Hi all: Just about anyone who has studied White County or Southern Illinois knows our area has always been an economic backwater, and has gone through some really tough times as the oil industry and small towns decline. About two years ago the State of Illinois agreed to build a new prison near Grayville, which would have brought many good, permanent jobs to the area. In April work on the facility stopped, a victim of the state budget deficit. It appears the project is on its last legs, but a petition drive has been started to try to bring some development to White County. If you are an Illinois voter, please sign the petition at http://www.PetitionOnline.com/gville03/petition.html . Please forward it to other Illinois residents you know. Back to genealogy, Cindy Birk Conley Carmi, IL