Meet the Candidates-  Bob Fioretti -  Republican Candidate for Attorney General

Hancock County Farm Bureau Richlyn Honer- with Farm Bureau Activities and reminding us all to watch out for farmers during this harvest 

Nauvoo Tourism Director Rebecca Williamson talks with Shawn Stewart about Nauvoo and Fall Activities

Whats up Doc- with Dr Tom Grant-    Healthy Living and how to  relieve  stress

Dr Jodi with Sandburg College - September/ Octobers Activites,     How you can complete your Degree  in just one night a week.   Kids Campus and More 

Illinois Extension Office  Kristin Huls and  Cynthia Colvin  stop by the WCAZ Studio to discuss all things 4H and now is the time to join and  Adult Mental Health First Aid for the Ag Community 

Sandburg dental hygiene 25th anniversary open house Oct. 7

andburg is celebrating the 25th anniversary of its dental hygiene program with an open house Oct. 7 on the Galesburg campus.

The open house will take place from 5-7 p.m. Oct. 7 in the Graham Health System Science & Technology Center Atrium. It offers a chance to connect with alumni, faculty, students, and friends of the program while celebrating its legacy and the professionals who’ve made a lasting impact in their communities.

Since its inception, Sandburg’s dental hygiene program has produced 593 graduates, and its alumni now live in 21 different states, including 292 in Illinois. 

The college’s dental hygiene clinic, which gives students hands-on learning opportunities while providing low-cost dental hygiene services to the community, has served more than 17,700 patients in its history. It has seen patients from 40 states and Canada.

Dental hygiene program alumni are asked to submit memories, impact statements and advice for current and future program students on this form.

You can contribute online to support Sandburg’s dental hygiene program through the Sandburg Foundat

Veteran and Senior Fair  Thursday September 17th- Josh Dickman and Illinois State Representative Dan Swanson  talk about what you can expect at this free event

What's up Doc- with Dr Tom Grant-   Healthy Living- Nutrition, unhealthy diets,  parents ask what can I do for my family

Carl Sandburg College president Dr. Seamus Reilly announces 2027 retirement

Carl Sandburg College President Dr. Seamus Reilly has announced that he will retire from his position at the end of his contract on June 30, 2027, after nine years leading the institution.

“It truly has been an honor to lead Carl Sandburg College over the past nine years,” Reilly said. “I am proud of the work that has been accomplished through the hard work of staff and faculty, and I look forward to seeing Sandburg continue to grow and shape our region.”

“On behalf of the board of trustees, we are deeply grateful for Dr. Reilly’s leadership, dedication and commitment to our students and District 518,” said Joshua Gibb, chairperson of the Sandburg board of trustees. “He leaves Carl Sandburg College stronger and well positioned for the future.

“The Board of Trustees takes the responsibility of selecting its next president very seriously and will approach that work with great care and purpose. While we will miss working with Seamus, we are excited about what lies ahead for Carl Sandburg College.”

Reilly became the seventh president of Sandburg in 2018. During his tenure, he’s led strategic planning efforts to enrich the college community and the community at large through new academic programs and the implementation of a campus master plan that’s sparked a bevy of improvement projects.

In 2024, Sandburg opened the Science & Technology Center, which houses programs for health professions, natural sciences, nursing and dental hygiene as well as the college’s dental hygiene clinic. The nearly 47,000-square-foot structure marked the first new building on Sandburg’s Galesburg campus since 2006.

Connected to the S+T Center, the renovated Student Center opened on the Galesburg campus in April 2025. In addition to offering a refurbished area for students to enjoy, the renovation brought nearly all the college’s student services — including admissions, advising, academic support, counseling, TRIO Student Support Services, student engagement and financial aid — under the same roof.

Just last month, Sandburg broke ground on the Charger Center, a 70,204-square-foot athletic and conference space that will serve as the new home for Sandburg’s athletic programs and support additional academic and community use.

Also under Reilly’s leadership, the college secured a $1.8 million grant through the state in 2025 to create the 518 Collective, an agricultural technology incubator located at the Annex on Main Street in downtown Galesburg.

Reilly also steered Sandburg through the COVID-19 pandemic, which included a transition to virtual and online learning for nearly every class offered during that time. In 2024, he received the Shirley B. Gordon Award from Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society, the organization’s most prestigious honor given to community college presidents.

A 30-plus-year veteran in higher education, Reilly served as a vice president at Parkland College in Champaign before coming to Sandburg. While there, he also served as department chair of Fine and Applied Arts, director of International Education and an English instructor. He was inducted into the Parkland College Athletic Hall of Fame in 2024.

Reilly graduated from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 1997 with a doctorate in English. 

He serves on the Galesburg Area Chamber of Commerce board, the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) Presidents’ Commission, the Knox County Area Partnership for Economic Development (KCAP) board of directors, the LWIA 14 Region Workforce Innovation Board, the Amtrak Corridor committee, the National Railroad Hall of Fame board of directors and the Gale Scholars Steering Committee.

Sandburg’s board of trustees, in partnership with a search firm, soon will begin a national search for the college’s eighth president.

Meet the Candidates- Carissa Bryant  for 9th Circuit Judge

She is an active member of the Illinois State Bar Association andjust finished serving her second term on the Standing Committee for Illinois Civil Practice and Procedure.

Mobile Food  Pantry    September 26th  - Hancock County Extension Building

Sandburg announces 2026 summer session graduates

GALESBURG — Sandburg has announced the names of students who completed graduation requirements and graduated from the college following the conclusion of the 2026 summer session. 

ASSOCIATE DEGREES

ASSOCIATE IN ARTS

Abingdon — Macenzie Powers

Aledo — Tanner Sedam

Augusta — Owen Rigg

Burnside — Kirra Davis

Carthage — Kennedy Gunning

East Galesburg — Sarah Mathews

Elmwood — Lacyn Durst, Kaitlyn Noll

Galesburg — Emelie Buteyn, Amy Cauthon, Alicia Delafield, Sofia Dixon, Colby Folger, Gaeben Frisque, Jacqueline Henry, Vincent Kipkemoi, Dayton Lundstrom, Ashlee Mechtel, Jay Sanchez, Valerie Schnepf, Damien Snell, Payton Taylor, Tucker Vandewostine

Moline — Ayden Mendoza

Monmouth — Lili Brown, Brandon Martinez

Normal — Anaya Hardges

Rio — Charles Heinrich

Roseville — Rachael Garrett

Sutter — Haydn McMillen

Yates City — Kaitlyn Gray

ASSOCIATE IN GENERAL STUDIES

Abingdon — Madison Walter

Aledo — Tanner Sedam

Cameron — Danielle Bowling

Carthage — Michelle Nicol

East Galesburg — Sarah Mathews

Galesburg — Olivia Hillhouse, Morgan Mudd, Tucker Vandewostine

Knoxville — Piper Lewis

ASSOCIATE IN SCIENCE

Cameron — Chase Bryant

East Galesburg — Sarah Mathews

Galesburg — Cynthia Dickson, Caleb Monzo

Katy, Texas — Tiera Hall

Kilbourne — Hunter Snyder

Knoxville — Drake Dillon

Monmouth — Jessica Wilkinson

Rochester, NY — Larah Cledanor

Roseville — Summer Daniel

San Antonio, Texas — Lillian Covarrubias

ASSOCIATE IN APPLIED SCIENCE

Business administration

Colchester — Makayla Cox

Criminal justice

Cambridge — Skye Fontanez

Galesburg — Colten Myers

Information technology & cyber security

Gilson — Nicholas McDaneld

Medical assistant

Abingdon — Zoe Brooks-Smice

Monmouth — Grecia Ojeda Sanchez

Mortuary science

Batavia — Robert Merrill

Galesburg — Olivia Minorini

Knoxville — Ariel Niles

West Point, Iowa — Elizabeth Tippey

Nursing

Galesburg — Jeff Kipkorir

Portland, Ore. — Allan Kipruto

CERTIFICATES

Medical assisting 

Abingdon — Zoe Brooks-Smice

Aledo — Ericka Sedam

Alexis — Hannah McNabb

Galesburg — Selma Frey, Carlie Garcia

Knoxville — Andrea Olinger

Monmouth — Dzemila Ahmetovic, Chloe McCutcheon, Grecia Ojeda Sanchez, Alondra Perez Godina, Alissa Underwood

North Henderson — Kloey Scott

Roseville — Jesslin Wainman

Practical nursing

Abingdon — Tyler Carlson Juhl

Carthage — Kailin Mapes

Galesburg — Ivine Chemutai, Cherrie Chesang, Lindzey Crozier, Taleah Kennedy, Mathew Kiplagat, Amanda Smith, Terryn Smith

Monmouth — Eya Massan Akpabli, Alyssa Lujan, Nicole Mabry

Oneida — Desiree McKinney

Rock Island — Anna Dean

Sutter — Haley Evans

West Point — Dacota Smith

Williamsfield — Diane Sutton

Rebecca Williamson - LETS TALK ALL THING ABOUT NAUVOO GRAPE FESTIVAL  this weekend

Illini West High School Announces Homecoming 2026 Parade and Celebration Details

CARTHAGE, IL — The 2026 Illini West Homecoming is quickly approaching! The Illini West High School Student Council invites local businesses, community organizations, and area residents to celebrate Homecoming 2026 with this year’s theme, "Where the Party Never Ends."

The annual Homecoming parade will take place on Friday, September 18, 2026. Parade participants will line up at 4:00 p.m. at the Trinity Lutheran Church parking lot (located at the intersection of Washington and Walnut Streets) before proceeding west down Main Street toward the Carthage Square. The parade will officially begin at 4:30 p.m.

Directly following the parade, a community pep rally will be held on the Carthage Square. The 2026 Homecoming King and Queen will be announced on the north steps of the Hancock County Courthouse during the rally. Later that evening, the Illini West Chargers will face off against Hamilton/Warsaw in the Homecoming football game.

Parade Entry & Registration Information

Community members, clubs, and local entities wishing to enter a float, car, or walking group in the parade must submit an entry form prior to the event. Participants are asked to leave room during lineup for the Illini West Marching Band and the Homecoming Court.

To register, submit the following details via email, mail, or fax:

• Name of Group/Organization:

•  

• Contact Person:

•  

• Phone Number:

•  

• Email Address:

•  

• Type of Entry (e.g., walking group, car, float):

•  

Submissions can be directed to:

Attn: Melissa Sturlic

Illini West High School

600 Miller St., Carthage, IL 62321

Email: melissasturlic@illiniwest.org

Fax: 217-357-3569

###

Illini West- Confirmed Case of MRSA  within Football Program - Principle Amanda Congdon   full transparency to community 

3rd annual Coach Rodney Blue Charitable Run on Sept. 19

The Sandburg Foundation will host the third annual Coach Rodney Blue Charitable Run at 8 a.m. Sept. 19 on the Galesburg campus to honor the late Chargers cross country coach and support his legacy for future cross country student-athletes at Sandburg.

Runners and walkers of all ages and skill levels are invited to register for this non-competitive event. Registration is $30 for ages 13 and over, $20 for ages 12 and under and free for current Sandburg students. On-site registration will also be available. 

An opening ceremony will take place at 8 a.m., and the 5K run/walk will start at 8:30 a.m. A 1K run/walk will begin at 8:35 a.m. Both routes will start in the circle drive of the Science & Technology Center, go through the bus lane in parking lot A, turn right onto Tom L. Wilson Blvd., turn left past building G and head south on Log City Trail. A return route will follow that same path.

Money raised will go toward the Coach Rodney Blue Cross Country Team Fund, which has raised more $14,500 to support the Sandburg cross country program and its student-athletes.

For those who don’t want to participate in the run/walk but would still like to support the Coach Rodney Blue Cross Country Team Fund, donations can be made through the Sandburg Foundation.

Blue passed away in July 2024 at age 66. He first joined the Chargers as an assistant in 2011 and led the men’s and women’s cross country teams from 2015 to his passing. Blue steered the program to its most successful stretch ever, winning five Region 4 championships and sending a team or individual to the NJCAA national meet in each of the eight seasons it fielded a squad during his tenure.

For more information, contact Emma Smith, student engagement specialist, at 309.345.3522 or esmith@sandburg.edu.

Due to the Extreme Heat, Dallas City Elementary will be dismissing at 12:30 p.m. Today.

Early Dismissal at 12:30 pm

Dallas Elementary School District #327

Wednesday, September 2, 2026

The new Carthage Library is Open and Amy Gee  and  Christina Geissler have all the updates