Government
Sen. Durbin retiring
Longtime Illinois Sen. Dick Durbin, the No. 2 Democrat in the U.S. Senate, announced last Wednesday he will retire after his term ends in January 2027. “I truly love the…
Read MoreColumbia seeing red
The City of Columbia budget for Fiscal Year 2026 is full of red numbers but it’s not as bad as it seems, city officials say. Aldermen approved the budget following…
Read MoreNew Athens mayor says farewell
Below is the farewell address of New Athens Mayor Joe Behnken, as Steven Newbold will assume that position on May 1. As I prepare to step down as your mayor,…
Read MoreWater war for Columbia, Waterloo
There is a water war in Monroe County, and Hanover Road seems to be the front line. On Friday, the City of Waterloo filed a complaint for declaratory judgment in…
Read MorePark district board members say bye
The first post-election meeting of the Waterloo Park District Board was particularly brief as commissioners said farewell to the two retirees among them, touched on a handful of policy matters…
Read MoreUSPS seeks rate increase
The U.S. Postal Service announced last week it is filing for a large postage rate increase to be implemented July 13, 2025. Rates for periodicals are proposed to increase…
Read MoreColumbia infrastructure ups and downs
The City of Columbia is in a unique position. It is simultaneously focused on achieving a stated goal of southern growth while also battling recurring issues expected in a municipality…
Read MoreTariff turbulence on local minds
Tariffs imposed by the Trump Administration last week have dominated the national news cycle with substantial ramifications for international trade, and Monroe County is not excluded from any impacts as…
Read MoreNew biz, old tower topics for Waterloo
The Waterloo City Council on Monday night took action to advance the development of a new business in town and also preserve an iconic structure. Aldermen gave the go-ahead on…
Read MoreCounty hears project updates
With winter in the rearview mirror, Monroe County Engineer Aaron Metzger is eager to begin at least one project this year. During Monday’s meeting of the Monroe County Board, Metzger…
Read MoreElection results for county neighbors
While emphasis was placed on the competitive Waterloo races and other elections in Monroe County last week, the consolidated election also had some items of concern on the ballot for…
Read MoreThe results are in…
The results of the April 1 election in Monroe County were released Tuesday night by the Monroe County Clerk’s Office, with two aldermanic races, a school board race and a…
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