Community News
Benld Council eyes development at former Benld school site
Meeting in a relatively brief session Monday night, the Benld City Council briefly discussed the future development of the former Benld Elementary School site as a sports park and recreation area, approved $6,150 in masonry repairs at the Civic Center and directed City Attorney Rick Verticchio to write to Gillespie Police Chief Jared DePoppe regarding a potential issue with the city’s police protection contract with the Gillespie Police Department.
The Illinois Department of Natural Resources recently announced the award of a $600,000 Open Spaces and Land Acquisition and Development (OSLAD) grant to develop the 11-acre site formerly occupied by Benld Elementary School. The City of Benld is acting as the sponsoring agency for grant purposes. The Benld Sports Association will be in charge of developing the site, as well as ongoing maintenance. Construction, with much of the labor provided by volunteers, could begin as early as this summer.
On Monday night, Mayor Jim Kelly announced the city is waiting for grant guidelines from IDNR, and that he is appointed Ald. John Balzraine and Association Chair Anthony Kravanya as point persons for the property. Balzraine and Kravanya will bring specific issues to the council for approval as development gets underway. Officially known as the Benld Family Sports Complex, plans for the site include construction of a baseball field, a softball field, a soccer/football field, basketball courts, a walking trail and playground.
The site was the location of the Benld Elementary School, which was destroyed by mine subsidence beginning in 2009. Community Unit School District 7 declared the property surplus after building a new elementary school in Gillespie and demolishing the old school. The Board of Education later reached an agreement to transfer the property to the City of Benld for development as a park.
Mayor Kelley also announced that the architect who voluntarily drew up plans for the park has volunteered to help the Sports Association and city council through the process of fulfilling the grant requirements.
Council members also unanimously voted to approve Balzraine’s motion to spend $6,150 for tuck-pointing and other masonry repairs on the back wall of the Civic Center. Balzraine said he was able to obtain the bid from Josh Marinacci.
Council members voted unanimously to have the City Attorney contact the Gillespie Police Chief about the amount of time a Gillespie officer is sitting in Mt. Clare. A few minutes of debate followed a report from Police Committee Chair Ald. Mickey Robinson stating he had talked to the Police Chief about the city’s concerns. At issue is whether or not the Gillespie Police Department is fulfilling its obligation for 24/7 police protection in Benld since the Mt. Clare location is outside the city limits. Mayor Kelly said the city is aware Gillespie police routinely drive through Mt. Clare during shift changes but the city wants to make sure it is getting the police protection it is paying for within the Benld city limits.
The council table voted to formally sign a trash contract with Republic Services pending receipt of a revised contract. Verticchio said the contract Republic provided appeared to be the company’s standard contract which included some items that were not in the city’s old contract and which omitted some specifics. He said he wrote to the company to point out the discrepancies and recommended tabling action on the contract until the council’s next regular meeting.
On a motion by Ald. Jerry Saracco, seconded by Balzraine, the council voted unanimously to have the City Attorney file ordinance violations against the owners of property located on South Second Street.
Saracco also questioned the continuing court actions against some derelict properties in the city. “We don’t want the fines, we want the property cleaned up,” he said. “How do we get them to clean up their properties?”
Verticchio said the only thing he can do in most cases is to keep going back to court and increasing the fines. About the only way the city can get an emergency order to clean up a property is if the property is deemed a hazard to public health or safety. Verticchio and the council discussed the status of actions against the owners of about eight properties in the city which have been cited for ordinance violations of declared public nuisances.
Tilashalski asked if the city needed to again advertise for sale the location of the old Doggie’s Tavern since the property description incorrectly described it as the old bank building. Verticcho said he would rerun the ad at his expense if the city wanted but it technically was unnecessary since the property address and parcel number were correct. No bids have been received for the property, but Verticchio said that since the property has been declared surplus and advertised for sale, the city can accept any bids from this point forward.
On a motion by Balzraine, seconded by Ald. Dustin Fletcher, the council voted to have the property owner pay for the cost of a 40-foot, 12-inch culvert that recently collapsed, with the city to pay the cost of installation. The damaged culvert is located at the end of North Fifth Street and was originally installed to keep the road from washing out.
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Community News
County marks 250th Anniversary of Declaration with reading and archive projects at Spring Festival on May 23
The Macoupin County Historical Society (MCHS) is hosting the first in a series of local celebrations & activities on May 23, 2026, 11:00 a.m. at the Spring festival highlighting the 250th Anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. The public is encouraged to attend a reading of the Declaration aloud at the Red Barn Pavillion.
Following the reading, participants and the public will be encouraged to have a conversation about what’s important to them, their families and to America examining the past and looking at the future.
Attendees may also enter a Birthday Wish for America & sign the America @ 250 Macoupin County Time Capsule book. The book will become a permanent archive of the Macoupin County Historical Society.
Individuals, families, & friends can also be a part of “Community Conversations” recorded by Illinois Voices 250, a Story Telling group affiliated with Illinois Humanities. The recordings will take place in all 102 counties in Illinois. Illinois Voices 250 will be on site most of the day at the Historical Society Spring Festival. The stores recorded will be digitalized and become a permanent part of the Library of Congress.
Those interested in participating are welcome to bring family and friends into a casual conversation about their life story. Both projects were made possible through a grant from Illinois Humanities to Carlinville Winning Communities, a local non profit organization that supports activities in the community. It’s a very successful partnership between Carlinville Winning Communities, Illinois Humanities and the Macoupin County Historical Society, said Mary Tinder, who is coordinating the activities.
This year, 2026, is also a time to “Bring Back the Strawberries”, a specialty desert from the Red Barn Kitchen. For many years, strawberry shortcake was the signature desert at the festivals. The MCHS Board of Directors and Red Barn Kitchen Crew chose this historic occasion to put them back on the menu.
“Fifty Years of Festivals” has helped finance operations for MCHS and we are working towards another fifty years, said board member Patty Ambrose, Vendor and Outreach Coordinator for MCHS. These activities are free, open to the public and accessible. The two-day festival is May 23, 24, 2026 at the Macoupin County Historical Society, 900 West Breckenridge Street, Carlinville, Il.
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Community News
Benld prepares to celebrate 72nd annual Italian American Days over Memorial Day weekend
A beloved community tradition returns this Memorial Day weekend as the 72nd Annual Benld Italian-American Days brings three days of food, music, and family fun to Benld City Park from Friday, May 22 through Sunday, May 24.
Hosted by the Italian Club of Benld, the long-running festival celebrates the area’s rich Italian heritage while welcoming visitors from across the region for a full slate of activities.
Festivalgoers can expect a wide variety of homemade Italian favorites served throughout the weekend, including salami and meatball sandwiches, tortellini soup, bagna cauda, and cannoli. A daily fish fry featuring cod and whiting will also be available, along with classic festival fare such as hamburgers, hot dogs, Italian beef, and carnival treats. Beer, wine, and soda will be available for purchase.
In addition to the food, the event will feature carnival rides provided by Conner Family Amusement, Inc., with unlimited ride sessions offered throughout the weekend. Bingo will be held nightly at 7:00 p.m., and festival-themed shirts will be available for purchase.
Live music and dancing will take center stage each evening. Friday night entertainment includes a performance by Flip the Frog from 6:30 to 10:30 p.m., with the park open from 4:00 to 11:00 p.m.
Saturday highlights include the Italian Club Car Show, with registration from 8:00 a.m. to noon and judging beginning at noon. The park opens at 11:00 a.m., and live music will feature Pat Jones in the afternoon followed by Borderline in the evening.
Sunday kicks off with the “Meatballs on the Run” 5K at 9:00 a.m., sponsored by the Gillespie Cross Country Boosters. You can sign-up to participate online here. The day continues with free spaghetti served from 11:00 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., a bocce ball tournament beginning at noon, and a full lineup of live music throughout the day, including performances by Unbroken, Syner-Gee, and B&B Strings.
Connors Family Amusements will provide carnival armbands for $30. Armbands will be valid Friday (May 22) from 6:00 to 10 :00 p.m. and again on Saturday (May 23rd) and Sunday (May 24th) from 12:00 to 4:00 p.m. and again from 6:00 to 10:00 p.m, Advanced armband sales will be available from May 4th through May 21st at the Frank Bertetti Public Library and Benld City Hall for $25. Debit and Credit Cards will NOT be accepted.
Organizers note that no outside beverages are permitted in the park or at club events.
With its mix of tradition, entertainment, and community spirit, the 72nd Annual Benld Italian-American Days promises to once again be a highlight of the summer season in Macoupin County. For more information and updates, follow the festival on Facebook at Benld Italian American Days.
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Gillespie will host a Community Blood Drive with ImpactLife, the provider of blood components for local hospitals. The blood drive will be from 1:00 pm to 6:00 pm on Monday, May 11 at 900 Broadway, inside Gillespie Methodist Church Gym.
To donate, please contact Brenda Lowe at (217) 7101336 or visit www.bloodcenter.org and use code 60020 to locate the drive. Appointments are requested. You may also call ImpactLife at 800-747-5401 to schedule.
Potential donors must be at least 17 years of age (16 with parental permission form available
through www.bloodcenter.org) and weigh more than 110 pounds. A photo I.D. is required to donate.
For questions about eligibility, please call ImpactLife at (800) 7475401. Donors who last gave blood on or before March 16, 2026, are eligible to give at this drive.
Blood donation is a safe, simple procedure that takes about 45 minutes to one hour. Individuals with diabetes or controlled high blood pressure may be accepted as eligible donors.
ImpactLife is a nonprofit community organization providing blood products and services to more than 100 hospitals and emergency medical service providers in Illinois, Iowa, Missouri, and Wisconsin, as well as researchers and resource sharing partners across the country.
