News Headlines 8/26/25

The Illinois Department of Transportation has announced a resurfacing project on IL 104 to IL 107, located about two miles west of the Pike County/Adams County line. The work, which is expected to be completed next year, will primarily focus on resurfacing the roadway but will also include guardrail replacement, drainage upgrades, and adjustments to driving surface widths. Motorists should anticipate lane closures and are encouraged to avoid the area when possible.

Missouri is officially ending child marriage by raising the legal minimum age to 18, closing a loophole that previously allowed 16- and 17-year-olds to wed with parental consent if their spouse was under 21. The new law, which takes effect August 28, makes Missouri the 16th state to eliminate underage marriage. The change was championed by former state senator Holly Thompson Rehder, who married at 15 to escape an abusive home and later shared her experience to highlight the risks of teen marriage. Lawmakers advanced the bill with little opposition, emphasizing the need to protect minors from being forced or pressured into such life-altering decisions.

Winchester officials are working to install a life-size statue of Abraham Lincoln on the downtown square in time for the nation’s 250th anniversary on July 4. The site is historically significant as the location where Lincoln first delivered a speech in 1854 opposing the Kansas-Nebraska Act, which helped launch him back into the political spotlight. While a plaque already marks the event, Mayor Rex McIntire said the city wants a more prominent tribute. Supporters have raised about $14,000 toward the project and are seeking additional donations, though the final cost is unknown as they continue searching for an American-made statue. The effort aims not only to honor Lincoln’s legacy but also to attract visitors to Winchester, boosting local

tourism and business.

Illini Community Hospital is hosting a food distribution event on Thursday, September 4, at the Pleasant Hill Fairgrounds, located at 210 West Clay Street in Pleasant Hill. The distribution begins at 1:00 p.m., and food will be available on a first-come, first-served basis. The event is open exclusively to Pike County, Illinois residents and is expected to provide food for approximately 200 local families.