East Central Reporter

In a Jan. 30 Facebook post, Sen. Jason Plummer (R-Vandalia) cheered the new Miss Illinois County Fair Queen, Paige Van Dyke.

“Well, 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! 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 posted.

Plummer shared a link to the Central Illinois Farm Network, which included information about Van Dyke and her summer plans. Van Dyke, 20, lives in Lewisville, Ill., and represented Clay County at the 112th Illinois Association of Agricultural Fairs Convention on Jan. 29. She is currently attending Oklahoma State University. Her major is agricultural communications and her minor is in special education. She will work at the Department of Agriculture this summer. she will attend 30 county fairs, and be the official hostess of the Illinois State Fair in Springfield and the DuQuoin State Fair.

Van Dyke takes the reigns from 2022 Miss Illinois County Fair Queen Addisyn Calloni, who was the 2022 Miss Perry County Fair. Agrinews reported in 2022 that at the time of her win, Calloni was preparing to be a junior at Southern Illinois University. She was crowned the 61st Miss Illinois County Fair Queen in January 2022. As a Royalton, Franklin County, resident, Calloni competed in the Perry County Fair because Franklin County does not have its own fair.

Plummer joined the Illinois Senate in 2019. He was elected to represent the  54th Senate District. Outside his legislative work, Plummer is the vice president of R.P. Lumber and R.P. Home and Harvest, a family owned and operated businesses with over 100 locations throughout Illinois and six other states.