70-year-old Fairfield resident Barbara Pike was injured in a two-vehicle accident last night at the intersection of West Delaware and Southwest 10th streets. According to Fairfield police, at approximately 7:45, Pike attempted to cross West Delaware traveling north. 28-year-old Fairfield resident Matthew Byars was eastbound on Delaware in the north lane in a 2015 Chevy and struck Pike's 2000 Toyota in the front driver's side. Wayne County EMS responded, and Pike was taken to Fairfield Memorial Hospital; she was also was cited for failure to yield and operating an uninsured motor vehicle. The City of Fairfield says it will hold a ground-breaking ceremony next Friday, August 27th, at 11 a.m. for a new T-Mobile, between Murphy and the CP Church by Walmart. The Hamilton Memorial Hospital Foundation will hold its 16th annual golf scramble on September 10th at the McLeansboro Golf Course. The four-person scramble will have two flights, with one starting at 8 a.m. and another at 1 p.m. Registration fees include a green fee, golf cart use, and lunch. Anyone interested in participating can contact the Marketing Foundation Manager at 643-2361, extension 4300. Forms can also be found at hmhospital.org/foundation. Illinois State Police District 19 Commander Captain Nathan Douglas has announced two enforcement patrols to be held in Wayne County in September. ISP will conduct a Distracted Driving Enforcement Patrol in Wayne and White counties. State police will also conduct a Nighttime Enforcement Patrol in Wayne County. The Grand Champion Steer at the Illinois State Fair brought in a record bid from First Lady M.K. Pritzker. Bob the steer checked in at over 1,300 pounds, and the governor and his wife entered a bidding war, with her coming out on top with a $105,000 bid. The governor says he's proud of the winning contestant, 17-year-old Winchester resident Landrey Freeman. The Wayne City Community Unit School District said yesterday morning it has received a letter from the Illinois State Board of Education putting them on probation for not adopting the state mandate for required indoor masking. Superintendent Myron Caudle said yesterday a date for a meeting with ISBE has not yet been set, but, after that initial meeting, the district will have 60 days to reply with an updated plan. He also indicated the district was not far enough into the process to know if or when another special board meeting would be held to discuss the matter. ISBE is set to hold their regular meeting today, and several southern Illinois superintendents are anticipated to push for changes to state mandates and for more local control on COVID issues. The agenda for the meeting does call for panel discussion on re-opening for school, but there is no action item on the agenda allowing for a change in its policy. Fairfield Police have released the name of the motorcycle operator killed in a crash at the intersection of Highway 15 and Route 45 west of Fairfield Sunday night. Police say 69-year-old Tamaroa resident Thomas M. Nelson appeared to be westbound on Highway 15 when he lost control, struck a curb and traffic sign, hit another curb, and was ejected. He was pronounced deceased at the scene. Fairfield Memorial Hospital will hold a blood drive today from 11:30 to 4:30 at its Educational Annex Building at 203 Northwest 10th Street in Fairfield. Anyone who would like to schedule an appointment can visit redcrossblood.org or call Marketing Director Shauna Williams at 847-8242. FMH says current inventories remain at critical levels across the country. Officials at The Clothes Line in Fairfield have temporarily closed its donation drop box once again. Due to being short-staffed and the rise in COVID cases, they will only take winter items at this time. Donations can be left during store hours of 9-4 on weekdays and 9-1 on Saturdays. No overnight drop-offs will be accepted. The Egyptian Health Department announced 20 new cases of COVID-19 in White County yesterday, bringing its total to 2,144. Five of the cases were girls under 20. Hamilton County added three cases and sat at 973- two of those cases were under 20 years old, and four people in the county were hospitalized. Marion County announced 67 new cases and sat at 5,128; six of the cases were fully vaccinated individuals. It also announced two additional deaths- males in their 60s and 70s. Jefferson County reported 21 new cases. The state Department of Public Health announced 3,639 new cases of COVID-19 and 16 additional deaths. Statewide totals sat at 1,470,452 cases and 23,640 deaths. The Southern Region had a seven-day positivity rate of 10.3 percent on the 14th, up from 10 percent on the 13th. Its seven-day average for ICU bed availability remained at nine percent. Corn and soybeans continue to progress. The latest statewide weekly crop report showed 27 percent of corn was in the dent stage and 79 percent was in the dough stage. 96 percent of soybeans were blooming, and 80 percent were setting pods. The third cutting of alfalfa advanced to 82 percent complete, and average statewide topsoil moisture was rated at two percent very short, 12 percent short, 76 percent adequate, and 10 percent surplus. Mark Gebhards, Illinois Farm Bureau Executive Director of Governmental Affairs and Commodities, says the bureau continues to follow an issue dealing with the Waters of the United States Rule. He says the current rule was put in place under Donald Trump, replacing an Obama-era rule. However, that could change, as the Biden Administration is seeking to repeal and replace that rule, causing the IFB concerned on regulatory overreach. Tim Lowry, former mayor of Red Bud in southwest Illinois, has become the second mayor in the area to plead guilty to lying to federal agents investigating an illegal business arrangement. Investigators reportedly found he and the insurance company he worked for paid former Columbia Mayor Kevin Hutchinson nearly $16,000 in "referral commissions" for recommending Lowry's company as a carrier. River stages as of this morning: the Little Wabash east of Fairfield stands at 23.53 feet, above the 17 ft. flood stage. Meanwhile, the Skillet Fork at Wayne City has a reading of 5.15 feet (flood stage is 15 ft.). The Little Wabash below Clay City is at 7.02 feet (flood stage is 18 ft.). Bonpas Creek at Browns reads 1.59 feet, and the Little Wabash at Main Street in Carmi reads 18.81 feet. The Wabash River at Mt. Carmel sits at 4.80 feet. Today's crude oil price is $59.50, down $0.75 from yesterday. The September crude oil price is $67.01, up $0.09 from yesterday morning.