April 1 Consolidated Election Day

  April Fool’s Day 2025, was taken literally by this jolly voter, Jerry Scott, at one-of-two Mt. Pleasant precincts, in the City of Morrison Community Room, 307 S. Madison Street, Morrison, IL.  The Consolidated Election on Tuesday, April 1, also included Clyde residents. All 60 County precincts responded with votes; however

Secretary of State Flagship DMV Center Open

  Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias and Raven A. DeVaughn, Director of Illinois Department of Central Management Services (CMS), unveiled the Secretary of State Flagship Center on Tuesday, April 1, 2025, in the Chicago, IL, Loop.  The location is 125 W. Monroe Street. A ribbon cutting launched this new,

City Council Approves New Position 

    By Assistant Editor Jerry Lindsey. The Morrison, IL, City Council convened on Monday, March 31, 2025, without Alderman Vernon Tervelt in attendance.  Nathan Jacobs, Recreational Services Director, reported that summer programs sign-ups recorded Volleyball 47 and Soccer 120.  He also noted the beginning of Thursday, April 3, Bingo

April 1 Ballot Includes Safety Tax Proposition

  Whiteside County Clerk Karen Stralow submitted this Legal Notice, which explains a tax Proposition.  The text will appear on the ballot Tuesday, April 1, 2025. LEGAL NOTICE Notice is hearby given that at the Consolidated Election to be held on Tuesday, the 1st of April, 2025, the following proposition

Prepare for the Consolidated Election on April 1

  Whiteside County Clerk Karen Stralow seeks to inform voters, in advance of the upcoming Tuesday, April 1, 2025, Consolidated Election. Residents who had requested, last month, to be sent an Early Voting ballot have until Monday, March 31, to complete it and take it to the Whiteside County Courthouse. 

Submit Early Voting Ballots on Sunday or Monday

  Karen Stralow, Whiteside County Clerk, reminds citizens to submit their Early Voting ballot in the next two days–PRIOR TO the Tuesday, April 1, 2025, Consolidated Election.  Any valid registered voter in Whiteside County still has time to return their Early Voting ballot at the Whiteside County Courthouse, 200 E.

Northwest Illinois Film Festival “Shorts-A-Palooza 2025”

  Film enthusiasts and supporters of local, independent filmmaking are invited to attend the Fifth Annual Northwest Illinois Film Festival, “Shorts-A-Palooza 2025,” hosted by the Northwest Illinois Film Office.  This highly anticipated event will showcase an exciting collection of Illinois-produced independent short films. Mark your calendars for Wednesday, April 9,

Small Businesses and Farmers Hit Hard by Trump Cuts

Illinois farmers and rural small businesses were counting on Federal funding from the Rural Energy for America Program (REAP), to help finance cost-saving energy projects, like solar panels and energy efficiency upgrades.  However, the Trump Administration cut Federal funding.  This imperils most of Illinois’s expected $119.1 million in FY2024 REAP

Bipartisan Arsenal Workload Sustainment Act Introduced

  On Wednesday, March 12, 2025, Congressman Eric Sorensen (IL-17) and Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chuck Grassley (R-IA), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), and Joni Ernst (R-IA) introduced their bipartisan “Arsenal Workload Sustainment Act,” to help arsenals, like the Rock Island Arsenal, maintain existing union jobs, attract new projects and workers, and

Sorensen Introduces Bill to Stop Social Security Office Closures

  Congressman Eric Sorensen is fighting to protect Americans from the Trump-Musk plan to gut Social Security.  Sorensen introduced the “Keeping Our Field Offices Open Act, ” which aims to prevent the closure of critical Social Security field and hearing offices.  This bill would ensure continued access to vital services

1% Taxes Replaced by Council

  The report was written by Assistant Editor Jerry Lindsey. Editor’s note:  During Public Comment, nine-year-old Wren West addressed the members, urging them to repaint faded bicycle route striping on City streets.  Sister Gillian, age 12, stood with her at the microphone.  Following is the multi-signature petition Wren submitted. Editor’s

House Democrats Take Action to Protect the Right to Vote

  Ahead of the 60th anniversary of “Bloody Sunday” and the historic Civil Rights March from Selma to Montgomery, AL, Congressman Eric Sorensen joined his House Democratic colleagues, to reintroduce H.R. 14, the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act.  The bill would:     •restore and modernize the protections of

Representative Spain Shares Fight for Fair Maps

  Editor’s note:  Left-to-right are IL House of Representatives Tony McCombie, Ryan Spain, and Dan Ugaste. At the request of the Illinois Supreme Court, Illinois House Republicans filed a brief with the Illinois Supreme Court last week, to further argue the case for fair maps in the State of Illinois. 

JCE Co-op & Whiteside Co. Celebrate Rural Broadband Fiber Deployment

  The transformative broadband fiber deployment project in Whiteside County and Northwest Illinois has reached a significant milestone.  JCE Co-op (formerly Jo-Carroll Energy Co-op) announced its 7000th fiber customer, with the connection of Garden Plain Township.  To commemorate this achievement, representatives from JCE Co-op, Whiteside County, and Garden Plain Township