On August 25, 2008 the Mercer County Sheriff's Department conducted a Roadside Safety Check on US 67 in Preemption.

Ameren officials today issued a statement that a scam is impacting Ameren customers in Illinois and Missouri in an effort to illegally obtain their Social Security numbers.

Illinois State Police District Seven announced that during the month of April, Troopers handled 1872 calls for service and assistance.  Of these calls, 177 were to help motorists whose vehicles were disabled on area highways.

Illinois Supreme Court Chief Justice Thomas L. Kilbride will administer the attorney’s oath to 19 new lawyers who will be admitted to practice in ceremonies in Ottawa on Thursday, May 10.

To help provide some relief to motorcyclists who wait for seemingly endless amounts of time at red lights, state Rep. Pat Verschoore (D-Milan) and the Illinois House of Representatives passed legislation allowing motorcycle riders to proceed through the lights after waiting at least two minutes.

As the National Arson Awareness Week kicks off Sunday, May 6th, the Office of the Illinois State Fire Marshal (OSFM) urges residents to educate themselves on the devastating effects of arson and to engage in simple activities aimed at preventing arson incidents.  Every year, fires caused by delinquent acts affect the lives of thousands of families and cause more than $1 billion in property loss across the country.

Chief Justice Thomas L. Kilbride of the Illinois Supreme Court and Chief Judge Joseph G. McGraw of the 17th Judicial Circuit formally announced Monday that news cameras will be allowed in trial courtrooms in Boone and Winnebago counties under a pilot program approved by the Supreme Court earlier this year.

Rep. Elaine Nekritz, D-Des Plaines, has introduced a bill  that would make it legal for citizens to record police officers performing  their public duties in public places.

On Tuesday, April 24, 2012 at 2:23 p.m., the Aledo Police Department responded to the area of N.E. 7th Street and N.E. 2nd Ave., in reference to a person lying in the street and unresponsive.  Upon arrival it was determined that the male subject was unresponsive and shortly afterwards was pronounced dead at the scene by Mercer County Coroner Ron McNall.

A 12-year Illinois Department of Corrections sentence for involvement in a slew of auto and home burglaries was reduced to 10 years for one of the participants in the 2010 crime spree that took place just after Thanksgiving. Judge Greg Chickris heard arguments on a motion to reconsider the sentence from attorney Mike Galvin, who represented Thomas J. Miller, 23, of Matherville on Monday, April 23, 2012. Galvin argued that the sentence was too harsh. He asked the judge to reduce the sentence and lower the amount of restitution.

Michael K. Nelson, 38, of Rock Island found out that having too many driving while intoxicated convictions could up the ante for a prison sentence. He was sentenced to the Illinois Department of Corrections for five years in Mercer County Court on Monday, April 23, 2012. The prison sentence was for a guilty plea to aggravated DUI (Class 1 felony). Nelson also pled guilty to obstruction of justice (Class 4 felony), for refusing to submit to a blood alcohol test after being served a warrant. He was sentenced to three years in the DOC to be served concurrently. He was sentenced to court costs only.

Just before midnight, April 1, Mercer County deputies discovered the body of a deceased male in his home in rural New Windsor. The name of the individual is being withheld pending notification of relatives. An autopsy has been scheduled.
The Mercer County Sheriff's Office, Illinois State Police and Mercer County coroner are investigating the death.

The Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) is reminding Illinoisans and visitors to the state to take precautions to prevent wildfires – especially with the unusually warm and dry weather in the state this spring.

The Aledo Police Department responded to an alarm at Wagner’s Pharmacy on Saturday, March 31, 2012 at 2:51 a.m. 

Sheriff Tom Thompson, of Mercer County has announced that the Illinois Sheriffs' Association is extremely proud to once again be named as a principal sponsor for the annual Illinois Teenage Institute on Substance Abuse.

Mercer County Crime Stoppers and the Viola Police Department are still seeking information regarding the homicide of Melissa White, which occurred in Viola on Oct. 21, 2011.

Representatives of the Office of the Illinois State Fire Marshal and the Illinois Fire Fighter Medal of Honor Committee will visit the Galesburg Fire Department to award Captain Derek W. Perry with the State of Illinois Firefighter Medal of Valor.

A DUI homicide results in Joseph Miller receiving a six-year sentence in the Illinois Department of Corrections.

The Mercer County Sheriff's Office today announced it will take part in the statewide Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over/Click It or Ticket crackdown by conducting special patrols during this St. Patrick's holiday period to curtail impaired drivers and late-night safety belt law violators.

The New Boston Volunteer Fire and Ambulance Service will hold their Annual Spring Fish and Chicken Benefit on Saturday, March 24 from 4 - 7 p.m. at the New Boston Fire Station.