Raleigh Man Seriously Injured In Route 1 Crash

ISP PERSONAL INJURY TRAFFIC CRASH ALERT

The Following Preliminary Information is Being Released by Illinois State Police

District 19

WHAT:                      Two Unit Personal Injury Traffic Crash                                                      

WHERE:                   Illinois Route 1 at  County Road 550 E, White County

WHEN:                      Aug. 11, 2021 at approximately 10:34 p.m.     

VEHICLE:                Unit 1 – 2003 Green Dodge Dakota Pickup

                                     Unit 2 – 2004 Blue Ford F250 Pickup

 DRIVERS:                 Unit 1 – Bill W. Van, 45-year-old male from Carmi, IL

                                    Unit 2 –Jonathan C. Gilbert, 26-year-old male from Raleigh, IL – Transported to an area hospital with serious injuries.

 PRELIMINARY:      Preliminary investigation indicates the following occurred:  Unit 2 was traveling southbound on Illinois Route 1 and stopped at a construction stop light (which was red at the time of the crash).  The driver of Unit 2 activated his hazard lights and exited Unit 2 due to vehicle issues.  The driver of Unit 2 was walking around his vehicle when Unit 1 struck the rear of Unit 2.

 CHARGES:               Pending Investigation

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

I-57 Construction Zone Crash Injures One

ILLINOIS STATE POLICE TRAFFIC CRASH ALERT  

The Following Preliminary Information is Being Released by

Illinois State Police District 12 

WHAT:                      Two Vehicle Personal Injury Traffic Crash  

  WHERE:                   Interstate 57 southbound at milepost 123, Marion County

 WHEN:                      Aug. 11, 2021 at approximately 5:10 p.m.

VEHICLES:              Unit 1 – 2001 Red Ford F150 

                                    Unit 2 – 2015 Black GMC Denali                  

DRIVERS:                 Unit 1 – Nancy J. Satterthwaite, 73-year-old female of Salem, IL                                 

Unit 2 – Christopher J. Scruggs, 31-year-old male of Memphis, TN – Transported to an area hospital with injuries.

PASSENGERS:         Unit 2 – Dereka D. Lawrence, 30-year-old female of Memphis, TN                      

PRELIMINARY:      A preliminary investigation indicates the following occurred:  Unit 1 was traveling on Interstate 57 southbound near milepost 123 in the right lane in a construction zone, where two lanes merged into one lane.  Unit 2 was passing Unit 1. Unit 1 continued straight in the right lane and struck several construction barrels. Unit 1 then changed to the left lane where it struck Unit 2.  Unit 1 continued through the median and across both lanes of northbound traffic. Unit 1 came to rest on the concrete embankment of the Martin Road overpass (northbound side). Unit 1 struck the underside of the bridge at the top of the concrete embankment. Unit 1 then rolled back to the bottom of the concrete embankment and came to rest against the metal guardrail.

CHARGES:               The driver of Unit 1 was issued a citation for Failure to Reduce Speed to Avoid an Accident and Improper Lane Usage.  The driver of Unit 2 was issued a citation for Driving While License Suspended.

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

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Wabash District #348 School Board Agenda

WABASH CUSD #348 BOARD OF EDUCATION MEETING

MT. CARMEL GRADE SCHOOL CAFETORIUM

Monday, August 16, 2021 Regular Board Meeting 7:00 p.m.

AGENDA

1. Call to order / Roll call

2. Pledge of Allegiance

3. Consent Agenda

a. Board Minutes

i. July 19, 2021 Regular Board Meeting

ii. August 3, 2021 Special Board Meeting

iii. August 9, 2021 Special Board Meeting

b. Monthly Bills

c. Financial Reports

d. Correspondence

e. Administrative Reports

f. Surplus

4. Reports

5. Executive Session pursuant to Section 2(c)(1) of the Open Meetings Act: “The appointment, employment, compensation, discipline, performance, or dismissal of specific employees”.

6. New Business

a. 2021-2022 Proposed Budget

b. Employment of Personnel

7. Adjournment

City Officials Stressing Back To School Safety

The 2021-2022 school year got underway today for students in Wabash District #348 and the return to classes brings the annual reminders from law enforcement officers for motorists to be careful when kids are going to and from school. At Monday’s City Council meeting, Mayor Joe Judge offered this notice…

Police chief  Mike McWilliams said parents also need to remind first time drivers leaving for lunch from the high school that racing to their favorite restaurant is a bad idea and officers will be patrolling those areas to keep everyone safe.

Marion Family Takes Stand Against Mask Mandate As Three Children Suspended

Parents across Illinois are sending their kids to school. Some kids are being suspended for not wearing masks.

The school year has started in some districts and schools are requiring masks, per Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s recent order. He said Tuesday the mask mandate is temporary, but necessary with rising COVID-19 case rates.

“This is a vital part of keeping people safe and healthy across the state,” Pritzker said.

For Marlena and Ben McCoy in Marion, they had their children politely refuse to wear masks Monday, saying it’s not healthy for them to breathe their own air for eight hours a day.

They said at first, administrators at Crab Orchard in Williamson County said to just take the kids home, but the McCoys insisted that if they’re not being disciplined, their children must be in class. The administrators eventually suspended the three children.

An administrator from the district didn’t return messages seeking comment.

Marlena said they couldn't stand by anymore without fighting back.

“It’s time to stand up and it’s time to fight against what is not the government’s to take,” Marlena said. “The Bible teaches us to give to Caesar what is Caesar's, and they are clearly asking something that is not Caesar's and we’re not going to be willing to give it anymore.”

It was tough to “walk into the fire,” but Marlena said her children understood.

“They’re excited to be part of whatever this movement is going to be,” she said. “My husband made kind of a silly comment, he said ‘your blood bleeds a little bit more red than most Americans right now,’ because they’re fighting what most won’t.”

Pritzker said Tuesday that schools must enforce masks, equating it to enforcing dress codes.

“I expect people will do the right thing, nonetheless, and not put their school district in the situation of having to tell somebody, you know, ‘follow the rules,’” Pritzker said.

At the same district, Amanda Phillips’ son Carson, who turns 13 in just a matter of days, went to school Monday with a mask, but decided to not wear a mask Tuesday and was given a day suspension.

“He’s putting everything on the line, his sports, his academics,” Phillips said, noting her son is a leader on the middle-school baseball team and a good student. “Suspensions are supposed to be for bad things like fights, not for good students.”

Phillips said her son may go back to school Wednesday with a mask in order to be eligible for a Thursday baseball game, but she also has her eye on a national day of action called “Walkout Wednesday.” She said that could have students across the country walking out of schools at noon to protest COVID-19 mitigation protocols.

August 23rd Arraignment Set For Mt. Carmel Man Arrested In Poaching Investigation

A Mt. Carmel man charged in connection to an alleged massive poaching investigation was in Wabash County Circuit Court Monday morning for a preliminary hearing.

46 year old Richard Stringfellow faces 2 felony counts and dozens of misdemeanor counts after the investigation also resulted in multiple felony and misdemeanor charges being filed against three juveniles as well. During Monday’s brief appearance, Stringfellow waived his right to a preliminary hearing and Judge William Hudson found probably cause in the case. Arraignment was set for August 23rd.

As part of the investigation, Illinois DNR officers confiscated eight deer, two rifles, one muzzleloader, one bow and a string of hawk talons. Additionally, the two pickup trucks used in the alleged poaching incidents were seized. More than 55 charges were filed in this case, including felony resource theft, felony animal abuse, falsification of records, unlawful take of deer, hunting by use/aid of a vehicle, spotlighting, hunting deer with a rifle, wanton waste of game meat, shooting from a roadway and transportation of loaded and uncased firearms.

Indiana authorities have also filed their own charges in connection to the same poaching operation.

School Board Reverses Course, Masks Now Mandatory For New School Year

With two members voting no, the Wabash District #348 school board last night voted to revise their reopening plan and follow Governor JB Pritzker's mask mandate when school opens tomorrow. Those voting in support of the change cited fears of retribution from the state if the mandate isn't followed. Board member Kyle Peach made the motion to follow Pritzker’s mandate saying the passion directed at the school board is misdirected…

Ryan Peter has been a vocal critic of the mandates handed down by the state and he gave an impassioned plea to his fellow board members…

Also voting with Peter to keep masks optional last night was board member Susan Wood. A big crowd attended last night's special school board meeting with about a dozen speaking to the school board.

Evansville man arrested on DUI charge

On August 7, 2021, at 1:15 p.m. Gibson County Deputy Jennifer Robb observed a Black 2016 BMW 320I make an unsafe lane movement while traveling northbound on US 41 near Fort Branch. Upon conducting a traffic stop on US 41 near County Road 650 South Deputy Robb identified the driver as 51-year-old Brian Martin of Evansville. While speaking with Mr. Martin Deputy Robb detected the odor of alcohol coming from the driver and began a roadside DUI investigation. At the conclusion of her investigation Mr. Martin was transported to the Gibson County Jail where he was charged with Operating a Vehicle While Intoxicated/Endangerment. He remains in custody on $650 bond.

Assisting Deputy Robb in her investigation was Sergeant Bruce Vanoven.

All Criminal defendants are to be presumed innocent until, and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

Side By Side Crash Kills Southern Illinois Man

ISP INVESTIGATES FATAL TRAFFIC CRASH

The Following Preliminary Information is Being Released by Illinois State Police District 22

WHAT:                         Single Vehicle Fatal Traffic Crash

WHERE:                   Hamletburg Road at Fillmore Lane, Pope County

WHEN:                      Aug. 8, 2021 at approximately 1:30 a.m.

VEHICLE:                Unit 1 – 2019 Blue Polaris Razor

DRIVER:                   Unit 1 – 37-year-old male from Brookport, IL – Deceased

PRELIMINARY:      Preliminary investigative details indicate the following occurred: Unit 1 was traveling westbound on Hamletsburg Road just west of Filmore Lane. For unknown reasons, the driver lost control of the vehicle and went off the roadway to the left causing it to flip, ejecting the driver, and trapping the driver underneath. The driver was pronounced deceased on scene by the Pope County Coroner.  There is no further information available at this time.

MCPD Adds Drone To Department

The Mt. Carmel Police Department’s newest law enforcement tool is now in operation. The MCPD now has a drone to help in a variety of areas. It is being operated by officer Paris Pennington who has experience flying drones while he was in the military. Police Chief Mike McWilliams can be shared with other departments including the fire department to help with thermal imaging in the event of a fire. But Mayor Joe Judge stressed one steadfast rule when it comes to using the drone…

McWilliams said the drone would have been very useful during the recent high speed chase through four counties. Instead, it was a two hour wait on an Illinois State Police airplane from Springfield.