South Central Reporter

Sen. Jason Plummer (R-Vandalia) recently took to Facebook to pay tribute to the new Miss Illinois County Fair Queen, Paige Van Dyke, as well as the other contestants in the pageant.

"I am pleased to say that the new 55th State Senate District, which I am humbled to now represent, is home to Illinois' 63rd Miss Illinois County Fair Queen, Paige Van Dyke of Clay County!" Plummer wrote Jan. 30. "Paige was crowned the 2023 Miss Illinois County Fair Queen at the 112th annual convention of the Illinois Association of Agricultural Fairs at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Springfield."

Plummer added, "Congratulations to Paige and all who participated - you make us all proud!"

Plummer also shared a link to the Central Illinois Farm Network website, which included information on Van Dyke, 20, who lives in Lewisville and represented Clay County at the 112th Illinois Association of Agricultural Fairs Convention on Jan. 29. Van Dyke attends Oklahoma State University, majoring in agricultural communications. Van Dyke plans to work at the Department of Agriculture this summer and will attend about 30 county fairs, and she will be the official hostess of the Illinois State Fair in Springfield and the DuQuoin State Fair, according to Agrinews.

Van Dyke takes over from the 2022 Miss Illinois County Fair Queen, Addisyn Calloni, who was also Miss Perry County Fair. Agrinews reported that at the time of her win, Calloni was preparing to be a junior at Southern Illinois University. As a Royalton, Franklin County resident, Calloni was one of several individuals to compete in the Perry County Fair, as Franklin County does not have its own fair, the site reported.

According to his Senate website, Plummer joined the Illinois Senate in 2019. He is the vice president of R.P. Lumber and R.P. Home and Harvest.