News

Playoffs tickets for Friday can be bought in advance

Published by admin on Tue, 11/04/2025 - 1:04pm

The Coalers will travel to Dixon on Friday for a 7 p.m. kickoff in Round 2 of the IHSA Football Playoffs. The school is located at 300 Lincoln Statue Drive, Dixon.
Coalers fans attending the game should park in the bus parking lot located adjacent to Peoria Avenue and enter through the back gate. After parking, walk down the alley and through the drop-off lot.
The back ticket gate is located in the southwest corner of the drop-off lot.
There is construction near the school that could limit parking in the area. So fans are encouraged to carpool.

Mayor: Hotel would fill serious need

Published by admin on Tue, 10/28/2025 - 4:19pm

Wilmington may be getting a new hotel. The proposed facility will be four-stories with 126 rooms. It will be located across the street from the new Love’s gas station on Illinois 53.
On Thursday, Nov. 6, the Wilmington Planning and Zoning Commission will hold a public hearing to consider testimony from the petitioner. All persons interested in attending will have an opportunity to speak.

Mastodon station has a target date for completion

Published by admin on Tue, 10/28/2025 - 4:15pm

The walls are taking shape for the Mastodon Station in Braidwood as construction workers make progress on what will be the city’s largest fueling center.
According to Dave Smith, CEO of Ridgeway Petroleum, the target date for the grand opening of the Mastodon station at Division Street and Coal City Road will be late spring, 2026.
“The projected opening date, I would just say is dependent upon the weather,” Smith said. “If there would be a date, it would be June 1. It may be sooner, but I think that's the fairest number I can give ”

Coal City will let grocery tax expire

Published by admin on Tue, 10/28/2025 - 4:08pm

Shoppers in Coal City will not see a tax on their grocery purchases next year. Coal City Mayor Dave Spesia announced that after evaluating the issue, the village’s board of trustees decided against continuing the tax when it expires on December 31.
“We are not going to impose the grocery tax in January,” Spesia said at the trustee’s meeting last week.
The mayor said that letting the tax expire will help local shoppers while also supporting local business like Berkot’s Super Foods.

Box City of Hope spends a night at RCHS

Published by admin on Tue, 10/21/2025 - 4:08pm

On Oct. 10, members of the RCHS Family, Career and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA) made their way to the front of the high school once again, to set up camp as well as bring awareness to hunger and homelessness.
Box City of Hope, an annual event hosted by the student organization, gives students a chance to understand the hardships faced by those experiencing homelessness, while raising funds and collecting goods for the local pantry.

Planning Comission to hold hearing on four-story hotel

Published by admin on Tue, 10/21/2025 - 4:04pm

The Wilmington Planning and Zoning Comission will consider a request by Gompers-Lewis Hospitality, LLC of Countryside, IL to build a four-story hotel at the northeast corner of Wilmington-Peotone Road and Illinois 53.
The developer is seeking a Planned Unit Development, plat and concept plan for the 11-acre site.
The vacant Illinois 53 parcel is currently owned by M20 Land Investments, LLC of Chicago.
The hearing will be held on Thursday, Nov. 6 at 5 p.m. at the Wilmington City Hall. The meeting is open to the public.

Diamond approves cannabis dispensary

Published by admin on Tue, 10/21/2025 - 3:31pm

The Village of Diamond is getting the area’s first cannabis dispensary, local officials said this week.
TreeHaus, which has a location on Gore Road in Morris, plans to open late this year or early 2026. The business will be located on East Division Street near the Naked Sun tanning salon.
TreeHaus will be “the first and only” dispensary to open in Diamond, Mayor Terry Kernc said. Diamond’s board of trustees in September approved an ordinance granting a special use permit for the dispensary to open in the village’s business district.

Who murdered Charles Haversham?

Published by admin on Tue, 10/14/2025 - 2:55pm

On the night of his engagement party Charles Haversham is found unresponsive in his private quarters—he’s not breathing and there’s no heartbeat—he was perfectly alive just hours earlier.
According to his maid Perkins, “never was there a man with more zest for life than Charles Haversham.” It was obviously murder, the one question that remains, who killed Charles Haversham…dun, dun, dun.

Two additional warehouses coming to logistic center

Published by admin on Tue, 10/14/2025 - 2:28pm

Wilmington city officials were told Tuesday that two more warehouses—to serve “Fortune 100” companies—will be built at the Ridgeport Logistics Center Intermodel Terminal Facility off Interstate 55 and Lorenzo Road.
Michael Stellino, attorney for Ridgeport, updated aldermen of the latest developments following a public hearing to amend the boundaries for Ridgeport’s TIF District.

Route 66 photographer to make local worldwide premiere

Published by admin on Tue, 10/07/2025 - 3:47pm

After logging thousands of miles and snapping hundreds of photos along America’s Mother Road, David Schwartz will make his worldwide premiere in Wilmington.
The renowned photographer will exhibit his award winning photography at Art of 66 on Sunday, Oct. 12 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., with a formal public reception, after which time Schwartz’s photos will be on display until Nov. 21.