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Today's News

  • Banks of the Okaw Nov. 24, 2011

    In last week’s Mystery Banks Photo were: There was no photo last week.
    This week’s Scrambler:  ralesed rea niersivasio hiwt a lyropo ploevdeed enses fo refa nad on poctenc fo het sdod tansiga meht. hyte kema teh bipsomlies nepahp.
    Can you unscramble it? If so, call The Leader-Union, 283-3374, by 5 p.m. next Monday.
    Last week’s Scrambler: Half of our mistakes in life arise from feeling when we ought to think, and thinking when we ought to feel. (Jim Collins)

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  • The Way We Were Nov. 24

    15 Years Ago

    1996 – The newly formed Fayette County Habitat for Humanity purchased a lot in the 1400 block of West Madison Street in Vandalia for its first home.
    Rob Thompson of Vandalia joined the Fayette County Sheriff’s Office as a deputy.

    20 Years Ago

    1991 – Vandalia Attorney Rod Irvin was appointed to the Fayette County public defender post.
    Births – Greg Adam to Mr. and Mrs. Randy Buckley of Vandalia; Matthew William to Mr. and Mrs. Brian Holaday of Vandalia.

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  • Beck family forged friendship with Indians

    My thoughts this week have turned to the upcoming Thanksgiving celebration.
    In addition to the turkey-baking and pumpkin pie-making, my thoughts also turned backward to past celebrations with our family over the past 60 years.
    In the Beck family story, preserved by George Beck, is found the earliest account of a feast of thanksgiving in Fayette County stretching back to the year 1816.

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  • Happy Thanksgiving!

    Each year, Thanksgiving offers us a choice. Do we truly give thanks? Or do we simply go through the holiday motions?
    It’s easy to put things on autopilot – gathering with family, gorging ourselves on holiday goodies and lounging in front of endless football games?
    But does that really move us in directions that this uniquely American holiday should? Do we ever consider those things for which we should be deeply thankful? If not, how can we move ourselves in that direction?

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  • Don, Ellen Willms celebrating 60 years together

    Sixty years ago, newlyweds Don and Ellen Willms spent their first Thanksgiving together in Seattle, Wash., where Don was stationed in the Navy.

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  • Regional superintendents getting paid

    After working for nearly five months without being paid, Julie Wollerman is looking forward to seeing a check with her name on it.
    It’s scheduled to arrive next week.
    “There were times I wondered how to go forward,” said Wollerman, the regional superintendent of schools for Bond, Fayette and Effingham counties. “But I never wavered on continuing to provide the services we had contracted to do. You just do what you have to do.”

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  • Council supports slight tax levy increase

    As they were asked to reach an informal consensus on a new tax levy, Vandalia’s aldermen were encouraged to support the same levy option that they would vote for in two weeks.
    The reason for that, local CPA Dale Timmermann said, is to avoid wasting both time and money.
    Timmermann presented city council members with three levy options during a work session prior to Monday’s council meeting, and six of seven aldermen present for the session supported a levy that is .82-percent higher than the 2010 levy extension.

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  • Judged to be the best

    Jody Goldsboro doesn’t perform her work with a goal of winning awards or receiving other types of recognition. In fact, she shies away from that type of thing.

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  • Two unions agree to pay freeze

    Two unions representing city of Vandalia employees have agreed to pay freezes through next spring.
    The Vandalia City Council approved on Monday settlement agreements with the police and telecommunicators that call for those employees’ base pay to be frozen through April 30, 2012.
    Those employees will continue to receive longevity step increases during that period.
    In exchange, the city has agreed not to implement furlough days or lay off any of those employees during that period.
    Also at Monday’s meeting:

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  • Toys for Tots Drive Under Way

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