WIUM Local

The old will meet the new in downtown Rushville when wireless Internet service is installed for Central Park.

“I'm not saying Rushville will be overrun by people needing that service, but it is a convenience and it's another element to attract people downtown,” said Mayor Scott Thompson.

Thompson said the service will be installed by Cass Communications, probably next month. The city has a one-year contract with the company, which will be paid just $150 per month.

“For all intents and purposes, we're their beta site,” Thompson said. “This is a first for them.”

Colchester will have to find $100,000 to pay for the design of a large-scale sewer upgrade. It's hoping to get some help to prevent dipping into its reserves.

The city's new budget does not have enough revenue to pay for the project.

The state turned down the city's application for a grant last year. The grant would have covered the design cost.

Mayor Danny Bice hopes the EPA will change its mind.

Another rejection would leave the city few options.

The new Center for the Study of Masculinities and Men's Development at Western Illinois University will primarily conduct research.

Director Tracy Davis says it will offer new perspectives on those issues.

For example, he is collaborating on a study of African-American men he hopes will have insights about successful black men in higher education.

He says, “If you read the (professional) literature today the titles are going to say something about African-American men having, you know, lower ACT scores or having more psychological distress.“

McDonough County residents rank among the healthiest in West-Central Illinois.

The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation has ranked counties on the health of their residents in each state for the last three years.

McDonough County has improved its ranking in life expectancy and quality of life. The county moved up from seventh to sixth in Illinois this year. The county also moved up in the ranking for factors that contribute to a healthy life from 32nd to 28th in the state. They include the obesity rate, economic conditions and alcohol and tobacco use.

McDonough County residents rank among the healthiest in West-Central Illinois.

The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation has ranked counties on the health of their residents in each state for the last three years.

McDonough County has improved its ranking in life expectancy and quality of life. The county moved up from seventh to sixth in Illinois this year. The county also moved up in the ranking for factors that contribute to a healthy life from 32nd to 28th in the state. They  include the obesity rate, economic conditions and alcohol and tobacco use.

Time is of the essence when it comes to a multi-million dollar project at the Keokuk Municipal Airport.

The city council has awarded the contract for resurfacing the airport’s 5500 ft. runway to Shipley Contracting out of Burlington.

The company’s bid of just under $3.8 million came in roughly $1-million below original estimates.  The city received three bids but did not consider one of them.