By Ben Cox
Photos provided
Jacksonville buys farm ground for grant process
Governor JB Pritzker announced that the City of Jacksonville was a recipient of a Research in Illinois to Spur Economic Recovery (RISE) grant back in April when he visited the city. The grant amount was for $2.2 million. As a stipulation to the grant, the city has to fulfill particular obligations to ensure the money can be spent.
On November 24, the city council unanimously approved the purchase to buy farmland on Massey Lane, east of the Delaney subdivision. The city now has to find funds for a 25% match as a requirement of the grant. City officials say the remaining grant stipulations are murky, but this was a “cart before the horse” requirement.
The council is not bound yet to buy the land but must pass the resolution to be considered for the grant to be enacted. Jacksonville Mayor Andy Ezard said back in June 2024 that the RISE grant would work toward obtaining more workforce housing, of which the city currently has a shortage.
Illinois College engineering students propose container homes to Jacksonville City Council
Illinois College students from Dr. Charles Riggs’ Engineering 151 class for Community Systems Engineering presented a proposal to the Jacksonville City Council’s workshop session on November 24.
The proposal would seek to address the city’s low-income and transitional housing shortages by using recycled shipping containers that have been outfitted and repurposed into tiny homes.
Student Andrew Masham said he and his fellow classmates used the Design for America (DFA) process and surveyed roughly 26 fellow students about the unhoused issue in Jacksonville. Masham told the council the team reviewed options including remodeling and tiny homes but prioritized shipping-container units because they can be delivered largely turnkey, quickly and in bulk.
He said vendor pricing reviewed with Benton Engineering showed a retail price near $22,900 per container and a likely bulk price around $18,900. He summarized the site-level cost estimate prepared with Benton Engineering as roughly $184,000 for site/construction work, $44,000 for sewer services and $46,000 in non-construction costs — a combined figure the team cited as about $274,000 — plus an estimated electrical cost near $8,000 per unit.
The proposed site would be on Lanette Lane on the city’s northeast side. The proposal would be similar to one laid out by Windsor Homes on Tendick Street more than a year ago. The students’ medium-barrier model would require sobriety and participation in an exit plan and includes on-site management.
Masham said the site would need rezoning by the city’s Plans Commission and that a private owner or developer would be expected to buy and develop the property, submit a layout to the city for approval and manage phased installation of the container units. This is at least the third year in a row the class has offered engineering solutions to the city council.
Winter Storm Bellamy smashes region
A massive winter storm that stretched from the Great Plains to the Upper Great Lakes on the East Coast slammed West Central Illinois last weekend.
The National Weather Service began throwing out Winter Storm alerts as early as Wednesday before Thanksgiving, alerting travelers that conditions were likely to worsen heading into the weekend. The plunge of arctic air out of Canada had early predictions of 5-10 inches of snow along a band from Macomb to Bloomington starting late Friday night. Snow accumulations in the region held to that prediction with most locations in the area reporting between 4-7 inches of snow by late Saturday morning.
Local stores were hammered on Friday not just by holiday shoppers but folks seeking out groceries ahead of the storm. Most Illinois counties’ highways north of the Metro East were snowpacked as of midday Saturday. On Saturday afternoon, recorded thunder snow was in the area.
Thundersnow is a thunderstorm that occurs with falling snow. The rare meteorological event occurs when specific atmospheric conditions needed for a thunderstorm – instability, moisture and a lifting mechanism – happen during a winter snow storm event. Reported lightning also occurred during the event in Jacksonville.
At least 600 flights were grounded at Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport on Saturday. Flights out of St. Louis Lambert International Airport remained largely unfazed by the storm as of Saturday. The snow is expected to bring with it more wintry temperatures throughout the week and into this weekend.
Former Production Press site gets new owner as Signature Signs buys building
The former Production Press site at 316 East College Ave. in Jacksonville has a new tenant after the front of the building went idle back in late September. Henry’s Service Center, Inc. had occupied the site from July 26, 2024, until September 25 as a temporary location after its store at 2244 West Morton Ave. burned on June 19, 2024, and was eventually demolished. Ownership had a new shop rebuilt on the site over the past year and they moved into the new facility, leaving the temporary site vacant.
Collin Andrews, owner of Signature Signs & Lighting Company, announced on the company’s Facebook page on November 15 that they purchased the site as their new permanent home.
“This space is a place we will call home for many years, creating brands, fostering relationships, and most importantly fostering careers for people in this community. I look forward to the challenge of growth, exploring new products and offerings, and filling it with staff that cares just as deeply about our mission as I do!” Andrews posted.
Signature Signs is currently located at 625 South Kosciusko St. Andrews told the Jacksonville Journal-Courier the new location is hoping to be operational by December 31, which will expand their space from 2,000 to 12,000 square feet.
Hauser named Paul Harris Fellow
Mary Jane Hauser, of Jacksonville Sunrise Rotary, was surprised with an award by visiting Rotary District Governor Bill Knake at a meeting on Tuesday, November 25.
The Sunrise Rotary past president was recognized with a pin and a certificate, naming her as a Paul Harris Fellow of the Rotary Foundation of Rotary International.
The Paul Harris Fellow recognition acknowledges individuals who contribute, or who have contributions made in their name, of $1,000 to the Rotary Foundation.
The award is named in honor of Paul Harris, the founder of Rotary, and is considered one of the highest awards from Rotary International. The Rotary Foundation has awarded grants in the areas of basic education and literacy, community economic development, disease prevention and treatment, maternal and child health along with other causes.
Four people arrested after separate domestic disturbances at same address
Members of the Jacksonville Police Department spent the better part of two hours dealing with two separate disturbances in the 200 block of West Independent Avenue on the evening of November 25.
Officers were initially called for a disturbance at 6:24 p.m. and responded to a fist fight. Upon arrival, officers cited a 15-year-old juvenile and a 14-year-old juvenile for city ordinance violations for disorderly conduct for fighting and Jenna E.M. Brogdon, 36, of Springfield, for battery. All three were released on their own recognizance with notices to appear in court.
Officers returned to the same address at 8 p.m. after another reported disturbance. Upon arrival, officers arrested Aaron S. Coleman, 37, of that vicinity for disorderly conduct and two counts of resisting a peace officer.
The police report says that Coleman caused a disturbance with several subjects and refused to comply with officer commands and resisted arrest. Coleman was later released with a notice to appear in court.
Jacksonville City Council changes December meeting times
The Jacksonville City Council workshop and council meetings regularly scheduled for Monday, December 8 and Monday, December 22 have been rescheduled to a single meeting.
The city council will only meet on Monday, December 15 at 6 p.m. at the Municipal Building, 200 West Douglas Ave. The consolidation to one general meeting during the month of December follows regular practices due to the holiday season.
Jacksonville man dies from injuries sustained in Old State Road crash
Jacksonville Police, Jacksonville Fire and EMS responded to a single-vehicle crash in the 2300 block of Old State Road, just west of Mobil Road, at 9:15 a.m. on November 26.
The caller who reported the crash advised that CPR was in progress on the driver of the vehicle, later identified as Richard K. Gebhardt, 64, of the 1400 block of Elm Street in Jacksonville.
Officers had previously received a report of a reckless driver in the area prior to the crash being called in, according to a Jacksonville police report.
Jacksonville police officers continued to provide CPR until EMS arrived on the scene. Gebhardt was transported to Jacksonville Memorial Hospital where he later died.
According to a Morgan County Sheriff’s Office report, Gebhardt’s vehicle left the roadway, struck a culvert and rolled at least one time causing Gebhardt to be ejected from the vehicle.
Private services have been entrusted to Williamson Funeral Home in Jacksonville.
Two injured in East Morton Avenue two-vehicle collision
A Chatham woman and a Chapin man were injured and taken to a Springfield hospital on the evening of November 28 after a two-vehicle collision on East Morton Avenue at Mobil Road.
According to a Jacksonville police report, a vehicle driven by Jon S. Shade, 61, of the 1800 block of Hacker Road, was attempting to turn north onto Mobil Road from East Morton Avenue and allegedly failed to yield right of way as a vehicle driven by Jessica A. Stubbs, 34, of Chatham, was traveling westbound on East Morton Avenue.
According to the report, Stubbs was unable to slow down or avoid Shade’s vehicle and struck the back passenger side quarter panel, causing disabling damage to Stubbs’ vehicle.
Stubbs and a passenger in her vehicle, Larry A. Stubbs, 36, of Chapin, were transported by ambulance from the scene to a Springfield area hospital. Their current conditions are unknown. Shade was later issued a citation for failure to yield for an improper left turn.
Local charities benefit, community members honored at 4th annual Harmony Masonic Lodge Jewel Night
Members of Harmony Masonic Lodge and Zingabad Grotto of Jacksonville gathered at the lodge hall on Wednesday, November 19 for their 4th annual combined Jewel Night awards dinner.
The event allows for the public presentation of donation checks to area charities supported by Zingabad Grotto during the year. Each year, the members of Zingabad Grotto raise funds through “The Grotto Bus” food truck that appears at several area community events.
The bus is a completely volunteer-run effort to raise funds each year. After expenses and seasonal start-up costs, the money raised is then donated to children’s charities in the greater Jacksonville area.
The Grotto Bus has averaged more than $7,000 in annual contributions to the area charities since 2021. Harmony Masonic Lodge also donates funds to a number of local charities. These funds are raised by lodge members via annual fundraising dinners and member donations. In all, roughly $10,000 is raised and distributed annually by the two organizations.
Jewel Night also provides the lodge the opportunity to recognize members who have reached milestones in their years of membership as well as those who have gone above and beyond, both in the fraternity and in the community.
This year, Brother Rob Thomas was awarded the 2025 Lodge Builder award for his efforts in promoting the mission and work of both Harmony Lodge No. 3, and the Masonic Fraternity as a whole.
Lauren Thomas was the recipient of this year’s Community Builder award. This award is presented each year to a member of the community who has gone to great lengths to support and promote the Jacksonville community. Lauren Thomas was recognized for her continued support of her adopted hometown through the generous donation of both financial support and sweat equity for numerous organizations and causes in Morgan County.
Also recognized by the Lodge were five recipients of the Grand Masonic Lodge of Illinois’ Military and First Responder certificate, which recognizes and gives thanks to members who serve, or previously served in the U.S. Armed Forces, and/or in a first responder role of police, fire and EMS.
The 2025 recipients were Brothers Matthew Allen, J.R. Davidson, Mark Lonergan, Shane McGath and Robert Thomas.
Zingabad Grotto presented a number of years of service awards as well as five new recipients of The Enchanted Lantern, which recognizes those who have given great support to the local Grotto.
The award comes with both a certificate and an Enchanted Lantern pin, signifying that Zingabad Grotto has made a donation in the recipient’s name to the Grottoes International Humanitarian Fund.
The fund supports Grottoes International’s mission of providing dental treatment and anesthesia costs for children with special needs. This year’s recipients included John “Jake” Edwards, Joe Lawson, Lauren Thomas and Robert Thomas.
A special Enchanted Lantern was presented posthumously to the late Marvin E. Ford, who was a member of both organizations for over 50 years. The award was accepted on Ford’s behalf by his daughter, Tammy DeWitt.
‘World’s Tallest Advent Calendar’ returns to downtown Jacksonville
The Farmers State Bank and Trust Company has once again transformed their 110-foot-tall building in downtown Jacksonville into one of the tallest countdowns to Christmas in the world.
The windows of the historic building each contain a symbol of the season, and are revealed each day from December 1 through December 24. For 2025, the calendar will highlight historic and present area industry in a fun way, plus many other holiday favorites.
Just like a home Advent calendar that contains candy, the public is invited to go inside the bank lobby during business hours and get a sweet treat to celebrate the days until Christmas.
On December 1 at 4:45 p.m., the Illinois College drumline will be on hand to provide musical accompaniment to the first reveal of the season. The project was partially inspired by Uelzen, Germany, which transforms its town hall each Christmas. Jacksonville and Uelzen have been doing student exchanges for over 30 years.
Jacksonville resident Patrick Kennedy, who has led student trips to Uelzen, was looking at the bank from Jacksonville’s Central Park one warm day in 2022. He noted it had the perfect number of windows to become a giant Advent calendar, and the local tradition began. The display will remain up through January 5, 2026.
Details and descriptions of the artwork can be seen on the bank’s Facebook page. Joy French Becker, bank president, commented, “The Farmers State Bank is very excited to once again offer this tradition to the Jacksonville area, and to all our friends who follow this event from around the world. Our bank is an integral part of the rejuvenation of Downtown Jacksonville, and we are thrilled to play a big part in the holiday celebrations in our city once again.”
The Farmers State Bank and Trust Company is located at 200 West State in downtown Jacksonville, Illinois, overlooking Jacksonville’s Central Park. The bank lobby is open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Although viewable all day long, the display is most striking at dusk and later. The building will remain lit each night.
