CARBONDALE, IL (KFVS) - Governor Pat Quinn and Illinois Transportation Secretary Ann  Schneider announced Wednesday, January 30 there will be a nearly $50 million investment in community transportation projects throughout Illinois.

The latest round of funding through the Illinois Transportation Enhancement Program will support more than 400 jobs through 54 projects, including bike paths, walking trails, historic preservation and streetscape beautification projects in communities across Illinois. The ITEP is a federally-funded, competitive program that encourages transportation-related enhancement projects in a variety of categories.

On the list of approved projects is $329,950 for a new downtown pedestrian and bicycle path in Carbondale.

CARBONDALE, IL (KFVS) - It seems that Carbondale is going to see a Winter Farmers Market this year.

According to Sarah Heyer, Exec. Director ofKeep Carbondale Beautiful the market will open on Saturday, December 1and will be held every Saturday (except Dec. 29) through March, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. 

Heyer says the location will be at Thomas School, 1025 North Wall Street, where Principal Linda Flowers has offered the use of the school cafeteria.

Flowers said she was motivated by the lack of easy access to fresh produce in that neighborhood.

Carbondale Elementary School District 95 has been encouraging students to eat healthier, including more fresh fruits and vegetables, so this project meets those goals, according to Heyer.

The market is being organized by Heyer and Elissa Johnson, produce buyer at the Neighborhood Co-op.

Copyright 2012 KFVS. All rights reserved.

With the holidays coming up fast, Black Friday will be here before we know it.

Every year we hear about the craziness at big name stores like Walmart, Target, etc. As a change of pace, we want to hear from local, small businesses and others in the community!

Will you be having any Black Friday sales or deals? If so, what are they? What are some tips you can give to people in your community wanting to shop more "local?"

If you're a local restaurant, will you have different hours and specials to cater to the Black Friday shoppers?

Is anyone in the community: churches, community centers, etc. offering babysitting for those that will be out in the early a.m. for shopping?

You can e-mail Amber Ruch, County News Web Producer at aruch@kfvs12.com. The information you provide will be featured online and on-air. Make sure to include a picture or two of your business!