WIUM Local

One year ago, an estimated 3,000 partiers gathered on a two block stretch of Wheeler Street in Macomb to celebrate the approaching end of the WIU school year.

Broken glass littered the street, numerous arrests were made, and a crowd control team was needed to break up the gathering.

The scene was much different this past weekend. Police were there to keep an eye on things but there was not much to see. Several smaller parties were held, no arrests were made, and no citations were issued.

Carthage will receive a $252,000 federal Community Development Block Grant to rehabilitate up to six homes.

Mayor Jim Nightingale said, ”It's a good program if the house is not in too bad a shape. You
just can't take a really old run-down house. There's not enough funds to fix those up.”  

The repairs can be fairly extensive. They can include electrical upgrades, plumbing, and weatherization.

The homes have not been selected.

The Western Illinois Regional Council will supervise the process.

The homes have not been selected.

Mount Sterling, Iowa will try again when it comes to un-incorporating itself. 

Mayor Tom Allen says Mount Sterling has been operating for years under the assumption that its city council has just three members.  The current roster is Tonya Putnam, DiAnna Allen, & Judy Ash.

That is why no one questioned it when Putnam and Allen voted to discontinue the town of roughly 40 people in rural Van Buren County on April 11. 

Keokuk could make it easier for downtown properties to be developed.

Fire Chief Gabe Rose says city code requires sprinkler systems be added to a downtown building if it is renovated for mixed use. 

Mixed use generally refers to commercial/retail business on the first floor and residential units on the upper level.

Rose is proposing a change that would provide an exemption to the sprinkler system requirement for certain buildings.

The field of candidates for a vacant seat on the Fort Madison City Council continues to grow.

The opening was created by the resignation of Alderman At-Large Brad Randolph upon his appointment as Mayor.  He replaced Steve Ireland, who passed away last month.

Six men have applied for the position, including two former aldermen.

CANDIDATES

Former alderman Neil Boeding feels his experience on the city council would be a value as the panel continues to move the city in what he describes as a “positive direction.”