WSIL-TV 3 ABC

Local News

Last updated 1:29 am CT September 06, 2010.

Perry County Humane Society Volunteer Day

7/10/10

The Perry County Humane Society got a helping hand from the Southern Illinois Homebuilders Association fixing up it's building.

Local construction companies came together as early as 4 o'clock this morning to help.

The Humane Society runs ent
read full story →

Du Quoin Junior Rodeo

7/10/10

More than 100 Junior Cowboys and Cowgirls rode, roped and raced their way to the top at the Du Quoin Fairgrounds.

By: Jared Roberts
read full story →

Postal Worker Sentenced

7/09/10

PERRY COUNTY -- A former Perry County postal worker will not serve prison time for stealing people's mail. Heather Stowers, 34, of Tamaroa, was sentenced in U.S. District Court Thursday to three years probation.

Federal court documents show Postal
read full story →

Camp CEO Teaches Future Business Owners

7/09/10

MARION--Local and out of town high schoolers are getting a crash course on how to successfully own and operate their own business.

18 students at SIU's Camp CEO visited local businesses and learned from successful owners Friday.

Amanda Gerdt o
read full story →

IL Financial Crisis Sets Records

7/08/10

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) - Illinois' finances broke a lot of records in the last budget year.
Unfortunately, all of the records were bad.

Comptroller Dan Hynes' office on Wednesday issued its final report for the 2010 fiscal year that ended
read full story →

Kids Make a BOOM at the Science Center

7/07/10

CARBONDALE--Some kids are beating the heat and making a Kaboom! in Carbondale.

At Carbondale's Science Center, kids learn through hands-on experiments.

This week is Kaboom camp, where everything explodes or shoots across the room, including t
read full story →

Illinois Minimum Wage on the Rise

7/02/10

WSIL -- It is only a quarter but Mackie's Pizza owner John McPeek says Illinois' minimum wage increase is going to cost him.

"If you have 35 employees that are making minimum wage that adds up really fast."

It is the third scheduled 25-cent inc
read full story →

Symptom Tracker

7/02/10

(AP)- The American Academy of Pediatrics is giving parents a new way to figure out when their children's symptoms require medical attention.

You can access the symptom tracker through the Healthy Children website.

Just click on the link
read full story →

LIHEAP Funds Wasted

7/01/10

MIAMI (AP) - A government program that's supposed to help
impoverished families heat and cool their homes wasted more than
$100 million of taxpayer dollars paying the electric bills of
thousands of applicants who were dead, in prison or living in
read full story →

IL Payments Sent to Sex Offenders' Homes

6/29/10

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) - Illinois officials say they are checking child-care providers more closely after an audit found state payments going to homes where sex offenders live.

Auditor General William Holland's report Tuesday showed 90 provi
read full story →

Du Quoin State Fair Grandstand Schedule

6/29/10

Friday, Aug. 27 -- Harness racing, 7 p.m., free admission.
Saturday, Aug. 28 -- Harness racing, 12 noon, free admission.
Saturday, Aug. 28 -- Lee Ann Womack, 7:30 p.m., $30 & $25 admission.
Sunday, Aug. 29 -- Harness racing, 12 noon, free admiss
read full story →

White County Drug Arrests

6/29/10

CARMI -- An early morning raid Tuesday in White County ends in 21 drug-related arrests.

White County Sheriff Doug Maier says the raid was the result of several months of investigation by the Southern Illinois Drug Task Force, Carmi Police Departme
read full story →

Air Race Classic

6/23/10

MURPHYSBORO- Six SIU aviation students are cris-crossing the country in a race through the air.
They're taking part in the 34th annual Air Race Classic, which included a pit stop at the Southern Illinois airport Wednesday.
Each team
read full story →

Consumer Group Threatens Suit Against McDonald's

6/22/10

WASHINGTON (AP) - Are the toys in your child's Happy Meal making him fat?

The Center for Science in the Public Interest says they are. The
Washington-based consumer advocacy group threatened to file a
lawsuit against McDonald's Tuesday, ch
read full story →

Bike the US for MS

6/21/10

CARBONDALE- Six local cyclists are riding across the country for a good cause.
After more than 3 weeks on the road the group road through their hometown of Carbondale.
We first introduced you to them back in February when they wer
read full story →

Perry County Fair

6/21/10

PINCKNEYVILLE- The hot and muggy weather didn't stop a day at the races in Pinckneyville
Thoroughbred and quarter horse races took to the track at the Perry County Fairgrounds.
There will be more horse races throughout the week at th
read full story →

Police Catch CVS Robbery Suspects

6/21/10

SALEM -- Marion County Sheriff's Deputies confirm Illinois State Police arrested Brandon Pickles, 24, of Marion, and Guillermo Lopez, 47, in Salem this past Saturday. Officials say they also recovered a large amount of prescription drugs.

Both me
read full story →

Local Kids Jump in the Saddle at Summer Camp

6/16/10

FRANKLIN COUNTY--The official start of summer is just around the corner, but already, dozens of summer camps are underway.

One of Rend Lake College's 20 summer camps is horseback riding at Rend Lake Stables.

This week 8 kids put on their jeans
read full story →

New Credit Card Rules

6/15/10

WASHINGTON (AP) - The Federal Reserve has adopted rules aimed at
protecting credit card customers from getting socked by lofty late
payment charges and other penalty fees.

The new rules will bar credit card companies from charging a penalt
read full story →

Medication Recall Expanded

6/15/10

FORT WASHINGTON, Pa. (AP) - Johnson & Johnson is expanding a months-old recall of certain over-the-counter medicines due to
complaints about a moldy smell that can cause nausea and sickness.

J&J's McNeill Consumer Healthcare unit has issued
read full story →

Flag Day Celebrated Early In Murphysboro

6/12/10

MURPHYSBORO -- It was a patriotic celebration in Murphysboro Saturday. Aside from choirs signing, there was a 21 gun salute as dozens of people turned out to celebrate the birthday of the stars and stripes.

The Elks flag team demonstrated how to
read full story →

New IL Child Safety Seat Law

6/10/10

CHICAGO (AP) - Parents who don't strap their kids into safety seats when they're riding in vehicles will be paying bigger fines.

Gov. Pat Quinn has signed a bill that increases first-time fines to $75 from $50. But the governor's office says
read full story →

Falling in Love at the Southern Illinois Music Festival

6/10/10

Love is in the air at this year's Southern Illinois Music Festival under the theme Romeo and Juliet.

Amongst the dozens of musical performances at venues from Mt. Vernon to Cairo, a major part of the festival is the Russian ballet by Sergei Proko
read full story →

Fun in the Sun at Beach Blast

6/10/10

REND LAKE--With hot and humid conditions Thursday, it was perfect weather to lather up with sunscreen, put on a bathing suit, and take a trip to the lake.

Dozens of children filled the water and sand at South Sandusky Beach at Rend Lake for the 18
read full story →

Kids Granted Wish on Rend Lake

6/09/10

Rend Lake-- Eleven kids who are disabled or battling life threatening illnesses relaxed and cast out a line on Monday. A not-for-profit group set them up with some professional anglers for an outing at Rend Lake.

Brigid O'Donoghue is the founde
read full story →

Three Women Seriously Injured In Crash

6/08/10

POPE CO. -- Three Saline County women are in Evansville hospitals after a serious crash near the Pope and Hardin County line.

Illinois State Police say the crash happened just before 8:00 p.m. Tuesday. Investigators say the three women, ages 20,
read full story →

Online Camping Reservations

6/08/10

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) - The Illinois Department of Natural
Resources will no longer take reservations for campsites, cabins or
picnic shelters through mail or on the phone.

Instead, the department says that starting July 7 reservations fo
read full story →

Motocyclist Killed After Collision With Deer

6/08/10

JACKSON CO. -- A Jackson County motorcyclist is dead after a crash early Tuesday morning.

The Jackson County Sheriff's Office says Rocky Smutney, 52, of Murphysboro, died at a St. Louis Hospital Tuesday night.

Around 2:00 a.m. Tuesday, investig
read full story →

SIU Fire Damage May Top $1M

6/08/10

CARBONDALE, Ill. (AP) - Southern Illinois University says the
damage estimate from a chemical fire on the Carbondale campus
continues to rise.

SIU spokesman Rod Sievers says the damage from last week's blaze
could be more than $1 million.
read full story →

MSHA Targeting Mine Collapses

6/02/10

CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) - Coal mining's chief federal regulator is targeting roof collapses this summer.

The Mine Safety and Health Administration said Wednesday that
mine operators need to look for dangerous roof conditions underground. The
read full story →

New Animal Ordinance

5/26/10

MARION -- A new ordinance bars Marion residents from feeding stray animals on public property. The city council unanimously passed the ban at Monday night's meeting.

An earlier version of the ordinance had also prohibited the feeding of strays o
read full story →

Executive Mansion Seldom Used

5/26/10

CHICAGO (AP) - When Democrat Pat Quinn took over as Illinois governor, he vowed to live in the Executive Mansion in Springfield
- something former Gov. Rod Blagojevich didn't do.

But a Chicago Tribune analysis of Quinn's travel schedule sho
read full story →

Legislation May Ban Drop-Side Cribs

5/25/10

WASHINGTON (AP) - Drop-side cribs - which have a side rail that moves up and down - may soon be banned.

Democratic Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand of New York has introduced a bill to outlaw the sale and manufacture of the cribs following the deaths
read full story →

Puppy Mill Probe

5/25/10

WASHINGTON (AP) - An internal government report says dogs are
dying and living in horrific conditions due to lax government
enforcement of large kennels known as puppy mills.

Investigators say the Department of Agriculture often ignores
r
read full story →

Johnston City HS Students Save Lives

5/22/10

JOHNSTON CITY- Florence, Italy is a world away from southern Illinois. But a group of Johnston City high school art students recently took a trip to several European cities.

"We went with art club to see different museums and sites in the cities,
read full story →

Rescue Dogs in Training to Save Lives

5/22/10

JACKSON COUNTY--Little Egypt Search and Rescue is holding its annual training seminar this weekend.

Friday, exercises focused on using dogs to track down a missing person, because when a child or Alzheimer's patient wanders, every minute counts.

read full story →

Memorial Day Travel

5/20/10

NEW YORK (AP) - AAA says more Americans will hit the highways and airports over the Memorial Day holiday weekend, but they'll
probably spend much less than last year.

The travel group released a forecast Thursday that projects
about 32.1 m
read full story →

Johnston City Searching for New Chief

5/18/10

JOHNSTON CITY -- The search for a new police chief continues in Johnston City.

Public Safety Director Ray Mileur was terminated May 11th and his position suspended. City aldermen voted instead to hire two new chiefs to serve in the police and fire
read full story →

Nissan Recall

5/18/10

JACKSON, Miss. (AP) - Nissan Motor Co. is planning to recall
48,700 trucks and SUVs for problems with a suspension part that
could lead to a rough ride.

Spokesman Colin Price says the company is working on details
with the National Highwa
read full story →

MTVHS Cuts Four Positions

5/18/10

MT. VERNON -- Four employees at Mt. Vernon High School will not return next year. The school board voted Monday night to eliminate one custodian and three supervisory aides.

Superintendent Michael Smith says the cuts were necessary because of a de
read full story →

School Board To Consider Borrowing $1 Million

5/17/10

HARRISBURG -- One local school board expects to have to borrow money to get through the summer. The state owes Harrisburg schools $1.2 million as of May 1, 2010.

The district's reserve funds are almost empty. Superintendent Dennis Smith says the
read full story →

Improvements Continue at Rend Lake

5/14/10

REND LAKE--Upgrades continue at Rend Lake to better serve the estimated 3.2 million visitors every year.

Park Ranger Dawn Kovarik says a new Visitor's Center will be one of the biggest changes to the area.

"It's going to be so exciting for the
read full story →

The H Group Opens a New Housing Facility

5/13/10

HERRIN--After 5 years of waiting, the H Group finally has a new residential facility in Herrin.

On Monday the agency opened its second group residence, which allows people with special needs to live as independently as possible.

"We are so ecs
read full story →

Carterville's History Book Needs Residents' Help

5/12/10

CARTERVILLE--The town's bricks may have lost their luster years ago, but photos remain to tell their story.

For 29 years Sheri Hunter taught english and Illinois history at Carterville High school.

Now, she and a former student, Jennifer Spenc
read full story →

Gas Prices May Drop by Summer

5/12/10

CHICAGO (AP) - Gas prices are poised to fall as Memorial Day
approaches. And that's a welcome change for motorists who've gotten
used to seeing increases cut into their summer vacation money.

Experts who had been predicting a national aver
read full story →

Local Woman Turns 90

5/09/10

JOHNSTON CITY -- Mildred Allen was born and raised in southern Illinois, but her legacy spans throughout the country. Friends and family came from as far away as Arizona, Georgia and Wisconsin to celebrate her 90th birthday on Saturday. The birthday
read full story →

Ranking Illinois' Roads

4/28/10

CHICAGO (AP) - A new report may not surprise drivers used to cars shuddering and shaking over Illinois' roads.

The U.S. PIRG report says Illinois has the nation's 10th roughest roads, with 57 percent in less-than-good condition.

The
read full story →

New Retailer Coming to Carbondale

4/28/10

CARBONDALE -- A national retail chain will open a store in Carbondale this fall.

Carbondale Mayor Brad Cole announced Tuesday that Party City will move into the University Place Shopping Center, adjacent to Dick's Sporting Goods.

Party City is
read full story →

Rend Lake College Avoids Layoffs

4/27/10

WSIL -- A deal between the Illinois Department of Corrections and Rend Lake College has saved more than a dozen jobs.

Rend Lake College officials say the deal will allow 13 college employees to continue vocational training programs at Big Muddy an
read full story →

State Police Investigate Former County Employee

4/20/10

CAIRO -- State police are investigating a former Alexander County employee. The person worked in the circuit clerk's office, and was fired last week.

Illinois State Police confirm they are investigating that employee. News 3 asked the Alexander
read full story →