They were back to back state champions in basketball in 1998 and 1999 and now they are members of the Illinois Basketball Coaches Association Hall of Fame. Saturday, April 28th, the Nokomis Girls High School Basketball Teams were officially welcomed at ceremonies at Illinois State University. Currrent Nokomis Girls High School Basketball Head Coach Rachelle McDowell introduced the ten former players who were able to attend the event with family and friends. Before introducing the former players, Coach McDowell spoke of the admiration and love her and the players had for Coach Maury Hough who passed away in 2004. McDowell was Hough's assistant coach for several years including 1998 and 1999. Former players who attended the Hall of Fame banquet included Ashlee Keller-Peno, Jana Spears-Fesser, Carrie Eisenbarth-Matthews, Rachelle Detmers-Reincke, Jessica Hough-Jahn, Crystal Hayes, Va'Nicia Waterman, Amy Prater-Stolte, Amy Braye-Hough, and Bonnie Meiners-Brownback who is the current Assistant Coach for the Nokomis Girls High School basketball team. Both the 1998 and 1999 teams finished with 33-2 records. Nokomis defeated Carthage in the title game in 1998 and Carrollton in overtime in 1999. Molly McDowell set a State Tournament scoring record in 1998 with 87 total points and a record 35 points in the title game. McDowell was named Ms. Basketball in 1999. Coach Maury Hough was inducted in the IBCA Coaches Hall of Fame in 2000. Congratulations to the State Champs and the newest members of the IBCA Hall of Fame. You wear it well!
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There will be a Christmas Market in the City of Carlinville in 2012. Following a meeting Monday night, it was determined there was enough financial support to go forward with this year's event. The Christmas Market Committee is still looking for volunteers to help year round. In February the committee decided if there was not enough support the the Christmas Market, it would not be held. At the meeting Monday night, the goal of raising $22,000 was met so the Christmas Market will be held this year..

It's called the Guns and Hoses Softball game and it's set for this Saturday, April 28th at 2:00 at Blackburn College in Carlinville. The Shop Local First Enhancement Program and Blackburn College are co-sponsoring the event which will pit the Carlinville Police Department against the Carlinville Fire Department. Many area businesses have donated to sponsor the game in order to raise money to keep the City of Carlinville looking great. There will lots of special activities associated with the game. The game will be played at the Blackburn College Softball Field. .

The Autism Support Connection or TASC will meet Thursday night, April 19th from 6:00-7:30 at the Free Methodist Church in Hillsboro. Special guest, Rick Cina, will do a puppet show at 7 p.m. Childcare is provided for all children in the family.

On this weekends Forum program WSMI's Tobin Ott talks with Leigh Morris from Ameren Illinois. Ameren recently submitted a plan to the Illinois Commerce Commission for the States Power Grid Modernization Law. You can hear the Forum on WSMI AM & FM. Click HERE for program times.

A single vehicle accident in Marine has left one man dead. According to the Madison County Sheriffs office:
At 1:30 Tuesday afternoon 70 year old William Szedlar of Glen Carbon was driving in the 700 block of West Division in Marine when his vehicle left the roadway and crashed into a tree. Szedlar was taken to a local hospital where he passed away from his injuries. The Madison County Sherriffs office is investigating.

At last Wednesdays monthly meeting of the Litchfield Museum and Route 66 Welcome Center Association; President Martha Jackson informed members that the groups application for non-profit status was approved. Jackson said with this hurdle out of the way the group can now begin raising money thru a fund raising drive. Jackson also stated that the group had set a date for ground breaking ceremony at 2pm on April 23rd at the building site, across from Jubelts. It was also stated that construction was slated to begin on May 1st. Museum members have set a goal of $500,000 as a cost for erection and maintenance of the museum. Next months meeting will be May 8th at 2pm in the Litchfield City Hall Council Chambers. Visitors are encouraged to attend and join the committee.

A Carlinville resident was killed in a single vehicle accident early Sunday morning.

According to Macoupin County Coroner, Brad Targhetta, 18 year old Danny Nafziger was traveling alone in a vehicle on South Dorchester Road when his vehicle left the roadway and crashed.
Nafziger was ejected from the vehicle and pronounced dead at the scen by the coroner at 3:11am.

The accident is under investigation by the Macoupin County Sheriff's Office.

(Springfield)--Five Illinois Hospitals have withdrawn their applications for tax exemptions, leaving up to county governments to assess taxes on the properties. According to the Illinois Department of Revenue, hospitals in Murphysboro, Moline, Urbana, Monmouth and Hillsboro have withdrawn applications in the past week. The move clears county authorities to evaluate the properties and collect taxes.

The development comes as Illinois leaders grapple with a 2010 Illinois Supreme Court ruling. The court found that one hospital wasn't doing enough charity care to qualify for an exemption. That ruling called into question other hospitals' tax exemption.

The revenue department is continuing to review pending applications from other hospitals.

(Hillsboro)--The Montgomery County Chapter of Pheasants Forever, and the U of I Extension Office will be offering an art and digital image contest for youths enrolled in the 7th thru 12th grades. The contest is designed to promote an awareness and appreciation for local wildlife and natural resources to those participating.

Entrants should depict wildlife and habitat found in Montgomery County. Entries should be turned into the U of I Extension Office by April 27th to be judged. A list of rules can be obtained at the Extension Office.