When Wilbur Meyer’s mother gave him a box of old letters, he removed their stamps to add to his collection and threw the letters in the attic, where they stayed for about 45 years.

About five years ago, his wife, Peggy Meyer, came across the 23 letters, which were the correspondence of a husband, Thomas Blair Wooff, and his wife, Lovinia Jemina Pond Wooff, of Concord. The pair had been separated during the Civil War.

District 709 residents agree that conditions need to improve at the district's elementary schools.

But they're not real excited about the two construction/renovation options favored by a community committee. Each option includes the closing of Jefferson Elementary School, the oldest school in the district.

Department heads and Morton Village Board trustees spent Monday night mulling over the numbers and trying to find a way to keep Morton’s general fund budget afloat without seriously affecting the services in Morton.

By 10 p.m., they were able to find $1.86 million to cut from the upcoming fiscal-year budget and offset a $2.7 million general fund deficit.

Tazewell County Board member John Ackerman is once again under investigation for questionable activity.

Ackerman, 31, of Washington, was questioned by Tazewell County Sheriff’s Department investigators, and allegedly admitted to taking several political signs belonging to then-Tazewell County treasurer candidate Mary Burress, who went on to win the primary.

A Morton man ended up with a gunshot wound in his upper left arm after a shooting that occured in Peoria Sunday.

For four of the last five years, the Bill family of Morton spent their early winters constructing a miniature ice-skating rink in their front yard.

A steady mix of water and freezing temperatures have helped the Bill family create a childhood winter playground.

On his first day of training at Morton Family Restaurant, 17-year-old Marcus Bowen met a new group of people and learned the duties of his new job, just as any buser would.

But some would say Bowen, a student with developmental disabilities at Morton High School, had another obstacle to overcome on an already stressful first day of work.

In the unfortunate circumstance that a call is made involving a case of child abuse, first responders walk a fine line when they arrive on scene.

Emergency personnel, school administrators, social service and mental health personnel — basically any member of an organization from which a child receives assistance — must react with composure. They must take sides with the child who was allegedly abused. It is crucial for first responders to gather all the information and details all while managing the emotions of those involved.

Artifacts that tell the history of Tazewell County, which was established more than 180 years ago, are currently placed in an overcrowded space in Pekin. The Tazewell County Museum and Educational Center is looking to expand their space to successfully display some hidden collections.

Three Morton High School students were arrested Friday at the school during the men's basketball game vs. Limestone.

Staci Pollard and her family had only been to the Morton Knights of Columbus fish fry once before, but they said the great food and the Lenten season brought them back for more Friday.

“We’re Catholic and we give up meat on Fridays,” said Pollard. “We’ve only been here during Lent.”

Former residents of Cape Cod Village may have been surprised when they recently received letters informing them of a return from their former rented residence following a class-action lawsuit that was settled by the Morton apartment complex.

A homeowner and his dog are safe after a house fire this afternoon in Sunnyland.

Fire fighters with The Northern Tazewell Fire Department responded to the scene about 1:30 p.m. at 214 Esser St., where the front half of the small house was engulfed in flames, said Northern Tazewell Department Fire Chief Ray Kiddy.

District 709 may be replacing the water-damaged, aging floor in the main gym at Morton High School sooner rather than later.

Superintendent Roger Kilpatrick told School Board members Tuesday he recommends replacing the floor as early as spring, so the job can be completed in time for graduation ceremonies.

Joining together to make their voices heard, area chambers of commerce have planned a trip to the state capital next month.

The chambers in Chillicothe, East Peoria, Morton, Pekin, Peoria and Washington have created a coalition called the Central Illinois Regional Chambers Legislative Effort (CIRCLE).