WLDS-AM (Springfield, IL)

Jacksonville School District 117 Superintendent Steve Ptacek is looking back at where the district was — and where it’s going — as he begins his final year on the job. Ptacek says that the district is going to be going through a large amount of change over the next 2-3 years at all levels of personnel as well as 4 school board seats open for election in April. Ptacek reflected on the condition of the district when he arrived in 2013.

The AC Central school board is now moving forward with plans to explore options for sports with schools other than the Porta school district. A statement by the AC Central school board members on Facebook says the board feels it’s the school district’s next, and best option, after the Porta School board voted to dissolve the co-op sports arrangement with AC Central last month. That’s over two years ahead of the intergovernmental term agreement between the districts.

Crimestoppers this week in Morgan-Scott and Cass counties is focusing on theft reports of bikes in Jacksonville. The one theft report identified is the theft of an E-Bike at Lincoln Square. Police say the E bicycle was taken from outside a business about 6:45 last Saturday. The model in the report was a Sports-T model and black in color. It is one of several reports of bike thefts, electric or otherwise recently in the city. Police want the public’s help in locating the bikes.

Police agencies in Macoupin County has noticed an uptick in rural thefts this month. The Macoupin County sheriff’s department has had an influx of thefts of motors and copper wire from grain bins. Thieves use the copper from the wiring to turn in to recycling for money. The department says the thefts have been mainly reported in the Palmyra, Girard and Virden areas. Officers anticipate more with the beginning of the harvest season.

Sewer work will prompt a road closure in South Jacksonville next week. The intersection of Michigan and Diamond will be closed starting Monday until further notice due to replacement of a sewer main. Local traffic for Pendick and Southville will need to use Church Street for access. Detour for traffic heading west on Michigan will be Church Street. Detours for those heading east will be Michigan and Tendick. In addition, the bridge has been replaced on Woods Lane.

By Gary Scott on August 27, 2026 at 8:03am

Pike County deputies are investigating a bomb threat called into a Barry business earlier this week. The call came in about 7:45 Tuesday morning to the Ascend Wellness Cannabis plant in Barry. The hotline call claimed there were explosive devices at the plant. Pike County deputies evacuated the plant, and searched the premises. A canine was used in the search, and no explosives were found. The origin of the call is being investigated.

Jacksonville Main Street wants to know what the public feels about downtown Jacksonville. A survey is offered on line from Main Street, and takes about 10 minutes to complete. Main Street director Judy Tighe says the survey asks a series of questions about what is needed downtown. She says the types of stores, what people like about the current stores, hours and products. Tighe says people have a couple of weeks to take the survey. She hopes to wrap up the survey by mid September.

Jacksonville should get an answer soon about a grant application to pay for new playground equipment at Nichols Park. The council will submit the application by the end of this week. It is for $920-thousand. The city needs to match half of that amount, or about $460-thousand. Parks and lakes committee chair alderwoman Lori Large Oldenenttal says the city failed to get a grant from the Open Space Acquisition and Development Grant program last year for new pickleball courts.

By Gary Scott on August 26, 2026 at 8:03am