The Taylorville Kiwanis Club held their first drive-thru donation day of 2024 on Saturday, May 4th, in front of our studios at 918 East Park in Taylorville. Kiwanis Members Larry Kemner and Dean Ray worked the tent and accepted non-perishable foods and monetary donations to benefit the Taylorville Food Pantry. 

According to Amy Hagen, Coordinator at the Taylorville Food Pantry, the need for food donations rises during the summer months as students no longer receive daily breakfast and lunch from school, highlighting the importance of monetary and food donations at this time.

Larry Kemner says with the Kiwanis Club involved for so many years, the giving community shows up time and time again.

Kiwanis Member Dean Ray explains the reasoning behind accepting monetary donations as the TFP is able to stretch those dollars much further, buying food in bulk.

Saturday, May 18th is the next time the Kiwanis Club will be back out for a drive-thru-donation day to benefit the Taylorville Food Pantry, accepting non-perishable foods and monetary donations in front of our studios located at 918 East Park in Taylorville.

Taylorville High School will be holding a Colors of Pride Festival on Sunday, May 5th on the Taylorville High School Turf from 12 PM to 2 PM.  The Colors of Pride is Taylorville High School’s LGBTQ Support and Advocacy Group.  It is a safe space for LGBTQ members to support one another and collaborate about promoting inclusivity in the school and community.  

The festival is being held to bring the community together and show the community that there is a bridge between community and school while promoting physical health. While you are there you can cheer on members as they participate in the 3rd Annual COP Walk-A-Thon, enjoy homemade treats from the student-led bake sale, sing and dance at the Karaoke Station, enjoy free kids activities including yard games, arts and crafts, and face-painting, participate in a selfie scavenger hunt, where you can win exciting prizes, and visit the LGBTQ information table for information and resources. 

Again, the event will be on Sunday, May 5th, at the Taylorville High School Turf from 12-2 PM. 

Lincoln Land Community College is gearing up for its annual graduation commencement set to take place on Friday, May 17, at 7:30 p.m. The ceremony will be held at the Bank of Springfield Center in Springfield.

This year, the spotlight will shine on Divina Sha Kluge, a local resident from Springfield, who has been chosen as the commencement speaker. Kluge, a dedicated student, is on the brink of earning her associate in applied science degree in integrated media design from LLCC. Apart from her academic pursuits, Kluge is also recognized as the weekend news anchor for WAX 93.9 FM. 

Students Alexa Maher and Olivia Marchizza will also be honored, both hailing from Auburn. Maher, who has maintained an impressive 4.0 GPA, has been actively involved in various leadership roles, including president of the Honors Program Student Club and treasurer of Phi Theta Kappa. Marchizza, named a Phi Theta Kappa 2024 New Century Transfer Pathway Scholar, has demonstrated exceptional leadership skills as Vice President of Scholarship for Phi Theta Kappa and Vice President of the Honors Program Student Club. Alongside her academic endeavors, Marchizza has been a valuable member of the women's basketball team and Fellowship of Christian Athletes. She is set to graduate with an associate in science degree and intends to pursue a master's degree to fulfill her dream of becoming an occupational or speech therapist.

The 2024 LLCC Honored Alumni Award will be presented to David Western, an embedded software engineer at Lockheed Martin. Western's journey began at LLCC, where he laid the foundation for his academic pursuits. He earned a bachelor's degree in aerospace engineering from Missouri University of Science and Technology, followed by a Master's degree in Space Resources from Colorado School of Mines. During his academic tenure, Western was actively engaged in research projects, including one sponsored by NASA to develop a CubeSat. Currently, Western is deeply involved in developing flight software for the U.S. Space Force's early warning missile detection and tracking satellite program, slated for launch in 2025.

As the date for the commencement ceremony draws near, anticipation rises, celebrating the achievements of these individuals and marking the beginning of new chapters in their lives.

The Lincoln Land Community College Choir and Band are inviting the public to some upcoming free concerts that will be taking place this spring on campus. The theme of LLCC’s Choir performance is “Glory”.  The choir will perform on Friday, May 3rd at 1 PM in A. Lincoln Commons.  The performance is said to include uplifting music across different styles including American Spirituals, jazz, pop, choral classics, and folk songs.  Justin Johnson, LLCC vocal music instructor is also set to perform. The choir is directed by Dr. See Tsai Chan, an instructor of music.  

The LLCC Jazz Band is set to perform in concert on Monday, May 6th at 7 PM,  in the A. Lincoln Commons.  The performance will feature “St. James Infirmary,” “Fly Me to the Moon,” “Stompin’ at the Savoy,” “That Old Black Magic,” and more.  The band is directed by Jason Waddell, LLCC professor of music.  Soloists include Dustin Suits of Loami, Miriam Carter, Colin DeFord, Aerwyna Eastvold, Ryan O’Neal of Springfield, and Nick Horn of Mason City.  

Find out more information by visiting LLCC’s website. 

There will be two separate blood drives that will take place on May 16th and 17th. On Thursday, May 16th from 10 AM until 3 PM, Taylorville Memorial Hospital will be holding a blood drive at the ImpactLife Donor Bus at TMH. On Friday, May 17th, there will be the Taylorville Christian Church & Visionway School Community Blood Drive from 11 AM until 6 PM at the Hub at 1124 N. Webster Street in Taylorville.  

To donate at the TMH blood drive contact ImpactLife Springfield at 800-747-5401 or visit www.bloodcenter.org and use code 60050.  To donate to the Taylorville Christian Church and Visionway Blood Drive contact Steve Basham at 217-824-6621 or visit www.bloodcenter.org and use code 61296 to locate the drive. 

Potential donors must be at least 17 years of age (16 with parental permission) and weigh more than 110 pounds.  A photo ID is required to donate.  For questions about eligibility, please call ImpactLife at 1-800-747-5401.  Donors who last gave blood on or before March 22nd are eligible to give at the drive.  

ImpactLife is the provider of blood products and services to more than 125 hospitals and Emergency Medical Services in Illinois, Iowa, Missouri, and Wisconsin.  Locally, they provide to Pana Community Hospital and Taylorville Memorial Hospital. 

Illinois House Democrats Wednesday passed legislation out of the House which Republicans say was filed at the last minute and completely lacking in transparency. 

An amendment was filed on Senate Bill 2412 Wednesday morning and it was assigned to the House Executive Committee.  A hearing was held shortly there after and on Democrat votes, it passed out of committee.   Two hours later, the bill was brought forth for a vote on the House floor.

The measure would put three questions on the statewide ballot.  Illinois currently limits the number of questions that can appear on a statewide ballot to three.  That means any other questions advocates would like to see on the ballot, have been squeezed out.   Earlier this year, advocates were in Springfield collecting signatures and discussing a possible advisory question, asking whether parents should have to grant approval for their children to receive gender-affirming care.  With the three questions approved by House Dems; the parental question, or any other planned proposal, could not be put on the fall ballot. 

State Representative Brad Halbrook says it’s an effort to freeze out Republicans.

One of the referendum issues put forth by House Dems, adds questions about a property tax relief package that Illinois Republicans say Democrats would never consider passing through the legislature to give Illinoisans the tax relief they deserve.

Senate Bill 2412 was originally about placing children in adequate homes, but the amendment has turned it into an election bill. The bill passed with 67 Democrat votes.   House Republicans all voted present as a protest vote.

The Illinois State Comptroller's Office, responsible for distributing approximately 2.9 million checks annually, is expressing concern over a proposed change in mail distribution by the US Postal Service. The change would mean redirecting state mail from a facility in Springfield, Ill., to a distribution center in St. Louis, Mo., before reaching recipients, potentially causing delays.

In a release sent by Susana Mendoza, Illinois State Comptroller, these payments are said to be crucial for providers of home service programs, emergency child support, and various human and social service entities across Illinois and neighboring states. Timely delivery is important, as even a one-day delay can significantly impact vulnerable populations served by these providers.

The Comptroller's Office is seeking assurances from USPS that the proposed change will not compromise delivery timelines. Specifically, they request a thorough impact analysis to assess potential risks and ensure plans are in place to handle any adverse effects on performance. Several Illinois Congressional delegation members have also voiced similar concerns, explaining the need for a comprehensive evaluation before implementing the distribution network shift.

The Comptroller's Office is available to discuss any questions regarding this switch and contact information can be found here.