89-year-old former Fairfield resident, Mary Ann Wiley of Evansville, IN died at 1:38 a.m. Wednesday, April 16 at the home of her daughter. She had been a secretary at Airtex Products.

Survivors include a daughter, Susan Cox of Evansville, IN; a son, Danny Wiley of Charleston, IL; 3 grandchildren and 9 great-grandchildren.

Funeral services for Mary Ann Wiley will be 2 p.m. Wednesday, April 23 in the multipurpose room of the First Christian Church in Fairfield with burial in Maple Hill Cemetery.

Visitation will be from 11 a.m. until the time of service Wednesday, April 23 in the multipurpose room of the First Christian Church in Fairfield.

Memorials may be made to the First Christian Church and will be accepted at the church or at the Johnson & Vaughn Funeral Home in Fairfield, which is in charge of all the arrangements.

Officials with the U.S. Geological Survey recorded a small earthquake Thursday night near Benton in Franklin County.  The magnitude 2.7 tremor was centered nine miles east/northeast of Benton at 10:02 Thursday night.  The quake originated from a fairly shallow depth of .1 mile. The last major earthquake was a 5.2 earthquake on April 18, 2008 and was centered near West Salem.

30-year-old Branden L. Cline of Fairfield was arrested Thursday night on charges of violating an order of protection and domestic battery.  Cline is accused of spitting in Ashley Cline’s face. The alleged incident happened at the home of Ashley Cline’s mother on W. Douglas Street.

The annual Fairfield Lions Club Easter Egg Hunt has been set for this Saturday at Leo French Park in Fairfield. The event has been set for 1 p.m.

Illinois officials say a strip club tax has generated less than 40% of the money that was expected when the surcharge was approved. The so-called “pole tax” raised about $380,000 last year – far less than the predicted $1 million.  The money is earmarked for rape crisis centers.

A proposed gambling expansion in Illinois leaves out Fairmount Race Track.  Other race tracks across the state would be allowed to have slot machines under the plan.  Officials say they excluded Fairmount because of public safety issues in the E. St. Louis area. They also wanted to make sure that the Casino Queen wouldn’t lose money.

Our Two year old brindle Boxer is missing.  Her name us Hokti. She is wearing a silver choker with a green rabies tag.  Please call Jody Fly if you see her 618-925-2250 .

Fairfield’s newest firefighter, Chris Wise, has graduated from fire academy training and will be on duty soon.  Fire Chief Mike Pottorff said Wise graduated from seven weeks of intense training at the Illinois Fire Service Institute in Champaign, IL, and must complete another week of Hazardous Materials training before beginning his duties with the Fairfield Fire Department.  Chief Pottorff also said that Wise was chosen by his instructors for the Color Guard during the graduation ceremony.  He’s the son of Jeff and Charlotte Wise of Fairfield.

Illinois State Police District 19 Commander, Captain Kelly Hodge, has announced his troopers will be participaing in several enforcement efforts during May, looking out for drunk drivers and those violating seat-belt laws and other traffic violations.  Troopers will be conducting Special Traffic Enforcement Patrols in Wayne, White and Saline counties, Occupant Restraint Enforcement patrols in Wayne and White counties, and Alcohol Countermesure Enforcement patrols in Edwards, Wabash and Saline counties.

Fairfield Memorial Hospital’s Skilled Care Unit has been named on the 2014 Best Nursing Homes list by the Illinois Health Care Association for being among the country’s “Best Nursing Homes” by U.S. News & World Report.    The hospital’s skilled care unit was given an overall five-star rating for the third year running.  IHCA Executive Director David Voepel said there are 167 skilled care facilities in the state of Illinois.

37-year-old Steven Everett of Wheeler, IL was cited for DUI, unlawful operation of an ATV on a roadway, improper lane usage, operating an uninsured vehicle and driving revoked following an ATV accident in rural Jasper County late Saturday afternoon.  State police said Everett was operating the ATV on a county road when he lost control of the vehicle, causing it to hit a gas meter and overturn.  Everett was taken to Carle Hospital in Champaign, IL with major injuries.

A report from Springfield says Illinois prisons will be using an effective but costly new drug to treat inmates with hepatitis C, therapy which could cost tens of millions of dollars.  The Illinois Department of Corrections has approved using the drug Sovaldi, which studies have shown has a 95 percent cure rate, but costs as much as $61,000 for a single treatment.  Corrections officials have estimated there are as many as 150 inmates in each of the state’s 25 prisons who gave the blood-borne infection, which is commonly linked to sharing needles.  Corrections officials said treatment would be on a case-by-case basis.

84-year-old Raleigh, NC resident, formerly of McLeansboro, Ralph Dean Hawthorne, died at 12:35 p.m. Friday, April 18 at University of North Carolina Hospital at Chapel Hill.  He served in the U.S. Air Force and worked in security for McDonald Douglas in St. Louis, MO before retiring and moving to Raleigh, NC.

Surviving are his wife Barbara Sue (Johnson) Hawthorne; one son, Michael (Evelyn) Hawthorne; and two grandchildren, Christopher and Rebecca all of Fairfield; and a brother-in-law, Bob (Thelma) Johnson of Fairfield.

Funeral services for Ralph Dean Hawthorne will be at 11 a.m. Tuesday, April 22 at the Johnson & Vaughn Funeral Home in Fairfield.  Burial will be in Maple Hill Cemetery with full military rites.

Visitation will be from 10 a.m. Tuesday, April 22 until the time of service at the Johnson & Vaughn Funeral Home in Fairfield.

63-year-old Fairfield resident, Anita Turner, died at 2:58 p.m. Friday, April 18 at her home.  She had been a CNA at Fairfield Memorial Hospital for 29 years and was a member of the Lebanon C.P. Church.

Surviving are her husband Richard; one son, Jonathon of Fairfield; three daughters, Stacy Blaine and Gina Blaine both of Fairfield and Machea Blaine of Cisne; three sisters, Jan Pollard and Debbie Robinson both of Fairfield and Judy Cook of Flora; and two grandchildren.

Graveside services for Anita Turner will be at 2 p.m. Monday, April 21 at Maple Hill Cemetery.  There will be no visitation, friends and family are asked to go directly to the cemetery.

Nale’s Funeral Home in Fairfield is in charge of the arrangements.

Memorials may be made to the Lebanon C.P. Church.

75-year-old Fairfield resident, Sonja Mercer, died at 10:25 a.m. Saturday, April 19 at Fairfield Memorial Hospital.

Funeral arrangements are pending at the Johnson & Vaughn Funeral Home in Fairfield.

73-year-old Rt. 1 Wayne City resident, George “Bo” Rawls died at 9:51 a.m. Friday at Good Samaritan Hospital in Mount Vernon.

Services for George “Bo” Rawls are pending at the Richardson Funeral Home in Wayne City.

Five people were injured Sunday afternoon in a near head-on crash on Ill. Rt. 1 in Gallatin County. Both drivers, Trenton Duncan, 26 of Carrier Mills and John Porter, 63 of LaSalle, Ill. were injured, along with one passenger in Porter’s truck and two passengers in Duncan’s truck.  Trenton Duncan’s Ford Escape crossed the centerline, striking Porter’s pickup truck. The crash happened shortly after 1:30 Sunday afternoon.

Kraft Foods is recalling 96,000 pounds of its Oscar Mayer wieners because they may mistakenly contain cheese.  The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service said Sunday that packages of Kraft’s Oscar Mayer Classic Wieners may instead contain the company’s Classic Cheese Dogs.

Illinois’ medical marijuana rules should be completed within the next 90 days.  Several changes in the law have already been made, including lowering the fees to participate in the program.  The fee has been reduced from $100 to $50.

The Wayne County Coalition against Drug Abuse is sponsoring a Prescription Drug Take Back program this Saturday.  Individuals may drop off unused or out-of-date prescription drugs at Fairfield Memorial Hospital from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. this Saturday.  Weather permitting; the event will take place along Dr. Scranton Memorial Drive in front of the hospital.

Illinois State Police officials have announced several enforcement details in the region for the month of May.  Wayne, White and Saline counties will be targeted for seat belt enforcement and speeding details. Safety belt enforcement zones will likely be set up during the month.

59-year-old Cisne resident, John W. Bullard died at 12:58 a.m. Sunday, April 20 at his home.  He retired from the U.S. Air Force after 20 years of service, then retired from the U.S. Defense Department as a Federal Police Officer for the Department of the Navy.

Survivors include his wife, Debra Bullard of Cisne a daughter, Stephanie (Todd) Harper of Lincoln, IL; two step-daughters, Kathy Sherwood of Shelby, MI and Candace Bone of West Salem; three sons, Jesse Hawn of Cisne, Jason (Brandie) Bullard of Clay City and Brian (Kim) Bullard of Flora; a sister, Paula (Robert) Jones of Effingham 12 grandchildren; 2 great-grandchildren and several nieces and nephews.

Graveside services for John W. Bullard will be 10 a.m. Saturday, April 26 at Elmwood Cemetery in Flora with military rites at the gravesite.

Memorials may be made to the family and will be accepted at the Hosselton Funeral Home in Cisne, which is in charge of all the arrangements.

55-year-old Queen Creek, AZ resident, David Allen Kimbrell died April 15.  He graduated high school in Traverse City, MI and served in the U.S. Air Force for 4 years, worked in the medical field while in the service and was a Registered Nurse.

Survivors include his mother, Judy Roye Kimbrell of Albion and a brother, Doug Kimbrell of Interlochin, MI.

A memorial service for David Allen Kimbrell will be held at a later date. Burial will be in Graceland Cemetery in Albion.

Nale’s Funeral Home in Albion is in charge of all the arrangements.

60-year-old Randy King of Fairfield was sentenced Monday to 12 years in prison after pleading guilty to two charges of being in possession of child pornography.  King has been held in the Wayne County jail since his arrest last September when agents executed a search warrant at his home and seized the suspect’s computers and hard drives. In addition to prison time, King will have to register as a sex offender for the rest of his life. Judge Tom Dinn also ordered King to pay over $3,400 in fines and costs. Witnesses testified that child porn was being downloaded on King’s computer as investigators raided his home.

A Wayne County Grand Jury has indicted 31-year-old Brandon A. Smith of Cisne on charges of aggravated unlawful restraint and unlawful delivery of a controlled substance – psychedelic mushrooms.  Smith is accused of tying up an alleged confidential informant and threatening him with a knife. Smith’s bond has been set at $15,000 cash. Smith is also awaiting trial in an unrelated case where he is accused of battering his girlfriend.

It was bound to happen…..Someone overnight poured a concentrated soap solution into the fountain at Wasson Park at the east edge of downtown Fairfield.  The result – a mountain of suds.

Three people were seriously injured Monday afternoon when a tire blew out on a pickup truck on I-57 in Franklin County. The driver, 76-year-old Dewitt H. Smith of Johnston City was hurt, along with passengers, Robert J. Lewis, 31 of Mount Vernon and Carole L. Smith, 74 of Johnston City.  Carole Smith was ejected from the wreckage and sustained critical injuries. Northbound I-57 was closed to traffic for over an hour.

Two Evansville men have been arrested in connection with a string of car burglaries in Mount Carmel.  The suspects are Daniel L. Mims, 20 and 26-year-old Michael A. Johnson.

Area residents are encouraged to celebrate Earth Day by supporting Animals Requesting Friends’ Recycling Program.  Empty ink and toner cartridges and old cell phones, laptops and iPods can be dropped off at Rides Mass Transit in Fairfield for recycling.

46-year-old Fairfield resident, Angela Dawn Tondini died at 11:30 a.m. Saturday, April 19 in the Emergency Room at Fairfield Memorial Hospital.

Survivors include her mother, Dottie (Dorsett) Wilborn of Fairfield; her husband, James Tondini of Fairfield; a daughter Billie Ewing of Fairfield and a brother, Sam and wife Roxanne Wilborn of Fairfield.

Visitation only for Angela Dawn Tondini will be 5 – 7 Thursday, April 24 at the Johnson & Vaughn Funeral Home in Fairfield with cremation to follow with no burial at this time.

Memorials may be made to help with funeral expenses and will be accepted at the Johnson & Vaughn Funeral Home in Fairfield, which is in charge of all the arrangements.

91-year-old rural West Salem resident, Juanita Ginther, died Tuesday, April 22 at Richland Memorial Hospital in Olney.  She worked for several years at the Brown Shoe Factory and later worked for the Illinois Gas Company in the office until her retirement.  She was a member of the Marion Christian Church.

Funeral services for Juanita Ginther will be at 11:30 a.m. Friday, April 25 at the Marion Christian Church northwest of West Salem.  Burial will be in the Marion Cemetery.

Visitation will be 10:30 a.m. until the time of service Friday, April 25 at the church.

Memorials may be made to the Marion Christian Church.

Ingram Funeral Home in West Salem is in charge of the arrangements.

The Fairfield City Police Department is being cut by two officers.  Mayor Chuck Griswold says he does not plan to replace Chief Brad Winter upon his retirement.  Another senior officer is set to retire this year, and that position will not be filled as well.  Mayor Griswold has named Keith Colclasure as the department’s new chief and Silas Eckelberry as the Assistant Chief. The new appointments will take effect on May 13.

The lobby of the Wayne County Sheriff’s Department now houses a permanent medicine disposal box.  The box can be found just inside the main entrance to the Wayne County Sheriff’s Department in Fairfield. The medicine disposal box will serve as a safe, year-round drop off site for unwanted medications. The installation of the box coincides with the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Drug Take Back Day, scheduled for this Saturday, April 26. Pictured from left to right: Courtney Yost, Community and Economic Development Educator-University of Illinois Extension; Doug Anderson, Wayne County Farm Bureau Manager; Frank Buchanan, Wayne County Farm Bureau Director; Mike Everett, Wayne County Sheriff; and Zackary Harrell, Director of Prevention Services and Marketing for Southeastern Illinois Counseling Center.

A plan to increase rural water rates by 5% has been tabled until at least January of next year.  The proposal was ditched after city officials learned some rural water departments could purchase their bulk water at a lower price from the Carlyle Water System.

Russ Gerlack of Wayne City has been hired as head basketball coach at Edwards County.  He will begin his duties this fall.  And, Assistant Principal Kris Duncan has been named Principal at Edwards County High School.  Duncan replaces Andy Julian who announced has resigned effective the end of the current school year.

Dennis M. Bailey of Albion has been sentenced to 6 ½ years in prison after pleading guilty to a class-2 felony charge of burglary.  The sentence was handed down Tuesday in Edwards County Circuit Court.

The brutal winter may have killed off some of Illinois’ fruit crop, but it is expected to produce a phenomenal morel mushroom crop.  Tom Nauman with Morel Mania says the lengthy snow cover and deep freeze the past winter should produce a bumper crop of mushrooms this spring.

Sandusky and Chambliss Wedding

Stephanie Maree’ Sandusky and Jacob Curtis Chambliss, along with their parents, wish to announce their engagement and upcoming wedding on May 10, 2014.

Stephanie is the daughter of William D. and Bobbie Sandusky of McLeansboro.  She is the granddaughter of Robert and Mary York and Bonnie and the late Bill Sandusky, all of McLeansboro.  Stephanie is a 2010 graduate of McLeansboro High School and a 2014 graduate of Rend Lake College, training to be an Occupational Therapy Assistant.

Jake is the son of Timothy and Tamara Chambliss of Wayne City.  He is the grandson of the Barbara and the late Melvin Chambliss of Wayne City and the late Carroll C, and Annabelle Draper of McLeansboro.  Jake is a 2008 graduate of Wayne City High School and Rend Lake College.  He is the owner of Chambliss Welding in Wayne City.

The couple plan to unite in marriage at 5:00 pm on May 10, 2014, on the Holy Grounds of McLeansboro First General Baptist Church.  A reception will follow in the church fellowship hall.  Should it rain, the ceremony will be moved into the Sanctuary of the Church.  Some invitations have been mailed, but all friends and family are invited to attend.

89-year-old former Mt. Erie resident, Bernard E. “Bernie” Wolfe of Fairfield died at 5:20 p.m. Tuesday, April 22  at Way-Fair Nursing and Rehab Center in Fairfield.  A veteran of WW II, he was a retired farmer. He was a lifetime member of the Mt. Erie Ruritan Club, a lifetime member of the Anthony Doherty Masonic Lodge # 1111 of Cisne and the Methodist Church.

Survivors include a son, Tim (Marilee) Wolfe of Fairfield;  a brother, Robert (Marsha) Wolfe of Salem; a brother-in-law, Noble Talley of Salem; a granddaughter, Alicia (Kevin) Thompson of Fairfield and two great-grandchildren, Nick and Zoe Thompson and several nieces and nephews as well as Garry (Sharon) Atteberry and Larry Atteberry and families also survive.

Services for Bernard E. “Bernie” Wolfe will be 3 p.m. Saturday, April 26 at the Hosselton Funeral Home in Cisne with burial in Scott Cemetery with full military rites. A Masonic service will be held at 3 p.m. Saturday preceding the funeral service.

Visitation will be 1 p.m. Saturday, April 26 until the time of service at the Hosselton Funeral Home in Cisne.

Memorials may be made to the Mt. Erie Ruritan Club and will be accepted at the Hosselton Funeral Home in Cisne.

Marjorie M. Mix, 89 of Albion, IL died on Tuesday, April 22, 2014 at Rest Haven Manor in Albion.

She is survived by a daughter; Susan (John) Roberts of Cedartown, GA, son; Lowell ‘Pat” Mix of Fairfield, IL, brother; James (Carol) Prater, 3 grandchildren; Stephanie Crisp, Matthew (Brandie) Kelsey, Chuck Mix, 4 great-grandchildren; Dallas Kramer, Micah Crisp, Robbie Crisp, and Benjamin Kelsey.

Per her wishes the body will be cremated and burial will be at a later date at Bunker cemetery in Rinard, IL.

In lieu of flowers memorial may be made to Donor’s Choice.

The Ingram Funeral Home of Albion, IL is in charge of all the arrangements.

77-year-old McLeansboro resident, Sam Gaines died at 1:53 p.m. Wednesday, April 23 in McLeansboro.  A U.S. Navy veteran of the Korean War, he served as the City of McLeansboro Gas Department Superintendent.  He was also owner of Sam’s Bait Shop.

Survivors include his wife, Mona Gaines of McLeansboro; two daughters, Becky Prince and husband John of McLeansboro and Pam Barnett of McLeansboro; a sister, Janet Dudley of Decatur, IL; grandchildren, Jeff Morris and Jerrod Prince and wife Jill of McLeansboro, Jason Prince and wife Brook of Louisville, KY, Morgan Barnett and companion Levi Hart and Mayson Barnett of McLeansboro; great-grandchildren, Savanna and Peyton Prince and Prestyn Hart of McLeansboro, Chloe and Quinn Morris of Muscotine, Iowa, and Trystin and Grayson Prince of Louisville, KY.

Funeral services for Sam Gaines will be 11 a.m. Saturday, April 26 at the Harre Funeral Home in McLeansboro with burial in the I.O.O.F. Cemetery at McLeansboro.

Visitation will be 6 – 8 p.m. Friday, April 25 at the Harre Funeral Home in McLeansboro.

After 35 years on the job as a police dispatcher, Jim Hammack is retiring from the Fairfield City Police Department. Hammack’s retirement will be effective May 29.  Chief Brad Winter says the department is now seeking applicants for the position.  Interested parties can pick up an application at the Fairfield Police Department which is located at 1002 Leininger Road in Fairfield. The deadline to return the application is 5 p.m. on Monday, May 2. Earlier this month, Police Chief Brad Winter announced his retirement.  Mayor Chuck Griswold has named Detective Sgt. Keith Colclasure as the new chief with Sgt. Silas Eckelberry as Assistant Chief.  Current Assistant Chief Cameron Simpson will return to patrol duties. The changes in administration will take effect May 13.

The peach crop in Illinois is taking a bit of a hit due to the extreme weather this past winter and early spring.  Farm Bureau officials say the bad winter weather may have destroyed a portion of the crop. Other fruits grown in the state should be okay.

Wabash Telephone Cooperative will hold its annual meeting tonight.  The meeting will be held at Cisne Middle School. Registration is from 6 – 7 with a business meeting starting at 7.  Door prizes will be awarded and entertainment will be provided by the Bradshaws.

Eastern Illinois University will open a new Center for Clean Energy and Research and Education this Friday.  The 5,000 square feet building will be home to a research facility where faculty and students can experiment with biomass as a fuel.  Currently, wood chips are used to fuel a power plant for the campus.

An attorney is asking a judge to order an investigation into hiring under Governor Pat Quinn claiming there is an “embedded culture of patronage practices” in Illinois Government.  The filing accuses Quinn of improper political hiring in the Illinois Department of Transportation.  Hundreds of jobs may have been wrongly filled based on “clout instead of competence”, the filing alleges.