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Today's News

  • Calendar

    Thursday, January 5

    ✔ TOPS IL 2490 will meet from 9:30-10:30 a.m. at First Baptist Church in Ramsey. Weigh-in is from 9-9:30 a.m. For more information, contact Dovie Heaton-Bergin at 283-1729.
    ✔ TOPS IL 1872, Ramsey, will meet at the Christian Church in Ramsey. Weigh-in is at 6:20 p.m., and the meeting is at 7 p.m.
    Saturday, January 7
    ✔ The Spirit, Soul and Body Fit Club will meet from 10-11 a.m. at Family YMCA of Fayette County on Rock Island Avenue in Vandalia. There is no membership fee.

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  • News Briefs

    Relay for Life meeting is Tuesday
    A kickoff meeting for Fayette County Relay for Life will be held at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday at Joe's Pizza and Pasta, 1227 N. Fourth St., Vandalia.
    All captains and team members are encouraged to attend. Anyone who wishes to help with this year's Relay for Life may also attend.
    For more information, contact Dave Rickman at 283-7066.

    Upcoming blood drives scheduled
    The following American Red Cross blood drives will be held in January:

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  • Sew Liberty is among Flowers family businesses

    A look at the businesses along the rejuvenated Gallatin Street in downtown Vandalia continues in this issue with a look at Sew Liberty Sewing and Fabric Shop.

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  • Gallatin work about done

    The Vandalia City Council started off the new year by meeting in regular session for about eight minutes on Tuesday night.
    In that brief meeting, the council approved the fourth payment estimate for streetscape work in the 700 block of West Gallatin Street.
    The pay estimate of $87,693.98 essentially signifies the completion of that project, which is being wholly funded by $400,000 in state grant funds obtained by state Sen. Kyle McCarter (R-Lebanon) and former state Rep. Ron Stephens (R-Highland).

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  • Fayette Water still working on lake area signups

    Prior to the December meeting of the Fayette County Board, a public hearing was held to close out a grant project designed to provide potable water to rural residents of the county.
    And, while that project comes to a close, Fayette Water officials are still working to sign up residents northwest of Vandalia.
    Mike Shaw of the South Central Illinois Regional Planning and Development Commission conducted the public hearing on a $350,000 Illinois Community Development Assistance grant awarded to Fayette Water.

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  • ILEAS team trains in Vandalia

    With an armored car stationed outside, about three dozen fully armed law enforcement officers suited up in protective gear were going up and down the halls of the former Washington School in Vandalia.

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  • Senior Spotlight: Colby Bushue

    For someone who averaged eight points per game as a junior, to be averaging just 6.36 points per game through the first 11 games of the next season is an obvious disappointment.

    Raising that average to 8.57 in three games, however, can give a boost to any senior’s confidence.

    Enter Colby Bushue, a shifty guard from South Central, who appears to have gotten himself going offensively during the final two days of last week's Vandalia Holiday Tournament by scoring 15.7 points per game.

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  • Vandals defeat Greenville to place third at VHT

    The Vandals opened the third-place game of the Vandalia Holiday Tournament on a torrid pace last Thursday, allowing them to maintain at least an 11-point lead for the entire second half during a 53-41 win against Greenville.

    Vandalia and Greenville played even basketball for the first five minutes of play, but after a 3-pointer by junior Tim Ritchey opened up a five-point lead, it was all Vandals from there.

    That basket started a 28-6 run that lasted until halftime, leaving the Vandals ahead, 34-10, and giving the team its biggest halftime lead of the season.

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  • Flora wins VHT by downing Pana by 6

    Pana held a halftime lead, but it was tournament MVP Paul Knapp’s 26 points that helped lead Flora last Thursday to a 75-69 win in the championship game of the Vandalia Holiday Tournament.

    The Wolves (15-1) also got a double-double from Ethan Leib, with 17 points and 11 rebounds, while winning their eighth overall VHT title and second in three seasons. Knapp became the first player in tournament history to be named all-tournament four times.

    Flora’s eight titles are tied with Wesclin for the most all-time.

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  • Eagles take fifth at VHT after thriller vs. Wesclin

    An extremely hard-fought defensive stand over the final 25 seconds of the fifth-place game at the Vandalia Holiday Tournament last Thursday allowed St. Elmo to come away with a narrow 53-52 victory against Wesclin.

    The Warriors thought they had several good looks at the basket during their final possession, but each time a player prepared to take a shot, they found a St. Elmo defender nearby.

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