Allendale Going To Full Remote Learning Through At Least August 28th

From Robert L. Bowser Superintendent:

After much thought, deliberation, and phone conversations with various stakeholders, we are going to FULL REMOTE LEARNING beginning Wednesday, August 19th. Our school community has done a fantastic job to make the building a safe place to be. However, the decision making has been determined off the spike Wabash County has seen over the last week, as well as the need/desire to keep all individuals in our school community safe and obtaining an outstanding education. We could, right now, continue on and wait until we are faced with COVID-positive situations. The Board of Education and Superintendent Bob Bowser do not want to put any of our faculty, staff, or students in a compromising situation. So, we will full remote learn from August 19-28. Now, please understand, Mr. Bowser and the Board of Education will re-evaluate the situation in Wabash County concerning COVID-19 to determine if it is safe enough to go back to in-person learning on August 31st. If it isn't, we will continue to remote learn for a newly determined time period. WE WILL GO BACK TO IN-PERSON LEARNING WHEN IT IS DEEMED SAFE ENOUGH TO DO SO.

So let's look at it this way, we get to test full remote learning and give our community a chance to get this pandemic under control again. I know many of you will wonder what the schedule will look like academically. I still expect, and know our teachers will provide the best education our students can receive. We will have some bumps to deal with, but I still want it as close to the real deal as possible. Our school day will be from 8:00 am - 3:00 pm. Livestream instruction will take place for 2nd-8th grade from 8:15 am - 11:35 am. Teachers will have office hours from 1:00 pm - 3:00 pm, in which they will work with their students in one-on-one, small group, or even whole class situations. We will be emailing parents and students a schedule of how their school day will look later today.

We will be providing breakfast and lunch for all of our students throughout full remote learning. The students, and parent, will have access to the student email address in which the form will be sent. The first form will come out around 4 pm today, which will be for Wednesday lunch and Thursday breakfast. All students need to find the form in their email or Google Classroom and fill it out, even if not eating breakfast or lunch. This will continue to be on the free, reduced, and full pay schedule. Parents and students will have the option to have the meals delivered or pick up at the back door. Delivery will begin around 11:00 am and pick up at the back door will be from 11:00-12:00. Please make sure to read all the information on the form and have it submitted by 8:00 am each morning.

Concerning attendance, kindergarten and first grade parents will need to email your teacher and the office (scourter@allendaleschool.net) by 9 am to be considered present for the day. Your teacher for those grades will be in contact with academic instruction. For 2nd-8th grade students, attendance will be determined by your appearance in the livestream instructional periods. Parents, please continue to contact the school by phone or email if your child has symptoms and/or a positive COVID test.

Fall sports (baseball, softball, and cross country) will continue as currently constructed until further notice. This can change at any time. For fans that will be attending games or meets, at the present time we will follow IDPH and SIJHSAA guidelines.

Here’s to hoping we can get this pandemic under control in the county, so we can get back to in-person learning.

Governor Warns Of Further Restrictions In Metro-East

If Region 4 that includes East St. Louis, but also surrounding rural counties, doesn’t get its COVID-19 positivity rate below 6.5 percent in the next two weeks, more COVID-19 restrictions could be coming from Gov. J.B. Pritzker.

On Sunday, the governor announced new COVID-19 restrictions would be in effect starting Tuesday for Region 4. That includes East St. Louis and the surrounding rural counties.
The restrictions come after the governor’s office said the region had a COVID-19 positivity rate of more than 8 percent for more than three days.

In a survey of some businesses across the region, one restaurant manager called the regulations “stupid,” another restaurant operator said they’ve implemented things for customers to feel safe but getting customers to put on masks has been difficult. There are also concerns about outdoor dining space becoming less appealing as the weather gets colder this fall. The manager of a bar and grill that’s set to open for the first day since the pandemic started said the timing is horrible.

Pritzker said all businesses in Region 4 should follow the 25 percent or 25 people rule, amid other new restrictions. Dancing isn't allowed and no reception halls or party buses can be open.
Elizabeth Patton-Whiteside, the administrator of the East Side Health District, said the townships she oversees are impoverished and there are numerous strip clubs, night clubs and poor residents.

“This is a breeding ground for coronavirus so people you need to wake up, you need to step up, you need to do better,” she said.

Madison County Board member Chris Guy said the governor’s actions were unfortunate and didn't seem to reflect the reality elsewhere in Region 4.

“Somehow you’re not able to grab dinner with your family, but you can go to a strip club,” Guy said.

The restrictions require reservations for dine-in restaurants and require bars, restaurants and casinos to close at 11 p.m.

Pritzker said he’s taking a targeted approach.

“Now I think we can do it instead of with a machete we can do it with a scalpel,” Pritzker said in East St. Louis on Monday. “And that's why we have 11 regions and why we're trying to tamp down on the positivity rates where they’re popping up in those specific regions.”

The governor's previous plan had the state split into four regions. Before that, he had unilateral stay-at-home regulations that he said then was meant to keep hospitals from being overrun so it could handle any surge of COVID-19 cases. 

State Rep. Blaine Wilhour, R-Beecher City, said what’s happening isn't surgical and puts rural counties in with densely urban areas. He said the governor shouldn’t take positivity rates as the trigger for more restrictions.

“There are three people in the hospital in Clinton County,” Wilhour told WMAY. “Bond County has 70 total positive cases since the beginning of this pandemic. There’s zero in the hospital.”

Wilhour said the Democratic majority should call for hearings to provide oversight to the rules and how they’re compiled, something that hasn’t happened since the pandemic started in March.

State Sen. Christopher Belt, D-Centreville, said there needs to be more buy-in all around.

“If we don’t have the buy-in, we won’t get there,” Belt said. “We have to find the middle ground. … Let’s come together and fight this common foe.”

Education Leaders Say Remote Learning To Look Different Than The Spring Version

(IRN) Many school districts have scrapped plans for in-class instruction at the start of the fall semester amid an increase in COVID-19 cases, but school officials have told students and parents to expect a different approach than last spring. Many parents remain skeptical.

Many school districts that initially planned to offer a hybrid approach this fall with a combination of in-class and remote learning have decided to go all online. School officials across the state have been telling students and parents that remote learning will have a different look than it did in the spring.

Dr. Sharon Demoulin-Kherat, superintendent of the Peoria School District, said remote learning this fall will be more stringent than in the spring.

“There will be new material introduced to them and grading,” Kherat said. “It will be just like normal school, but being done in a distance manner, in a remote manner and in a virtual manner.”

Joshua Pollard Sr., a delivery driver and a single parent of two young boys, said he was put in a tough spot when the Peoria School District announced it was going entirely with remote learning a week before classes were set to begin.

“What do I do? Do I work or do I stay home with my children? Do I teach them? Do I let them fall behind? Those are all of my concerns,” Pollard said

Pollard said he found out about the late change from local news reports.

“My tax dollars go to the public schools,” Pollard said. “Open the schools. Let our children have some sort of normalcy.”

Community Unit School District 300, based in Algonquin, serves about 21,000 students in the suburbs. Superintendent Fred Heid said during a virtual meeting with elementary school parents that the remote learning experience would be different this fall after hearing from parents, students and teachers last spring.  

"There were a lot of lessons learned, you provided great feedback last year, our teachers provided great feedback last year and that's the information that we're using to make sure that we support a far more robust remote learning experience for our students," Heid said.
 
The State Board of Education reported more 500 school districts will offer some form on in-class learning this fall semester, but most students will start the year with remote instruction.

District #348 Lunch Pickup Information

Lunches from the school starting August 18th will be at the following locations and times: Cherry Street Estates 11:00 - 11:30 Lambert Drive 11:40 - 12:15 Bellmont 11:00 - 11:30 Keensburg 11:00 - 11:30

Pritzker Administration Looking To Vacate Patronage Hiring Decree

A decree the state entered into in 1972 to combat patronage hiring is being targeted by the Pritzker administration and Republicans say it should be expanded, not vacated.

A filing the Illinois Attorney General made on behalf of Gov. J.B. Pritzker last month seeks to vacate a decree from 1972 about questionable hiring practices in Illinois State Government.
State Rep. Deanne Mazzochi, R-Elmhurst, said the filing is troubling.

“The spirit of the Shakman Decree is that our public jobs should not be used to coerce support for a political machine and Pritzker’s administration has been sidestepping the decrees since he took office,” Mazzochi said. “So of course he wants them gone, but that’s a major step in the wrong direction for the people of Illinois.”

Mazzochi noted even the federally appointed monitor reported the governor hasn’t been cooperating with oversight.

The governor’s office didn’t respond to messages seeking comment. The Illinois Attorney General’s office said it has no comment as the litigation is pending.

One of the arguments in the filing is the original plaintiffs don't have standing. 

"Now, almost five decades since the decree was entered, Plaintiffs do not and cannot plausibly assert that the State is perpetuating any such scheme," the filing said. "There remains no case-and- controversy and no federal interest in this case to justify the extraordinary intrusion of a federal court into sovereign State affairs."

State Rep. Tim Butler, R-Springfield, said the Shakman Decree is still needed.

“People just want to have a job and work hard for the state of Illinois without having to have any political repercussions for it,” Butler said. “I think it’s the wrong step for the governor to try to overturn the Shakman Decree.”

State Rep. Grant Wehrli, R-Naperville, said there needs to be more oversight, not less.

“It would be laughable if it weren’t so serious,” Wehrli said. “Here we find ourselves in Illinois corruption and pay-to-play politics are in the news almost on a weekly basis, if not daily, and this is clearly a step in the wrong direction.”

Wehrli was also critical of the patronage scandal that involved the public and private sectors, as was revealed in a deferred prosecution agreement utility ComEd entered with the federal government. The utility said it hired people for little to no work to curry favor with House Speaker Michael Madigan in exchange for legislation that helped the utility.

Madigan has denied any wrongdoing. He has not been charged with a crime.

911 call of a disturbance leads to arrest of South Carolina man on DUI charge

On August 15, 2020, at 2:43 p.m. Gibson County Central Dispatch received a 911 report of a possible disturbance and accident in the area of State Road 168 and County Road 325 West. The 911 caller reported that two of the vehicle’s occupants were outside a Maroon pickup that was stopped along the side of the roadway and they were in a heated conversation. Deputy U.B. Smith arrived in the area and located a Red Nissan Titan traveling on County Road 325 West at a very low speed following a person walking. At that point he conducted an investigatory stop and began a roadside investigation. While speaking with the driver, 37-year-old Bryan Mack of South Carolina Deputy Smith detected the odor of an alcoholic beverage. At that point he began a roadside DUI investigation that resulted in Mr. Mack being taken into custody and transported to the Gibson County Jail. Upon arriving at the Jail Mr. Mack was charged with Operating a Vehicle While Intoxicated. He remains in custody on a $1300 bond.

Assisting Deputy Smith in his investigation was Deputy Jennifer Robb. Also assisting were Haubstadt Officer Riley Farmer and Owensville Officer Jason Wright.

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

Hazleton man arrested on DUI charge

On August 15, 2020, at 3:38 p.m. Gibson County Central Dispatch received a report of a Blue Passenger Van that was traveling Southbound and was all over the roadway of I69 near State Road 168. Deputy Bryce Jutzi was also traveling Southbound and was flagged down by another motorist. This motorist alerted Deputy Jutzi to a Gray 2007 Dodge Caravan that he was approaching. Deputy Jutzi then pulled behind the vehicle and began to observe their driving behavior. While behind the vehicle he observed that the driver of the vehicle was unable to maintain their speed. At that point Deputy Jutzi conducted a traffic stop and began a roadside investigation. Upon speaking with the driver 46-year-old Brian Collins of Hazleton he detected the odor of alcohol. Deputy Jutzi continued his investigation before taking Mr. Collins into custody and transporting him to the Gibson County Jail. Upon arriving at the jail Mr. Collins was charged with Operating a Vehicle While Intoxicated, Driving While Suspended/Prior, and a Writ Of Attachment. He has since posted a $1500 bond.

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

Jasper Trooper Promoted to Detective

Jasper – Indiana State Police Superintendent, Douglas Carter, announced Monday that Jasper District Trooper Ryan Conrad has been promoted to the position of Detective at the Jasper Post. Conrad, a 20 year member of the Indiana State Police, was chosen for his new position based upon a competitive selection process that included written testing, oral interview, seniority, education, and past job performance.

Conrad, who is from Marengo, Indiana, graduated from Crawford County High School in 1993 and then from Vincennes University in 1995.  He then graduated from the Indiana State Police Academy December 13, 1999 and was assigned to the Versailles District. In 2001 Conrad transferred to the Jasper District, where he has served as a road trooper assigned to Crawford County. Conrad is an ILEA Certified Instructor as well as a Field Training Officer. Conrad will start in his new position on August 23, 2020.

911 call leads to arrest of Princeton woman on DUI charge

On August 18, 2020, at 3:50 a.m. Gibson County Central Dispatch received a 911 report of an intoxicated female at the Highway Machine Company located at 3010 Old US Highway 41. Deputy Loren Barchett was dispatched to the business and upon arriving located 47year-old Kimberly Reinbrecht of Princeton. While speaking with Ms. Reinbrecht Deputy Barchett detected the odor of an alcoholic beverage and began an investigation into the 911 call. During the investigation Deputy Barchett found evidence to believe that Ms. Reinbrecht had driven her Red 2014 Kia out to the business while under the influence of alcohol. At the conclusion of his investigation Deputy Barchett placed Ms. Reinbrecht into custody and transported her to the Gibson County Jail. Upon arriving at the Jail Ms. Reinbrecht was charged with Operating a Vehicle While Intoxicated. She remains in custody on a $450 bond.

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

Princeton woman arrested on DUI charge

On August 17, 2020, at 8:41 p.m. Gibson County Deputy U.B. Smith conducted a traffic stop on a Red 2010 Nissan for speeding on US 41 near County Road 350 South. Upon approaching the vehicle Deputy Smith detected the odor of alcohol coming from the driver 48-year-old Christine Rumade of Princeton. At that point Deputy Smith began a roadside investigation that resulted in Ms. Rumade being taken into custody and transported to the Gibson County Jail. Upon arriving at the Gibson County Jail Ms. Rumade was charged with Operating a Vehicle While Intoxicated. She 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.