ILLINOIS STATE POLICE INVESTIGATES DEATH IN CLAY COUNTY

Flora, IL – On Nov. 17, 2021 at approximately 1:26 p.m., the Illinois State Police (ISP) Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI) - Zone 8 was requested to conduct a death investigation in Flora, IL. 

 On Nov. 17, 2021, at approximately 1:04 p.m., a female, later identified as Stephanie L. Harrell, a 54-year-old of Flora, IL, was found deceased in her vehicle parked in an agricultural field entrance on Olive Street approximately ¾ miles north of US Highway 50 in Clay County.  The official cause and manner of death are undetermined at this time and will be released by the Clay County Coroner’s Office once a final autopsy and toxicology report are completed.  ISP DCI - Zone 8 was assisted by the Clay County Sheriff’s Office, Flora Police Department, Clay County Coroner’s Office and ISP Crime Scene Services.

 This is an active and ongoing investigation, and no additional information will be released at this time.  Anyone with information regarding this investigation is asked to contact ISP DCI - Zone 8 Investigations Trooper Lucas Schilling at (217) 342-7859 or by e-mail at Lucas.Schilling@illinois.gov. 

Mt. Carmel Man Arrested On Domestic Battery & Animal Cruelty Charges

On 11/17/21, Mt. Carmel Police arrested Yong X Lin, age 45, of Mt. Carmel, for Aggravated Animal Cruelty, Domestic Battery, and No FOID Card following an incident at a residence in the 1600 block of Michael Ave.

Officers responded to the residence to investigate a report of Lin battering a family member during a dispute. While investigating the report, officers also learned that Lin had allegedly killed or injured two cats in the home and illegally possessed a handgun as well. It should be noted the gun was not involved in any of the alleged incidents. Lin had already left the home prior to police arrival but was stopped by another officer in the area of 9th & Mulberry for further investigation into the allegations.

Officers found evidence that Lin had battered the family member and placed him under arrest. When doing so, officers also located a dead cat inside the vehicle.

Lin was transported to the Wabash County Jail at this time. While still at the home, another family member turned over the handgun which was taken as evidence. The other cat was found still alive in the home and turned over to a family friend to seek veterinary treatment.

Lin was charged with the above offenses and held pending a bond setting by a judge.

County Solves Space Issue For Probation Office

Making do with the space they have available, Wabash County officials have eked out some additional space for the county’s probation office.

At a September county commissioner meeting, Chief Probation Officer Ryan Ruble spelled out the hardships Wabash County probation officer Judy Lewis works. According to Ruble, the probation office is required to keep records for a minimum of 5 years causing a large amount of files to pile up in Lewis’s small office. In addition, filing cabinets with confidential probation records are being stored in a nearby conference room potentially compromising the privacy of individuals in the information.

At this past Monday’s meeting, county board chairman Rob Dean said the issue has been resolved, at least temporarily….

Ruble said the statewide mandate to bring the justice system to community corrections means more people on probation and even larger burden on Lewis’s office in terms of workload and space.

Domestic Battery Charge Lands Mt. Carmel Man In Jail

On 11/16/21, Mt. Carmel Police Department arrested Zelbert M. Sutton, age 58, of Mt. Carmel, for Domestic Battery following an incident at a residence in the 200 block of McDowell St. Upon arrival, officers found evidence to indicate Sutton had battered a family member during a dispute. Sutton was placed under arrested and transported to the Wabash County Jail where he was charged and held pending a bond setting by a judge.

Georgia Man Arrested By MCPD On DUI Charge

On 11/13/21, Mt. Carmel Police Department arrested Aaron M. Moore, age 30, of Ringgold, Georgia, for Driving Under the Influence of Alcohol following a public complaint about a possible impaired driver on Walnut Street. Officers arrived in the area and located the suspect vehicle at which time the officer observed a violation of the Illinois Vehicle Code. A traffic stop was conducted in the 400 block of W 9th Street where contact was made with the driver, Aaron Moore. In doing so, the officer noted reason to suspect the driver was impaired on alcohol. A roadside sobriety check was conducted where several clues to indicate impairment were observed. Moore was placed under arrest and transported to the Wabash County Jail where he was processed for DUI and later released to jail staff for additional processing.

MCPD Arrests Four For Meth Delivery

On 11/18/21, Mt. Carmel Police arrested (4) individuals for Delivery of Methamphetamine as a result of an extensive investigation into the illegal sales of narcotics in Mt. Carmel by Mt. Carmel Police Department. Those (4) individuals are:

Carl P. Pierce, age 34, of Mt. Carmel – $3000 cash bond

Thomas D. Gidcumb, age 55, of Mt. Carmel - $3000 cash bond

Cynthia A. Phelps, age 50, of Mt. Carmel - $4000 cash bond

Jeremy R. McGill, age 36, of Mt. Carmel - $4000 cash bond

Police Chief Mike McWilliams: “There are more arrests forthcoming and will be announced later. MCPD would like to thank Wabash County State’s Attorney Kelli Storckman for her assistance and availability during these investigations. More to come…”

Jeremy R. McGill

Cynthia A. Phelps

Carl P. Pierce, age 34

Thomas D. Gidcumb

Judge Hoping For Big Christmas Present From State

Earlier this week we reported on the Mt. Carmel City Council spending nearly $3,000 for a Wisconsin firm to come to town and evaluate the City Pool and recommend improvements. But for any recommendations to become reality, city leaders will have to figure out how to pay what are likely to be costly improvements. Mayor Joe Judge has been touting a Restore Illinois grant application the city has with the state’s department of commerce and economic opportunity. But Judge said the city’s been anxiously awaiting word from the state on whether Mt. Carmel will get the Restore Illinois infrastructure grant. At Monday’s City Council meeting, Judge said the waiting will continue…

The city had hoped to hear something from the state last year, but the pandemic halted the grant process.

Glenn Poshard Documentary Film To Be Screened At WVC

Glenn Poshard documentary film screening 

Wabash Valley College, Brubeck Auditorium 

           December 4, 2021, 1PM

THIRTY-NINE COUNTIES is a documentary about civic engagement and peaceful public action born out of the need to reckon with a country’s great divide.  

With care and forethought, one year ago, in the middle of a pandemic, Glenn Poshard planned and organized 39 different marches for peace, unity and nonviolence in all the counties he represented during his time in the US Congress. Poshard has been worried that the division that has filled our country, ‘our beloved country’ as he calls it, could bring trouble or even violence to bear.                

Glenn and his wife Jo, managed, in 28 days, to march in all 39 counties; driving hundreds of miles from county to county to meet and greet the people who answered the call to march for peace and unity in a troubled time. This documentary chronicles all the marches, the people who participated in them and the inspirational historical oratory presented to them by Congressman Poshard.  THRITY-NINE COUNTIES reminds us that the strength of a democracy is in its citizenry. 

Producer/director of the film Sandra Pfeifer says, “Both Glenn and I feel it is important to show the film at this time as a special public service since the country continues to see serious division.” Pfeifer goes on, “Our hope is that this screening will inspire public participation in the democratic process.”   She added, “We are grateful to all our regional partners for their help in screening the film.”  

There will be no charge to view the film, which is free and open to the public

IECC Board Summary

The Board of Trustees of Illinois Eastern Community College District No. 529 met Tuesday night, November 16, 2021, at Olney Central College, Olney, Illinois, and following a public hearing on the tax levy, Trustees certified the district’s levies for the calendar year 2021.



Updates were authorized for the current Board policy concerning the Family Medical Leave Act.  


The Board approved the Certification of Compliance with the Truth in Taxation Law and approved the Governmental Accounting Standards Board (GASB) Designation of Tax Levy Year.  The Governmental Accounting Standards Board is the organization that establishes accounting and financial reporting standards in the United States. 

 

Trustees approved the listing of holidays for Administrative, Technical, Professional Non-Faculty, Clerical & Maintenance Staff for Calendar Year 2022.

Monday

January 17

Martin Luther King Jr. Day

Monday

February 21

President’s Day

Friday

April 15

Spring Holiday

Monday

May 30

Memorial Day

Monday

June 20

Juneteenth Observed

Monday

July 4

Independence Day

Monday

September 5

Labor Day

Monday

October 10

Columbus Day

Friday

November 11

Veterans Day

Thursday

November 24

Thanksgiving

Friday

November 25

Thanksgiving

 

December 20-23

Winter Break

Monday

December 26

Christmas Day Observed

 

December 27-30

Winter Break

Monday

January 2

New Year’s Day

The board acted on recommendations affecting health care programs.  Affiliation agreements were approved with area health care agencies. 

 

Trustees approved an agreement with the IEA/NEA and Bargaining Unit Faculty.

 

Trustees approved the schedule of regular meetings for calendar year 2022.

            Tuesday, January 18, 2022, 6:15 p.m., Lincoln Trail College

            Tuesday, February 15, 2022, 6:15 p.m., Olney Central College

            Tuesday, March 15, 2022, 6:15 p.m., Wabash Valley College

            Tuesday, April 19, 2022, 6:15 p.m., Frontier Community College

            Tuesday, May 17, 2022, 6:15 p.m., Lincoln Trail College

            Tuesday, June 21, 2022, 6:15 p.m., Olney Central College

            Tuesday, July 19, 2022, 6:15 p.m., Wabash Valley College

            Tuesday, August 16, 2022, 6:15 p.m., Frontier Community College

            Tuesday, September 20, 2022, 6:15 p.m., Lincoln Trail College

            Tuesday, October 18, 2022, 6:15 p.m., Olney Central College

            Tuesday, November 15, 2022, 6:15 p.m., Wabash Valley College

            Tuesday, December 13, 2022, 6:15 p.m., Frontier Community College

 

Employment was approved for Krista Barber, Nursing Instructor at LTC, effective January 5, 2022; Chase Bramlet, Coordinator of Public Information & Marketing at

WVC, effective November 29, 2021; Marty Fatheree, Maintenance/Custodian at OCC, effective November 22, 2021; Ryan Wilborn Technology Support Specialist at the

DO, effective November 29, 2021.

 

A change in classification was approved for Carrie Thomas from Administrative Assistant for Workforce Education to Program Assistant for Workforce Education,

effective November 17, 2021.

 

Next regular meeting of the Board of Trustees will be Tuesday, December 14, at 6:15 p.m. at Wabash Valley College, Mt. Carmel, Illinois.