Washington County News

More than 400 sex offenders live and work in seven counties covered by Illinois State Police District 13 in Du Quoin.

A Mt. Vernon man was killed Friday night after losing control of his motorcylce about 1/2 mile south of Illinois 148 on Nason Lane.

“If we get tunnel vision and only focus on the environmental side, then we will shut ourselves out of the economic benefits and bite the hand that feeds us.”

Environmentalists are satisfied that a sixth of the $60,000 won in an appeal concerning water quality near the Prairie State Energy Campus will be used to monitor water downstream from the plant. via WaterWorld

“Two guys with ski masks and guns running into the bank. I turned around and told the tellers, 'We're getting robbed.' And they just looked, and I said 'WE'RE GETTING ROBBED.”

Officials are on a man hunt for two armed bank robbers. The masked men carrying pistols held up the Farmers and Merchants National Bank in Hoyleton Wednesday morning. via WSIL

Rescue crews have freed a man who got stuck under a trailer in Washington County, Ill, according to the Marissa Fire Department. via KSDK NewsChannel 5

The presidential field has been paired from fifteen-plus candidates to just four. via WHBF-TV Rock Island

“The cop said it doesn't matter because it's not legal in this state”

One man's medicine is another man's . . . felony charge? Guy Lewis Shively, a 19-year-old California native, learned that lesson the hard way Monday when he was arrested near Nashville, Ill., for possession of ... via Illinois Times

A truck driver whose rig slammed into the back of a stopped car driven by a college student, killing that young man, has been ticketed for failing to reduce speed. via Belleville News

An appeals court has granted a man convicted of sexual assault of a child a new trial because of prosecutorial misconduct. via Chicago Tribune

“To go five consecutive years without losing a life in an industry worldwide that has seen its share of recent tragedies is an accomplishment that should not be over looked.”

' Governor Rod R. Blagojevich announced today that Illinois' coal mine industry achieved a record fifth consecutive year without a fatality, a milestone never before achieved in Illinois. via Illinois Government News Network

A St. Paul man who was mad at his mother because he didn't get part of an inheritance is accused of opening a credit card account in her name and racking up more than $2,500 in bills. via Twincities.com

An Allegheny County man died when his motorcycle left the road and hit a tree. Investigators identified the victim as Richard Huellen, 58, of Oakdale. via WPXI

“I've been getting really serious about it the last five or six years. I really like Rend Lake and Carlyle Lake, and during the winter we do real well out at Baldwin. It seems like the colder it is the better we do.”

Catfish anglers in southwestern Illinois should be in for a bountiful year when it comes to landing their favorite species.

The Illinois Department of Natural Resources recently released the 2008 Catfish Fishery Status Report, a summary of the catfish outlook for Illinois waterways. The information, which was produced by biologists from fisheries around the state, is a valuable tool to determine the health of the catfish population in public lakes and rivers.

Not surprisingly, the report concludes many of the lakes in southwestern Illinois are hotbeds for channel, flathead and blue catfish. Read more

“That's consistent with the ecology of the animal”

Somewhere in the timber along the Kaskaskia River bottoms north of Okawville, a cougar roams. Russel Shubert is certain of it.

'There's no doubt in my mind,' Shubert said. 'I know there's one for sure. It's like this: Where there's one, there's probably more.'

Wayne Borrenpohl, of Venedy, also believes there's a cougar in the backcountry of Washington County. He and his wife, Janis, both saw the big cat at different times in the past three years.

'Absolutely I believe there's one out there,' Wayne Borrenpohl said. 'The conservation guys can say what they want. They don't see as much wildlife as I do around here. I know what I saw.' Read more

“With the walk getting larger and more participation from counties, we're confident we can reach out goal”

By KANDACE MCCOY kandace.mccoy@register-news.com MT. VERNON - The local Heart Walk held annually by the American Heart Association has acquired a new name this year with hopes to acquire new participation as ... via Mt. Vernon Register-News

“Producers down here basically lost the first cutting or it was delayed badly”

Continuing a tradition, Washington County again led the state in wheat production for 2007.

Despite a marked decrease in average yields for wheat, following in order were the other usual suspects in wheat production -- the metro-east counties of Clinton, Madison, Randolph, Bond, St. Clair and Monroe.

Estimated yield numbers were released by the National Agricultural Statistics Service.

While the metro-east led in wheat production, it trails far behind other state regions in the other two major commodities grown in Illinois -- corn and soybeans. The weather gets part of the blame. Read more

Washington County again led the state in wheat production for 2007. Despite a marked decrease in average yields for wheat, following in order were the other customary leaders in wheat production - the ... via Belleville News

“There's always going to be those types of people out there who'll try to prey on the less fortunate or the elderly. So before you hand over any money, check it out”

When the power was knocked out due to last week's ice storm, a lot of folks would have been ready to give almost anything to get it back. via KFVS

Sentencing dates have been set for next month for two of the three men who pleaded guilty in April 2006 to multiple fraud charges in a real estate flipping scheme involving rundown rental homes sold at inflated ... via State Journal-Register

Oakdale police arrested a 25-year-old man last week on suspicion of selling drugs to an undercover cop. via Twincities.com