Local News

The Illinois Department of Transportation is one step closer toward final four-lane corridors for U.S. Route 51 through Fayette County.

The proposed corridor alternatives were presented at recent public meetings in Vandalia, Patoka and Centralia. Those alternatives had changed only slightly since similar public meetings held in area communities last November.

A fire shortly before daybreak on Wednesday, in the middle of a severe thunderstorm, caused substantial damage to Allen's Furniture in downtown Vandalia.

Vandalia's volunteer firefighters were called to the scene shortly after 5 a.m. and had the fire under control by 6:30 p.m. Brownstown firefighters provided mutual aid assistance, both at the scene and with the cleanup of equipment at the fire station.

The fire was at the other end of the block containing four businesses that were destroyed by fire at the end of February.

In a meeting continued from its regular meeting two weeks ago, the Fayette County Hospital Board on Monday voted to sell one of its ambulances and put out for bid a renovation project in the Special Care Unit.

The ambulance, a large Freightliner unit, is one of two similar vehicles that were purchased about three years ago. This unit, however, was never put into service because of electrical issues and other problems that surfaced shortly after it arrived in Vandalia from its previous location in Ohio.

Sandra Leidner reminded a large crowd on Monday afternoon that when she ran for mayor 13 years ago, she had as one of her goals promoting Vandalia’s rich history. And it is that history, she said, that allowed Vandalia to receive federal funding for the project that has improved the city’s downtown business district.

Leidner was one of the speakers as the city celebrated the completion of the downtown enhancement project. That project was essentially completed at the beginning of April.