Community
Kaskaskia Trail Chorus brings harmony through gift of song
A fixture on the area music scene, the Kaskaskia Trail Chorus has provided cheer through song for more than 50 years. The barbershoppers are busy preparing for their annual show…
Read MoreCrossing guard brings smiles to Valmeyer
Halloween may have ended for trick-or-treaters on Saturday night, but for Bob Frierdich, every school day is Halloween. The most common question Valmeyer Elementary School students ask Frierdich is, “Who…
Read MoreCounty getting set for Bicentennial celebration
Plans for celebrating the Monroe County Bicentennial next year are moving from the concept stages to concrete. More than 30 committee members attended a meeting last Tuesday night at the…
Read MoreDog park set to open this spring
Dogs can soon rejoice, as the sidewalk won’t have to be their only option for exercise for too much longer in Waterloo. The dog park in Lakeview Park won’t be…
Read MoreGerman visitors reinforce Maeystown’s origins
A group of six citizens of Bellheim, Germany visited heavily German influenced Maeystown over the weekend to strengthen ties between the two villages. The flow has been both ways in…
Read MoreSeeing the country, one park at a time
There are 59 national parks in the United States, each one as unique as the next. Some are famous for their trees, others for their water and even a few…
Read MoreInside the lost art of sorghum molasses production
Monroe County resident Bob Kelley and the Muench family from Randolph County have joined efforts to produce sorghum molasses for 25 years, and this fall was no different. Kelley harvested…
Read MorePeace Walk puts focus on elder abuse
Community members supported domestic violence awareness by participating in the Violence Prevention Center’s Peace Walk this past Thursday in Waterloo. Supporters met at St. Paul United Church of Christ and…
Read MoreGateway to Columbia | Ground broken for large new business park
Ceremonial shovels lifted dirt in a late afternoon ceremony last Wednesday for the new office and business park complex to be built on a hillside west of Route 3 and…
Read MoreLocal farmers bringing soybeans to market
Soybeans, the third side of a grain triangle that makes up much of Monroe County’s field harvest picture, are coming to market steadily in recent days. Wheat and corn, along…
Read MoreHecker man fishes from coast to coast
Once a year, Erwin Rettinghouse plans a fishing trip. The 79-year-old Hecker man gets his things together and goes just about anywhere to catch some fish. He’s been living in…
Read MoreRoute 3 road work between Waterloo, Red Bud
The Illinois Department of Transportation announced that lanes will be restricted on both directions of Route 3 between Waterloo and Red Bud beginning Monday, Oct. 12, weather permitting, for pavement…
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