HARRISBURG - The city of Harrisburg is looking for a new home for 82 caskets - all of them empty.

The coffins, a major donation to the city by the Batesville Casket Company of Indiana, have been stored for some time at the Southeastern Illinois College Foundation building on Commercial Street, the Alan Miller building. Now, the foundation needs the space, Mayor Valerie Rose Mitchell and Public Properties Superintendent Russell Duncan said on Thursday.

SALINE COUNTY--One thing police county on about illegal drugs -- drugs that used to be popular will make a comeback.

Although levels of use are nowhere near 2002 or 2003 -- and probably never will be -- methamphetamine arrests have started to rise again.

The Harrisburg Taxed Enough Already Party rally, scheduled for 10 a.m. Saturday at the Harrisburg Township Park, will focus on urging senators to vote against an Obama administration proposal drafted by Sen. Edward Kennedy, D-Mass., which the TEA party says amounts to socialized medicine.

Saline and Gallatin counties are among several in Southern Illinois receiving federal assistance to help in recovery from the May 8 wind storms.

In addition to Saline and Gallatin counties, the federal disaster declaration extends to Franklin, Jackson, Randolph and Williamson counties, which were also hard hit on May 8.

HARRISBURG--It is not clear why, but code-violation complaints in Harrisburg have risen this year.

Code Enforcement officer David Williams has investigated about 345 complaints so far this summer, including high grass, trash and debris and abandoned cars. Last summer, there were 361 complaints in all.

SIC--Rep. John Shimkus shared his views -- mostly negative -- on recent legislative happenings in Washington at the annual Workforce and Small Business Development Center legislative breakfast.