09-09-2008

SPRINGFIELD MAN SENTENCED FOR RAMSEY BANK ROBBERY

 

 

According to the United States Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois, last Friday, 33 year-old Jason E Echols of Springfield was sentenced to 20 years imprisonment, 3 years supervised release and $100 special assessment following his guilty plea for bank robbery. 

 

According to court documents, in November 2007, Echols entered a the Ramsey branch of First National Bank of Vandalia, approached a teller and demanded money. The teller complied and Echols placed the money in a bag. Echols then approached another teller and threatened to shoot and kill the teller. Then Echols got into a vehicle and left the scene. Echols was stopped and arrested in Pana, Illinois where the money was recovered. 

 

The sentence was ordered to run consecutively to an 11-month sentence imposed for violations of the terms of supervised release imposed.

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BOND COUNTY SCHOOLS EARLY DISMISSAL

 

Bond County Community Unit 2 schools will have an early dismissal on Friday, September 12^th for a school improvement teacher workshop.  The dismissal schedule is as follows: Greenville Elementary, Pocahontas and Sorento Centers will dismiss at 12:30, Greenville Junior High at 12:35 and the High School at 12:37.  Morning KRP classes will run a regular schedule and afternoon KRP classes will not be in session. 

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ILLINOIS LOTTERY MAY BE LEASED

 

According to Senator Frank Watson, Illinois House lawmakers are expected to return to Springfield on Sept 10^th and 11^th to consider a possible plan to lease the state lottery to help pay for a statewide capital construction plan.  Details are still sketchy but the proposal could reap almost $10 billion in one time revenue. The money would go to finance road and bridge improvements as well as school construction projects. If the proposal is approved, Illinois would be the only state in the nation to lease its lottery.

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ANNIVERSARY OF LINCOLN'S SPEECH

 

September 13^th is the date of a special celebration on the grounds of the Hoiles-Davis Museum, in Greenville.  John Goldsmith said the evening will begin with the annual Historical Society ham and bean supper with music by a Civil War Band from Springfield, Illinois at 5:00 PM, a performance by the Greenville High School Choir, and the formal program for the evening at 6:00 PM. This is a special anniversary commemorating Lincoln's visit to Bond County during the 1858 senatorial campaign and a major event in the celebration of the life of Abraham Lincoln, as we draw closer to 2009, the bicentennial celebration of Abraham Lincoln's birthday.

 

 

FAYETTE COUNTY AWARDED $350,000 GRANT

 

According to Senator Frank Watson, the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity has awarded a $350,000 grant to Fayette County under the Community Development Assistance Program. Senator Watson said this grant will help provide water service to 286 households throughout the southern portion of Fayette County, improving the lives of thousands of people in the many small communities impacted and sets the stage for possible future economic growth throughout the region.

The Fayette County grant was one of 33 approved in the latest round of CDAP grants approved by the agency totaling $10.7 million.

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KASKASKIA COLLEGE BOARD OF TRUSTEES WORK SESSION

 

The Kaskaskia College Board of Trustees will meet Tuesday, September 9^th, at 6:00 PM in the boardroom for a work session.  The board will address the fitness center project, road and sidewalk planning for student housing traffic, and access to proposed tennis courts.

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ILLINOIS PARENTS COMMERCIAL CONTEST

 

Parents have less than one month to submit a video of their everyday child-rearing challenges by participating in a first ever Bright Start College Savings Program scholarship and commercial contest, sponsored by the Illinois State Treasurer's Office.  Parents should submit raw footage of what they encounter on a daily basis. For example: send a commercial of trying to get your kids to brush their teeth with the suggested slogan, "Getting your kids to brush their teeth is hard work, but saving for college shouldn't be." Many parenting tasks can be difficult but enrolling in the Bright Start program only takes 15 minutes and makes saving for college easy. For more information, check the web at: www.brightstartsavings.com.