Country Bob's in Centralia is preparing to expands operations by moving to a new facility. Spokesperson Reed Malkovic says the new facility will be located about three miles south of Centralia on U.S. Highway 51 in the new Principle Meridian Business Park. Malkovic says it was time to grow. "We've just had steady growth over the last five to six years, and we're just running out of room in our current building", said Malkovic. Country Bob's is currently located at Second and Lincoln Street. The current facility has 20,000 square feet. The new facility on U.S. 51 will have 35,000 square feet, and will create an additional two-to-five jobs along with retaining 14 current jobs. Malkovic says they will break ground next spring and expect to have the building completed next fall. Country Bob's makes all purpose sauce, seasoned salts, and barbecue sauce. - http://goo.gl/C6KqQ
Tuesday, October 11, 2011
Fall Harvest Moves Into Full Swing; Yields Down From Last Year
The fall harvest has moved into full swing across South Central Illinois. It appears the harvest across northern Marion County is better than in the Centralia area which received less rainfall during the latter part of the growing season. Russell Vandeveer of Natures Acres north of Salem says all the corn is ready to come out of the field and many bean fields are ready for harvest as well. "So far itlooks likeeveryone is working ontrying to getthe corn crop harvested and they have done it with a pretty rapid pace with the nice weather we've hadthe last week. I think people are now getting into the soybean harvest also and it's going to slow up the corn pace a little bit because people are going to switch and try and get their soybeans out," Vandeveer said. "If it does happen to rain, it would probably be a little bit of a blessing because itis gettingpretty dry and I've noticethere have been several combine fires." Vandeveer is averaging 35 to 45 bushels an acre for soybeans and 125 to 135 bushels per acre for corn. That's down 10 to 15 bushels per acre for soybeans and 25 to 50 bushels per acre for corn from last year's near perfect weather and record crop. Considering the dry weather the second half of summer, Vandeveer is happy with the results. The harvest numbers aren't as good in the Centralia area, where Larry Juenger at the Maco Elevator shares some early yield results. "Beans are averaging 33 to 35 bushelsan acre, which most of my growers are happy withthat considering the conditions. The corn, we've gotten in 110 to 120 bushels per acre. We knew going in the corn was going to be a disappointment, so that is pretty well what we expected," Juenger said. Both Juenger and Vandeveer say there is still plenty of time to complete the harvest. - http://goo.gl/ggNRn
Three-Year-Old Chicago Girl Killed In Effingham County Wreck
A three-year-old Chicago girl has died in a single vehicle wreck on Interstate 57 in Effingham County that sent eight other Chicago area residents to the hospital for treatment. State Police say Kendall McDonald was pronounced dead on the scene. The driver of the SUV, 42-year-old Muriel Davis-McDonald, was traveling northbound on I-57 just south of the Effingham-Shelby County line when she left the roadway, overcorrected, lost control, rolled over, and came to rest in the roadway ditch. Davis-McDonald was taken to St. John's Hospital in Springfield, while seven others were transported to Carle Hospital in Champaign. State Police report only the driver and one seven-year-old passenger were wearing seatbelts. The wreck occurred at 7:32 Monday morning. - http://goo.gl/0xcFF
Marion County Police Beat for Tuesday, October 11th, 2011
Two people remain in the Marion County Jail following drug related arrests by Centralia Police. 27-year-old Melia Welch of West North Avenue in Bluford is being held for possession of a controlled substance. 21-year-old Odell Wright of Jackson Street in Centraliais being held for possession of less than ten grams of cannabis. 56-year-old Paul Lewis of North Kell in Centralia was arrested by Sandoval Police for alleged disorderly conduct. 35-year-old Jennifer Harpool of Ash Street in Edgewood posted $600 bond after being arrested on an Effingham County small claims warrant. The Marion County Sheriff's Department has two burglaries under investigation. James LeBeau of Centralia reported a barn on his mother's property on the Possum Trot Road in rural Alma was broken into. A new tractor and brush hog are reported missing. Ubia Benjamin of Jeff Road in Walnut Hill reported her home was burglarized over the weekend. - http://goo.gl/gb3cj