On June 10, 2020, at 5:53 p.m. Gibson County Central Dispatch received a report of a rolling disturbance inside a vehicle. Upon locating one of the parties an interview was conducted and it was determined that a battery had possibly occurred. Upon locating the other party 36-year-old Brandon Pegram of Fort Branch he began to resist law enforcement officers and was taken into custody. During a pat down of Mr. Pegram drug paraphernalia as well as Methamphetamines were found on his person. At the conclusion of his investigation Deputy U.B. Smith transported Mr. Pegram to the Gibson County Jail where he was charged with Battery, Criminal Confinement, Possession of Paraphernalia, Operating a Vehicle While Intoxicated, Resisting Law Enforcement, Possession of Methamphetamines, and Interference in the Reporting of a Crime. He has since posted a $1250 bond.
Assisting Deputy Smith in his investigation was Deputies from the Gibson County Sheriff’s Office, Fort Branch Police Department, and the Princeton Police Department.
All Criminal defendants are to be presumed innocent until, and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
MOUNT CARMEL ELKS LODGE ANNOUNCES ESSAY WINNERS
Students in grades fifth through eighth in Wabash County were given the opportunity to participate in this year's Americanism Essay Contest, " What Does Freedom of Speech Mean to Me?" sponsored by the Illinois Elks Association. Each Lodge throughout the State selected their "Top Three" essays from both divisions: Division I: fifth and sixth grades; Division II: seventh and eighth grades, which were then submitted to the District for judging. Each District winner was then submitted to the State for judging. State winners were announced in May. Over 200 essays were submitted at the local Lodge level. First-place winners were awarded $50; second-place winners $25; third-place winners $15. Each winner was awarded a Certificate of Merit. The top 3 winning essays were submitted to the South Central District for District judging. Lodges in the South Central District include: Carmi, Centralia, Fairfield, Flora, Lawrenceville, McLeansboro, Mount Carmel, Mount Vernon, Olney, and Salem.
Louise Acree, Americanism Chairman of the local Elks Lodge, was pleased to announce the local Lodge winners: Division I: fifth and sixth grades: First Place: Chandler Kleinschmidt-Mt. Carmel Grade School; Second Place: Tenley Davis-Mt. Carmel Grade School; Third Place: Emma Mayhue-Mt. Carmel Grade School; Division II: seventh and eighth grades: First Place: Eric Acree-St. Mary's School; Second Place: Makenzie Kays-Mt. Carmel Junior High School; Third Place: Evan Roberts-Mt. Carmel Junior High School.
Makenzie Kays received Third Place in the South Central District and was awarded a Certificate of Merit from the District.
Eric Acree, St. Mary's School, captured the first-place award in the Elks Americanism Essay Contest for seventh-eighth grades.
WHAT DOES FREEDOM OF SPEECH MEAN TO ME
ERIC ACREE - 8TH GRADE, ST. MARY'S SCHOOL
" Freedom of speech and thought matters, especially when it is speech and thought with which we disagree." These words were spoken to by political commentator, Ben Shapiro. Freedom of Speech is the First Amendment of the United States Constitution, and everyone in America is protected by it, regardless of race, religion, color, or creed. However, some speech can be classified as hate speech, in which the person saying something could result in a violent act, which is similar to threats. However, just because your emotions and feelings are hurt, which is subjective in the premise or thought in the conversation, it doesn't mean it's hate speech. For instance, in today's society, people are easily offended if they do not believe in or agree with the opinion of another, and that is what is being discussed; this is what really annoys me as a citizen of the United States. It is sad to say that our First Amendment is slowing being eroded in our country. Freedom of Speech is the right to express any opinions without censorship or restraint. How is it freedom if a man can be imprisoned for saying the truth and only the truth? Furthermore, hate speech is real and common in our country. Things like racism are very common in our day and age. Black opposing forces like the Ku Klux Klan are very present. Also, freedom of speech means that you can preach your opinion or whatever is on your mind in a safe and controlled environment without becoming incarcerated. In today's society, this is the opposite. Many people are called out for not going with the lie of which they were taught since their youth. I, an American citizen, am very blessed and fortunate to live in our country. Around the world, many die because of their religion or because of their voice. I'm grateful to have this right.
Capturing first-place award in the Elks Americanism Essay Contest for fifth-sixth grades was Chandler Kleinschmidt-Mt. Carmel Grade School.
WHAT DOES FREEDOM OF SPEECH MEAN TO ME
CHANDLER KLEINSCHMIDT - 6TH GRADE-MT. CARMEL GRADE SCHOOL
What does Freedom of Speech mean to me? At first, I had to stop and think because I had never really been concerned about it before. I guess you could say, I take my freedom of speech a little bit for granted. There are three ways in which I think freedom of speech is important; being able to create and share ideas freely, being able to speak out against wrongdoing, and being able to share my religious beliefs. First, I enjoy the fact that people in America can design and share ideas freely. For example, I can create a Youtube video about any topic I am interested in and share it with people all around the world. Also, I can come up with an idea of a sport or game to play and share it with my friends and family. These are a couple of fun ways in which we can use freedom of speech. Second, I am glad to know I can speak up against wrongdoing or crime if i need to. For example, if a teacher decided to give the class 0% credit on a paper that they did great on, I could go to the school principal and talk about what was happening. If I saw a student being bullied, I could go to a teacher and discuss about what was going on. I like this form of freedom of speech if I need to make a wrong situation right. Third, I am free to share my religious beliefs. In some societies, I could be sent to jail for sharing my beliefs. In my faith, the Bible instructs us to share our faith freely, so it is important to me to know that I can do that without getting into trouble. I am also glad that I can freely answer any questions that anyone has about my beliefs. In conclusion, I have realized some very critical ways freedom of speech affects our lives. It is important to remember, we have to be responsible with our freedom of speech rights. We shouldn't break the law, dishonor others, or steal other's idea with our freedom of speech. After thinking about my ideas for this paper, I am going to try not to take my freedom of speech for granted anymore.
Earning second-place award in the Elks Americanism Essay Contest for seventh-eighth grades was Makenzie Kays-Mt. Carmel Junior High School. Makenzie also won third-place in the South Central District.
Tenley Davis, Mt. Carmel Grade School, was the second-place winner in the Elks Americanism Essay Contest for fifth-sixth grades.
Evan Roberts, Mt. Carmel Junior High School, was the third-place winner in the Elks Americanism Essay Contest for seventh-eighth grades.
Earning third-place award in the Elks Americanism Essay Contest for fifth-sixth grades was Emma Mayhue, Mt. Carmel Grade School.
Lawmaker Seeks Aid For Small Rural Businesses Affected By COVID-19
A state lawmaker is urging Springfield to do more to help rural small businesses hurt by
COVID-19 restrictions.
The call comes after Gov. J.B. Pritzker and the Illinois Department of
Commerce and Economic Opportunity announced the first round of grants from the
Downstate Small Business Stabilization Program. Officials said $1.3 million will be
handed out to 65 businesses in 28 downstate communities.
State Rep. Tom Demmer, R-Dixon, said that’s not nearly enough, considering the
program contains around $20 million in available funds.
“We saw only 65 businesses in the entire state who qualify for these,” Demmer said.
“You think about the 90 counties or so that this [program] would cover, that's not even
one business per county. This was supposed to be a targeted program specifically for
small and rural communities. And we've seen very, very little support go to those
communities so far.”
Demmer, who also serves as Deputy House Republican Leader, said in his hometown of
Dixon, only four of the 52 applicants were approved. He said the whole process has been
time-consuming, taking up valuable resources of business owners.
“It was an incredibly complicated process and included things like public hearings and
votes by the city council and 80-page applications per business,” Demmer said. “One of
the challenges is that the guidance changed a few times. Some businesses submitted
applications for these grants only to find out that the rules changed mid-stream.”
According to Demmer, many of the denial notices carry dates from late April and May,
meaning officials reviewed those applications long ago and then made businesses wait for
an answer.
“That was very frustrating to me,” Demmer said. “If you put yourself in the shoes of a
small business owner, you’re trying to figure out what you can afford to do. Can you
keep the lights on in your business? Can you keep an employee on, or do you have to lay
additional people off? Every day matters right now.”
Demmer is also critical of certain provisions of the program, such as the exclusion of sole
proprietors and other businesses being turned down for “insufficient length of business
operation”.
“That's focusing more on the arbitrary rules of a grant program, instead of focusing on
what the intent is here, which was to provide financial assistance to small businesses who
suffered significant financial burdens because of the stay at home orders,” Demmer said.
More than $18-million dollars remains to be awarded, with rural small businesses eligible
for grants of up to $25,000 dollars each.
New applications are being accepted for the program, but Demmer argues that officials
should re-examine the paperwork they already have.
“Some of the folks who needed it most desperately have already closed,” Demmer said.
“I think we should really try to focus on people who looked at this early on in the process
as a needed lifeline and not those who waited until the second or third round to decide
that they might want to apply.”
Pritzker Announces $270 Million Grant Program for Childcare Providers
Moline – Joined by childcare providers, local officials, and parents during visits to Skip a Long Child Development Services in Moline and Rock River Valley YMCA Children’s Learning Center in Rockford, Governor JB Pritzker announced a $270 million Child Care Restoration grant program, provided for in the FY21 budget passed by the General Assembly. The first program of its kind in the nation, this program will support Illinois’ vast network of childcare providers as they continue to provide care to children across the state through the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Strengthening child care is as much about building a strong economy as it is investing in our young people – both critical aspects of building an Illinois that truly serves our working families,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “Before this pandemic hit, I promised that Illinois would become the best state in the nation for raising young children. The path forward has certainly become more complicated – but our commitment is stronger than ever.”
The Child Care Restoration grant program will dedicate at least $270 million of the state’s Coronavirus Urgent Remediation Emergency (CURE) Fund to support the economic health of childcare providers as the state’s economy continues to reopen in the coming weeks and months. As part of CURE, the Business Interruption Grants (BIG) Program is specifically designed to support businesses who endure lost revenue due to the COVID-19 public health emergency.
Earlier today, the governor joined U.S. Congresswoman Cheri Bustos, Representative Mike Halpin, Moline Mayor Stephanie Acri, and other stakeholders at Skip a Long in Moline to make the announcement. The Governor and Congresswoman Bustos were then joined by State Representative Maurice West, State Senator Steve Stadelman, and Rockford Mayor Tom McNamara, in Rock River Valley YMCA Children’s Learning Center in Rockford.
The Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, in partnership with the Illinois Department of Human Services, is charged with developing the grant program for licensed childcare providers. The Child Care Restoration Grants will be administered by the Illinois Network of Child Care Resource & Referral Agencies (INCCRRA).
The “Intent to Apply” survey launched today and is available online HERE. The information gathered will help to inform the development of the grants program to be released in July 2020 and providers will receive their first installments later this summer. The opportunity to respond to the survey will close on June 19, 2020 at 5:00 pm.
The state has made significant investments in its vast childcare network during the COVID-19 pandemic, such as implementing a simple waiver process to allow providers to be paid for all of their enrolled children in the Child Care Assistance Program for March through June, so that child care staff could continue to be paid as normal through this unprecedented period. The state also increased the CCAP money that emergency center providers receive for each child.
Sheriff Updates County Board On DOC Lawsuit
Wabash County Sheriff Derek Morgan updated the county board on the lawsuit filed by the Illinois Sheriff’s Association against the Department of Corrections for cutting off accepting inmates that should be going to prison. While the D-O-C’s moratorium is in effect, it’s up to local jails to house the inmates impacting budgets at the county level. Morgan said all 102 counties are on board with the lawsuit…
Right now, Morgan said Wabash County has 4 inmates at the jail. Also, Morgan told county commissioners his office handled 163 incidents in May and that visitor restrictions are still in place at the jail.
INDOT: No Plans To Expand SR 64 To Four Lanes
Motorists travelling along State Road 64 between Mt. Carmel and Princeton hoping to see that stretch of road expanded to four lanes will have to wait…and wait for probably a very long time. Jason Tiller is with the Indiana Department of Transportation and he says there are no plans currently to make State Road 64 a four lane highway…
Tiller said the current work on State Road 64 from Lyles Station Road to Princeton is scheduled to be finished by the end of next month.
WSJD File Photo
Corn Day Set For July 5th
Yes, there will be a Rotary Corn Day this year! Rotarians will still cook and serve fresh, delicious sweet corn and grilled or fried chicken as they have for the past 56 years. But because of COVID 19 this year Rotary Corn Day will be a “drive through and carry out” event instead of the sit down lunch that everyone has enjoyed for the past 56 years.
The date is Sunday, July 5, with serving from 11:00 a.m. -1:00 p.m. and will still be held at the Mabel Courter Youth center. Cars will enter at the west main entrance the way they always have and then will be directed to one of the two drive-through lanes that Rotarians will have set up. As cars continue on through the Youth Center complex they will be given prepackaged Corn Day dinners consisting of sweet corn, grilled chicken breast or fried chicken, and slaw – all cooked on site by the famous Rotary chicken and corn cooking crews. After receiving their food, cars will then exit the east gate into the park and either take the food home or eat in the park.
A limited amount of fresh un-shucked sweet corm will be available in a separate tent set up away from the food line for those who want to purchase un-shucked ears of corn.
The Rotarians emphasize they are going to strictly follow COVID 19 safety guidelines and will be wearing masks, gloves, and prepackaging the food into containers.
Advance adult tickets for Corn Day are $10.00 and $5.00 for children 7 years old and under. Adult tickets will be $12.00 if purchased on the day of the event.
Corn Day tickets may be purchased from any Mt. Carmel Rotarian or from First Mid Bank, 400 Market Street;; First National Bank of Allendale, 1515 W 9th St.; Wabash Savings Bank, 400 N. Chestnut St., or from Rotarians outside Buy Low Friday evenings, and Saturday mornings and at Walk-Up Wednesdays until July.
Corn Day is the only fund raising project for the Mt. Carmel Rotary Club and all profit from the event goes to support projects and events that benefit the Wabash County Community and Rotary humanitarian endeavors.
WVC Seeking Applicants For Charles S. Tate Scholarship
Wabash Valley College is seeking applicants for the Charles S. Tate scholarship. The scholarship is awarded by the Wabash Valley College Foundation to a student studying Elementary Education.
The Charles S. Tate Scholarship has been made possible through the generous donation of Dana M. Tate. Charles S. Tate was a longtime supporter of WVC and a Director and President of the WVC Foundation.
The $2000 scholarship is awarded by the WVC Foundation. $1,000 per semester is given to the student for their junior year of university studying Elementary Education.
The major criteria of the scholarship are the student must have graduated from Mt. Carmel High School; the student must be a spring graduating sophomore in a pre-baccalaureate program at WVC; and the student must be in good standing academically with a 3.0 GPA or better.
If the recipient of this scholarship should for some reason be unable to attend college for the academic year in which the award was granted, then the award will automatically go to the first runner up. The application can be found on WVC’s website, www.iecc.edu/wvc.
On WVC’s website, click on the Scholarship Listing and Forms link under the Financial Aid header on the left-hand side. Once you’re on the Scholarships at WVC page, the application is listed under Transfer Students; the application is listed as “Tate.” Clicking this will download the application and requirement information.
Don’t miss your opportunity to earn this scholarship; Apply today! The scholarship’s deadline is Friday, June 19, at 3:00 p.m. Send all completed applications to the following:
WVC Foundation Scholarship Committee
c/o Jane Owen, Financial Aid Coordinator
Wabash Valley College
2200 College Drive
Mt. Carmel, IL 62863
Music In The Park/Stage Dedication Set For Friday
Celebrate the dedication of Merchants Park and the Harris Insurance Pavilion with Music In The Park. From 7-8pm, enjoy the music of "Order Up" from Carmi, followed by Mt. Carmel's own Cage Willis from 8-10pm. Beer Bones BBQ & Kolb's Culinary Creations will provide their favorite menu options from 6-10pm. Please plan to observe social distancing guidelines, and be sure to bring your lawn chairs! Merchants Park is located in the 300 block of Market Street in Mt. Carmel.
District #348 Makes Plans For CARES Act Funds
Wabash District #348 administration is making plans on how to utilize the district’s share of CARES Act Stimulus Funds and Grants. K through 12 schools around the country is sharing $16.5 billion that will go directly to state and local education agencies. District #348 Superintendent Dr. Chuck Bleyer says his thinking leans toward two areas. The first being medical resources for the district…
Bleyer said plans are also in the works for expanded Wi-Fi coverage for the district and that also includes wi-fi in school buses as students would be able to do homework. Bleyer envisions the district using the money for projects not just spurred by the pandemic…
According to the State Board of Education, District #348 is slated to receive just over $341,000 while Allendale will get just over $45,000.