Latest news with #McLeanCounty
Yahoo
20-07-2025
- Yahoo
‘Like he never left': Bloomington man reunites with dog months after disappearance
BLOOMINGTON, Ill. (WMBD) — A Bloomington man is celebrating a heartwarming reunion after unexpectedly finding his lost dog, thanks to a social media post from McLean County Animal Control. Jason Mirous said he raised his dog, Jaxon, from the time he was just three weeks old. 'He was premature, barely eating out of a bottle,' Mirous said. 'He was my first child.' Jaxon, a half red nose, half blue nose pit bull, became part of the family just before Mirous had his first child. But after welcoming his second baby into the family, space and time grew tight. Hoping to ensure Jaxon was cared for, Mirous asked a close friend to take him in temporarily. 'He had a bond with Jaxon, and it seemed like a good fit,' Mirous said. Over time, communication with that friend began to fade. Mirous says he tried calling and texting with no response until one day he saw a troubling post on social media. 'His girlfriend posted that Jaxon was lost,' he said. 'I was confused because I'd been trying to reach them.' After months of uncertainty and searching, Mirous spotted a post from McLean County Animal Control a dog named 'Jaxon,' spelled exactly how he used to spell it, was up for adoption. 'I rushed there the next morning,' he said. 'The moment he saw me, he lit up. It was like, 'Where have you been?'' Mirous learned Jaxon had been dropped off anonymously and had spent four months at the shelter. Despite being microchipped as a puppy, staff told him they couldn't find any records. 'That shocked me,' he said. 'They couldn't find the chip, but they somehow had his vaccination records from when he was a baby.' While grateful for the reunion, Mirous is frustrated that he was never contacted before Jaxon was put up for adoption or neutered. 'If we had known he was there, we would've been at that pound the same day. He wouldn't have been there four months,' he said. Now back home, Jaxon is adjusting a little more energetic and a little less obedient, but Mirous said their bond is stronger than ever. 'It's like he never left,' he said. 'He's not going anywhere this time. He's going to grow old and die with me.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Solve the daily Crossword
Daily Mail
02-07-2025
- Daily Mail
Woman, 33, 'can't keep away from boy, 15, she sexually harassed - even after police issued protective order'
A 33-year-old Illinois woman has been accused of grooming a teenage boy, refusing to leave him alone even after authorities issued a protective order barring her from contact with the child. Jessica Mills was told to stay away from the 15-year-old in March after she allegedly brought him to a motel. Prosecutors said during a recent hearing that the teenage boy was found hiding under the bed by police. Mills was arrested in Bloomington, a city outside of Springfield, and is still in custody as she awaits trial. During a pre-trial hearing on June 25, prosecutors tacked on an additional charge of grooming, which is a Class 4 felony. Sexually explicit videos and inappropriate text messages from Mills were allegedly found on the teen's phone. Prosecutors also accused Mills of talking about her relationship with the teenager during phone calls she made from jail. Mills is facing a Class 4 felony for grooming under Illinois law, which is probation eligible, according to the McLean County State Attorney's Office. No further background on the protective order or how Mills' knew her alleged victim has been shared. Mills will remain in custody at the McLean County Detention Facility in Bloomington. The state's attorney's office said her ongoing detention will continue to be evaluated by a judge. Mills is scheduled for her next court hearing on July 8 with Judge William Yodler, who will decide if her detention is still necessary. She has already appeared in court for three pre-trial hearing and has pled not guilty to the crimes. If she's found guilty, Mills could be sentenced to the Illinois Department of Corrections for one to three years. According to McLean County Court records, Mills served jail time and was sentenced to 48 months' probation on burglary and looting charges in 2020. She was also arrested for domestic battery in March of 2021. The charge is a Class A criminal misdemeanor. A Facebook profile associated with her first and middle name listed her occupation as a co-owner and designer at a craft store. Her relationship status says she's been in a relationship since July 11, 2024.
Yahoo
31-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
MCHS' Ranburger receives OCTC Pathfinder Award
McLean County High School's (MCHS) guidance counselor Caitlin Ranburger has been announced as the 2025 recipient of the Owensboro Community and Technical College (OCTC) Pathfinder of the Year Award. The Pathfinder of the Year Award was established by the Kentucky Community and Technical College System (KCTCS) as a way to recognize high school teachers and counselors for their efforts in supporting students' college and career goals. Each institution within the KCTCS system, 16 total, selects one recipient. 'It is truly an honor just to have been nominated for this award,' Ranburger said. 'I am shocked to have been selected, as I know that so many educators are equally deserving, but I am also extremely appreciative for the recognition. McLean County is a special place, and we have great kids here. They deserve people in their lives who are advocating for them and doing all that they can to help them be successful.' Ranburger, herself a graduate from the McLean County Public School (MCPS) system, said that it's even more special to be able to bring the award home to McLean County. 'It feels so awesome to give McLean County some positive publicity,' she said. After graduating from MCHS, Ranburger went on to earn a bachelor of arts degree in psychology from Owensboro's Brescia University and followed that degree with two masters of arts degrees, one in teaching and one in school counseling. She began teaching as a substitute in 2016, taught eighth graders at McLean County Middle School English and language arts and then transitioned to the role of guidance counselor at the high school four years ago. Representatives from the college, along with Ranburger's colleagues from the high school and her friends and family, surprised her with the award on Friday, May 23, with a ceremony held at the high school. 'It's still a little bit surreal because, whenever they surprised me with this (award); I had no idea I was getting it. So, I was like, 'Are y'all punching me? Are you serious? Did anyone else get nominated?' You know, I'm not very good at accepting praise and compliments, but winning feels awesome,' she said. OCTC's President Scott Williams presented Ranburger with the award, along with other representatives from the school's student affairs and marketing teams. 'Ms. Ranburger exemplifies what it means to be a Pathfinder,' said Williams. 'Her passion, commitment and tireless support for students are inspiring. We deeply value our partnership with McLean County High School, and Caitlin's impact on her students and her school community makes her a remarkable choice for this award.' Ranburger said that as she's gotten more comfortable in her role as the high school guidance counselor, she's been able to form close relationships with the students, which allows her to gain more perspective in leading the students towards careers, college or technical school after graduation. 'I feel like as a team we do a good job of looking at the individual student, and helping them to make goals. We are setting some type of bar to say, 'Hey, here's this goal if you wanna be able to take these classes then this is what we need from you',' she explained. 'So I feel like even having that (college classes) as an option, the kids are a lot more motivated to show up to school to make the grades to do the things they need to do because they really love the idea of going to college early. I've definitely seen a lot more interest in the college route. I feel like even eighth graders are coming up and talking about scheduling, asking, 'What do I need to do to be able to do college classes?' I tell them to not get too far ahead of themselves, but I love seeing their interest.' She said that, since she began her full-time teaching career at the middle school, it's also been fulfilling to watch her students grow and continue through their high school years. She said she tries to make it a point to get to know each student, which is much easier to do in a small school like MCHS, so that she can help guide them down a future pathway that would be right for them. The college stated in a press release that Ranburger has been nominated for the Pathfinder of the Year Award every year since the award's inception. This year she was nominated by a colleague and close friend Shannon Wood. 'She celebrates her students' strengths and knows our students are worth the extra effort and always makes them feel confident they have the best plan for their future in motion. She never minds spending extra time meeting with students and reviewing their options,' wrote Wood in her nomination entry. In addition to receiving this year's Pathfinder Award, Ranburger was also recognized earlier this spring semester for her efforts in implementing the Teen Mental Health First Aid program for all freshman students at the high school, the first traditional high school in the state to train an entire class of students in the program. 'Dedicated to keeping students and families informed, she uses social media to share information on scholarships, summer programs, clubs and more. Above all, she never misses a chance to celebrate her students' successes,' detailed the press release from the college. Ranburger, in addition to preparing students for the next steps after high school, also coordinates all course scheduling for students, manages dual credit enrollment with OCTC and other area post-secondary institutions for students and helps to guide students through navigating financial aid and scholarship opportunities, including FAFSA guidance, finding resources through the KHEAA and utilizing the Work Ready Kentucky Scholarship program. 'Receiving the OCTC Pathfinder of the Year Award for 2025 feels like my biggest success so far!' Ranburger said.
Yahoo
18-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
FEMA sets up in McLean County for disaster recovery assistance
HENDERSON, Ky. (WEHT) — The Federal Emergency Management Agency has set up a recovery center in McLean County. This comes less than a week after Governor Andy Beshear announced 24 additional Kentucky counties, including McLean, were approved for individual assistance by FEMA. Officials say representatives will be available to explain assistance programs, how to apply to FEMA and help connect survivors with resources for their recovery needs. According to the Judge-Executive's Office, both FEMA and the Small Business Association are set up at the Calhoun Baptist Church on Main Street. Officials say FEMA is available from Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. and from 1 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Sunday. They say the Small Business Association will be unavailable on Sundays and will leave at 3 p.m. on Saturdays. For additional ways to apply, click here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
17-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Mother of Pekin shooting victim offers to pay adoption fee for dogs
MCLEAN, Ill. (WMBD) — Jennifer Rhodes from Pekin decided to give back to the community by offering to pay the adoption fees for two dogs currently sheltered at Ruby's Rescue and Retreat in rural McLean County. She recently lost her 21-year-old son, Chase Rhodes, in a deadly shooting last month in South Pekin that also claimed the life of his friend Dawson Reese, also aged 21. From those tragic circumstances, Jennifer chose to make a positive impact. The female dog is called Maggie in honor of Chase's dog that recently died, and the male dog is called Dawson to honor his friend. Jean Ann Hert is a co-owner of Ruby's Rescue and said she picked up the two dogs on Wednesday from McLean County Animal Control. Jennifer reached out to her later that night. She has known the Rhodes family since 2015 when they adopted a dog from her business and described Chase as a kind young man. 'He liked to care for dogs. He liked to donate to shelters and help dogs in need. So, for her to do this, it's just a way to honor him and to help as well,' she said. Beyond Jennifer offering to pay for the two dogs' adoption fees, she also posted on Ruby's Rescue's Facebook page on Wednesday. It was an effort to raise money for the shelter, and Hert said the donations total $1,240 as of Friday afternoon. Hert thanked the Rhodes family for their generosity during such a difficult time. 'They're just great people. We can't thank Jennifer enough for all the struggles that she's going right through right now, to be thinking of helping others in need. I think it's just amazing of her,' she said. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
