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

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

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

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

Prom in Clinton is on April 25.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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