The Williamson County Sheriff’s Office shared photographs on social media showing damage caused by Friday’s devastating EF-4 tornado.
A National Weather Service damage survey and analysis by structural engineering experts found that an EF-4 tornado damage occurred in southern Williamson County on Friday, May 16.
Fox on the run...this was the best picture we could get of a fox wandering through a neighbor’s backyard late one morning last week.
This week, we’re going to start with our latest Critter Sighting Updates...
Bat? Bird? Bug? UFO? Or, maybe, just a bit of dust on the camera’s lens? Can’t be sure. The image was captured during last week’s partial lunar eclipse.
Seemed like Mother Nature tried to end our drought with a Great Big Ol’ Downpour at about the same time I was heading to The Paragraph Factory in Anna Monday morning.
Splish, splash, Rocky was takin’ a bath in the “pond” in the photographer’s backyard...on a Friday...maybe the critter was getting ready for the weekend.
I’m not quite why it crossed it mind Monday evening, but there it was... We’ll come back to that thought in just a bit... Meanwhile... I know you can’t wait, so here is my latest Critter Sighting (and Smelling) Update...
Bears were spotted last week at the Union County Fair in Anna...
There were bears out there. One bear. Two bears. Three bears. Maybe even four bears. I saw them. I really did... ...at the Union County Fair...  ...there’s even a picture to prove it...
July 28...clouds billowed into the sky over Cobden during the evening. The photographer (that would be me) did a little magic in Photoshop to highlight the steeple at the First Baptist Church in Cobden...just to give an idea of the immensity of the clouds.
Once again this week, we’ll be offering a little bit of this...and a little bit of that...and some pics of the sky...
The Williamson County Sheriff’s Office shared photographs on social media showing damage caused by Friday’s devastating EF-4 tornado.
Fox on the run...this was the best picture we could get of a fox wandering through a neighbor’s backyard late one morning last week.
Bat? Bird? Bug? UFO? Or, maybe, just a bit of dust on the camera’s lens? Can’t be sure. The image was captured during last week’s partial lunar eclipse.
Splish, splash, Rocky was takin’ a bath in the “pond” in the photographer’s backyard...on a Friday...maybe the critter was getting ready for the weekend.
Bears were spotted last week at the Union County Fair in Anna...
July 28...clouds billowed into the sky over Cobden during the evening. The photographer (that would be me) did a little magic in Photoshop to highlight the steeple at the First Baptist Church in Cobden...just to give an idea of the immensity of the clouds.
The Southern Illinois University Simmons Law School is planning to offer a series of mobile legal clinics in the region to provide free, onsite assistance for senior citizens who want to prepare health care power of attorney. The legal clinic’s Senior Summer Sessions were scheduled to begin Tuesday...
The Williamson County Sheriff’s Office shared photographs on social media showing damage caused by Friday’s devastating EF-4 tornado.
A National Weather Service damage survey and analysis by structural engineering experts found that an EF-4 tornado damage occurred in southern Williamson County on Friday, May 16. The National Weather Service office in Paducah reported that with estimated peak winds of 190 miles per hour, this...
The U.S. Forest Service is preparing to welcome an influx of visitors to the Shawnee National Forest in Southern Illinois for the 2025 recreation season.  The Forest Service reported that the following campgrounds are open: Lake Glendale, Pounds Hollow, Pharoah at Garden of the Gods, Johnson Creek...
The retirement of the police chief and a major water system project were on the agenda at last week’s regular meeting of the Anna City Council. The meeting was Tuesday evening, May 6, at Anna City Hall. One of the items on the consent agenda for the meeting was accepting the retirement of Anna...
The Illinois Department of Transportation, IDOT, is planning to host 18 workshops throughout the state to help local governments and communities learn about and apply for funding opportunities.  The Special Programs Assistance Conferences are designed to help potential grant recipients to take part...
March is National Nutrition Month, which is a nutrition education and information campaign sponsored annually by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.  In an effort to improve the nutritional health of children in Southern Illinois, Southern 7 Health Department is reminding families that the...
Stinson Memorial Public Library District is planning to put up a Spring StoryWalk display during March and April. The StoryWalk will feature the book titled “As an Oak Tree Grows” by Brian Karas. The StoryWalk was scheduled to be on display starting March 14 at Stinson Memorial Public Library in...
Four Southern Illinois University Carbondale master of music students will help everyone think of warmer weather ahead during a concert set for Friday, March 21, in Morris Library’s third-floor rotunda. The Yellow Moon Gyroid Concert Series will present “SPRING” in a free, public program that...
Local and state officials are working together to get help for those in Southern Illinois who were impacted by the severe winter storm which struck the region on Jan. 5. “This winter storm has caused problems across Southern Illinois, and we are working closely with state emergency agencies and the...
As the country prepares to commemorate Veterans Day, Southern Illinois University Carbondale plans to host Boots to Business, B2B, Reboot, a special entrepreneurship training program for veterans, activity-duty service members and their spouses. The entrepreneurship training program is scheduled in...

Obituaries

Bonnie Elaine Vines
Bonnie Elaine Vines, a woman whose life was defined by unwavering Christian faith, a profound dedication to education, and an enduring love for her family and farm, passed away on June 2, 2025.  Born Bonnie Elaine Davis on Aug. 27, 1942, in Pennsylvania, Bonnie’s journey led her to touch countless...
Mona Jane Acuff
Mona Jane Acuff, age 74 years, a resident of rural Vienna, Ill., passed away Monday afternoon, June 2, 2025, at 12:37 p.m. at Deaconess Regional Healthcare in Marion, Ill. Janey, as she was affectionately known to family and friends, was born Nov. 26, 1950 in Blytheville, Ark. She was the daughter...
Carroll Henson
Carroll Henson, age 79, of Dongola, passed away on Thursday, June 5, 2025 at Deaconess Union County Hospital.  He was born on Nov. 19, 1945 to Vern and Ruth (McCluskey) Henson in Salem, Ill.  On Jan. 30, 1971, Carroll married Donna Garrison and they spent over 50 years together until her passing in...
Karen Treece, age 73 of Anna, passed away Saturday, May 31, 2025 at Mercy Hospital in Cape Girardeau, Mo.  She was born April 18, 1952 in Portland Maine, the daughter of Ralph and Ina Mae (Russell) Bowie.  She married Larry Treece on July 6, 1984 at Kornthal Church in Jonesboro. Karen is survived...
Claude Lynn Anderson
Claude Lynn Anderson, 70 of McClure, Ill. passed away on June 1, 2025, at St. Francis Medical Center. On Oct. 2, 1954, in Anna, Ill. Lynn was the 6th child born to Edward Dwain and Frieda Ermal (Dickerson) Anderson.  Lynn retired from Union Pacific Railroad in 2005 after 31 years of being a...

Sports

Following decades of decline, even fewer birds will darken North American skies by the end of the century, according to a new analysis by scientists at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign....

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