Last week’s fundraiser at the Wabash County Cafeteria and Senior Center brought in almost $1,400 for a new delivery vehicle for the center. At yesterday’s Mt. Carmel City Council meeting, Mayor Joe Judge reported $1,381 was raised for a new delivery vehicle for the center during the bar-be-que dinner that sold out in just over one hour. Commissioner Chandler Madden picked up the tab for the food meaning all of the money raised will go toward the truck fund. Judge estimated the new truck could cost $20,000. He said 137 meals were delivered last Thursday during the fundraiser that featured the mayor’s world famous bar-be-que.
Oskins Gets 60 Years In Re-Sentencing Hearing For Killing His Grandmother
43 year old Jason Oskins has been re-sentenced to 60 years in prison for murdering his elderly grandmother in 1995.
Oskins’ original sentenced was sent back to Wabash County Circuit Court after the 5th District Appellate Court ruled the 60 year term was basically a life sentence who was 14 days shy of his 18th birthday when the killing took place. The appellate court said minors cannot be given a life sentence which is 40 years or more.
During yesterday’s resentencing hearing, state’s attorney Kelli Storckman argued that Oskins’ case was one of “irretrievable depravity” and he deserved the extended sentence. She outlined the brutality of the murder in which Oskins stabbed his grandmother in the back 6 times, slammed her head with a skillet, and placed a bag over her head attempting to strangle her. Oskins was upset his grandmother was making him do chores and he was going to miss a date with his girlfriend. Instead, Oskins picked up his girlfriend and brought her back to the home to have sex while his dead grandmother was still in the house. Afterwards, Oskins disposed of the body in a rural Wabash County ditch and then told police she hadn’t returned home from church. Only after the body was found did Oskins confess to the murder.
Public defender James Lane yesterday painted a picture of Oskins being a model inmate over the last 25 years and asked Judge William C. Hudson to essentially give Oskins a sentence for time served that would have put him back on the street immediately.
Oskins testified yesterday, if released, he had lined up an apartment on West 8th Street and had already had a possible job prospect.
But, Hudson sided with Storckman citing much of the comments made by former Judge Robert Keenan at the original sentencing hearing in 1997 on the brutality of the crime.
Oskins was remanded back to the Wabash County Jail where he’s been for the last 53 days before being sent back to prison to resume serving his sentence.
Local Edwards and Wabash County 4-H Members Share Opportunity for Local Youth
Ava Anderson and Eva Hocking, members of the Edwards County and Wabash County 4-H, respectively are members of the Illinois 4-H Food Advocacy Team. They are sharing an upcoming virtual state-level opportunity for the youth in your area. This year, the Food Advocacy Team is hosting their first Food Action Summit. At this event, members will explore various avenues of food advocacy including nutrition, food insecurity, food production, and much more. This is an amazing opportunity for those interested in learning about food access. It will be a fun, rewarding, and educational experience. The event will be held on May 15th via Zoom. 4-H members and nonmembers, ages 13 and up, are welcome to register at go.illinois.edu/FoodSummit2021. Registration is free but will be capped at 100 participants. Registration is open now until April 16th!
Geff Teen Dead In Wayne County Crash
ISP INVESTIGATES FATAL TRAFFIC CRASH
The Following Preliminary Information is Being Released by Illinois State Police District 19
WHAT: Two Vehicle Fatal Traffic Crash
WHERE: Enterprise Road (CR 1900E) at Illinois Route 161 (CR-2), Elm River Township, Wayne County.
WHEN: April 2, 2021 at 1:25 p.m.
VEHICLES: Unit 1 – Blue 2017 Toyota Passenger Car
Unit 2 – Silver 2001 Dodge Pickup
DRIVERS: Unit 1 – Dulani Woodland, a 20-year-old female from Mattoon, IL – Airlifted to a regional hospital with serious injuries.
Unit 2 – Shelby N. Shelton, an 18-year-old female from Geff, IL – Airlifted to a regional hospital with serious injuries.
PASSENGERS: Unit 2 – A 16-year-old female from Fairfield, IL – Airlifted to a regional hospital with serious injuries.
Unit 2 – A 14-year-old female from Geff, IL – Pronounced deceased on scene.
PRELIMINARY: Preliminary investigative details indicate the following occurred: Unit 1 was traveling northbound on Enterprise Road (CR 1900E). Unit 2 was traveling westbound on the Illinois Route 161 extension (County Road 2). Unit 1 failed to stop at the stop sign and proceeded north through the intersection of Enterprise Road and Illinois Route 161. Unit 2 did not have a stop sign and struck the passenger side of Unit 1.
Unit 2 went off of the roadway to the right, overturned several times, and came to rest on the roof. The 14-year-old passenger of Unit 2 was pronounced deceased on scene. All other occupants in both vehicles were airlifted to a regional hospital with serious injuries. The ISP Traffic Crash Reconstruction Unit (TCRU) is continuing the investigation. No further information will be disseminated at this time.
All subjects are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
# # #
Oskins To Be Resentenced Monday On 1997 Murder Conviction
A resentencing hearing is set Monday afternoon for 43-year-old Jason Oskins, who was convicted in 1997 of killing his elderly grandmother. Oskins was sentenced by former circuit judge Robert Keenan, Jr. to 60 years in prison. But in January, the 5th District Appellate Court ruled that the 60-year prison term was basically a life sentence for Oskins who was 17 at the time of the killing and that a minor cannot be given a life sentence which is 40 years or more.
Oskins was then returned to the Wabash County Jail where he has been held since his sentence was vacated. Oskins killed his grandmother, Dorothy Oskins first knocking her out with a skillet and stabbing her seven times before hiding her body under debris.
A jury convicted him of first-degree murder and concealing a homicide in March of 1997 and he has served 25 years of the 60 year sentence. At the time of the sentence, court officials said Oskins would have to serve the entire time behind bars. The resentencing hearing will be at 1 Monday afternoon, according to State’s Attorney Kelli Storckman,
Spring Clean Up Week Starts Monday In Mt. Carmel
A little Spring cleaning might be in your plans this weekend ahead of next week’s clean up week in Mt. Carmel. It’s one of two weeks of the year that Republic Services picks up your extra large items…with some exceptions according to garbage commissioner Chandler Madden….
Madden asked for patience next week as Republic’s routes typically run late because of the extra items during clean up week.
Pritzker Announces COVID-19 Vaccine Community Connectors Program
Press Release From Governor’s Office:
CHICAGO – Governor JB Pritzker and the Illinois Department of Public Health announced a Vaccine Community Connectors pilot initiative that leverages health plans to reduce COVID-19 vaccination disparities with a focus on seniors 65 years and older in the most vulnerable communities. The Vaccine Community Connectors program is sponsored by America’s Health Insurance Program (AHIP) and Blue Cross Blue Shield Association (BCBSA) and is a collaboration between health plans and the State of Illinois to help provide vaccine outreach, scheduling, and transportation for the state’s most vulnerable residents.
“Prioritizing equity has been a critical component in every phase of the state's vaccine administration plan. In particular, we have intentionally set aside allocations of vaccine for providers in communities with a high social vulnerability index and have engaged with community partners to provide vaccinations in a way that is accessible by local communities,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “Through this public-private partnership, the first of its kind in the nation, we will be able to better coordinate resources and provider more efficient vaccine access for our seniors.”
“This pandemic has pulled together many health care and public health partners to help prevent severe illness and death due to COVID-19 and I am excited about the public-private partnerships that have been built – now including the Vaccine Community Connectors program,” said Illinois Department of Public Health Director Dr. Ngozi Ezike. “As the vaccine has rolled out, we have prioritized our older residents and focused on equity. Our continued collaboration with our private partners can help us move forward in this endeavor and help save lives.”
“Throughout the pandemic, the Department of Healthcare and Family Services has worked with our managed care health plans to ensure Medicaid customers across all communities in Illinois could access testing, treatment and ultimately, vaccines, as well as new and innovative ways to improve access to health care and critical related services,” said Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services Director Theresa Eagleson. “The Vaccine Community Connectors initiative will advance those efforts and extend an opportunity to some of the state’s most vulnerable citizens to receive protection from COVID-19.”
Participating health plans, supported by AHIP, BCBSA, Illinois Association of Medicaid Health Plans (IAMHP), and Illinois Life and Health Insurance Council (ILHIC) will partner in the following ways:
Identify seniors who live in vulnerable communities who are members of participating plans who have not yet been vaccinated
Work with the state and community partners to educate seniors on the safety, efficacy, and value of the vaccine
Leverage health plan care coordinators to contact those individuals to facilitate appointment scheduling and answer questions
Coordinate services to overcome barriers that may stand between those individuals and getting vaccinated, including transportation
Work with state leaders to deliver vaccines to underserved communities
Track and report on progress on a deidentified aggregate basis
The State of Illinois, supported by vaccine providers, will partner in the following ways:
Reserve weekly appointment slots at mass vaccination sites for the plans to schedule vulnerable seniors
Provide health plans with links into the state's mass vaccination site scheduling systems to schedule members
Provide weekly access to data / analytics to support plan outreach and identify target ZIP codes where seniors have not been vaccinated
As available, respond to requests for state mobile teams
Kiwanis Holding Drive-Thru Easter Egg Hunt Saturday At City Park
COVID is causing a big change to this Saturday’s Kiwanis Easter Egg Hunt at the City Park. Kiwanian Tim Phillips says the event is moving to a drive-thru event….
Eggs will be distributed at the City Park shelter house starting at 10am Saturday until the eggs are gone.
March District #348 Employment Matters
The District #348 school board took action on these personnel matters at their March meeting.
Disregarding a Stop Sign Results in a Double Fatal Accident
Sullivan County - The Indiana State Police are investigating a crash between a semi tractor-trailer and passenger vehicle on March 25, 2021, at the junction of State Road 58 and US 41, that claimed two lives.
Preliminary investigation by Master Trooper Polly Blackburn indicates that at approximately 1:45 p.m., a 2002 Pontiac driven by Shelby Horton, age 18, of Carlisle, Indiana, was traveling eastbound on State Road 58 and disregarded the stop sign on the southbound side of the junction of US 41. The 2002 Pontiac continued eastbound and proceeded into the northbound lanes of US 41 and into the direct path of a 2007 International semi tractor-trailer driven by Timothy Sarver, age 38, of Terre Haute, Indiana. Sarver applied his brakes and attempted an evasive driving maneuver but was unable to avoid the collision. The force of the collision caused both the semi tractor-trailer and passenger vehicle to the east side of US 41 and off the roadway, where they both came to a final stop.
A passenger in the Pontiac, Connor Rodriguez, age 16, of Carlisle, Indiana, was located in the front passenger seat and succumbed to his injuries at the scene.
Shelby Horton was transported to Terre Haute Regional Hospital, but later succumbed to her injuries and was pronounced deceased.
Timothy Sarver was uninjured.
The accident is being reconstructed by Senior Trooper Tim Rader of the Putnamville State Police Post with the assistance of other troopers.
Drugs and alcohol are not believed to be a contributing factor of the accident.
Family members have been notified.
Assisting Agencies: Sullivan County Sheriff’s Department Sullivan County Coroner's Office, SCAT ambulance service, Haddon Township Volunteer Fire Department, Sullivan City Fire Department, and Edington’s Wrecker Service
