Beardstown Police News

Derek Rayborn, 37, Beardstown, was ticketed for speeding 21 -25 mph above the speed limit on March 14.

Tom Schlueter

Tom Schlueter was born and raised in Beardstown. He is married to Tommi and has raised six kids, Brook, Megan, KaLynn, Dylan, Jordan, and Ava here.

BASA Black Attack win State Championship

The Beardstown Area Special Athletes Black Attack Basketball Team are State Champions! Playing in the Special Olympics State Tournament on Saturday, March 8 and Sunday, March 9 in Bloomington, the Black Attack won the 2025 Division 16 Title. There were seventeen different divisions competing with Division 17 being the top division.

Area girls earn basketball honors

With the season wrapping up with last weekend’s IHSA State Tournament, postseason honors are starting to roll in for some area girls basketball players. Topping the list is PORTA/A-C Central’s Carson Arthalony who received Special Mention from the Illinois Basketball Coaches Association on the Class 2A All-State Team.

BHS Tabs New Gridiron Coach

  The Beardstown High School football team officially has a new head coach. The school board has hired Chris Sawyers as head coach for the 2025 season.

Postseason Junior High Volleyball

The Seventh Grade Lady Knights of A-C Central are the 2025 Class 1A Ashland Regional Champions. After an opening round win over Lincoln Carroll Catholic, the second seeded Knights defeated third seeded Chester-East Lincoln in the semi-final game last Tuesday 25-16, 25-17.

PACT accepting applications for the 2025/26

PACT for West Central Illinois is now accepting applications for the 2025/26 program year for pregnant women and children ages birth to four who live in Adams, Brown, Cass, Hancock, McDonough, Pike, Schuyler, and Scott Counties.

McClure resigns as Virginia mayor

During the mayor comments section of the March 10 Virginia City Council meeting, Mayor Randy McClure had City Clerk Ashley Cox read a prepared statement. Mayor McClure then read a resignation letter siting “personality conflicts have hindered progress as some members of the board refuse to work with or undermine my position as mayor.” He feels that it is in the best interest of Virginia for him to step down and let someone else take over as to not “hinder the progress that we desperately need.” And with that he got up from his position, left the council chambers.

Meet Liliana Fuentes Red Cross Regional Program Manager, BHS graduate

Liliana Fuentes is the Regional Program Manager for Services to the Armed Forces (SAF) at the American Red Cross, overseeing the implementation and coordination of SAF programs across the Illinois region, with a primary focus on the south and central areas. As the sole SAF staff member outside of the greater Chicago area, she ensures military service members, veterans, and their families receive the support they need during times of crisis, transition, and separation.