The Marion County Sheriff's Department raided Biggie's Convenience Store at Route 161 and Interstate 57 Tuesday morning and confiscated 475 packages of synthetic cannabis.  Sheriff Jerry DeVore says the seizure is being made under the new Illinois Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act and following numerous complaints about the store selling the synthetic drug.   DeVore reports the drug was not openly displayed, but was allegedly available under the counter. 

The operator of the store, 43-year-old Kelly Alexander of Walnut Hill Road in Walnut Hill, was taken into custody on a Class II felony charge of unlawful distribution of a misbranded drug.  DeVore says Alexander arrived during the execution of the search warrant.  Alexander is expected to remain in the Marion County Jail until bond is set during his first court appearance on Wednesday.  

The business was shut down after seven deputies arrived to shut down the business around eight Tuesday morning.  The store will be allowed to reopen.  

Another similar raid was conducted at the store last year, but no criminal charges had been filed because the chemical compound did not match those identified as being illegal in the state statue.  DeVore says that should not be a problem under the statue Alexander is being charged now.   

DeVore hopes the arrest and seizure will cut down on the availability of the drug.   The estimated street value of the drug seized Tuesday was placed at $19,350.  

DeVore commended the department's investigators Anthony Decker and Ryan Castleman for doing an excellent job in setting up Tuesday's raid.      

The Salem City Council has created a new special use permit crafted to allow the redevelopment of the Armory building into a family recreation center.  

The council agreed to not have a second reading to help meet the timetable of developer John Andrews.  

City Manager Bill Gruen says residents will still get to weigh in on their thoughts about the project.  "If the city council is okay with amended our zoning code in this way, John Andrews would still to have to come back to the planning commission to request issuance of the special use and there would be a public hearing.  People in the neighborhood would receive notice of the hearing and would be able to come in and speak on it and let the planning commission know how they feel about it," said Gruen.

The public hearing before the planning commission will be scheduled for Tuesday, June 11th, at seven pm.  The planning commission makes final decisions on special use permits, so the issue will not come back before the city council.  In addition to the family fun center, Andrews also wants to use the building for storage of supplies for U.S. Sonet, as well as offices for emergency management services and other non-profit organizations.  

Andrews would like to have the business open around September first.  

The council approved labor and material bids for this summer's natural gas line replacement program.  Kieffer Brothers Construction will install the new line at a cost of $194,835.  Consolidated Pipe and Supply will provide the materials for $16,967. Public Works Director John Pruden says gas line will be replaced in the Prairie View Subdivision as well as Cope and Donoho Drive.  

The council approved replacement of the city hall computers at a cost of $17,134.  The county okayed a bid from Kassen for replacement of the Route 37 and Kell Street Pump Station.  A half-ton truck for the gas department will be purchased from Schmidt Ford for $20,650.  A three-quarter ton truck for the street department was purchased from Bob Ridings Ford of Taylorville for $17,840.  The council agreed to wait until they have a state bid before purchasing a one ton truck for the leaf vac.   

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) - Illinois House members say Senate President John Cullerton's pension-reform proposal saves at most only 60 percent of what the Chicago Democrat predicts. 

Reps. Elaine Nekritz and Darlene Senger say an actuarial study of Cullerton's plan shows it would reduce a $97 billion debt in employee pension systems by less than $6 billion. Cullerton says his plan would reduce that debt by $10 billion. 

Nekritz is a Northbrook Democrat and Senger is a Republican from Naperville. Their numbers are from pension-system administrators.

Spokeswoman Rikeesha Phelon says Cullerton doesn't dispute "preliminary numbers" but says information is incomplete.

Nekritz and Senger say their House-passed plan would reduce the liability by $28 billion. But Cullerton says his version can get court approval. 
 

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) - Former President Bill Clinton is calling on Illinois lawmakers to legalize same-sex marriage.

In a statement Tuesday, Clinton says Illinois "has stood for the proposition that all citizens should be treated equally under the law" since the days of Abraham Lincoln.  Clinton says Lincoln dedicated his life to ensuring equal opportunity for all citizens and that in the 21st century that should include allowing gay marriage.

The Illinois Senate approved a law legalizing gay marriage in February. The measure is pending in the Illinois House, where supporters and opponents have been heavily lobbying legislators.

Gov. Pat Quinn supports the bill. He said earlier this week it is one of his top legislative priorities before the session ends May 31.

Opponents say marriage should be between a man and woman.

VANDALIA (AP) - Fayette County Coroner Bruce Bowen says none of five men killed when their van repeatedly overturned on Interstate 70 near Vandalia was carrying identification, slowing efforts to notify their survivors.

Bowen says he's managed to identify three of those killed in the Monday morning crash.  Bowen could not say why the dead had no identification. The six other occupants of the 15-passenger van survived.

Illinois State Police spokeswoman Monique Bond says the investigation continues into what caused the accident. She says the van was headed from Ontario, Calif., to Philadelphia. Bond says the van's driver has been ticketed for improper lane usage and driving with a suspended license.