The Kewanee School Board held a special meeting on Tuesday, February 15th in the Petersen Auditorium at Kewanee High School. The meeting was intended to address the mask mandate from Governor J.B Pritzker, an executive that is currently on hold while Governor Pritzker appeals to have it restored. On Tuesday night, rather than join other schools in lifting the mask mandate or making masking an option, the School Board took no action and kept the mask requirement for Kewanee students, staff and teachers in place while the court hearings play out. After last night's meeting, Kewanee School District Superintendent Dr Christ Sullens spoke to WKEI reporter Jennifer Russell about the decision to not vote.

Quarter Madness is back in Kewanee for the 10th Anniversary. Carrie Boelens and Dianne Packee, two of the driving forces behind the auction fundraiser, joined Wake Up Tri-Counties on Wednesday for a preview and a big announcement about the biggest auction prize in Quarter Madness history. Quarter Madness panels are on sale now across the street from Reiman's Harley Davidson, in the office of The Dent Guy where Dianne Packee is located regularly. You can also buy paddles by contacting the Rotary Club of Kewanee.

Kris Noble-Sauk Valley Area Chamber of Commerce by Regional Media

Eddie Tolliver from the Kewanee Salvation Army joined Wake Up Tri-Counties on Monday with news of a new fundraising campaign for the Salvation Army. The all new Love Beyond Campaign is a campaign aimed at keeping up fundraising year round at the Salvation Army in order to help even more people in need. You can make a donation to the all new Love Beyond campaign at the Kewanee Salvation Army Store in Kewanee where there just happens to be a sale going on this week!

The Wethersfield School Board made official their choice of a new School Superintendent at Thursday's Wethersfield School Board Meeting. Dr Andrew Brooks has been hired to take over for the retiring Shane Kazubowski. The change over to the new Superintendent will happen on July 1st of 2022. Shane Kazubowski was our guest on Wake Up TriCounties on Friday, February 11th, to talk about the new Superintendent and go over the latest news from last Thursday's Wethersfield School Board Meeting.

Whiteside County Sheriff John Booker by Regional Media

Whiteside County Dental Clinic by Regional Media

Celebrate the birthday of one of the greatest storytellers in history, Wilhelm Grimm, at the Kewanee Public Library. Local historian and performer Brian Fox Ellis will bring the legendary co-author of Grimm's Faerie Tales to life on February 22nd, 2022 at the Kewanee Public Library. This free program will begin at 6:30 Pm at the Kewanee Public Library and you are invited. Brian Fox Ellis joined Wake Up Tri-Counties on Thursday to talk about his unique style of performance, partnering with the library and what it is like to bring history to life as he does.

On Thursday, the Henry and Stark County Health Department announced that two more Henry County residents have died from COVID-19. A man in his 60s and a man in his 70s died this week from COVID-19. That brings the total to 114 Henry County residents who have died from COVID-19. That unfortunate statistic aside, there is good news on the Omicron front. RaeAnn Tucker from the Henry and Stark County Health Department told Wake Up Tri-Counties on Thursday morning that it does appear that our area has reached and surpassed the peak number of Omicron variant cases of COVID-19. Weekly new infection numbers have declined each of the past three weeks.

Local Farm Bureau's in Henry, Rock Island, Bureau and Mercer County teamed up for the annual Bushels for Hunger Fundraiser for our local food banks. The effort paid off this week with total Bushels for Hunger donations of $22,515 dollars for local food banks. Katie Laleman shared the good news about remarkable number of donations on Wednesday's Wake Up Tri-Counties. Katie was also on hand to tout the upcoming Women in Agriculture conference. Registration is open now to attend the Women in Agriculture Conference on March 25th, 2022, at Bally's of the Quad Cities in Rock Island. Go to WomeninAgricultureConference.com to register today.