Mike 'MJ' Eddy joined MacombNewsNow.com for a conversation about The Taste of McDonough County happening in Colchester on Saturday, May 22nd, 2021. Food vendors from around McDonough County will gather in Colchester on the 21st to show off some of the best food that McDonough County has to offer. We caught up with Mike recently to talk about the idea behind The Taste of McDonough, a sampling of some of the incredible food that will be available and what the festival means to the town of Colchester.

Kewanee City Councilman Steve Faber says he was told not to vote on the contract related to which group will run the Kewanee Animal Control Pound. The reason given was an alleged conflict of interest however, according to Councilman Faber that conflict no longer exists and he will be voting on the contract regardless of who tells him not to. In this conversation on Wake Up Tri-Counties, Councilman Faber asks the public to reach out and tell him how he should vote on the two contracts in front of the Kewanee City Council on Monday, May 24th. The Humane Society of Henry County and the Kewanee Friends of the Animals are the groups with bids in on the contract to run the Kewanee Animal Control Pound.

Author Adrian Miller is tracking the history of African Americans via food. His specialty is Soul Food but Barbecue is his latest subject in the new book Black Smoke: African Americans and the United States of Barbecue. In the book, Adrian tracks the inextricable history of African Americans and the evolution of American barbecue via historic pitmasters. Pitmasters such as Arthur Watts of Kewanee, Illinois. Arthur, born in Kansas City, reached a modicum of fame in the early 1900s for his remarkable barbecue recipes. His pit smoked whole hog barbecue was the precursor to the annual Kewanee Hog Days. Arthur is one of many barbecue legends featured in the terrific new book, "Black Smoke: African Americans and the United States of Barbecue" by author Adrian Miller.

Wake Up Sauk Valley with Heritage Woods of Sterling by Regional Media

On the newest edition of Sean at the Movies, I sat down to chat with the writers of the incredible legal drama, The Mauritanian. Based on the true story of a man who was arrested by American forces in 2002 and held for 14 years at Guantanamo Bay with no charges brought against him, The Mauritanian is a deeply human and intelligent legal drama that pays tribute to the real story of an innocent, persecuted man and the legal wrangling that finally got him out of jail. Also this week, shifting gears to the horror genre, I spoke to the writing and directing team behind the new in theaters horror movie, The Djinn about the remarkable challenge of telling a horror story where the lead character is a mute child left alone in an apartment overnight and menaced by a demonic spirit he summoned himself. This week on Sean at the Movies The Mauritanian with writers Rory Haines and Sohrab Noshirvani and The Djinn with the writing and directing duo, Justin Powell and Michael Charbonier

So many reasons to celebrate this week at Courtyard Estates in Kewanee and in the Courtyard community. Courtyard Estates has a brand new Director, Missy Jones, who joined Karissa Nash for an introduction as the new Director on Wake Up Tri-Counties. It's also Nurses Week and Nurses at Courtyard Communities were celebrated this week and Courtyard did something special for Police Week by dropping off treats for local law enforcement around the area.

The Kewanee Farmer's Market is coming back this weekend, Saturday, May 15th, from 7 Am to 11 Am in Barrien Park. Vendors will be on hand with food and crafts each Saturday and Wednesday at Barrien Park and you can still become a vendor. The cost is minimal and the opportunity to sell your products in a terrific spot, especially as COVID restrictions lift and festivals return to the area, you don't want to miss this chance. Contact Diane Demay or Katie Yaklich today, via the Kewanee Farmer's Market Facebook page or just stop by on Saturday to inquire about becoming a vendor at the Kewanee Farmer's Market. Everyone else, turn out and get fresh fruits and vegetables and all of the stuff you associate with the Kewanee Farmer's Market, beginning Satuday morning at 7 Am and continuing each Wednesday and Saturday through October 2021.

Today on our Good News segment of Wake Up Tri-Counties, we were lucky to look at some local Good News courtesy of the Kewanee High School Life Skills Program. Teachers, Nicole Nelson and Kim Johnson, joined WKEI to talk about what they are hoping to accomplish with a brand new, more hands on, curriculum that they are funding with a GoFundMe Campaign. We also talked about donations of tangible goods to the Life Skills Program to be given to students who are preparing to move out on their own into the world after High School. Making sure these students have the tools they need for a successful life following High School is part of the goal of the Kewanee High School Life Skills Program and it is a passion for Nicole and Katie who are going above and beyond to prepare their students.

Behavioral Health Department at the Whiteside Community Health Clinic? by Regional Media

The Kewanee Public Library survey is available now on the Kewanee Library website, KewaneeLibrary.org. The Kewanee Library Strategic Planning Survey is an opportunity for everyone in the community to share their opinion and make their voice heard regarding what you would like to see at the Kewanee Library. Sara Billiet from the Kewanee Public Library joined Wake Up Tri-Counties on Thursday morning to talk about the survey and promote the Adult Book Club, the Mostly Non-Fiction Book Club, and the amazing things happening in the Children's Room at the Kewanee Public Library.