On 3/02/22, Mt. Carmel Police arrested Kiara K. Graves, age 18, of Mt. Carmel, for Criminal Sexual Assault following an investigation by MCPD. During the investigation, it was discovered that Graves had committed an act of sexual penetration on a minor female who was unable to provide knowing consent to the act. Graves was taken to the Wabash County Jail, where she was charged and held pending the posting of a $10,000 cash bond. Graves is the second arrest stemming from this investigation with the first being Joshua Anderson the day before. As this investigation unfolds, more arrests are anticipated.
Candidate Filing Period Starts Monday For 2022 Election
The filing period starts Monday for local and state candidates running in this year’s election. In Wabash County, early indications are that it could be quiet campaign as there is just one race shaping out of the four local offices on the ballot.
The only potential race right now would be for Wabash County treasurer as Beverly McBride has chosen to retire December 1st and not seek another term. Amy Conrad has taken out a democratic petition to run for treasurer while Angela Broster has pulled a Republican petition to run for treasurer.
Incumbents are the only ones with petitions for the other three offices on the ballot. Those include Sheriff Derek Morgan, county commissioner Rob Dean, and county clerk Janet Will.
Will stressed that there’s still time to pick up the campaign information in her office, gather the necessary signatures, and file to run anytime next week at the courthouse.
Will also reminded voters that you should have recently received a new voter ID card. The new card was necessary because of redistricting that took place after the 2020 Census. Will advises voters to contact her office if they didn’t receive a new ID card since that could be a sign something is wrong with their registration.
The primary election in Illinois is June 28th. The general election this year is November 8th.
Mt. Carmel City Council Agenda
AGENDA
CITY OF MOUNT CARMEL
REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING
Monday March 7, 2022 at 5:00 pm
· Call to Order
o Pledge of Allegiance
o Roll Call
· Approve Minutes
o Minutes of meeting held 2/21/2022
· Visitors (topic discussed by visitor(s) is limited to 5 minutes)
· Reports and Communications
o Mayor Judge
o Commissioner Meeks Streets, Cemeteries and Parks
o Commissioner Ikemire Finance and Senior Citizens
o Commissioner Dulgar Water and Sewer
o Commissioner Zimmerman Fire, Health & Safety, City Hall and Garbage
· Staff Reports
o Ryan Turner Brady Waldrop
o Michael McWilliams Francis Speth Mike Gidcumb
· New Business
o Consent Agenda
§ TIF Application Review/ T&M Furniture Corp.
§ TIF Application Review/Old IGA Building
§ Approval of Empire Street Plat
§ 1st Reading of Ordinance 2072/Dedication of Empire Street
§ Resolution 686/Authorization of Signatures of Water Plant Construction
o Removal of items from the Consent Agenda
o Consideration of Consent Agenda
§ Pay all bills bearing proper signature
o Consideration of items removed from the Consent Agenda
· Executive Session
o Opening of Contract with Machinist Union
· Motion to Adjourn
Bellmont Man Gets 5 Years In DOC on Meth Possession Charge
Kelli Storckman, Wabash County State’s Attorney, reports that Curt E.
Dill, a 39-year old Bellmont, Illinois man, was sentenced to the
Illinois Department of Corrections by the Honorable Circuit Judge
William C. Hudson in Wabash County Circuit Court.
State’s Attorney Storckman advises that the Defendant was charged
October 26, 2020 with Possession of Methamphetamine, a Class 3 Felony.
On March 1, 2022, Mr. Dill was sentenced to 5 years in the Department of
Corrections, to be followed by 1 year of mandatory supervised release
(parole).
FACTS AND CIRCUMSTANCES OF OFFENSE:
That on the 22nd day of October, 2020, in Wabash County, Illinois the
Defendant, CURT E. DILL, committed the offense of POSSESSION OF
METHAMPHETAMINE, in that said Defendant knowingly and unlawfully had in
his possession less than 5 grams of a substance containing
methamphetamine, other than as authorized in the Methamphetamine Control
and Community Protection Act, in violation of 720 ILCS 646/60(a). A
CLASS 3 FELONY
Wabash County Jail booking photo May 2021.
Sleepy Driver Injured In White County Crash
ISP TRAFFIC CRASH ALERT
The Following Preliminary Information is Being Released by the Illinois State Police
District 19
WHAT: Single Vehicle Personal Injury Crash
WHERE: Epworth Road, approximately 1/10th mile north of East 400 North Road, near Carmi, White County
WHEN: March 02, 2022 at approximately 10:13 p.m.
DRIVER: Unit 1 – Corwin W. Ward, a 59-year-old-male of Evansville, IN
VEHICLE: Unit 1 – Black 2010 Nissan Altima.
PRELIMINARY: Preliminary investigative details indicate the following occurred: Unit 1 was traveling south on Epworth Road approximately 1/10th mile north of East 400 North Road, near Carmi. The driver of Unit 1 reportedly fell asleep causing Unit 1 to leave the roadway to the left and overturn. The driver of Unit 1 was transported to a regional hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. This is an open and on-going investigation and no other details are available at this time.
2022 Wabash County COVID Numbers Show Sharp Peaks & Decreases
The quick rise and fall of COVID-19 numbers in Wabash County so far this year illustrate the way experts predicted the Omicron wave would hit.
The weekly numbers from the Wabash County Health Department show a pandemic high of 342 cases the week of January 19th with a low of just three cases recorded during the past week. The three cases are the lowest weekly total locally since the week of June 23rd last year when there was just one case recorded.
There have been 44 COVID positive patients die since the pandemic began in 2020.
2022 Positive COVID Cases In Wabash County**:
Week of 1/5: 117
1/12: 223
1/19: 342*
1/26: 335
2/2: 203
2/9: 88
2/16: 48
2/23: 18
3/2: 3
* = High weekly cases during pandemic
** = Does Not Include Home Tests
Mt. Carmel Man Jailed On Aggravated Battery Charge
On 2/28/22, Mt. Carmel Police arrested Willie F. Burks, age 41, of Mt. Carmel, on a Wabash County Warrant for Aggravated Battery following a traffic stop at 1300 block of West 9th Street. Burks was taken into custody and transported to the Wabash County Jail where he was held on a $4000 cash bond.
Mt. Carmel Man Charged With Criminal Sexual Assault
On 3/01/22, Mt. Carmel Police arrested Joshua A. Anderson, age 20, of Mt. Carmel, for Criminal Sexual Assault following an investigation by MCPD. During the investigation, it was discovered that Anderson had committed an act of sexual penetration on a minor female who was unable to provide knowing consent on multiple occasions. Anderson was taken to the Wabash County Jail, where he was charged and held pending a bond setting by a judge.
New Restaurant Opening Soon On West 3rd Street
We now know more of the details surrounding the new restaurant opening in the former Tastee Freeze location on West 3rd Street in Mt. Carmel.
Owners tells WSJD that El Cactus Cuisine will open soon at 805 West 3rd Street.
El Cactus will stilll offer chili dogs, hamburgers, chicken baskets, fries, ice cream, and cakes in addition to a full Mexican menu including fajitas, taco salad, nachos, and more.
The restaurant will be be open 7 days a week. 11am to 9pm Sunday-Thursday. with Friday and Saturday hours to be announced.
Rural Wabash County Bridge May Be Closed For Two Years
Motorists will be without a rural Wabash County bridge for an extended period of time. Wabash County highway engineer Dustin Bunting reports that the bridge on 1100 East in road district six was closed indefinitely last month due to movement in the south abutment the outside beams being in very poor shape. Unfortunately, the bridge is less than 20 feet long which eliminates it from federal funds being used to replace it. Bunting said township funds amounting to $65,000 to $70,000 a year that come into Wabash County aren’t enough either….
The bridge is located about 4 miles north of Lake Froman.
