Violent storms kill 31, death toll could rise

HENRYVILLE, Ind. - A string of violent storms scratched away small towns in Indiana and cut off rural communities in Kentucky as an early-season tornado outbreak killed more than 30 people, and the death toll rose as daylight broke on Saturday's search for survivors.

Massive thunderstorms, predicted by forecasters for days, threw off dozens of tornadoes as they raced Friday from the Gulf Coast to the Great Lakes. Twisters that crushed entire blocks of homes knocked out cellphones and landlines alike, ripped power lines from broken poles and tossed cars, school buses and tractor-trailers onto roadways made impassable by debris.

Weather that put millions of people at risk Friday killed 31, but both the scale of the devastation and the breadth of the storms made an immediate assessment of the havoc's full extent all but impossible. - http://goo.gl/JmVv2

Sections of I-57 to Have Lane Closures Beginning Monday

The Illinois Department of Transportation announced Friday that portions of Interstate-57 in Marion County would have lane closures beginning Monday, March 5th.

The northbound and southbound lanes of I-57 from a mile south of U.S. Highway 50 to the Fayette County Line, and from Illinois Route 161 to the Jefferson County line would be restricted during daytime hours only. The lane closures will begin on Monday, March 5th and last through Friday, March 9th, weather permitting.

IDOT reports the lane closures are necessary for geotechnical investigations for proposed pavement resurfacing. - http://goo.gl/DZNxx

Flora's Southwire Company Collecting Supplies for Harrisburg Tornado Victims

The Southwire Company in Flora is collecting disaster relief supplies this weekend for those affected by the Harrisburg tornado Wednesday morning. Southwire's Project Giving Inspiration for Tomorrow (GIFT) team of volunteers will collect supplies in the Flora Wal-Mart parking lot from 7:00am to 5:00pm Saturday and Sunday and from 7:00am to 7:00pm Monday.

Items needed include water, non-perishable food, hygiene items, buckets, trash bags, detergents, bedding, blankets and towels. Volunteers will help distribute the supplies to storm victims from a Harrisburg church that is organizing relief efforts. The Project GIFT team was founded in 2005 following Hurricane Katrina. Volunteers traveled to Waveland, Mississippi to assist with a holiday event for hurricane victims. Members of the team have assisted in other disasters across the country.

Project GIFT volunteers share their time and talent in other community building activities near Southwire facilities across the country. Southwire Company is a major wire and cable provider in North America, manufacturing building wire and cable, metal-clad (MC) cable, cord products, utility cable products, industrial power cable, copper and aluminum rod and continuous casting technology. Their facility is located in Flora in Clay County. - http://goo.gl/e6JL5

U of I Leads Project to Produce Oils from Crops

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (AP) - First scientists turned corn into ethanol. Now they think sugarcane and sorghum might be a future source of diesel and jet fuel. Researchers at the University of Illinois will lead a study aimed at boosting the natural oil-producing capabilities of sugarcane and sorghum. U of I Professor Stephen Long will lead the initiative that will include researchers from the University of Florida, the University of Nebraska and the Brookhaven National Laboratory.

Long says sugarcane and sorghum spend much of their energy making sugars. But scientists hope they can engineer plants that make oils instead. The natural plant oils then could be converted into diesel and jet fuel through a chemical process. Long says sugarcane and sorghum could produce more than 10 times more oil per acre than canola and soybeans. - http://goo.gl/FCLSQ

Marion County Police Beat for Friday, March 2nd, 2012

A 43-year-old Vandalia woman has been arrested on an outstanding Marion County misdemeanor warrant. Nancy Terry of South Fifth was taken into custody by sheriff's deputies and remained in the county jail Friday morning. 27-year-old John White of Kinlou Road in Kinmundy was arrested and taken to the Marion County Jail by Salem Police for no valid drivers license.

An 18-year-old Patoka man, Brandon Smith of East Messenger, was arrested by Sheriff's Deputies for driving under the influence. He was released after posting $100 bond. 48-year-old Andre Robinson of North Pine in Centralia posted $750 bond and was released on a petition to revoke his probation. - http://goo.gl/uALCA

Central City Man Charged with Fleeing Home After Drugs and Ammunition Found

Bond has been set at $50,000 for a Central City man formally charged in Marion County Court Thursday after allegedly fleeing his home after a probation officer found drugs and ammunition in the residence.

Zachary Hanks of West Hardin was charged with possession of less than five grams of methamphetamine, unlawful possession of a controlled substance, unlawful possession of a weapon by a felon and escape. Hanks allegedly ran out the back door of his home after Central City Police were called to take him into custody.

He was arrested following a four block foot chase. Police report ammunition was recovered in addition to hydrocodone and methamphetamine. Hanks had the public defender appointed to represent him. He was placed on two years probation in July after pleading guilty to a battery charge. - http://goo.gl/zEOv7

Two People Escape Injury Following Car Accident Southeast of Centralia

Both occupants of a car that overturned on its side and had power lines drop on top of it escaped safely and refused medical treatment. The Marion County Sheriff's Department reports the accident occurred Friday morning on the Airport Road just south of the Copple Road intersection southeast of Centralia. Accident reports indicate an SUV driven by 31-year-old Kristina Feig of Walnut Hill Road in Centralia was northbound when she drove onto the shoulder of the Airport Road.

The shoulder gave way, sending Feig's car into the roadside ditch. The car then ran up a guidewire to an Ameren Illinois electric pole before it rolled off the guidewire onto its side. The powerline then dropped onto the car. Deputies say fortunately it was not energized. Feig and her ten-year-old son, Cameron Feig, who was a passenger were able to get out of the vehicle before emergency help arrived.

The two turned down hospital treatment. Ameren crews were called to repair the damage to their system and restore power to those who lost electricity due to the wreck that occurred around 6:30 Friday morning. - http://goo.gl/YXi9a

State Will Prioritize Tornado-Related Bills

CHICAGO (AP) - Illinois Comptroller Judy Baar Topinka says her office will prioritize paying state bills accrued after a tornado tore through the city of Harrisburg, leaving six people dead. Topinka said Thursday that her office will work with businesses impacted by Wednesday's severe weather.

She says the state will prioritize payments to businesses committed to clean-up and recovery efforts in Saline County. The announcement comes as the state of Illinois has a roughly $8 billion backlog of unpaid bills. The National Weather Service listed the Harrisburg tornado as an EF4, the second-highest rating given to twisters based on damage. Scientists said it was 200 yards wide with winds up to 170 mph. It left about 100 people injured.  full story

Illinois Unemployment Rate Drops to 9.4-Percent

CHICAGO (AP) - Illinois added 3,800 jobs in January, and the state unemployment rate fell for the fifth straight month to 9.4-percent. The Illinois Department of Employment Security says the 0.3-percentage point drop in the unemployment rate was the largest decline since September 1992.

The agency says the number of unemployed people dropped by 18,100 in January to 620,300. Illinois has added 122,900 private sector jobs since January 2010, the first month that numbers increased after 23-consecutive months of declines. The state unemployment rate peaked that month at 11.4-percent.

The leading growth industries since then have included professional and business services, educational and health services and manufacturing. Government has lost the most jobs since January 2010 with 24,700. The national unemployment rate for January was 8.3 percent. - http://goo.gl/dIhtQ

Marion County Police Beat for Thursday, March 1st, 2012

A 21-year-old Central City man faces multiple charges following a probation check on his home Wednesday. Central City Police were called to the Zachary Hanks home on West Hardin Street after a probation officer allegedly found ammunition and drugs in his residence. Other charges were added after he allegedly bolted out the back door of his home and was able to run four blocks before being taken into custody by police. Hanks is being held in the Marion County Jail for alleged possession of ammunition, possession of methamphetamine, possession of drug paraphernalia, escape and resisting arrest.

Police report a foil pouch with methamphetamine, a prescription bottle with ammunition, a canvas ammunition belt, shot gun ammunition, a weight scale, and a beer can with burnt residue were all recovered from the home. Salem Police are investigating the theft of a wheel chair from the Richard Rich home on Woodland Drive. - http://goo.gl/85dvP