Republic-Times | News https://www.republictimes.net/ Tue, 07 Apr 2026 21:17:28 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://www.republictimes.net/site/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/cropped-rt-favicon-143x143.png Republic-Times | News https://www.republictimes.net/ 32 32 Tuesday house fire in Columbia https://www.republictimes.net/tuesday-house-fire-in-columbia/ Tue, 07 Apr 2026 20:40:44 +0000 https://www.republictimes.net/?p=267831 Multiple departments responded shortly before 3:15 p.m. Tuesday to a residential structure fire in the 1200 block of Blue Spruce Lane off D Road in Columbia. There were no visible…

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]]> Donna G. Chitty | Obituary https://www.republictimes.net/donna-g-chitty-obituary/ Tue, 07 Apr 2026 20:38:01 +0000 https://www.republictimes.net/?p=267833 Donna G. Chitty (nee Rossetto), 79, of Waterloo, died April 7, 2026, in St. Louis. She was born Aug. 13, 1946, in Litchfield. She was a member of Belleville Junior…

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]]> Tuesday crash on Bluff Road https://www.republictimes.net/tuesday-crash-on-bluff-road-2/ Tue, 07 Apr 2026 20:10:00 +0000 https://www.republictimes.net/?p=267840 Emergency personnel responded shortly before 2:45 p.m. Tuesday to a single-vehicle crash on Bluff Road at Steppig Road near Columbia. The driver involved in this crash reported back pain on…

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]]> Barn fire near Red Bud https://www.republictimes.net/barn-fire-near-red-bud-2/ Mon, 06 Apr 2026 19:13:55 +0000 https://www.republictimes.net/?p=267710 Multiple area departments responded to a fully engulfed barn fire on a farm in the 8500 block of LL Road north of Brickey Road near Red Bud in rural southeastern…

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]]> Mini excavator fire in Columbia https://www.republictimes.net/mini-excavator-fire-in-columbia/ Mon, 06 Apr 2026 15:25:39 +0000 https://www.republictimes.net/?p=267696 The Columbia Fire Department responded about 9:55 a.m. Monday to a fully involved mini excavator fire at Raineri Building Controls, 714 DD Road. The business is a masonry supply store.…

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]]> Imogene Yarbrough | Obituary https://www.republictimes.net/imogene-yarbrough-obituary/ Mon, 06 Apr 2026 00:55:24 +0000 https://www.republictimes.net/?p=267656 Imogene Yarbrough, nee Fries, 90, of Waterloo, died April 2, 2026, in Chester. She was born Nov. 3, 1935, in Harrisonville. She worked at the Monroe County Farm Bureau for…

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]]> WJHS vandalism results in canceled classes https://www.republictimes.net/wjhs-vandalism-results-in-canceled-classes/ Mon, 06 Apr 2026 00:32:29 +0000 https://www.republictimes.net/?p=267653 The Waterloo School District canceled classes at all school buildings Monday due to vandalism discovered inside Waterloo Junior High School over the weekend. While the elementary and high school buildings…

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]]> Mary Ann Buechler | Obituary https://www.republictimes.net/mary-ann-buechler-obituary/ Fri, 03 Apr 2026 17:23:56 +0000 https://www.republictimes.net/?p=267448 Mary Ann Buechler, 92, of Columbia, died on March 30, 2026, at Accolade Healthcare of Waterloo, with her family by her side. She was born March 11, 1934, in Belleville,…

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]]> House fire near New Hanover https://www.republictimes.net/house-fire-near-new-hanover-2/ Thu, 02 Apr 2026 16:26:32 +0000 https://www.republictimes.net/?p=267332 The Columbia and Waterloo fire departments responded shortly before 10:15 a.m. Thursday to a fire inside a residence on Country Lane off D Road north of New Hanover. The incident…

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]]> Woolly work for BaaBaa Girls https://www.republictimes.net/woolly-work-for-baabaa-girls/ Wed, 01 Apr 2026 19:44:08 +0000 https://www.republictimes.net/?p=267151 It’s no secret Monroe County youth shine when it comes to agriculture, and two Waterloo freshmen are set to uphold that reputation as they’ve been hard at work bringing an…

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]]> Prison for Waterloo shooter https://www.republictimes.net/prison-for-waterloo-shooter/ Wed, 01 Apr 2026 19:40:54 +0000 https://www.republictimes.net/?p=267214 A young man found guilty in February of charges stemming from a November shooting outside the Waterloo movie theater was sentenced last Wednesday afternoon to a substantial prison term. Monroe…

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]]> Porta Fest back on? https://www.republictimes.net/porta-fest-back-on/ Wed, 01 Apr 2026 19:36:49 +0000 https://www.republictimes.net/?p=267215 Following news last month that Waterloo’s annual German tradition was no more, a number of locals are looking to breathe new life into the event, filled with passion for Porta…

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]]> Lern builds radio legacy https://www.republictimes.net/lern-builds-radio-legacy/ Wed, 01 Apr 2026 19:31:33 +0000 https://www.republictimes.net/?p=267152 A much loved rock radio host with Columbia ties will soon be inducted into the Illinois State University Broadcast Hall of Fame, an achievement she’s found to be quite the…

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]]> Columbia School Board listens and learns https://www.republictimes.net/columbia-school-board-listens-and-learns/ Wed, 01 Apr 2026 19:27:34 +0000 https://www.republictimes.net/?p=267153 District parents offered some comments on mandatory reporting and arts programming during the latest Columbia School Board meeting on March 19, which also saw some action items prepping for next…

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]]> Finances fantastic for county https://www.republictimes.net/finances-fantastic-for-county/ Wed, 01 Apr 2026 19:24:00 +0000 https://www.republictimes.net/?p=267155 Highlights of Monroe County Treasurer Kevin Koenigstein’s report during the March 16 meeting of the county board included sales tax income continuing to break records. For the first three months…

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]]> Back to prison for Franke https://www.republictimes.net/back-to-prison-for-franke/ Wed, 01 Apr 2026 19:08:05 +0000 https://www.republictimes.net/?p=267156 A local man with a pattern of trouble with the law is going back to prison. Jared M. Franke, 27, of Columbia, was sentenced Thursday in Monroe County Circuit Court…

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]]> Monroe County tentative multiplier announced https://www.republictimes.net/monroe-county-tentative-multiplier-announced/ Wed, 01 Apr 2026 19:05:27 +0000 https://www.republictimes.net/?p=267157 Monroe County has been issued a tentative property assessment equalization factor of 1.0429 by the Illinois Department of Revenue. The property assessment equalization factor, often called the “multiplier,” is the…

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]]> Batter up! It’s baseball season https://www.republictimes.net/batter-up-its-baseball-season/ Wed, 01 Apr 2026 17:45:48 +0000 https://www.republictimes.net/?p=267158 The high school baseball season is now underway, with local teams pitching, hitting, fielding and running with goals of success come June. Waterloo (5-1) is looking solid at the start…

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]]> Familiar face to lead CHS football https://www.republictimes.net/familiar-face-to-lead-chs-football/ Wed, 01 Apr 2026 17:40:16 +0000 https://www.republictimes.net/?p=267159 Following the recent retirement of legendary head coach Scott Horner, the  Columbia High School football program is now in the hands of a longtime sidekick who bleeds blue through and…

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]]> Softball season swings ahead https://www.republictimes.net/softball-season-swings-ahead/ Wed, 01 Apr 2026 17:37:13 +0000 https://www.republictimes.net/?p=267160 The 2026 high school softball season is flying by, with some local teams already having several games under their belt. Waterloo (11-0) remains unbeaten this spring with its victories coming…

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]]> Soccer girls kick into spring https://www.republictimes.net/soccer-girls-kick-into-spring/ Wed, 01 Apr 2026 17:36:00 +0000 https://www.republictimes.net/?p=267231 The high school girls soccer season is kicking into high gear, with all three teams enjoying some early success this spring.  Gibault (4-2-1) opened its 2026 campaign with wins over…

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