Jim Taylor

Artcher Reports To County Jail

Former Mercer County High School teacher Mark Artcher has begun serving his Mercer County Jail sentence. He reported Sunday for the 180-day term of which he will get day-for-day credit. Artcher entered an Alford plea in November to an amended…

Pritzker Hints At Moving Out Of Tier 3 Mitigations; Looking at Numbers In Mercer County’s Region

If COVID-19 numbers don’t spike, Governor J.B. Pritzker says regions of Illinois may be able to lift some mitigations come Jan. 15. The state didn’t see a big increase in cases after Thanksgiving, and the Governor says they are hopeful…

Genesis Aledo Administrator Elected To Top Leadership Post With Illinois Health & Hospital Association

Genesis Medical Center Aledo administrator Ted Rogalski has been elected chair-elect of the Illinois Health and Hospital Association’s (IHA) 2021 Board of Trustees. Previously, Rogalski served as Treasurer of the IHA Board. The Board of Trustees is the policymaking body…

Mercer County 911 Calls Increase From 5,404 In 2018 To 9,591 In 2020

Mercer County 911 calls are on the rise and Sheriff Dusty Terrill is evaluating the numbers. He provided an update to the Mercer County Board this week.   Terrill says there are eight full-time telecommunicators within the sheriff’s department.

Ewing Discusses COVID-19 Vaccine Process; Elderly Population To Follow Healthcare Workers

One of the main questions regarding the COVID vaccine is when can vulnerable populations like those with underlying health conditions or the elderly receive it? Currently, Mercer County Health Department Administrator Carla Ewing says the state is in phase 1A,…

Ameren Illinois Part Of Voluntary Disconnection Moratorium This Winter

Several Illinois utility companies, including Ameren Illinois, have volunteered extra protection for vulnerable residents this year. Ameren Illinois along with ComEd, Liberty Utilities, Nicor, North Shore and Peoples Gas declared they would cease disconnections to residents this winter. Illinois Commerce…

Mid-February Target Date For Mercer County Courthouse Elevator Project

The elevator project at the Mercer County Courthouse will likely take at least until mid-February to finish. The Mercer County Board received an update Tuesday night.   Public Building Commission Chairman Montie Schell says the project began on Dec. 7.…

BHC Offering Welding Class; Register By Jan. 19

Production MIG welding and Stick/TIG welding classes begin Monday, Jan. 25 at the Black Hawk College Industrial Training Lab Extension Center in Moline. The non-credit classes meet for 140 hours over six weeks. The first 40 hours are classroom training.…

IHSA Board Meets Next Week; Anderson Says Everything On Table

All eyes continue to be on the calendar as high school sports remain on hold.  When will play resume?  That’s still a significant question as the IHSA was hoping to meet with reps from the Illinois Department of Public Health…