Levee summit

A second Southern Illinois levee summit was held last Saturday at Shawnee High School near Wolf Lake.

The focus of the gathering again was on the status of the levee system which protects many of the communities at the southern tip of Illinois.

Last Saturday's levee summit, and a similar gathering held in December, were held thanks to the efforts of teacher Jamie Nash-Mayberry and her students at Shawnee High School.

Nash-Mayberry and her students have been working hard to publicize concerns about the region's aging levee system in what has become a very practical and very real learning moment.

The work done by the Shawnee High School students and their teacher may just be the first step in what could turn out to be a very lengthy process, one which has national implications, and one which will be very, very expensive.

It needs to be noted that speaker after speaker at last Saturday's summit, and at the gathering held in December, emphasized the need for extraordinary cooperation in resolving the levee situation. Such a message cannot be understated.

We must work together at the local, state and national levels to move forward with fixing a levee system which is aging and just might keep those who live near the rivers safe.

We are grateful for the efforts shown by the Shawnee High School students and their teacher. Let's hope that this is the beginning of a successful effort which will benefit the entire area. 

<span style="font-size: larger;"><strong>Business exposition</strong></span>

The 2011 Union County Business Exposition is planned this Saturday. The popular event will be held in the lower gymnasium at Anna-Jonesboro Community High School.

We encourage everyone to attend the business expo, which will showcase a wide range of resources which are available right here in the Union County area.