News

Voters rule out home rule

Published by admin on Tue, 04/11/2017 - 5:15pm

When all of the votes were counted, it was clear a majority of Coal City voters were not in favor of home rule.
    On April 4, 81 percent of  voters said no to the town’s proposal to become a home rule unit, a status that would have provided the Village Board increased local control and the ability to implement local taxes.     Of the 922 votes cast on the issue, 747 were no.

Election results—Voters say no to home rule

Published by admin on Tue, 04/04/2017 - 10:09pm

Coal City voters said no to home rule, defeating the proposition by a vote of 770 to 179.

Grundy County voters defeated the county's request for a public safety sales tax. The final vote was 3,380 to 1,237.

Diamond Mayor Terry Kernc was successful in her bid for re-election defeating challenger Steven Kissel. Kernc collected 213 votes (Grundy and Will counties) to Kissel's 42 votes. In the uncontested commissioner race, Jeff Kasher 180 votes, Carolyn Wilson 146 votes and David Warner 166 votes.

Strong takes back mayor's seat-fire referendum passes

Published by admin on Tue, 04/04/2017 - 9:13pm

Preliminary vote totals

    Preliiminary results for the Tuesday, April 4 Consolidated Election, as reported by Will County Clerk Nancy Schultz Voots, includes vote by mail and early voting ballots. Election results will not be official until Tuesday, April 25 when provisional and grace period ballots are counted.
    As of election night, Will County had 419,882 registered voters, who cast 75,039 ballots. Voter turnout was 17.87 percent.

Road work everywhere

Published by admin on Tue, 04/04/2017 - 8:21pm

Projects will tie up traffic going north, east and west

Students polled about social norms

Published by admin on Tue, 04/04/2017 - 8:16pm

    Editor’s note: A question about releasing the results of the biannual Illinois Youth Survey was asked at the Chamber of Commerce forum last month. Candidate Tim Cragg, president of the Board of Education, made good on a promise to The Free Press Advocate, and that data has been released.
    Although its students have participated for many years, this is the first time the School District 209-U administration has agreed to release the results of the Illinois Youth Survey, as neighboring districts do.

VFW still plans to build

Published by admin on Tue, 04/04/2017 - 8:13pm

Elections may turn focus away from project, however

Road closures back for spring

Published by admin on Tue, 04/04/2017 - 7:59pm

Spring has sprung!

And just as allergies are sure to cause headaches, so are traffic hassles.

Signs are already hung for road closures headed to the area as the first wave of construction to hit Braidwood, with closures already underway on Strip Mine Road affecting traffic on the Coal City Road between Wilmington and Braidwood.

Closer to home, traffic is getting ready to come to yet another halt on Route 53 between Center Street and Division Street.

FBLA qualifies 10 for national competition

Published by admin on Tue, 04/04/2017 - 7:57pm

Coal City High School's chapter of Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) received the Robert T. Stickler Outstanding Chapter Award during the 68th annual State Leadership Meeting.
Over 1,400 members, advisors and guest from 64 chapters across the state participated in the 2017 conference held March 24 and 25 at the Crowne Plaza in Springfield. The two-day conference, with “A Legacy of Leadership” theme, included activities in personal development, business and leadership training, competitions and the election of the state executive council.

Two dead after call of shots fired

Published by admin on Tue, 04/04/2017 - 7:56pm

A call to the police on Sunday night of shots fired ended with two dead bodies and a death investigation.

The call came in around 9:15 p.m. on Sunday, April 2. The caller complained of possible shots fired at a home in the 200 block of Parkview Lane, near the center of the city.

Inside the home, police found two males, both deceased.

Capital improvements outlined in town budget

Published by admin on Tue, 04/04/2017 - 7:55pm

The village of Coal City is projecting over $12.3 million in expenditures in the coming year, and 35.2 percent of the proposed budget is earmarked for capital improvements.
    After weeks of discussion among the Village Board and department leaders, trustees have placed on a file a tentative fiscal year 2018 budget. The document takes into consideration annual and planned expenses, as well as long- and short-term debt.
    In his notes to the board, village administrator Matt Fritz spoke about the impact the June 2015 tornado continues to have on village finances.