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

    Orpheum Theatre's October: Houdini, ghost tours and a nearly sold-out Fleetwood Mac tribute

    Harry Houdini played the Orpheum Theatre stage in 1924, two years before he died on Halloween, and this Oct. 31 marks 100 years since his death. That's one piece of a packed October at Galesburg's historic theater, where Executive Director Andrew Driscoll has lined up $5 scary movies, black-light ghost tours and The Rocky Horror Picture Show at midnight on Halloween. Driscoll joined Galesburg's Morning News on Tuesday, Oct. 6, to run through it all, including the ghost stories staff members tell: "I have never seen something with my eyes, but I've heard things and I have felt it." Andrew Driscoll joined Galesburg's Morning News on Tuesday, Oct. 6. Listen to the full interview above. They talked about: How the Fright Film Fest works, including a family-friendly edition on Saturday, Oct. 10 What to expect on the black-light Haunted Flashlight Tours, and why spots are limited Rocky Horror at midnight, including a seating option for those who would rather watch than join in Why the Fleetwood Mac tribute is nearly sold out, and what Driscoll looks for in a tribute act The Dolly Show's U.S. tour debut in Galesburg and the cause it will support What the new lights changed, and the plans for new seats, sound and heating and cooling   Related story: Ghost tours, tribute shows and new lights: inside the Orpheum Theatre's packed October 🎧 Subscribe to Galesburg's Morning News on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.

  2. 2d ago

    Peter Schwartzman, Galesburg mayor — data centers, drinking water and the plan for new city wells

    Galesburg Mayor Peter Schwartzman spent part of Monday morning, Oct. 5, with his mayor's hat off and his environmental studies hat on. The Knox College professor joined Galesburg's Morning News live in the WGIL studio, hours before the 6 p.m. City Council meeting at City Hall. He explained what data centers need to run and what they can do to a community's air, water and electric bills. He also talked about why the city is drilling new wells to address PFAS chemicals. As for the water itself: "I drink Galesburg water all the time." Galesburg Mayor Peter Schwartzman joined Galesburg's Morning News on Monday, Oct. 5. Listen to the full interview below. They talked about: Why Galesburg hasn't been on data center companies' radar What data centers need to operate, and what that can mean for nearby residents The upside of tax dollars, and why the fine print matters Why some Galesburg wells post high readings even though the city doesn't use them The plan for new wells, and when construction could start Monday's council agenda: Public Safety Building power, Bunker Links cart paths and donated bikes   Related story: Galesburg mayor weighs the pros and cons of data centers, vouches for city water 🎧 Subscribe to Galesburg's Morning News on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.

  3. 5d ago

    Knox County Scenic Drive: new stops, a historic barn and tips for both weekends

    A pumpkin catapult in Galva, a Dahinda general store that still sells old-style glass bottles of pop, and an 1840s livestock barn turned event center are among the stops Tom Collopy points to on the Knox County Scenic Drive. Collopy, a board member with the drive, joined Galesburg's Morning News on Friday, Oct. 2, to preview the self-guided tour, which runs Oct. 3-4 and Oct. 10-11 at stops across Knox County. His advice for first-timers: "Take your time." They talked about: What's new this year, including stops opening around Knoxville Why demonstrators are getting harder to find Stops to pick, from a covered bridge photo op to a kid-friendly stop in Galva The food: apple dumplings, butterfly pork chops, ribeyes and kettle corn Why the second weekend will be better for fall color How to pace the day, and what to watch for on harvest-time roads   Related story: Knox County Scenic Drive runs Oct. 3-4 and 10-11 with new stops around Knoxville 🎧 Subscribe to Galesburg's Morning News: Apple Podcasts | Spotify

  4. 5d ago

    Black-Out for Books: Plinko, reading buddies and a Streak race raise money for classroom books

    A fan drawn from the stands races the Streak with a "significant head start," another drops three pucks down a giant Plinko board, and a third kicks an extra point that won't count on the scoreboard. Laurie Aten, program administrator for the Galesburg Public Schools Foundation, joined Galesburg's Morning News on Friday, Oct. 2, to preview Black-Out for Books, a fundraiser for classroom books at that night's Galesburg High School football game against Quincy at CBI Bank & Trust Stadium, with the freshman game at 5 p.m. and the varsity game at 7 p.m. The Streak race is open to anyone, Aten says: "We can take anybody that wants to do a race out on the field." They talked about: Why teachers paying for their own classroom books turned into a fall fundraiser How Wordsmith Bookshoppe fills the book orders, and how teachers pick the titles The raffle prizes, including a football player or cheerleader as a reading buddy How the Streak race, giant Plinko and extra-point kick work The famous-first-line trivia on the stadium's digital board What to wear, and where to sign up for a library card   Related story: Tonight's Galesburg High game raises money for classroom books 🎧 Subscribe to Galesburg's Morning News: Apple Podcasts | Spotify

  5. 6d ago

    Ken Springer, KCAP president — how Galesburg competes for new employers

    A day before he came into the WGIL studio, Ken Springer sat in a Chicago room with the national consultants who help companies decide where to build, and their message was blunt. Springer, president of the Knox County Area Partnership for Economic Development, joined WGIL's Jay Redfern on Galesburg's Morning News on Thursday, Oct. 1, to share what he heard at the Illinois Economic Development Association's Site Selector Forum, along with an update on the roughly 80 acres KCAP is marketing at Galesburg's Logistics Park, the city's housing gap, a $15 billion steel project planned in Iowa and Friday's Knox County CEO student meet and greet. As Springer put it: "Ultimately, the job of these site consultants is to rule communities out." They talked about: What site consultants are really looking for, and why they want to cross your town off the list How KCAP works a trade show long before the doors open What the DeLong project will do, and what it leaves behind for the next employer Why keeping a company can matter more than landing a new one The kind of housing Galesburg needs, according to the city's own study What a $15 billion Iowa steel plant could mean an hour away   Related story: Ready sites win: KCAP's Ken Springer on what site consultants want and how Galesburg is preparing 🎧 Subscribe to Galesburg's Morning News: Apple Podcasts | Spotify

  6. Sep 30

    Knox County Board Candidate Forum, hosted by Galesburg NAACP and the Galesburg Public Library

    Five candidates for the Knox County Board took questions Tuesday, Sept. 29, at a candidate forum held in the Community Room at the Galesburg Public Library and sponsored by Galesburg NAACP Branch 3016-B and the library. The forum was moderated by Heather Norman, general manager of Tri States Public Radio. Candidates presented their qualifications and reasons for running, then answered questions solicited from local media and the local Democratic and Republican parties. Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 3. Candidates who participated: District 1: Dylan Sage (R), Jaclyn Smith-Esters (D) and Tammy Weiss (R) District 2: Michael Nache (D) District 4: Pam Godsil (D) Incumbent Cheryl Nache (D), District 1, was unable to participate. Bob Bondi (R), District 2, and Jared Hawkinson (R) and Bradley Hix (R), both District 4, cited scheduling conflicts. WGIL broadcast the forum live, and Tri States Public Radio livestreamed video on its website, tspr.org, and its YouTube channel. WGIL will air the full audio replay [DAY, DATE, TIME]. A sample ballot for the Nov. 3 general election is available from the Knox County Clerk's office. Ballot content varies by precinct, so voters should confirm their own ballot reflects the races and candidates in their district. Early voting began Sept. 24. Related: Listen to the Illinois State and Knox County Candidate Forum, covering State Senate, State House, Knox County Clerk and Knox County Treasurer races 🎧 Subscribe to Galesburg's Morning News: Apple Podcasts | Spotify

  7. Sep 30

    Scarecrows return to Seminary Street, and a fall festival to go with them

    For the first time in years, Galesburg gets a scarecrow contest. Twenty-five of them go up along Seminary Street on Friday morning, built by businesses and community groups, and the public votes on them by QR code from Saturday, Oct. 3, through Saturday, Oct. 17. They launch during the season's final First Fridays on Seminary Street, 5-8 p.m. Friday, after last month's was called off because of heat. Hannah Lyon of Cornucopia Natural Market & Deli, 176 S. Seminary St., and Hillary Anderson of Sanctuary on Seminary, 172 S. Seminary St., came to the WGIL studio Wednesday, Sept. 30, to talk about all of it, plus the Fall Festival their two shops host Saturday. Lyon is building a scarecrow of her own and won't say what it is: "You guys will have to come on down to see." They talked about: How the scarecrow voting works, and which categories the judges decide Why the merchants association brought the festival back Stretching a grocery budget with a jar and some salt Face paint you can wear if chemicals bother your skin One year in for Sanctuary on Seminary, and why the address mattered The last First Fridays of the year   Related story: Twenty-five scarecrows go up on Seminary Street Friday 🎧 Subscribe to Galesburg's Morning News: Apple Podcasts | Spotify

  8. Sep 28

    Galesburg Community Foundation's Turnout: 46 nonprofits, every grant funded in full

    In her first months at Galesburg Community Foundation, Vice President of Programs DeAnne Bloomberg sat down with more than 70 nonprofits before any of them could apply for a Turnout grant. She and President and CEO Josh Gibb came to the WGIL studio Monday, Sept. 28, to talk about the result, announced Sept. 8: more than $565,000 to 46 nonprofits in Knox, Warren, and Henderson counties. Gibb also explained why the foundation's endowment is built to stay in the region, joking that "forever is a long time." They talked about: Why the Turnout funds requests in full or not at all What Bloomberg learned from meeting with every applicant The needs that kept coming up this cycle What separates a strong application from a weak one How donors can take part, and why starting a fund takes about 15 minutes The $2.5 billion figure shaping the foundation's future   Related story: Why Galesburg Community Foundation funds every Turnout grant in full 🎧 Subscribe to Galesburg's Morning News: Apple Podcasts | Spotify

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About

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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