Category Archives: WJBC’s Top Stories

Prairie Central honoring late students with court design ahead of 2023 season

Prairie Central honoring late students with court design ahead of 2023 season

By Jake Fogal FAIRBURY – The high school boys basketball season gets underway tonight for many school’s in Central Illinois, including the team up at Prairie Central High School. Prairie Central one season ago went 31-3, and hoisted the regional championship trophy before falling in sectional play to Pontiac. This season the Hawk’s play for…MORE

City leaders reflect 10 years after tornado in Washington

City leaders reflect 10 years after tornado in Washington

Ten years after a deadly EF-4 tornado with maximum wind speeds of 190 miles per hour tore through the city of Washington, current and past city leaders are reflecting on how they went from ‘search and rescue’ to ‘rebuild and recover.’MORE

Blogs

Labor Day – Expanding voting rights for all

By Mike Matejka Because of COVID, there is no Labor Day Parade this year.  It’s always a great event for our everyday workers to march proudly down the street and enjoys the festive crowd. If there had been a parade, this year’s Labor Day theme was to be “150 years of struggle: your right to vote.” …

Is federal mobilization the answer?

By Mike Matejka As President Donald Trump threatens to send federal marshals into Chicago, over the objections of Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker, recall another Illinois Governor who protested the incursion of armed federal personnel into the city.   Those federal troops, rather than calming, escalated the situation, leading to deaths and violence. Illinois poet Vachel Lindsay…

In these troubled times, to my fellow white Americans

By Mike Matejka Our nation is at a unique watershed in human relations. African-Americans have been killed too many times in the past before George Floyd, but the response to this man’s death is international and all-encompassing. I was a grade-schooler during the Civil Rights 1960s. I watched Birmingham demonstrators hosed and the Selma – Montgomery…

Workers’ Memorial Day – Remember those whose job took their life

Looking around our community, when we say employer, most will respond to State Farm, Country, or Illinois State University.   We too often forget those who are building our roads, serving our food, or our public employees. COVID-19 has made us more aware of the risk.  Going to work every day for some people means…