☀ SUNSHINE STRATEGIES RADIO ☀
Weekly News Recap — Week of June 26, 2026
Macon · Piatt · DeWitt · Logan · McLean · Christian Counties
COLD OPEN / HOOK
What do a fallen tree... a hundred-million-dollar investment... a school board meeting... a 4-H horse show... and a dog performing Shakespeare have in common?
At first glance, nothing.
But this week, they all tell the same story.
It’s a story about what communities choose to invest in.
What we preserve.
What we neglect.
And what still manages to grow anyway.
Last week, a storm knocked down one of the oldest witness trees at Lincoln Trail Homestead State Park—the place where a young Abraham Lincoln first learned what it meant to build a life in Illinois.
That tree survived generations of floods, droughts, wars, elections, and change.
The storm finally took it.
But here’s the thing about witness trees.
Their job isn’t to live forever.
Their job is to remind us that we still have work to do.
I’m Jen McMillin, and this is Sunshine Strategies Radio—your weekly look at the stories shaping Macon, Piatt, DeWitt, Logan, McLean, and Christian Counties.
Let’s get started.
Roots and Reconstruction
Friends, I’m in a cloudy place today. Both literally and figuratively.
It’s getting ready to storm again here in Central Illinois. Again. And we hadn’t even finished cleaning up from last week’s storm — the downed branches, the debris, the mess that nobody’s coming to fix for us. We do it ourselves, the way we always do.
But the storm got me before I was ready. And the most devastating thing it took — the thing I keep coming back to — was a Linden tree. At Lincoln Trail Homestead State Park. One I’d written about earlier this year. One I’d stood next to and thought about what it had seen.
Gone.
Now. I need to tell you a little bit about Lincoln Trail Homestead, because if you haven’t been, you should go. It’s about ten miles west of Decatur, right on the Sangamon River, tucked into Macon County like a secret the rest of the country forgot to notice.
This is where Abraham Lincoln — twenty-one years old, just arrived from Indiana — helped his father Thomas build a log cabin in the spring of 1830. This is where the family planted corn directly into prairie sod and watched it struggle. This is where they survived the Winter of the Deep Snow — six feet of it, sub-zero temperatures, Abraham riding to neighboring farms just to find food for his family. This is where a young man who would one day hold a country together first learned what it meant to endure.
The cabin is long gone. There’s a marker. There are trails. The Sangamon runs quiet alongside it.
And admission is free.
I’ve been thinking a lot lately about witness trees — the old ones that stand at the edges of history and just *hold* it. They don’t editorialize. They don’t fundraise. They just stand there, roots down, and remember. That Linden at Lincoln Trail Homestead was one of those trees. It had been standing along the Sangamon while the rest of the world moved on and forgot this place existed.
And last week, in a storm that nobody will write about, it fell.
The same day — June 19th — an $850 million Presidential Center opened in Chicago.
I want to be careful here. There is a lot to love about Barack Obama — his story, his family, his intellect, what his election meant to millions of people. I felt it too. I remember where I was.
But I’m from downstate Illinois. And I cannot separate his legacy from what has happened to places like this — to Macon County, to the six counties I cover every week on this show — in the decades of bipartisan neglect that his presidency both inherited and, I would argue, failed to disrupt.
The Obama Presidential Center cost $850 million. It was funded by some of the wealthiest people on earth — Jeff Bezos, Bill Gates, Brian Chesky, Penny Pritzker, Sean Parker. It stands apart from the National Archives, apart from the National Parks system, privately controlled by a foundation whose CEO was paid $755,000 last year. It costs $30 to walk through the door. It sits on land the city of Chicago leased to the Obama Foundation for ten dollars — ten dollars — over 99 years. And the state of Illinois spent over $120 million in public money on the roads and infrastructure around it.
Neighborhoods nearby held their breath about gentrification. About being priced out of the very community a racial justice museum was built to honor.
I’m not saying the center shouldn’t exist. I’m saying: look at what gets a monument. And look at what doesn’t.
A Linden tree fell on the Sangamon River, at the place where Abraham Lincoln first learned to survive in Illinois. And there was no press release. No donor wall. No plaza named after a billionaire.
---
Here’s what I keep coming back to.
The same people who built that center — the donor class, the bundlers, the Chicago machine — these are not people who lie awake at night worrying about Harristown, Illinois. They are not building anything in Logan County. They are not preserving what’s been lost in Christian County, or DeWitt, or Piatt, or McLean. They funded a monument to change while protecting the system that makes change impossible.
And the Republican Party isn’t coming to save us either. Let’s be clear. The neglect we’re living with started in earnest with Reagan — the gutting of rural investment, the consolidation, the policy choices that hollowed out small towns across the Midwest. Neither party reversed it. Neither party tried very hard.
Both parties are broken, friends. That’s not a hot take anymore. That’s just Tuesday.
The Obamas and the Bushes were together in Chicago, in a moment of bipartisan civility that the cameras loved. And I thought: what does that civility mean to a town that lost its hospital? Its downtown? Its young people? Their handshakes don’t fill a vacant storefront. Their unity doesn’t fix a county road.
So what do we do?
We do what Central Illinois has always done. We endure. We show up. We get ornery.
Stay engaged at the local level. I mean it — your city council, your county board, your school board, your park district. Those are the places where decisions get made about the things you can actually touch. Attend the meetings. Know the names. Make them know yours.
Stay informed at the national level — but don’t let Washington consume you. Know what’s happening. Understand the forces at play. And then come back home, because that’s where the actual work is.
And here’s the harder thing I want to say: start imagining political structures that actually serve you. Both parties have had decades to fix this. They haven’t. That’s not an accident — it’s a choice made by people who benefit from the status quo. We are not obligated to keep choosing between them. We are allowed to demand something better. We are allowed to build it.
That is the most American thing I can think of. Ornery Americans, showing up anyway, building the thing that needs to exist.
—
DeWitt County
There’s a lot happening in DeWitt County this week, beginning with an important conversation about local schools.
Teachers packed the Clinton School Board meeting this week to voice concerns about administrative leadership, staff support, and compensation. The Clinton Education Association says many educators feel unheard, and union leaders shared the results of a recent school climate survey that was completed by most of the district’s professional staff. The survey has been given to school administrators and board members, with teachers hoping it leads to meaningful improvements. Board members also debated a proposed pay increase for an administrator before removing the item from the agenda without a vote. It’s a reminder that strong schools depend not only on great teachers, but also on trust and communication between educators and district leadership.
On a brighter note, this weekend is one of DeWitt County’s favorite summer traditions: the 4-H Horse Show at the DeWitt County Fairgrounds. Young riders will showcase the skills they’ve spent the past year developing with their horses, while families from DeWitt, Macon, and Piatt Counties gather to celebrate hard work and sportsmanship. Organizers are also inviting the public back July 9th through 12th for the General Project Show, where nearly 500 local 4-H members will display more than 1,500 projects ranging from science and agriculture to arts and crafts. It’s a wonderful reminder of the opportunities 4-H provides for young people to build confidence, learn new skills, and give back to their communities.
Logan County
Logan County has some exciting news about its future. A new nonprofit, the Railsplitter Community Foundation, has officially launched with an extraordinary one-million-dollar legacy gift from the estate of Judith Morley. The foundation’s mission is to invest in Logan County through scholarships, grants, community improvement projects, and partnerships with local nonprofits. Leaders say the goal is to help donors create lasting investments that strengthen the community for generations to come. It’s the kind of hometown philanthropy that can quietly make a big difference over time, supporting local ideas with local dollars.
And if you’re traveling around the county next week, be prepared for a detour. Beginning Monday, the bridge over Sugar Creek on Old Route 121, southeast of Hartsburg, will close for major reconstruction. The Illinois Department of Transportation expects the project to continue through mid-August, with traffic rerouted using Illinois 121, Interstate 55, Interstate 155, and County Road 2300. If your summer plans take you through that area, allow a little extra travel time and watch for construction signs.
Macon County
There’s big economic news for Macon County this week. Governor JB Pritzker joined leaders from ADM to announce a $103 million investment to modernize the company’s Decatur operations. The project will upgrade soybean processing facilities, improve the corn wet mill with new technology, create 50 new full-time jobs, and help retain more than 1,000 existing positions. While ribbon cuttings for new businesses often grab headlines, investments like this are just as important. They help keep major employers competitive, protect local jobs, and strengthen the regional economy for years to come.
And if you’re looking for a fun family activity this weekend, Rock Springs Conservation Area is inviting the community to celebrate Independence Day the way Illinois families might have in 1860. Visitors can tour the historic Homestead Prairie Farm, explore heirloom gardens, enjoy old-fashioned toys and games, listen to the Rock Springs Dulcimer Club, and bring a picnic to enjoy on the grounds. It’s a chance to experience history instead of just reading about it—and to remember that the traditions we celebrate today were already taking shape just before the Civil War began.
McLean County
McLean County continues to prove that the arts are more than entertainment—they’re also an important part of the local economy. A new statewide report finds Illinois’ creative economy generates billions of dollars in economic activity each year, supporting thousands of jobs in fields ranging from theater and music to design, film, and visual arts. For communities like Bloomington-Normal, organizations such as the Illinois Shakespeare Festival, local museums, galleries, and performing arts venues don’t just enrich our lives—they also attract visitors, support local businesses, and create jobs. (WGLT)
And speaking of the arts, one of the stars of this year’s Illinois Shakespeare Festival has four legs instead of two. Scout, an Australian Shepherd-Border Collie mix from Lexington, is making her theatrical debut as Crab the Dog in The Two Gentlemen of Verona. Working alongside actor Jermaine Jenkins, Scout’s performance has quickly become a favorite with audiences, reminding everyone that live theater always has room for a little unpredictability—and sometimes the biggest applause goes to the canine cast member. The festival continues through July 11 at the Ewing Cultural Center in Bloomington, offering families a chance to enjoy classic theater under the stars. (WGLT)
Christian County
Christian County continues to look toward the future as discussions move forward on a proposed technology campus that could become one of the largest economic development projects in the region. The Christian County Economic Development Corporation says Eagle Rock Partners is exploring plans for Meridian Technology Park, a proposed data center campus near Clarksdale between Taylorville and Palmer. Supporters say the project could create around 1,000 construction jobs and approximately 500 permanent positions if approved. County officials emphasize that the proposal is still in the review process and must receive approval from both the Christian County Zoning Board and the County Board before any construction can begin.
And if your weekend plans include Lake Taylorville, you’ll want to make a change. The Illinois Department of Public Health has temporarily closed the swimming beach after water samples showed elevated levels of E. coli following recent heavy rains. Health officials say these spikes are not uncommon after significant rainfall, and the beach will reopen only after two consecutive tests show bacteria levels have returned to safe limits. Boating and other activities may continue where permitted, but swimming is off-limits until the advisory is lifted.
Piatt County
Piatt County leaders are working to build momentum for the future with the creation of a new community-driven initiative focused on economic development. The recently formed Monticello Community Foundation hopes to bring together residents, business leaders, and local organizations to support projects that strengthen the area’s economy and quality of life. Organizers say their goal is to help attract investment, encourage new opportunities, and showcase what makes Piatt County a great place to live, work, and visit. It’s a reminder that economic development isn’t just about recruiting businesses—it’s also about investing in the community itself.
And this weekend offers a chance to celebrate Piatt County’s rich history. A new historical marker will be dedicated Sunday recognizing an important local landmark and the people who helped shape the community’s past. Events like these may seem small, but they help preserve the stories that connect generations and remind us that local history is worth protecting. Whether you’re a lifelong resident or new to the area, it’s an opportunity to learn a little more about the place we call home.
—
The Linden tree at Lincoln Homestead fell.
But I was there. I saw it. I wrote about it before the storm came, and I’m writing about it now, after.
That’s what witness trees do — the living ones, I mean. The ones still standing.
We stay rooted. We hold the memory. We don’t let the storm have the last word.
I’m Jen McMillin. This is Sunshine Strategies Radio — covering Macon, Piatt, DeWitt, Logan, McLean, and Christian counties, and the people who live here and refuse to give up on this place.
Stay engaged, friends. I’ll see you next week.
LINKS
https://dewittdailynews.com/local-news/921608/teachers-express-frustrations-over-administration-wages-lack-of-support
https://dewittdailynews.com/local-news/921700/dewitt-county-4-h-horse-show-this-weekend
https://newherald.news/railsplitter-community-foundation-launches-with-transformational-million-legacy-gift-p33426-103.htm
https://newherald.news/bridge-over-sugar-creek-on-old-route-to-close-for-repairs-on-june-p33442-103.htm
https://www.decaturtribune.com/2026/06/22/gov-pritzker-announces-adm-to-invest-103-million-to-modernize-decatur-operations/
https://www.decaturtribune.com/2026/06/26/step-back-in-time-for-an-independence-day-1860-celebration-at-the-rock-springs-conservation-area/
https://www.wglt.org/local-news/2026-06-25/mans-best-friend-joins-the-gentlemen-of-verona-at-illinois-shakespeare-festival
https://www.wglt.org/local-news/2026-06-25/new-report-indicates-illinois-creative-economy-has-major-impact-statewide
https://taylorvilledailynews.com/local-news/921958
https://taylorvilledailynews.com/local-news/921860
https://www.journal-republican.com/news/group-hopes-to-help-boost-economic-development/article_2eb812fe-16e0-43d1-915e-ab1a1feac89f.html
https://www.journal-republican.com/news/sign-dedication-to-take-place-sunday/article_0f98fdf4-9463-4f27-9b3e-4a3ecdf9043c.html
