Western Illinois Today

Construction continues on the new centralized Rockridge Elementary School. It’s been six months since the school district held a groundbreaking ceremony for the project, which is building a brand-new elementary school just south of the [FULL STORY]

A Sherrard man facing felony drug charges will return to Mercer County Circuit Court for a preliminary hearing next month. 23-year-old Blake Lingafelter made his initial court appearance on Monday, where he was released from [FULL STORY]

A Sherrard High School senior is making history by being accepted to the United States Military Academy at West Point. Ava Egel is the first female student in Sherrard High School history to be accepted [FULL STORY]

A Sherrard man is facing felony drug charges following a traffic stop near Preemption on Friday. According to a Mercer County Sheriff’s Department press release, deputies obtained probable cause to search the vehicle. The driver, [FULL STORY]

The Mercer County Health Department is hosting a breast health education night next week. The event will feature guest speakers discussing breast health, mammograms, cancer risk reduction, and more. Registration information is available on the [FULL STORY]

An Aledo man facing felony charges following a shooting investigation in rural Henderson County has been granted pretrial release. Dakota Lockmiller, 20, was arrested and charged with two Class X felony counts of aggravated battery [FULL STORY]

A local state representative is introducing legislation that urges the State Fire Marshal and local fire departments to replace the current foams they use in fighting fires with the non-carcinogenic, non-toxic, environmentally friendly SoyFoam. State [FULL STORY]

The Mercer County High School jazz band is collaborating with 10 of Soul for a joint concert this weekend. The performance takes place in the Mercer County High School Auditorium on Saturday at 7 p.m. [FULL STORY]

The Sherrard School District is starting a program designed to give high school students interested in pursuing careers in education a head start. The Grow Your Own Teacher program will begin at the school next [FULL STORY]