#348 School Board Adopts 2022-23 School Calendar

At their monthly meeting this week, the Wabash District #348 school board adopted the 2022-23 school calendar. Renovations at Mt. Carmel High School will cause the new year to be pushed back slightly. The first day of school for students will be Friday, August 12th. Other highlights include Fall Break, November 21st through Thanksgiving weekend; Christmas Break starts with a two-hour early dismissal on December 21st and students return on January 4th; and Spring Break next year is set for April 3rd through 10th.

Back to this school year, the last day for seniors at MCHS will be May 6th with Honors Night on May 12th and graduation at 10am on May 14th. The last day for all other students will be May 24th when there’ll be a two hour early dismissal.

Mt. Carmel Man Sentenced To DOC On Domestic Battery Charge

Kelli Storckman, Wabash County State’s Attorney, reports that Brandon Garrett, a 29-year old Mt. Carmel, Illinois man, was sentenced to the Illinois Department of Corrections by the Honorable Circuit Judge
William Hudson in Wabash County Circuit Court.

State’s Attorney Storckman advises that the Defendant was charged December 23, 2021 with Domestic Battery , a Class 4 Felony. Mr. Garrett was sentenced to 1 year in the Illinois Department of Corrections, to be
followed by four years of mandatory supervised release (parole).

FACTS AND CIRCUMSTANCES OF OFFENSE:
That on the 21st day of December, 2021, in Wabash County, Illinois, the Defendant, BRANDON L. GARRETT, committed the offense of DOMESTIC BATTERY, in that said Defendant, without legal justification, knowingly made physical contact of an insulting nature to XXXXXX , whom the Defendant resides with, in that he grabbed the neck of XXXXXX, and the Defendant had prior conviction for Domestic Battery in Wabash County case 18-CF-95, in violation of 720 ILCS 5/12-3.2(a)(1). A CLASS 4 FELONY.

County Examining Improvements To Courthouse

In the words of county board chairman Tim Hocking, “the ball is rolling” when it comes to renovations at the Wabash County Courthouse. Hocking recently toured the courthouse with sheriff Derek Morgan and architect Jason Wright of ADG to see what areas need to be addressed first. According to Hocking, the roof and exterior of the courthouse will be the first areas addressed.

Stadium Renovations Causing 4th of July Changes

Renovations to Riverview Stadium this summer is causing a change to the city’s 4th of July fireworks and where you can watch them. At Monday’s City Council meeting, Mayor Joe Judge said the fireworks will still be detonated from the same location near the levee on Golden Aces Way. But since the stadium will be closed to seating because of the renovations, city officials are coming up with an alternative plan to view the fireworks and for parking.

And speaking of the 4th, there will be a 4th of July parade again this year. For the last 20 years, the parade has been organized by the Gary Arnold family. Now, Mayor Joe Judge says his family will assist the Arnold’s in making sure this year’s Independence Day tradition continues.

City Park Restrooms To Reopen Next Month

You’ve heard a lot about the new restrooms at the Mt. Carmel City Park, but there’s been some frustration by some park visitors of the lack of availability of the restrooms during recent nice weather. Mayor Joe Judge said at Monday’s city council meeting that it has been city policy to open restrooms from April until November to prevent damage to lines because of freezing temperatures. Judge said he recently tried to accommodate visitors to the park by opening the restrooms. But that cost the city a plumbing bill because of a sudden return to cold temperatures and the need to reclose the restrooms. Commissioners voted to keep the policy in place of only opening the restrooms from April to November and put signage up to explain the decision.

Courtesy: Mayor Joe Judge Facebook Page

Allendale Science Fair

Allendale School 8th grade students competed in the IJAS Region 8 Science Fair on Tuesday, March 22nd at Southern Illinois University.  Competing were: Rhett Andrews, Karson Ash, Brendan Bowser,Cameron Kolb,  Ashleigh McGinnis, Isabella Monroy, Trenton Potts, Michael Smith, and Olivia Smith.  Congratulations to (pictured) Ashleigh McGinnis, Rhett Andrews, and Michael Smith for being selected to compete at the State Competition later this spring.  Even more congrats to Ashleigh, as she received an Outstanding Psychological Project award.  

Allendale Book Fair Winners

Allendale School just wrapped up its Spring Book Fair and some students won grade level competitions.  Congratulations to (pictured):  Silas Murphy (Kindergarten), Madisyn Weiss (1st grade), Henry Buchanan (2nd grade), Bella Maynes (3rd grade), and Wyatt Buchanan (4th grade).  In the junior high competition, winners were Ashleigh McGinnis, Olivia Phelps, and Jason Ford.

Silas Murphy (Kindergarten), Madisyn Weiss (1st grade), Henry Buchanan (2nd grade), Bella Maynes (3rd grade), and Wyatt Buchanan (4th grade).

  In the junior high competition, winners were Ashleigh McGinnis, Olivia Phelps, and Jason Ford.

City Offering Limited Spring Leaf Pickup

Because of equipment issues last fall, leaf pickup in Mt. Carmel was cut short. But with Spring weather arriving, the city is offering to pick up leaves for residents who may have been missed last fall. If you’d like to be added to the leaf pickup list, you can call city hall. Officials stressed the special Spring leaf pickup won’t include the entire city, only those who call city hall to be added to the list.

And as you clean up your yards this spring, fire chief Frances Speth reminded residents that burning of sticks and leaves is not allowed in the city and those should be bagged. 

County Board Rejects Health Board Recommendation For Vacancy

Wabash County Commissioner Rob Dean has again butted heads with the Wabash County Board of Health. Dean, who is also a member of the health board, has been at odds with his fellow members for the last few months. First with the pay of health department Judy Wissel and then with the health department’s plan to renovate the former WAVE building on West 3rd Street. The latest issue came at Monday’s county board meeting as the health board presented two nominees to be considered for a vacancy on the health board created by the resignation of Carolyn Peach. But Dean, rejected the suggestions…

Instead, Dean nominated Darrel Thompson II, pastor of The River Church, to the health board. Dean said Thompson is conservative and will ask the tough questions necessary of the health board. Dean’s nomination was approved on a 2 to 1 vote with board chairman Tim Hocking voting against saying it has always been the county board’s position to accept the health board’s recommendation.

Mt. Carmel Native Promoted to the Rank of Sergeant

Evansville – Indiana State Police Superintendent Douglas Carter has promoted Detective Tobias Odom to the rank of Sergeant and transferred to the Laboratory Division to serve as a Polygraph Examiner.

Odom is a native of Mt. Carmel, IL, and a 1985 graduate of Mt. Carmel High School. After graduating high school, Odom joined the U.S. Army where he served until 1991.

Odom received an Associate of Arts Degree in Law Enforcement from Oakland City University in 1992. He later attended the Indiana State Police Recruit Academy and graduated in December 1993. Odom was assigned to the Evansville District and primarily patrolled Gibson County. In 2016, he obtained a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Criminal Justice from Oakland City University. After patrolling area highways for over 10 years, Odom was selected and reassigned as a detective at the Evansville District. Odom will now serve as a polygraph examiner. He continues to serve as a member of the Indiana State Police Hostage Negotiation Team.

Odom and his wife, Sheila, reside in Gibson County. They have two adult children and three grandchildren.