Secretary of State Launching Electronic Automobile Insurance Verification

Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White announced that automobile insurance verification will be conducted electronically. This upgrade to the state’s mandatory insurance verification program will begin enforcement on July 1, 2021. The program requires insurance companies to work in conjunction with the Secretary of State’s office to confirm electronically that motorists have automobile insurance. This program follows national standards established by the Insurance Industry Committee on Motor Vehicle Administration and is expected to reduce the number of Illinois motorists driving while uninsured. “

My office has led the effort to establish and implement an automobile insurance verification system online which will serve to reduce the number of Illinois motorists driving while uninsured,” said White. “The message is simple: if you don’t have auto insurance, get covered now. It is the law.”

Under the new Illinois Insurance Verification System (ILIVS), vehicle owners’ automobile insurance will be verified electronically at least twice a year at random intervals to ensure that vehicle owners are complying with the state’s mandatory automobile liability insurance laws. The vast majority of vehicle owners will not have to do anything, as electronic verification of automobile insurance will be confirmed automatically.

If electronic verifications are unsuccessful, the Secretary of State’s office will send a written request to the vehicle owner giving them the opportunity to prove they have insurance before suspending their vehicle registration. Vehicle owners must contact their insurance company or notify their insurance agent that they received a letter with a specific reference number from the Secretary of State. The insurance agent’s responsibility is to confirm electronically with the Secretary of State – through www.ILIVS.com – that the vehicle owner does in fact have automobile insurance on the verification date stated in the letter. Beginning July 1, 2021, vehicle owners who are unable to prove insurance will face a license plate suspension and $100 reinstatement fee.

It is important to note that vehicle owners who receive the letter should NOT VISIT a Driver Services facility; instead, they should CONTACT THEIR INSURANCE COMPANY OR AGENT who can provide the necessary electronic proof of insurance needed to cancel the license plate suspension. Vehicles owners who do not currently have automobile insurance must obtain insurance to avoid license plate suspension.

White chaired the Uninsured Motorist Verification Advisory Committee that worked with insurance companies, traffic safety advocates and members of the General Assembly. The advisory committee reviewed best practices and helped provide the guidelines used to establish legislation and program requirements.

Samuel R. Shehorn, 49

Samuel R. Shehorn, 49, of Mount Carmel, Illinois, passed away Monday, June 7, 2021, at Wabash General Hospital surrounded by the love of his family. He was born October 13, 1971, in Evansville, Indiana, the son of W.R. “Royce” and Lucille (Waters) Shehorn. He married Deana Bradham on August 9, 1997, and she survives.

Sam faithfully served his country for a total of twenty-three years. He first enlisted in the United States Marine Corp, serving for six years. After a period of civilian life, Sam re-enlisted to join the Illinois National Guard where he served both in Afghanistan and Iraq. He was also deployed to Egypt when the Egyptian coup d’état took place. More recently, Sam has been employed by the Lawrence County Correctional Facility as a Correctional Officer, where he has worked for twenty years. In his younger years, he enjoyed Mixed Martial Arts and Golden Glove Boxing, having won the Golden Glove title in the state of Indiana. Sam was lovingly known to his family and friends as an “ornery man” since he loved a good joke and often played pranks. He enjoyed woodworking and made many gifts and home furnishings for his family and friends. He was a motorcycle enthusiast, with Harley Davidson being his favorites. Sam liked to read poetry and enjoyed a good cigar with a glass of bourbon. He loved his family and his military family dearly. He will be deeply missed by all who knew him.

Sam leaves behind his loving wife of twenty-three years, Deana; daughters, Ivy Newell and husband, Cody, Draven Foshee and husband Christian; grandchildren, Zailyn, Anderson and Royce Foshee, Thea Newell; mother, Lucille Shehorn; brothers, Shannon (Tess) Shehorn, Tim (Missi) Shehorn, Rodney (Leanne) Shehorn; sister, Sara (Jose) Marquez; many loved nieces, nephews, aunts, uncles and cousins.

Sam was preceded in death by his father and grandparents.

Family and friends may gather for a Visitation from 1:00p.m. - 4;00 p.m., Monday, June14, 2021 in the Chapel of Keepes Funeral Home. Immediately following the Visitation, Full Military Honors will take place to honor Sam’s service to our Country.

Please follow the current CDC guidelines.

Memorial contributions may be made in Sam’s memory to the Local Military Honor Guard and will be accepted at the Visitation or may be mailed to Keepes Funeral Home, 1500 North Cherry St., Mt. Carmel, IL 62863.

Keepes Funeral Home is serving the family with the arrangements. To view Sam’s tribute wall, leave condolences and purchase flowers for the Shehorn family, please visit www.KeepesFuneralHome.com.

County Making Plans How To Spend $2.2 Million In Rescue Funds

Wabash County officials are busy putting a plan together on how to spend over $2.2 million in American Rescue Plan monies coming from the federal government. At yesterday’s county board meeting, treasurer Beverly McBride reported the county has already received half of the money amounting to $1.18 million. She said the other half of the money will arrive next June. The majority of the initial money is being targeted to the Wabash County Health Department which county commissioner Tim Hocking said should be the first priority… 

But, Hocking said the county may be able to reallocate some of the money to reimburse the sheriff’s department for COVID-related expenses freeing up money for things Sheriff Derek Morgan requested.

Health Department administrator Judy Wissel said some of the money may be used to make the health department more accessible, reimburse for additional salaries incurred by COVID, and even an app to more the health department’s service more accessible to the public.

The county board yesterday approved giving the health department the authority to use more than $700,000 of the rescue money for various upgrades that could also include additional parking and building improvements. The county board will have to sign off on the projects the health department pursues. 

Push On To Save Box Turtles In Illinois

One hundred years ago, ornate box turtles were found in half of the 102 counties in Illinois. Now they live in only 10 counties.

Dr. Matt Allender, a scientist at the University of Illinois and clinical veterinarian with the Chicago Zoological Society, uses a team of Boykin spaniel dogs to hunt for endangered ornate box turtles.

The dogs are much more efficient at collecting the four-inch brown-and-gold-patterned box turtles than the scientists on Allender’s team.

“People can find a box turtle, about one in every 2.5 search hours. So if you are out for a day, you can find about four. One of these dogs can find a box turtle every 15 minutes,” Allender told Illinois Radio Network.

The dogs don’t hurt the box turtles. The scientists study the creatures for about an hour and then they put them right back on the prairie. The effort is part of the longest and largest health survey of box turtles in North American, Sondra Katzen of the Chicago Zoological Society told Illinois Radio Network.

Allender says the ornate box turtles are sentinels of environmental health.

“Even if you don’t care about wildlife and you don’t care about turtles, these animals are critical for evaluating the natural resources that we provide our society on. I’m doing this to save the world and we’re using box turtles to do it,” Allender said.

Ornate box turtles do not need a lot of space, but they cannot thrive on just any tract of prairie, Allender says. They need prairie with diverse nutrients and soil composition.

At the Nachusa Grasslands, a 4,000-acre reclaimed prairie, there are over 70 different species of prairie grass or prairie plants that generate seeds and host insects that turtles and many different species of birds and pollinators depend on. At Nachusa, the ornate box turtles have an important animal partner in the native bison who live there. As the large, heavy bison tramp across the grasslands, their hooves churn the soil, spreading seeds and creating habitat for the bugs and insects that the turtles eat.

When the prairies and the bison disappeared, ornate box turtle populations in Illinois were decimated as well, Allender said.

See Dr. Allender and John Rucker, the dog owner and trainer, in action with the Boykin spaniels in an eight-minute video Boykin spaniels collect turtles that the Chicago Zoological Society has made.

Illinois State Police Announces May Activity and Enforcement

Carmi, IL – Illinois State Police District 19 Commander, Captain Nathan Douglas, announced today activity and enforcement figures for the month of May. Troopers in District 19, which includes Wabash, Edwards, Wayne, White, Hamilton, Saline, and Gallatin Counties, recorded 1,825 incidents during the month.

Enforcement activity consisted of 966 citations and 1,341 written warnings, including four DUIs, 512 speeding citations, 110 occupant restraint citations, 12 criminal arrests, and 440 written warnings for speeding. Troopers also assisted 63 motorists, conducted 163 Motor Carrier Safety Inspections, and investigated 32 traffic crashes. There was one fatal traffic crash, resulting in one fatality, investigated by District 19 during May.

Moreover, District 19 issued 697 citations and 538 written warnings for “Fatal Four” violations. These violations are most associated with fatal traffic crashes and include DUI, Speeding, Failure to Wear a Seatbelt, and Distracted Driving.

Bridge Rehabilitation Scheduled for S.R. 168 near Fort Branch

GIBSON COUNTY, Ind. – The Indiana Department of Transportation announces lane restrictions for State Road 168 near Fort Branch for a bridge rehab project.

Beginning on or around Thursday, June 10, contractors will close one lane of the S.R. 168 bridge spanning Troops Creek, about a mile west of U.S. 41. Workers will be performing a bridge rehabilitation including demolition, patching and resurfacing.

During the project, restrictions will be in place around the clock and traffic will be controlled by temporary signal. The open lane will be restricted to 15-feet. Wider loads should seek an alternate route using the nearest numbered state, U.S. or Interstate routes. Work is expected to last until about mid-July depending upon weather conditions.

INDOT urges drivers to slow down and stay alert near crews.

ATV Thefts Prompt Warning From MCPD

The Mt. Carmel Police Department has taken two theft of ATV complaints within the last week.  One occurred in the 800 block of Westover St. while the other occurred across town in the 300 block of Wabash Ave.  Please keep your ATVs secured with the keys inaccessible.  Officers are increasing patrols to these areas and request the public to call MCPD with any suspicious activity they observe.  Oftentimes, citizens are hesitant to call the police to report suspicious activity only to find out later they had valuable information that would have assisted in the investigation.  MCPD can be reached at 618-262-4114 or, in cases of emergency, by calling 911.

MCPD Issues Scam Advisory

The Mt. Carmel Police Department would like to inform citizens of ongoing scam calls making their way around the city. If you receive any calls from someone reporting to be with an unemployment office, law enforcement agency, or social security office do not provide any personal information to them. These agencies will not call you and ask for personal information. The scammers use scare tactics such as threats of an arrest warrant to obtain compliance. Just hang up the phone when you receive these calls. Anyone who has fell victim to similar type scams recently should call the Mt. Carmel Police Department and file a report.

Oak Street Water Fountain Project Hits Another Snag

It’s been almost two years since Mt. Carmel Water Commissioner Justin Dulgar announced a water fountain would be placed on Oak Street near the elementary school. But, the pandemic delayed the installation last year and now there might be another snag. At Tuesday’s City Council meeting, Dulgar said there’s been a hiccup with the planned location of the fountain… 

Dulgar previously said the fountain will cost approximately $4,000 and will be paid for out of the water fund. It will also accommodate pets. 

Traffic stop leads to arrest of Patoka woman on DUI charge

On June 6, 2021, at 4:31 p.m. Gibson County Deputy U.B. Smith conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle for distracted driving on Dorsey Street near Broadway in Princeton. Upon approaching the vehicle, he identified the driver as 36-year-old Nicole Lepper of Patoka. While speaking with Ms. Lepper Deputy Smith detected the odor of alcohol coming from inside the vehicle and observed an open container of alcohol. At that point he began a roadside DUI investigation. At the conclusion of his investigation, he placed Ms. Lepper into custody and transported her to the Gibson County Jail where she was charged with Operating a Vehicle While Intoxicated. She has since posted 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.