Lynn Foster, County Clerk, will offer extended hours for voter registration at the Courthouse Annex from 9 a.m. to noon on each of the following Saturdays: Sept. 13, 20, 27 and Oct. 4.

New registrations as well as address and name changes must be completed by Oct. 7 for voters to be eligible to vote Nov. 4 in the General Election. Grace period registration and voting will be available from Oct. 8-21.

“I am frequently asked,” Mrs. Foster said, “If voters are required to re-register periodically. In general terms, the answer is “no.” Voter registration in Illinois is permanent; however, voters who move or whose addresses are changed must update their registrations, and voters who change their names must re-register because their signatures will be different.” To check the status of your voter registration, go to www.vercounty.org and click on County Clerk-Voter Registration Search, or call the Voter Registration Hotline at 554-1915.

To register to vote, applicants must be United States citizens and at least 18 years of age by Nov. 4. Persons wishing to register to vote who cannot do so in person may request a form to apply for voter registration by mail or may print an application form from www.elections.il.gov and mail it to the County Clerk at 6 N. Vermilion St., Danville, IL 61832,

Further information regarding voter registration sites, community and workplace deputy registrars, and precinct committeepersons may be obtained by calling the County Clerk’s Voter Registration Hotline at 554-1915.

The Republican headquarters will be open beginning Tuesday, Sept. 2 at 17 N. Vermilion St.

The hours are 11 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday through Friday and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday.

For information, call the headquarters at 431-2915.

Lori DeYoung, 104th District Democratic candidate for state representative, received the endorsement of the Illinois Federation of Teachers. The IFT is a statewide organization, of more than 90,000 teachers, educational workers, state employees, professionals in higher education and dental hygienists throughout Illinois.

DeYoung served on the Oakwood Unit 76 school board from 1991 1995 and was instrumental in the implementation of All-Day Kindergarten in 1993. .She has emphasized that Illinois legislators make it a priority by taking responsibility for providing adequate, equitable and reliable funding to our valuable institutions which will, in turn, provide our youngest generations with the tools to ensure for themselves, and for all of us living within the State of Illinois, a more secure and prosperous future.

Lori DeYoung, a life long resident of Fithian, is currently serving on the Vermilion County Board, is a former adjunct faculty at the University of Illinois’ School of Social Work, and is founder and executive director of Family Education and Support Services in Danville a not for profit organization with the mission of child abuse prevention.

Court Appointed Special Advocates will hold training classes Wednesdays in October.

The classes will be from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Lunch will be provided. Advocates must be older than 25 and pass routine background checks. Interested people can call Director Heather Fox at the CASA office at 446-5975.

Vermilion County residents who, due to a disability, are unable to appear in person to register should contact the County Clerk’s Voter Registration Hotline at 554-1915 for assistance. The department can arrange for in-home registration services, Lynn Foster said. Registration to vote is also available by mail, an application may be printed off the county’s website at www.vercounty.org.

The last day for Vermilion County residents to register to vote prior to the Nov. 4, 2008, General Election, under traditional Illinois voter registration is Tuesday, Oct. 7, 2008. Grace period registration and voting will be conducted in person at the County Clerk’s office from Oct. 8-21.

Illinois law provides for absentee voting for persons who are disabled or incapacitated. Those who wish to vote absentee by mail should request an application from the County Clerk’s office as soon as possible after Thursday, Sept. 25. The voter must mail the completed application back in order to have a ballot sent by mail. The last day on which an absentee ballot may be mailed to a voter is Thursday, Oct. 30. In-person absentee voting is available at the County Vote Center, second floor of the Courthouse Annex, through Monday, Nov. 3.

Voters who are permanently disabled may request an application for a special identification card. This will entitle the voter to automatically receive an absentee ballot application for every election for five years. The card is also renewable. “This card is very convenient for our permanently disabled or incapacitated voters. We have had great success with this program,” Foster said,

“Voting aids and assistance in marking the ballot are provided in all Vermilion County polling locations for all elections,” Foster said. In addition, special voting equipment designed to meet the needs of physically challenged voters is now available in every polling place, she said.

For further information on absentee voting and the Automark Voter Assist Terminals, call 554-1911.

U.S. Rep. Tim Johnson has scheduled mobile office hours in August in Vermilion and Iroquois counties.

District Aide Kevin Johnson will be available at the following times and locations to address individuals concerns.

Monday, Aug. 18

n 9-10 a.m., Congressman Johnson’s office at Federal Courthouse, Danville.

n 10:30-11:30 a.m., Westville City Hall.

n Noon to 1 p.m., Georgetown City Hall.

n 1:30-2:30 p.m., Catlin Library.

n 3-4 p.m. Oakwood Library.

Aug. 25

n 9:30-10:30 a.m., Onarga City Hall.

n 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m., Donovan City Hall.

n 1-2 p.m., Sheldon Library.

n 2:30-3:30 p.m., Milford City Hall.

Rep. Bill Black, R-Danville, announces that much needed local road improvement projects are continuing to move forward. Black said that bids were recently returned to the Illinois Department of Transportation for eight crucial projects in our area, including:

n 1,012 feet of pavement patching on eastbound and westbound Interstate 74. The repair will cost $550,000.

n Placing shoulder rumble strips along I-74 from the Saline Ditch west of St. Joseph to east of the U.S. Route 150 interchange at a cost of $100,000.

n Replacing the culvert that carries Illinois Route 49 over a stream located 2.6 miles south of U.S. Route 136 for a total cost of $535,000.

n Replacing the overpass that carries county highway .22 over I-74 just north of Ogden in Champaign County at a cost of $3.6 million.

n Repairing water erosion damage at four existing structures at two locations on I-74 near Danville, totaling $300,000.

n 1.42 miles of pavement patching on I-74 from Interchange No. 214 (“G” Street, Tilton) to Interchange No. 215 (U.S. Route 150 and Illinois Route 1, Danville). The cost of these repairs totals $145,000.

n 0.347 mile pavement improvements including milling, HMA overlay, storm sewers, sidewalks, driveways, curb and gutter, seeding and pavement markings on West Street from the CSX Railroad to U.S. Route 150 in Georgetown in Vermilion County at a cost of $800,000.

“These improvements projects are necessary to keep the infrastructure of our roadways safe and keep up with the volume of traffic. I am very pleased that they are continuing to move forward,” Black said.

Black said start and completion dates for the projects will be announced within 60 days.

Court Appointed Special Advocates will offer training for a new class of advocates from 5:30-8:30 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays July 1-31 at 101 W. North St.

Materials are free. Think about standing up in court for an abused or neglected child. Interested people can call Director Heather Fox at 446-5975.

Staff for U.S. Senator Barack Obama will host office hours from 9:30-11:30 a.m. Friday, June 20 in the second floor conference room at the Danville Public Library, 319 N. Vermilion St.

Constituents seeking assistance from Senator Obama’s office or who wish to express an opinion to the senator are encouraged to attend. For more information, call Kathy Harrington at 492-5089.