COVID-19 Rate At 15.1% In Wabash County

On Thursday, the Wabash County Health Department reported 3 new positive COVID cases in Wabash County. The county’s total positive cases since the pandemic began now stands at 295. According to the health department’s weekly update, there are currently 38 positive cases in isolation and 73 current contacts of positive cases in isolation. Right now, three Wabash County residents are being treated at a regional hospital.

Wabash County’s positivity rate stands at 15.1%, not quite double the state’s mitigation standard. The health department announced yesterday they’re now offering drive-up COVID testing each weekday afternoon from 1 to 5 and weekends from 9 to 2. The testing is available at the health department offices at 130 West 7th Street.

MCHS Singing 7 Introduced

INTRODUCING THE MT. CARMEL HIGH SCHOOL 2020-2021 SINGING SEVEN

Maggee Bleyer (Senior)
Chase Dowdy (Sophomore)
Elijah Gill (Senior)
Macy Mandrell (Freshman)
Timothy Rosignol (Junior)
Hannah Shular (Junior)
Elijah Sherman (Sophomore)

Singing Seven hopefuls auditioned virtually this year by submitting videos of themselves, each performing the audition requirements. Each student sang two excerpts from the ILMEA Senior Chorus selected pieces and demonstrated tonal skills components such as scales and triads, both major and minor. The auditionees’ videos were judged by three highly qualified judges, all educators within the choral conducting field.  Congratulations to the new Singing Seven who will represent Mount Carmel High School during the 2020-2021 school year!

Congratulations to the chosen 2020-2021 Singing Seven!

Wabash District #348 School Board Agenda

Wabash District #348 school board agenda.

Changes Announced For Princeton's Snowflake Parade

“An Essential Christmas” celebrating our essential workers, will be the theme for the 2020 Princeton Christmas parade to be held on Saturday, December 5, 2020 at 5:00 p.m. 

In an effort to continue with this long standing Princeton tradition, some changes have been made:

There will be a change in the parade route to allow for social distancing. The parade line-up will begin at the Princeton Community High School.  The route will be provided at a later date.

All parade entries this year must be mobile units, i.e. floats, vehicles, golf carts, etc.  No walking units will be allowed to encourage a continual flow of the parade.  All participants riding on/in mobile units will be encouraged to wear masks and/or practice safe social distancing.

No candy will be thrown to spectators. In an effort to discourage a large gathering of spectators in one area, there will not be a courthouse lighting ceremony prior to this year’s parade.

Santa will be included in the parade; however, there will be no visits with Santa following the parade. Parade entries will not be judged and no trophies will be presented.

Residents are encouraged to decorate their own vehicles and participate in the parade.

The parade will be broadcast on Facebook Live making it accessible to those who are not able or willing to attend in person.

In an effort to provide a safe and fun experience for everyone, as well as following the Governor’s guidelines for getting Indiana “Back on Track”, we ask that if you do not feel well, please stay home.

The parade may be cancelled at any time if changes are made state or locally to social distancing guidelines that prohibit such gatherings or deemed unsafe by the parade committee.

Participation in the parade is free. Those interested in participating in the Christmas parade can contact the Gibson County Visitors & Tourism Bureau at 812-385-0999 or via e-mail at kelly@gibsoncountyin.org. Parade entry forms and sponsorship forms can be downloaded from the Gibson County Visitors & Tourism website at www.gibsoncountyin.org

Evansville Man Faces Guns & Drug Charges After Mt. Carmel Traffic Stop

On 11.03.20 the Wabash County Sheriff's Office made a traffic stop at Walnut and Chestnut streets in Mt. Carmel for a traffic infraction. During the stop the driver, 66 year old Lawrence Leroy Bush of Evansville, IN was found to have outstanding warrants in Vanderburgh County, Indiana. Bush was taken into custody and subsequent to his arrest a vehicle search was performed. Bush was found to be in possession of two firearms, ammunition, methamphetamine, and drug Paraphernalia. Bush was transported to the Wabash County Sheriff's Office and charged with Felon in Possession of a Firearm x2, Use of Property, Possession of Methamphetamine, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. Bush is currently lodged in the Wabash County Jail with a cash bond of $2,000 as well as being held for the State of Indiana. Additional charges are expected to be filed in this case. 

Passenger Arrested On Drug Charges Following Traffic Stop

On 11.02.20 the Wabash County Sheriff's Office conducted a traffic stop in the 200 block of Walnut street in Mt. Carmel. During the stop the driver of the vehicle, 33 year old Tabetha L. Cassady of Albion was found to have a suspended  driver's license. A search of the vehicle revealed drug paraphernalia, bottled urine, and methamphetamine. The passenger of the vehicle, Coty M. Beehn, 33 of Albion, was taken into custody and transported to the Wabash County Jail for processing. Beehn was charged with Possession of Methamphetamine, Defrauding a Drug Screen, and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. Beehn was released on a notice to appear and Cassady was issued a citation for driving while license suspended. 

Why Did Pritzker’s Progressive Tax Ballot Initiative Fail?

The ballot initiative to remove Illinois’ flat income tax protection from its Constitution failed Tuesday. With tens-of-millions of dollars spent on messaging and an initial promise of a tax cut for the majority of Illinois taxpayers, what was it that spooked millions of voters away from supporting the measure?

The argument over whether Illinois should change its flat income tax to one that allows lawmakers to tax incomes at different rates saw more than $100 million in combined campaign spending. Illinois lawmakers had even enacted legislation that, should the measure have succeeded in getting either 50% of the total vote or 60% of those who voted on it, would have lowered the income tax rate on any taxpayer making less than $100,000.

Despite supporters’ best efforts, the initiative garnered less than 45% of the vote.

While there’s no clear reason why voters soundly rejected the initiative, Nick Kachiroubas, a professor with DePaul’s School of Public Service, said the logistics of passing a ballot measure are inherently difficult.

“To get a referendum measure passed in general at any level is a difficult feat,” he said. “This, in particular, was a very confusing and belief-ridden question about what people’s ideals were.”

Even operating off the assumption that supporters of Democrat Gov. J.B. Pritzker would support his signature goal, Brian Gaines, a political science professor at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, said voters appeared to take heed of messaging about how even the introductory rates would affect businesses already reeling from forced closures due to the pandemic.

“[Supporters] weren’t ready for a simple message of ‘it’s not a cut for everybody. This is the wrong time for a tax on small businesses and farmers,’ which I think was the dominant message we got from the ‘anti’ side,” he said.

Business groups, namely the Illinois Chamber of Commerce and the National Federation of Independent Business’ Illinois Chapter blanketed the state with messaging that the change meant kicking small businesses when they were down. Moreso than campaigning about a potential retirement tax, Gaines insisted this message held the most weight in voters’ minds.

Dr. Kent Redfield, professor emeritus at the University of Illinois at Springfield’s Department of Political Science, echoed the sentiments of all three professors in that Illinoisans simply do not trust Springfield with more power.

“There were Democrats who make less than $250,000 a year who would have benefited from a graduated income tax voting against their narrow self-interest to send a message that they were tired of the corruption,” he said, adding that months of federal searches and indictments of several lawmakers didn’t help to instill confidence.

Kachiroubas was surprised about the lack of understanding that Illinois’ finances are in shambles and the funds to plug billions of dollars in budget gaps would more likely be taken from lower and middle-class taxpayers.

“I don’t really think that voters understood what the consequence of not supporting this will be in the tense of ‘that money’s got to come from somewhere,’” he said, adding that he didn’t see a Pritzker administration first implementing cuts.

Multiple Democrats, including Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton, warned about tax hikes should the initiative fail on Election Day.

When asked, Kachiroubas said he was unsure if Pritzker would mount another effort to pass a progressive tax in Illinois, Kachiroubas said it’s too early to tell if it would be politically feasible.

Bicyclist Dead Following Alexander County Accident

ISP TRAFFIC CRASH ALERT

The Following Preliminary Information is Being Released by Illinois State Police

District 22

WHAT:                      Vehicle vs Bicycle Fatal Traffic Crash

WHERE:                   Illinois Route 3 at Airport Road, Alexander County           

WHEN:                      Nov. 05, 2020 at approximately 6:01 a.m.

VEHICLES:              Unit 1- Bicycle          

                                    Unit 2- 2004 White Chevrolet Truck

DRIVERS:                 Unit 1- David Coleson, 58-year-old male from Olive Branch, IL – Deceased

                                    Unit 2- Dennis Bigham, 54-year-old male from Olive Branch, IL – Uninjured

PRELIMINARY:      A preliminary investigation indicates the following occurred: Unit 1 was traveling south on Illinois Route 3 near Airport Road in Alexander County. Unit 2 was also traveling south and began to pass Unit 1. The driver of unit 1 turned left, directly in the path of Unit 2 and the driver of Unit 2 was unable to avoid striking Unit 1. The driver of Unit 1 succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced deceased on scene. The driver of Unit 2 was uninjured. The roadway was closed for approximately 30 minutes during the crash investigation. This crash is still under investigation and no further information is available.

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City of Springfield Approves Fine For Not Wearing A Mask In Stores/Restaurants

Caught not wearing a mask inside a Springfield bar, restaurant or retailer and police will issue a $50 fine. The city of Springfield approved the fine for individuals who don’t wear a mask in public places like restaurants and retailers. The fine is for violating city code and is not a criminal violation. The Illinois Municipal League said Springfield is one of a few during the COVID-era that has taken such action.

COVID-19 Causing Changes To Deer Season

Illinois hunters will notice some changes this deer hunting season as the Illinois Department of Natural Resources implements new rules to reduce the spread of COVID-19.

The biggest change the department made is to do away with standby hunting. Hunting sites have quotas, which means a limited number of hunters will be allowed to hunt the site. Standby hunting opportunities occur when a hunter is unable to show up on the morning of a hunt or is successful early in the day.

“So it usually requires people gathering early in the morning when it’s dark outside in a parking lot or in a barn, in an office, something like that to select – check in and then select – people for this standby hunting opportunity,” IDNR Forest Wildlife Program Manager Dan Skinner said. “And we felt that was the biggest concern to be able to do that safely and maintain social distance, and keep the safety of both the hunters and the IDNR site staff in mind.”

In-person blind assignments are also cancelled, according to an IDNR news release. At all Illinois sites where permitted hunters are assigned hunting locations, the selection will be performed by site staff and assignments mailed to hunters.

For sites that usually have mandatory in-person pre-season orientation, those have been cancelled in favor of relevant safety information being delivered via mail or posted at sites, according to the IDNR news release.

Skinner said he does not expect safety to be affected because the rules have changed.

“But they’re going to find a way to get that information across so that hunters can remain safe on these sites without doing the in-person meeting so I don’t anticipate that being a problem,” Skinner said.
Hunters should be prepared to take an extra moment to take in new protocols when they arrive at a public hunting site.

“When they show up, they’re going to need to go where they normally would and look for new signage or await additional instructions from site staff,” said Skinner.

Illinois firearm hunting season begins Nov. 20.