Government
Friess pushes SAFE-T Act reform
State Rep. David Friess (R-Red Bud) introduced legislation last week to address issues with what he said is a “flawed” SAFE-T Act. If passed, House Bill 4907 would require a…
Read MoreFree tax prep assistance offered
Several programs offer free income tax preparation for low-to-moderate income families and older adults who may need assistance in filing their 2025 income taxes. The Internal Revenue Service, American Association…
Read MoreOak Hill questions continue
Although Monday’s Monroe County Board meeting adjourned within 20 minutes of being called to order, it was enough time for local residents to voice a number of lingering concerns –…
Read MoreAssessments now available
Topping the relatively early publication date of Feb. 12, 2025, for the 2024 property tax assessment list, Monroe County Supervisor of Assessments Dawn Goff and her team have this year’s…
Read MoreBusy meeting in Columbia
A number of items were approved during the Jan. 20 Columbia City Council meeting, including another waiver of bidding requirements for ongoing efforts to repair Valmeyer Road. Last Tuesday night,…
Read MoreWaterloo extends Certop contract
The Waterloo City Council last Tuesday night voted to approve a year-long contract with its existing water system operator, among other actions. The contract with Certop, company president listed as…
Read MoreCounty board kudos for levee fix
While a report on financial impact and other aspects of the Illinois SAFE-T Act law took up a majority of last Tuesday’s Monroe County Board meeting, there were a few…
Read MoreEarly voting starts Feb. 5
With the 2026 general primary election on March 17, Monroe County residents can opt to cast their ballots as early as Feb. 5. Folks can visit the Monroe County Courthouse…
Read MoreNew dietary guidelines issued
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins on Jan. 7 released the 2025-2030 dietary guidelines for Americans, marking the most…
Read MoreValmeyer Road repairs continue
Progress on Valmeyer Road in Columbia was the topic of discussion not only during Tuesday night’s Columbia City Council meeting, but also Tuesday morning’s Monroe County Board session.During discussion of…
Read MoreWater war trickles on
After several delays, attorneys for the cities of Waterloo and Columbia on Tuesday were finally able to argue their motions concerning a water service dispute in Monroe County Circuit Court.…
Read MoreHaentzler hangs park board hat
A fairly brief meeting of the Waterloo Park District Board amid the quiet winter season featured talk of a newly completed website and some policy changes while also leaving the…
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