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(Hillsboro)--During the Hillsboro City Council meeting Tuesday night, Hillsboro National Bank President Harry Hutchison, and Board Chairman Whitey Patton addressed the council regarding a proposed banking center. The bank has options to purchase property south of Security Savings to Water Street. If approved, the site would be the location of a new banking center. The cost of the project would be up to four million dollars once complete. According to Bank Board Chairman Whitey Patton, plans are very tenative and in its early stages. Patton says construction on the new facility could begin within two years.

Patton and Hutchison were seeking council approval to purchase the city's parking lot behind the buildings. The city council approved a two year option for the parking lot. The bank will be paying sixty five hundred dollars up front for the option.

The mandatory Illinois Department of Natural Resources Hunter Safety Education course will be held in Carlinville on March 4 from 5:30pm until 9:30pm and March 5 from 8:00am until 4:30pm in the Carlinville Park Board building on Ramey Street in Carlinville. Students should register in advance my calling the Carlinville Police Department at 217-854-3221. The class is limited to the first 50 students to enroll.

It is the policy of the Department that youth under the age of ten must be accompanied to and during the safety education courses by an adult or guardian at least sixteen years of age.

The Illinois hunter education program consists of a minimum of 10 hours of instruction. The course covers the basics of hunter responsibility, wildlife conservation and identifiction, firearms and ammunition, field safety, wildlife management, first aid, archery, muzzle loading, and state regulations.

On January 1, 1996, a state law was passed that anyone born on or after January 1, 1980 may not be issued an Illinois hunting license unless they present a valid hunter education certificate of competency issued by the IDNR or they present evidence that he or she has held a hunting license issued by the state of Illinois or another state in a prior year.

(Litchfield)--The Litchfield Police Department, and the Emergency Medical Services responded Sunday to a report of an unresponsive man found at a residence in the twelve hundred block of North Monroe Street. Upon arrival, the body of 42 year old Albert Gauch of Gillespie was found sitting in a running vehicle in a closed garage. He was pronounced dead at the scene by the Montgomery County Coroner's Office.

An investigation indicated that the death may have been accidental. Autopsy results are pending. The case is under investigation by the Litchfield Police Department and the Montgomery County Coroner's Office.

(Hillsboro)--A 28 year old Nokomis man was sentenced to ten years in the Department of Corrections. According to the Montgomery County States Attorney's Office, Eric Root plead guilty to the offenses of burglary to a motor vehicle, possession of a stolen vehicle, and driving while revoked.

On October 8th, Brian Patrick reported that his vehicle had been stolen in Nokomis. Members of the Montgomery County Sheriff's Office, and the Nokomis Police Department assisted in the investigation. Officers recovered the vehicle submerged in a pond following a tip on November 3rd. They were also able recover pool sticks that were taken from the vehicle at a Mt. Zion pawn shop.

Root must serve a three year parole term once he is released from the Department of Corrections. He has been in custody since his arrest on November 9th.

A local American Red Cross office is opening in Litchfield. An orientation class for people interested in getting involved will be offered at Living Stones Church on Monday (January 24) at 6:30pm in the church's coffee shop. Anyone interested should come to the east door of the church located on Ferdon Street at Old Route 66 in Litchfield.

The new local office will provide quicker service for those suffering from disasters by enabling local and regional fire companies and other first responders better access to the primary Red Cross office in Springfield.

The Litchfield "outpost" will offer immediate assistance to the southern three counties under the Illinois Capital Area Chapter jurisdiction, which consists of Macoupin, Montgomery and Christian counties. The new office is located at 607 N. State Street in Litchfield.

(Alton)--An Alton journalism and english teach is in the running to be National Teacher of the Year. The Illinois State Board of Education announced that Annice Brave from Alton High School is one of four finalists for the honor from the Council of Chief State School Officers. The board says it's been more than forty years since an Illinois teacher won the national award.

Brave has been a teacher for 23 years, and is currently the Illinois Teacher of the Year for 2011. The honor will be awarded in the spring.

(Hillsboro)--During the Montgomery County Board meeting Tuesday morning, the County Board had a long discussion on plans to sent bids out for the renovation of the Historic Courthouse. According to Building and Grounds Committee Chairman Terry Bone, if approved advertisement for bids would go out this week, opening of the bids would be held on February 23rd, and the County Board awarding the project at their March meeting. Board member Joe Gasparich said that he is not against the renovation project; however the board should put the brakes on the project until the state's financial situation becomes clear. Board member Mary Bathurst explained that the Historic Courthouse needs to be taken care of, and with contractors eager to work now is the time to proceed. A motion to send the project out for bids failed in a thirteen to seven roll call vote. The majority of the members voting no stating the board needs more time before proceeding.

Southwest Illinois Building and Construction Council

The Montgomery County Board also heard from Dale Stewart from Southwest Illinois Building and Construction Council on a possible labor agreement between the county and council. Action is to be taken during the February County Board meeting.

Raymond Recycling

Health Welfare and Elections Committee Chairman Bob Durbin gave an update regarding the recycling program in Raymond. According to Durbin, the committee has agreed to a three year deal with the Village of Raymond that will allow the Raymond 4H organization to proceed with running the facility. Under the agreement, the county will pay the 4H organization one hundred dollars a month for the first year. The second year will be split between the county and the village. The county will stop funding following the second year.

(Hamel)--An Illinois man has been ordered to spend close to nine years in prison for robbing a bank of over fourteen hundred dollars. Thirty six year old Brian Duff of Livingston also must five years of supervised released after his prison term.

Federal prosecutors say Duff robbed the First National Bank of Staunton in Hamel on July 26th. Reportedly Duff took over fourteen hundred dollars following showing a teller a realistic looking handgun replica and a note demanding money. Duff was arrested minutes after the incident by sheriff's deputies.

Duff plead guilty to a bank robbery count in September.

(Litchfield)--The Litchfield Fire Department was called to a semi trailer fire Monday evening. Reportedly firefighters were called to the fire Monday evening at nine on Interstate 55, near the weigh station. Reportedly the driver of the semi reported sparks coming from the trailer after he entered the interstate.

The trailer was fully engulfed when firefighters arrived. Twenty Litchfield firefighters responded to the fire. The Raymond-Harvel Fire Department also assisted.