Christopher D. Merrett, longtime director of the Illinois Institute for Rural Affairs (IIRA) at Western Illinois University, has been named dean of innovation and economic development, as well as special adviser to the president for innovation, at WIU.
On the heels of another recent multimillion-dollar community revitalization effort through his non-profit Rebuild Foundation, 2022 Serpentine Pavilion designer Theaster Gates was back in the South Side last week to celebrate the groundbreaking of the new St. Laurence Arts Incubator in Chicago.
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By Jeremy Coumbes on January 19, 2021 at 6:12pm
Both the Mayor and School District Superintendent are urging residents in the Jacksonville area to stay the course and not let COVID-19 numbers again rise.
Yesterday the Illinois Department of Public Health announced Region 3 metrics allowed the area to move out of Tier Resurgence mitigations altogether and back to Phase 4 of the original Restore Illinois plan.
The move allows for events such as indoor dining to resume with some restrictions, after being cut off completely since November.
Jacksonville Mayor Andy Ezard said today he is hopeful area businesses can start to get back on track now that COVID-19 restrictions have been relaxed.