Last night, the Murphysboro City Council selected a replacement for the imprisoned alderman Ronald Nolan, and unanimously chose Tom Ridings.

The choice was made after the council removed fellow member Ronald Nolan back in November following his guilty plea in a sex abuse case.

Alderman Barbara Hughes had been representing Ward 1 alone until the council voted last night, and Ridings will now represent Ward 1 alongside Hughes.

One of the problems Ridings hopes to fix is the issue of garbage accumulating on people’s property.

He will serve the remaining two years of Nolan’s term before having to run for election.