Illinois Summary - 9/26/11

Gas Prices Falling

(Springfield, IL)  --  Gas prices are falling.  Illinois drivers are paying at least 13 cents less than they were last week.  As of yesterday, the average was three-dollars-64-cents compared to last week's three-77.  That's still more than a quarter higher than the national average.  The national average is three-51.

Mob Fight Breaks Out At St. Clair County Jail

(Belleville, IL)  --  Five inmates at the St. Clair County jail have additional charges being put on their rap sheet.  They're being charged with mob action after they allegedly beat three other inmates over cigarettes.  The five reportedly

believed another inmate had managed to sneak cigarettes in illegally but when he and his crew wouldn't turn them over, they were attacked.  Authorities say there were no cigarettes. The fight broke out in the jail's gymnasium.  That's where the inmates are living as the jail combats a problem with overcrowding.  Five-hundred inmates are currently in custody, but the jail has a maximum capacity of 360.  The three inmates who were attacked received medical treatment at the jail.

Family Of Slain Soldier Raises Money For College Students

(Troy, IL)  --  College expenses are less of a burden for 15-Illinois college students thanks to scholarships awarded by the family of a slain soldier.  Senior Airman Bradley Smith died just six weeks after he was deployed in October 2009 but each year his family holds a benefit walk to raise money for local college students.  This year they raised 15-thousand dollars.  Smith's father says Bradley loved school and this is a way to keep his son's memory alive.  Smith was from Troy, IL.

Security Cameras At The U of I A Good Investment

(Urbana, IL)  --  The University of Illinois is using more than 500 security cameras on campus to help crack down on crime.  Four hundred seventy of the cameras were just installed last year and university police say the investment is paying off.  Police Lieutenant Skip Frost says the cameras have helped solve a burglary in progress at Forbes Hall and a theft at the Illini Union.  They've also added three sentinels, increased their patrol force, and added student patrols in the effort to make the campus safer.

Federal Assistance Available For Farmers

(Springfield, IL)  --  Some farmers who suffered major loss after this year's flooding are eligible for low-interest federal loans to help cover their expenses.  The U.S. Department of Agriculture has granted Governor Quinn's request to designate 46 Illinois counties as natural disaster areas.  Quinn says the loans will help farmers refinance their debt and cover production costs.  Farmers who believe they may qualify for disaster assistance should contact their county Farm Service Agency office. They have eight months to apply for the loans.