Today's News

Vandalia native David H. Rademacher, who is in his third year as superintendent of schools in Patoka, has been named superintendent of Centralia City Schools.

In that position, Rademacher will oversee the education of students from pre-kindergarten through eighth grade. He will begin his duties July 1.

He previously served as principal of the pre-kindergarten through eighth grade school in Ramsey. Before that, he was a business teacher and coach at Vandalia Community High School.

He’s long been referred to as the most respected and beloved president in our nation’s history.

And now, as we pause to observe the 200th anniversary of his birth, Abraham Lincoln is once again front and center. Across the nation – but particularly here in Illinois – we’re celebrating the life and character of this remarkable man.

The Vandalia Statehouse will reopen in the near future, but it does not look like the state’s oldest existing capitol will host its annual period celebration on Father’s Day weekend.

But a local organization is ready to step in and offer a substitute festival that weekend.

The Vandalia Tourism Commission is working on a three-day bluegrass festival, according to Dean Black, commission member and city alderman.

“I think we’ll have something that people are really going to enjoy,” Black told the city council last week.

 In a game featuring a pair of red-hot teams that play a similar style of disciplined basketball, the unique athleticism of Tanner Bushue and - perhaps - the hoop gods smiling fondly upon South Central coach Gary Shirley proved to be the difference in the Cougars' 53-49 win over Vandalia Tuesday night.