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The Jersey County Historical Society moved and restored the Union Forest Church pictured above. The church will be dedicated during the Apple Festival on Saturday October 1st at 1 PM.

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The Jersey County Historical Society moved and restored the Union Forest Church pictured above. The church will be dedicated during the Apple Festival on Saturday October 1st at 1 PM.

(Hillsboro)--During the Hillsboro City Council meeting Tuesday night, the city council voted to increase the cities water and sewer rates. Under the changes, sewer rates will increase six percent starting next year, and three percent the following three years. Water rates will increase five percent next year, and three percent the following three years. The changes also increase the minimum usage from one thousand gallans to fifteen hundred gallons. Accoridng to Mayor John Downs, the city went from 2003 to 2008 with no increase. The measure passed in a four to one vote. Commissoner Paul Smith voting no. The increase should appear on residents water and sewer bills in January.

Rural Fire Protection Subscription Fee Increase

The Hillsboro City Council also approved to increase the rural fire protection subscription fee. The fee would be increased to seventy five dollars. The measure passed in a three to two vote. Commissioner Chris Sherer and Paul Smith voting no.

Social Media Guidelines

Commissioner Chris Sherer announced that he is working on a social media policy for city employees. Official action could take place during the city council meeting on October 11th.

Trick or Treating

The city council approved hours for trick or treating in the city. Trick or treating will be held October 30th and 31st from 6pm until 9 each evening.

Halloween Party

Commissioner Paul Smith reported that a Halloween Party will be held October 14th and 15th at the campground.

Closed Session

The Hillsboro City Council then went into closed session for the discussion of personell. No action took place when the council came back into open session.

Three people have been arrested in conncection with a series of burglaries in Carlinville.

After an extensive investigation by the Carlinville Police Department with support from the South Central Illinois Drug Tak Force, Illinois State Police, Macoupin County Sheriff's Office and the Girard Canine Unit, formal charges of 9 counts of Residential Burglary have been filed by Macoupin County States Attorney Jennifer Watson against 19 year old Christopher McDaniels of Standard City and 19 year old Kyle Michael of Carlinville.

In addition, 9 counts of Residetial Burglary were filed against a 16 year old juvenile of rural Carlinville.

McDaniels and Michael are currently held in the Macoupin County Jail. Bond has been set at $100,000 each. The juvenile is being held at the Madison County Detention Center.

(Raymond)--The 2012 fiscal year budget for the Panhandle School District was presented during their meeting Monday night. According to Superintendent Connie Woods, the district has a deficit of over four hundred and eighty thousand dollars. She explained that over three hundred thousand dollars of the deficity is what the state is obligated to the district. Woods said that the district is holding its own through this tough time. The Panhandle Board of Education approved the budget in a five to one vote. Board member Kathy Johnson voting no.

Consolidation Requests

A long discussion regarding the consolidation requests from Morrisonville, Nokomis, and North Mac school districts also took place. According to Board President Mike Meisner, either request would require the district to come up with funding for a new high school. Superintendent Connie Woods said that the district would have over five hundred students in the high school if Morrisonville, Nokomis, and Panhandle consolidated. The board also discussed the possibility of combined courses between the three school districts. The board plans to meet again with the Morrisonville, and Nokomis school districts on October 6th.

Regarding North Macs request for consolidation, Board member Greg Nimmo stated that their intrest is space. He said the high school in Virden, junior high school in Girard, and the grade schools are all at capacity. Nimmo said that the North Mac school district realizes that a new high school would have to be built east of Girard or Virden. The Panhandle Board of Education agreed to continue discussions with the North Mac school district.

Litchfield School District Request

The Panhandle Board of Education also received a letter of interest from the Litchfield School District. According to Superintendent Connie Woods, the Litchfield School District sent letters to five school districts regarding reorganization. The Litchfield School District will be holding a public forum early next year with the interested districts. The Panhandle Board of Education approved to attend Litchfield's forum.

(Litchfield)--A 29 year old Chicago man faces federal drug charges following his arrest last Saturday near Litchfield. According to information released Friday by State Police, a 2006 Jeep driven by Terence Jones of Chicago was stopped on the interstate for speeding. While conducting the stop, troopers noticed the smell of marijuana coming from inside the vehicle.

A search of the vehicle resulted in the seizure of five pounds of heroin, 185 grams of cocaine, and 2 grams of marijuana. Reportedly the heroin was hidden in a concealed compartment built into the jeep.

The Litchfield Police Department, South Central Illinois Drug Task Force, and the Drug Enforcement Administration assisted.

(Hillsboro)--Montgomery County Board Building and Grounds Committee Chairman Terry Bone recently announced renovation plans for the historic courthouse. According to Bone, demolition of the 2nd floor will begin on October 3rd, and will be complete by April of 2012. County Board meetings will be held at the Farm Bureau during the renovations.

Other office changes: the Supervisor of Assessments Office will be moved to the auditorium of the Farm Bureau. The Supervisor of Assessments reassessment staff will remain in the basement of the Historic Courthouse. The E.P.A. will be moved to the second floor of the Farm Bureau, and Coordinated Services will be moved to the basement of the Historic Courthouse along with the Montgomery County Water Company.

The moves are scheduled to take place Saturday and Sunday (17th and 18th). All offices will be in full operation on Monday (19th).

Macoupin County Board Chairman Andy Manar has announced his candidacy for State Senate in Illinois' 48th Legislative District. Manar made the announcement this week in stops in Decatur, Springfield, Taylorville, Hillsboro and his hometown of Bunker Hill.

Manar's background spans all levels of government. First elected to the Bunker Hill City Council at age 21, he went on to serve as mayor of the city and has continued to serve as Chairman of the Macoupin County Board for the last seven years.

Manar also extensive experience in state government working on state budget issues and currently serves as Chief of Staff for the Illinois Senate President John Cullerton.

(Springfield)--Governor Pat Quinn says he wants to close seven state facilities, and lay off nineteen hundred employees to live with the budget lawmakers have sent him. The Governor said Thursday they include state institutions in Lincoln, Tinley Park, Rockford, Jacksonville and more. The cuts include a prison, mental health centers, and facilities for individuals with developmental disabilities.

Quinn says he has no choice because lawmakers did not approve enough money to run state government for a full year. The announcement would violate an agreement the Governor struck with the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees.

(Litchfield)--An Arizona truck driver is dead after he was run over by his own truck Sunday morning near Litchfield. According to Illinois State Police, John Yarian of Apache Junction, Arizona pulled his truck off the interstate to check on a mechanical problem.

Yarian reportedly failed to completely set the truck into park. The vehicle ran Yarian over, who was pronounced dead at the scene by the Montgomery County Coroner's Office.

(Mascoutah)--Scott Air Force Base says tests have failed to pinpoint what sickened people at the mail facility at the base. Environmental tests of the mail center after a suspicious package was found Wednesday turned up "nothing of significance."

Scott Air Force Base spokeswoman Karen Petitt says that it's possible whatever sickened two workers for the US Postal Service and an Air Force serviceman had dissipated by the time tests were conducted.

Earlier in the day, Base Commander Col. Michael Hornitscheck said it's possible the package could have been a "very benign shipment" and that "something could have spilled or broke."