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Local News

  • New school budget totals $17 million

    After a 15-minute discussion and no input from the public, the Vandalia Board of Education passed a $17 million budget for the fiscal year that began July 1 and runs through June 30, 2010.

    Though the budget includes several accounts with significant surpluses, the overall budget contains a deficit of $158,184 (less than 1 percent) in the four main operating accounts.

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  • City sets Oct. 31 as trick-or-trick night

    At Monday's Vandalia City Council meeting:

    • The council set Saturday, Oct. 31, as trick-or-treat night in Vandalia. Trick-or-treating will be allowed for children up through sixth-grade age from 6-8 o’clock that evening.

    • The council approved an agreement with the Farnsworth Group of Effingham for engineering services related to the city’s attempt to get its Kaskaskia River raw water intake working properly.

    The Farnsworth will perform a hydrographic survey of six sections of the river near the intake.

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  • Leader-Union increasing to 75 cents on Oct. 1

    After 16 years without changing the cost of single copies of the paper, The Leader-Union will increase that price to 75 cents, beginning next week.

    “We held off for as long as we could,” said Dave Bell, publisher. “Our mailing, distribution, production and personnel costs all have gone up significantly in recent years, and we simply must reflect those increases in our single-copy prices.”

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  • Vandalia's water, sewer rates increasing

    Over the objection of two aldermen, the Vandalia City Council decided to allow recommended increases in water and sewer rates to go into effect next Thursday.

    Those rate increases – 7.19 percent for water and 2.19-percent for water – were recommended by the city’s auditor, Timmermann & Co., as they mirror the percentage increases in water and sewer expenses over the past year.

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  • Saturday collection nets almost 8,000 pounds of paper products

    For Karen Sanders of the Fayette County Soil & Water Conservation District, Saturday’s collection for paper and cardboard was affirmation that Vandalia area residents are interested in recycling programs.

    That three-hour collection drive netted 7,860 pounds of newspaper, cardboard and other types of paper.

    “We had people waiting first-thing in the morning, and it was pretty much steady all morning long,” said Sanders, who has done much of the leg work in setting up this and other recycling drives that have been held in recent months.

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  • Committee continues recycling efforts

    It’s been a long time since residents of this area have had an opportunity to put recyclable items such as plastic and glass somewhere other than their trash containers. A local committee is working to make that service available once again.

    A recycling drop-off this Saturday is the latest effort of that committee, which is continuing to look into make recycling a common and regular practice in this area.

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  • Fight to save VCC jobs continues

    With the scheduled layoff of more than 100 workers at Vandalia Correctional Center less than two weeks away, Vandalia’s mayor is continuing to fight that action.

    Rick Gottman said on Tuesday afternoon that he was planning to once again contact the staff of Gov. Pat Quinn the next morning.

    “I am continuing to stay in contact with the governor and his staff, to see what’s going on and if there is anything that can be done to prevent the loss of these local jobs,” Gottman said.

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  • County supports KC's Veterans' Tribute

    Fayette County government has endorsed an effort to recognize this region’s veterans of the armed forces.

    The Fayette County Board last week approved a resolution supporting the plan for a Veterans’ Tribute on the main Kaskaskia College campus in Centralia.

    Kaskaskia College is being joined by various veterans’ organizations and individuals in a project calling for the construction of a monument honoring both veterans and individuals currently serving in this country’s armed forces.

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  • VCHS Celebrates Homecoming
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  • Fayette County Museum offering historical programs

    Local residents seeking a way to support the Fayette County Museum will be able to accomplish that and enjoy three historical programs at the same time.

    The series, titled “People You Know Or People You Wish You Had Known,” will kick off with the first program on Saturday, Sept. 19. That program will feature a speaker on “Presidential Wit & Humor.” It will include “notes, quotes and anecdotes on chief executives” by Robert Cook, an adjunct faculty member of the Southwestern Illinois College speakers’ bureau.

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