January 2013

Playing time should give a boost to a young Cobden High School softball team this spring.

“We’re super young,” Cobden softball coach Nathan Emrick said. “We might be playing three or four freshmen at a time.”

The Appleknockers have only six upperclassmen on their roster returning from last season’s 18-12 squad.

“We’ve got a good core coming back,” Emrick noted. “We have girls who have played a lot of varsity.”

Emrick will rely heavily on his senior hurler, Kristin Pender.

<strong>Mr. Avon Merle Stark, age 93 of Festus, Missouri, formerly of Southern Illinois, departed this earthly life at 6:03 p.m. Sunday, March 17, 2013 in Festus, Missouri. He was born February 20, 1920 near Rantoul IL, the son of Roy and Nancy Hammer Stark.</strong>

<strong>         Avon is survived by his brother, Harold (Jean) Stark of West Peoria; sever nieces and nephews; other relatives and many friends. He was preceded in death by his parents; and brothers, Charles, Roy and infant brother.</strong>

Four persons have been arrested in connection with an alleged battery case which happened Saturday, March 9, in Anna.

The incident was reported to have left a 16-year-old Union County male subject with injuries that required hospitalization.

The Anna Police Department reported the arrests. The incident was reported to have happened at approximately 7 p.m. Saturday in a municipal parking lot in the 300 block of South Street in Anna.

The Anna City Council continues to work on drafting a budget for the fiscal year which begins May 1 and runs through April 30, 2014.

The budget was on the agenda at a regular meeting of the city council which was held Tuesday evening, March 19. The meeting was at Anna City Hall.

Budget action is scheduled to continue on April 2. The council is scheduled to meet and give tentative approval to the new budget.