The restored national colors of the 122nd Illinois Volunteer Infantry will be formally dedicated in a ceremony scheduled for 11:00am on Monday, December 31, at the Macoupin County Courthouse in Carlinville.

Nine of the regiment's ten companies were comprised of mostly Macoupin County men and men ffrom Greene and Jersey counties made up the tenth company.

The Macoupin County Civil War Round Table helped to raise over $30,000 in two years for the flags restoration. A conservatory in New York did the restoration.

(Nokomis)--During the Nokomis City Council meeting Wednesday night, the council tabled two ordinances regarding handicapped parking and bicycles in the city. The issues will be brought up during the city council meeting on January 14th.

The city council also tabled action on one building permit until its next meeting.

(Springfield)--The National Weather Service is keeping an eye out on a major snow storm. They say the storm will likely hit central and southeastern Illinois sometime around 6pm on Christmas evening.

Snow will begin falling after midnight, and throughout most of the day on Wednesday. The highest snowfall is expected in the Effingham, and Danville areas where up to eight inches is expected.

Danville, Champaign, Charleston, Olney, Salem, Vandalia, and Effingham are under a winter watch.

A former Bunker Hill resident was killed Friday afternoon in a single vehicle accident south of Bunker Hill.

While complete details of the accident are not available, Macoupin County Coroner Brad Targhetta reports that 31 year old Erin Jarman of Houston, Missouri was pronounced dead by Deputy Coroner Anthony Kravanya at 4:30pm Friday at the scene of the accident two miles east of Rt. 159 on Rust Road.

Jarman was traveling in a vehicle that reportedly rolled over and she was ejected from the vehicle.

The Macoupin County Sheriff's Office is investigating the accident.

(Raymond)--A new Shoal Creek Golf Course manager was hired during the Raymond Village Board meeting Monday night. Following a discussion, the board approved to hire Rachael Skinner as the golf courses new manager.

The Raymond Village Board also approved to modify the village's water ordinance. Under the changes, landlords will be required to notify the village when renters move out of an apartment.

Board memeber Bruce Pogenpohl announced that the holiday lights will be coming down on January 6th, weather permitting.

(Litchfield)--The Litchfield Board of Education has submitted its final offer to the Litchfield Education Association. The offer includes tentative agreements that were agreed to during six bargaining sessions.

The Litchfield Education Association declared an impasse on December 5th. Reportedly the one remaining item left unresolved is salary increases for the teachers during the 2012-2013 school year.

(Hillsboro)--Three people have been arrested in connection to a robbery that took place in Walshville. According to the Montgomery County Sheriff's Office, Mullins Salvage reported several items that they believed were stolen. During the time of the report, sheriff's deputies were investigating a burglary in Walshville, where the items stolen matched what was sold at Mullins Salvage.

Montgomery County sheriff's deputies, along with the Mt. Olive and Staunton Police Departments stopped a suspected truck. 35 year old Ronald Zieglar of Staunton, 23 year old James Wagner of Nokomis, and 22 year old Marty McKay of Mt. Olive were taken into custody.

The three individuals were taken to the Montgomery County jail pending formal charges.

(Irving)--Two people were arrested in connection to a meth bust Tuesday in Irving. According to the Montgomery County Sheriff's Office, deputies along with the South Central Illinois Drug Task Force, and Illinois State Police Methamphetamine Response Team investigated a meth lab located in the four hundred block of South Pine Street in Irving.

26 year old Shawn Evans of Irving was arrested for aggravated participation of meth manufacturing. The arrested stemmed from an anonymous Crimestoppers tip. 23 year old Heather Wineburner, also of Irving, was also placed into custody for two arrest warrants.

An investigation is ongoing, and more arrests are anticipated. Anyone with more information is asked to contact the Montgomery County Sheriff's Office, or call the Macoupin Montgomery County Crimestoppers at 1-800-352-0136.

(Mattoon)--More than 150 employees of a telecommunications company in eastern Illinois have gone on strike as contract talks have stalled. Consolidated Communications and Local 702 of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers have been negotiating since October. The key issue is pension reform.

Officials with Local 702 say the strike was in protest of bad faith bargaining. The union includes technicians and customer service representatives.

Consolidated Communications say no television, telephone, or internet services will be affected as a result of the walkout. The two sides are scheduled to meet again this week.

(Hillsboro)--Authorities are investigating a fatal house fire that took place Thursday morning in Hillsboro. According to the Hillsboro Fire Department, firefighters were called to a residence on Douglas Street.

63 year old Edith "Jill" Seward was found collasped behind the front door. She was pronounced dead by Montgomery County Coroner Rick Broaddus. The incident is under investigation by the Illinois State Fire Marshall's Office.

(New Douglas)--A 23 year old New Douglas man has been charged in October fatal accident on Interstate 270. According to State Police, Travis King was cited with two counts of aggravated driving under the influence of alcohol in the accident that killed Geraldine Davis.

On October 20th, King drove his vehicle into the eastbound lanes of Interstate 270, striking a vehicle where Davis was a passenger. King is currently in custody in the Madison County Jail in lieu of sixty thousand dollars bond.

(Litchfield)--Federal regulators say a Georgia licensed trucker admits losing consciousness before his truck struck and killed an Illinois State Police trooper making a freeway traffic stop. The U.S. Department of Transportation has ordered Johnny Felton, Jr. to immediately stop driving commercially. The department called Felton an imminent hazard because he failed to exercise appropriate care regarding his medical condition.

No charges have been filed against Felton in the November 26th accident near Litchfield that killed Illinois State Police trooper Kyle Deatherage.

(Hillsboro)--The Montgomery County Board reorganized during their meeting Monday morning. Judge Kelly Long gave the oath of office to the 21 members of the board, and to States Attorney Chris Matoush, Circuit Clerk Holly Lemons, Coroner Rick Broaddus, and Regional Office of Education Superintendent Marchelle Kassebaum.

The new county board elected Roy Hertel to the be the new county board chairman. Hertel replaces Mike Plunkett as the chairman of the county board.

Hertel then made the appointments of chairmen for the counties commitees. Appointed as chairman of the Personel Commitee was Mary Bathurst; Building and Grounds will be chaired by Bob Sneed; Economic Development committee will be chaired by Heather Hampton-Knodle; EMA-Ambulance will be chaired by Glenn Savage; Finance committee will be chaired by Joe Gasparich; Health Welfare and Elections committee will be chaired by Connie Beck; and Road and Bridge will be chaired by Gene Miles.

Blackburn College has named Dr. John Comerford its 16th president, effictive July 1, 2013. Dr. Comerford succeeds Miriam Pride, who has served at President of Blackburn for 22years and is retiring.

He was introduced to the campus community on Friday, November 30 by Blackburn College Search Committee Chair and Boad of Trustees Chair Ed Young.

Dr. Comerford currently serves as Vice President for Institutional Advancement at Westminster College in Missouri. His duties at Westminster include responsibility for fundraising, marketing, event management, and alumni relations.