Virden News

A Palmyra woman was killed early Saturday when a truck driven by an alleged drunken driver went off a Macoupin County road and flipped.

On April 7, residents here elected a convicted felon to their city council. That, despite a state law that prohibits convicted felons from holding municipal office or serving on municipal boards.

The Virden Fire Protection District saved for more than 50 years for a larger firehouse.

Macoupin County enjoyed a surprisingly high election turnout this year, while other counties did not fare so well.

Bob Blinen, the 89th person to vote from Capitol township precinct 11 stood alone while voting T... Photo 1 of 10 Election official Dave Culbertson looks through a stack of registered voters for Springfield tow... Photo 2 of 10 Lori McEvoy left and Jennie McEvoy were the 19th and 20th voters for Springfield township precin... Photo 3 of 10 Virden ...

FOR VOTERS in the Virden and Girard school districts, Tuesday's election is hardly the low-key event typical of off-year spring elections.

Thomas Umphrey was sentenced to life in a Missouri prison for armed robbery in 1983 but was paroled after 15 years in 1998.

Without the draw of a presidential race, turnout for the April 7 election is expected to be much lighter in general.

The Girard School Board is expected to take formal action this month opposing an April referendum proposing the merger of the Girard and Virden school districts.

The Boat Show in Springfield returns this weekend after a one-year absence, and boat dealers say they're hoping the leaky economy won't sink consumers' buying plans.

At age 18, Heidi Bruce has a lot on her plate. The 2008 Virden Junior Citizen of the Year works two jobs, gives blood - she reached the gallon mark at Thanksgiving - and volunteers for several organizations.

There are at least two sides to every story. The Hunter Lake story has been going on for over 40 years and the following is another side of it [See "Say no to Hunter Lake," by Fletcher Farrar, IT, Dec.

Sgt. Fred Snodgrass Jr. will strap on his duty weapon today and report to the Macoupin County Sheriff's Department for his last day of work after 31 years of service.

It never got any easier for Jim Noll to give his dogs up, even though he knew they were going on to a higher calling.

Icy road conditions on Monday along Illinois 4 led to this pickup truck landing on its top a couple of miles south of Auburn.