Rich Egger

As part of Heritage Days in Macomb, a model of the women's memorial statue was displayed near Chandler Park, not far from the location where it will be located.

“It gave me goose bumps when I first saw it. It's just a wonderful rendition of exactly what we were looking for,” said Tina Belz, co-chair of the McDonough County Social Service Memorial Committee of the Macomb Women's Club.

Illinois Governor Pat Quinn waited until late Friday afternoon to sign Senate Bill 2621, which is intended to relieve massive overcrowding in  the state's prisons.

The measure allows the Department  of Corrections to create a new early release program for certain  non-violent offenders.

Rich Egger's guest is Western Illinois Museum Curator Sue Scott. They talk about the museum's new exhibit Legacy of Learning: A History of Our Schools.

An opening reception will be held Saturday, June 23, 2012, 1:00 pm - 4:00 pm at the museum. Scott promises there will not be a test! The exhibit remains on display until September 22, 2012.

The exhibit follows a timeline. Scott said that will help visitors follow some of the nuances of information such as changes in ordinances and laws and the types of schools.

It's doubtful Illinois' pension crisis will be resolved soon.

Legislative leaders and the governor met Thursday, June 21 to discuss whether the state or local school districts should pay retirement costs for downstate and suburban teachers. The state picks up the tab now, but it doesn't pay for Chicago teachers' retirement benefits.

After the meeting, top lawmakers said they're going to spend five weeks studying school funding equality. Then they'll work on what to do about Illinois' hugely underfunded government pensions.

The Western Illinois University Foundation is donating a two-acre site to the city of Macomb. The plot is along West Adams Street, just south of the Old Macomb Cemetery.

Now that aldermen agreed during their June 18 meeting to accept the land, the McDonough County Historical Society can develop it into an entryway for the cemetery.

President Gordana Rezab told aldermen the Historical Society has consulted with landscape specialists who suggested creation of a wooded area and a restored prairie.

Last month Macomb Park Commissioners said they would not fill the vacant seat on the board. This month they agreed to appoint someone to that seat.

The new commissioner is Rachel Lester, who learned of the opening from a story in the McDonough County Voice. Lester is the Resident Services Manager for the Housing Authority of McDonough County.

Lester said her work is one reason why she applied for the park board seat.

Interviews for the general manager position at Tri States Public Radio on the Western Illinois University-Macomb campus will be held June 22, June 26 and June 28.  Current General Manager Dorie Vallillo will retire June 30.

Candidates include Sharon Faust, director of development, Tri States Public Radio; Jonathan Ahl, former news director at Iowa Public Radio (Des Moines); and Mike Savage, director and general manager of WKCC in Kankakee (IL).

The panelists talk about the New Orleans Times-Picayune's recent decision to cut back to just three print editions per week.  The 175-year old newspaper also handed out pink slips to numerous employees last week.

Panelist Lisa Kernek believes there is a move in the industry toward creating a hybrid between an on-line newspaper and one that's in print. She is saddened by the news out of New Orleans, though she thinks print will not go away.