The second semester begins Monday at Wabash Valley College and President Dr. Matt Fowler said a goal of instruction during the pandemic has been making sure students get as much face to face learning as possible….
And Fowler said the face to face learning will continue…
Looking ahead, graduation at WVC is set for Friday, May 14th.
At the most recent meeting of the Mt. Carmel City Council, finance commissioner Eric Ikemire reported that the Mt. Carmel Public Library is good shape financially. According to Ikemire, the library has cash balances of just over $600,000, most of which is in CD’s. Ikemire said the balance is a good sign for the library’s future.
The 10-ton load limit on Wabash County roads is now in effect until April 5th. County highway engineer Dustin Bunting said he’ll try to keep the posted roads open the best he can and you can call his office for a message indicating the status of the road on any given day. Bunting said the load limit on 400 East from County Highway 11 south to Route 15 is being enforced.
Wabash County State’s Attorney Kelli Storckman has issued her office’s first activity report. In December, there were 6 misdemeanor cases filed in Wabash County to go along with 4 felonies, 1 DUI, and 59 traffic cases. Last month, there was $5,556.37 in fines levied and $1,380 in restitution was collected. Storckman was sworn in December 1st as state’s attorney.
A member of the Illinois Sheriff’s Association Legislative Committee and a Sheriff in southern Illinois says lawmakers will be discussing a new bill that would have major implications for the future of law enforcement and communities they serve.
Jefferson County (Mt. Vernon, IL) Sheriff Jeff Bullard says this bill allows officers to be punished or fired based on anonymous, unsubstantiated or unverifiable complaints, essentially eliminating due process for law enforcement. He says this bill also eliminates cash bail which could have implications on the safety of a community when an offender is allowed to leave custody.
The 611 page House Bill 163 would - according to the Illinois Sheriff's Association - "eliminate law enforcement as we know it from every community in the state" to "invalidate constitutionally protected due process of officers".
Illinoisans are closer at-home liquor delivery after state lawmakers made legislation allowing it one of the first measures considered in the lame duck session.
The House Executive Committee forwarded the bill to the House Floor Friday .
If enacted, the bill would make the rules guiding home delivery of alcohol uniform across the state, and create a third-party facilitator license. Alec Laird, Vice President of government relations with the Illinois Retail Merchants Association, said home delivery has exploded amid the pandemic.
“This is something that helps your mom-and-pop retailers and your consumers” said Laird.
Danielle D’Alessandro, Executive Director of the Illinois Craft Brewers Guild, said small craft brewers are being left out, thus disadvantaged.
“This is the second liquor delivery bill now that excludes the ability of small brewers and distillers to be able to deliver and ship to consumers in Illinois,” said D’Alessandro.
The committee also passed a bill amending the Election Code, which provides that no candidate for President or Vice President of the United States shall appear on the ballot without providing their tax returns.
The Workplace Transparency Act was also passed. It would prohibit an employer from entering into a contract with an employee that contains a nondisclosure clause that covers harassment or discrimination, including sexual harassment. It also required the Department of Human Rights to adopt a model sexual harassment prevention training program for use by employers.
The Illinois House returned to Springfield for the first time since May at an alternate location because of COVID-19 concerns. They will be in session through Wednesday to complete the 101st General Assembly.
AGENDA
CITY OF MOUNT CARMEL REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING
Monday January 11, 2021 at 5:00 pm
• Call to Order
o Pledge of Allegiance
o Roll Call
• Approve Minutes
o Minutes of meeting held 12/28/2020
• Visitors (topic discussed by visitor(s) is limited to 5 minutes)
• Reports and Communications o Mayor Judge
o Commissioner Meeks
o Commissioner Ikemire
o Commissioner Dulgar
o Commissioner Madden
• Staff Reports
o Rudy Witsman Dave Easter Art Kimmel o Brady Waldrop Ryan Turner o Mike Gidcumb Francis Speth •
New Business
o First reading Ordinance 2044 – New Water Plant Fee
o Cemetery Mowing
o Consent Agenda
▪ Subdivision of property along 13th Street – To allow transfer of ownership to the City from the Hospital ▪
Approval of Ordinance 2045 – Amending the Existing Park Board Ordinance
o Removal of items from the Consent Agenda
o Consideration of Consent Agenda
▪ Pay all bills bearing proper signature
o Consideration of items removed from the Consent Agenda
• Executive Session
• Motion to Adjourn
On January 7, 2021, at 9:25 p.m. Gibson County Deputy Brian Naas conducted a traffic stop on a Gold 1999 Dodge Town and Country Van after observing the vehicle fail to maintain its lane of travel while traveling on State Road 64 east of Princeton. Upon approaching the vehicle 27-year-old Sargento Roblero of Princeton rolled down his window and opened his driver door. Deputy Naas gave several loud verbal commands to Mr. Roblero to shut the door. At that point Mr. Roblero shut the door and rolled the window back up. Deputy Naas called for back up and Indiana State Trooper Tanner Hurley arrived on scene. At that point Mr. Roblero was ordered out of the vehicle. Upon approaching Mr. Roblero he began to physically resist Deputy Naas. At that point Deputy Naas placed Mr. Roblero into custody with the assistance of Captain Bryan Ellis who had just arrived on scene. Once Mr. Roblero was in custody Deputy Naas began a roadside DUI investigation. At the conclusion of his investigation Mr. Roblero was taken into custody and transported to the Gibson County Jail. Upon arriving at the Gibson County Jail Mr. Roblero was charged with Resisting Law Enforcement, Battery on an Officer, and Operating a Vehicle While Intoxicated. He has since posted 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.
It could be a grab bag of issues when the Illinois Legislature convenes for the final days of the 101st General Assembly starting this afternoon.
One of the major issues expected to be tackled during the lame-duck session could impact law enforcement and the criminal code.
House Bill 163 was amended with 611 pages this week. What was initially a measure for prescription drug monitoring turned into a measure full of changes to the state's criminal code and change to how law enforcement is regulated.
Illinois Sheriffs’ Association Executive Director Jim Kaitschuk said the measure is too broad and if ever implemented, he’d quit being a police officer immediately.
Kaitschuk said, among other things, the measure eliminates charges for habitual criminals, eliminates cash bail, and would no longer have suspensions of drivers’ licenses for traffic violations.
The bill would also, among other things, eliminate qualified immunity, something the sheriffs say would make police ”civilly liable to siren chasing trial lawyers.” It also prohibits law enforcement from certain federal surplus programs, mandates body cameras for all departments without increased funding, and “defunds any department that does not comply 100 percent with the draconian requirements of the legislation,” the sheriffs said.
Kaitschuk said among the slew of proposed changes, one thing is missing - licensing police, something some in the law enforcement community have concerns about.
“My assumption would be is that that will be introduced on another bill,” Kaitschuk said. “And my fear would be is that maybe this bill doesn’t move forward, but ‘oh, by the way here’s police licensing, it’s not nearly as bad,’ so is that an opportunity for them to pass that.”
He said there needs to be more conversation about these issues.
“I don’t remember a time ever where anything good ever passed during the lame duck,” Kaitschuk said. “The whole point of passing something in the lame duck is because something can happen quickly and people don’t have time to react and fairly respond to it. That’s it.”
Spokespeople of the amendment sponsor didn’t immediately respond for comment.
Other issues that could come up during the short session: some Illinois municipalities could be looking for legislation, like changing the payment plan for public safety pensions.
The Republican minority has concerns about the possibility of tax increases.
State Rep. LaShawn Ford, D-Chicago, said while the Black agenda is important, included in his top priority is making sure the state’s adult-use cannabis law is more inclusive to people of color.
“It is important because making sure that people have access to capital and business opportunities is critical to a healthy lifestyle for Blacks,” Ford said.
Cannabis Business Association of Illinois Executive Director Pam Althoff fully expected something to advance in the lame-duck session.
“I have yet to see it but I do know that it’s a strong cooperation between not only the industry, but the General Assembly and the [Pritzker] administration,” Althoff said.
Lawmakers canceled nearly 70 percent of their scheduled legislative days the second year of the 101st General Assembly. Friday will be the first time they’ve been back in session since May 2020. The House will conduct business with COVID-19 protocols, similar to how they did in May at a convention center in Springfield
Any legislation not passed by both chambers before Wednesday dies as the first day of the 102nd General Assembly begins.
As Illinois school districts transition back to in-class instruction, a new study shows that classrooms don’t pose as big of a risk in spreading the virus as previously thought.
The University of Mississippi Medical Center study, in collaboration with the Centers for Disease Control, found that children are more likely to be infected at home than in the classroom.
The conclusion: Children are more likely to be infected by a family member who doesn’t take the proper safety measures than at school.
Dr. Charlotte Hobbs, professor of pediatric infectious diseases, led the study and explained that this is because children have a lower rate of infection and transmission.
“I believe it was extremely important to try to define better what the real risk factors are for children and COVID transmission,” Hobbs said.
Hobbs adds that safety measures are more likely observed at school than at home, but it is not always the case.
The study found that children who attended school or daycare and tested positive for the virus reported that other children or staff members were not taking safety measures such as masking, social distancing or hygiene.
The researchers interviewed about 400 parents and polled a list of children who had been tested for COVID-19.
Genevra Walters, superintendent of schools in Kankakee, said students are back in the classroom and precautions are always taken to keep students safe.
“Our protocols starting at the beginning of the school year was that students had to wear masks, that was mandatory, students had to be able to social distance in whatever space they were in, and only 50 students were allowed in a building section at one time,” Walters said.
Walters said the district is hoping to relax the capacity limit after the Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday.
A growing number of Illinois school districts are preparing to roll out a COVID-19 saliva screening program aimed at curbing the spread of the virus.
President-elect Joe Biden has said his goal is to open most K-8 schools by the end of his first 100 days in office.