Jason Lewton
Assistant News Director
Quincy, Illinois
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Jason Lewton is the Assistant News Director for WGEM News. He joined the team after spending 8 years with our newsgathering partners at The Herald-Whig, the last three of which were spent as Executive Editor.
Jason, a Tri-State native, has more than two decades of local news experience. Previously, he was the Art Director for Missouri Lawyers Media and also worked as a news designer at the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. He began his career at the Pike Press in Pittsfield, and also has made stops in Jacksonville, Alton and Munster, Ind.
In his free time, Jason enjoys reading, cooking and theater, and he follows the Chicago Cubs and Kansas City Chiefs.
Updated: May. 3, 2023 at 6:24 PM CDT
|By Jason Lewton
Attorney for local media organizations argued that a blanket order from Judge Robert Adrian requiring all motions in the case of Timothy Bliefnick to be filed under seal “stands the concept of openness on its head.”
Updated: Dec. 16, 2022 at 12:03 PM CST
|By Jason Lewton
Court documents show an emergency order of protection was issued on behalf of his wife, Casey Koehler, last Friday, Dec. 9.
Updated: Dec. 14, 2022 at 11:34 PM CST
|By Jason Lewton
The district made the announcement Wednesday night following a lengthy closed session during the regularly scheduled board meeting.
Updated: Oct. 22, 2022 at 9:51 PM CDT
|By Jason Lewton and Shaqaille McCamick
The Chicago democrat stopped at the American Legion Post in Quincy to share her thoughts on why she believes voters should elect her to her second full term in office.
Updated: Oct. 12, 2022 at 1:29 PM CDT
|By Jason Lewton
Judge Roger Thomson denied an oral motion from defendant Bradley Yohn to move back the start of the trial even further after granting a prosecution request to push the start back one week from the previously set Nov. 7 start date.
Updated: Aug. 22, 2022 at 3:21 PM CDT
|By Jason Lewton
An 18-year-old Quincy man accused of firing a gun outside a Quincy bar over the weekend made his first appearance Monday afternoon in Adams County Court.
Updated: Aug. 12, 2022 at 5:22 PM CDT
|By Jason Lewton, Victoria Bordenga and Blake Sammann
One Quincy man thought he had found a safe, affordable home to rent, but when he finally got the keys to the house, he found something totally different.
Updated: Jul. 28, 2022 at 10:08 PM CDT
|By Jason Lewton
The board will hold a special meeting Tuesday, where Vice President Shelley Arns is expected to replace Ali as president. Ali says she is the perfect person for the job.
Updated: Jul. 27, 2022 at 7:50 PM CDT
|By Jason Lewton
The U.S. senator told WGEM News the bill will specifically help manufacturers of semiconductor chips, which are used in cellphones, cars, weapons and more.
Updated: Jul. 20, 2022 at 3:58 PM CDT
|By Jason Lewton
Quincy Property LLC filed the suit Monday in Adams County, seeking damages “well in excess of $50,000, plus interest and costs and such other relief as the Court deems proper.”
Updated: Jul. 19, 2022 at 8:51 PM CDT
|By Charity Bell and Jason Lewton
The total cost of public money used to provide security and other services for a visit by former President Donald Trump to attend a political rally last month is becoming more clear.
Updated: Jun. 25, 2022 at 10:57 PM CDT
|By Jason Lewton
The agency had three shelters set up to treat people, and two UTV mobile units. Once visitors were inside the secured viewing area, however, EMS teams had to respond on foot.
Updated: Jun. 24, 2022 at 5:11 PM CDT
|By Jason Lewton
The cost to taxpayers for former President Donald Trump's political rally on Saturday is beginning to become more clear.
Updated: Jun. 22, 2022 at 9:47 PM CDT
|By Jason Lewton
The Bipartisan Safer Communities Act expands background checks, especially for buyers under 21.
Updated: May. 26, 2022 at 10:46 PM CDT
|By Jason Lewton
LaHood touted his support for the region during his time in Congress, including Quincy Regional Airport. He said it’s only a matter of time before a new carrier will replace Cape Air as the essential air service provider at the airport.
Updated: May. 24, 2022 at 12:32 PM CDT
|By Jason Lewton
Quincy Mayor Mike Troup said the investigation into the attack discovered last week a request for a ransom to provide an encryption key to unlock hijacked data.
Updated: May. 18, 2022 at 5:06 PM CDT
|By Jason Lewton
Judge Roger B. Thomson ordered the trial to move forward and start June 21 after both Bradley Yohn and prosecutors said they are ready for trial.
Updated: May. 11, 2022 at 12:58 PM CDT
|By Jason Lewton
The judge directed the Adams County State’s Attorney’s Office to provide Yohn with copies of the discovery materials in the case by the end of day Friday.
Updated: May. 5, 2022 at 4:31 PM CDT
|By Jason Lewton
Judge Amy C. Lannerd handed down the sentences to Karen Blackledge, who previously had negotiated a guilty plea that included dismissal of three other charges of home invasion, aggravated kidnapping and aggravated vehicular hijacking.
Updated: May. 5, 2022 at 12:03 PM CDT
|By Jason Lewton
Quincy Public Schools Superintendent Roy Webb has confirmed the district has reached a tentative labor deal with the Quincy Federation, the union that represents nearly 90% of the district’s employees.
Updated: May. 4, 2022 at 8:59 PM CDT
|By Jason Lewton
Scott Rollison is stage manager for a production of “Hangmen.” It’s a dark comedy sent in 1960s England. It counts among its stars Alfie Allen, of “Game of Thrones” fame.
Updated: May. 3, 2022 at 1:03 PM CDT
|By Jason Lewton
Jonathan Lewin says the process that led to him being named the new chief of the Quincy Police Department was incredibly thorough.
Updated: May. 3, 2022 at 12:56 PM CDT
|By Jason Lewton
New QPD chief selection Jonathan Lewin discusses his selection as the new QPD chief of police with WGEM Digital Content Editor Jason Lewton
Updated: May. 2, 2022 at 6:13 PM CDT
|By Jason Lewton
Natasha McBride has pleaded not guilty to all charges, and her attorneys have said they could seek an insanity defense. She is being held at the Adams County Jail on a $5 million bond.
Updated: Apr. 29, 2022 at 4:14 PM CDT
|By Jason Lewton
The approval of a motion to continue came at the end of a tense hearing that started with Bradley Yohn making allegations of ineffective counsel and ended with him getting up and walking out of the courtroom.
Updated: Apr. 26, 2022 at 2:32 PM CDT
|By Jason Lewton
The state panel voted Tuesday afternoon to give QMG permission to build the proposed $2.1 million facility. QMG estimates it could be completed by June 30, 2023.
Updated: Apr. 25, 2022 at 11:59 AM CDT
|By Jason Lewton
Marion County Emergency Management Director James Hark said the rupture happened Monday morning in the area of Main and Center streets.
Updated: Apr. 19, 2022 at 3:48 PM CDT
|By Jason Lewton
Judge Amy Lannerd revealed Bradley Yohn had sent three letters on his own behalf seeking to remove public defender John Citro from the case.
Updated: Apr. 14, 2022 at 10:22 PM CDT
|By Jason Lewton
Former Quincy Mayor Chuck Scholz said it’s important to remember Oakley’s work was regional, not solely focused on Quincy.
Updated: Apr. 1, 2022 at 3:54 PM CDT
|By Jason Lewton
Karen Blackledge pleaded guilty to charges of home invasion and aggravated criminal sexual assault under terms of the deal.
Updated: Apr. 1, 2022 at 3:51 PM CDT
|By Jason Lewton
Natasha McBride’s attorney, Public Defender Todd Nelson, previously had filed the motion to dismiss the charge, claiming prosecutors had waited too long to file the charge.
Updated: Mar. 30, 2022 at 7:50 PM CDT
|By Jason Lewton
Durbin credits a good working relationship with Iowa Sen. Chuck Grassley, the ranking Republican member of the committee, with helping keep the hearings civil.
Updated: Mar. 3, 2022 at 3:05 PM CST
|By Jason Lewton
The court refused to order Adams County Judge Robert Adrian to reverse his acquittal of Drew S. Clinton in a case that has drawn international attention.
Updated: Feb. 24, 2022 at 4:27 PM CST
|By Jason Lewton
Kent Embree has announced he is stepping down as executive director of the Quincy Public Schools Foundation.
Updated: Feb. 23, 2022 at 6:14 PM CST
|By Jason Lewton
Todd Pettit was born in Quincy, grew up here and attended public schools here. Now, he will take over as the district’s next superintendent.
Updated: Feb. 16, 2022 at 8:45 PM CST
|By Jason Lewton
In Illinois, criminal sexual assault is a Class 1 felony. It is one of several charges often referred to as rape, though there is no such charge as rape in the state. That does not make the charges any less serious.
Updated: Feb. 9, 2022 at 4:59 PM CST
|By Jason Lewton
The trial for a Mendon man charged with aggravated battery after an incident at a Unity School Board meeting is set for the June docket.
Updated: Feb. 3, 2022 at 12:18 PM CST
|By Jason Lewton
Illini Community Hospital in Pittsfield, Illinois, will relocate and expand its walk-in clinic as part of a $1.6 million dollar project, according to officials at Blessing Health System.
Updated: Feb. 1, 2022 at 6:06 PM CST
|By Jason Lewton
Firefighters from across the Tri-States turned out in Payson today to lay to rest longtime Payson firefighter and chief Gary Frye.
Updated: Feb. 1, 2022 at 1:33 PM CST
|By Jason Lewton
Assistant Public Defender Christopher Pratt objected to the continuance, but he acknowledged the delay still leaves the case within the 120-day speedy trial window.
Updated: Jan. 19, 2022 at 7:11 PM CST
|By Jason Lewton
A 2019 study released by the U.S. Department of Agriculture showed that rebuilding NESP locks would inject $72 billion additional dollars into the nation’s GDP.
Updated: Jan. 19, 2022 at 11:37 AM CST
|By Rebecca Duffy and Jason Lewton
More than 70 staff members were out sick on Wednesday, with there being no substitute available for almost half of those absences.
Updated: Jan. 18, 2022 at 7:09 PM CST
|By Jason Lewton
Bradley Yohn appeared Tuesday afternoon before Judge Amy Lannerd, who set another hearing for next Tuesday to check the status of the case.
Updated: Jan. 18, 2022 at 6:23 PM CST
|By Jason Lewton
The alert described a vehicle from the 1989 movie “Batman” and said it was from Gotham City.
Updated: Jan. 17, 2022 at 5:39 PM CST
|By Jason Lewton
Keynote speaker the Rev. Lindell Robbins of Helping Hands Baptist Church in Hannibal compared King’s struggle with the story of David and Goliath.
Updated: Jan. 14, 2022 at 6:10 PM CST
|By Jason Lewton
Van Susteren says judges will sometimes overturn a case for evidentiary reasons. However, in this case, that is not what happened.
Updated: Jan. 13, 2022 at 6:19 PM CST
|By Jason Lewton
This comes after several days of controversy following judge's reversal of his own conviction of an 18-year-old man who had been charged with criminal sexual assault.
Updated: Jan. 12, 2022 at 2:56 PM CST
|By Jason Lewton
With a $1 million gift to Culver-Stockton College, Thomas A. Oakley hopes a coalition based on advancing tri-state interests will continue long into the future.
Updated: Jan. 11, 2022 at 10:08 PM CST
|By Blake Sammann and Jason Lewton
Adams County Judge Robert Adrian finds 18-year-old man not guilty after originally convicting him of criminal sexual assault of 16-year-old girl.
Updated: Jan. 6, 2022 at 2:46 PM CST
|By Jason Lewton
Durbin said hundreds more people involved in the riot stand to be charged in addition to the more than 700 who now face criminal indictment.
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