Editorials

If you drew up an ideal profile for a candidate for the assistant regional superintendent of schools position, that profile would have Bill LaDage's name on it.
A highly respected former teacher and administrator in the Vandalia district, he has served for the past 11 years as a part-time employee in the ROE system. As such, he's aware of many of the programs administered through that office. His duties have included working with school and district improvement teams, new teacher training, standards-aligned classrooms and teacher evaluations.

As the spring sports seasons get under way, one thing will be apparent to anyone who attends baseball, softball or track contests in Vandalia.
That one thing is that Vandalia now has some of the best facilities in the area. It's notable because not long ago, all three of those facilities were among the worst that Vandal athletes encountered during their season.

Next Tuesday, citizens in Fayette County – and all across Illinois – have the privilege of controlling their own destiny.
By taking 15 minutes of their time, driving a few miles out of their way and engaging their brain for a few minutes, they can make a difference.
They can vote.
Tuesday’s primary election, while it doesn’t have many contested races, it is the first step in determining the makeup of our general election races this fall.

A recent decision to allow video and still cameras in most Illinois’ trial courtrooms is a move toward more openness and accountability in the state’s legal system.
The announcement on Jan. 24 by Thomas Kilbride, chief justice of the Illinois Supreme Court, paves the way for circuit courts to apply to participate in the experimental program. If the circuit court is approved, then members of the media can request permission to cover certain cases.