Annual Southern Illinois Ducky Derby Dash will support Special Olympics Special Olympics Illinois is getting ready for the sixth annual Ducky Derby Dash to benefit athletes in Southern Illinois and across the state. The derby is planned Sunday, Oct. 4. The event, like many others, has been forced to take on a new look for 2020. For the past five years, the event has...

University of Illinois Extension sponsoring annual Can Construction Canned Food Drive Tri-State Food Bank in Evansville, Ind., services the region by supplying much-needed food to area food banks to also address food security. The food bank has identified Johnson and Alexander counties as “food deserts” in the southern five county region. The counties face a critical need for food...

Pilot program designed to boost rural economies University of Illinois Extension has announced the selection of a multi-county region in Illinois for participation in CREATE BRIDGES, a program which is designed to build up rural economies. CREATE BRIDGES was recently launched in Illinois, New Mexico and North Carolina with the help of a $2,041,...

High school equivalency exam costs are reduced As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to create professional hardships for thousands of Illinois residents, the Illinois Community College Board, ICCB, recently announced that they are helping to make it easier for state residents to earn their high school equivalency. ICCB announced that grant...

Anna VFW planning corn hole tournament Veterans of Foreign Wars Carroll P. Foster Post No. 3455 of Anna is planning to host a Corn Hole Challenge Tournament on Saturday, Oct. 10, starting at noon. The proceeds from the event will go to support the local VFW. A barbeque stand will be set up for lunch. Drinks also will be available. The...

State’s attorney, sheriff to monitor polling places Union County State’s Attorney Daniel Klingemann and Union County Sheriff Scott Harvel have announced that their offices will again be monitoring Union County polling places on Election Day, which is set for Tuesday, Nov. 3. Klingemann and Harvel said in a news release that prosecutors and Union...

SIU, SEMO slated to play football game Oct. 23 in Carbondale Southern Illinois and Southeast Missouri State have joined a growing list of college football programs that are planning to play football this fall. In a joint announcement on Monday, the schools said they are scheduled to play at Saluki Stadium in Carbondale on Friday, Oct. 23 at 6 p.m. SIU...

A-J boys take first in six-team event run at Massac County; girls finish in second place The Anna-Jonesboro Community High School boys’ and girls’ cross country teams competed Thursday, Sept. 17, in a six-team event at Massac County. The A-J boys won their event, while the girls finished in second place. A-J 42, Vienna 56, West Frankfort 75, Herrin 80, Massac County 125, Harrisburg...

County again at COVID-19 warning level Southern Seven Health Department reported on Friday, Sept. 18, that the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) risk level in Union County had changed from blue to orange on the Illinois Department of Public Health, IDPH, County Level Risk Metrics Map. An orange designation indicates warning signs of...