Government
Waterloo has water plant loan secured
The City of Waterloo learned that loan funding for construction of its more than $30 million water treatment plant west of town has been reserved through an Illinois Environmental Protection…
Read MoreSAFE-T Act on hold
Just a few hours before they were set to go into effect, the Illinois Supreme Court ruled that parts of the SAFE-T Act would be put on hold through the…
Read MoreColumbia OKs home rule question
The Columbia City Council voted to approve its first resolution of the year Tuesday night. The action will give voters a chance to decide whether or not the city should…
Read MoreJudge rules portions of SAFE-T Act are unconstitutional
A Kankakee County judge ruled late Wednesday night that aspects of the SAFE-T Act that was set to go into effect Jan. 1 are unconstitutional. The ruling by Judge Thomas…
Read MoreFEMA flood map open house in Columbia
Local, state and federal officials are working to reduce the impacts of severe weather and natural disasters. The Federal Emergency Management Agency will hold an in-person open house from 5:30-7:30…
Read MoreNew year, new laws
By now, almost everyone in Illinois has heard that Jan. 1 will mark the beginning of a significant change in the state’s criminal justice system – the elimination of cash…
Read MoreOak Hill budget OK; department split
The Monroe County Board finalized Fiscal Year 2023 preparations Monday morning as it approved the budget for the Oak Hill senior living and rehabilitation center. The annual budget for the…
Read MoreWPD residency rule relaxed
The Waterloo City Council on Monday approved an amendment to its residency requirements for police department employees. City ordinance now allows a Waterloo Police Department employee to reside within a…
Read MoreCandidates file for April election
Monday afternoon was the deadline for candidates to file for inclusion on the April 2023 ballot, and Waterloo voters will see its largest number of contested races in recent memory.…
Read MoreColumbia talks projects, funding
The last meeting of the year for the Columbia City Council focused on the future of the city with an emphasis on infrastructure, future projects and a proposed move to…
Read MoreBill would help fight fentanyl epidemic
In her effort to help combat the ongoing fentanyl epidemic hurting Illinois families, State Sen. Terri Bryant (R-Murphysboro) has signed on as a chief co-sponsor for Senate Bill 4221, which…
Read MorePrange praised upon passing
Retired longtime Monroe County Treasurer Merrill Prange passed away Sunday at the age of 74 in his hometown of Fults. Prange served 30 years as treasurer from 1978 to 2008. …
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