Richard J. Mark, the new President & CEO of Ameren Illinois, met with Jay Bartlett, President & CEO of Prairie Power, Inc., the ­generation and transmission co-op’s board of directors and Duane Noland, President & CEO of the Association of Illinois Electric Cooperatives on December 11 at PPI’s headquarters in Jacksonville. Both Mark and Bartlett [...]

The state’s website for community and individual ­information disaster ­preparedness is now even easier to use. The Illinois Emergency Management Agency (IEMA) launched an updated Ready Illinois website (www.Ready.Illinois.gov) to help connect people with information they need to be prepared for many types of emergencies. “The Ready Illinois website is a ‘one-stop shop’ for information [...]

Electric cooperative members who made energy efficiency a New Year’s resolution can score success in 2013 by changing a few things at home.  “Saving energy does not have to cost a lot of money,” said Brian Sloboda, senior program manager at NRECA’s Cooperative Research Network. “There are a lot of simple things you can do [...]

In September the members of Lincoln Prairie Water Company of Shelbyville agreed to merge with EJ Water Cooperative. The merger helps Lincoln Prairie members avoid a pending 9 percent rate increase plus 3 percent rate increases over the next two years. “They will actually have a slight rate decrease to match the water rate of [...]

  With a $10,000 donation from Shelby Electric Cooperative and CoBank, the Roxy Theatre in Shelbyville raised the money needed for its digital conversion. With the industry making fewer and fewer 35 mm movies, theaters had to change to digital equipment or close. “We needed to raise $65,000 to $70,000 for the conversion,” said Roxy committee [...]

The Paxton-Buckley-Loda School District should see a $1 million increase in revenue thanks to construction of the Pioneer Trail Wind Farm east of Paxton. That means property tax bills for homeowners should see a savings next summer. All of the 94 turbines owned by the wind farm are in the school district boundaries and valued [...]

If you or someone you know is at risk of ­foreclosure, or struggling with mortgage payments, the Illinois Foreclosure Prevention can help. Foreclosures affect more than just the family that loses its home. When our neighbors are displaced, the entire community is impacted. The goal of Governor Pat Quinn’s Illinois Foreclosure Prevention Network (IFPN) is [...]

Children learn about their environment by picking things up and putting them in their mouth. They imitate adults, and of course they can’t read labels or fully understand the cause and effect of eating something potentially harmful. The sole purpose of the Illinois Poison Center is to reduce the ­incidence and injury from poisoning. Historically, [...]

Farmers Mutual Electric Company held a ­special member meeting on Nov. 13 to discuss the plan and agreement of merger with fellow cooperative, Jo-Carroll Energy, Inc. (NFP). Farmers Mutual Electric’s members voted overwhelmingly to approve the merger with 87 percent voting in favor. A two-thirds majority was required for passage. During the meeting Farmers Mutual General [...]

The Land of Lincoln Honor Flight (LLHF) is accepting applications from veterans to see the memorials and monuments in Washington, DC. LLHF has a mission to ­provide round trip transportation and accommoda­tions from Abraham Lincoln Capital Airport in Springfield for any veteran, who is willing and able to fly, in order of their service. This [...]