(Springfield)--There were fewer injuries and fatalities from vehicle accidents with deer last year in Illinois. The Illinois Department of Transporatation announced there were six fatal accidents during 2011, down from 10 in 2010. There were also 613 injuries during 2011, down from 634 in 2010. The total number of deer related accidents during 2011 was more than 18 thousand.

Transportation officials says most accidents occured in rural areas during the evening hours. Officals urge motorist to be cautious because deer are most active during the fall and winter.

Cook County had the most deer and vehicle accidents with more than 550. Other counties include with high deer vehicle accidents include: Madison, Peoria, Will, Fulton, Sangamon, Kane, Pike, Lake, and LaSalle.

(Springfield)--Early voting is now underway in Illinois. Voters can cast a vote from now through November 3rd in order to beat the lines on election day. Only those qualified to vote and who did not change their voter registration before the registration deadline earlier this month are qualified to vote early.

Absentee voting also continues now thru November 5th.

A Grafton woman was killed in a single vehicle accident Wednesday morning in Jersey County.

According to Illinois State Police, 66 year old Elizabeth Hunter was traveling eastbound on McCluskey Road when for unknown reasons her 2002 Saturn Vue left the roadway, struck a driveway culvert, went airborne, landed on the passenger side and overturned before coming to rest.

Hunter was ejected from the vehicle and was pronounced dead at the scene by the Jersey County Coroner.

(Hillsboro)--Two metro east men face drug related charges following a traffic stop Saturday morning in Hillsboro. According to the Hillsboro Police Department, a driver from Wood River and a passenger from Edwardsville were stopped on Vandalia Road for a minor traffic violation.

The Hillsboro K-9 Unit discovered over four hundred grams of cannabis in the vehicle. Both individuals were taken to Montgomery County Jail pending formal charges. The incident remains under investigation by the Hillsboro Police Department.

(Litchfield)--During the Macoupin Montgomery County Crimestoppers meeting Wednesday night, Crimestoppers awarded a seven hundred dollar payout to an individual who provided information about an armed robbery at a Farmersville convenience store.

The four subjects arrested are also alleged to have broken into a Farmersville home, and took the weapon used in the robbery. No one was injured in the incident.

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Tom Cooper stopped by the WSMI Studios this morning to talks sports with Tim Mize and Randy Prange on WSMI Sports Saturday.
Tom is a 1972 graduate of Litchfield High School and is in the area for the Litchfield High School All Class Reunion. Tom talked about his family, football, his career and coaching high school football. A podcast of today's Sports Saturday can be found on our "Listen" page under Sports Saturday October 6, 2012.

(Springfield)--Six people have died of West Nile Virus in Illinois this year as the number of human cases continues to climb. According to the Illinois Department of Public Health the virus as sickened 179 people in Illinois this year. Last year the state had only 34 cases where three people died.

This year's mild winter, early spring, and very solid hot summer created excellent breeding conditions for the mosquito that carries the virus. According to federal health officials, infections are expected to continue into October, even as the height of the mosquito season has passed.

(Hillsboro)--Authorities are investigating an apparent boating accident on Glen Shoals Lake that killed a Hillsboro man. A lake resident contacted authorities Sunday afternoon, and reported that a man was in the water near Irving Cove.

The Hillsboro Fire Department Dive Team was called to the area to search for the victim. Following a three hour search, the body of Robert "Bob" Price of Hillsboro was located. He was pronounced dead at the scene by Montgomery County Coroner Rick Broaddus.

The incident remains under investigation by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, and by the Montgomery County Coroner's Office.