Sterling Update with Mayor Lee by Regional Media

The latest numbers on COVID-19 have Henry County at 99 confirmed cases since the start of the pandemic. That's an increase of 8 cases in the last week in Henry County. Meanwhile, people continue to attempt to politicize the virus and the reaction to it on social media and the question is, Why? Why do you feel that there is a political conspiracy surrounding COVID-19? The Health Department can only recommend you follow guidelines in order to keep yourself and others safe, they cannot arrest you for not following along. So why the conspiracy theories?

Pastor Jim Reynolds from OSF Hospice and OSF Grief Support joined WKEI to talk about grief and specifically how to deal with the question of Why? Why was my loved one taken? It's a question that plagues many of those afflicted by loss. The question of Why is an answerable question, as painful as that may seem. That said, other why questions may offer more insight and support than simply why someone has died.

Kewanee High School Principal Jamie Bryan has known Shaune Lewis since High School, when they played on the same Kewanee Boilermakers Basketball team together under Coach Peck. Mr Bryan joined WKEI on Tuesday to remember Shaune Lewis, his contributions to the community and the many conversations about basketball and life that the two shared during Shaune's time as Head Coach of the Boilermakers. A visitation memorial for Shaune Lewis will be held in the auditorium at Kewanee High School on Saturday from 11 Am to 4 Pm. Due to social distancing guidelines, no more than 50 people can be in the auditorium at one time and attendees must wear masks.

Is COVID-19 spread through the air? The answer is, yes, under some specific circumstances. Dr Cliff Martin,Vice President Chief Medical Officer serving OSF Saint Luke Medical Center, OSF Holy Family Medical Center, and OSF St. Mary Medical Center, tells WKEI that indeed, COVID-19 can be transmitted in the air, via close contact of people in an enclosed space. The issue is that COVID-19 exists in minuscule droplets in the human mouth that escape every time you speak or breathe through your mouth. Those unseen droplets can linger in the air and end up on people close to you or on surfaces where they can be touched by people sharing that common space. Masks alleviate the issue of airborne COVID-19 by limiting the amount of droplets in the air and on common surfaces.

Kewanee Basketball coach and local businessman, Shaune Lewis passed away last week. Coach Lew was beloved by his players and deeply loved by his family. He was admired by everyone in the Kewanee community and known for his strong conviction and faith. Today on WKEI, our lead sports announcer Russ Hughes, joined Sean Kernan on the WKEI Morning Show to pay tribute to a Coach and a man who touched a lot of lives and will not soon be forgotten.

State Representative Tony McCombie by Regional Media

The Greatest Comeback continues for local businesses including SITK Kitchen & Bath in Princeton. Owner Mark Howarth has operated the business for more than 31 years. Mark says they work with customers all over the northern half of the state, doing kitchen and bath design and sales. He says their business was “non existent for two and a half months” as they closed their doors due to help the community fight COVID-19. During that time they did finish some work they had started for customers while maintaining social distancing. SITK re-opened on June 1 and Mark says they have seen a “resurgence” in business since then. He says they take pride in collaborating with area contractors to help keep money spent by the business local. SITK Kitchen & Bath is located at 1619 North Main Street in Princeton. They are open weekdays from 9 to 5 and Saturdays from 9 to 3. More information including a virtual showroom tour can be found at somekitchen.com and they have a Facebook page. You can also give them a call at 815-879-0604.

13 new cases of COVID-19 in a week in Henry County. It's a troubling but not unexpected rise given the recent re-opening of more of the economy in Illinois. RaeAnn Tucker joined WKEI on Thursday to talk about the latest numbers, the Recovery Rate data in Henry and Stark County and contract tracing, the difficulty in tracing the outbreak locally and statewide. Henry County has seen remarkable cooperation from those who've tested positive while other areas of the state struggle.

Cassandra Schmoll, Director of the Henry County Senior Center joined WKEI on Tuned In on Thursday to talk about their home delivered meal program and remind anyone over the age of 60 that they are eligible to receive Home Delivered Meals from the Senior Center. Simply call the Henry County Senior Center to join the Home Delivered Meal Program, 309-853-8311. Cassandra also took a moment to remind everyone to fill out the census and say that if you are a senior in need of help with the Census, you can call the the Senior Center for phone support in getting your census filled out.