Macomb buys downtown building where Lincoln stayed
The city council this week agreed to pay $150,000 to acquire the south half of the structure built in 1857 as the Randolph House Hotel.
Mayor Mike Inman said the city would like to get the building into a developerβs hands so that the second and third floors can be redeveloped into an attraction for visitors and a place where they could stay.
06.02.2026 18:41 β
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New program revives older homes, opens paths to homeownership in Monmouth
Jamieson Community Center and Pattee Foundation are partnering to buy older homes in Monmouth, improve them, then sell them to individuals and families.
Jamieson Community Center and Pattee Foundation are partnering to buy older homes in Monmouth, improve them, then sell them to individuals and families.
The goal is to address Monmouthβs housing shortage, and to provide pathways to homeownership for lower-income residents.
06.02.2026 18:30 β
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SRC president leaving for job in Springfield
Curt Oldfield led SRC for 14 years.
Spoon River College President Curt Oldfield will leave the community college this summer to become president of Lincoln Land Community College in Springfield.
05.02.2026 15:16 β
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Galesburg woman sentenced for distributing βastronomicalβ amounts of meth
Nichole M. Schmidt, 43, was sentenced to more than 25 years in federal prison for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.
A Galesburg woman responsible for distributing what a federal judge called an βastronomicalβ amount of meth in Iowa was sentenced last week to more than 25 years in federal prison.
02.02.2026 20:08 β
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Mary Davis Home to close indefinitely in March
The announcement came the day after the Knox County board approved up to $500,000 in emergency funding for the juvenile detention center, and amid an ongoing federal class action lawsuit against the f...
The closure comes amid an ongoing federal class action lawsuit against the juvenile detention center, and months after a federal judge ordered administrators to make immediate reforms and end the use of solitary confinement.
30.01.2026 01:45 β
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βA good first step.β Monmouth to establish east-side TIF district with goal of developing new housing subdivision
The city council has approved an option to purchase nine-acre parcel on 12th Street and has given the go-ahead to establish a Tax Increment Financing district on the cityβs east side.
To address a need for single-family housing, the city of Monmouth plans to annex a parcel on the cityβs east side, build a new street, and extend water and sewer services with the goal of attracting home builders and developers to construct a new housing subdivision.
21.01.2026 20:15 β
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Macomb property chosen as first project for regional land bank
The Prairie Hills Land Bank Authority will seek a $1 million federal grant to clean up the former Haeger Pottery property in Macomb.
The Prairie Hills Land Bank Authorityβs first project will be the environmental cleanup of the former Haeger Pottery property, 411 W. Calhoun St. in Macomb.
14.01.2026 22:50 β
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Knox College welcomes Grammy winner S. Carey and John Raymond for Jazz Residency
The residency connects Knox students and the Galesburg community with world-class jazz artists for a week of workshops and collaborative activities. It will culminate in a free concert at the Orpheum ...
This yearβs artists-in-residence are John Raymond, a Grammy-nominated trumpeter celebrated for his innovative approach to jazz, and S. (Sean) Carey, a versatile, multiple Grammy Award-winning, multi-instrumentalist best known for his dynamic work with Bon Iver.
14.01.2026 15:38 β
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England pleads not guilty in fatal Lake Storey Road crash
A Galesburg woman has pleaded not guilty to aggravated DUI, reckless homicide, and drug possession in a fatal crash late last year on Lake Storey Road.
Ashley England was on pretrial release for a separate charge of drug possession when her car crossed the double center line in the 1300 block of North Lake Storey Road and collided with another vehicle on Nov. 22.
14.01.2026 14:35 β
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Galesburg District 205 considering boundary changes to balance elementary enrollment
The board could take action on the proposed changes in February or March.
The Galesburg school board on Monday heard a proposal to change school boundaries in two neighborhoods in order to better spread out enrollment in the district's three elementary schools.
13.01.2026 17:15 β
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Macomb hires new community development director
The team at Macomb city hall will have a new member beginning Jan. 20.
The city council agreed to hire Cesar Suarez to be Macombβs new community development director.
12.01.2026 19:39 β
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One-woman protest in Macomb: βThings arenβt right with our governmentβ
Cindy Owsley said she participated in 40 protests last year. This is already her second of 2026.
Americans have held demonstrations throughout the nationβs 250-year history. Some have been massive. Others, like a recent protest in Macomb, have been on the smaller side.
12.01.2026 15:43 β
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Flu activity surges as Illinois vaccination rates hover under 22%
Dr. Brian Curtis, Vice President and Chief Medical Officer for OSF HealthCare, said last yearβs surge in respiratory illness was due to a combination of influenza, COVID, and RSV. This year, itβs prim...
βWeβre busy,β said Dr. Brian Curtis, Vice President and Chief Medical Officer for OSF HealthCare, which operates hospitals in Galesburg and Monmouth. βRight now, I think everybody is. Clinics and PromptCares and OSF OnCalls and the hospitals are busy with respiratory illnesses.β
08.01.2026 20:30 β
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Money flowed and PACs attacked in local mayoral elections this year. Hereβs what the candidates spent.
Quarterly reports filed this week with the Illinois State Board of Elections show a couple of trends in local mayoral elections.
In Galesburg, former mayor John Pritchard's campaign spent more than $135,000 between Jan. 1 and March 31, which was 20 times more than incumbent Peter Schwartzman's campaign spent during the same time period to win the race.
21.04.2025 15:24 β
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Visas revoked for some WIU international students
The university's current international student enrollment is 652.
Western Illinois University says visas for βa small numberβ of its international students have been revoked.
10.04.2025 21:42 β
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Prayer service to support Haitian, other immigrants in Monmouth
The prayer service for immigrants and refugees will be at 7 p.m. Wednesday, April 9, in the sanctuary of First Lutheran Church, 116 S. B St., in Monmouth.
As some immigrants and refugees living and working in Monmouth are being notified by the federal government that they need to leave the country, faith leaders will host a prayer service for them on Wednesday night.
09.04.2025 14:06 β
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Bird sanctuary opens to the public in Macomb
The Wigwam Hollow Bird Sanctuary includes 200 acres of oak and hickory forests along with a five-acre restored prairie in the middle.
The Wigwam Hollow Bird Sanctuary, 1900 Wigwam Hollow Rd., includes 200 acres of oak and hickory forests along with a five-acre restored prairie in the middle.
04.04.2025 15:12 β
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βThe people have spoken and Iβm so excited.β Schwartzman wins second term
In a consolidated election that saw the highest voter turnout in decades, Peter Schwartzman won a second term as Galesburg mayor.
Schwartzman received 2,831 votes to win 54 percent of the vote, defeating challenger and former mayor John Pritchard by 376 votes, according to unofficial election results.
02.04.2025 14:52 β
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WIU board approves presidential salary
Board of Trustees Chair Carin Stutz praised the work done by WIU President Kristi Mindrup and her administrative team.
The Western Illinois University Board of Trustees gave unanimous approval to a starting salary of $320,000 for President Kristi Mindrup.
27.03.2025 12:57 β
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Macomb Food Cooperative looks to buy its own building
The co-op board is now putting together a building campaign to raise the money.
Board member Alyson Sturgis said theyβre also trying to raise the co-opβs profile in the community.
25.03.2025 14:45 β
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