Indiana State Police Mourns the Loss of Retired Canine 'Camo'

 The Indiana State Police is saddened to announce the death of 12 year old retired canine Camo. Friday morning, November 24th, Camo was euthanized after a lengthy battle with Degenerative Myelopathy. District Commander Lt. Jeff Payne stated, "I am deeply saddened by the death of Camo, he was an invaluable asset to our district for nearly 10 years. He undoubtedly saved lives and made our communities safer. He will be greatly missed."

The Indiana State Police K9 program has a steep tradition stretching back to 1938 when with the first dog, a bloodhound named Brutus, began patrolling statewide. In June of 2007 another canine began his career with the state police, 2 year old German Shepherd named Camo. Early in his career Camo, along with his partner Master Trooper Greg Magee, spent time patrolling the Indianapolis District assisting with drug searches, human tracking, evidence searches and assisting with other police activities.

 In 2009, in addition to his patrol duties, Camo was assigned part-time to the Indiana State Police SWAT team, where he was called to nearly every SWAT situation. Camo quickly earned the utmost confidence and respect from the SWAT members and in 2016 he became the first state police canine assigned full-time to a SWAT team. He continued to work diligently and since 2013 had responded to more than 450 SWAT calls. Camo has set the bar and laid the groundwork for future SWAT Canine Teams. 

During his 10 year career Camo is responsible for finding thousands of pounds of narcotics, millions of dollars in drug money and taking criminals off the streets. In one investigation Camo located 27 Kilos of cocaine, in another he found over 2000 pounds of marijuana and his largest single cash seizure in a single incident was over $2,000,000. 

Master Trooper Greg Magee remembers Camo as a hard working, driven, loyal partner. He said "Camo was more than a canine, he was family. I knew I could always count on him to cover my back and to be there when I needed him. He loved going to work everyday and each time he heard my police car start his excitement was exuberant. I will hold the memory of Camo deeply in my heart and feel so fortunate to have been his partner for more than 10 years."

City Council Meets In Special Session

The Mt. Carmel City Council met in special session yesterday afternoon to hold two public hearings to facilitate improvements to the city infrastructure. The first hearing was a requirement for the city to borrow more than $1.3 million from the Illinois EPA to pay for proposed construction at the wastewater plant. City Clerk Rudy Witsman said the need for the work is important as they are out of compliance with the I-EPA….

Witsman said the work will start after the first of the year and will be completed in February of 2019.

The second project dealt with the reissuance of a $150,000 bond to purchase public safety equipment. Witsman explained the bond is renewed every 5 years and finance commissioner Joe Judge said $100,000 will go to the fire department while $50,000 is earmarked for the police department. According to Judge, 5 years ago…the street department received $100,000 with the police department getting $50,000. He said the rotation of the funds allows each department to receive a total of $100,000 every ten years.

6 Reappointed To WGH Foundation Board

Six members of the Wabash General Hospital Foundation Board have been reappointed to new three year terms. At their monthly meeting last night, the WGH Board approved the reappointment of foundation members George Raber, Dan Schonert, Steve Burton, Marilyn Kieffer, Dorothy Dersch, and Rob Coleman. WGH CEO Jay Purvis said Kate Ackerman will serve as the Foundation chair in 2018.

Filing Period Opens For 2018 Election

The window of opportunity for candidates wishing to run for office in the 2018 election opened today with a flurry of candidates filing nominating petitions in the county clerk’s office. The first to file was Sheriff Derek Morgan who is running for a second term. Morgan will have opposition in the March 20th primary as Jimmy McVaigh also filed today to run for the Republican nomination for sheriff. Others filing today were all incumbents including  County Clerk Janet Will, treasurer Beverly McBride, and county commissioner Tim Hocking. The deadline to get on the spring primary ballot is Monday, December 4th at 5 p.m. Petitions can still be picked up in the county clerk's office.

Field Fire Near Lake Froman

Mt. Carmel firemen were dispatched to a field fire near Lake Froman this afternoon.

Derek Morgan Files To Run For 2nd Term

The window of opportunity for candidates wishing to run for office in the 2018 election opened today as County Clerk Janet Will says this is the first day nominating papers can be filed.

One of the first candidates to file this morning was Sheriff Derek Morgan who filed to run for re-election. Morgan was elected in November of 2014 after defeating former sheriff Joe Keeling in the Republican primary. 

The deadline to get on the spring primary ballot is Monday, December 4th at 5 p.m. Offices up for grabs in 2018 include: county commissioner Tim Hocking’s 6 year seat, Sheriff, Treasurer and County Clerk. The primary is March 20th while the general election is November 6th.

Hallador Energy Subsidiary Constructing Truck to NS Rail Facility in Indiana

Sunrise Coal, LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Hallador Energy, announces the signing of a Side Track Agreement with the Norfolk and Southern Railway to construct a truck to rail coal loading facility.  The facility known as the Princeton Loop will be located 6 miles West of Princeton, IN on Highway 64 and includes the ability to unload trucks, blend coals, load 135 car unit trains in four hours and store over 4 million tons of coal.  The new facility will primarily serve utility coal plants served by the Norfolk Southern once the rail facility is completed in the spring of 2018.  Hallador's President and CEO, Brent Bilsland, stated, "We are excited about the development of the Princeton Loop as it enables Sunrise's low-cost production to access substantial new markets and better serve our customers." 

New State Law Limits Out Of State Wine Sales

Wine retailers in Illinois are suffering the consequences of a law enacted earlier this year that makes it a felony to ship wine into the state without the proper license.

One wine industry expert said requiring another license for retailers is just another way for the state to make money at the expense of small business owners.

Cynthia Fleischli, executive director for the Illinois Grape Growers and Vintners Alliance, said retailers can no longer ship their wine without a shipping license because of the new law that grew out of Senate Bill 2989, an amendment of the Liquor Control Act of 1934.

An increase in oversight and enforcement of interstate wine shipping is tied to a three-tier system in Illinois that dates back to Prohibition, according to Fleischli.

“A three-tier system means that you have to go through a distributorship,” she said. “You can’t manufacture, you can’t own, and you can’t distribute.”

If you are a retailer and you don’t have a shipper's license, you’re sending your product directly to consumers without going through the three-tier system and this had a negative financial impact on some distributors in Chicago, Fleischli said.

Fleischli said the state now requires a number of licenses from wine retailers to do business in the state.

“A manufacturer's license, you have the retailer’s license, you have the events license, you’ve got the shipper’s license. That’s four licenses and I am just scratching the surface,” Fleischli said.    

SB2989 made it a Class 4 felony for wine retailers to ship wine into the state and it is having a negative impact on their bottom line.

Fleischli said the wine industry brings in more than $700 million to the state every year. There are 108 wineries in Illinois and they’re all in rural areas, she said.

This law will make it difficult for small businesses to make a profit.

“In Illinois, to do business is very difficult,” she said. “When you implement laws that prohibit people from making money or being able to keep the money that they make,  that makes commerce very difficult.”

Fleischli doesn’t think members of her alliance will be heavily impacted by this law.

“Our people already have the shipper's license and they’re not purchasing from someone that doesn’t have a shipper's license because they are making their own wine,” Fleischli said.  

Fort Branch man arrested on DUI charge

On November 25, 2017, at 3:12 a.m. Gibson County Central Dispatch received a report of an intoxicated male trying to get into a Red 2016 Toyota Tundra at the Fastbreak Marathon located at 805 E Oak Street in Fort Branch, Indiana. Upon arriving at Marathon Deputy U.B. Smith was able to locate the vehicle and conducted a traffic stop. Upon approaching the vehicle Deputy Smith detected the odor of alcohol coming from the driver 34 year old Kevin Herren Jr. of Fort Branch. At that point Deputy Smith began a roadside investigation that resulted in Mr. Herren being taken into custody and transported to the Gibson County Jail.

At the Gibson County Jail Mr. Herren was charged with Operating a Vehicle While Intoxicated (DUI.) He remains in custody on a $750 bond.

All Criminal defendants are to be presumed innocent until, and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

Traffic stop leads to the arrest of three on drug charges

On November 23, 2017, at 12:52 a.m. Gibson County Deputy U.B. Smith stopped a 2014 Chevy Cruze for speeding on US 41 near Fort Branch, Indiana. Upon approaching the vehicle Deputy Smith detected the odor of burnt Marijuana coming from inside the vehicle. At that point Deputy Smith began a roadside investigation that resulted in the arrest of the driver 35 year old Eric Cripe of Fort Wayne for Operating a Vehicle While Intoxicated and Possession of Marijuana. Also arrested were passengers 43 year old Aaron Staniszewski for Possession of Marijuana and 52 year old Patricia Staniszewski of Calien, Michigan for Possession of Marijuana and Possession of a Controlled Substance. All subjects were transported to the Gibson County Jail, and have since posted bond.

Assisting Deputy Smith in his investigation was Deputy Jennifer Loesch.

All Criminal defendants are to be presumed innocent until, and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.