By Ben Cox
Photos submitted
IC welcomes bicentennial class, one of the largest in school’s history
Illinois College is celebrating the arrival of the Class of 2029, one of the largest incoming classes in the college’s nearly 200-year history. These 339 new students include first-year students who will graduate in 2029, the same year Illinois College proudly celebrates its bicentennial, making this a truly historic class.
The Class of 2029 reflects IC’s strong community ties and global footprint with students representing 53 Illinois counties, 21 other states and 13 countries. Nearly 136 students hail from within 60 miles of Jacksonville, underscoring IC’s enduring foundational connection to education in Central Illinois.
The closest new student comes from less than half a mile away, while the farthest domestic student traveled over 1,600 miles from Washington state.
“The energy on campus is palpable as students meet lifelong friends and have a blast while engaging their curiosity in class and through internships,” said Stephanie Chipman, vice president of external relations. “The Class of 2029 embodies the momentum and excitement building as Illinois College approaches its historic Bicentennial.”
In addition to the college’s reaffirmation of accreditation this year, IC recently ranked 12th in the nation for social mobility, further evidence of the college’s commitment to access, achievement and student success. Visit ic.edu for more information.
Final bicentennial cemetery focuses on historical figures in Diamond Grove
People with ties to historical figures and events in American history will be highlighted during a tour of Diamond Grove Cemetery on Sunday, Sept. 28 at 2 p.m.
Local historian Greg Olson will lead the tour and make stops at the grave sites of Illinois’ sixth governor, United States Vice President Aaron Burr’s stepson and a man who was at Ford’s Theatre the night President Abraham Lincoln was assassinated.
After the cemetery tour, people are also welcome to visit the cemetery’s mausoleum, which is marking its 100th anniversary this year. Both tours, which are free and open to the public, are co-hosted by the Jacksonville Bicentennial Planning Committee, the Morgan County Historical Society and the Jacksonville Area Museum in recognition of Jacksonville’s bicentennial celebration.
Local Crime Stoppers seeking sponsors during 40th anniversary
The Morgan, Scott & Cass Crime Stoppers are asking for businesses and private citizens to step forward as sponsors while they celebrate their 40th anniversary of operations.
The local crime prevention group wishes to continue their long-standing collaboration between businesses, law enforcement and the public that’s been active since 1985. Crime Stoppers is currently relying on assistance and donations to continue providing rewards to tipsters who help bring fugitives to justice and help solve crimes in the three-county area.
If you are interested in helping with the sustainability of Crime Stoppers, please mail your donation to Morgan, Scott & Cass Crime Stoppers, PO Box #1052, Jacksonville, IL 62651-1052. Or contact them on their Facebook page or website. The group is a privately funded 501(c)(3) organization. Donations are tax deductible.
Lake Jacksonville closing for the season
Jacksonville Lakes Superintendent Brett Gilbreth has announced that Lake Jacksonville will close for its camping and fishing season on Wednesday, Oct. 15.
Fishing will reopen (weather permitting) on March 1, 2026, while the camping season will resume on April 1, 2026.
Walking will continue to be permitted at Lake Jacksonville from the boat launch parking area to Gate 1, but all gated and cabled areas will be off limits until April 1, 2026, when camping resumes. If there are any questions or concerns, contact superintendent Gilbreth at 217-479-4644.
Alfano-McKinnon event raises more than $5,000 for Crisis Center
Antonia Alfano, mother of the late Leo Alfano, and Cindy Duggan, mother of the late Morgan McKinnon, presented a $5,100 check on Sept. 18 to Priscilla Lehnhausen and the Crisis Center Foundation for monies raised during the Alfano-McKinnon Celebration of Life held at Twisted Tree Music Hall on Sept. 13.
Lehnhausen said in a post to Facebook, “On behalf of CCF, I want to thank each of you for your support at the Leo and Morgan Celebration of Life! Your generosity makes it possible for us to give survivors of domestic violence a safe place to turn, and the chance to rebuild their lives with dignity and hope. Your presence shows that our community stands together and that makes all the difference!”
During the evening, the organizers drew for several prizes from raffle tickets sold over the past month. Abby Haas was the grand prize of a round trip ticket for two to Las Vegas, which included airfare, a hotel stay and a $200 gift certificate from World Travel.
Winchester native receives state grant for photography project
Lucy Reid, Winchester photographer and owner of The Diana art gallery, received word from the Illinois Arts Council on Sept. 10 that she had received a grant from the Illinois Arts Council to complete a long-term photography project centered on the city of Winchester.
Reid started The Winco Project over two decades ago in an effort to document the unique places and people of Winchester and parts of Scott County. “Earlier this year I applied for several grants to help me complete this phase of my life and hopefully pursue publishing. About two weeks ago I found out I was awarded a Creative Projects Grant from the Illinois Arts Council for my work on The Winco Project. I can’t wait to share more and really dig into this phase of this work,” Reid said in a Facebook post on Sept. 16 announcing the notification of the grant.
Reid will receive $12,000 from the Creative Projects Grant, which Reid says will be put toward a photography studio in The Diana for further documentation and exhibiting of her ongoing work with The Winco Project. “Thanks to everyone that told me not to quit. Big things are coming,” Reid said further. Those interested in the project can follow along with the progress on Facebook and Instagram at The Winco Project.
Jacksonville hosting three ImpactLife blood drives within the next week
ImpactLife will be hosting three blood drives in Jacksonville over the next week at various locations. The first blood drive will be held Monday, Sept. 29 from 11 a.m.-6 p.m. at the Community Center inside Community Park.
The next one will be held the following day on Tuesday, Sept. 30 from noon-3 p.m. in front of Lincoln Land Community College at 32 North Central Park Plz.
The third drive will be held in the Jacksonville Police Department’s parking lot on Thursday, Oct. 2 from 8:30-10:30 a.m. The blood components collected will be used to support the local hospital’s blood supply. Potential donors must be at least 17 years of age (16 with the parental permission form available through bloodcenter.org) and weigh more than 110 pounds.
A photo ID is required to donate. For questions about eligibility, please call ImpactLife at 800-747-5401. Successful donors will receive an ImpactLife Reward of choice, a $20 donation to a local charity of the donor’s choice or credit to the ImpactLife online rewards store.
Henry’s Service Center returning to original location in rebuilt store
The owners of Henry’s Service Center in Jacksonville announced on Sept. 13 that they will be returning to their original location at 2244 West Morton Ave. on Wednesday, Oct. 1. The outdoor machinery store has been operating at the former Production Press location at 316 East College Ave. since June 23, 2024, after a fire destroyed the original building at the West Morton location.
“Henry’s Service Center, Inc., will close at 12:00 p.m. on Thursday, September 25 at our temporary location,” an online post said on the company’s Facebook, “We regret any inconvenience this transition may cause and appreciate your understanding as we return to our primary location.”
For more information, call 217-243-5400 or email ryan@henrysservicecenter.com.
Crime of the Week: Headstone damage at Jacksonville East Cemetery
Crime Stoppers of Morgan, Scott & Cass Counties are requesting information to assist the Jacksonville Police Department in their Investigation of a recent criminal damage case.
Sometime in the overnight hours of September 16 and 17, unknown individuals damaged a headstone in Jacksonville East Cemetery, resulting in several hundreds of dollars in damage.
Officers are asking if anyone has any information concerning this incident to submit a tip online by visiting the Morgan, Scott, Cass Crime Stoppers Facebook. Click on the ‘Contact us’ at the top of the page. You may also submit a tip at morganscottcrimestoppers.com. Click on the ‘Submit a Tip’ button at the top of the home page. Remember, Crime Stoppers just want your information and not your name. If your tip leads to an arrest, you may be eligible for a cash reward.
Jacksonville man sentenced to prison for burglary from vehicles in 2024
Zackery M. Harms, 35, of the 700 block of West Independence, pleaded guilty to two counts of burglary without causing damage in Morgan County Circuit Court on September 16. Harms was first arrested by Jacksonville Police officers on September 27, 2024 on the two charges in which police said he gained entry into two trucks and took numerous items.
Harms was arrested again on November 7, 2024, for theft under $500.
Officers arrested him for a third time on August 13, 2025 for failure to report annually as a sex offender. Theft and failure to report felonies were dropped.
Judge Chris Reif sentenced Harms to four years in the Illinois Department of Corrections, six months of mandatory supervised release and ordered payment of a $500 county fine. Harms was given credit for 36 days served in the Morgan County Jail. Harms faces similar penalties in cases currently open in Cass County Circuit Court dating back to 2024.
Jacksonville man sentenced for predatory sexual assault of a minor
James K. Macrander, 45, of the 200 block of South Prairie Street, pleaded guilty to Class X felony predatory criminal sexual assault of a victim under the age of 13 on September 16 in Morgan County Circuit Court.
According to court documents, Jacksonville Police officers were made aware of a potential sexual assault that had occurred on February 16, 2025. After an investigation and an interview with a 13-year old male victim, Macrander was arrested on February 19, 2025, on the charge. Macrander was sentenced by Judge Chris Reif to 18 years in the Illinois Department of Corrections, 3 years of mandatory supervised release, fined $500 and recommended by the court to be placed into a facility with mental health counseling and drug and alcohol treatment. Macrander was given credit for 213 days served in the Morgan County Jail.
Jacksonville man sentenced to prison for possession of 1/4 pound of meth
Bert O. Welker, 67, of Jacksonville, pleaded guilty to Class X felony possession of methamphetamine between 100-400 grams on September 16 in Morgan County Circuit Court. Welker was arrested in a traffic stop by Jacksonville Police officers on May 1, 2025 in the 700 block of West Walnut Street.
Welker was a passenger in a vehicle in which nearly a quarter of a pound of methamphetamine was discovered in the vehicle after a search. Police said at the time that, along with suspected methamphetamine, Welker was in possession of suspected cocaine and suspected cannabis, according to the police report.
Welker was also charged for unlawful possession of cannabis as a passenger in a motor vehicle. He was never charged for the cocaine possession, according to court documents.
The cannabis charge was dropped per the plea. Welker was sentenced by Morgan County Circuit Judge Chris Reif to 7 years in the Illinois Department of Corrections, 18 months of mandatory supervised release, fined $500 and the court recommended he be placed in a facility for treatment of substance abuse. Welker was given credit for 139 days served in the Morgan County Jail.
Welker’s co-defendant, Alek R. Jarrett, of Jacksonville is due to return to court for a pretrial conference on October 8. Jarrett was the driver of the vehicle in the traffic stop.
He faces charges of Class 3 felony possession of methamphetamine less than 5 grams, improper use of title/registration and operating an uninsured motor vehicle.
Neighborhood Guys and Gals 4-H install food pantry in Winchester
Members of the Neighborhood Guys and Gals 4-H club installed a neighborhood food pantry in front of the Scott County Health Department on September 10.
With a Food Advocacy Grant from the University of Illinois, members of the club spent over 40 hours designing, shopping, constructing, painting and filling the miniature pantry shaped like a barn that now sits outside the Scott County Health Department building at 335 West Cherry St. in Winchester.
The mini pantry is open to any member of the Scott County community facing food insecurity. The pantry is open 24 hours, 7 days a week and is stocked with free nutritious nonperishable food items.
Scott Health Department pauses teen after school program
Scott County Health Department officials announced on Sept. 18 that the Teen REACH after school program has been put on indefinite pause due to recent struggles.
The health department received a three-year grant to operate the program in July 2024, with the official launch in September 2024.
“We wrote this grant in hopes to meet the community needs that we had identified in our county needs assessment,” a letter to the community said, “and it turned into a three-year grant opportunity we were ecstatic to receive, as most funding is concentrated in northern Illinois.”
The letter goes on to praise the community, the school district and the program’s staff for its overwhelming support and ongoing willingness to help the program learn and grow.
The letter cites that finding a permanent location as well as transportation for children in the program has caused it to be placed on pause while health department officials contemplate their next steps.
For more information, please contact the Scott County Health Department by calling 217-742-8203 or visit them at 335 West Cherry Street in Winchester.
Waverly fire department prepares for 75th annual chicken and fish fry, raffle
Information is out now about the 75th annual Waverly Fireman’s Association chicken and fish fry.
The dinner will be held at 11 a.m. until sold out on Sunday, Oct. 26 at the Waverly Fire Protection District firehouse. Eat in or carryout available. The cost for a dinner is $12 each. Children 12 and under eat for free.
Raffle tickets are currently being sold. There are only 750 available for purchase. First prize is a $750 Humphrey’s Market gift card. Cost is $10 per ticket and a person must be present to win.
For more information, please contact the Waverly Fire Protection District or its members. Proceeds will support small equipment and building and maintenance upkeep for the Waverly Fire Protection District.
Texas man arrested on I-72 for cocaine possession charged in federal court
A Texas man arrested in a traffic stop on I-72 in August has recently had his federal indictment unsealed by the Central District Court of Illinois.
David Hernandez, 39, of El Paso, Texas, was arrested on the morning of August 20 by Morgan County Sheriff’s Deputies, South Jacksonville Police, the DEA and members of the Central Illinois Enforcement Group after approximately 30,000 grams of powder cocaine was found in the bed of his pickup truck.
Charges filed by the Morgan County State’s Attorney’s Office were initially dismissed in deference to the federal court on August 26. The federal charges were not immediately made available at the time.
The charges were eventually unsealed by the federal court later that day on August 26 and Hernandez has been held in the custody of the U.S. Marshals in Springfield.
According to charging documents, Morgan County Sheriff’s Deputy Derek Suttles was performing traffic interdiction on Interstate 72 near milepost 64 on August 20 when he observed a white Dodge Ram pick up truck with a Texas license plate traveling eastbound. He followed the vehicle, which exited north at the IL-267 exit and then proceeded into the parking lot of Love’s truck stop and then parked behind a disabled semi truck. A Latino male, later determined to be Hernandez, went inside the store and then returned to the vehicle. The truck then pulled out of the space by the disabled semi truck and backed into a different parking space.
The charging documents indicate that Deputy Suttles then parked his squad car parallel to Hernandez’s pickup truck and made contact with Hernandez. During their interaction, the affidavit filed by DEA agent Amanda Petersen says that Suttles was told by Hernandez there was a loaded handgun in the vehicle, which Suttles retrieved without incident.
Suttles then was given affirmation by Hernandez to search the truck. In the bed of the truck, Deputy Suttles is said to have found 4 five-gallon buckets pushed under a welder and an air compressor in the front of the bed of the truck. Deputy Suttles again sought permission from Hernandez to look inside the drums, to which Hernandez is said to have agreed.
Inside the drums, Suttles is said to have found a total of 30 vacuum-sealed kilogram packages of a white powdery substance. The substance was field tested positive for containing cocaine, according to the affidavit. During further investigation, Hernandez is said to have admitted that he was to deliver the packages to another person and that he regularly carries a firearm for personal protection.
The affidavit was requested to be sealed by the court because there were other unnamed individuals that law enforcement was said to be seeking in connection to the incident at the time of Hernandez’s arrest.
Hernandez has been charged for narcotics trafficking and possession of a firearm in commission of a drug crime. He currently remains held in the custody of the U.S. Marshals. A pretrial conference has been scheduled for October 8 with a jury trial set for October 20.
K & T Llamas and Llamafun Guesthouse hosting open pasture event
K & T Llamas and Llamafun Guesthouse will have its annual farm open pastures event from noon to 4 p.m. at the farm on Sunday, Oct. 5.
The farm is located at 533 Phillips Ferry Road in Bluffs. For easy directions, follow Illinois Route 100 to Bluffs then turn east on Phillips Ferry Road and go one mile to the top of the hill on the right in Oxville.
This free, family fun event allows you to walk the llamas and try an obstacle course with a llama with the assistance of one of the Neighborhood Guys & Gals 4-H llama kids.
Attendees are also invited to visit the cabin store for llama and alpaca products. For more information, visit llamafun.net or call 217-473-7283.
