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Today's Opinions

  • Banks of the Okaw

    This week’s Mystery Banks Photo: These three brothers, who grew up in rural Vandalia, are pictured 53 years ago. The older two work with wood, and the younger one works with kids.

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  • Help find those responsible for damage to the caboose

    Editor:
    Thanks for your recent comments about vandalism of the caboose.
    What’s equally as bad as the vandalism is apathy. You came forward and said something for all of us in Vandalia. There is a Crime Watchers program for our area.
    I’m willing to join forces with The Leader-Union, Crime Watchers and the Vandalia Police Department. I’ll offer a $100 donation to Crime Watchers in order to have a reward for catching those responsible for this vandalism.
    Richard Briley
    Vandalia
     

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  • Maintenance of parks, paths is appreciated

    Editor:
    My wife and I would like to express our appreciation to the Vandalia Park District Board and the people who care for our parks.
    The park was kept open this winter, which allowed us to walk our dogs and have a place to put trash.
    We noticed several people who used the park as a quiet place to stay in their automobiles and each their lunch.
    Also, a big thank you to Randy Edwards for blading the snow off the trail. Without his help, we wouldn’t have walked nearly as often as we did.

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  • Andy Buchanan shared memories of his life

    The following story about Andrew Jackson Buchanan was written by Fred E. Martin and published in The Vandalia Union newspaper on March 13, 1924. At that time, the subject of the article, Mr. Buchanan, was living in Mulberry Grove and surely shared his remembrances with the writer.
    He was born on Jan. 6, 1846, on his father’s homestead in Seminary Township, about 2.5 miles east of Mulberry Grove. It was here that Andy grew to manhood, and after his marriage, raised his family.

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  • Funds to help city improve streets

    The announcement this week that the city of Vandalia will be receiving $150,000 to do preliminary engineering work on a project to improve Sunset Drive was welcome news.
    It allows the city to continue improving its major arterial streets and, when completed, it will add a sidewalk along that busy street to keep pedestrians safer.

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  • Banks of the Okaw

    This week’s Mystery Banks Photo: This grandfather is shown with six of his grandsons about 25 years ago.

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  • Wrestlers tackle big challenges – and find success

    Two weeks ago, we editorialized about the power of tradition in the ongoing success of the Vandalia Community High School wrestling program.
    Year in and year out, it’s one of the most successful sports at the school. And this year is no exception. Three Vandal athletes placed at last week’s individual state tournament – with Dalton Blankenship fourth at 145 pounds, C.J. Runkel fifth at 160 pounds and Tyler Dagan sixth at 152 pounds.

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  • Early Vandalia had saloons, livestock, guns

    In 1914, the editors of The Vandalia Union, in celebration of their 50th anniversary, asked for older residents who remembered the beginning days of the newspaper, to write their memories for publication.
    Many complied with his request, including John T. Wing, son of former county surveyor,  A.H. Wing. In his remembrances, he answered a long-held question of mine: What brought the Wing family to Fayette County?

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