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Today's News

  • One Last Battle
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  • Calendar

    Thursday, February 7

    ✔ 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.
    Friday, February 8

    ✔ "Liberty Road Band" will be performing from 6:30-9:30 p.m. at the Patoka Civic Center. Admission is $5. A potluck will be held.
    Saturday, February 9

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  • Sheriff's Arrest Log

    • Andela M. Mace, 34, RR 2, Farina, was arrested on Feb. 4 for failure to appear in Effingham County court on a misdemeanor charge. Bond was $100 cash.
    • Cindy M. Hodson, 53, 420 N. Second St., Vandalia, turned herself in on a warrant for a charge of theft more than $500. Bond was $10,000.
    • Jeremy R. Lippert, 20, Salem, was arrested on Feb. 5 for failure to appear in Marion County court on a charge of theft. Bond was $2,000.

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  • Building Permits

    The city of Vandalia’s building and zoning department recently released the building permits for the second half of 2012.
    July
    • Gail Smith – electrical upgrade at 538 S. Cypress St.
    • Robert Hayner – boat dock at 2232 Lake Hills Drive.
    • Joe Hubbard – Boat dock at Vandalia Lake lot 25.
    • David Blankenship – Privacy fence at 1411 W. Main St.
    • Kenneth Cunningham – Boat dock at lake lot 7.
    • Jane Lawinger – Sunroom at 1600 W. Fillmore St.

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  • Reports of newspapers' demise exaggerated

    Back in 1897, James Ross Clemens was ill. Not-so-careful passing on of information resulted in word that Samuel Langhorne Clemens, better known by his pen name of Mark Twain, was dying in London.

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  • Asking questions unfolds McManmie story

    Sometimes it just helps to ask.
    That is how I learned what I now know about Pvt. Isaac McManmie of Company G, 21st Arkansas Infantry, Confederate States of America (C.S.A.)

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  • We all must step up to aid schools

    Last month, we criticized the Illinois General Assembly when it adjourned its lame duck session without offering a solution to the state’s out-of-control finances.
    They failed to address the chronic overspending. They failed to take any action to rein in the $96 billion pension deficit. And they failed to grasp the impact their irresponsibility was having on the state.
    Those failures have now come home to roost in Vandalia.

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  • Banks of the Okaw

    This week’s Mystery Banks Photo: This young man, who grew up in Mulberry Grove, was about 15 when this picture was taken.

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  • Museum has Lincoln, Civil War displays in February

    Special exhibits in February at the Fayette County Museum are on Abraham Lincoln and the Civil War.
    Two hundred and sixty-five historical items were donated to the museum during 2012. Visitors coming from 42 states and seven foreign countries totaling 2,593 registered in the visitor book.
    Twenty-eight group tours were given in the museum. Two programs were taken to local organizations. An open house was held in April.
    The museum has one part-time employee, Patty Marler. Forty-two individuals donated 2,363 volunteer hours.

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  • Council has little to act on Monday

    It took the Vandalia City Council only about 15 minutes to take care of pending matters on Monday night.
    Action taken during the brief meeting included the approval of repairs to a sewer grinder pump at Vandalia Correctional Center, at a cost of $16,566.61.
    The council also approved the $1,976 purchase of a truck hoist for a street department truck from BM Truck Equipment in Olney.
    Also approved were the minutes of the city’s Zoning Board of Adjustments meeting on Jan. 30 and the Jan. 21 meeting of the council’s water and sewer committee.

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