Coal City Courant

Free meals for kids

Published by admin on Tue, 09/15/2020 - 4:56pm

Free meals will be available to students in the Unit 1 School District through the end of the calendar year.
Breakfast and lunch will be offered weekdays to kids in kindergarten through 12th grade through a waiver created by the United States Department of Agriculture [USDA].
Beginning this week the school district will offer free breakfast and lunch for all students on school days whether they qualify or not for free/reduced lunch.

Coal City plans to expand TIF District

Published by admin on Tue, 09/15/2020 - 4:55pm

The village of Coal City is moving forward with plans to expand the boundaries of its tax increment financing [TIF] district. A hearing has been scheduled to accept public comment on the proposal.
Coal City established its first TIF to encourage economic development nine years ago. Now it’s planning its fourth amendment expanding boundaries to the northeast, south and west.
In announcing plans to expand the district’s boundaries, the town’s administrator said the proposal is based on interest and the amount of available property prime for retail and industrial development.

Librarians on location

Published by admin on Tue, 09/15/2020 - 4:54pm

The Coal City Public Library District debuted a new program last week, and it will take patrons on a virtual tour of the community.
“Where in the World is the CCPLD Librarian” made its first stop at Coal City Fire Station 2 last week as librarians Rene Norris and Tricia Meyer put the spotlight on the Sept. 11 Memorial, a tribute to the men and women who died in the 2001 terrorist attacks.

Coal City Theatre is Broadway bound

Published by admin on Tue, 09/08/2020 - 4:36pm

The Coal City Theatre Department is heading outdoors for three events this fall, beginning with its annual Broadway Bound fundraising concert.
This year’s concert will take place on Broadway as the show moves to Coal City’s Campbell Memorial Park in order to accommodate a live audience.
Broadway Bound will feature 26 students performing a few of their favorite musical theatre songs on Friday, Sept. 11 with the first performance starting at 7 p.m.

School finances in good shape

Published by admin on Tue, 09/08/2020 - 4:35pm

An audit of the Unit 1 School District’s finances has been completed and the results show the district has once again met the standards for achieving financial recognition from the Illinois State Board of Education for its overall positive position.
The annual financial audit was conducted in July and took a comprehensive look at the district’s financial statements for fiscal year 2020 that ended on June 30.

Unit 1 switches athletic training services, saves $11,000

Published by admin on Tue, 09/08/2020 - 4:31pm

Rezin Orthopedics and Sports Medicine will provide athletic training services to the Unit 1 School District under a new agreement approved last week by the Board of Education.
After a June 24 study session, board members agreed in July to exercise an out clause in the contract with ATI Physical Therapy’s Sports Medicine Department. A clause in the long standing contract allowed the district to terminate its service agreement as long as 30 days’ written notice was provided.

Coal City looking for waste hauler

Published by admin on Tue, 09/08/2020 - 4:30pm

The village of Coal City is seeking a new waste removal contract, and requests for proposals [RFP] are going out with the goal of finding the best deal.
Village Administrator Matt Fritz informed trustees the proposal seeks costs for weekly collections including recycling, lawn waste and town cleanup events to serve the village’s roughly 2,000 users.
It’s the bi-annual curbside cleanup events—spring and fall— that have reportedly been driving up the costs.

Park district plans shelved, for now

Published by admin on Tue, 09/08/2020 - 4:29pm

A group of community minded citizens in the Coal City area put forth the idea of establishing a park district centered around a community center.
It’s been around a year since the idea was first presented to the public, but with the on-going pandemic and the recent announcement of Exelon Generation’s plan to retire the Dresden Generating Station, the future of a park district is in question.
Voter approval for the establishing a park district and a board of commissioners was slated to go before then community in April 2021.

Coal City Fire awarded $171,000 in equipment grants

Published by admin on Tue, 09/01/2020 - 4:36pm

Firefighters in the Coal City Fire Protection District will be strapping on new air packs soon, as a grant from the Federal Emergency Management Agency will fund a needed replacement of the aging equipment.
Congressman Adam Kinzinger recently notified the fire protection district that it had been awarded not one, but two FEMA Assistance to Firefighters Grants [AFG], the awards totaling $171,498.
AFG is a federally supported program with an allocation of $700 million with half of that dedicated toward safety awards going to departments nationwide.

#savedresden

Published by admin on Tue, 09/01/2020 - 4:33pm

Although not oblivious to the potential of a plant closure, Exelon Generation’s announcement of its intent to retire the Dresden Generating Station came as a shock to many in the community.
In a release issued by the company on the morning of Aug. 27, word came of Exelon’s plan to close the nuclear plant in November 2021, its Byron Station slated to close two month earlier in September 2021.