Illinois State Police officers arrested four individuals in Marion County this weekend. 34-year-old David Arthur Alexander of East Boyd Street in Mt Vernon was arrested for alleged unlawful use of a weapon and possession of drug paraphernalia. He remains at the Marion County Jail. Two Carbondale men were arrested and released from the Marion County Jail. 22-year-old Lamar Brandon Johnson was charged with alleged driving under the influence of alcohol and drugs. 23-year-old Clemon W. Moore of the same address was charged with alleged possession of cannabis. Each man posted $100. 37-year-old Harold Blake Clark of South Hickory Street in Centralia was arrested on charges of alleged driving under the influence. He remained at the jail Sunday morning. 8TQAk
Sunday, October 2, 2011
Ground Zero Piece Solemnly Greeted at Little Egypt
To fit in with the theme of "Anniversaries," a solemn anniversary was marked at Saturday's Little Egypt Parade. A piece of steel from the fallen World Trade Center towers led off the parade with an honor guard from the Pana Fire Department. Pana Fire Chief Ron Bland says it was an honor to bring the Ground Zero remnants. "We were able to get one. We made a request to the Port Authority in New York and they had about 2,500 requests and only gave out 1,200 pieces. We were very fortunate to get ahold of one of them," Bland says. Bland says Salem Firefighters approached his department about bringing the I-Beam at the Pana Labor Day Walk. A Marion man played bagpipes as the I-Beam passed along the parade route. Paul Thompson says he grew up in New Jersey across the river from the Twin Towers. "I saw it go up, but I was here in Southern Illinois when it came down. So anything I can do to remember those who gave everything, I'm more than willing and proud to do it," Thompson says. Thompson played "Amazing Grace" as the firefighters paused before the nation's flag hanging above Broadway and Main Street. As a tribute to 9-11, emergency vehicles in the parade flashed their lights, but left their sirens silent. uk7qn
Current State Employees Still Allowed to "Double Dip"
CHICAGO (AP) - A new Illinois law barring government employees from drawing a pension while earning another public paycheck doesn't apply to the vast majority of current workers. That leaves thousands free to "double dip" after retirement and it does little to help desperately underfunded pension systems. Last year, legislators passed a law restricting double dipping, though only for workers hired - not simply retired - after Jan.1 of this year. Most current employees would be permitted to double dip even if they retire decades from now. Lawmakers said they had no choice because the state constitution doesn't let them reduce retirement benefits for unionized public employees. But critics say that's a matter of interpretation, especially because future double dippers already would be retired from their current jobs before they got another. k0l31