“First, let me be clear in saying that I support mobile vendors. I think they bring variety, culture, convenience and many other positive aspects. Our local vendors (in my experience) are all great people providing a service to our communities. We want to encourage that, but also set guidelines for operating in the City of Monticello. This will allow vendors and property owners as well as City or State entities responsible for the safety of our public, to know the rules as to when, where and how food trucks operate. (more…)

Chris Loyd of Drew County was recognized at the Farm Bureau Statewide Agents and Agency Managers meeting in March for total performance during 2022.  Loyd received the Million Dollar Ring Award for outstanding insurance production.

Mike Zieman, LUTCF of Drew/Bradley Counties was recognized at the Farm Bureau Statewide Agents and Agency Managers meeting in March for total performance during 2022. Zieman received the Southern Farm Bureau Life Insurance Company Leadership Council award for outstanding insurance production.

Over 60 former Burlington Industries employees, from the Monticello plants, took part in a reunion of employees Saturday.

For decades, Burlington Industries was the main industry in Drew County, operating three manufacturing plants.

“Burlington Industries” plants closed in January 2021, although a company with Burlington in their name, operated some of the facilities, a short time longer.

Plans are being made to make the reunion an annual event, for the first weekend in April, each year.

The year long rumors of having an Arby’s built in Monticello appear to be coming true, based on a building permit application, recently submitted to the City of Monticello.

The location will be on Highway 425 N., between Rays, Commercial Bank, and the Marketplace.

No opening date or construction details have been announced.

If this proposed long-term lease, likely for 25 years, takes place, it could begin as early as July 1, of this year.

Drew Memorial is owned by Drew County, and would continue to be.

The transaction also requires support of approximately 1/2% sales tax increase for the hospital by members of the current Drew Memorial board of directors.

A wide range of questions were asked by the board and hospital staff, and doctors, most of which were answered with either descriptions that were pleasing to most, or in some cases, “just look at our past history of how we’ve dealt with other local hospitals that have joined our system.”

Local legislators, Ben, Gilmore, and Jeff Wardlaw, recently covered several important topics during a Farm Bureau Week event.

Topics included agricultural education & FFA, strategic cost effective broadband, crime & prison costs, veterinarian issues, and county fair funding.

The attached photo shows how slick the roads were late yesterday.

ARDOT has treated their main roads, as seen by the other photo, so some main highways are actually in better condition, today.

With that being said, outlying highways, and county roads are slick, according to Judge Griffin, early this morning.

Residents are asked to stay home, if possible, due to more predicted, freezing precipitation, later today.

The Chamber of Commerce held a Ribbon Cutting event on Thursday, for the Grand Opening of H&R Block in their new location at 514 West Gaines Street. (more…)