'The worst drought we've had in a while'

By Ryan Clark and Pam Tharp, Palladium-Item staff writers

Brian Creek watched the weather radar Thursday and saw a familiar pattern.

What looked like a nice rain headed across the state toward Wayne and Union counties was mostly rained out by the time it arrived, just like other promised rains this summer.

"When (the rain) got to the county line, it did it again," said Creek, who farms near the Boston area. "We only got about six-tenths of an inch. It was extremely spotty. Places in Illinois got 4 to 5 inches."