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Today's News

  • Phone calls lead to discovery of body in well

    The case began with a telephone call to the Shelby County Sheriff’s office in early December 1962.

    Lyle McDonald, the newly elected sheriff, took the call, and was asked whether a loss claim for a wallet found in a schoolyard near Herrick had been made. The wallet contained $500 and belonged to a man named Tony O’Dell.

    The caller said he did not want to get involved, but the sheriff should check some schoolhouse wells in the Herrick area for a body.

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  • Green is good

    For the Vandalia High School girls basketball team, the 2009-10 season was a rebuilding year. After losing eight seniors and most of the team members who logged significant minutes, the Lady Vandals were depleted, to say the least. First-year head coach Michelle McNary had to rebuild a program basically from the ground up.

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  • Green is good

    Heading into the season, Vandalia High School boys basketball coach Kevin Jackson had a huge decision to make – who to start at point guard.

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  • City to consider legal options with Motown

    The Vandalia City Council decided on Monday to consider its legal options against a Michigan-based firm that says it wants to build a $300-million sports and entertainement complex.

    Alderman Mike Hobler suggested the city consider legal action against Motown Technology because it has failed to make good on a $17,500 bad check, and has also failed to respond to phone calls and e-mails.

    Alderman Larry Bennett agreed, saying the city has been "more than fair" in its dealings with Motown.

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  • City OKs temporary liquor license, rejects permanent license request

    In a 5-3 vote, the Vandalia City Council approved on Monday the issuance of a one-day liquor license for a beer garden that Vandalia Main Street plans to operate during its new summer festival.

     

    Also on Monday, a request for a temporary liquor license was denied when none of the aldermen made a motion to vote on that request. Dennis Gates made the request for a sandwich shop he plans to open in the former Quiznos building on Fourth Street between Orchard Street and Fletcher Street.

    For the full story, see this week's issue of The Leader-Union.

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  • County to look at spending cuts

    The Fayette County Board learned on Tuesday night that school districts are not the only entities not getting money owed to them by the state and having to consider cost-cutting measures.

    Board Chairman Steve Knebel said the board’s finance committee learned just recently from County Treasurer Rose Hoover that the state has not paid state income tax monies to the county since last August.

    What that means is that the county has had to use more of its local tax funds to pay operating expenses, including salaries.

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  • Tish responds to Thomason suit

    When Ken Thomason filed a lawsuit alleging that Larry Tish slandered him, Thomason did not make any mention of Tish committing those actions as St. Elmo’s mayor. But, in answering allegations, Tish mentions his role of supervising the city’s police chief.

    Tish filed on Monday in Fayette County Circuit Court a motion seeking dismissal of the suit that Thomason, who was fired as St. Elmo’s police chief, filed in February. He also filed a five-page memorandum supporting that motion.

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  • Recycling continues to grow in Fayette County

    Recycling is not a passing fad in Fayette County.

    Area residents quickly latched onto the idea of turning in recyclable materials when the Fayette County Recycling Committee offered its first collection last fall, and participation in the monthly collections has continued to grow.

    “It is really going over strong,” said Karen Sanders of the Fayette County Soil and Water Conservation District, one of the people who got the recycling efforts off the ground.

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  • Health department working on new quarters

    The Fayette County Health Department is moving ahead with plans to renovate the building that will serve as its new home.

    FCHD Administrator Rhonda Andrews told the Fayette County Board on Tuesday night that the department has hired a law firm and architect as it proceeds toward the renovation of the former home of Leo Brown Lumber in Vandalia.

    The health department purchased the building in the 400 block of West Edwards Street in the fall of 2008, and the county approved a 10-year, $400,000 loan to the department for the renovation project.

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  • New Catholic priest happy to be back in the area

    The Rev. Joseph Havrilka, often referred to as the new priest of Mother of Dolors Catholic Church in Vandalia, has followed his calling for God’s service in several states, and in various areas of service. He came to Vandalia in July 2009.

    A native of Pana, he has lived in Wisconsin, Iowa, Missouri and Arkansas in previous assignments with the Catholic Church. He taught in parochial schools, and before coming to Vandalia, was a hospital chaplain in Alton. He also filled in on weekends for priests who were ill or on vacation.

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The Leader Union is your source for local news, sports, events and information in Vandalia, Il, and the surrounding area.