27 Ticketed For No Seat Belt

llinois State Police (ISP) District 19 Commander, Captain Cory Ristvedt, announces the results of an Occupant Restraint Enforcement Patrol (OREP) held in Wabash and Edwards Counties during November. This OREP provided extra patrol coverage for the ISP so officers could focus on saving lives by making sure all vehicle occupants were buckled up.

Violations Enforcement Activity

Safety Belt Citations 27

Child Restraint Citations 0

Total Citations 30

Total Written Warnings 12

Most motorists know safety belts save lives, but some ignore their safety and that of their families by neglecting to use safety belts and child restraint devices. These patrols reinforce the occupant protection message by focusing on those who ignore the law. Lives can be saved if people simply “buckle up!” This project is funded through the Illinois Department of Transportation.

Aces of the Month

Mount Carmel Junior High School would like to congratulate the Aces of the Month. These students have been selected by MCJHS Staff as going above and beyond at the Junior High School. Congratulations go to 7th grade students, Amanda Bright & Tori Madlem, and 8th grade student Makayla Beesley. Great job students and keep it up!!!

When Will It Snow?

Here are the median dates of the first measurable snowfall of the season in Illinois. This map is based on 1971-2000 data. While it is not based on the current 1981-2010 averages, the map is still relevant for the purpose of getting an idea of the dates. Measurable snowfall means at least a tenth of an inch.

In the northern third of Illinois, the first snowfall usually occurs around Thanksgiving. The dates move from November to December once you reach central Illinois (just north of a line between Quincy and Champaign). By the time you reach Carbondale, the date can be as late as December 20.

In about 10 percent of the cases, the first measurable snow occurred as early as November 5 in northern Illinois to November 20 in far southern Illinois.

In about 10 percent of the cases, the first measurable snow occurred as late as December 20 in northern Illinois. South of a line from Quincy to Champaign (Interstate 72), it can occur after the New Year. From Carbondale southward, Illinois, it can be January 20th before the first snow arrives.

Here are the normal annual snowfall totals for sites across Illinois. You can find many more maps on normal snowfall by month here and tables of normal snowfall by site here. To give you a rough idea of how the normal snowfall changes across Illinois, it’s close to 3 feet in northern Illinois, 2 feet in central Illinois, and 1 foot in southern Illinois.

WGH Honored For Exceptional Quality Of Care

The Illinois Critical Access Hospital Network (ICAHN) recently recognized Wabash General Hospital for its ongoing commitment to exceptional quality of care, during a ceremony held November 14th at the I Hotel and Conference Center, Champaign, IL.

As part of the Federal Office of Rural Health Policy Medicare Beneficiary Quality Improvement Program (MBQIP), Wabash General Hospital and other critical access hospitals were asked to voluntarily participate in four defined domains of quality outcomes. These four domains include: Patient Safety/Inpatient; Patient Engagement; Care Transitions; and Outpatient Measures.

“Often, in rural hospitals, having a devoted staff member to abstract and submit this data can be both time-consuming and burdensome,” said Angie Charlet, ICAHN Director of Quality, Educational Services, and Compliance. “This hospital realizes how important quality of care and an engaged staff is for its patients…From its top leadership on throughout the facility, each strives for continued quality on a daily basis, and that is what we are celebrating today.”

Wabash General Hospital was recognized for its quality of care outcomes (for participating in all measures in all four domains), for demonstrating top performance over two quarters in any domain (as is demonstrated by a >95% quality score), and for achieving a ‘5-Star’ HCAHPS Rating. The Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) created the HCAHPS Star Ratings for consumers to more quickly and easily access the patient experience of care information provided on the Hospital Compare website. Star ratings will also allow consumers to more easily compare hospitals.

“We are very proud of our team for achieving this level of excellence in health quality,” said Jay Purvis, Wabash General CEO. “This is truly a team effort that recognizes our dedication to delivering a healthcare experience that our patients and staff can be proud of.”

PICTURED: Pat Schou (left), ICAHN Executive Director; Jay Purvis, WGH CEO; and Angie Charlet, ICAHN Director of Quality, Education Service and Compliance

Traffic Stop Leads To Meth Arrest

On 11/26/17 at 11:05 p.m. a Sheriff's Deputy conducted a traffic stop for an equipment violation on a gray Ford pick up on Highway 15 just west of Bellmont.  During the roadside investigation the driver, 32 year old Johnathon M.L. Schrodt, of Crossville, was found to have open alcohol within the vehicle.  MCPD K9 Ace was requested for an open air narcotics sniff and gave a positive alert on the vehicle.  Subsequently a passenger in the Schrodt vehicle, 39 year old Anthony E. Crews, West Salem, was taken into custody on a charge of possession of methamphetamine and possession of drug paraphernalia.  Schrodt was cited for illegal transportation of alcohol and released.   

Sheriff Derek Morgan: "While methamphetamine remains prevalent in our community the Sheriff's Office is taking proactive measures to combat this serious drug.  Aggressive traffic enforcement is just one example of those proactive measures being implemented in response to our County-wide drug problem."

39 year old Anthony E. Crews, West Salem

Grayville Woman Picked Up On Wabash Warrant

While on patrol on 11/24/17 at 8;37p.m. a Wabash County Sheriff's Deputy conducted a vehicle stop for a moving violation. 41 year old Charis S. Adams of Grayville was found to have an active warrant out of Wabash County for failure to appear on a careless driving charge.  Adams was taken into custody and transported to the Wabash County Jail where she later posted a $300 cash bond. 

Dog Comes To Aid In Domestic Battery

On 11/23/17 at approximately 8:12p.m. the Wabash County Sheriff's Office received a call from a third party requesting the police to 15596 E. 1280 Rd. Mt. Carmel, for an unknown problem. 

Once the deputy arrived he found a man laying outside the residence whom advised he had been beaten up and bitten by a dog. The male was identified as 52 year old Alvin Addison of Mt. Carmel.  EMS was contacted for the intoxicated Addison whom later refused medical treatment.  Further investigation revealed that an argument had occurred earlier in the evening and Addison is accused of grabbing a female family member by the neck and pushing her onto the bed.  When another female family member tried to intervene Addison is accused of grabbing her by the hair and banging her head into a cabinet multiple times.  At that point is when Addison was bitten by the dog whom was trying to come to the aid of the female. 

Addison was transported to the Wabash County Jail where he was charged with Domestic Battery, 2 counts, with bond being set at $3,000 cash.  Addison remains in custody. 

“THE MUSICAL SPIRIT OF CHRISTMAS” COMING TO WVC’S BRUBECK THEATRE

Wabash Valley College and the Wabash Valley Arts Council are pleased to usher in the Christmas season with “The Musical Spirit of Christmas” concert this Sunday, December 3 at 1:30 p.m. in the Brubeck Arts Center Theatre.

Opening the concert will be the Wabash Valley College Community Choir under the direction of Guest Director Gary Hargett. Directing music is nothing new for Gary Hargett. The Mt. Carmel native and Mt. Carmel High School graduate has many years of choir directing experience, starting at the young age of 16. After earning a degree in Music Education from Oakland City University, Gary served as an organist and choir director in the United Church of Christ in St. Louis for 40 years. He currently serves as the Minister of Music at the First Christian Church, Disciples of Christ in Mt. Carmel.

The WVC Community Choir, whose membership ranges in age from high school students to senior citizens, will perform a blend of secular and religious songs. Besides singing popular traditional Christmas songs, the choir will perform “Keep Christ in Christmas” which Hargett composed.

The Choir will end with a sing-along of “Joy to the World.”

Choir members include: Janice Alka, Nancy Atchison, Pat Cotsakis, Claudia Dant, Peggy Kolb, Mary Wonzik, JoEtta Briggs, Sharon Mobley, Gail Ritz, Jackie Summers, Carolyn Tennis, Shelby McKnight, Kelsey Phelps, Sue Schmidt, Lori Ann Schwartz, Mary Trimble, Jamey Walston, Victoria Bayne, Diana Daniel, Carolyn Highhouse, Shirley Goodman, Amy Ireland, Brenda Marriott, Andrew Jordan, Jim Summers, Joe Thompson, George Beckerman, Bill Berry, Dub Dallas and Barry Roberts. Alison Dudley is the piano accompanist.

The second half of the concert will feature recording artists, The Browne Sisters. The Browne Sisters, Gina Moore and Joan Mobley-Moore are from Evansville, Indiana. The Christmas songs to be performed by The Browne Sisters will be familiar to many but staged with fresh vocal stylings that audiences love.

The Musical Spirit of Christmas is a concert the entire family will want to attend. Tickets are $6 and are available by calling 618-263-5124, or seatonc@iecc.edu. Patron Passes will be honored.

Weed Hearing In Springfield

Legalizing marijuana for adult recreational use spurred all kinds of economic activity in other states and Illinois lawmakers are considering the benefits in the Land of Lincoln.

Colorado state Rep. Dan Pabon testified in Illinois Tuesday that tax revenue from legalization won’t fix Illinois' budget woes, but it will generate economic activity.

“It is a very vibrant entrepreneurial setting I think in Colorado and is reflective of the interest we have in developing not necessarily cannabis, but new business opportunities in our state,” Pabon said.

Pabon, a Democrat, said legal weed isn’t making Coloradans lazy. The state has a 2.3 percent unemployment rate as opposed to Illinois’ 4.9 percent.

Marijuana Policy Group’s Adam Orens said legalization also spurs on the "buy local" movement

“What you saw was that this had spillover economic effects on more than about 90 percent of the other industries in [Colorado],” Orens said.

Among the many industries helped by legal cannabis in Colorado were security, greenhouse technology, research, banking, tourism and even culinary, the advocates said.

Even without recreational cannabis being legal in Illinois, one publisher said she's already created jobs and investment with the magazine “Kitchen Toke,” which focuses on cannabis edibles.

Joline Rivera publishes “Kitchen Toke” magazine out of Chicago. She said the magazine has hired up to 40 writers and graphic designers, “all of which are being employed and paid without even touching the plant,” Rivera said.

Advocates also said the best way to destroy black markets is to have free markets, and tax rates play a big role.

“The way to get rid of the black market is to allow the free market to take over,” Pabon said.

However, Pabon said taxes on marijuana should be reasonable so consumers stay away from the black market.

“We didn’t want to disincentivize folks from moving into the regulated market and we also didn’t want to send mixed signals,” Pabon said. “Yes, this is legal but we don’t want to you to buy it because our tax rate is too high.”

Colorado taxes cannabis at 30 percent in combined sales and excise taxes. Illinois’ proposed bill would have a $50 an ounce tax with a state sales tax of 6.25 percent, but sponsors of legalization expect the bill to be amended early next year.

While Tuesday's hearing was focused on the economic impacts of legalization, popular travel host Rick Steves appeared at the hearing and said among his world travels and his efforts to get cannabis legalized in other U.S. states, he has seen the positive social benefits.

"There's less crime, there's less people in jail, and there's money now earmarked for education," Steves said. Other than that, he said there's not much more noticeable differences between legal and illegal cannabis jurisdictions.

Opponents of legalization also appeared at Tuesday's hearing. Some said cannabis is a gateway drug, and that legalization will cause more problems with addiction and youth use. And some said there were fears of other possible negative social consequences.

Illinois state Sen. Dan McConchie said the state is jumping the gun. He questioned the data of crime rates decreasing and economic activity increasing with legalization.

Wabash County's Jobless Rate Shows Big Improvement Over 2016

While the October jobless rate in Wabash County remained the same as the month before, the 4.5% figure is a big improvement over the 6.5% rate registered last October. Labor Market analyst Dennis Hoffman with the state’s department of employment security says the latest rates continued the downward trend…

The lowest rate in southern Illinois was again in Edwards County at 3.7% while the highest rate of 7.8% was in Alexander County.

Employment gains were reported in fall 2017 in Transportation and Health-Services in Southern Illinois. Payrolls in Recreation and Construction began to decline with seasonal layoffs. Over the year, employment advances were reported in Professional-Business Services, Retail Trade and Health Services. Payroll losses occurred in Mining, Information, and Financial Activities during the past year.

Numerous employment opportunities were advertised in Health Care, Transportation, and Sales in fall 2017. Many job openings were available in Office and Administrative Support, Management, and Food Preparation occupations. Career prospects were favorable in Social Services, Health Care Support, Education, Production, and Installation, Maintenance, and Repair. Jobs were also advertised for Construction, Engineering, Business-Finance, and Personal Care Service occupations.

The unemployment rate identifies those who are out of work and seeking employment. A person who exhausts benefits, or is ineligible, still will be reflected in the unemployment rate if they actively seek work.