Connie L. Lamont, 68 of Carmi, died Wednesday morning August 6, 2014 at her home. Connie had worked as a bank teller at White County Bank and Integra for over 20 years. She was an active member of the Carmi American Legion Auxiliary and the Carmi V.F.W where she was “all about bingo” and served as the bingo treasurer. She was a very active volunteer at the VA Hospital.

Survivors include her husband, Jack; 4 sons, Kevin Savage of Albion, Kelly and Sheila Savage of Centerville, Scott and Tonia Lamont and Jerry Lamont all of Carmi; her mother, Rebecca O’Neal of Carmi; 11 grandchildren, Ethan and Cole Savage, Aadam (Courtney) Smith, Aaron (Melissa) Smith, Danyelle (David) Mitchell, Emily (Zach) Burzynski, Riley Moss, Ashley (Mike) French, Andrew and Kayley Lamont, and Jacklyn Lamont; 9 great-grandchildren, Michael Smith, Gabe and Colton Smith, Seth and Lexie Mitchell, Madison and Morgan Strong, Mason French, Landi Slay and identical twin boys being born in September; 1 brother, Ronald Beck of Carmi; 1 sister, Kathy (Randy)  Buchanan of Carmi; a brother-in-law Don Heibert of Norris City and several nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her father, and 2 sisters, Donna Rose and Jeanie Heibert.

Funeral services for Connie L. Lamont will be held at 10 a.m. on Saturday August 9, 2014 at the Stendeback Family Funeral Home in Carmi with burial in Centerville Cemetery.

Visitation will be from 4-8 p.m. on Friday at the Stendeback Family Funeral Home in Carmi.

51-year-old Fairfield resident, Danny Xanders died at 7:35 Wednesday evening, August 6th at his home. He was the manager of Clayton Homes in Fairfield.

Survivors include his wife, Marla (Jones) Xanders of Fairfield; his father, Kenny Xanders of Fairfield; his mother, Lenora Neavill of Fairfield; a son, Seth Xanders of Fairfield; a daughter, Abby Rose Xanders of Fairfield; his father and mother-in-law, Ron and Pam Jones of Fairfield; sisters, Terri (George) Venturella of Frankfort, IL, Tina Dulaney of Holly Hill FL and Lisa Crane of Holly Hill, FL; a half-brother, Tony Xanders of Fairfield; a step-brother, Randy (Cindy) Ewing of Fairfield and a step-sister, Holly (Lawrence) Speir of Albion.

Services for Danny Xanders will be 12 noon Monday, Aug. 11 at the Johnson & Vaughn Funeral Home in Fairfield with burial in Buckeye Cemetery.

Visitation will be from 10 a.m. until the time of service Monday, Aug. 11 at the Johnson & Vaughn Funeral Home in Fairfield.

Memorials may be made to the Six Lemons Cancer Fund.

While the search for 16-year-old Megan Nichols continues, Fairfield City Police advise that “at this time, interviews and evidence lead authorities to believe Megan left her residence of her own free will.”  Megan has been missing from her W. Douglas St. home since July 3.  As a result of the search for Megan, authorities in Oklahoma have arrested Megan’s biological father, John David Jackson Nichols for failure to register as a sex offender.  U.S. Marshals interviewed John David Nichols and concluded he had no knowledge of Megan’s whereabouts.

The Fairfield Community High School Board meets Monday night to consider a number of personnel matters. The board will consider the employment of an English teacher, a one-on-one aide, an in-school detention teacher, a cross country coach and a volunteer football coach. The meeting will start at 6 p.m. in the District Office.

Thieves tried to steal a bridge this week in Marion County.  Sheriff Jerry DeVore said the bridge was on a Citation Oilfield Road. The would-be thieves were apparently scared off when a torch being used to cut up the bridge ruptured a gas line that was carrying methane gas away from an oil well.  They left their cutting torches behind

Frontier Community College is offering firefighting classes starting August 25.  The instructors will be Aaron Brown and Andrew Miller. Tuition for this class will be waived for in-district students.  For more information, call the college.

Hypnotist Dan Ladd will be featured this evening at the annual Cisne Reunion.  Also tonight, local band Rollin Country will perform at 6:30 and 8:30.  The Cisne Reunion parade will begin at 4 o’clock Saturday afternoon.

Lola is a chihuahua/poodle mix.  She was last seen one mile north of Frontier Community College.  She is brown and has a pink collar.  If found, please call 618-516-2428.  $100 reward is being offered.

Vernell Blake, 80 of Grayville, IL died Thursday, August 7, 2014 at Meadowood Nursing Home in Grayville, IL. She loved smoking her pipe under the awning at Meadowood nursing Home.  She was called the Pipe Lady.

She is survived by daughter; Lisa (Thomas J.) Downs of Grayville, IL, a brother; Benford (Joann) Bryant of Grayville, IL, 8 grandchildren and several great-grandchildren.

Graveside service will be held Saturday, August 9, 2014 at 1:00pm at the Centerville Cemetery in Centerville, IL.  Visitation will be from noon until of service at the cemetery.  Family and Friends are asked to go directly to the cemetery.

Memorials may be made to Celtic Hospice in Mt. Carmel, IL.

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

86-year-old McLeansboro resident, Laura Belle Flannigan, died at 5:50 a.m. Friday, August 8 at Hamilton Memorial Hospital in McLeansboro.

Funeral arrangements are pending at the Gholson Funeral Home in McLeansboro.

86-year-old Fairfield resident, Dolores “Dee” Rawls, died at 3:10 p.m. Thursday, August 7 at WayFair in Fairfield.  She was a bookkeeper for Keen Norris Drug Store and the Wayne County Ambulance Service, and a member of the First United Methodist Church.

Surviving are a son, Brian (Katie) Rawls of Fairfield; and three grandchildren.

Funeral services for Dolores “Dee” Rawls will be at 1 p.m. Tuesday, August 12 at the Johnson & Vaughn Funeral Home in Fairfield.  Burial will be in Maple Hill Cemetery.

Visitation will be from 11 a.m. Tuesday, August 12 until the time of service at the Johnson & Vaughn Funeral Home in Fairfield.

An arrest warrant has been issued for 65-year-old Jack Lee Harrison Sr. of Fort Smith, AR.  Harrison is accused of scamming an Edwards County man out of nearly $10,000 in a driveway paving scheme.  Harrison faces a Class-2 felony charge of theft and a Class-3 felony charge of intimidation.    According to a criminal information filed by Edwards County State’s Attorney Michael Valentine, Harrison is accused of scamming the victim, Roy Longbons of Albion, by entering into an oral agreement to pave his driveway for a specific price per linear foot, and after the project was completed, Harrison allegedly charged Longbons by the square foot, resulting in a much higher price.  The intimidation charge accuses Harrison of threatening Longbons with physical harm if he didn’t pay him the money.  Bond on Harrison was set at $100,000.

The Fairfield City Council meets Tuesday night in regular session.  Alderman are expected to seek additional bids for the clearing of brush from Johnson and Fairground creeks through Fairfield.  The council is also expected to seek bids for the planting of trees on 34 acres of land as part of a wetland mitigation project.  The city must plant the trees to satisfy a U.S. Corps of Engineers order following the failed construction of a side-channel reservoir east of town, which was being built without Corps of Engineers authority, resulting in the city being forced to secure alternative wetlands to replace the wetlands disturbed by the failed project.

71-year-old James G. Roberts of Eldorado, IL has been sentenced to 11 years in prison after pleading guilty to having unlawful sexual contact with two juveniles under the age of ten.  The sentence was handed down in Saline County Circuit Court at Harrisburg, IL.  Roberts drew a consecutive three-year prison sentence after pleading guilty to a Class-2 felony charge of aggravated criminal sexual abuse of a victim under the age of 13.  The victims in the case were six and seven years old at the time of the assault.

Former Harrisburg Mayor Ron Crank died Thursday, just one year after he had been chosen for the job.  Reports indicate Crank had to resign his position to finish cancer treatments.  He had served on the Harrisburg City Council for three years before being named the city’s Mayor last year.

Illinois is inching closer on the medical marijuana program application process for patients and caregivers.  Reports indicate the state has posted the official forms online, but has asked people not to submit anything prior to September 2nd.  Applications for operators of cultivation centers haven’t yet been posted, but some guidance for entrepreneurs who are preparing their paperwork was published Friday.  Once everything is operational, patients and caregivers will have to submit applications before they can be approved for an official identification card that will permit them to purchase medical marijuana.  Patients will pay $100 a year to apply for the card, while veterans and those with disabilities will pay $50 a year.  Patients will be able to buy up to 2.5 ounces of marijuana in a two-week period from a state-authorized dispensary.

91-year-old Enfield resident, Nina York, died at 3:22 p.m. Friday, August 8 at Hamilton Memorial Hospital in McLeansboro.  She was a farm wife and charter member of the Plainview General Baptist Church, and a 1940 graduate of Norris City High School.

Surviving are two daughters, Linda (Steven) Lee of Fairfield and Brenda (Fred) White of Sumner, IL; three grandchildren, Haylie and Eric Fisher, Barkley York White and Brandon and Kari Lee; and three great-granddaughters, Austin Elizabeth, Ollie Rose and Annie Catherine Fisher.

Funeral services for Nina York will be at 3 p.m. Sunday, August 10 at Plainview General Baptist Church near Norris City.  Burial will be in Plainview Cemetery.

Visitation will be from 1 p.m. Sunday, August 10 until the time of service at the church.

Memorials may be made to Plainview General Baptist Church in Nina’s memory or Wounded Warriors, and will be accepted at the Campbell Funeral Home in Carmi, which is in charge of the arrangements.

44-year-old Timothy W. Hightower of Xenia was cited for DUI and improper lane usage following an accident late Saturday morning at the east edge of Flora.  State police said Hightower was westbound on U.S. Route 50 and crossed the center line into the eastbound lane and onto the shoulder, striking a disabled pickup truck head-on, driven by 51-year-old Jamey L. Tolliver of Clay City.  Both drivers had major injuries along with a passenger in Hightower’s vehicle, 34-year-old Shane R. Hightower of West Salem.  All of the injured were taken to Clay County Hospital in Flora.  Police said additional charges against Hightower were pending.

A squirrel was blamed for causing a blown fuse along a power line on Leininger Road in Fairfield around 7:30 last night.  A city power plant spokesperson said it was not known how many homes were affected by any power outages.  It was first believed a transformer had blown along the line, however city workers believe the squirrel was the culprit.

An Indiana man was injured in a fall Saturday afternoon at the Garden of the Gods in Saline County.  The Saline County Sheriff’s Office says a call was received shortly before 1:45 p.m. reporting a man had fallen near Table Rock at the Garden of the Gods.  21-year-old Nicholas R. Zoglman fell near the Table Rock formation and suffered a knee injury.  He was flown from the scene to Deaconess Hospital in Evansville, IN for treatment of his injuries.

Illinois State Police District 19 Commander, Captain Kelly Hodge has announced the activity and enforcement figures for the month of July in Distict 19.  Troopers answered 283 calls for service and initiated 990 incidents in the field.  Enforcement figures totalled 412 citations and 806 written warnings, including 139 speeding tickets, five DUI’s, 97 seatbelt citations, three child-restraint citations, 250 written warnings for speeding and 25 criminal arrests.  One fatal traffic crash was investigated by District 19 police during July, resulting in one fatality.

The North Wayne School District has scheduled their Open House for later this month.  Mt. Erie and Johnsonville schools will conduct their Open House on Tuesday, August 19th from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m.  Cisne Middle and Cisne High School will conduct their Open House on Wednesday, August 20th from 5 to 6 p.m.  The public is welcome to attend both open houses.

Bill Bruce, 54 of Fairfield died at 10:15 AM, Saturday, August 9, 2014 at his home.

Services for Bill Bruce are pending at the Johnson & Vaughn Funeral Home in Fairfield.

Errol Wayne Parrish, 73, of Mt. Carmel, IL, died Sunday, August 10, 2014, at his home.  He was a member of the Grace Baptist Church in Mt. Carmel, and was a retired truck driver and veteran of the Army, Marines, and Army National Guard.

Survivors include his wife Becky Parrish of Mt. Carmel; sons Jeff (Jodi) Parrish of Robinson, IL, Jay (Barb) Parrish of Mt. Carmel; brother Cecil (Glenda) Parrish of Johnston City; grandchildren Lauren Browning, Anthony Parrish, Amber Parrish, Breanna Parrish (who was Errol’s special helper), Andrew Parrish, Josh Parrish, and Alisha Parrish.

Funeral Services for Errol Wayne Parrish will be 10 a.m. Wednesday, August 13 at the Cook Funeral Chapel in Grayville with burial and military rites at Old Union Cemetery south of Grayville.

Visitation is 5-7 pm, Tuesday, August 12, 2014, at Cook Funeral Chapel in Grayville.

Memorials may be made to the family to assist with expenses.

Billy Bruce, Jr., 55 of Fairfield died at 10:15 AM, Saturday, August 9, 2014 at his home in Fairfield. He worked for Shulman Brothers.  He was also a charter member and the current Vice President of the Fairfield Girls Softball Association, as well as a longtime coach and umpire.  He also was head Girls Softball coach at Cisne Middle School and High School.

Survivors include his wife Nancy, his mother Darlene Bruce, daughters Chrissy and Tonya Bruce, step children Christina (Rob) Traiteur, Chad (Sarah) Tomlinson, Casie (Choya) Williams, and Carrie (Robert) Reeves all of Fairfield, 17 grandchildren;  brothers Cecil (Tammy) Bruce of Rockford, IL and Steven (Alice) Bruce of Fairfield, sisters Darla (Bill) Bankston, Ruby Ricketts, and Penny (Van) Musgrave all of Fairfield and several nieces and nephews.

Funeral services for Billy Bruce, Jr. will be held at 11 AM, Wednesday, August 13, at the First Christian Church in Fairfield with burial in Maple Hill Cemetery.

Visitation will be held on Tuesday from 5-7 PM at the Church.

In lieu of flowers memorials may be made to the Fairfield Girls Softball Association.

Police in Mount Carmel, Ill. are requesting the public’s help in locating a missing Mt. Carmel teen that has not been seen since 10 o’clock Saturday night.  The missing juvenile has been identified as 15-year-old Alisa D. Stacy.  Stacy is believed to be in the Princeton, Indiana or Mt. Carmel area.  Police say the missing teen told her mother she was going to bed and when her mother checked on her early Sunday morning she was missing.  Stacy is believed to be wearing bright orange Sketcher tennis shoes.  The missing teen has changed her hair color to brown and the left side of her head is shaved.  She also has a stud piercing on her right bottom lip.  Anyone with information concerning her whereabouts are asked to call the Mt. Carmel Police at 618-262-4114 or the Wabash County Crime Stoppers at 618-262- 4258.

Bond has been set at $100,000 for an Arkansas man accused of scamming an Albion man in a driveway paving scheme. Jack Lee Harrison, Sr., 65 of Fort Smith Arkansas faces a Class-2 felony charge of theft and a Class-3 felony charge of intimidation.  Harrison is accused of scamming an Albion man out of $9,900.

71-year-old James G. Roberts of Eldorado has been sentenced to 17 years in prison after pleading guilty to sexually abusing two children under the age of 10.  Roberts was arrested in March of last year following an investigation by Illinois State Police detectives.

21-year-old Nicholas R. Zoglman of Newburgh, IN was seriously injured Saturday when he fell at the Table Rock formation at the Garden of Gods. Zoglman was airlifted from the scene to Deaconess Hospital in Evansville.

Illinois State Police from the District-19 Post in Carmi issued 412 tickets and 806 written warnings during the month of July.  Commander Capt. Kelly Hodge says troopers also arrested 5 suspected drunk drivers and investigated one fatal traffic crash.

Gov. Pat Quinn has signed legislation ending the practice of posting a driver’s license as security for certain types of traffic citations. The new law eliminates posting a driver’s license as bail. Instead, it allows drivers to sign a citation as their guarantee that they will appear in court or pay a fine.

The Fairfield Community High School Board meets in special session tonight. Members are expected to approve the employment of an English teacher, a one-on-one aide, an in-school detention teacher, a cross country coach and a volunteer football coach. The meeting starts at 6 p.m.

Wanda L. Campbell, 85, of Carmi, died Saturday afternoon, August 9, 2014 at Wabash Christian Retirement Center in Carmi.  She was a homemaker and a member of the Carmi VFW Auxiliary.

Survivors include two sons, Bill G. (Dina) Campbell of Henderson, KY and Bob J. (Diana) Campbell of Crossville; 2 grandchildren and 1 great-grandchild; 1 sisters, Rose (Harold) Poore of Carmi.

Funeral services for Wanda L. Campbell will be 1 p.m. Wednesday August 13, 2014  at Stendeback Family Funeral Home in Carmi with burial in N. Maple Ridge Cemetery.

Visitation will be from 11 a.m. until time of services. Online condolences may be left at stendebackfamilyfuneralhome.com

Delise Mae Stucky, 52 of Carmi, died Saturday morning August 9, 2014 at her home.

Survivors include a son, Kyle Stephens; 1 daughter, Kristen Mae Brown; 1 grandson, Devin River Marlowe; 2 brothers, Charles and Clinton Hunsinger; 2 sisters, Denise Osborne and Charlotte Jeanne Hanmore.

Funeral services for Delise Mae Stucky will be held at 1 p.m. Tuesday August 12, 2014 at the Stendeback Family Funeral Home in Carmi with burial in Centerville Cemetery.

Visitation will be from 11 a.m. until time of services at the Stendeback Family Funeral Home in Carmi.

Thomas A. Rosche, 65 of West Salem, IL died Sunday, August 10, 2014 at Richland Memorial Hospital in Olney, IL. He was employed in sales and was the owner of Ink Doc/Cartridges and Toners.  He was a member of the West Salem Development Association, Little Prairie Praise Band (playing bass) and a member of the Little Prairie Christian Church west of Albion, IL.

He is survived by his wife Linda of West Salem, IL, 1 daughter; Tammy Bacon of West Salem, IL, 3 sons; Richard Rosche of West Salem, IL, Kristopher (Jennifer) Rosche of La Crosse, Wisconsin, Thomas, Jr. (Louise) Rosche of Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin, Birthmother; Ann Thurk of Fond du lac, Wisconsin, and 15 grandchildren.

Funeral services for Thomas A. Rosche 11 a.m. Friday, August 15, 2014 at Little Prairie Christian Church west of Albion with burial at Little Prairie cemetery west of Albion.  Military rites will be performed at the graveside.

Visitation will be Friday, August 15 from 9:00 AM until time of service at the church.  The Ingram Funeral Home of Albion is in charge of all the arrangements.

A missing Mt. Carmel teen has been located and is back home with her family.  Alisa Stacy, 15 was located in Evansville, Indiana and returned home late Monday night.  Stacy was last seen by her family on Saturday around 10:00 pm and noticed missing early the next morning.  Mt. Carmel Police were assisted by Princeton Police, Gibson County Police and the Evansville Police Department.  The investigation continues as police try to determine if adults assisted her in leaving her residence.

At a specially called meeting of the Fairfield Community High School Board Monday night, members approved a number of personnel matters. Kelsey St. Ledger has been hired as an English teacher. Kelsey is a native of Ellery and most recently worked at Gibson Southern High School. She replaces John Maus who has resigned. Billy Rogers of Fairfield has been hired as the district’s in-school detention teacher.  Justin Sanders has been employed as the school’s cross-country coach. Hunter Bryan has been approved as a volunteer FCHS football coach.

Gasoline prices have fallen in recent weeks. The cheapest gas price in the area is in Flora at $3.19 per gallon. The cheapest gas in the state was noted in Sparta at $3.18 a gallon.

Vandals have damaged several tombstones at the Toms Prairie Cemetery in rural Jasper Township.  Police spotted a broken tequila bottle near the entrance to the cemetery and several tombstones overturned or broken. No damage estimate was available.The annual Wayne County 4-H Foundation Pork Chop Fundraiser will be held this Friday, August 15 at the Geff Ruritan Building.  Serving will be from 5 – 7.  All proceeds from the dinner will benefit Wayne County 4-H programs and activities.