Howder Gets 30 Years For Child Porn & Sexual Abuse Charges

59-year-old Glen Howder of Lawrenceville has been sentenced to 30 years in prison after being found guilty last month of sexually abusing a family member and instructing her to take lewd photos of herself.

During a two and a half hour sentencing hearing this afternoon in Wabash County Circuit Court, Judge William C. Hudson sentenced Howder to 20 years in the Department of Corrections on the Class X child porn charge, and 5 years each on two counts of aggravated criminal sexual abuse which is a Class 2 felony. All of the sentences will run consecutively with Howder serving 50% of the terms. In addition, Howder would be on three years to life parole after his release.

Only one witness was called to testify for the state and that was Mark Sheftick of the State Police crime lab who analyzed one of Howder’s cell phones. He said it contained 135 images of underage boys and girls engaged in a variety of sex acts.

Defense attorney David Benney called a string of Howder’s family members to testify on his behalf. The witnesses included his mother, two sisters, two brothers, three nephews, and a niece. All said Howder was a good man and always takes care of his family. However, Howder did not testify on his own behalf or offer a statement of allocution.

Despite the lengthy prison sentence, Howder’s legal problems are far from over. In Wabash County, he still faces a Class 3 felony charge of unauthorized videotaping of a person under the age of 18. A jury trial of September 6th was set in that case with a pre-trial conference planned for June 21st. Assistant attorney general Shannon O’Brien, who is assisting state’s attorney Kelli Storckman with prosecution, said they made an offer to Howder to settle the final charge, but it was rejected.

Meanwhile in Edwards County, Howder faces 5 counts of possession of child porn which is a Class 3 felony. A pre-trial conference on that case is planned for Tuesday morning at 9:00.

Glen Howder yells an expletive and makes an obscene gesture as he is led back to the Wabash County Jail following today’s sentencing.

Inflation To Impact Summer Roadwork In Wabash County

Inflation is affecting most areas of our lives and is now impacting the roads you drive on. At last week’s Wabash County Commissioners meeting, highway engineer Dustin Bunting said bids for the county’s motor fuel tax oil and chip bids were opened earlier this month and came in a lot higher than last year. According to Bunting, Mt. Carmel Stabilization Group was the only bidder that saw the cost of prime oil go up 42% over last year; PC oil went up 30%; polymers increased 22.5%; and stone was up 18% over 2021. Bunting said those increased costs will have a definite affect on this year’s work… 

Commissioners agreed with Bunting and accepted the bids. 

Howder To Be Sentenced Today On Child Porn, Sexual Abuse Charges

59 year old Glen Howder will be sentenced today after he was found guilty last month of sexually abusing a family member and instructing her to take lewd photos of herself. On March 10th, it took a Wabash County jury on about 90 minutes to find the Lawrenceville man guilty of a Class X felony charge of child porn which carries a possible prison term of 6 to 30 years and two counts of aggravated criminal sexual abuse which are class two felonies carrying a possible prison term of 3 to 7 years. Sentencing is set for 1pm this afternoon.

WSJD File Photo March 10th, 2022: Glen Howder is escorted back to the Wabash County Jail after being found guilty of child porn and aggravated sexual abuse charges.

DNR recommends halt to use of bird feeders, bird baths through May 31

SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) today issued updated public recommendations regarding wild birds and the EA H5N1 strain of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) currently impacting some wild and domestic bird species.

While HPAI has not been detected in songbird species (passerines), IDNR recommends the use of bird feeders and bird baths cease through May 31, or until HPAI infections in the Midwest subside, especially those that waterfowl may visit. During spring, wild birds will have ample food sources while bird feeders are removed.

Further IDNR recommendations:

• Clean and rinse bird feeders and baths with a diluted bleach solution (nine parts water to one part bleach) and put away or clean weekly if they can’t be moved away from birds.

• Remove any bird seed at the base of bird feeders to discourage large gatherings of birds or other wildlife.

• Avoid feeding wild birds in close proximity to domestic flocks.

If five or more deceased wild birds are observed in one location, an IDNR district wildlife biologist should be contacted. Contact information for district wildlife biologists can be found at https://www.wildlifeillinois.org/sidebar/contact-an-idnr-district-wildlife-biologist/. USDA Wildlife Services also may be contacted at 1-866-487-3297.

In addition, IDNR requests all occurrences of deceased or sick bald eagles be reported to the agency.

When disposing of any deceased wild birds, rubber gloves and a mask should be worn, and the carcass should be double-bagged in sealed plastic bags. The bags can be buried away from scavengers or placed in the garbage if approved by the local waste service provider. Anyone handling deceased birds should thoroughly wash their hands and any other clothes or tools with soap and water following disposal.

With spring turkey season underway, IDNR notes that wild turkeys are less likely to contract HPAI given their behavior and the habitats they occupy. However, turkey hunters can protect themselves by thoroughly cooking game meat to an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit and implementing other guidance found here at this link: https://www.aphis.usda.gov/publications/animal_health/2015/fsc_hpai_hunters.pdf.

IDNR first announced HPAI was detected in wild Canada geese in Illinois on March 10, 2022, in a joint notice with the Illinois Department of Agriculture. Since then, wild bird mortality from HPAI has been confirmed in Champaign, Fulton, Sangamon, and Will counties with a more recent mortality event of more than 200 birds in Cook County suspected to be caused from HPAI.

Wild birds impacted include waterfowl and waterbird species, as well as some raptors, including bald eagles. Detections in domestic poultry flocks have also occurred.

For more information on the status of HPAI in wild birds and domestic bird flocks in Illinois and other states, visit https://www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/ourfocus/animalhealth/animal-diseaseinformation/avian/avian-influenza/2022-hpai and https://www2.illinois.gov/sites/agr/Animals/AnimalHealth/Pages/Highly-Pathogenic-AvianInfluenza.aspx.

Planting season is here; remain alert to large farm equipment on Indiana roads

Planting season is quickly approaching for Indiana’s 94,000 farmers. With the warm weather and sunshine, Hoosier motorists will also see more large slow-moving farm equipment traveling Indiana’s rural roads and highways. The Indiana State Department of Agriculture, Indiana Department of Homeland Security, Indiana Department of Transportation, Indiana State Police and Hoosier Ag Today want to encourage motorists to slow down, be alert and be patient on rural roadways this spring.

“Our farmers have an enormous job to do, feeding us and the rest of the world,” said Lt. Gov. Suzanne Crouch, Secretary of Agriculture. “And with that job comes a tremendous responsibility; let’s help our farmers out where we can. When you see large farm equipment traveling our Hoosier roadways slow down and give them space so everyone can get where they are going safely.”

In Indiana, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, in 2020 three vehicles were involved in crashes with farm equipment, which resulted in two deaths.

“During the spring and fall seasons Indiana sees a drastic increase of large farm equipment on our rural roads and highways,” said Doug Carter, Indiana State Police Superintendent. “In our strong agricultural state, it is critical that Hoosier motorists know the steps to take when approaching farm equipment on the roadways to ensure we all make it home safely to our families.”

While the term “farm equipment” encompasses a wide range of vehicles, the most common types motorists will encounter during planting season include sprayers, tractors pulling planters or tillage equipment, and large trucks hauling agricultural products. These vehicles are wide, sometimes taking up most of the road, and often travel at speeds no greater than 25 mph.

The following list includes several safety tips for motorists approaching large farm equipment:

• Farmers will pull over when they are able to let motorists pass, but it may take time for them to get to a safe place to do so.

• Be patient. Farm equipment is wide, sometimes taking up most of the road.

• Be careful when passing. Do not pass in a designated “No Passing Zone” or within 100 feet of any intersection, railroad grade crossing, bridge, elevation structure or tunnel.

• Do not try to pass slow-moving farm equipment on the left without ensuring that the farmer driving is not planning a left turn. It may appear that the driver is pulling over to allow a pass when the farmer is actually preparing to turn. You will drive right into its path, endangering yourself and the farmer.

• Avoid tailgating, as some farm equipment might have to make sudden stops along the road.

• Allow plenty of time to get to a destination, be aware of alternate routes and avoid distractions.

“Moving farm equipment on the roadways is one of the most dangerous parts of my job. It takes time to find a safe space for me to pull over and allow other motorists to pass safely. Please be considerate when you drive behind farm equipment, drivers and I have the same goal in mind each time we take a trip on Hoosier roads- to get our work done and make it home safely to our loved ones,” said Brent Bible, Tippecanoe Co. farmer.

Indiana State Department of Agriculture Director Bruce Kettler wants to remind motorists farmers work hard to ensure they are being as safe as possible.

“Hoosier farmers are trying to get to their fields safely and quickly, just like our Hoosier motorists are trying to get to work safely and quickly,” said Kettler. “I want to encourage motorists to be aware during this spring season and know that encountering farm equipment is likely and to slow down when approaching.”

For a list of safety tips, click here or visit isda.in.gov. The following organizations will be working together to share this important safety message during planting season: Hoosier Ag Today, Indiana Department of Homeland Security, Indiana Department of Transportation and Indiana State Police

3 Dead, 3 Injured In Union County Crash

ISP INVESTIGATES FATAL TRAFFIC CRASH

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

WHAT:                      Two Vehicle Fatal Traffic Crash

WHERE:                   Illinois Route 3, just north of Old Cape Road, Union County

WHEN:                      April 21, 2022 at approximately 4:15 a.m.

VEHICLES:              Unit 1 – 2013 Blue Fiat Sedan

                                    Unit 2 – 2017 Black Toyota Sedan

DRIVERS:                 Unit 1 – Marie A. Meunier, a 32-year-old female from Cape Girardeau, MO – Deceased

                                    Unit 2 – Pavan Swarna, a 23-year-old male from Carbondale, IL– Deceased

PASSENGERS:         Unit 2 – Vamshi K. Pechetty, a 23-year-old male from Carbondale, IL – Deceased

                                    Unit 2 – Yaswanth S. Uppalapati, a 23-year-old male from Carbondale, IL – Transported by ambulance to a regional hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

                                    Unit 2 – Kalyan Dorna, a 24-year-old male from Carbondale, IL – Transported by ambulance to a regional hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

                                    Unit 2 – Kakumanu Karthik, a 23-year-old male from Carbondale, IL – Transported by ambulance to a regional hospital with life-threatening injuries.

PRELIMINARY:      Preliminary investigative details indicate the following occurred: Unit 1 was traveling southbound on Illinois Route 3, just north of Old Cape Road, in Union County.  For an unknown reason, Unit 1 crossed the center line and struck the front of Unit 2. The drivers of Units 1 and 2, along with a passenger of Unit 2, were pronounced deceased on scene by the Union County Coroner.  The other two passengers of Unit 2 were transported by ambulance 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.  

County Board Considering Regulations For Solar Farms

The Wabash County Board of Commissioners will consider adopting an ordinance to regulate any possible solar farms that might decide to locate here. County board chairman Tim Hocking said there are two companies looking to build a solar farm in Wabash County and the board had been approached by the local farm bureau about approving an ordinance that would protect the rights of nearby landowners if a several hundred acre solar farm comes. Other area counties, including Edwards, have already adopted similar ordinances. Hocking said representatives of the farm bureau will be at the next county board meeting to further explain what they would like included in the ordinance.

Second Person Arrested For Allegedly Stealing MCPU Copper Wire

On 4/21/22, Christopher L. Tice, age 51, of rural Gibson County, was arrested on a Wabash County Warrant for Theft stemming from an MCPD investigation into the theft of wire from Mt. Carmel Public Utility. Tice was arrested by the Gibson County Sheriff’s Office on this and other unrelated charges in which K-9 Officer Daniel Hopper and K-9 Eleven were requested to assist. Tice is the second individual arrested in this investigation with his father Jerry C. Tice being arrested by MCPD in January 2022 for Burglary and Theft. C. Tice is being held in the Gibson County Jail on local charges as well as this warrant.

MEL TILLIS JR. TO HEADLINE WABASH ROOTS’N’QUE

Wabash Roots’N’Que Chairman Dennis Stroughmatt has announced that, through a partnership with First National Bank, Mr. Mel Tillis Jr. will headline the RNQ22 festival scheduled for Saturday, June 18th at Merchants Park in Mt. Carmel, Illinois. “Grammy nominated singer/songwriter Mel Tillis, Jr. proudly carries on the musical tradition set forth by his father, Country Music Hall of Famer Mel Tillis. As a songwriter, Mel Jr. has had songs recorded by Reba McEntire, Trace Adkins, Lee Greenwood, Billy Currington, Ricky Skaggs, Chris LeDoux, Gene Watson, Suzy Boguss, Ty Herndon and Clinton Gregory,” according to Stroughmatt. “Mel Jr. received BMI honors as cowriter of Jamie Oneal’s #1 Grammy nominated hit single “When I Think About Angels.” As a performer, Mel Jr’s mission is to not only pay tribute to his legendary father, but to give real country music fans what they’ve been missing, and what they’ve been looking for – true-to-life stories fitted with expertly crafted melodies.”

Stroughmatt continued, “Mel Jr. will take the stage on the Harris Insurance Pavilion at 8:30pm, anchoring the 12 hour American Roots Music entertainment schedule, which will feature an amazing variety of musical genres and interpretations. It’s a wide mix this year, and we’re looking forward to announcing the remainder of the lineup over the next few weeks.”

In addition to on stage performances, there will be a full schedule of events indoors, hosted by the Wabash County Museum, just a few feet south of Merchants Park. Several Food Trucks and Craft Vendors will be on the street throughout the day. Also on tap, RNQ’s Backyard BBQ Competition, “Smoke On The Wabash”, providing the aromas for those attending, along with a chance for cash prizes and trophies for the competitors. Applications for Vendors and BBQ Teams are available @ rootsnque.com.

“Be sure and bring your lawn chairs, blankets & sunglasses. It’s going to be a fun day on Market Street in Mt. Carmel!” concluded Stroughmatt.

Free Parking (in the area of 4th and Market Street surrounding the event), Free Admission and Free Entertainment. For more information about Wabash Roots’N’Que, check out the website at rootsnque.com, or find us on Facebook.

Click the link for a video performance of Mel Tillis, Jr. courtesy of Unique Sound Service.

‘Backyard BBQ Band’ performance at... - Unique Sound Service

Florida Police Arrest Former Mt. Carmel Man On Sexual Assault Charge

On 4/20/22, Thomas A. Rosche, age 40, formerly of Mt. Carmel, currently residing in Bradenton, Florida, was arrested by the Sarasota County Florida Sheriff's Office on a Wabash County Warrant for Predatory Criminal Sexual Assault less than 13 years of age (2 counts).  The warrant was a result of a Mt. Carmel Police Department investigation into the alleged sexual abuse of two victims under the age of 13.   Rosche’s arrest was the second in this investigation with Lona M. McKee, age 32, of Robinson, IL, being arrested in December of 2021 for Predatory Criminal Sexual Assault less than 13 years of age and Permitting the Sexual Abuse of a Child.  Rosche’s bond is $20,000 cash pending extradition back to Wabash County.  MCPD would like to thank the Sarasota County Sheriff's Office for their assistance in apprehending Mr. Rosche.   

Credit: Sarasota County Sheriff’s Dept.

Lona M. McKee, age 32, of Robinson, IL