Senior Center Cuts Still Looming Despite Partial Payment From State

It’s not exactly a reprieve from the Governor, but the Wabash County Senior Citizens Center and other senior centers around the state have received some much-needed funding. At last night’s Mt. Carmel City Council meeting, senior citizens and finance commissioner Joe Judge said the city recently received a payment from the state to catch up on what hadn’t been paid from fiscal year ’17. But, Judge said the state still owes the local center almost $21,500 from the current fiscal year and that total will increase by another $5,333 if no payment comes this way in the next 10 days. Previously, Judge said if no money was received, the senior center was looking at curtailing services at the end of this month. But now, Judge says the money has bought some time, if even just a little….

At a meeting last month, Judge said senior centers all around Illinois are suffering because of the financial crisis in Springfield.

New Boil Order In Mt. Carmel

The City has issued a water boil order for all locations along 4th Street between Ash and Locust and all locations along Division Street between 3rd and 5th.  This order will remain in effect until further notice.

The earlier boil order for all locations along Oak Street between the Villa and Poplar Street continues.

Mt. Carmel Boil Order Still In Effect

Mt. Carmel Water Commissioner Justin Dulgar tells WSJD this evening that the boil order that was issued Friday for parts of the city remains in effect until further notice.

Previous Story: All locations along Oak Street between the Villa and Poplar Street are under a boil order until further notice due to a water line break in that area.  Those affected by the boil order should boil their water for 5 minutes before using it for human consumption.  The boil order will continue until further notice.

I-70 Crash Injures 1

ISP TRAFFIC CRASH ALERT

The Following Preliminary Information is Being Released by Illinois State Police District 12

WHAT: Injury Crash

WHERE:  I-70 E/B MP 92,(South Tri-Level)  Effingham

WHEN: 01/01/2018, 8:47 am

VEHICLES: Unit #1 –Blue Chevrolet Malibu

DRIVER: Unit #1 – Smith, Jeru age 19 of Aurora Co
       
PASSENGERS: Portwood, Autumn,  Age 22 of Theresa NY
Portwood, Austin  Age 19 of Theresa, NY
Osborn, Trenton  Age 19 of Muskogee, OK

CHARGES: To fast for condition

PRELIMINARY:   Preliminary investigative details indicates Unit #1 had a tire go flat.  Unit #1 ran off on the shoulder to the right off the roadway.  The unit then struck the ditch embankment. Passenger Autumn Portwood was transported to St. Anthony Hospital for minor injuries.

All subjects are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law
 

911 call leads to arrest of Cynthiana man on DUI charge

On December 30, 2017, at 7:52 p.m. Gibson County Central Dispatch received a 911 call from a residence in the 4800 block of North 200 West. The caller reported that a suspicious person was attempting to enter their house. While officers were enroute to the scene the caller reported that the suspicious person was in a red truck and attempting to leave. Deputy U.B. Smith arrived on scene and spoke with 39 year old Todd Stuessel of Cynthiana. While speaking with Mr. Stuessel Deputy Smith detected the odor of an alcoholic beverage coming from Mr. Stuessel and began a DUI investigation. At the conclusion of Deputy Smith’s investigation Mr. Stuessel was transported to the Gibson County Jail where he was charged with Driving While Suspended/Prior and Operating a Vehicle While Intoxicated (DUI.) Mr. Stuessel has since posted a $650 bond.

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

Somerville man arrested on strangulation charge

On December 31, 2017 at 11:39 p.m. Gibson County Central Dispatch received a report that a person was at the Princeton Police Department and wished to speak with Deputies about a battery that had occurred in the 8000 block of West State Road 64.. Upon arriving at the Police Department Deputy Jennifer Loesch began an investigation into the incident. At the conclusion of her investigation Deputy Loesch placed 23 year old Cody Marvell of Somerville into custody and transported him to the Gibson County Jail.

At the Gibson County Jail Mr. Marvel was charged with Battery and Strangulation. 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.

Mt. Carmel City Council Meets Tuesday

AGENDA

CITY OF MOUNT CARMEL

REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING

Tuesday Jan. 2, 2018 at 5:00pm

·         Call to Order

·         Pledge of Allegiance

·         Invocation

·         Roll Call

·         Visitors to address the Council     (topic discussed by visitor(s) is limited to 5 minutes)

·         Mayor’s Report

COMMISSIONER’S REPORT:

·         Eric Ikemire                        Streets, Cemeteries and Parks

·         Joseph Judge                     Finance and Senior Citizens

·         Justin Dulgar                      Water and Sewer

·         Rod Rodriguez                   Fire, Health & Safety, City Hall, Garbage and Civil Defense

STAFF REPORTS:

·         Rudy Witsman

·         Kelli Storckman

·         Mike Gidcumb  

BUSINESS:

·         Consideration of cemetery mowing bids

·         Consideration of bid for city property at 615 E. 4th Street

·         Presentation of Consent Agenda

o   Second reading of Ordinance 1083 an Ordinance adopting a policy prohibiting sexual harassment

o   Approve the minutes of the regular Council meeting held 12/18/2017

o   Approve payment of all bills bearing the proper signature

·         Removal of items from the Consent Agenda

·         Consideration of Consent Agenda

·         Consideration of items removed from the Consent Agenda

·         Executive Session (if needed)

·         Motion to Adjourn

NY Holiday Closings

Since today is a federal holiday, most everything is closed including banks, post offices, government buildings, and schools. Things are a little different tomorrow as places like Mt. Carmel City Hall will be open and the city council will meet at 5pm. But, the Wabash County Courthouse will be closed again tomorrow, and the county board meeting is pushed back to a rare Wednesday session. Wabash County schools reopen on Wednesday.

Long Range Forecast...More Cold

As we begin the new year, the one thing on everyone’s mind is the cold weather. A wind chill advisory remains in effect until noon tomorrow as wind chill values today will be close to 15 below. And as we’re getting  blasted right now with frigid temperatures, the January outlook is for winter to remain on the cold side. State Climatologist Jim Angel says that a weather pattern in the Pacific Ocean, La Nina, is going to influence how many layers you’re going to be wearing.



COLDER



The current blast of arctic air is about the coldest stretch most of the state has seen since

early 2014.

Opioid Lawsuits On The Rise

A growing number of Illinois counties are suing the makers of opioid pain pills to recoup the cost of treating addicts, but one researcher in Illinois says the drug companies alone are not the only ones with a role in the state's opioid crisis. 

Champaign County is the latest county to join the lawsuit against the makers of opioid pain medications. 

The thought is to hold the drug makers accountable for the rapid spread of addiction. But Jesse Hathaway, a research fellow at the Heartland Institute, said the drug companies aren't the only ones with a role to play. 

"The seven states with the highest rates of drug overdoses were West Virginia, New Hampshire, Kentucky, Ohio, Rhode Island, Pennsylvania, and Massachusetts," Hathaway said. "There's something else those states have in common. Those states had just expanded Medicaid coverage, which also includes more access to prescription drugs."

Hathaway says both the CDC and the Government Accountability Office note the link between Medicaid and Medicare and the opioid crisis. 

"According to the Centers for Disease Control, there are a number of peer-reviewed, academic studies that suggest Medicaid enrollees are twice as likely to be prescribed opioids as people in private insurance," Hathaway said. 

Hathaway is not suggesting that counties who are suing drug makers also sue the state and federal government, although he is saying that there are more people to blame for the explosion of opioid addiction than just the companies that made the pills.