Today's News

Ron Marshel, manager of the Fayette County Farm Bureau, was among the county residents participating in a followup meeting on the University of Illinois Extension's LEAM (Landuse Evolution and Impact Assessment Model) program. Through the program, U of I Extension is providing a variety of information about land in South Central Illinois, along with models that describe how local decisions, events and investments impact land use. Tuesday's meeting was held at the Kaskaskia College Vandalia Campus.

 Dominating defense carried the Vandalia girls basketball team throughout a wildly successful regular season and an unprecedented postseason run - a run that could very well still be in progress.

But turnovers - far too many of them - and the clutch play Taylor Stevenson kept Vandalia's vaunted 'D' from carrying it all the way to the Elite Eight last Thursday in a heartbreaking 33-29 overtime loss to the host team at the Olney-East Richland Sectional.

 Saturday's Senior Night game plan was a simple one for the Vandalia boys basketball team - have some fun.

"That's what we talked about," said Vandals coach Kevin Jackson, who indicated the season-long grind has started taking its toll on his team. "There just haven't been as many smiles lately. It's a long season, but at the same time, our time together is short."

Kevin Kaegy guessed that the crowd in the House of Representatives chambers at the Vandalia Statehouse on Thursday evening was the largest since Abraham Lincoln worked in that room.

Kaegy was the keynote speaker for the Lincoln’s Birthday program at the Statehouse, which attracted about 350 people.

Thursday was the first time since the end of November that the public was allowed to enter the Statehouse. That’s when all state historic sites and state parks were closed by then-Gov. Rod Blagojevich as a way of cutting state expenses.