Brad Cohen Keynote Speaker at Tri-County Education Conference Friday

       The keynote speaker at the Tri-County Education Conference Friday explained the importance of teachers reaching out to students in the correct way. Brad Cohen said he was bullied and neglected as a child because he has tourette syndrome. He hated being at school when he was younger because of the bullying and non-sympathetic teachers. Finally he got the help he needed from the school principal who allowed him to educate fellow students about tourettes syndrome.
          Cohen later went to Bradley University and began a career in teaching. Now he has a made for TV hallmark film made after his life story.
          "I think teachers need to treat every single child the same way. It doesn't matter if they're a special needs child or not. They still want to be accepted, they still want to be motivated to be the best that they can be, and I think many times that if we start to treat them as different people, then society will look at them that way. The truth is that they have the same dreams and aspirations as any other kid, and we need to be able to honor that", said Cohen.   full story

Illinois' Exports Increase 30% In Last Year

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (AP) - Gov. Pat Quinn has made a habit of bragging that Illinois increased exports last year by 30 percent. He cites it when questioned about a tide of business complaints about the state's economic climate.  The real figure is slightly lower, but there's no doubt 2011 was a good year for the state's exports.

Adam Pollet heads Quinn's trade office. He says overseas trade offices and other Quinn-backed moves deserve part of the credit.   But economists say Quinn can't take much credit himself for it.   Economics professor Fred Giertz of the University of Illinois says there really isn't much any politician can do to create that kind of growth.   He also suspects the figure may be an anomaly, given Illinois' high unemployment rate.

Top Illinois Exports for 2011
     By category, in billions of dollars
     Category / 2011 / 2010
     1. Machinery / $17.79 / $12.49
     2. Chemicals / $8.50 / $6.48
     3. Transportation equipment / $6.67 / $5.33
     4. Computer and electronic products / $6.07 / $5.49
     5. Electrical equipment, appliances and components / $3.113 /$2.64
     6. Petroleum and coal / $3.10 / $1.02
     7. Fabricated metal products / $2.85 / $2.25
     8. Food and Kindred Products / $2.71 / $2.64
     9. Agricultural products / $2.62 / $1.45
     10. Miscellaneous Manufactured Commodities / $2.30 / $2.23
     Midwest Export Increases by State for 2011
     In billions of dollars
     State / 2011 / 2010 / Percentage increase
     Illinois / $64.57 / $50.06 / 28.9 percent
     Iowa / $13.28 / $10.88 / 22.1
     Michigan / $50.80 / $44.77 / 13.5
     Indiana / $32.20 / $28.75 / 12
     Ohio / $46.41 / $41.49 / 11.9
     Wisconsin / $22.05 / $19.79 / 11.4
     Missouri / $14.15 / $12.93 / 9.4
     Minnesota / $20.28 / $18.90 / 7.3

     Source: U.S. Census Bureau  full story

Two Killed In Head On Crash On U.S. 51 South of Vandalia

Both drivers died in a fiery head on collision on U.S. 51 two miles south of Vandalia early Sunday morning. 

Fayette County Coroner Bruce Bowen identifies one of the victims as 74-year-old Robert Norris of Vernon.  The second victim was burned beyond recognition.  Dental records will be used during an autopsy scheduled for Monday to try and confirm the victim's identity.  A passenger in the Norris vehicle, Shawn Norris, was airlifted to a St. Louis Hospital. 

Bowen says Robert Norris was traveling southbound on U.S. 51 near Fayette County Road 1150N when a northbound vehicle crossed into his lane.  The two collided head on.  The northbound vehicle then burst into flames.  The Vandalia Fire Department responded to the scene, extinguished the fire, and extricated the victims.  Robert Norris and the unidentified person were pronounced dead on the scene by Bowen at 4:06 Sunday morning. 

The crash occurred around 3:30 Sunday morning.  It remains under investigation by the Fayette County Coroner and Illinois State Police, who have assigned an accident reconstructionist to the case.  - http://goo.gl/7bya6

Governor Asks Constitutional Officers To Cut Budgets At Least 9%, Lt. Governor Says She Will

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) - Lt. Gov. Sheila Simon is planning to cut her budget by 9.4 percent to help Illinois deal with its multibillion-dollar budget deficit. Simon's spokeswoman said Saturday her office is requesting $1.9 million for fiscal 2013, compared to $2.1 million for the current year, marking the lowest requested appropriation in 16 years.

A spokesman for the Secretary of State Jesse White, whose office had a $390 million budget this fiscal year, says the governor asked White to make a 9.4 percent reduction and that he's looking into it. The governor's office confirmed Saturday that Gov. Pat Quinn has asked the state's constitutional offices to consider cutting their budgets by at least 9 percent. Quinn will detail his budget plan Wednesday. Illinois' other constitutional offices are the Attorney General, Treasurer and Comptroller.  full story