Illinois Mixed Bag: Salem High wins Illinois ‘Clash’ Championship

Springfield — Salem High School’s Mya Russell and Cole Beard captured the 2026 Illinois Clash Championship with a total of 29 pounds, 2 ounces of bass during the Illinois Coaches and Student State Tournament Trail (ICASSTT) event on Lake Springfield.

Russell and Beard topped the team of Will Bloemer and Brady Bloemer of Teutopolis High school, which weighed in 25 pounds, 2 ounces.

Salem’s depth was on full display throughout the tournament, with a handful of Top 10 finishers.

Kai Graham and Jaxon Ward secured a third-place finish, while Zane Barthelemy and Lucas Hodge placed sixth. Landen Maxey and Keytin Grawe added a ninth-place finish, and Damon Jennings and Landon White rounded out Salem’s top-10 performers in 10th place.

Russell also won the “big fish” award with a largemouth bass that weighed 5 pounds, 1 ounce.

Bill Passes Designating an Illinois State Bee

Springfield — The designation of an official Illinois State Bee sailed through both the House and Senate during the spring legislative session, passing both Houses May 31 as the session wound down.

State Sen. Laura Ellman, D-Naperville, pushed House Bill 4438 across the Senate finish line to designate the black and gold bumblebee – and known as bombus auricomus – as the official state bee. State Rep. Janet Yang Rohr, D-Naperville, had filed the bill in the House back in January.

“There’s a buzz among Springfield that this bill will highlight the critical pollinators that impact our environment, food systems and local ecosystems,” Ellman said. “This legislation is not only about recognizing an important native species, but also celebrating the students who turned their research and civic engagement into action.”

The species is known for its large size, bright yellow color and role as a prominent pollinator throughout Illinois’ grasslands, prairies and open fields. The initiative originated with eighth grade students at Lincoln Junior High School in in central Illinois, who researched pollinators and worked with the Illinois State Board of Education to organize a statewide student vote on which bee should represent Illinois.

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Sahara Woods OHV Trails Open for Season

Carrier Mills, Ill. — The off-highway vehicle trails at Sahara Woods State Recreation Area in Saline County are open and ready to welcome visitors for the 2026 outdoor recreation season. Sahara Woods near Carrier Mills offers nearly 30 miles of landscaped OHV trails for riders’ enjoyment.

The trails are open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday through Monday each week, May through January. A one-day permit costs $20 per vehicle. Four-day permits are available for $65 per vehicle. Rules and guidelines can be found online, along with registration forms, waivers of liability, and instructions for purchasing ride permits.

For additional information, call 618-994-2022 or email dnr.saharawoodsohv@illinois.gov..

Kids Fishing Derby Set for Four Lakes Preserve

Pecatonica, Ill. — The Forest Preserves of Winnebago County and Muskies, Inc.-Flatlanders Chapter are inviting children to participate in their annual Hooked on Fun Kid’s Fishing Derby.

The event will take place from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. June 13 at Four Lakes Forest Preserve, 10207 Fish Hatchery Road, in Pecatonica. Registration begins at 8:30 a.m., according to a community announcement. The derby is designed to introduce children to ethical fishing in a safe and fun environment. Forest preserve staff and Muskies, Inc. volunteers will guide young anglers as they compete to catch the biggest fish.

Popular Fishing Lake to Benefit from New Grant

Springfield — A state grant will bring nearly $200,000 in new funding to Lake Springfield to improve public access and upgrade infrastructure at the popular fishing destination and recreation area. DNR awarded the City of Springfield a $199,800 grant through the Illinois Boat Access Area Development Program, part of a broader round of four grants totaling $669,400 statewide to support boating and canoe access on Illinois waterways.

The funding will support improvements at Lake Springfield Center Park, including construction of a new walking path connecting the parking lot to a dock, installation of a motorboat dock and canoe launch with 12 boat slips, and upgrades to parking areas to improve safety, accessibility and traffic flow. Additional trailer parking is also planned in the project.

Missouri Drones, Helicopters to Fight Feral Hogs

Chester, Ill. — Feral hogs remain a major threat to wildlife in southeastern Missouri, just across the Mississippi River from Illinois. Jason Sumners, Missouri Conservation Department Director, told the state’s Conservation Commission in late May that Missouri and the federal USDA are making “significant” progress in the war against wild hogs.

“The use of drones and helicopters continues to be an extremely effective and efficient method of removing feral hogs from the landscape,” Sumners said. “Last year, the (state and federal) partnership removed just over 6,100 feral hogs.”

That total included shooting more than 2,700 feral hogs from aircraft.

“This year, USDA had a second helicopter equipped with forward-looking infrared FLIR camera(s) to assist with winter operations,” Sumners said. “This new technology also assisted with feral hog elimination efforts and made the removal efforts more successful.”