State Board of Elections Sends Complaint Against Madison Co. Board Chairman To Hearing; Denied Motion To Reconsider –
Madison Co., Ill. (ECWd) – This week, the Illinois State Board of Elections (“ISBE”) denied Madison County Board Chairman Chris Slusser’s Motion to Reconsider the board’s earlier determination that a complaint filed against Slusser was, in part, filed on justifiable grounds, sending that portion of the complaint to a public hearing. Video of this week’s […]
Kathy Yancy-Smith Voted In Favor Of Superintendent, Then Obtained Financial Windfall –
Kankakee, Ill. (ECWd) – During the July 2026 board meeting of Kankakee School District 111, board member Kathy Yancy-Smith was one of the votes to permit the school superintendent to continue living outside the district and then voted to extend the superintendent’s contract with a pay raise. The residency question only passed by 1 vote. […]
If We Ignore One Sentence In Hospital District Law, We Can Do What We Want –
Crawford Co., Ill. (ECWd) – According to the Hospital District Law, the district board has at least this power: To establish and maintain a hospital and hospital facilities within or outside its corporate limits, and to construct, acquire, develop, expand, extend and improve any such hospital or hospital facility. However, the very next sentence in […]
Kathy Yancy-Smith Must Reimburse $6,515.00 To Kankakee School District 111 –
Kankakee, Ill. (ECWd) – Any such “person” who fails to file (an SEI) by May 15 shall be subject to a penalty of $100 for each day… Here is the bottom line: You cannot fail at your job as an elected official (or one appointed to an elective position), incur a personal fine for your […]
AG: Caseyville Violated Open Meetings Act In Closed Session –
Caseyville, Ill. (ECWd) – The Illinois Attorney General’s Public Access Counselor (“PAC”) has issued a determination affirming what we already knew, that the Village of Caseyville violated the Open Meetings Act (“OMA”) on July 3, 2024, when it went in to closed session to discuss why the vote to pay the bills failed. “The open […]
Mattoon School District Placed Employee on Admin Leave After Her Facebook Post Wishing Death On 11-Year-Old –
Mattoon, IL. (ECWd) – “Mattoon CUSD #2 is aware of a recent social media comment made by a district employee that has caused significant concern within our community. We hold our staff to the highest standards of professional conduct, and the district does not condone this behavior. The actions of this employee are entirely inconsistent […]
Mattoon School Employee: “I Hope You Die Soon Little Girl” –
Mattoon, Il. (ECWd) – According to the girl’s father, after an 11-year-old girl posted a photo of herself sitting with some doves she harvested on a recent family hunting trip, an employee at the Mattoon School District thought it was a good idea to wish death upon her, by posting “I hope you die soon […]
$16,500 In Attorney’s Fees Awarded After Anti-SLAPP Dismissal of Pre-Primary Election Lawsuit –
Will County, Illinois — September 3, 2026 — A defamation lawsuit arising from a 2026 political and public-policy discussion has resulted in $16,500 in attorney-fee judgments following the court’s dismissal of claims under Illinois’ Citizen Participation Act. Former Will County Treasurer candidate, U.S. Navy veteran, and former President and current Commissioner of the Will County […]
Wabash General Hospital District With Approved Referendum To Operate Outside Its Corporate Boundaries –
Wabash Co., Ill. (ECWd) – Wabash General Hospital (“WGH”), a Hospital District in Wabash County, is another example of a hospital district complying with state law, when it passed a referendum where the voters authorized the district to operate outside of its corporate boundaries. Since this hospital district levies a property tax, the referendum is […]
Crawford Memorial Hospital District Operating Outside Its Boundaries Without Approved Referendum –
Robinson, IL. (ECWd) – This week, the Crawford (County) Memorial Hospital District will celebrate an open house for a clinic it opened in Newton, Illinois. Newton is located in Jasper County. This district levies a property tax to property owners in Crawford County. The district was formed in 1958 and the referendum and court order […]