At the Heart of Chillicothe: A Year of Parks, People, & Possibility

Parks are more than green spaces—they are where memories are made, friendships begin, and community comes to life. Throughout Fiscal Year 2025, the Chillicothe Park District remained committed to creating places where residents of all ages can gather, play, and feel connected to the community they call home Read More »

Stop Waking Up Sore Without Spending $4,000

Walk into a mattress store or browse online and you’ll see everything from bargain-basement prices to luxury models costing thousands. Premium-priced mattresses promise better sleep, relief from back, shoulder, and hip pain, and fewer restless nights—often with a hefty price tag attached to a recognizable brand. Read More »

IVC Ghost Post

During the first week of March 2026, IVC students will celebrate World Languages Week with daily trivia contests, a food fair, and more! Also, the last group of seniors in the class of 2026 will participate in the spring senior retreat from Wednesday, March 4th through Saturday, March 7th. Read More »

Obituary – Richard “Dick” Lee Lingenfelter

Dick, 87, of Chillicothe, passed away at home peacefully on February 15, 2026, after a full week of time with family. He was born on July 13, 1938 in Canton, IL, to Harvey and Victoria (Krulac) Lingenfelter. Read More »

Obituary – Joseph Daniel Willis

Joe, Sr., age 65, of Chillicothe, passed away on Thursday, January 22, 2026 at his home, surrounded by his loved ones. Joe was born on November 8, 1960 in Peoria, IL to Donald Joe and Phyllis Ann (Ricconi) Willis. Read More »

Let’s Make a Holy Cow Cake

Ingredients 1 box of Dolly’s Chocolate cake mix 18 oz. (I like to use hers because it’s a larger cake mix) 1 bottle of Hershey’s Caramel Syrup 22 oz. 1 bottle of Hershey’s Chocolate Syrup 22 oz. Read More »

Happy 250th Birthday Everyone!

Is there much of a chance that you haven’t heard the USA is now in its 250th year? You may not think it is a big deal, but it really is, when you recognize that the country is now entering a very rare atmosphere. I realize I have been around a tad over one-third of those 250 years! Read More »

Library Bracket Bonanza!

March Madness is just around the corner, and Chillicothe Public Library District (CPLD) is celebrating with a Bracket Bonanza—this year featuring more than just books! In last year’s inaugural Bracket Bonanza, four books were voted to be champions by Chillicothe readers of all ages. Read More »

Put Your Tax Refund to Work

It’s that time of year when tax refunds go out. If you get a refund this year, how can you make the best use of it? For starters, you could use your refund to help fund your IRA. You still have until April 15 to contribute to your IRA for the 2025 tax year, but if you’ve already put in the full amount, you can begin on 2026 contributions. Read More »

Chillicothe Lions Club

The Lions Club would like to thank everyone who came to the Eagle Watch Day Breakfast put on by two of the many good groups here in town that help the community and surrounding area —The Rotary Club & The Lions Club of Chillicothe. It was a good time with a nice all-you-can-eat pancake and sausage breakfast with various shows/demonstrations put on by different sponsors. I hope everyone enjoyed it. Read More »

Nelly’s Corner

Birren Avenue looks kinda dead, so the gang has decided to start playing great baseball with or without the usual crowds attending. The usual crowds were a bunch of losers who were real terrible at baseball. Sometimes there were as many as three. It was unusually warm, and we were drinking in the sun when Carl arrived riding his pet pig. Read More »

New Business Opening on Plaza Drive!

The building located at 400 S. Plaza Drive in Chillicothe, Illinois, has been purchased by the Nena's Family of Nena Ace Hardware. Plans are currently underway to redevelop the property, with a tentative opening date of June 1st, 2026. Read More »

Freedom Paws Celebrates Three New Service Dog Graduates

On January 17th, Freedom Paws Service Dogs Foundation proudly celebrated the graduation of three dedicated teams at a heartfelt ceremony held at VFW Post 2602 in Peoria Heights. Surrounded by family, friends, volunteers, and supporters, the event marked the culmination of months of intensive training, commitment, and partnership between handlers and their service dogs. Read More »

The Insurance Corner – When Sewage Comes Back: A Costly Homeowner’s Nightmare

Few homeowner nightmares compare to sewage backing up through a toilet, shower, or basement floor drain. Beyond the mess and health concerns, sewer backup events can cause extensive damage to flooring, drywall, furniture, and personal belongings and many homeowners are shocked to learn that their standard homeowner’s insurance policy typically does not cover the loss. Read More »

Optimistically Speaking

March…the gateway to spring. I can hardly wait until the crocus and daffodils break through the ground and the grass begins to green. For the Optimist’s Club, spring means we start gearing up for new programs and fundraisers. Our club rests, but we never sleep... Read More »

Real Estate Over Coffee – The American Dream Still Lives at Home

For as long as I can remember, the American Dream meant one thing: owning a home. That belief has been passed down for generations, and there’s good reason for it. Homeownership is more than a milestone. It is a financial investment that builds equity, long-term stability, and generational wealth. But it goes even deeper than that. Read More »

A Familiar Voice Takes Chillicothe History to the Next Chapter

When we first began publishing the Chillicothe Hometown Voice in 2022, I had never met Brian Fislar. After just a few issues were distributed, Brian reached out to ask if I would be interested in him submitting historical articles for the paper. Since I wasn’t a lifelong Chillicothean, I wasn’t familiar with his name or just how deep his roots ran in our community. Read More »

What’s Happening in Chillicothe...

March weather begins to warm and spring is in the air. Daylight savings time begins March 8th so don’t forget to update the clocks. With spring approaching, yard work begins. There are two ways of disposing of Landscape waste: 1) The burning of landscape waste – permitted only between April 1 and May 31 and between October 1 and December 15. Read More »

In the Spotlight – Taylor Larson Cole: Cuddles with Kindness

Heroes come in all shapes and sizes and are found in all walks of life. They can be first responders that rush in without fear of their own safety, military personnel that fight for our freedom, or they can be ordinary people that always think of others and come to the call to relieve their pain and suffering or calm their fears. Read More »