Today's News

Another chapter in the history of Guaranteed Air Freight softball was finished this weekend. The Freight hosted its final John Heather Memorial Tournament, and finished second with a record of 3-1.

“I think we’re cognizant of that [this is the final year of Freight softball] every weekend that we play,” manager Rich Well said. “This will probably be the last men’s fast pitch that will be here.

Just a couple of months into the project, we’re beginning to see signs of how the TEA-21 project will enhance our downtown business district. And beyond those visible indicators, there are facets of the project that we will not see.

Among those facets are new water lines along Gallatin Street.

Action taken by the Vandalia City Council on Monday helps to prove the worthiness of the enhancement project.

City officials knew beforehand that significant work was needed underground. Separate storm sewer and sanitary sewer lines ranked at the top of that list.

By now, you’ve probably heard a number of problems caused by state officials trying to finalize a new budget. As Vandalia officials worked on a significant addition to the downtown project, they discovered one of those problems.

City officials decided that it made sense to replace an aging water main along Gallatin Street while the roadway was torn up for the enhancement project.

And they were told by state officials that Vandalia stood a good chance of receiving Community Development Assistance Program grant funds to pay for the new water main.

Though the Vandalia Community School District finished the fiscal year in the black, the outlook for continuing funding from the state is decidedly gray.

Superintendent Rich Well said Tuesday that the new state budget allows the Illinois School Board only half the funding it had last year. If those numbers hold, several programs may have to be trimmed or cut out entirely, he said.