Galesburg's Morning News

Jay Redfern
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Tune in to hear Galesburg's Morning News with Tyler Gumm, Cameron Line, and Jay Redfern, weekdays 5 to 9 a.m., on 93.7 FM and 1400 AM WGIL. They will keep you updated on the latest news, events, sports, and weather, as well as feature conversations with news-makers and a wide variety of people involved in our community. Following the show, many of those conversations will then be featured here as podcasts.

  1. 1d ago

    Galesburg Community Chorus — a powerful new season

    The Galesburg Community Chorus, the oldest community music organization in the area, kicks off its 81st season with rehearsals Monday, Aug. 24, at 7 p.m. at First Presbyterian Church in Galesburg — building toward a fall concert on Saturday, Nov. 21, that takes on one of the most emotionally powerful pieces the group has ever performed. Dr. Tim Pahel, the chorus' Artistic Director, and Will Culbertson, its board president, joined Galesburg's Morning News to talk about "Considering Matthew Shepard," a 2016 choral work exploring the 1998 hate-crime murder of Matthew Shepard, and what audiences and singers alike can expect this season. They talked about: What "Considering Matthew Shepard" is, and why it's unusual for a choral piece to be built around real, recent events Will Culbertson's own personal connection to the story, from performing in "The Laramie Project" at Knox College to later working under the piece's composer in Austin, Texas How the Chorus has grown since the pandemic, now numbering around 65 singers What it takes to join — no audition required, just show up Monday What's ahead this season, including a March guest performance by Millikin University's vocal jazz group and a May concert combining seven languages with the Monmouth College Chorale   🎧 Subscribe to Galesburg's Morning News: Apple Podcasts | Spotify

  2. 2d ago

    Birth to Five Illinois — a free resource guide for local families

    Families across Knox, Henderson, Mercer, and Warren counties now have a free, one-stop place to find early childhood resources. Jim Walters, Regional Council Manager, and Alli Chasteen, Family and Community Engagement Specialist, both with Birth to Five Illinois: Region 33, joined Galesburg's Morning News to talk about a new online resource called Before K — and one surprising need they discovered along the way: some kids were showing up to school without clean clothes, because their families had nowhere to do laundry. They talked about: What Birth to Five Illinois does across its 39 regions statewide, and how Region 33 covers Knox, Henderson, Mercer, and Warren counties How a 2021 regional needs assessment led directly to this year's launch of Before K What's actually inside the Before K resource guide, from prenatal support to kindergarten readiness The new "Changes in Early Childhood" report and what's shifted locally since 2021 — including a rise in home-based childcare providers An unexpected need uncovered through community conversations: laundry access for families How to get involved, from the group's Facebook page to its "road show" presentations for local clubs and churches   🎧 Subscribe to Galesburg's Morning News: Apple Podcasts | Spotify

  3. 4d ago

    Abingdon Community Festival organizers preview five days of fun

    Mike Anderson, Doug Thomas and Steve Jones of the Abingdon Community Festival joined Galesburg's Morning News on Tuesday, Aug. 18, to preview this year's five-day event, running Wednesday through Sunday, Aug. 26-30, at the Abingdon fairgrounds. The festival is entirely volunteer-run and funded through donations, and organizers walked through a schedule that ranges from a kids' pageant to live pro wrestling. They talked about: The Boots & Bows Pageant, Wednesday at 6 p.m., for kids ages 4-8 Thursday's Chicken and Pig Scramble, plus interactive attractions like 250-foot zip lines and a rock wall in place of traditional rides Friday's Figure 8 Race, one of the region's most popular events on a hard-packed dirt track "A-Town Beatdown 2," Saturday's live pro wrestling event featuring a steel cage championship match and wrestlers from across the country The John R. Thurman Memorial Pee-Wee Show and Sunday's Baked Goods Auction, which funds roughly 80% of the festival's yearly operating budget Why organizers say this year's festival is worth the trip for families in Galesburg and Knox County   🎧 Subscribe to Galesburg's Morning News on Apple Podcasts and Spotify

  4. 4d ago

    Galesburg Public Schools Foundation — back-to-school giving and a fall book drive

    Laurie Aten, program administrator for the Galesburg Public Schools Foundation, joined Galesburg's Morning News on Tuesday, Aug. 18, ahead of the foundation's 40th anniversary next year. Aten discussed the foundation's back-to-school giving, a recap of spring fundraising, and a preview of the Black-Out for Books fundraiser set for Friday, Oct. 2, when Galesburg hosts Quincy in football. They talked about: A staffing update, as the foundation approaches its 40th anniversary next year School supply donations and teacher raffles for back-to-school season "Silver & Gold Success," a new alumni spotlight series — the first feature is Drexler Blue, a former music executive now running his own sports agency Black-Out for Books, Oct. 2, partnering with Wordsmith Bookshoppe to stock classroom libraries — T-shirt pre-orders open through Sept. 18 A spring recap: the Steak Fry fundraiser, the Young Authors Event, and roughly 30 scholarships the foundation manages for graduating seniors How the foundation complements the district by supporting fine arts, anti-bullying assemblies and more, not just athletics   🎧 Subscribe to Galesburg's Morning News on Apple Podcasts and Spotify

  5. 5d ago

    City Matters — parks, jobs and the Aug. 17 Galesburg council agenda

    Galesburg City Manager Eric Hanson joined Galesburg's Morning News on Monday, Aug. 17, ahead of tonight's 6 p.m. city council meeting at Galesburg City Hall, previewing a full agenda: a state grant application for Lincoln Park upgrades, next steps on the Standish Park redesign, and a development deal with ILPEA Industries. Hanson said the ILPEA agreement is designed to retain and grow jobs at the Galesburg facility, characterizing the deal as favorable to Galesburg over the company's South Carolina operations. He talked about: Why the city is applying for an OSLAD grant to overhaul Lincoln Park's 30-year-old playground and add a splash pad A new Purington paver sign at Dale Kelley Park — and the story behind the park's name that a commemorative plaque will soon tell The ILPEA Industries deal, and how Hanson describes it as a win for Galesburg's facility over the company's South Carolina operations Next steps on the $2 million Standish Park redesign, and how the project protects the historic arboretum What his team is working on outside tonight's agenda, including the city's internal budget season Click here to view the full agenda.   🎧 Subscribe to Galesburg's Morning News on Apple Podcasts and Spotify

  6. Aug 14

    Sandburg's Seamus Reilly on the Charger Center and a growing college

    Carl Sandburg College President Seamus Reilly joined Galesburg's Morning News in the WGIL studio on Friday, Aug. 14, ahead of a big stretch for the Galesburg college: fall semester begins Aug. 24, and a ceremonial groundbreaking for the new Charger Center is set for 4 p.m. Aug. 27 on the Galesburg campus. The 70,204-square-foot building will house two wood-floor gymnasiums and a third gym with multi-purpose flooring, plus fitness and training areas, a golf simulator room and an esports arena — with room for more than 3,500 people at a time, enough to host regional conferences and expos. Outside, the college is adding turf fields for baseball, softball and soccer. Designed by Legat Architects and expected to open in late 2027, it replaces a gym that's served the Chargers since 1978. He talked about: What's going inside the 70,000-square-foot Charger Center, and how a bond issuance is funding it without changing the college's tax rate Why enrollment is up about 7%, and the share of the district's 108,000 residents Reilly wants Sandburg reaching every year Charge Forward, the program that puts adult students in class one night a week and guarantees a degree in two years Earn as You Learn, a new grant paying returning adult students up to $4,000 — and the $500 figure that inspired it Why roughly 87% of Sandburg instruction is still face-to-face The Galesburg and Sampson Promise programs, and why 9 in 10 Sandburg graduates finish without student loan debt The 518 Collective, the agriculture technology incubator coming to downtown Galesburg What Reilly is proudest of, nine years into the job   Related story: "If you don't grow, you die": Sandburg's president on the college at 60 🎧 Subscribe to Galesburg's Morning News on Apple Podcasts and Spotify

  7. Aug 13

    Tom Briscoe, comedian — bringing 'Old Mansplaining' to the Orpheum

    Comedian Tom Briscoe called into Galesburg's Morning News from the Queen Mary, somewhere in the middle of the Atlantic, to preview his stand-up show "Old Mansplaining," coming to the Historic Orpheum Theatre Saturday, Aug. 22, at 7:30 p.m. Briscoe, a cruise ship comedy veteran who's performed in over 100 countries, built the show around the generational disconnect between himself and younger audiences — and insists it's not what it sounds like. Tom Briscoe joined Galesburg's Morning News on Thursday, Aug. 13. Listen to the full interview above. They talked about: What "Old Mansplaining" actually means, and why it's not about gender The secret to a 41-year marriage Getting banned from roughly 14 of the 100-plus countries he's performed in How he stumbled into comedy at 35 after years working in corporate health and transportation What audiences can expect on Aug. 22 — plus a local preview from Orpheum Executive Director Andrew Driscoll Need tickets? Visit galesburgorpheum.org.   🎧 Subscribe to Galesburg's Morning News on Apple Podcasts and Spotify

  8. Aug 13

    Heritage Days returns to Lake Storey Park for its 31st year

    Galesburg Heritage Days turns 31 this year, running Friday through Sunday, Aug. 14-16, at Lake Storey Park in Galesburg. Organizers Dave Bernhart and Mark Ebner joined Galesburg's Morning News on Thursday to preview the free, family-friendly event. Nearly 1,000 reenactors and about 50 merchants are expected across two side-by-side venues — a pre-1840 Rendezvous and a Civil War encampment. They talked about: Why running two separate living-history venues on the same weekend is so rare How this year's event ties into the 250th anniversary of the United States A descendant of Civil War nurse Mary Bickerdyke traveling from Florida to trace his family history in Galesburg Highlights at both the Civil War camp and the Rendezvous, including a "chat" with General Robert E. Lee and the candy cannon Hours, parking and how to get around between the two venues Visit the Galesburg Heritage Days website.   Related story: Nearly 1,000 reenactors head to Galesburg for Heritage Days' 31st year 🎧 Subscribe to Galesburg's Morning News on Apple Podcasts and Spotify

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Tune in to hear Galesburg's Morning News with Tyler Gumm, Cameron Line, and Jay Redfern, weekdays 5 to 9 a.m., on 93.7 FM and 1400 AM WGIL. They will keep you updated on the latest news, events, sports, and weather, as well as feature conversations with news-makers and a wide variety of people involved in our community. Following the show, many of those conversations will then be featured here as podcasts.

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