An accident involving a Can-Am motorcycle and a pickup truck caused the drivers of both vehicles to be transported to area hospitals early Sunday afternoon, August 24, 2014. The collision happened on Illinois Rt. 37, approximately four miles north of Goreville at 12:11 p.m. Preliminary reports from Illinois State Police …
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Commissioners call for sales tax increase
At a special called meeting on Thursday, Aug. 14, the Johnson County commissioners met to discuss a new proposition to appear on this year’s ballot in November. The proposition concerns a small increase in sales tax on select items to provide funding for the much-needed county building complex. According to …
Read More »Gubernatorial candidate Rauner makes campaign stop in Vienna
A crowd packed the Vienna Library’s community room Monday afternoon to listen to Illinois GOP gubernatorial candidate Bruce Rauner. Rauner made Johnson County his last stop of a four-day leg of his Shake Up Express Bus Tour, where he has visited 38 counties throughout Southern Illinois. The bus tour will …
Read More »Tourism officials share local travel economic impact at Wetlands Center
The Illinois Office of Tourism Road show made their annual stop to Southern Illinois at the Cache Wetlands Center in Cypress on Tuesday, July 29. This year, the Office of Tourism celebrated three consecutive years of record breaking travel industry numbers. According to statistics presented by state travel director Jen …
Read More »Coalition pushes for state to enact hydraulic fracturing regulations after more than a year
Four hundred days have passed since the state legislature in Illinois passed the Hydraulic Fracturing Regulatory Act in 2013, but as yet the law has not been enacted. That leaves the legislators and environmental groups in Illinois who worked closely together on the bill scratching their heads and wondering …
Read More »Friday night fire on West Eden Road
A fire Friday night, July 18, completely destroyed a two-home in Southern Johnson County. About all that remained Saturday morning was a pile smoldering ashes. According to Belknap Fire Chief Darrell Ballard, the Belknap Fire Department responded at 8:45 p.m. to the home of Louie and Theresa Smith, located at …
Read More »Congressman Kenneth J. Gray – Obituary
Congressman Kenneth J. Gray, 89, of West Frankfort passed away at 11:29 p.m. Saturday, July 12, 2014 in the Herrin Hospital. He was born November 14, 1924 in West Frankfort to Thomas and Anna (Reed) Gray. He married Gwendolyn June Gray and she preceded him in death. He later married …
Read More »Buncombe woman seriously injured in traffic crash Thursday morning
A traffic crash involving three vehicles and a John Deere 6-row planter resulted in one driver being seriously injured Thursday morning, July 10, in western Johnson County. The accident occurred at 10:27 a.m. According to Illinois State Police, Deanna D. Morris, 21, of Buncombe, was westbound on Illinois Rt. 146 …
Read More »Belknap receives settlement check
The Village of Belknap has received $19,636.43 last week from Western Surety Company, the village’s bonding agency, as final settlement of village funds stolen in recent years by former village clerk Nancy Hester. Nancy Hester was convicted last year of a Class 2 Felony Theft of more than $25,000 from …
Read More »Cairo bank robbery suspect indicted today in Federal Court
NEWS RELEASE – BENTON (ILLINOIS) FEDERAL COURTHOUSE JAMES NATHANIEL WATTS CHARGED WITH KILLING TWO EMPLOYEES AND CRITICALLY INJURING ONE DURING ATTEMPTED ARMED ROBBERY OF FIRST NATIONAL BANK IN CAIRO A Federal Grand Jury sitting in Benton returned an indictment today, Tuesday, June 3, charging James Nathaniel Watts, 29, of Cairo, Illinois, with …
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