MARION, Ill. — The night ahead stays quiet. Through Friday morning, partly cloudy skies and a low near 58 degrees, with east northeast winds barely above calm at around 1 mile per hour.

Friday brings mostly sunny conditions and a high near 77 degrees, according to the National Weather Service. Winds from the northeast at 2 to 7 miles per hour. A good day to be outside.

The settled pattern holds through the weekend. Friday night partly cloudy with a low around 57. Saturday partly sunny, high near 76, with light winds from the east northeast at 1 to 5 miles per hour. Saturday night becomes mostly cloudy, low around 57.

Sunday rounds out the period: partly sunny skies, high near 78 degrees, with winds nearly calm at 0 to 5 miles per hour.

No threats in this forecast. Light winds across the board, temperatures in the mid-to-upper 70s, and dry conditions. Straightforward late September weather for Williamson County—good forecast to have.

- Forecast data from the National Weather Service.

The American Times' desks are written under standing pen names; the reporting under every byline meets the paper's sourcing standards. See "About Our Bylines."

MAKANDA, Ill. — The Southern Illinois River-to-River Conference crowned its boys golf champions Thursday at Apple Creek Golf Club, with Carterville taking the Ohio Division title and Benton claiming the Mississippi Division crown, according to the Southern Illinoisan.

The Southern Illinoisan's report did not include individual scoring or medalist detail from Thursday's round. Conference titles at this level carry teams into regional play with momentum.

It's the kind of story that doesn't make the front page but ought to — a bunch of high schoolers grinding out a fall season on a public course, with a banner to show for it. Congratulations are in order for both champions crowned on the same afternoon at Apple Creek.

Attribution: Southern Illinoisan.

— Compiled from reporting by the Southern Illinoisan.

The American Times' desks are written under standing pen names; the reporting under every byline meets the paper's sourcing standards. See "About Our Bylines."

CARTERVILLE, Ill. — John A. Logan College opens its doors this weekend for the return of Hunting and Fishing Days, according to KFVS12.

KFVS12's report did not detail the full slate of activities, hours, registration or cost. The event is a fixture on the county's fall calendar at the Carterville campus.

Residents interested in attending should check directly with the college for scheduling.

Attribution: KFVS12.

— Compiled from reporting by KFVS12.

The American Times' desks are written under standing pen names; the reporting under every byline meets the paper's sourcing standards. See "About Our Bylines."

MARION, Ill. — The Illinois Department of Transportation says crews have broken ground on an Illinois Route 13 project at Crab Orchard Lake.

That's the extent of what IDOT's announcement offers so far — no completion timeline, no full project scope, no word on when lane restrictions might start. This desk will keep watching the corridor for those details as the project proceeds.

Attribution: Illinois Department of Transportation.

— Compiled from reporting by the Illinois Department of Transportation.

The American Times' desks are written under standing pen names; the reporting under every byline meets the paper's sourcing standards. See "About Our Bylines."

MARION, Ill. — A Williamson County Education Services employee is facing a misdemeanor charge after police say a student under her guardianship gained access to a firearm, according to the Southern Illinoisan.

The weapon was later found tucked beneath the driver's seat of a vehicle at Marion, the paper reported. The Southern Illinoisan's report did not include the employee's name, further detail on how the student came to have the firearm, or how it was discovered.

It's a small item on a police blotter, but it's the kind that makes a county pay attention — a reminder that the rules meant to keep firearms out of kids' hands only work if the adults around them follow through. Williamson County Education Services runs specialized programs for students across the region.

No further court dates were available at press time. This desk will follow the case as it moves through Williamson County court.

Attribution: Southern Illinoisan.

— Compiled from reporting by the Southern Illinoisan.

The American Times' desks are written under standing pen names; the reporting under every byline meets the paper's sourcing standards. See "About Our Bylines."

MARION, Ill. — Patchy drizzle this morning before 8 a.m., then mostly cloudy through the day, according to the National Weather Service. High near 74, with light north-northeast winds between 2 and 7 mph. Nothing severe to prepare for.

Tonight stays mostly cloudy, low around 55, temperatures rising to around 60 as the night goes on. Northeast wind nearly calm. Friday clears out—mostly sunny, high near 77, light northeast wind. Saturday clouds return, mostly cloudy, high near 75.

Light winds all three days. No weather hazards expected through the weekend.

Watch the sky, keep the radio on.

- Forecast data from the National Weather Service.

The American Times' desks are written under standing pen names; the reporting under every byline meets the paper's sourcing standards. See "About Our Bylines."

SESSER — K-9 Primo has a new piece of gear that could save his life on a bad call: a bullet- and stab-resistant vest, donated by the nonprofit Vested Interest in K9s, Inc., the Southern Illinoisan reports.

Primo works out of the Sesser Police Department, handled by Assistant Chief Jeremy Marx. The donation is a small story by the numbers — one dog, one vest — but it says something true about how small-town departments in this part of the state keep their working animals equipped. Nobody in Sesser budgeted for body armor for a dog. A charity did that instead.

It is worth noticing, and worth thanking, when it works.

• filed from the courthouse steps, where the ghosts take good notes.

— Compiled from reporting by the Southern Illinoisan.

The American Times' desks are written under standing pen names; the reporting under every byline meets the paper's sourcing standards. See "About Our Bylines."

ANNA — The people who work the halls at Choate Developmental Center, and the families who depend on it, get to keep breathing a little longer. Planned staffing and service cuts at the facility, originally set for March, have been pushed back to June 2027 amid ongoing lawsuits, the Southern Illinoisan reports.

That is not victory. It is a postponement, and anyone who has watched a state institution get whittled down knows the difference. The extra months matter on the ground. They mean more time for employees to plan, for patients' families to organize, and for the litigation working through the courts to run its course before anyone loses a job or a bed.

But June 2027 is not never. It is a date on a calendar, and calendars in Springfield have a way of arriving faster than promised. The reprieve came from a courtroom, and it can end there too. Anyone with a stake in Choate should keep watching this one closely.

• filed from the courthouse steps, where the ghosts take good notes.

— Compiled from reporting by the Southern Illinoisan.

The American Times' desks are written under standing pen names; the reporting under every byline meets the paper's sourcing standards. See "About Our Bylines."

MARION, Ill. — Williamson County faces nothing but ordinary autumn weather through Friday, the National Weather Service forecasts.

Tonight will be mostly cloudy with a low around 57 degrees and light north winds around 3 mph. Wednesday follows much the same—mostly cloudy, a high near 72 degrees, with north-northeast winds at 5 to 10 mph. Wednesday night brings little change.

Thursday warms noticeably to near 79 degrees under mostly cloudy skies, with minimal wind. Friday improves further: mostly sunny skies, a high near 80, and light northeast winds.

No severe weather threatens the county through the week. Wind stays light throughout. This is the kind of week where the main weather story is simply the slow climb toward warmer days.

Watch the sky, keep the radio on.

- Forecast data from the National Weather Service.

The American Times' desks are written under standing pen names; the reporting under every byline meets the paper's sourcing standards. See "About Our Bylines."

MURPHYSBORO — The Jackson County Drug Court will hold its eighth graduation ceremony Thursday at 2 p.m. in the Jackson County Courthouse, following the regularly scheduled Drug Court hearing, the Southern Illinoisan reported.

Drug courts don't make the front page the way a trial does, but they do the quieter work of keeping people out of the system that costly trials feed. Eight graduations in, this one's another chance for a county courtroom to hand out something other than a sentence.

— Compiled from reporting by the Southern Illinoisan.

The American Times' desks are written under standing pen names; the reporting under every byline meets the paper's sourcing standards. See "About Our Bylines."

WEST FRANKFORT — The Franklin County Sheriff's Office is asking anyone with information to come forward in the search for Edward A. Cravens, a 50-year-old man last seen in July in the West Frankfort area, the Southern Illinoisan reported.

Months gone without a sighting is a long stretch for any family to sit with, and sheriff's offices don't put a name back in front of the public unless the leads have run thin. Anyone with information is asked to contact the Franklin County Sheriff's Office.

— Compiled from reporting by the Southern Illinoisan.

The American Times' desks are written under standing pen names; the reporting under every byline meets the paper's sourcing standards. See "About Our Bylines."

SESSER — Primo, the Sesser Police Department's K9, has a little more protection going into every shift now.

The department announced Tuesday that Primo received a bullet- and stab-protective vest through a charitable donation, according to the Southern Illinoisan.

It's a small story next to a courthouse docket, but it isn't a small thing to the officer who works a leash next to that dog every day. K9s take the same risks their handlers do, usually a stride ahead of them, and a vest like this one is the kind of gear departments in small towns don't always get to budget for on their own. That's what makes a donation like this one worth noting — somebody in this county decided Primo's safety was worth paying for.

— Compiled from reporting by the Southern Illinoisan.

The American Times' desks are written under standing pen names; the reporting under every byline meets the paper's sourcing standards. See "About Our Bylines."

CARBONDALE — More than 200 people filled the Agriculture Building at Southern Illinois University Tuesday evening to remember a man the Southern Illinoisan described as "kind, brilliant."

Kofi Akamani, a forestry professor at SIU, was shot and killed Saturday at a home between Murphysboro and Carbondale, according to the Daily Egyptian. His wife, Betty Akamani, 35, has been arrested and faces two felony murder charges in the case, the paper reported.

The Southern Illinoisan reported that Betty Akamani appeared in court Monday afternoon and will be held at the Jackson County jail pending her murder trial.

Students, faculty and community members gathered Tuesday to grieve a man who spent his career studying the forests and communities of southern Illinois — now the subject of the very kind of tragedy that leaves a county searching for words. The vigil offered none of the answers the courthouse will eventually have to provide. What it offered was company, and a chance to say his name.

The case now moves toward trial in Jackson County, a process that will unfold in public view in the months ahead.

— Compiled from reporting by the Daily Egyptian and the Southern Illinoisan.

The American Times' desks are written under standing pen names; the reporting under every byline meets the paper's sourcing standards. See "About Our Bylines."

MARION, Ill. — Tonight and Tuesday bring quiet weather to Williamson County. The National Weather Service forecasts mostly cloudy conditions overnight, low around 62, north northeast winds at 6 mph. Tuesday turns partly sunny, high near 77, with northeast winds 6 to 12 mph.

No severe threats in the forecast. Tuesday night stays mostly cloudy, low 59. Wednesday continues the pattern: partly sunny, high 76, light north winds 5 to 10 mph. Thursday offers mostly sunny skies and a high near 78.

This is solid early-fall weather for the county. Frost isn't imminent. No flood concerns, no fire danger spike. Winds stay light throughout. If you've got outdoor work or travel planned, these next few days offer fair conditions.

No threats in sight. Watch the sky, keep the radio on.

- Forecast data from the National Weather Service.

The American Times' desks are written under standing pen names; the reporting under every byline meets the paper's sourcing standards. See "About Our Bylines."

METROPOLIS, Ill. — Carterville's volleyball team is headed for what the Southern Illinoisan is calling an epic collision this week against Massac County in Southern Illinois River-to-River Ohio Division play.

Massac County enters the matchup having just halted Edwards County's bid for a third straight Superman Slam championship over the weekend, a result that has the Patriots rolling into the league showdown with momentum. For Carterville, it's a chance to measure itself against one of the region's hottest teams.

Division standings and records for both squads were not detailed in available reporting, but a matchup billed this way between two of the area's strongest programs is the kind of game that tends to shape the rest of a conference season.

County volleyball fans will want a seat for this one.

— Buddy Cobb, Friday Night sports desk.

— Compiled from reporting by the Southern Illinoisan.

The American Times' desks are written under standing pen names; the reporting under every byline meets the paper's sourcing standards. See "About Our Bylines."

CARTERVILLE, Ill. — Carterville's football team stayed unbeaten with a win over Salem, southernillinoisnow.com reported, setting up a home date with the Red Devils this Friday that figures to be one of the bigger tests on the schedule so far.

The same report also noted a team nicknamed the Orphans remained undefeated after a win over Columbia, part of a busy Friday across the region's gridirons. Which program carries that nickname was not specified in available reporting.

Carterville has built itself into one of the county's steadier programs in recent years, and an unbeaten record through this stretch of the season raises the stakes for every game left on the schedule. A home matchup against the Red Devils will be the kind of measuring-stick game that either confirms that standing or exposes cracks in it.

Kickoff details and full box scores were not included in available reporting, but the county's football faithful will be watching Friday night closely.

— Buddy Cobb, Friday Night sports desk.

— Compiled from reporting by southernillinoisnow.com.

The American Times' desks are written under standing pen names; the reporting under every byline meets the paper's sourcing standards. See "About Our Bylines."

MOUNT VERNON, Ill. — Marion's football team ran into a buzzsaw on the road Friday night. The Mt. Vernon Rams proved themselves the more physical team, dominating time of possession and beating Marion 33-14 in Week 5 of the high school season, the Southern Illinoisan reported.

Control of the clock tells the story here — when a team holds the ball, the other side doesn't get chances. Marion will have to find answers in the trenches before it faces its next opponent.

The Wildcats have been a mainstay of southern Illinois high school football for years, and one lopsided Friday doesn't define a season. But in a conference where every game counts toward playoff positioning, this is the kind of loss that has to get fixed fast, not explained away.

Marion returns home looking to regroup as the schedule moves into its middle stretch.

— Buddy Cobb, Friday Night sports desk.

— Compiled from reporting by the Southern Illinoisan.

The American Times' desks are written under standing pen names; the reporting under every byline meets the paper's sourcing standards. See "About Our Bylines."

MARION, Ill. — It wasn't close. Marion put together an easy win over Herrin, according to a recap from MaxPreps.

Full stat lines and game details were not available beyond the recap headline, but the result is a lopsided one for the Wildcats over the Tigers.

Herrin will look to regroup as the season continues. For Marion, it's another step in building momentum heading deeper into the schedule.

— Buddy Cobb, Friday Night sports desk.

— Compiled from reporting by MaxPreps.

The American Times' desks are written under standing pen names; the reporting under every byline meets the paper's sourcing standards. See "About Our Bylines."

HERRIN, Ill. — The doors at Herrin House of Hope were set to reopen this week, KFVS12 reported, days after the organization lost its founder. The pantry has been a fixture for families across the county who need a hand between paychecks or after a bad month — the kind of quiet institution nobody notices until they need it.

The reopening comes in the same week the state announced $195,000 in grants aimed at boosting food and housing access across nine Illinois communities, according to FOX 2. Whether any of that funding reaches Herrin House of Hope specifically was not stated in available reporting, and this article makes no claim that it does.

Details on who will lead Herrin House of Hope going forward after its founder's passing were not fully specified in available reporting. What's clear is the pantry didn't close its doors for long. In a county that has buried a lot of its institutions along with its industries, that continuity is its own kind of statement.

— filed from the courthouse steps, where the ghosts take good notes.

— Compiled from reporting by KFVS12 and FOX 2.

The American Times' desks are written under standing pen names; the reporting under every byline meets the paper's sourcing standards. See "About Our Bylines."

HERRIN, Ill. — Somewhere in a bank's back office, a $55,000 sewer bond payment got filed under the wrong year. Herrin taxpayers are the ones who'll feel it.

According to the Southern Illinoisan, the error is forcing the city to make another payment out of its sewer reserves to cover the mistake. Reserve funds exist for a reason — busted mains, failed lift stations, the stuff that doesn't wait for a budget cycle. Every dollar pulled to fix somebody else's clerical error is a dollar not sitting there when the pipes actually give out.

Herrin's sewer system, like a lot of county infrastructure built when the mines were still paying the bills, doesn't get any younger while banks sort out their ledgers. The city has not detailed publicly, per available reporting, what steps it's taking to recover the misapplied funds or whether the bank will make the reserves whole.

It's a small story next to the big ones this county has seen, but it's the kind that adds up: a city forced to spend twice to fix something that should have taken one clean transaction. Watch the reserve balance — and watch to see who apologizes for it.

— filed from the courthouse steps, where the ghosts take good notes.

— Compiled from reporting by the Southern Illinoisan.

The American Times' desks are written under standing pen names; the reporting under every byline meets the paper's sourcing standards. See "About Our Bylines."