A quick look at November 2: The right-wing campaign truck burned down

MAGNET – Jesse Lockhart of Neoga, a section worker on the construction work of the Illinois Central Railroad at Magnet Hill, was badly injured this morning when the end of the steel track struck his left thigh, tearing it open for a long time and rendering him unconscious from the shock. He was a crew member unloading a steel car. Lockhart was brought to Memorial Hospital. His leg is in serious condition, but surgeons are hoping to save it… TAYLORVILLE – Authorities in Christian and surrounding counties are searching for two unmasked bandits who last night robbed and beat Kelly Durbin, a Clarksdale elevator manager. After taking $75 from him, they beat him unconscious with the butt of a gun. Durbin was found lying on the side of the road an hour later.

Mattoon – Natural gas has been found in large quantities in the Mattoon area. Consulting geologist Roy Dannenberg of Effingham expects the discovery will end gas shortages in Mattoon and area towns for many years to come. Dannenberg says enough wells will be drilled within a year to produce enough gas to overcome the reduction in natural gas imposed by Eastern Panhandle Pipeline Co., CIPS’s main supplier. The new well, owned by James Covington and Charles Armantrout, is located north of Mattoon and measured in the Geneva Dolomites in the Devonian field. Dannenberg revealed that the dolomite, a rock formation, was tested at a depth of 3,195 to 3,213 feet and produced gas to the surface in 45 seconds… SPRINGFIELD — William Cox, a Republican from Charleston, says he’s been working as a $125 car salesman for a week since his confession Pleading guilty to two counts of financial impropriety as a state legislator, a federal judge sentenced him to 15 months in prison. Cox, who said his job with a Charleston auto dealer “has been enough to help us out” since Oct. 1, also resigned from his seat in the Illinois House of Representatives.

MATTON — Police are investigating a fire that broke out in a car belonging to state Rep. Dale Reiter, who was campaigning when the accident occurred. The truck was parked at 3121 DeWitt Ave. on Saturday when police and fire units were called to the scene at 3:04 p.m. No one was in the car when the fire broke out. Reiter, who is running for the 106th District seat in the Illinois House of Representatives, said he was in the area Saturday to do some door-to-door campaigning. He said he stopped the car and left it. Reiter said he was walking north on DeWitt Street when a friend came up and told him his car was on fire. The friend took him back to where the car was parked. Reiter said the fire severely damaged the truck, possibly beyond repair… MATTON — The damaging impact of the tornado that tore through Mattoon last spring is now close to home for the owner of a storage unit facility. Many of the buildings lost to the damaging winds have been replaced and are available for rent. About 225 units of various sizes were demolished during the early morning tornado on March 28. These included about six buildings at a storage rental facility near Jake’s Tire Center at 1109 S. 19th St. The majority of those units have now been replaced, owner Larry Trexler said. In addition, security has been enhanced. Burke Buildings of McLeansboro was contracted to rebuild the storage units.