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By Kevin Hieronymus
HIERONYMUS' HYPOTHESIS
There have been times over the years where I've dreamt that I've left the Bureau County Republican for somewhere "bigger and better" sitting in a new office.
Each time, my mind is asking, "Why did I do this?" Then I'd wake up and was relieved it was only a dream.
This time, it's not a dream.
The common greeting I've had the past few years has been, "Hi Kevin. Are you still working?" Or "when are you going to retire?" Just had a couple people ask me last week. I guess you get that at my age.
Well, the time has come. After almost 40 years as your sports editor, 42 years in the business, it's time to hang 'em up. I've often heard players and coaches say, "I'd rather retire one year too soon than one year too late" and come to regret it. That's the approach I'm taking.
I will be working through the end of the month. I want to make sure I finish what I start, so I'll step away before the start of another new school year.
It's not an easy decision certainly to move on from your passion, but I am excited for what's out there. I'll have more free time to travel with Kami and our sidekick, Cocoa, our little Jack Russell. I'm sure I won't stray too far from the local sports scene in one way or the other.
While I won't miss all the late nights and deadlines, I will miss the people along the way from the kids, the coaches, the scorekeepers, the ADs, the custodians and other school personnel behind the scenes.
I kind of came in (my third year in town) with the 1989 Princeton Tiger Style Runnin' Wild" Princeton state runner-up football team. One team member, Darren Foley, told me years later, "Hieronymus, we made you in this town." I told him he wasn't wrong.
Now I'm not sure how many of us are still running wild.
I've driven through a tornado coming back from DePue's sectional championship basketball game in 2017 in Somonauk and thunder snow for a girl's regional finals in Mendota. I also ran out of the Nesti Stadium press box which appeared to be on fire with sparks flying and smoke billowing. Fortunately, it was just a wire sparking outside the press box. Then some folks suggested to not touch the handrails on the way down which made the exit more harrowing.
In the early years, I drove to work downtown one morning and saw our roof on fire. Thankfully, the fire department saved our building at 316 South Main, now Festival 56, and we put a paper out smoke smell or not. Once I walked five blocks in a blizzard to work and our skeleton crew still put a paper out and I wound up helping deliver the paper in a co-worker's Jeep.
I've filled in as interim news editor four or five times over the years, went on the news beat temporarily when COVID shutdown the sports scene in 2020 and served as an interim page designer.
I may have sold an ad at one time, so I've done or seen about it all.
Reflecting back, I will always remember the state champions - the 1988 St. Bede baseball team, the 1990 Princeton volleyball team, the 1995 and 2001 Hall and 2005 Bureau Valley football teams, the 2018 Hall baseball and the 2023 St. Bede softball teams - as well as some of the heart-breaking losses along the way like Princeton's overtime loss in the 1995 sectional finals at Piano on a last-second throw-in and again in the 2003 super sectional at DeKalb, also on a last-second shot.
I also will remember Princeton coach Lee Wahlgren's bear hugs on sons Kipp and Kristian after winning the state wrestling championship, Chad Hamel streaking down the sidelines in Princeton's 1989 playoff win over Alleman in front of a packed Bryant Field and the Tigers' victory at Marmion in the bitter cold, Jeff Ohlson's sectional-winning free throw and Roger Lowe's blue collar Sweet 16 1992 basketball team, Brad Bickett's foot stomps and the Storm's state third place three-peat, Hall line coach Steve Smith's King of Rock 'n Roll chants, Eric Bryant's Hustlin' Hall Red Devils and Shawn Jeppson's 51-point game at state, Princeton's 2009 sectional win over mighty Peoria Manual, Mac Resetich racing down the field, slam dunks by Teegan Davis, Grady Thompson and Noah LaPorte and the state basketball and baseball teams from PC.
Just the same, I will never forget the young athletes we've tragically lost - Lindy Woods and Joe Nord of Princeton, Brett Thompson of Walnut, Steve Hamacher, Mike Crawford and Mike Swanlund ("Mike and Mike") of LaMoille, Matt Bence of Princeton, Blaine Foster and Daniel Lule of Hall and Tyler Harrison and Evan Knoblauch of St. Bede. Sadly, I've had seven of my former Little Leaguers pass away - Adam Romagnoli, Eric Provance, Brett Shepard, Phillip Briddick, Matt Anson, Mike Monier and Tony Carr - who I will always remember.
The very first game I covered for the BCR was the 1986 LaMoille at Tampico first-round playoff football game with my hometown pal Kip Cheek of the Mendota Reporter won by the Lions 6-0. Still remember my story lead saying, "the Trojans found the Lions defense just as stiff as Tampico native son Ronald Reagan."
My last game was Hall's regional semifinal baseball 5-4 loss this spring to Monmouth-Roseville at Princeton.
Along the way, we've had 10 teams from Hall reach the state tournament/ finals, seven from St. Bede, six from Bureau Valley and five from Princeton plus numerous individual state champions.
I've always wondered how many games I've covered over the years. This past year I've kept track what an average year would be like. For ballpark figures, I've covered about 1,600 basketball games, 800 baseball and softball games, 700 volleyball matches and 400-some football games, not to mention soccer, golf, track, cross country and tennis.
I've also logged about 106,000 miles on the job based on this year's mileage.
I figure I have put out more than 5,500 editions of BCR sports sections with 2,000 or more of these Hieronymus' Hypothesis columns and in recent years, the Record. I created that column name in college to come up with something about as long as my last name. Former Walnut football coach Mick Peterson still calls me Kevin Alphabet because of all the letters in my name.
The BCR may be considered smalltime in some circles. Bigger is not always better. I could have gone to a bigger town and bigger paper, but I would have not found a place that lives and breathes sports more than Bureau County and Putnam County.
It's always rewarding to attend graduation parties and see scrapbooks full of stories you have written on that senior. This is why newspapers still matter and always will. Keep supporting your local newspapers. You won't know what you got until it's gone.
I thank you for inviting me into your house two or three times a week the past 40 years, depending on publication schedule. It's been my extreme honor to cover sports in Bureau County and Putnam County. I want to give a special thanks to Shannon Jenkins for serving as a dedicated PC sports correspondent, largely with no pay, for passing on your hometown sports news.
I feel like I've known you all in one way or the other, either writing about you, your child or grandchild.
I've written about kids of kids I've covered years ago, but haven't quite got to grandkids, I don't believe.
I remember sitting in Matt McDonald's living room in Princeton signing his professional baseball contract after being drafted by the Oakland Athletics in 1994. Twenty-four years later, I covered his son, Cam, recording the last out on the mound for Hall's state championship in 2018 with Matt in the dugout.
One of the first families I've covered here was the Davis family in the late '80s with Brian at Manlius. It's only fitting that I finish with the Davis family and having one of my last interviews with his niece Keighley.
They say all good things must end. And this has been a good thing. Very good.
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Aug. 26, 2026 Media Contact Information: Cartwheel Emily Paisner (888) 500-2067 emily.paisner@cartwheelcare.org
$1 million grant from Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois will help Cartwheel scale access to care in rural and underserved communities through 2028
CHICAGO — August 26, 2026 — Cartwheel Care, a telehealth mental health provider for K-12 schools, today announced plans to expand access to care for up to 100,000 students across Illinois, supported by a $1 million grant from Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois (BCBSIL). The additional funding builds on an existing partnership between Cartwheel and BCBSIL, following a year of strong engagement and clinical outcomes. Cartwheel currently serves 40 Illinois school districts, and the grant will help expand services further into rural and underserved communities across the state through 2028. Mental health needs among Illinois students remain high. According to data from Lurie Children’s Hospital, approximately 50% of Illinois youth (ages 2–17) have experienced worsening mental health symptoms in recent years. At the same time, access to care has not kept pace: more than 80 of Illinois’ 102 counties have no practicing child psychiatrist, and the shortage is most acute in rural areas, where families often wait months for an appointment or travel significant distances for care. Cartwheel’s telehealth model is designed to remove the access barriers rural families face, like long waitlists and the need to travel to see a provider. By partnering with schools, Cartwheel provides licensed, Illinois-based clinicians with no waitlist, accepts all major insurance plans including Medicaid, and reaches kids and families where they already are, without requiring them to find or travel to an outside provider. “Every student experiences mental health challenges differently, and there’s no one-size-fits-all approach to supporting them,” said Dr. Juliana Chen, chief medical officer at Cartwheel. “Our goal is to meet students and families where they are, with practical support that helps them build skills, strengthen relationships, and feel more confident navigating challenges at school and at home. BCBSIL’s support is what allows us to bring that care to more Illinois communities.” “Supporting the health and well-being of Illinois youth is critical to building stronger communities,” said Brian Snell, president of Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois. “The results we’ve seen through our partnership with Cartwheel demonstrate the impact that timely, accessible mental health services can have for students and families. This investment will help bring those services to even more communities across our state.” To date, four Illinois districts have received Cartwheel’s services through this grant: Steger SD 194 in Cook County and Will County, Troy CCSD 30-C in Will County, Mattoon CUSD 2 in Coles County, and Wolf Branch SD #113 in St. Clair County. In the first year of the program, more than 200 students were referred for care and completed more than 1,000 telehealth sessions. Appointments were scheduled in the same week with no waitlist. Sixty-eight percent of students served were covered by Medicaid or uninsured. Overall, 73% of students showed meaningful improvement in anxiety and depression symptoms on standard clinical screeners (GAD-7/PHQ-9). Additional districts where Cartwheel services are launching this fall include Litchfield CUSD #12, Panhandle CUSD #2, Leyden High School District #212, and Regional Office of Education #40. With the support of this grant, Cartwheel expects to expand into another 30 to 50 school districts, bringing access to care to a total of 100,000 students across Illinois. “Before this partnership, getting a student connected to care could take months,” said Jeffrey Peterson, director of student services & records at Troy CCSD 30-C. “Now our counselors can refer a student, know they’ll be seen within days, and are seeing real improvements as a result.” Through the grant, Cartwheel provides individual and family therapy, parent guidance, psychiatric evaluation and medication management, and specialized care programs for challenges like school avoidance, social media use, and intense emotions and behavior challenges. As reported in Illinois Policy, in 2025 about 25% of Illinois students missed at least 10% of the school year and this was more severe among low-income students, with 35.1% in that group chronically absent. Cartwheel’s school avoidance program delivers evidence-based care designed specifically for students struggling with school avoidance. In partnership with Cartwheel, Peoria Public Schools saw a 62% reduction in absences per student, along with decreases in suspensions and symptoms of depression and anxiety. Illinois school districts that want to learn more about this opportunity for the upcoming school year should visit: www.cartwheel.org/illinois. About Cartwheel Cartwheel is the nation’s largest and most trusted telehealth provider for K-12 schools, students, and families. Cartwheel partners with 350 school districts across 15 states to deliver comprehensive mental health services to students, families, and school staff. Founded in 2022 by educators and clinicians, Cartwheel combines evidence-based clinical care with technology to ensure every child has access to high-quality mental health support. Cartwheel accepts all major insurance plans including Medicaid and provides care at no cost to uninsured families. For more information visit: www.cartwheel.org. About Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois is the largest health insurer in Illinois, serving nine million members and operating in all 102 Illinois counties. BCBSIL is a division of Health Care Service Corporation, a Mutual Legal Reserve Company and an Independent Licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association. Learn more at bcbsil.com and follow us on Facebook and LinkedIn.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Aug. 24, 2026 Media Contact Information: Mather Institute Cindy Droog, president, Sabo PR (616) 717-8654 cindy@sabo-pr.com
Free online tool by Mather Institute supports local planning, partnership and investments
EVANSTON, Illinois – Chicago has a new tool to help understand where neighborhood conditions support social wellness among older adults – and where thoughtful investment and partnership may expand opportunities. Mather Institute launched a first-of-its-kind free Social Wellness Map, which scores the 77 community areas in Chicago on social wellness – a measure of feeling connected with others and with a community – for adults 55 and better. Previous research shows strong social ties are one of the most important predictors of a happy and long life, and that neighborhoods and communities shape how people interact, support one another and build shared identity. Mather Institute developed the map in partnership with NORC at the University of Chicago. Designed as a planning and advocacy resource, the interactive map can help policymakers, community organizations, funders, planners and service providers explore local patterns, identify assets and consider where new investments may have the greatest benefit for older adults. “Social wellness is a crucial, yet often overlooked, part of healthy aging,” said Cate O’Brien, MPH, Ph.D., chief transformation officer at Mather Institute. “Because every community contains diverse histories, people and experiences, the map is intended to inform – not replace – local knowledge. The most useful next step is conversation. When organizations bring this data together with resident voices, they can better understand what is already working and what could be most beneficial to older adults and their communities.” The map is based on a new survey of more than 4,000 Chicago residents age 55 and better, combined with public data on community conditions, including walkability, economic factors and access to gathering places such as libraries, churches and community centers. Factors such as crime, lack of local businesses and poverty can hinder social wellness, but don’t tell the whole story. Users can view a side-by-side comparison of communities to explore how social wellness relates to health, happiness, income and other factors. Key findings include:
“Community leaders often have deep local knowledge, but need data to support the case for programs, funding and partnerships,” said Jennifer L. Smith, Ph.D., vice president of Mather Institute. “The Social Wellness Map offers another lens for understanding older adults’ experiences and for turning local insight into action.” High social wellness scores were not confined to one part of Chicago or to its wealthiest areas, suggesting that other factors such as neighborhood identity, belonging and longstanding social ties are also important to connection. Chatham emerged as a notable example, with a social wellness score of 8.14 out of 10, illustrating social wellness reflects aspects of community life beyond economic and safety indicators alone. Beverly received the highest community connectability score: 100 out of 100. Beverly is notable for its low crime rates, a strong family culture and several longstanding community gathering places. Jefferson Park stood out for having community conditions that support connection such as accessible transit, retail activity and established cultural gathering places. The map is free to use and does not require user registration. It can be explored at: https://www.matherinstitute.com/social-wellness-map/
About Mather and Mather Institute
Based in Evanston, Illinois, Mather is a not-for-profit organization founded in 1941 that is dedicated to a vision of changing the way society views aging. Mather creates Ways to Age Well℠ through programs, places and residences for today’s older adults. These include developing and operating communities that support older adults in pursuing wellness and fulfillment; sparking creativity and connections for older adults in Chicagoland and beyond; and through Mather Institute, conducting research and incubating innovation to help all live and age well.
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