By Ben Cox
Photos provided
Correction
In The Source edition published on Sept. 18, in the article entitled “Scott County Vietnam vets receive quilts,” we incorrectly identified Roger Pratt as Roger Patterson. We apologize for this error and any confusion or problems it may have caused. We wish to thank our readers for identifying this error. We thank Mr. Pratt for his service and congratulate him on receiving his Quilt of Valor.
Jacksonville police sergeant dies suddenly
Jacksonville Police Department Sergeant Brian Baptist died suddenly on Sunday, Sept. 21 in Middleton, Wisconsin.
According to an announcement, Baptist was with friends and experienced a medical emergency. It was determined he passed away from natural causes. He was 49. Baptist was a 20-year veteran of the Jacksonville Police Department at the time of his death.
The Jacksonville City Council held a moment of silence for Baptist at their Monday, Sept. 22 meeting and have asked the community to keep the Baptist family in their thoughts and prayers.
Baptist’s return home from Wisconsin was met with many people along Morton Avenue on Sept. 24. Services were held Sunday, Sept. 28 at the MAC Center on Hardin Avenue.
Illinois College moves into top 10 nationwide for student social mobility
Illinois College has earned ninth place for student social mobility among U.S. high education institutions, according to the latest U.S. News & World Report rankings. IC’s recognition reflects the college’s vision to inspire achievement and empower students to make a difference in the world. Social mobility measures a college’s ability to elevate students’ socioeconomic status through opportunities, support, and degree completion. According to U.S. News, social mobility rankings assess how well colleges graduate students, particularly those with limited financial means, measuring both graduation rates and performance compared to peers. “Breaking into the top 10 for social mobility is a tremendous recognition of Illinois College’s mission,” said IC President Barbara A. Farley in a press release on Sept. 23 announcing the achievement, “This achievement reflects our commitment to ensuring that students graduate confident and capable. When we say they will graduate ready, we mean it.”
Lashmett honored for years of service to Winchester School District
Officials with the Winchester School District honored Becky Lashmett at their August school board meeting for her more than 30 years of service to the district as the district’s school board Secretary and Assistant to the Superintendent. Lashmett officially retired on August 31.
Lashmett joined the school district in 1993. School board president Thad Walker said, “Becky was instrumental in assisting all the school district administrators over her time and I remembered many occasions when she helped guide me during my time as Winchester Grade School principal. She will be missed.”
Nominations for next round of Morgan County Marvels open
The Jacksonville Area Convention & Visitors Bureau announced on Sept. 24 that nominations are open for the next class of Morgan County Marvels, a program that recognizes individuals, businesses and projects making a lasting impact in the Morgan County community.
The initiative launched in 2024 and has, so far, honored eight recipients for their contributions, which range from handcrafted goods and sustainable products to revitalization efforts that strengthen the region’s tourism, character and charm.
“As we enter year two of this program, we’re inspired by the way our community has embraced the Morgan County Marvels,” said Brittany Henry, executive director of the Jacksonville Area Convention & Visitors Bureau. “These honorees shine a spotlight on the remarkable talent and creativity in our county, and we can’t wait to see who will be recognized next.”
The first nomination round for fiscal year 2026 will close on Oct. 31. Additional rounds will take place later in the year to recognize more honorees. Marvels are featured on the CVB’s digital platforms and receive widespread exposure. Anyone can submit a nomination. Candidates may Include individuals, businesses or landmark projects that demonstrate creativity, innovation and commitment to tourism and economic development in the community.
Nominations may be submitted at jacksonvilleil.org under the “About the CVB” tab, then by selecting “Morgan County Marvels.” For more information on Morgan County Marvels, contact Brittany Henry at 217-243- 5678 or email visitors@jacksonvilleil.org.
LLCC-Jacksonville to celebrate 21st annual Multicultural Fest October 14
Lincoln Land Community College-Jacksonville invites the public to join in on the celebration of the college’s 21st annual Multicultural Fest on Tuesday, Oct. 14 from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. The event is free and open to the public.
The annual Multicultural Fest showcases various cultures through food, entertainment and exhibits created by students, faculty and staff. College exhibits will include the LLCC Logger Activities Board, Adult Education English Language Learning program and Culinary Arts. Community exhibits will represent a diverse range of local organizations and cultural groups.
Multicultural Fest is sponsored by LLCC Student Engagement and Wellbeing. Visit LLCC-Jacksonville at 32 North Central Park Plz. for more details on food and entertainment options that are scheduled.
New downtown Jacksonville time capsule being planned for 2026
Jacksonville residents will once again have an opportunity to write a letter to the future next year. WLDS reports that a new time capsule will be buried next year after the final few letters from this year’s time capsule are removed. Ginny Fanning, of the Jacksonville Bicentennial Committee, told the radio station that the final delivery of letters is currently in process after a long and arduous task of matching up the old letters to family members.
The new vault next year will be provided by Rex Vault. Jacksonville residents can pay $20 to purchase a special envelope between October 2-4, inside of which a written letter to the future can be placed. Officials with the project have not determined yet where the new time capsule will be buried. If residents miss out on the initial purchase of the envelopes, they can still purchase one at the Jacksonville Area Chamber of Commerce office in Community Park. The envelopes must be returned by Dec. 31.
Jacksonville committee working on process for street dedications
Officials for the City of Jacksonville say they are working out the final guidelines for potential street dedications. In late July, an informal committee stepped forward seeking to rename a portion of the 800 block of Grove Street after local African American historian and local activist and writer Art Wilson who passed away suddenly on July 1 at the age of 68. Wilson was one of the founders of the Jacksonville African American History Museum that is located in the Asa Talcott House at 859 Grove Street. Wilson had purchased the Asa Talcott House to help set up the museum.
During a late July Jacksonville City Council meeting, some members of the council expressed hesitation for renaming the street after Wilson saying there was no formal city ordinance in process and that Wilson was not a national figure. The last time any section of a street was renamed or rededicated was in 2008 on the occasion of the 70th birthday of Ken Norton, Sr., a former world heavyweight boxing champion who was a Jacksonville native. A portion of South Church Street where Norton lived was dedicated as “Ken Norton Way” in his honor but the street was not officially renamed.
The consensus by the council at that time was to send it to the Planning and Public Works committee to set up guidelines for future reference and to make a recommendation on the request on behalf of Wilson. According to a report by WLDS, at the Sept. 22 meeting of the city’s Planning & Public Works Committee, the recommendation will be that a $250 fee will be set up for dedicating portions of streets on behalf of key figures. The fee will cover the cost of a permanent sign to be placed on behalf of the individual. The individual will have to be deceased. The recommendation is now being finalized by City Attorney Dan Beard and will be brought before the full city council for a final vote in October.
Discussions have begun between Virginia, AC-Central districts on possible restructuring
Officials with the Virginia School District have been approached by members of the AC-Central School District about a potential restructuring. According to the Cass County Star-Gazette there are no plans in place and there has been nothing officially put into work yet. The Virginia School Board is said to have discussed the potential idea of restructuring at their Sept. 22 meeting, looking at advantages and disadvantages to the idea.
Restructuring is a broader term for reorganization of school districts. It includes various changes to district structures, such as school conversions, annexations, or deactivations, which may or may not involve merging districts into a single entity, but are aimed at better serving students and maintaining fiscal viability as its main goal.
The AC-Central School District has been mulling reorganization for some time as the Porta and AC-Central sports co-op came up for renewal last year and the AC-Central district is facing some facility and deferred maintenance costs. AC-Central and Porta have had a sports co-op since 2011. Tension mounted last year when Porta requested a feasibility study on consolidating their districts in the co-op renewal agreement. The AC-Central board voted it down initially, but after community pressure, relented to the study in a re-vote on the measure in April.
When the study was released, it presented the AC-Central board with several options and recommendations, including possible deactivation of one of its buildings and bussing students to a neighboring district for those grade levels. Confusion has mounted in the AC-Central schools communities and clarification has had to be posted several times that the studies are simply providing options. In some of the options, the school district residents may have the option to cast a vote for the final action or the actions would be taken by a vote of the school board.
The Virginia School District has requested a study be completed to see how a potential restructuring would work with AC-Central. Currently, Virginia co-ops its sports with nearby Triopia. No action from either school board has been taken at this time. According to the Illinois State Board of Education website, AC-Central has an enrollment of 286 students at its three schools and Virginia has 299 students at its two schools.
VFW Auxiliary National Organization opens Illustrating America art contest
The VFW Auxiliary National Organization is sponsoring the “Illustrating America” art contest for students in K-8 grades. The purpose of the contest is to introduce, encourage and recognize young artists with patriotism through their artwork. Students do not have to be related to a VFW or VFW Auxiliary member to participate.
The contest is open to students in grades K-8 who are enrolled in a public, private, parochial or home school program in the United States, its territories and possessions, or dependents of U.S. military or civilian personnel in overseas schools; and are a lawful U.S. permanent resident or who have applied and not been denied a permanent U.S. citizen.
Previous winners of VFW Auxiliary National Illustrating America Art Contests are not eligible for the same grade division of which they are a previous national winner. However, the students may enter the subsequent grade division.
The entry must be completed during the current school year, must be two dimensional on paper or canvas. Canvas entries must be submitted on a stretcher frame or canvas board but not be framed in wood, metal, plastic or glass. Paper entries must be reinforced with heavy paper. Entries may not be smaller than 8”x10” and not larger than 18”x24” including mat.
Coloring sheets, digital art and photography are not accepted. Completed typed or printed legible entry form including parent and/or guardian signatures as well as the student’s name, age and grade level must be printed on the back of the art entry. Entries must be submitted and completed by March 31. For more information, visit https://vfwauxiliary.org.
Crime of the Week: Seeking alleged cattle rustlers in Murrayville area
The Morgan County Sheriff’s Office is seeking information leading to the arrest of alleged cattle rustlers in rural Murrayville.
Sometime between August 22 and September 6, unknown individuals are said to have taken eight calves from a farm located in the 2200 block of Vanbebber Road in rural Murrayville.
If you have any information concerning this incident, please leave an anonymous tip with the Morgan, Scott, Cass Crime Stoppers by visiting their Facebook page. Click on the ‘Contact Us” button at the top of the page and leave your tip. You may also leave a tip at their website morganscottcrimestoppers.com. Click on the “Leave A Tip” button at the top of the homepage.
Remember, Crime Stoppers want your information and not your name. If your tip leads to an arrest or recovery of stolen property, you may be eligible for a cash reward.
Morgan, Scott committee meets to update area hazard mitigation plan
The Morgan and Scott Counties Hazard Mitigation Planning Committee met on Sept. 30 at the Jacksonville Municipal Building to discuss the area’s natural disaster mitigation plans.
“These plans describe the natural hazard events that have impacted the counties and identify activities and projects to reduce the risk to residents, property and infrastructure,” says Morgan County Emergency Management Coordinator Phil McCarty, “By having an updated hazard mitigation plan, each county and its participating jurisdictions will remain eligible for federal funds to carry out these projects and activities.”
Meetings of the committee are expected to take place over the next year as working open sessions so that members of the public can attend and ask questions. Depending upon the county, these mitigation plans are updated every 5-10 years.
“This mitigation plan is different,” says Justin Daws, Scott County Emergency Management Coordinator, “It focuses on ways to reduce and prevent damages [in the event of a natural disaster] before they occur, rather than on how the counties and municipalities will respond to a disaster after it occurs.”
2025 Arenzville Burgoo Pageant royalty crowned
The Arenzville Burgoo had a packed year with ‘90s country band Ricochet packing the downtown park with an opening set of music from local native and up and coming Nashville singer-songwriter Elisabeth Ann Werries. The burgoo sold out all 18 kettles each day of the festival. Organizers thanked the community for its continued support and for the dozens of volunteers who make the burgoo and all of its events happen each year. On Friday, Sept. 5, to kick off the main stage, the burgoo held its annual pageant.
Downtown Jacksonville holding pre-party for Bicentennial Celebration; Street traffic to close on Square Friday
The City of Jacksonville is holding a pre-game party ahead of its Bicentennial Celebration on Saturday, Oct. 4.
The Budweiser Clydesdales are returning to Jacksonville on Friday, Oct. 3. The famous draft horses have a history in Jacksonville dating back to 1951. Following a brief march of the horses and a public meet and greet from 3-5 p.m., Twisted Tree Music Hall is bringing Kenny Fiedler & The Cowboy Killers to the square for one more downtown concert of 2025. He will be joined by special guest Tony Logue & The 184. Music will run from 7-10 p.m.
Please see the Jacksonville Jams section for more information.
As a reminder to the public, starting at 5 a.m. on Friday, Oct. 3, the downtown square will be closed to all traffic. The closure will remain in effect until mid-morning Sunday, Oct. 5. Limited access for deliveries will be made until Friday, Oct. 3 at noon, after which time all traffic closure will be in effect. Signage will be in place for traffic flow management.
City of Virginia prepares for several upcoming events
The Virginia City Council recently discussed several upcoming events coming through the city.
The Virginia City Wide Yard Sale is October 3-4, which will correspond with the Spoon River Drive. The list of addresses can be found on the “City of Virginia, IL” Facebook group.
The annual Rexroat Prairie Log Cabins Day is scheduled for Oct. 11 from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. The annual event features vendors, demonstrations, face painting, animals, history of the cabins, food and more at Rexroat Prairie at the south end of town.
The annual Spooktacular event is scheduled for Oct. 18 from 7-10 p.m. at Dunaway Memorial Park. Wristbands are expected to go on sale on Oct. 1.
The annual Virginia City-Wide Cleanup is scheduled for Oct. 20-24. The city council says that more details on the cleanup will follow at their October meeting.
The council is also expected to set their annual trick-or-treating hours. The city’s Trunk or Treat event on Oct. 31 from 5:30-7 p.m.
Downtown Jacksonville yoga studio announces upcoming move
Jax Yoga owner Wendy Smith announced on Sept. 19 that the business will be moving in the near future to 45 South Central Park Plaza once renovations on the building are complete.
Smith says that the new space, currently owned by Rabbi Rob and Lauren Thomas, is being built out to their specifications so that they can expand services. The new site is expected to include a foyer and locker rooms, on-site laundry service for towels, more aerial hammocks, a longer barre and a new pilates reformer studio.
Jax Yoga opened at their current location in April 2019 at 206 East State Street. The studio expanded into a Wellness collective in March 2023 and even expanded to a Springfield location in 2024. Smith passed the Springfield location to Treehouse Yoga’s owners earlier this month to focus efforts closer to her home and have more time with her family.
Smith thanked current State Street studio owners Sean and Deena Meek for their years of support. Thomas has not put a time line on when the former Osco Building will be completed and when Jax Yoga can make their move.
