(Taylorville)--A 22 year old Taylorville man was killed in a single vehicle accident Sunday morning in Logan County. According to State Police, a vehicle driven by 22 year old Jordan DeClerck was northbound on Route 121, when he crossed into the other lane of traffic and entered a ditch.

The jeep struck an embankment, causing the vehicle to flip over. DeClerck was ejected by the jeep. He was pronounced dead at the scene by the Logan County Coroners Office.

(Nokomis)--Nokomis Superintendent Scott Doerr announced on Thursday that after seven months of negotiations for a new teachers contract, the Nokomis Education Association had declared an impasse in the negotiations. In addition, the Education Association has given the Nokomis Board of Education a notice of intent to strike.

According to Illinois Law, the declaration of impass along wih the school districts and unions last, best and final offers must be posted on the Illinois Educational Labor Relations Board website for fourteen days.

The Nokomis Education Association's current contract ended last August.

(Raymond)--The America's Farmers Grow Community grant program has selected Lee and Mary Marten of Waggoner as winners in its grant program. The program give farmers an opportunity to win twenty five hundred dollars for their favorite non for profit organization. The Martens have selected the Panhandle Food Pantry to receive the donation.

The Monsanto Fund sponsors the program, and the winning farmers designate the local non for profit organization. The twenty five hundred dollar donation will be awarded as a ceremony that will be held this Saturday.

To date over sixty thousand farmers participated in the program which benefits non for profit organizations, ag youth, schools, and other civic organizations.

(Hillsboro)--Three people were seriously injured in a two vehicle accident Saturday afternoon on Buckeye Trail. According to Illinois State Police, a vehicle driven by 36 year old Brian Brown of Hillsboro was southbound on Buckeye Trail, at the intersection of North 9th Avenue. Another vehicle driven by 23 year old Craig Steed of Hillsboro was westbound on North 9th Avenue.

Reportedly Brown failed to yield at the intersection. Steed struck the trailer of Brown's vehicle. Steed and passengers, 19 year old Ashley Miller of Hillsboro, and 62 year old Corwyn Fogler of Farina were airlifted to St. John's Hosptial in Springfield for treatment of serious injuries. Brown was taken by ambulance to Hillsboro Area Hospital for treatment of minor injuries.

Brown was cited with failure to yield at an intersection.

The Illinois Terrorism Task Force recently announced the recipients of three point four million dollars worth of grant money. The money is for helping cash-strapped communities and county agencies comply with a FCC mandate that all non-federal public safety agencies radios, base stations and mobile radios move to a narrow band channel by December 31st of 2012.
The move is intended to help free up channel availability for public safety personnel. Agencies that do not make the switch to narrowband channels may face a loss of communications.

Local communities receiving grant money:

In Montgomery County:
Montgomery County Sheriff.$746.50

In Christian County:
Christian County EMA..$4,709.73
Edinburg Fire Protection District...$1,060.50
Pana Police Department.$782.25

In Sangamon County:
Sangamon County EMA....$107,385.33
Sangamon County OEM....$27,738.00
Rochester Fire Protection District......$1,207.23

A teachers strike may be on the horizon in the Nokomis School District. According to the State Journal Register, the union representing the districts teachers filed an intent-to-strike notice on October 3rd. That started the ten day notice requirement before a strike can begin.
Nokomis School Superintendent Scott Doerr said the union filed a declaration on impasse on Thursday.
Negotiations for a new contract started in April. Mediators from the Federal Mediation & Conciliation Service were brought in. Doerr said.
The previous teachers contract expired at the end of the 2010 - 2011 school year.

An accident has claimed the life of a Nokomis man on Wednesday. According to the Illinois State Police 55 year old Karl Johnson was west bound near East 24th Road just south of Route 16. Thats when Johnsons 02 Chevy Silverado left the roadway and went into a field. Johnsons truck traveled 628 feet without breaking or turning before crashing into a concrete culvert. Johnson was pronounced on the scene by Montgomery County Deputy Coroner. The cause of death has yet to be determined and the crash remains under investigation.

On Wednesday the Montgomery County Sheriffs Office obtained a warrant to arrest 30 year old Floyd Eric Garrison of Harvel. According to a press release from the sheriffs office Garrison is charged with 2 counts of armed robbery and 2 counts of Aggravated robbery. Garrison is alleged to have robbed the Shell Station in Raymond on May 30th and the Jumpin Jimmies in Farmersville on June 9th of this year.
Garrison is currently being held in Christian County Jail on unrelated charges. Garrisons bond has been set at five hundred thousand dollars.

A structure fire occurred Wednesday night in the Day Springs subdivision of Lake Yeager according to the Litchfield Fire Department. Litchfield and Raymond Fire Departments noticed upon arrival flames burning through the roof of the residence and battled the blaze for about 3 hours. The fire was reportedly around the chimney of the home and was believed to have started in the attic. An estimated four hundred and seventy thousand dollars worth of damage was done to the home.

A longtime judge in southwestern Illinois' Madison County says he'll be putting down the gavel for good after his term expires next year.
Circuit Judge Charles Romani Jr. announced Tuesday that he won't seek retention in next year's election and will retire in November 2012.
Romani was appointed an associate judge 28 years ago and was elected a circuit judge in 1988.
The Vietnam veteran and former prosecutor says he's announcing his retirement plans now so others will have time to pursue the seat in the 3rd Judicial District covering Madison and Bond counties in next year's primary election.
Circuit judges have to seek retention every six years and must get at least 60 percent ``yes'' votes to keep their seats.

A diesel fuel spill yesterday shut down the Hillsboro / Taylor Springs Overpass yesterday. According to the Hillsboro Police Department a tractor trailers gas line ruptured and spilled diesel fuel onto the roadway. Hillsboro Police along with the Hillsboro Fire Department responded to the scene.

(Hillsboro)--A Mt. Olive man was sentenced last Tuesday to six years on prison. 27 year old Jason Stagner of Mt. Olive was found guilty in August of harassing a witness from the Montgomery County jail.

Stagner was found guilty of two counts of harrassment of a witness, and one count of a violation of an order of protection. The sentences are to run concurrently.

WSMI Sports Director Terry Todt will be inducted into the Illinois Coaches Association Hall of Fame next February. According to Greg Easter of the ICA, Todt will be recognized for his broadcasting and promotion of girls softball. The Illinois Coaches Association serves coaches in all sports. The Illinois Softball Coaches Assocation announces yearly All State Teams for Class 1A through 4A in high school softball and announces its Coach of the Year. The ICA banquet will be held in Bloomington on February 19, 2012. Terry began his professional broadcasting career in the fall of 1975. He has worked at WSMI since May 1978 and has broadcast high school softball, baseball, boys and girls basketball, boys and girls soccer, football and track and field. Terry is also a member of the Illinois Basketball Coaches Assocation Hall of Fame. He was presented that honor in 2001.

.

(Nokomis)--Friday evening, Montgomery County Sheriff's Deputies, Nokomis Police Department, and the Illinois State Police Methamphetamine Response Team executed a search warrant at a residence in the five hundred block of North Pine in Nokomis. Responding officers discovered a working meth lab and meth making materials during the search.

According to the Montgomery County Sheriff's Office, three people were taken into custody: 49 year old Joseph Shelton, 43 year old Diana Beamer of Nokomis, and 36 year old Charles Johnson of Bingham. All three were charged with Class X felonies of participation of meth manufacturing.

The incident remains under investigation by the Montgomery County Sheriff's Office, where more arrests are anticipated.

(Vandalia)--A teenager will spend the rest of his life in prison for gunning down two of his neighbors as they slept in their home. Sixteen year old Clifford Baker was sentenced Friday in Fayette County, where jurors deliberated three hours before convicting him on August 23rd.

A judge sentenced Baker to natural life in prison in the deaths of sixty year old John Mahon, and fifty three year old Debra Tish as they slept in their home in Loogootee. Baker was also sentenced to thirty years in prison for home invasion counts linked to his intruding another neighboring home following the shootings.