagined fundraiser going forward.  

HIGH HONOR ROLL

SENIORS:

BARNES, SIERRA E.

BARRINGER, JOHN A.

BEEBE, ADYSON V.

BELL, DALTON K.

BREWER, ADDISON B.

BUGNER, TIMOTHY D.

CAHILL, LYDIA G.

CICENAS, ALEXANDER E.

DAM, AIDEN S.

DARINGER, JACEY

DUKE, GRACE R.

EARLE, CARLEY

FILKIN, REGAN K.

FINCH, BRADEN F.

FORD, KAYLEE R.

GENTRY, JASMINE N.

GOEBEL, KATE E.

HALE, MELISSA R.

HARRIS, KADEN M.

HEMPHILL, AMERIE T.

HERNANDEZ, LUZ I.

HITCHINGS, ASHER S.

HOLLAND, SOPHIA M.

HUMES, ARIANA J.

LEONARD, MADDISON L.

MADSON, AMELIA D.

MONKMAN, IAN G.

PASTORE, PIPER G.

POOLE, CAYDEN S.

POWELL, HANNAH E.

ROBERTS, ADAM D.

ROBERTS, TRISTIN C.

RODRIGUEZ, AUDREY M.

SCHICK, CONLEY A.

SENTERS, DESTINY E.

THRASHER, TALAN S.

WALKER, COLTON J.

WEST, MCKINLEY G.

WEST, TEEGAN A.

JUNIORS:

ANDERSON, CARLY

ATTEN, EMILY C.

BAZER, EMILIE E.

CLARK, SANDRA

CLUVER, LILAH G.

COLE, MADISON M.

COSTELLO, MASON R.

DANIELS, PARKER D.

DEMPSEY, CLARA J.

FENTRESS, RILEY M.

GRAVES, KEATON R.

HART, EMMA T.

HILTON, ARIANNA N.

KEAGLE, NATALIE S.

KORITZ, ABEL J.

MANNING, JACKSON J.

MESSENGER, SARAH E.

MILLS, LEAH E.

MORGAN, MCKEGAN E.

MOSER, ABIGAIL D.

NEWBERG, LOGAN J.

NOTARO, REED C.

POTTS, ZACKARY T.

RAUCH, AIDEN J.

REXSHELL, OWEN P.

RHOADES, BAILEY R.

RHODES, NOLAN E.

SCHICK, MABREY A.

SMITH, AVERY L.

THOMPSON, ANELISE I.

TIMMONS, WYATT J.

TURNEY, JARRETT W.

VARBLE, SAMUEL A.

VISINIA, LEILANI L.

WEBB, SOPHIE L.

WILLIAMSON, SAVANNA P.

SOPHOMORES:

APPLE, LOLA C.

AYERS, ETHAN W.

BENSON, JOURNEE L.

BOSTIC, CARTER J.

BOSTIC, COLLIN I.

BRAGG, DELAINI J.

CARTER, BRILEY R.

COTHERN, CARTER W.

DOUGLAS, GRADY M.

DROKE, JUSTIN O. JR

FATHEREE, AVERIE R.

FINCH, KOLTEN H.

GOEBEL, BENJAMIN D.

GUNDY, BRIANNA M.

HARDWICK, KEARINGTON L.

HARWEGER, CURTIS A.

HEINLEN, JACOB F.

HEWERDINE, JACOB T.

HILL, ELLA A.

HOLLAND, ALEXANDER M.

HOLLAND, AUDREY L.

HUMBLE, HADLEY R.

JONES, NICODEMUS D.

KLEIN, GAVIN J.

LORD, JOIELLE P.

MOORE, CAMRON M.

MORGE, PATRICK E.

NICHOLS, ALAINA M.

NICHOLS, COOPER D.

OLICHWIER, GRETCHEN D.

PARRISH, KHLOE E.

PROTHERO, SAWYER D.

RAMIREZ, ISRAEL

REED, OLIVER M.

SANDERS, JADYN D.

SCHICK, PAISLEY A.

TAYLOR, DYLAN I.

TIPPET, SERAPHINA J.

TOOHILL, AUDREY L.

TRIMBLE, SETH R.

WADDELL, MADISON F.

WHEELER, MICAH A.

WHITELEY, HAYLEY M.

FRESHMEN:

BAXTER, SAMUEL E.

BECK, BRODY E.

BELL, JAEDEN K.

BLACK, JACEY L.

BLESS, KARLIE J.

BOSTIC, CAYDEN N.

BROWN, CHELSEA R.

BRUCKER, ELIJAH D.

CARTER, DOMINIK A.

CUNNINGHAM, KATHRINE M.

FERGUSON, SHAWN M.

FISHER, LUCY L.

FITCH, MARSHAWN

GOAR, OZLYN

GOFF, SOPHIA A.

GOLDMAN, KASEN D.

GROVES, ADELAIDE N.

HARRELL, JACOB B.

HAYNES, GAVYN L.

HERRMANN, NOLA M.

HOFFMAN, JENNAVIEVE K.

HOOD, AVA L.

HOWELL, PRESTON R.

KORITZ, KACY L.

MAJOR, RACHEL I.

MERRIMAN, ALEXIS R.

MILLS, PEYTON R.

MOORE, CHELSEA L.

PETERSON, AUBREY A.

PETERSON, SOPHIA R.

ROBERTS, AUBREY N.

SUTTON, KOLE A.

TOOL, EMMA M.

TULL, NATHAN R.

TURNEY, WYATT C.

WEBB, OLIVIA

WHEELER, SAVANNAH G.

A HONOR ROLL

SENIORS:

AKEMAN, JADON I.

ANAYA, NOEL B.

ANDERSON, TAYLOR

ARMSTRONG, NATHANIEL J.

BALES, TYLER J.

BALL, JAMES L. JR

BROWN, ANDREW J.

BROWN, AVARIE M.

BUZAY - ZAPATA, VALENTINA M.

CONSTANCE, WYATT G.

ETTIEN, BRODIE L.

FATHEREE, NATASHA L.

FLORES, SHIRLEY

HELFAND, ALANIA G.

HENDRIX, LILLIANNE D.

HOWARD, JAQILYNN C.

HUBBLE, JACOB W.

JAMESON, COLIN D.

JILES, CHRISTIAN R.

LANDSTROM, DALTON M.

LEIMBACH, EMELIA L.

LORD, ALEXIS M.

MARTIN, MARGARET J.

MOORE, ALEXANDER J.

MORRISON, BRIELLE A.

NICHOLLS, CADEN J.

PROTHERO, ADDISON A.

ROBBINS, ALEXIS

RODRIGUEZ, ADRIAN

SCHACKMANN, WYATT A.

SOBERALSKI, ELIJAH M.

STEWARD, ELLA A.

TEVOERT, ASHER J.

VELEZ-NOBLE, ALEXIS E.

WEBB, JACK D.

WILLIAMS, EMMA M.

WILLIS, WYATT G.

WOOD, ALEXANDER S.

JUNIORS:

ADAMS, LINCOLN 

ALEJANDRO, MARLY

ATCHISON, NATALIE D.

BAKER, ELAYNA W.

BOW, ALEXIS C.

BRINKOETTER, SIENNA H.

BROWN, PAISLEA M.

DURBIN, KIERRA E.

GOERGEN, SLOANE M.

HARRIETT, TRINITY J.

HAYNES, ALIVIYAH M.

JOHNSON, GAVIN P.

KOYAK, MADDISON J.

KOYAK, MILEY J.

LYONS, REESE E.

MENDOZA, MIGUELANGEL

MINER, NOAH S.

REYNOLDS, JAXON L.

SMOCK, JONATHAN M.

STAMP, RUSSELL U.

TOHILL, DIXIE R.

VAN ZEE, ABBY J.

WHITLOCK, JAKOBE M.

WILSON, BROCK J.

WOODS, TRISTAN M.

SOPHOMORES:

ADVINCULA, FRANCIS DAVE H.

ALWOOD, MYLIE L.

BLACKLIDGE, MAKAILAH A.

BLAKELY, JOSIE A.

CHRISPEN, SHAWN M.

CORNWELL, MITCHELL D.

COSTA, CHRISTIAN A.

DEVALLE, HOLLAND

DILLON, CARSON D.

IRVIN, BRAYDEN R.

MCGLASSON, WYATT A.

MILLER, LAYNE D.

OBRIEN, ALEXANDRIA H.

PARRISH, KATE A.

PERHAY, ISABELLA J.

RYAN-HAWKINS, OLIVIA M.

SICKLES, SIERRA N.

STANEK, MASON A.

STEVENSON, JADE S.

SUMMERS, ADDISON G.

THOMS, DALTON J.

UTTERBACK, GRIFFIN R.

VELEZ-NOBLE, JOZLIN E.

WATERS, HUDSON D.

WHITE, BRIGGS M.

WHITEHOUSE, KAYLN M.

WHITESIDE, TANNER R.

WILHAM, HALEY M.

WOOLDRIDGE, SAMUEL G.

FRESHMEN:

ADAIR, MAKAYLA A.

BARTON, MYA S.

BRENNAN, MALEAH R.

BRUNING, KOLTON M.

CALANDRILLO, ASHTON C.

CARVER, HUNTER S.

CASAREZ, ADRIANNA E.

COLLINS, SPENCER A.

COMSTOCK, AIDEN W.

DALTON, BRAYDEN M.

FLETCHER, COOPER W.

GILMORE, BRAYDYN R.

HAMMER, SCARLET J.

HITCHINGS, BRENNA M.

INMAN, WESLEY S.

ISAAC, TINLEY J.

KEELIN, RILEY C.

KRIT, PHELIX H.

LAMAR, LUCAS I.

MCCLELLAN, MICAH D.

JRNEGRETE, ENRIQUE L.

OCHELTREE, DYLAN J.

OSBORNE, MAKAYLA R.

SERRANO HEREDIA, DELMI L.

SHEPHERD, CIARA E.

SPRAGUE, CALEB W.

STEWARD, LUCAS R.

SUMNER, BROCKTON W.

TERRY, DAVID M.

THRASHER, SOPHIE A.

TRESNAK, PRESTON

M.VILLANUEVA, BELLA V.

WALKLING, ANDIE J.

WILSON, CLINT T.

B HONOR ROLL

SENIORS:

ADAMS, RILEY B.

ALEJANDRO, BRYAN

BLACKLIDGE, MYRANDA F.

BOYSEN, NOAH X.

FORTUNE, AUSTIN A.

GODBEY, TAYLOR L.

HARRIS, GAGE N.

HIBBARD, KRISTIAN T.

IIIKRIT, KENEDY R.

MALONE, MICHAEL L.

MCCUE, BRANNON J.

MILTON, DELANEY M.

PEAVLER, KINZIE R.

PHILLIPS, LONDON J.

RETZER, MARK E.

REYNOLDS, JONATHON A.

RILEY, ADRIEN M.

ROBERTS, KHARSEN D.

ROE, JADELYNN J.

ROMERO, LESLIE M.

TREAKLE, IVORI B.

WAGERS, RYLAN J.

WALSTON, LOUIS E.

WESTBROOKS, ANTHONY A.

JUNIORS:

ALEXANDER, JACKSON F.

BATESON, JOSHUAH D.

CURTIS, PRESTON M.

DAUGHTREY, KEAGAN A.

FATH, JAYLENE S.

FITCH, LUTHER L.

GENTRY, GRAYSON K.

GENTRY, JOHN R.

GOAR, OLIVER L.

GUERRERO, EILEEN

HAND-SPELLMAN, EMALEIGH E.

HOWELL, EMMA G.

HUFFMAN, GRACEY J.

HUNTER, SKYLEA L.

MALONE, CHASE A.

NAPE, JOSHUA

ORTIZ, RIHANNA

PINE, RYAN W.

SCOTT, PHOENIX J.

SMITH, ANTHONY J.

STURGEON, CALEB J.

WALKER, GABRIEL R.

WOODS, MARK T.

WRAGE, HALLE E.

WRIGHT, DYLLON R.

SOPHOMORES:

ANGEL, VAN A.

BAKER, LUCAS A.

BIALESCHKI, LOGAN J.

BURTON, WYATT C.

CARTER, ETHAN W.

COLLIER, BRAYDON S.

DEERWESTER, LILA L.

DOUGLAS, ASHTON M.

DYER, LILLIE R.

GAZELLE, BENJAMIN L. JR

GODBEY, HAILEY L.

HARNEY, LIAM C.

HAYES, KYE M.

HERNANDEZ MENDOZA, AFRIKA KAMILAH

JONES, CAITLYNN R.

JONES, DESTANEY L.

MCKINSEY, PAYTON A.

MITCHELL, CYNTHIA L.

NAXI, DIANA M.

POOLE, AARON W.

POWERS, COURTNEY D.

RAMIREZ, KAILEE

ROBERTS, ELIZABETH S.

SHANHOLTZ, MORGAN L.

SIMMONS, JAYDON M.

SMITH, JAYSEN M.

STAMP, SUEZETTE L.

WINDHORN-OBERMEYER, LILY J.

WINEBRINNER, ISAAC M.

WYATT, CADENCE B.

FRESHMEN:

BLAKELY, JACE R.

BRAME, LANCE T.

BROOKS, MACI R.

BROWNE-SPRAGUE, EBEN C.

BRYANT, ISABELLA M.

CASAS, LAYLA G.

FORD, KENZY R.

HAWKINS, ADDISON

HEWERDINE, LUCAS J.

LESTER, JAXXON R.

LOVELL, RACHEL J.

LYNCH, KAHLAN J.

MCGHEE, HAVANA M.

MCINTIRE, CORDELIA G.

MITCHELL, PAUL D. III

OSORIO, ALEXANDER U.

PETERSEN, SAMUEL R.

PRUDEN, CHLOE S.

RICH, LANE M.

RILEY, ELIANA R.

RIVERA, LORENZO I.

RODRIGUEZ, ALESSANDRIA N.

ROGERS, JAYDEN M.

RUSSELL, AIDEN M.

SARINANA, SARINA D.

SLOAT, MASON A.

STAUFFER, BRADY K.

SUTTON, EMILY R.

TANNER, CASH X.

TAYLOR, JOE C.

TROYER, EMILY C.

TUCKER, ALEX L.

WERKMAN, HARPER L.

Last year's inaugural 'Festival of Trees' on the Clinton square was a huge hit and organizers hope to bring back the event this year.

Melissa Morris owns 'Sweet Mae's Ice Cream Shoppe' and she and State Farm agent Nate Ennis were instrumental in starting the popular holiday event last year. At the Tuesday night Clinton City Council meeting, she told the Council she was very pleased with the participation of the first year.

The City of Clinton supported organizers last year with a financial contribution and Morris is requesting funding again this year. With costs to get the organization and event established still outstanding, she is asking for a $3,000 contribution this year. 

 The organization is hoping for more attractions for the kickoff event on December 14. Morris is hoping for music food and drinks again this year.

Morris says her end goal is to offer something fun for the community to have during the holidays. 

October was very dry in central Illinois.

Ed Shimon at the National Weather Service indicates only five days of measurable rain were recorded for the entire month.

October was also warmer than normal. Shimon indicates the month was about two degrees above normal and even saw some record lows the last week of the month.

Sunshine was also in abundance during October.

The scales should tip to more wet as we go through November. We'll have more on the November outlook with Shimon next week on Regional Radio. 

A national STEM organization hosts competitions for students to put what they learn in classrooms to the test. 

Michael Arquin with Kid Wind, explains they take their renewable energy-based curriculum from the classroom to the competition floor to give students a hands-on way to apply what they've learned. 

Arquin notes the challenges are built around teamwork and inspiring kids to get into the renewable energy field. He says they are always looking for students, teachers, and volunteers to participate. 

According to Arquin, they partner with Heartland Community College in Bloomington in more ways than just hosting the competitions. They also utilize the college's renewable energy program to train teachers. 

Find more information about Kid Wind at kidwind.org, and Arquin recommends signing up for their newsletter for all the latest. 

Many school districts around central Illinois are struggling to find substitute teachers.

Adam Ibbotson, Superintendent of Maroa-Forsyth Schools explains they are no different regarding this issue. He says while they have a good pool of subs, there is always a need for more. 

According to Ibbotson, potential subs need to reach out to the regional office of education, and they will help with the process of becoming licensed to be a substitute teacher or paraprofessional. 

The burning question for many potential subs is: what is the pay? Ibbotson states the base pay is $115 per day, and you can choose which grades you're comfortable with teaching. 

The need for subs doesn't just revolve around teachers being sick. Ibbotson notes there are a number of reasons teachers are out, some of them are even scheduled. 

If you are interested in answering the call and becoming a substitute teacher, get more info at mfschools.net or call your regional office of education. 

The McLean County History Museums hosted their final cemetery walk, but thanks to the pandemic, there's still a way to watch. 

Micaela Harris with the McLean County History Museum explains that you can access a digital version of the historical event for free if you are a museum member or for a one-time fee of $25. 

Harris notes this year's 30th and final cemetery walk was bittersweet. Although they lucked out with good weather, emotions were high as people remembered the beloved event. 

Harris says they are working on possibly releasing past years' cemetery walks, but nothing is in stone yet. Access this year's walk and find more information at mchistory.org

Last month, DeWitt County emergency services had radio upgrades go live after a few years of planning - now a neighboring County is ready to do its own upgrade.

Piatt County Sheriff Mark Vogelzang indicates their own radio upgrades are going to be similar to that of DeWitt County in that they will have better coverage of Piatt County.

Sheriff Vogelzang and DeWitt County Sheriff Mike Walker were both working on upgrades in the same time frame. Sheriff Vogelzang indicates their process took a little longer because they pursued government funding while DeWitt County used ARPA (American Rescue Plan Act) funds.

Sheriff Vogelzang hopes to have those radios up and going any day now. He says they've updated equipment for the emergency service providers of the County and will test everything before they take it live. 

Some much-needed and significant rain fell in central Illinois over the last week.

On the WHOW Morning Show Tuesday, Ed Shimon at the National Weather Service in Lincoln told Regional Radio three inches was the norm for most of central Illinois with higher amounts of four and five inches in other areas.

A slow and steady rain was just what central Illinois needed. Shimon indicates a low-pressure system stalled out over the plains creating consistent rain for three or four days.

Conditions were arid across the area for most of October. Shimon indicates while it was an ideal weather month for the harvest, the rain of the last week is going to ease growing drought conditions.

More rain is expected this weekend and in fact, November's outlook is showing above-average rainfall. We'll have more on that in the days ahead on Regional Radio. 

Water in Clinton could see an increase in iron this week.

At the Tuesday night Clinton City Council meeting, Commissioner John Wise indicated the City is watching its chemical levels as new equipment goes online and a CO2 deficiency could lead to a spike in iron levels.

According to Wise, there is a bid for equipment to repair a well behind the YMCA in Clinton.

Additionally, there is a boiler system for the water facility and Wise says it needs to be replaced as it is very old noting they got their money's worth out of it. 

The Council approved both measures for the upgrades on the water department equipment Tuesday night. 

4-H kids put in a lot of work during the year, and now it's time to recognize their success. 

Kendra Wallace, 4-H Coordinator of the University of Illinois Extension in DeWitt, Macon, and Piatt Counties explains they are hosting their Achievement Night to honor students this weekend.

This event will highlight 4-H-ers from all three counties this extension office serves and will take place on Saturday at 4 PM at the Allerton 4-H Memorial Camp. 

Find out all things U of I Extension for DeWitt, Macon, and Piatt counties at go.illinois.edu/dmp or find them on Facebook. 

School report card data is out now and local school leaders are taking a deep dive into how their districts are shaping up.

Dr. Hilary Stanifer is the Superintendent of Blue Ridge Schools and indicates the data for her district was released last week. She reminds the school report card is an all-encompassing evaluation of a school district.

Truancy is an issue that many districts are struggling with and Dr. Stanifer says while COVID is passed, the impacts of the policies of those days linger in this issue.

According to Dr. Stanifer, the truancy piece of the school report card is heavily weighted by the State Board of Education because missed class time results in a lot of learning loss for students even if it is only small amounts at a time.

Dr. Stanifer credits her administration for its growing understanding of the report card and for working to make sure they are meeting the standards set by the State of Illinois. 

The data for Blue Ridge Schools is available at blueridge18.org. 

As the winter months approach, so does the need to prevent colds and the flu. 

Amber Oberheim, OSF Healthcare in Monticello explains prevention during cold and flu season is as simple as washing your hands often and getting vaccinated. 

Oberheim notes that since the pandemic, it's become more difficult to decide when to stay home from work or school and when not to. She says parents should never hesitate to bring their child into her office. 

OSF will open a new satellite location in Monticello sometime this winter, with an official date to be released soon. The office will be located at 777 Bridge street in Monticello, and you can call to schedule an appointment at 217-560-6300.

A national non-profit is teaching the future of America about the future of renewable energy. 

Michael Arquin with Kid Wind explains they are a non-profit devoted to promoting green energy in classrooms. They connect with teachers by affiliating with school districts and local partners to train teachers. 

As a former teacher, Arquin feels he and his team know how to reach teachers. They focus on the science and engineering aspects of green energy with the teachers and students. 

Arquin notes there are three major barriers to getting these topics into school, and those are training the teachers, giving them time to understand it, and allowing the resources to teach it.

According to Arquin, there are more ways for students to be involved in Kid Wind than just in the classroom. They host STEM competitions called the Kid Wind Challenge. 

Keep it to Regional Radio in the coming days to hear more from Arquin and all that Kid Wind has to offer. Find more information at kidwind.org.

Harvest in Illinois nears its conclusion - perhaps just in time as a lot of moisture makes its way through the area this week.

Last week, however, was warm and dry once again and State Crop Statistician Mark Schluessner notes over five days were suitable for fieldwork in Illinois.

The soybean harvest is ahead of schedule and is 95 percent complete. Schluessner notes the corn harvest is also 95 percent complete and it too is ahead of schedule.

Just three more crop reports remain for the calendar year 2024. 

It's Election Day in the United States, with a lot of attention being paid to federal candidates that are on the ballot.

Locally, there are no contested races, but there are a few referendums on the ballot thru-out the listening area.

Stay tuned to this station for the latest federal election returns on-the-air from SRN News.   

Wednesday, we expect to have final results in many of the referendums in the area and we'll have those both on-air and on-line at dewittdailynews.com.

Election day is here, and the Illinois State Board of Elections wants to eliminate any concerns about voter fraud.

The agency's Matt Dietrich says he's confident in the state's election security.

Ahead of election day, nearly 74 million Americans cast their ballots in a highly contested Presidential election.

In the last month, it was announced that a new bank would set up a shop in Clinton.

That's just one of the exciting things happening in DeWitt County recently. On the WHOW Morning Show Monday, DeWitt County Development Council Executive Director Curt Homann told Regional Radio the new bank coming to Clinton has been in the works for a little while now.

Homann indicates the development and extension of Somerset Drive in Clinton were born out of conversations with a couple of Clinton business owners. Homann believes that development is more good things for Clinton.

According to Homann, the Farmer City grocery coop's bid for a significant grant from the State of Illinois did not end up happening but he says they still are moving forward towards establishing itself in downtown Farmer City.

Learn more about all the happenings with the DCDC by following them on Facebook. 

With the deer hunting season upon us, the University of Illinois Extension is asking hunters to keep a growing program in mind. 

Caitlin Mellendorf, Nutrition Educator with the U of I Extension for DeWitt, Macon, and Piatt Counties explains the Deer Donation Program supports food pantries with venison called Hunters Feeding Illinois.

Mellendorf notes they have seen a lot of growth with this program and this year there are a few changes. They have partnered with Feeding Illinois, which plans to match all donations the Extension receives for the program. 

All of the fees for processing the deer meat are taken care of through donations and fundraising. According to Mellendorf, for the processing of the deer to be free to the hunter, they need to go to an approved processor. 

If you'd like more information on where to go to donate your deer and support your community, visit go.illinois.edu/dmp.

Expansion of rural broadband has been on full display in small central Illinois communities the last few years and at last month's DeWitt County Board meeting, the Board heard about more opportunities locally.

Frontier has been one of the top internet providers in central Illinois until recently. Mike Nelson from Frontier talks about how Frontier has fallen behind on fiber-optic broadband service in central Illinois and is on a mission to change that.

Nelson explains Frontier is seeking to take advantage of funding from the government to upgrade its infrastructure. As it takes that on locally, they approached the County Board about working with the County to apply for those dollars.

Nelson touts the service and the price points offered by Frontier. He also touts the growth of Frontier and its services in central Illinois.

Nelson has visited 68 counties in Illinois seeking support through a resolution, a letter of support, or a memorandum of understanding to help in its efforts to continue to secure grant funding for its upgrades. 

A local museum is working on restoring historical photographs, and they need your help.

Joey Long, Director of the DeWitt County Museum and CH Moore Homestead, explains that the Picture Perfect Project is an effort to restore historical photos of DeWitt County that have degraded over time. 

The museum is looking for sponsors to accomplish this project. Long says there is an extensive collection of unique photos that need to be restored. Each photo sponsorship costs $100, and if you do so, your business or family name will be posted on a plaque in the museum. 

If you want to learn more about this project, visit chmoorehomstead.org or call the museum at 217-935-6066.

Monticello athletics coaches have looked forward to a new fitness center for some time and the long-standing dream is now complete.

The Wilkey Sports Complex on the campus of Monticello schools has been in use for a few weeks now. Superintendent Adam Clapp indicates they recently had the equipment delivered and installed for the dual fitness and restroom, concession building.

There's a lot that Clapp and the district are proud of with the new fitness center. All the equipment is branded with Monticello logos and they believe the multi-use nature of it is going to make kids want to be able to utilize the space.

Physical education classes and sports teams are already utilizing the new facility and Clapp hopes to be able to allow students access to it during the summer months on a limited basis.

Clapp says his PE teachers and coaches are taking pride in maintaining the new look of the facility and holding kids accountable for clean up after each use.

The National FFA Expo served as a recruiting ground for the University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine last month.

Assistant Professor Sara Connolly helped staff the booth all three days of the National FFA Expo late last month in Indy.

Some reminders from the Illinois Fertilizer & Chemical Association as we look to fall fertilizer application. IFCA's KJ Johnson says plenty of online resources at ifca.com.

The site also features a corn nitrogen rate calculator.

A local school district is looking for bus drivers to answer the call to get kids to school.

Adam Ibbotson, Superintendent of Maroa-Forsyth Schools, states that they need bus drivers. It might be easy to forget the importance of bus drivers, but kids will always need a way to get to school safely. 

Ibbotson explains that to become a bus driver, you must get a commercial driver's license, take a written test, and work a certain number of hours behind the wheel. 

If you're interested in driving for Maroa-Forsyth Schools, find more information at mfschools.net or call 217-877-2023.

Medicare Part D Open Enrollment continues for the next six weeks.

On the WHOW Morning Show Friday, Executive Director of the DeWitt County Friendship Center, Paula Jiles told Regional Radio there are still appointments for seniors to review their plans or enroll.

To provide more convenience to DeWitt County seniors, Diane Cusey with Community Care Systems will be in several locations over the next few months.

To make an appointment, contact the Friendship Center at 217-935-9411. To keep up with all the happenings at the Friendship Center, like them on Facebook. 

A local non-profit is already thinking about Thanksgiving as we get into November. 

Mandi Ries with the Neighborhood Care Center in Clinton explains that they are busy during the Thanksgiving season. They give out Thanksgiving baskets to their partners in hopes of blessing their holiday.

Ries notes many places will have a first come first serve list for who gets their Thanksgiving baskets, but the Neighborhood Care Center curates their list of recipients. 

This is a huge undertaking for the NCC, and Ries says they begin planning and collecting resources in August to prepare for the holiday. She is grateful to the community businesses that assist them. 

If you'd like more information on all the services offered at the Neighborhood Care Center, visit neighborhoodcarecenter.net or find them on Facebook. 

November is Diabetes Awareness Month and according to the CDC 38.4 million Americans suffer from diabetes.

Caitlin Mellendorf, Nutrition Educator for the University of Illinois Extension serving DeWitt, Macon, and Piatt Counties explains diabetes is a chronic illness regarding how the body processes sugar. 

Managing blood sugar levels is important for people with diabetes, and Mellendorf says they should eat more fiber and protein and less carbohydrates. 

Mellendorf notes the importance of having a care team around you to support your diabetes needs, such as registered dieticians and doctors who can guide you through the possible complications related to diabetes. 

The Extension Office has many resources to support people with diabetes, including classes and connections to local clinics, and support groups. Find more information on these resources at go.illinois.edu/dmp