Missouri Police Arrest Mt. Carmel Man For Failing To Register As Sex Offender

On 1/20/21, Mt. Carmel Police discovered that a child sex offender identified as Jacob W. Adams, age 23, of Mt. Carmel, had left his registered address in Mt. Carmel and relocated to Kennett, Missouri while failing to update his registry address. Mt. Carmel Police contacted Kennett, Missouri Police and notified them of the report. During this time, a warrant for Adams was requested through the Wabash County State’s Attorney’s Office. On 1/21/21, a warrant was issued through Wabash Circuit Court and forwarded to the Kennett Police. On this same date, Adams was taken into custody by Kennett Police and transported to the Dunkin County Justice Center where he is being held pending extradition back to Wabash County. MCPD would like to thank the Kennett Police Department for their prompt assistance in arresting Adams.

2018 File Photo

ILLINOIS STATE POLICE ARREST BRIDGEPORT CHIEF OF POLICE FOR DOMESTIC BATTERY

Bridgeport, IL - On Saturday, Jan. 23, 2021, at approximately 10:22 p.m., Illinois State Police (ISP) District 12 responded to the 700 block of Adams St, Bridgeport, IL for a domestic disturbance. Once on scene, an investigation led by ISP Troopers led to the arrest of Scott M. Murray, 46-year-old male of Bridgeport, IL. Murray was charged with Domestic Battery and Reckless Discharge of a Firearm. Murray was transported to the Lawrence County Jail where he bonded out on a $40,000, 10% to apply bond. 

Lawrence County Sheriff’s Department, Sumner and Bridgeport Police Departments assisted ISP District 12 in the investigation. This case has been turned over to the Lawrence County State’s Attorney’s Office with no further information being released by Illinois State Police.

Study: Improvement Needed In Illinois Traffic Laws

A new report highlights highway safety laws a safety group says Illinois needs to improve.

In its 2021 Roadmap of State Highway Safety Laws, Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety looked at 16 laws considered essential to traffic safety. 

The organization gave every state a rating in five categories: Occupant protection, child passenger safety, teen driving, impaired driving and distracted driving.

Illinois received a “caution” grade for lack of a recommended safety laws, including a motorcycle helmet law and a booster seat law. The state received good marks for having restrictions on using cell phones, an open container law, and a rear-facing child seat requirement through the age of 2 law.

President Cathy Chase said the report is designed to spur action to implement solutions to keep motorists and road users safe and out of over-extended emergency rooms.

“During the nearly two decades we’ve been issuing the Roadmap Report, nearly 600,000 people have been killed on our nation’s roads and over 40 million have been injured,” Chase said. “This public health toll is significant, staggering and deserving of swift action and serious attention.”

Just more than 1,000 people died on Illinois roadways in 2019, and the ten year total is 9,930. The annual economic cost of motor vehicle crashes in Illinois is $10.8 million.

Illinois U.S. Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi sponsored the Safe To Drive Act, which is meant to provide resources to states to encourage people to engage in non-distracted driving.

“This is essential as we try to get the message out that it is time to put down the phone,” he said.

Eight states – Rhode Island, Washington, Delaware, Maine, Oregon, California, New York and Louisiana – received a “green” or good rating for traffic safety laws. In addition to Illinois, 29 states received a “yellow” or caution rating.

Twelve states earned a “red” rating for danger for failing to adopt the organization’s recommended laws, including neighboring Missouri. Missouri is one of just two states with only three of the organization's optimal laws on the books, after the repeal in 2020 of its 52-year-old helmet requirement for all motorcycle riders.

WCHD Admin Tells County Board Patience Is Needed During Vaccine Roll-Out

Patience. That’s what Wabash County Health Department administrator Judy Wissel is asking of local residents waiting to get the COVID-19 vaccine…. 

Wissel told County Commissioners Tuesday that those who were the first ones to receive their initial dose, will soon need to receive the second dose. But the limited supply of vaccines makes that a delicate balancing act of providing the first dose to residents while getting the second shot to those already receiving the vaccine. Wissel said it shouldn’t pose any issue for those who received the first dose but doesn’t receive the second dose at the precise time they are eligible. 

Dulgar: New Water Plant Will Help Taste/Smell Of City's Water

Mt. Carmel residents who have complained of the taste and smell of the city’s water over the years might be encouraged to know a new water treatment plant will take care of those issues. That’s what water commissioner Justin Dulgar told the city council during a presentation at their most recent meeting. Dulgar said the smell and taste issues arise from an algae bloom from the Wabash River. But he said the new water plant will be able to rectify the problem….  

 If built, the new water plant is expected to be operational sometime in 2023.  

Allendale School Board Notes

At the January 2021 Allendale School Board meeting held in the Library of Allendale School, the board:

Approved the 2020-2021 Certified Seniority List.

Approved the Superintendent Evaluation as presented.

Approved a Resolution to Abate a portion of the Tax Levy concerning the Taxable General Obligation Bond the district currently has. The abated portion will come from the 1% Sales Tax proceeds.

Approved an updated version of the Wellness Policy.

Approved a maternity leave for Brooklyn Vernon, Individual Aide, beginning March 8, 2021 through May 4, 2021.

Accepted the resignation of Lee Campbell, Head Custodian, effective January 29, 2021.

Lawrence/Richland Counties And Region 6 Move To Phase 4

SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) today announced Region 6 (Champaign, Clark, Clay, Coles, Crawford, Cumberland, De Witt, Douglas, Edgar, Effingham, Fayette, Ford, Iroquois, Jasper, Lawrence, Macon, Moultrie, Piatt, Richland, Shelby, Vermillion) is returning to Phase 4 of the Restore Plan and Region 7 (Kankakee and Will) is advancing to Tier 1. Information about which tier and phase regions are in can be found at the top of the IDPH website homepage.

“I am excited that 10 out of our 11 regions have moved out of Tier 3 mitigations,” said IDPH Director Dr. Ngozi Ezike. “However, this does not mean we can let our guard down. We must continue to practice actions to protect ourselves from the virus – wear our masks, avoid large gatherings, and get the vaccine when it is our turn. This is particularly critical as new variants circulate, which early studies show spread much more rapidly. We are headed in the right direction once again, so let’s stay the course.”

IDPH will continue to closely monitor test positivity, ICU bed availability, and the number of people in the hospital with COVID-19. Should data show regions trending in the wrong direction, based on the established mitigation metrics, regions could once again find themselves in a higher tier with increase measures.

Metrics for moving from a higher to lower tier are as follows:

Moving from Tier 3 to Tier 2

Test positivity rate ≥ 8% and below 12% for three consecutive days (7-day average)

AND

Staffed ICU bed availability ≥ 20% for three consecutive days (7-day average)

AND

Sustained decline in COVID patients in hospital (7-day average for 7 of 10 days)

Moving from Tier 2 to Tier 1

Test positivity rate between 6.5% and 8% for three consecutive days (7-day average)

AND

Staffed ICU bed availability ≥ 20% for three consecutive days (7-day average)

AND

No sustained increase in COVID patients in hospital (7-day average for 7 of 10 days)

Moving from Tier 1 to Phase 4

Test positivity rate ≤ 6.5% for three consecutive days (7-day average)

AND

Staffed ICU bed availability ≥ 20% for three consecutive days (7-day average)

AND

No sustained increase in COVID patients in hospital (7-day average for 7 of 10 days)

Information about mitigation and resurgence metrics can be found on the IDPH website at http://www.dph.illinois.gov/regionmetrics.

I-64 Crash In Wayne County Injures Two

ISP TRAFFIC CRASH ALERT

The Following Preliminary Information is Being Released by Illinois State Police

District 19

WHAT:                      Two Unit Personal Injury Traffic Crash                                                       

WHERE:                   Interstate 64 eastbound at Milepost 101, Wayne County

WHEN:                      Jan. 20, 2021 at approximately 8:20 a.m.                             

VEHICLE:                Unit 1- 2001 White Ford

                                    Unit 2- 2019 White Freightliner Truck Tractor Trailer Combination

DRIVER:                   Unit 1- Cary Jackson-Kallemback, 56-year-old male of Dahlgren IL

                                    Unit 2- Tosha Swink, 42-year-old female of Saint Louis, MO

PASSENGERS:         Unit 1- Betty Noble, 77-year-old female of Mount Vernon, IL (Transported to a local area hospital with injuries)

                                    Unit 1- Christine Whitlock, 50-year-old female of Opdyke, IL (Transported to a local area hospital with injuries)

PRELIMINARY:      Preliminary investigation indicates the following occurred: Units 1,2 were traveling eastbound on Interstate 64 at Milepost 101 in the right lane.  Unit 1 entered the left traffic lane and attempted to pass Unit 2. Unit 1 crossed the center line roadway markings and struck Unit 2.

CHARGES:               Unit 1 Driver was issued citations for Improper Lane Usage, Driving While License Revoked and Operating an Uninsured Vehicle.

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

School Board Member Not Backing Down From Tik Tok Video Comments

A Wabash District #348 school board member is not backing down or apologizing for comments he made in a Tik Tok video critical of the Wabash County Health Department. In the video, Ryan Peter was critical of the health department’s quarantining and contact tracing policies.  The backlash from the video led the District #348 office to issue a statement Wednesday afternoon:

“The Wabash County CUSD #348 School Board was made aware of the statements and views made on social media of one of its’ members. All of the other Board members categorically reject the statements and views made by this member and remain committed to the health and well-being of all CUSD #348 students, faculty, staff, and the entire Wabash County community.”

After the district’s statement, Peter issued a statement of his own:

“My videos on Tik Tok do not in any manner reflect the sentiment or thoughts of our board. Tik Tok is for nothing more than entertainment. My using the phrase “hey kids” is nothing more than the standard greeting I use at the beginning of nearly every Tik Tok to say hello to my 26,000 followers. Only if purposely taken out of context would one think I’m addressing children. Regarding the profanity and promotion of dishonesty I spoke of; I never speak this way in an open board meeting. The tone of my voice is one of passion and reflects the increasing frustration that I, as a school board member and a parent, am experiencing which are shared by the majority of the parents who call me about this situation. I field numerous calls from angry parents each week because their healthy child is continually quarantined from school. Their child’s school experience is being totally ruined. Each one of these parent’s frustration has gone beyond the boiling point.  They are desperate for a solution, and they all feel like I am the only member of our board they can talk to, because I am the only one who will stand up for our kids. Although it wasn’t delivered in the most politically correct way, I provided a solution.”

The school board’s next meeting is Monday night in the grade school cafetorium.

Holiday Retail Sales Better Than Expected

The 2020 holiday shopping season for retailers was better than expected.

Sales grew 8.3% compared to last year, exceeding the National Retail Federation holiday forecast of between 3.6% and 5.2% despite the challenges presented by the coronavirus pandemic. The numbers include online and other non-stores sales, which were up 23.9% at $209 billion.

Katherine Cullen, NRF’s senior director of industry and consumer insights, said consumers stuck at home had more disposable cash.

“They’re spending less on dining out, they are spending less on travel, specifically holiday travel, and so it seems they had a little extra cash to spend on gifts,” Cullen said.

The holiday season had year-over-year gains in six out of nine retail categories, led by double-digit increases for online sales, sporting goods stores and garden supply stores.

On the contrary, electronics and appliance stores and clothing stores saw sales decrease by more than 14% from last year.

NRF’s numbers are based on data from the U.S. Census Bureau, which said that overall December sales, including restaurants, auto dealers and gas stations, were down 0.7% seasonally adjusted from November, but up 2.9% unadjusted year-over-year.

The pandemic didn’t spare all. Some brick-and-mortar stores in Illinois closed up shop for good in 2020. J.C. Penney closed its remaining 5 stores in the state, GNC shuttered 13 stores in Illinois, and children’s apparel chain Justice closed all 26 stores in the state.

As for 2021, Rob Karr, president of the Illinois Retail Merchants Association, said the availability of the COVID-19 vaccine should help brick-and-mortar stores.

“I think once people are vaccinated and retail has proven they can operate safely, so I think once the vaccine is widely out that will certainly help,” Karr said.

Cullen said there are so many variables for retail sales when looking ahead to this year.

“Consumers have extra money from pulling back in other areas of their lives,” Cullen said. “That could certainly continue into this year, but there is still a lot of unknowns when we are trying to put together our forecast.”