Today's News

Representatives of Motown Technology & Sports Facility, Inc., the Michigan-based firm that plans to build a $300-million sports and entertainment complex on Vandalia’s west side, won’t appear at tonight’s city council meeting, city officials said this afternoon.

Kenneth Bardwell, chairman and executive officer for Motown, told officials Saturday afternoon in an e-mail the company would seek to reschedule because of a death in Bardwell’s family.

Vandalia and Greenville high school's volleyball programs hosted the second annual Volley for the Cure, Thursday night.

All night long, the programs worked to raise funds for the Bond and Fayette County Relays for Life. All the proceeds from the night were split in half and given to each counties relay.

While Vandalia won a thrilling match on the court, the real win came for breast cancer as the night brought in $5,500—meeting the goal of $5,000 dollars and far exceeding last year's total of $3,000.

For the 11th straight year, the South Central baseball team finishes the fall season atop the Midland Trail Conference. The Cougars defeated North Clay, 6-2, Monday night.

South Central led the whole game, putting up two runs in the first inning.

Derek Harmeier kept North Clay off the board through the first three innings, before giving up two runs in the fourth to make it a 3-2 game. Harmeier shut out North Clay in the final three innings while the offense scored three more runs.

Harmeier struck out 12 and gave up just two hits.

This area dodged a major bullet last week when a Johnson County judge issued a preliminary injunction that prevented Gov. Pat Quinn from laying off more than 2,600 state employees – including about 125 at Vandalia Correctional Center.

The ruling sends the governor and the union representing the prison workers back to the bargaining table.

Hopefully, by buying some time, the two sides can begin moving down a path that will lead to real solutions that work for everyone involved.