Little Miss Ag Days Contestants

Little Miss Ag Days will be crowned on Wednesday, August 3rd.

Camilla Hollen

Parents are Matt & Jamie Hollen

Entering Kindergarten at MCES

Siblings are 2 brothers Christopher and Bo

Pets include 1 bloodhound named Copper

Hobbies consist of playing with toys, playing with cousins, gymnastics, and swimming

Sponsored by her parents

Catherine Johnson

Parents are James &  Samantha Johnson

Entering First Grade at ACA

Siblings are brothers Braxton and Benjamin, and sisters Lucy and Madilyn

Pets include 2 dogs Buster and Rubble and 2 rabbits Brownie and BunBun

Hobbies consist of riding bikes, swimming, playing with baby dolls, and helping with house cleaning

Sponsored by her parents 

Cybill Rye

Parents are Vern & Stephanie Rye

Entering First Grade at MCES

Pets include 3 dogs Figi, Patch, Vita; and 3 cats Saffron, Willy, Efren

Hobbies consist of singing dancing, reading, and making up plays and stories

Sponsored by Mount Carmel Massage Therapy 

Emersyn Litherland

Parents are Nic & Ashley Litherland

Entering First Grade at MCES

Siblings are 1 brother Oliver

Pets include 1 dog named Pinki

Hobbies consist of going to the beach, playing with barbies, coloring, and playing with her brother

Sponsored by her parents 

Lexi Holder

Parents are Billy & Cheyenne Holder

Entering First Grade at MCES

Siblings are brothers Trenton and Bryce and sister Kaylee

Pets include Chase, Lacy, Charlie, and Ellie

Hobbies consist of bowling, Jojo Siwa, and swimming

Sponsored by her parents

Madelyn Maidlow

Parents are Nick & Laura Maidlow

Entering Kindergarten at MCES

Siblings are brother Jacob and sister Kirsten Ker-s-ten

Hobbies consist of playing with barbies, coloring, and swimming

Sponsored by her parents

Milliana Stoner

Grandmother is Wanda Garrett

Entering First Grade at MCES

Siblings are 1 sister Mayalisha My-A-Lis-A

Hobbies consist of painting rocks, singing, and playing outside

Sponsored by Watler Accounting Inc.

Paityn Iglehart

Parents are Patrick & Dee Iglehart

Entering First Grade Homeschooled

Siblings are 1 sister Paxlee

Pets include 2 cats Spazz and Baby Blue

Hobbies consist of fishing with my dad, riding her motorcycle, and swimming with her sister

Sponsored by Miller Testing Services

Tayah Lynn Berberich

Parents are Caleb Gawthorp & Stacey Berberich

Entering Kindergarten at MCES      

Siblings are 2 brother Tucker and Treyson

Hobbies consist of singing and playing guitar, painting, swimming, playing with her brothers, and practicing becoming a police officer

Sponsored by Health Insurance Associates, Mt. Carmel

Temperance Wagner

Parents are Mark Wagner II & Nichole Groff

Entering First Grade at MCES 

Siblings are sister Harlie and bother Xander

Pets include 2 dogs Payton and Hutch

Hobbies consist of playing outside at Mimi’s, play uno, and going to the pool

Sponsored by Main Street Auto Repair and Body 

 

This is Lexi Kimmel the 2021 Little Miss Ag Days winner! Lexi was born to wear a Crown and to lead a pack of glam girls across the red carpet on the stage or down the streets of every Parade in town. Over the past year she has been seen hitting the streets of Mt. Carmel in the Christmas Parade, Homecoming Parade, and Fantastic 4th of July Parade.

Lexi will be in 2nd grade this year at St. Mary's School. For fun she likes to play softball and swim. Her family has welcomed a baby sister, Miley, into their family and we just know in 5 years she will be Little Miss Ag Days royalty too. Lexi is the daughter of Art & Crystal Kimmel and also has a big sister Carly.

WABASH CUSD #348 NEW STUDENT DATA MANAGMENT SYSTEM

Wabash Community Unit School District #348 will be using Skyward’s Family Access student data management for the 2022-2023 school year

We have some exciting news to share with you! As the upcoming school year approaches, we are gearing up to open up Family Access to parents. This online portal will be used to register your returning student as well as both monitor and participate in your child’s education. Online Registration for the 2022-23 school year is set to open on July 25, 2022.

In Family Access, you will view your student’s attendance, grades, upcoming assignments, and other important information. Your children will have their own accounts, where they will check grades, complete online assignments, and more. 

Your Family Access login information will be emailed to you on 07/22/2022.  Please follow the instructions in the email to access your account.

Be looking for our informative REGISTRATION page coming soon.  We are looking forward to a great school year!

IECC Board Meets At WVC

The Board of Trustees of Illinois Eastern Community College District #529 held its regular monthly meeting at Wabash Valley College, on July 19, 2022.                       

Board members John Brooks and Jan Ridgely were appointed to the Board audit committee.  The committee is charged with oversight of the District’s annual audit.

Trustees conducted a semi-annual review of closed session minutes.  Under the Open Meetings Act, the board is required to examine closed session minutes at least twice a year. 

            Updates to the 2022-2023 IECC catalog were approved.  The catalog is considered a contract with the student body of IECC.  Catalog revisions approved by the Board throughout the year were reviewed and approved for posting to the IECC website and for publication. 

            IECC must have confidential advisors available to a student or employee who experiences sexual violence, should they choose to seek their services. To meet this requirement, trustees approved agreements with the CAISA organization and with the SAFE organization to provide counseling to those who are victims of sexual violence. 

            Affiliation agreements were approved between the District and Embarras River Basin Head Start, Embarras River Basin Senior Center, Happy Day Express, and Lawrence Crawford Association for Exceptional Citizens.

            A lease agreement was approved between the District and the LTC Foundation for the usage of a 2022 Chevrolet Express G3500 Passenger LS Van.

            The following personnel were employed.

              Andrew Cougill, District Librarian, DO, effective July 21, 2022.

              Alexandra Mahrenholz, Agricultural Technology Instructor, WVC, effective August 10, 2022.

              Alexis Garner, Assistant Director, TRIO Upward Bound, DO, effective September 1,     2022.  

              Jeremy Ellis, Head Softball Coach, FCC, effective August 8, 2022.

              Aaron Biddle, Interim Head Baseball Coach, WVC, effective July 20, 2022.

              Amy Tarr, Director of Instructional Services, OCC, effective July 25, 2022.

              Cameron Ireland, Coordinator of Marketing & Graphic Design, CETL, DO, effective July 25, 2022.

              Erin Powers, Purchasing Coordinator, DO, effective July 25, 2022.

              Sara Newkirk, Student Services Specialist, DO/WVC, effective July 25, 2022.

              Rachel Doan, TRIO Upward Bound Counselor, DO/WVC, effective July 25, 2022.

              Cleo Ziegler, Custodian, LTC, effective July 25, 2022.

            The employment status for Jay Zwilling was changed from Systems Administrator, DO, to Manager of Data Systems, DO, effective August 1, 2022.

            Notice of Reassignment was approved for Steve Hnetkovsky, Associate Professor Agriculture Production, WVC, to Associate Professor, Chemistry, FCC, effective January 3, 2023.

            Five personnel resignations were accepted.

Cori Stringfellow, Nursing Instructor, OCC, effective August 10, 2022.

            Robert Fournier, Head Men’s Baseball Coach, WVC, effective July 8, 2022.

            Cole Carter, Broadcast Services Specialist, WVC, effective August 10, 2022.

            Clarence Burwell, Custodian, WVC, effective June 22, 2022.

            Raymond Gillette, Custodian, WVC, effective June 30, 2022.

            All trustees were present at the July meeting.

            Next regular meeting of the Board of Trustees will be held at Frontier Community College, Fairfield, Tuesday, August 16, at 6:15 p.m.

 

WEMA Assists In Upgrading Emergency Alerts In County

Wabash County Emergency Management Agency director Gerald Brooks told county commissioners this week that WEMA has recently assisted in a couple of different areas to improve response in times of an emergency.

The first is bringing all county emergency responders into the Safe Alert system to instantly notify all first responders of emergency via cell phone text alerts. Brooks said that system has been successfully used in Allendale and by WEMA but the rest of the county’s responders were using the I’m Responding system. Brooks said I’m Responding proved to be a total disaster and after the Mt. Carmel Fire Department came to WEMA, Brooks said the entire county is now under the Safe Alert system which 9-1-1 will pay the cost of.

The second item came as a result of the recent train derailment. Brooks said WEMA assisted the city in purchasing 8 new radios that will insure uninterrupted communications between the mayor, city manager, and other Mt. Carmel emergency responders.

County Commissioners Moving Towards Solar Farm Ordinance

At the regular Wabash County Commissioner meeting on Monday, board chairman Tim Hocking said state’s attorney Kelli Storckman has incorporated his proposed changes into an ordinance to regular solar farms in Wabash County. Hocking said the proposed ordinance is now on public display for two weeks until the board’s next meeting at which time adoption is expected.

The proposed ordinance is here:

MCPD Cracking Down On Drivers Running Bridge Red Lights

7/19/2022 - Starting yesterday, Mt. Carmel Police have began monitoring vehicle traffic crossing the Wabash River Bridge construction area. Several complaints have been filed by concerned motorists regarding vehicles that continue past the red light, instead of stopping, to catch up to the traffic legally crossing the bridge. MCPD is issuing citations for Disobeying a Traffic Control Device when motorists are caught doing so. The traffic lights are working properly, and no time will be saved by committing this violation, when you get pulled over. Please drive responsibly to keep everyone safe.

COVID Spike Puts Wabash County Back Into "High Transmission" Level

COVID numbers continue to spike in Wabash County and health department administrator Judy Wissel told county commissioners yesterday that the latest increase has moved the county back into a new category….

But despite the high transmission designation, Wissel said there are no new COVID mandates but they are recommending continued hand washing, social distance as much as possible, and staying home if you are sick and wearing a mask if you’re in a crowded indoor setting. The health department continues to test every day between 11 and 3 and booster vaccines are offered every Thursday.

District #348 School Board Waives Registration & Classroom Fees For 22-23 School Year

The Wabash District #348 school board last night voted unanimously to waive the $60 per student registration and classroom fees for the upcoming school year. Superintendent Dr. Chuck Bleyer said the board recognized that many families are struggling in the current economic climate…

Bleyer said the pay to play and driver’s ed fees will remain intact. And, he stressed that this is a one-year waiver. Bleyer said the board’s budget can withstand the lost revenue from the waived fees.

Pedestrian Killed In Early Morning Lawrence County Incident

ISP TRAFFIC CRASH ALERT

The Following Preliminary Information is Being Released by Illinois State Police District 12

WHAT:                      Vehicle vs Pedestrian Fatal Traffic Crash

WHERE:                   Bridgeport Road approximately ½ mile south of Gaddey Lane, Lawrence County

WHEN:                      July 18, 2022 at approximately 4:26 a.m.

PEDESTIAN:            Unit 1- Julie Ivers, 66-year-old female from Bridgeport, IL - Deceased

 VEHICLE:                Unit 2- 2017 White Volvo Truck-Tractor Semi-Trailer Combination                             

DRIVER:                   Unit 2- William Latch, 83-year-old male from Sumner, IL

 

PRELIMINARY:      A preliminary investigation indicates the following occurred: Unit 2 was traveling south on Bridgeport Road, approximately ½ mile south of Gaddey Lane, in Lawrence County. For unknown reasons, the pedestrian was in the roadway and was fatally struck by Unit 2. The pedestrian was pronounced deceased on scene by the Lawrence County Coroner. The driver of Unit 2 reported no injuries on scene.

                                   

                                    The crash is under investigation and no further information is available.