Community News
County Board Update
Macoupin County – Last week, the Macoupin County Board took action on several important initiatives geared toward budget stability and long term planning.
“Our most recent meeting showed that our Board is continuing to engage in sound budgeting with our eye on the future and long term needs of the County” said Board Chairman Andy Manar. “Adopting a zero-growth budget shows we value the importance of spending taxpayer dollars wisely. We also know that we have to take into consideration issues that can have a long-range impact on the sustainability of our budget and the health of county government in Macoupin County.”
In addition to regular business, the following noteworthy items were addressed by the County Board:
I. Adoption of a “zero-growth” budget: The Board unanimously adopted a $6.7 million General Fund budget for county offices, which represents an actual decrease of $12,000 under last year’s introduced general fund spending plan. The budget plan proposes leaving the county’s employment level flat. The county’s general fund takes in revenues from taxpayer-funded sources such as sales, income, and property taxes.
II. Courthouse Preservation: The County Board unanimously voted to direct Chairman Manar, Sheriff Don Albrecht and State’s Attorney Jennifer Watson to research and present to the County Board forming a Building Commission to begin an aggressive effort to begin preservation on the Macoupin County Courthouse. Chairman Manar acknowledged that this is an important first step in a very long process to preserve one of the most historically significant county courthouses in the United States.
III. New Requirements for future part-time employees to receive IMRF pension benefit: The Board unanimously approved implementing stricter hourly requirements on future part-time employees who wish to receive a pension from the Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund (IMRF). Current law requires the county to contribute to a portion of pension benefits for all employees who work at least 600 hours per year. With the allowable change made by the Board, the county will be required to contribute to a portion of pension benefits for future employees who work more than 1,000 hours per year.
The change has no impact on current employees of the county, but has the potential to save the county thousands of dollars over the long run and do so more efficiently.
IV. Macoupin County Business Park Development: With the anchor business of the County’s business park gearing up to open its doors next year, the County Board agreed on a plan to move forward with the engineering design of the roadway to service all future lots of the business park. Taking this step is the first requirement toward construction of the roadway which is anticipated to begin the first part of 2012.
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In a nail-biting showdown that will be remembered for years to come, the Gillespie Miners girls basketball team captured the South Central Conference title with a hard-fought 55-52 victory over the Pana Panthers on Thursday night, February 13. This marks Gillespie’s first conference championship since their back-to-back titles in 2001-02, when they shared the honors with Southwestern both finishing with a 9-1 conference record.
The game held at Pana High School was anything but straightforward. After a tumultuous 13-minute delay due to injuries and a technical foul controversy, the Miners rallied their spirits to secure the win. Amari Vickery led the charge with a stellar performance, scoring 21 points, while Mia Brawner added 11, Maggie Heyen contributed 10, Delaney Taylor posted 5, Sadie Sholtis scored 4, and Lainey Edwards and Corrine Fellin each had 2 points.
From the opening tip, it was clear that Pana was not going to roll over easily. The Panthers held leads at the end of the first two quarters, 15-14 and 28-26, showcasing their tenacity. By the time the fourth quarter rolled around, Pana had edged ahead 44-42, setting the stage for a dramatic finish.
However, the game took a chaotic turn in the fourth quarter when a collision between Vickery and teammate Sloane Brawner resulted in both players going down with injuries. Sloane was not able to return the game but Vickery did. The Miners also lost both Delaney Taylor and Sadie Sholtis to fouls and Gillespie was assessed a technical foul under controversial circumstances which tied the game at 49. But Heyen carried the weight through the fourth quarter recording 6 of her 10 points in the final quarter of play.
Despite the setbacks, the Miners displayed remarkable teamwork resilience under the leadership of Nikki and Matt Brawner. With the SCC championship secured and the regular season concluded with a 22-8 overall record and 9-0 conference record, the Miners now shift their focus to the upcoming regional which is being hosted in Gillespie.
Gillespie hosts Alton Marquette on Monday, Feb. 17 for the regional semi-finals after Alton Marquette knocked East-Alton Wood River, 36-29, to face the Miners. The winner advances to the regional championship that will be played on Friday, Feb. 21 at 7 p.m. in Gillespie versus the winner of Staunton/Roxana.
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Tragedy struck in the early hours of Saturday morning in Macoupin County as a residential structure fire broke out in the 200 block of West Dean Street, Virden, resulting in the death of a male victim, the Macoupin County Coroner Anthony Kravanya announced.
The individual was pronounced deceased at 10:06 AM but the identity of the deceased has not yet been released, as authorities await the results of an autopsy scheduled for Monday, February 17, 2025. The coroner’s office indicated that a press release will be issued following the autopsy and the positive identification of the victim.
WAND reported a second victim died after being transported to Springfield Memorial Hospital according to Sangamon County Coroner Jim Allmon who confirmed a 13-year-old boy and a 34-year-old male were the victims.
The fire reportedly started around 9:30 a.m. and the home was fully engulfed when first responders arrived. Two people were reportedly rescued and life flight was requested but were not available due to the foggy weather conditions.
An investigation into the cause of the fire is currently underway, involving multiple agencies including the Macoupin County Coroner’s Office, the Virden Police Department, the Macoupin County Sheriff’s Department, and the Office of the State Fire Marshal.
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Come and join us for an exciting afternoon of trivia as we support our local 2:18 Missions! Mark your calendars for Sunday, March 30 from 2 to 5 PM for an event that promises fun, camaraderie, and a chance to make a difference in our community. The event will be held at DeStefane Community Center in Benld, 201 East Central Avenue.
Teams of up to 10 people can participate for just $100 per table. Whether you want to reserve your table in advance or simply show up on the day of the event to pay at the door, we welcome all trivia enthusiasts to join in the competition!
Feel free to bring your own snacks and drinks to enjoy during the game—just please remember, no alcohol is allowed. For your convenience, we will have bottles of water available for purchase.
The stakes are high, and the competition is fierce! The first-place team will take home a prize of $150. Plus, bring some dollar bills to participate in “Heads and Tails” games during breaks and to buy mulligans for your team.
Don’t miss out on this fantastic opportunity to support a great cause while enjoying a lively trivia challenge. To reserve your table or for more information, contact Kristin at 217-691-7469.
Let’s make this a memorable event for our community and the 2:18 Missions!
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