Jim Taylor

Staley To Run For Re-Election

Mercer County Sheriff Dave Staley seeking re-election. He was first elected in 2014. Staley is running on the Democratic ticket.

IHSA & NFHS Editorial: High School Activities Bring Communities Together

By Bob Gardner, Executive Director of the National Federation of State High School Associations and Craig Anderson, Executive Director of the Illinois High School Association.   Tailgates. Pep rallies. Friday night lights. The new school year is here! And that’s…

Sherrard To Add Two Kindergarten Classes In New School Year

The Sherrard School District pleased to see an increase in kindergarten numbers entering the 2017/2018 school year, but it has created a problem.  Unit 200 Superintendent Alan Boucher. Boucher says adding two teachers and adding two paraprofessionals and converting a…

MCBT Schedules Countywide Summit At Mercer County Fairgrounds

Over the past six months Mercer County: Better Together (MCBT), has worked to learn the values, hopes, concerns and ideas of county residents through a variety of means. Using community surveys, public engagements and a series of community forums, MCBT…

78th Year For New Windsor Rodeo

The New Windsor Rodeo celebrates its 78th year this weekend.  Bryce Weber is the Rodeo Board’s vice president. Rodeo action begins at 7 p.m. Thursday, Friday and Saturday.

Bustos Talks Locks & Dams and Farm Bill at State Fair Ag Day

Western Illinois Congresswoman Cheri Bustos talks Locks and Dams and Farm Bill during Ag Day at the Illinois State Fair. And Bustos says a healthy crop insurance program must be maintained in a new Farm Bill. The current Farm Bill…

Sandusky Back In Custody

Mercer County meth defendant Erica Sandusky is back in custody. A $5,000 arrest warrant was issued for the Matherville woman on Monday after her and her attorney failed to appear for a pre-trial conference. She was taken into custody earlier…

All Area Schools Would Receive More Under Rauner’s Revisions To Education Funding Reform Bill

All area schools would receive more money under Governor Bruce Rauner’s revisions to an education funding reform bill. Mercer County would gain the most at $250,000 in additional money followed by Sherrard with $131,000. In all, Rauner says nearly 98-percent…