HARCO -- Saline County Sheriff's Deputies investigated a wreck early this morning at Harco Road 1/2 mile north of Johnston City Road that injured a Carrier Mills man.

ELDORADO -- The Eldorado Old City Hall Museum presents a program on the life of a fur trader and trapper from the 1820s 6:30 p.m. Thursday.

Roy Walker, Jonesboro Police Officer, Union County Paramedic and great-great-grandson of a Cherokee healer, transforms himself into trader and trapper Two Feathers.

HARRISBURG -- Harrisburg's Fraternal Order of Police No. 152 is accepting donations for its Shop With a Cop charity that happens the morning of Dec. 13.

There police of the municipalities and Saline County Sheriff's staff will have breakfast with the children at 7 a.m. and 8 a.m. and then begin shopping for clothing and Christmas presents at 9 a.m. at the Wal-Mart Supercenter.

GOLCONDA -- The Deer Festival, Golconda's celebration during the shotgun deer season, begins Thursday evening and runs through Saturday.

The festival is a destination for hunters across the region to celebrate in the evening after a day of chasing Pope County's bounty of whitetail deer.

EAST ST. LOUIS--The federal agency that regulates mining says it stands behind the $1.5 million in fines it levied last month against a coal producer now suing it.

American Coal Co.'s lawsuit against the Mine Safety and Health Administration accuses the U.S. Labor Department agency of abusive monitoring and issuing citations to satisfy quotas at the Galatia Mining Complex.

HARRISBURG -- Marian Deputy recalls with fondness the sight of the two barns at the south end of Harrisburg.

Deputy enjoys painting and pencil drawing and decided to sketch one of the barns using photos as a guide.

HARRISBURG--Harrisburg Township Park Board and the Save the Pool Committee are wrestling with how to keep the pool open another year and raise money for another pool, or to refurbish the existing pool.

The Harrisburg School Board is closing the Central Office due to environmental problems.

What began as an unpleasant smell in late spring has escalated to the point board members decided to move staff out of the building as fast as possible. The move will begin immediately and will probably take about three weeks. Staff will be dispersed throughout the district for the time being.

SPRINGFIELD — Facing a growing hole in the state budget, Gov. Rod Blagojevich said Tuesday that he will seek authority to cut spending, including education money, by up to $2.2 billion.

EAST ST. LOUIS--A coal company fined about $1.5 million last month for safety violations at its Galatia operation is suing federal regulators.

The American Coal Company on Monday filed a lawsuit in Federal Court in East St. Louis against the federal Mine Safety and Health Administration, contending violations of federal law and MSHA's own regulations in inspections at Galatia Mining Complex.

ELDORADO -- Eldorado firefighters extinguished an attic fire at the Clifford and Stacy Debose residence at 800 Karns Road Monday night.

Firefighters arrived at 6:31 p.m. with 17 men and had the fire out in about 35 minutes with very little damage done to the house, Fire Chief Mike McKinnies said.

ELDORADO -- Cameo Theatre hopes to have the crowd roaring with this week's production of Larry Shue's "The Foreigner," a play of mistaken identities, intrigue and slapstick.

"If the audience laughs at them as much as we've laughed at each other, it should be a great success," director Charlene Mosby said.

HARRISBURG--Four Harrisburg alcohol retailers. along with numerous others in Southern Illinois, were cited Thursday by the state Liquor Control Commission on charges of selling alcohol to minors.

An undercover operation conducted by the ILCC and the State Police netted Harrisburg BP, 630 N. Commercial St.; Sprits, 212 E. Sloan St.; Poor Boys Lounge, 300 E. Raymond St., and Town Square Pub, 23 E. Poplar St.

Savannah Cox, a fourth-grader at Eldorado Elementary School, looks through some of the selections at the Scholastic Book Fair being held this week at the elementary school.

Volunteers battered and fried fish as part of the Harrisburg Presbyterian Church's four week Friday Fish Fry benefit for the Christian Community Compassion Center. Harris said during the last three weeks the volunteers have served between 140 and 200 dinners each week for $6.95 or $8.95 per dinner.