From pizza and hot sauce to skin care and bird seed, several new exhibitors will be among the more than 50 Illinois food companies, wineries, and agricultural associations taking part in the 21st annual Illinois Products Expo this weekend, March 2 and 3, at the Illinois State Fairgrounds.

The Illinois Products Expo has grown and expanded each year to become a premier showcase of what Illinois companies have to offer, said John M. Sullivan, Acting Director of the Illinois Department of Agriculture. Illinois ag is more than rows of corn and soybeans in the fields its also about the thousands of food processing companies that call Illinois home. And this Expo is the perfect opportunity to learn about those operations and support small agribusinesses across our state.

Illinois ranks first in the nation for food processing sales ($186 billion/year), and it is one of our states top manufacturing activities. The 2,372 food processing companies in Illinois support more than 71,000 jobs.

The food offerings, which can be sampled for free as well as purchased at the Illinois Products Expo, include fresh meat products, pizza, sauces, honey, cakes, cheeses, gourmet seasonings, and so much more all produced, packaged, or processed in Illinois. There will also be non-food items, such as soy candles and agricultural-based soaps and lotions on display and available for purchase.

The Illinois Products Expo will be open on Saturday, March 2 from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and Sunday, March 3 from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. in the Orr Building at the Illinois State Fairgrounds. Admission is $5 per person; children 10 and younger will be admitted free of charge. While food sampling will be free, the beverage tastings are offered at a small cost $5 gets you five tastings and your own wine glass to take home.

A Madison man was injured in an automobile crash February 14, on Interstate 55 south of Raymond.

According to the state police, Erwin Watson, 47, was driving a vehicle north on the interstate just south of milepost 63 when, for unknown reasons, his vehicle struck the rear end of a semi-trailer that was driving in front of him. Watson lost control of his vehicle and the SUV rolled multiple times before coming to a rest on its roof in the center median.

Watson was taken to St. Francis Hospital in Litchfield and was listed in stable condition. The incident occurred at 1:43 p.m. The southbound lanes had to be shut down for approximately two hours in order for the scene to be cleared.

Watson was charged with Improper Lane Usage, Driving Under the Influence of Alcohol and Driving with a Suspended License. The incident remains under investigation by the state police. The Raymond-Nokomis Ambulance Service assisted at the scene.

Montgomery County Clerk Sandy Leitheiser has announced that early voting for April's Consolidated Election will begin Thursday, Feb. 21, and applications for vote-by-mail ballots may also be submitted.

State law for voting early or voting by mail requires the voter to be an eligible Montgomery County registered voter. To vote early, voters may visit the Early Voting Room in the basement of the Historic Courthouse in Hillsboro and vote in person.

To vote by mail, voters may either visit the county website and download the vote-by-mail request form and send a completed form in, or call the County Clerk's office to receive a ballot application. All applications for vote-by-mail ballots must be received in the clerk's office by Thursday, Mar. 28. Voters may vote early in the Early Voting Center until Monday, April 1.

Anyone seeking further information about the early voting process or election procedures may visit the county website, montgomeryco.com, or call the county clerk and recorder's office at 532-9530.

A Brighton resident was struck by a vehicle Wednesday night near New Delhi in Jersey County.

According to Illinois State Police, 57 year old Joan Hunt of Jerseyville was driving a 2015 GMC northbound on US 67 when the vehicle struck a pedestrain in the roadway at 7:00pm. The pedestrain was identified as 18 year old Faith Manka of Brighton. She sustained critical injuries and was transported by Survival Flight helicopter to Mercy Hospital in St. Louis.

No other injuries were reported.

The accident remains under investigation by Illinois State Police.

A Litchfield High School student was awarded fourth place in this year's Illinois Voice of Democracy program last weekend.

Damon Burdell was presented the award in front of a crowd of people from across the state during a banquet held at the Abraham Lincoln Hotel in Springfield on Saturday, Feb. 9. He competed against winners from sixteen other districts across the state. In addition to be honored as the fourth place winner, Burdell also received a check for $1,000. All seventeen district winners spent the weekend in Springfield, compliments of the Illinois VFW.

Activities began Friday, Feb. 8, with a pizza party, where district winners were able to meet each other. On Saturday, students enjoyed a tour of Springfield consisting of time at the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum, Old State Capitol, New State Capitol, a tribute at Lincoln's Tomb in Oak Ridge Cemetery and a visit to the Illinois Military Museum at Camp Butler.

Festivities concluded Saturday evening with the awards banquet and an ice cream party afterwards.

Two Montgomery County residents were arrested last week after leaving the scene of a crash in Coffeen.

Fillmore resident Quinby Hawthorne, 34, was taken into custody Feb. 6 on a warrant for Failure to Comply with Probation. 21-year-old Christian Grimes of Taylor Springs was arrested Feb. 7 and charged with Resisting a Peace Officer, Theft of over $10,000 and Driving with a Suspended License.

According to Montgomery County Chief Deputy Bruce Sanford, officers responded to a motor vehicle crash in Coffeen on the afternoon of Feb. 6. Deputies arrived at the scene on Sixth Street and located an abandoned vehicle that had crashed into a ditch. A man and woman had reportedly fled the scene after the crash. Deputies searched the area with the assistance of Taylor Springs Police and located Hawthorne.

At 1:20 a.m. Feb. 7, the sheriff's office received a report of a stolen truck from the Cips Trail area, south of Coffeen. The vehicle was later located by Hillsboro Police on Seyborn Avenue near Adams Street in Taylor Springs.

At 12:39 p.m. that afternoon, a deputy located Grimes, who had been identified as the man who fled the scene of the previous day's crash. He allegedly resisted the arrest and other officers were called to assist. He was apprehended and taken to the Montgomery County Jail.

A Kincaid woman was arrested in Litchfield Wednesday evening for leaving the scene of an accident that involved five vehicles.

Carley Prince, 23, was taken into custody for Leaving the Scene of an Accident and Driving Under the Influence.

According to the Litchfield Police, traffic was stopped on Route 16 at 5:11 p.m. Wednesday because of a train passing through. Prince, who was driving a red Buick, allegedly attempted to drive around some of the stopped cars. While attempting to pass, her car scraped one of the vehicles and then collided with another head-on. After coming to a stop, she got out of the vehicle and attempted to flee on foot. She was later located and placed under arrest.

A person in one of the vehicles that was hit was taken to the hospital by ambulance, however the severity of that person's injuries is unknown.

Three people were injured Saturday afternoon when two cars collided head-on south of Hartford.

According to the state police, Kay Robinson of Alton was driving south on Illinois Route 3 when her car crossed the center median and struck a northbound vehicle head-on. Robinson, 31, and her passenger, 31-year-old Elizabeth Delotelle of Bunker Hill, were airlifted to area hospitals with serious injuries. The driver of the northbound vehicle, 23-year-old Preston Boone of Harrisburg, was taken by ambulance to an area hospital with minor injuries.

An official with the state police says Robinson, who had multiple felony warrants, was fleeing from South Roxana Police at the time of the incident. An investigation is ongoing.