TAYLORVILLE — U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona today recognized 325 schools as National Blue Ribbon Schools for 2021, including 18 schools in Illinois. The recognition is based on a school’s overall academic performance or progress in closing achievement gaps among student subgroups. Secretary Cardona made the announcement during his Return to School Road Trip,…

PANA — The Illinois Department of Transportation announced that con- struction on U.S. 51 from Cold Springs Road in Pana to the Shelby County line begins Sept. 20. The work will reduce U.S. 51 to one lane at times, with traffic control utilizing dynamic message signs, flag- gers and barricades. This million-dollar resurfacing proj- ect…

Ask state education board to adopt formal rules on enforcement actions Peter Hancock Capitol News Illinois SPRINGFIELD — Expressing concern that the Illinois State Board of Education might have overstepped its bounds by threatening to withhold fund- ing from school districts that do not enforce its mask mandate, a legislative panel on Tuesday urged the…

EDINBURG — The Village of Edinburg held a regular meeting on Monday, September 13 at 7:00 p.m. in the Village Hall with remote call-in. The Board heard from police officers from Taylorville bringing an agreement to the Village to have the Edinburg police department join with the Taylorville Emergency Response Team (ERT). The officers explained…

By CALVIN WOODWARD, ELLEN KNICKMEYER and DAVID RISING Associated Press  In the ghastly rubble of Ground Zero’s fallen towers 20 years ago, Hour Zero arrived, a chance to start anew.  World affairs reordered abruptly on that morning of blue skies, black ash, fire and death.  In Iran, chants of “death to America” quickly gave way…