Our most significant news stories of 2018 'Little Hank,' fatal fire top the list

SOUTHERN ILLINOIS - A star is born. Family is lost. Institutions expand. There have been many news stories in 2018 in the pages of the Harrisburg Register/Eldorado Journal and on our website, and each one is important. At the end of each year, though, we like to sift through the previous 12 months and highlight what we feel are the most significant stories of the year. Here, then, are what we present as the most impactful stories of our past year.

Mason Ramsey

Early in April, a viral video of a young boy singing old Hank Williams songs at the Harrisburg Walmart began making the rounds on social media. Within a matter of days, the world learned the name of the "Walmart Yodeling Boy" from Golconda: Mason Ramsey. On Wednesday, April 11, the world's eye focused on Harrisburg, when Ramsey performed in his first actual concert in the parking lot of the Harrisburg Walmart. Earlier that week, he had appeared on ABC's "The Ellen Show," where he learned from host Ellen Degeneres that she had arranged for him to play at the Grand Ole Opry and that he would be receiving a $15,000 college scholarship from Walmart. The concert did not disappoint. A frenzy of media outlets were on hand, along with a parking lot full of new fans. Food trucks parked toward the back of the parking lot to feed the masses. The Harrisburg Register/Eldorado Journal provided a live stream of the performance on its Facebook page. He would go on to record his first commercially produced music single, "Famous," after signing a deal with Big Loud Records. Ramsey continues to perform and remains a household name.

Fatal fire

Saline County residents woke to terrible news on Jan. 31, when they learned that a fatal house fire on Pacific Street in Harrisburg had claimed the lives of a Harrisburg woman and her twin daughters. Amanda Peacock and her twins Alaysia and Malaysia died early that Wednesday morning in a house fire. The girls' brother Rajah was able to escape the fire. Amanda was a pharmacy technician at the Walmart Pharmacy in Harrisburg, and her daughters were eight-graders at Harrisburg Middle School. In addition to the Harrisburg school system, churches and other community organizations in addition to many individuals joined to help with donations for the surviving family members. A prayer service was held in the family's memory at New Life Gospel Church on Grape Street. Through the end of the 2017-2018 school year and into the current school year, the memory of the Peacock twins has been honored at various sporting events.

New CEO

In March, Harrisburg Medical Center announced they had named a new CEO.

Donald H. Hutson was named CEO for the hospital. Hutson is a 1985 University of Mississippi graduate. After he graduated, he was commissioned as a U.S. Army Medical Service Corps officer. He then served a 21-year career in the Army, retiring as a lieutenant colonel in 2006. He held a variety of healthcare leadership positions during that time. He also was a recipient of the Bronze Star, the Legion of Merit, four Meritorious Service medals, a Joint Service Commendation Medal and three Army Commendation Medals. He also earned campaign ribbons related to service in Desert Shield and Desert Storm. Hutson was named as the hospital has continued to finish a major expansion project at the hospital.

Breaking ground

In December, Ferrell Hospital executives, board members, physicians and politicians broke ground for what likely is the hospital's most significant expansion in its history. The $33 million project will overhaul the existing hospital and will provide a host of new healthcare services in the area. Earlier in the year, the hospital celebrated the announcement that it had acquired funding for the hospital expansion and that the project would begin before the end of the year.

Clerk defeated

Incumbent Saline County Clerk Kim Buchanan, a frequent target of some county board members and officeholders, was defeated in the primary by then-county board member Roger Craig. Earlier in the year, the results of an audit by a Seattle accounting firm claimed significant problems within Buchanan's office likely had a heavy financial impact on the county and its taxpayers. The total cost the audit attributed to mismanagement was about $1 million, according to the audit. Craig defeated Buchanan, and would go on to win the county clerk office in November over Democratic challenger Julie Dunn, a longtime employee of the county clerk's office before being fired by Buchanan. Then-Saline County State's Attorney Jayson Clark said he had referred the audit results to the Illinois Attorney General's office to see whether any criminal charges were appropriate. No charges ever were filed, and at the Saline County Board's final meeting of 2018, final audit results mentioned that while some money may have erroneously placed into incorrect accounts, no money actually was missing from the county clerk's office.

First female state's attorney

Saline County voters elected Molly Wilson Kasiar state's attorney in the November General Election, the first time a woman has held the office. Kasiar, a Republican, was picked over State's Attorney Jayson Clark, who had been appointed to the position unanimously by the Saline County Board following the death of Mike Henshaw in early 2017. Kasiar and newly elected Republican Sheriff James "Whipper" Johnson attributed a portion of their success to a series of meetings held throughout the county to discuss the concerns of voters and public safety.

Saline County votes GOP

Though much of Illinois and the country voted heavily for Democratic candidates during the 2018 General Election, Saline County was not among them. In fact, Saline County was one of many southern Illinois counties who went the opposite direction politically. At the county level, the new sheriff James "Whipper" Johnson and new state's attorney Molly Wilson Kasiar were among those who received the highest number of votes. Metropolis State's Attorney Patrick Windhorst was voted into office for the 118th Legislative District, making it the first time in many years a Republican, and not a Saline County native, was elected to the office. State Sen. Dale Fowler, a Harrisburg Republican, was re-elected, this time to a four-year term. He was one of some freshman state senators who randomly received a two-year term the first time he was elected to the office in 2016. Outside of southern Illinois, Republicans did not fare as well. Gubernatorial challenger Democrat J.B. Pritzker handily defeated incumbent Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner.

SIC art museum

Southeastern Illinois College officials held a groundbreaking ceremony in May for the Ella Elizabeth Hise Museum of Regional Art, beginning construction shortly after. The museum comes after the single largest donation, $2.5 million, was made to the college by retired Air Force Col. William C. Hise and the estate of his late twin brother, Air Force Brig. Gen. James C. Hise, who died in February 2016. The museum is named for Ella Elizabeth Hise, a former teacher and art supervisor for Harrisburg Public Schools. The exterior of the building is largely finished and is located on the southeast corner of the SIC campus. It will feature works by various artists from across southern Illinois, western Kentucky, southern Indiana, southeast Missouri and western Tennessee after its completion.

Eldorado High School lauded

At the end of May, Eldorado Unit 4 Schools Superintendent Ryan Hobbs said he was pleased to announce to Eldorado, Saline County and southern Illinois that EHS had been named a Bronze School by U.S. News and World Report. Each year, the publication creates a list of schools that exemplify a positive learning environment with high student test results, graduation rates and other positive measures of a school's outstanding academic performance. Hobbs said that it is the first time in school history the high school has achieved the rank of Bronze School in the report. Hobbs credited the achievement to both a diverse group of exceptionally talented teachers and staff and a student body eager to learn and develop.

Harrisburg High gets donation

Harrisburg High School alumnus Paul Jones made a major contribution to the future academic success of Harrisburg High School students when he donated $100,000 to be used for science equipment and books at HHS. Harrisburg Superintendent Mike Gauch, who had approached Jones about donating to his old high school, said while the district had recently finished a major renovation of the high school, it didn't have the resources to furnish the new labs and classrooms with new equipment. Much of the equipment in use was from the early 1960s, was prone to breakage and had become inaccurate. Jones, who has been the CEO of several international companies, said he was concerned with the quality of education for HHS students.

In late September, Jones returned to Harrisburg, where he was given a tour of the new science wing of the high school, which has been named in his honor. Jones also received demonstrations of the new scientific equipment the school district purchased thanks to his donation.