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SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) - An exhibit of drawings of fallen Illinois soldiers on display in Springfield has been extended for another month.

The Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum announced Friday the "Portrait of a Soldier" exhibit will remain open until after July 4. The display originally was scheduled to close Friday.

The new closing date will give more visitors a chance to see the traveling display of hand-drawn portraits of Illinois soldiers killed since Sept. 11, 2001.

Artist Cameron Schilling of Mattoon has drawn all the portraits. He began drawing them in August 2004.

Gov. Pat Quinn says the exhibit honors Illinois heroes. The free exhibit is at the library portion of the museum campus.

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. (AP) -- A Springfield woman is suing her former landlord over a fire that killed her three children.

The Springfield News-Leader reports that Violet Watson is asking in excess of $25,000 in damages in the suit filed this month in Green County.

The March 2010 fire killed 7-year-old Alexis Watson, 5-year-old Kelsey Watson and 4-year-old Devin Watson. The children's grandfather was seriously injured.

Initially, Violet Watson's then-fiance was charged with setting the fire. But the charge was dropped after laboratory tests found no trace of an accelerant. The cause of the fire is listed as undetermined.

The lawsuit says the landlords failed to maintain a safe property for the home's residents. The suit says there were smoke alarm issues and that the house had "faulty wiring."

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. (AP) -- Authorities say a 13-month-old girl has been found safe, hours after an Amber Alert was issued for the infant who was in a car apparently stolen from a Springfield parking lot.

< The Springfield News-Leader reports the child, Harmony Blue, was in the car with an older child when the car was taken from a store parking lot Saturday afternoon. Police say the children's father left them and the keys in the car while he was in a store and briefly chased after the car on foot.

The older child was dropped off nearby and recovered by police.

Springfield police Lt. Brian Phillips says the young girl was reunited with her family Saturday evening and the car was recovered, but he declined to release details.

There was no arrest reported.

 

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. (AP) - Law enforcement officers are looking for a Springfield man who managed to escape a patrol car while in handcuffs.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol says 31-year-old Nicholas Ray Gamblin fled last Wednesday. He was in the patrol car after being taken into custody for allegedly stealing a truck and gathering chemicals to make methamphetamine.

 Patrol spokesman Sgt. Jason Pace says the officer double locked the handcuffs behind Gamblin's back and put him in the front seat of the patrol car.

Gamblin fled when the trooper began searching the pickup truck.

The Springfield News-Leader reports an in-car camera showed the man turned around in the seat, opened the door behind his back and ran from the vehicle.