I-64 westbound ramp to be closed

MT. VERNON - The Illinois Department of Transportation will be closing the Interstate 64 westbound ramp on Fridays through Monday mornings each week during construction of additional lanes on Interstate 57.

"The ramp closure is for traffic control only," Keith Roberts of IDOT explained. "We're doing this to try to alleviate horrible backups we had in the past for that area."

Roberts said with Illinois Route 37 as a secondary detour for the construction on I-57, people have been using the state highway, then re-entering at the I-64.

"They think they have gotten around any backup, but they are just jumping back into it at the worst place," Roberts said. "This is an effort to help direct motorists away from that area up to the Dix exit during the peak traffic count hours."

Roberts said IDOT has looked at the traffic counts for the area, and said, with a few exceptions, traffic backups on I-57 have been "tolerable"

"The maximum delays of peak hours of traffic are 20 to 25 minutes, maximum," Roberts said. "With the anticipation of people using the backup detour, we need to keep people on the detour past Dix to help with the construction congestion, otherwise, the detour doesn't help."

Roberts said peak traffic hours are northbound on I-57 on weekends, which is prompting the intermittent ramp closure.

"Due to the reconstruction of I-57, and heavier traffic volumes during weekend hours, the ramp from Illinois Route 37 to access I-64 westbound will be closed on Fridays and remain closed until Monday (morning) each week," information from IDOT states. "This closure will continue on weekends only until further notice. Motorists wanting to access I-57 should use Illinois Route 37 north to Dix and access I-57 via the ramps at Dix." - http://bit.ly/HQDmlZ

MVTHS Board approves resolution

MT. VERNON - A resolution for a line of credit was approved by the Mt. Vernon Township High School Board during its April meeting.The line of credit is for $1.5 million and would last until Dec. 31. The money would be held in reserve in case the money is needed, Superintendant Dr. Michael Smith said depending on state revenue monies, among other situations."We have not had to use that in the past," Smith said, "and we hope that we won't need it."The board also approved the permanent abatement of monies from its working cash fund to site and construction of the new high school.President of the board, Carl Miller, said the working cash fund was temporary, and the money will now be in an account to be used for bills as needed toward construction costs.In other business, the board:

Approved a bid for the second phase of G Building window replacements to Litteken Construction from Breese. The amount cannot exceed $111,000 for the construction;

Heard that attendance is up, but enrollment at the school is down compared to last year. Smith said better attendance will make up for the gap in state aid made by lower enrollement numbers;

Were updated that contracts for the new high school are being reviewed prior to presentation to the board.  Smith added he would be speaking with city officials to answer any final questions they may have on the project later this week; and

Heard state testing is coming up next week. - http://bit.ly/I3EAcB

Mt. Vernon Mobile home ordinance approved

MT. VERNON — An ordinance which will prohibit further mobile homes placed in RM2 zoned areas of the city was approved Monday, with no public comment.

“This is an amended version of the ordinance as originally presented,” City Manager Ron Neibert said. “The changes have taken place due to public comment up to this time.”

Under terms of the new ordinance, there is a provision which will allow current property owners to receive a conditional use for mobile homes up to Dec. 13 in RM2 zoned areas, as long as the person placing the mobile home owned the property before Jan. 1; the application for conditional use be submitted before Oct. 31; the mobile home must be placed by Dec. 31; and is adjacent to a lot in which a mobile home is currently situated, not next to a stick built home unless written permission is presented by the owner of the stick built home.

Other changes from the original ordinance presented state the mobile home must have been manufactured not more than 15 years prior to the date of application for a building permit and is subject to inspection for compliance with Mobile Home Standards if it is older than five years.

Neibert said the changes to the zoning ordinance for RM2 allowed uses also amends a portion that has nothing to do with mobile homes — it now allows duplexes to be built in the zoning district.  full story

Still filing your taxes? Time's almost up

This year, you have a little more time to file your income taxes. But now is not the time for any more procrastination because Tuesday evening is the deadline:

Q: Why is the income tax-filing deadline on April 17 this year and not April 15?

A: This year, April 15 falls on a Sunday and Monday, April 16 fell on the District of Columbia's Emancipation Day. By law, District of Columbia holidays are treated like federal holidays when it comes to tax deadlines.

Q: What if you are not going to make this year's deadline for filing your federal tax return?

A: You can get a six-month extension to file your tax forms, as long as you make the request by midnight Tuesday.

Q: How can I file an extension?

A: By mail, via tax-preparation software or online via the IRS website, www.irs.gov. To request the extension, you must fill out IRS Form 4868, which is available on the IRS website, through most tax preparation software, as well as in public libraries and post offices.

If you opt to mail in the form it has to be postmarked by Tuesday to be considered on time. Forms filed online on the IRS website or by using tax software can be sent in as late as 11:59 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on Tuesday. If accepted, you will have until Oct. 16 to file a complete tax return. The IRS requires taxpayers to pay up by Tuesday's deadline or face a host of penalties.

Q: What are the penalties?

A: The IRS will charge interest on unpaid taxes at a rate that currently is about 3.25 percent and is compounded daily. The IRS also will charge a late payment penalty of one-half of 1 percent of any tax not paid by April 17. It is charged each month or part of a month the tax goes unpaid, up to 25 percent. That interest rate can jump to 1 percent, however, if the tax bill hasn't been paid within 10 days after the IRS issues a notice of intent to levy. But a payment plan can be worked out with the IRS that can reduce the rate to one-quarter of 1 percent.

Q: Will post offices be open later than usual?

A: No. Many metro-east post office will operate Tuesday under regular business hours. Belleville Post Master John Sertich said the advent of filing online has left little if any demand for later than usual hours on tax day: "We don't do anything special for tax day anymore. The scheduled collection time will not be extended. Whatever time is on the mailbox is the time they have to meet. There will be no special collections. If they do bring in a tax return and they want it post marked by tomorrow, they bring it to my counter. We are open till 6 p.m."  full story

Still filing your taxes? Time's almost up

This year, you have a little more time to file your income taxes. But now is not the time for any more procrastination because Tuesday evening is the deadline:

Q: Why is the income tax-filing deadline on April 17 this year and not April 15?

A: This year, April 15 falls on a Sunday and Monday, April 16 fell on the District of Columbia's Emancipation Day. By law, District of Columbia holidays are treated like federal holidays when it comes to tax deadlines.

http://bit.ly/ISnnDK

Best Buy announces locations for store closings -- 6 in Illinois

RICHFIELD, Minn. -- Best Buy on Saturday announced the locations of 50 stores that it is closing this year, including seven in California, six in Illinois and six in the company's home state of Minnesota.

The struggling electronics chain said last month that it would close some of its so-called big box stores, cut 400 corporate jobs and trim $800 million in costs. Best Buy plans to open 100 smaller, more profitable Best Buy Mobile stores.

The company is trying to avoid the fate of Circuit City, which went out of business in 2009. It faces slower sales of expensive items like TVs, plus increased competition from Amazon.com and discount stores like Target.

Best Buy has about 1,400 locations in the United States. It has already closed two stores this year, one in Missouri and one in Arizona. Most of the rest of the 50 will close May 12, others this summer.

Best Buy said it would try to find other jobs in the company for the workers.

On Tuesday, Best Buy said CEO Brian Dunn had resigned after the board of directors began investigating his "personal conduct." The company lost $1.7 billion in the most recent quarter, partly because of restructuring costs. - http://bit.ly/IHyUIa

Illinois couple bound with tape, robbed of artwork

EVANSTON, Ill. -- A pair of robbers has broken into the home an Evanston couple, bound them with duct tape and stolen three paintings.

The robbery on Friday left 67-year-old Ronald Fink bloodied and bruised and his wife, Bonita, recovering from a mild heart attack at a hospital.

The intruders made off with an estimated $10,000 worth of artwork.

Evanston police suspect the robbers knew Fink had sold another painting at an auction last year for more than $300,000 and were hoping he had other similarly expensive artwork. Fink says he did not.

The two robbers came to his home and told him they were delivery men with a package to drop off. Once inside, Fink says, they jumped on him and taped the couple's hands and feet. - http://goo.gl/k0eMr

Land Purchased For New Mt. Vernon High School

MT. VERNON - Mt. Vernon Township High School has purchased 82 acres on Wells Bypass to construct a new school.

“This is a great evening for the community of Mt. Vernon Township High School,” board president Carl Miller said.

The property is located on the southwest corner of the intersection of Wells Bypass and Ambassador Lane. The school is purchasing the property for $1.2 million from Ermajean Weir and Janell Bayer.

“The cost is well within our budget for land acquisition in our original estimates,” MVTHS Superintendent Dr. Mike Smith said. “The next step is to have a series of phases of testing completed — geological and environmental tests that are required. We’re allowing three months to get the results from testing back.”

Smith said “all things going well” the district would be able to begin preliminary site work by the middle or late summer.

“This is a great location,” Miller said. “It’s very buildable, level, flat, just what we were looking for.”

According to a news release presented by the board, numerous sites were evaluated and discussed for the new school, with Friday’s action bringing 11 months of discussion, research, study and negotiation to a close. The process included participation from stakeholders across the district, the city and county.

“From numerous sites that were submitted by property owners, an initial list of 16 was identified,” information states. “Sites were then reviewed further by the school board and their architectural firm and construction management firm to develop the ‘best case’ for a short list of possible locations. Sites were evaluated utilizing a number of criteria including size, location, access, adjacency of utilities, existing and needed infrastructure, on and off site development cost projections, buildable acres, district allotted budget for the purchase and development, overall city planning, zoning and development and purchase price. ... the final site needed to be a perfect balance of all of these criteria. The site selected this evening has been determined to fit all of the above criteria the best.”

Mt. Vernon Mayor Mary Jane Chesley was on hand for the signing of the contracts, and said it was a great day for District 201 and a great day for the city.

“We look forward to partnering with you on this project,” Chesley said. “This project is one of the components in the city’s Comprehensive Plan and we support the school and its efforts to build a new school.”

The city council has committed to provide needed infrastructure at the site in an amount not to exceed $2.4 million and will include water and sewer lines, storm sewer lines, curbs, guttering and entrances to the property, Chesley said.

“We’re doing that as we would for any of our larger employers and businesses,” Chesley added.

Smith said the district is continuing to move forward on design engineering on the new school, and is expected to be ready to go out for bids on construction in the spring of 2013. full story

East St. Louis district to close 5 schools

EAST ST. LOUIS - The East St. Louis school system says it will shutter five schools because of declining enrollment and in an effort to pare the district's roughly $12 million budget deficit.

The Belleville News-Democrat reports that the schools will close by June 30. Officials say that, along with related layoffs, could save the district $2.5 million to $3.7 million next school year.

School board President Lonzo Greenwood says the panel is saddened. But he says the closures are necessary because of a lack of federal funds that can't be replaced by local taxes.

A public town hall meeting is scheduled for April 26 at Mason-Clark Middle School to discuss attendance boundaries for the elementary schools that students will attend next year. - http://bit.ly/HDDHtn

Free vehicle inspections to be offered Saturday

MOUNT VERNON - A free 41-point vehicle inspection will be available Saturday at Times Square Mall in Mount Vernon, courtesy of Rend Lake College, the mall and Mount Vernon NAPA.

The event will be from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the mall parking lot between Wendy's and Verizon.

Inspections include checking fluid levels, tires, lights and other system components. After the inspection is completed, volunteer automotive stu-dents will review findings with the motorist and provide information about proper vehicle maintenance and repair.

Hot dogs and other refreshments will be provided by Mount Vernon NAPA; participants also can register to win door prizes. Donations will be ac-cepted for Angel's Cove in Mount Vernon.

Rend Lake College Project CHILD and the Jefferson County Health Department will provide free child passenger safety seat inspections.

April is National Car Care Month, an effort to educate motorists about the importance of vehicle care and maintenance.

For more information, contact Nigel Thompson, RLC automotive technology professor, at 618-437-5321 ext. 1806, or email thompson@rlc.edu