On 11/23/22, Mt. Carmel Police arrested Mark A. Roth, age 56, of Evansville, Indiana, on a Wabash County Warrant for Criminal Trespass to Residence. The arresting officer observed Roth outside of a home in the 400 block of Oak Street and knew him to have an active warrant. Roth was arrested without incident and transported to the Wabash County Jail where he was held pending the posting of bond.
2023 UTV/Golf Cart Permit Renewals Underway
The Mt. Carmel Police Department is now accepting golf cart/UTV renewals for 2023. Effective January 1, 2023, any golf cart/UTV must have a new sticker affixed to their vehicle. Renewals cost $50 and can be completed 24 hours a day at MCPD. Proof of current insurance is required.
Tax Bills Coming Soon
You could finally see real estate tax bills in your mailbox soon. County clerk Janet Will told county commissioners last week that it was hoped sample bills could be printed last week with the bills going out to taxpayers in the next week or two.
Market Street Parking Will Be Allowed During Christmas Parade
If you’re going to attend Saturday evening’s lighted Christmas parade in Mt. Carmel, you will be able to park along the parade route on Market Street. Speaking to the Mt. Carmel City Council yesterday, Chamber of Commerce executive director Lesley Hipsher’s said the 56th annual parade will start at 5:15 and requested Market Street between 3rd and 8th be blocked off for the event. Hipsher said clearing Market Street won’t be necessary as parking will be allowed along the route.
Business Owner Requests Handicapped Parking Spot
The Mt. Carmel City Council will consider installing a handicapped parking spot near a new uptown business. Sandy Keneipp, owner of Deno’s Craft Shop and Learning Cave, said a customer recently complained about the unavailability of handicapped parking near her business at 302 Market Street. Mayor Joe Judge said public works director Mike Gidcumb will look into the possibility of putting a handicapped spot at that location.
New City Attorney Named
Mt. Carmel has a new city attorney. Derek McCullough was approved last evening by the city council to take over for Brady Waldroup who is set to become Lawrence County State’s Attorney later this week. McCollough is a partner with Gosnell, Borden, Enloe, Sloss, and McCollough.
Mayor Joe Judge also announced yesterday that longtime city comptroller Mick Mollenhauer is retiring effective December 9th. Judge and finance commissioner Eric Ikemire thanked Mollenhauer for his service to the city.
L-R: Derek McCullough, Joe Judge, Brady Waldroup
Commissioners Approve Health Department Construction Project
Wabash County Commissioners have approved a bid for renovation work at the health department. The project comes on the heels of commissioners rejecting a health board plan to renovate and move to the former WAVE building on West 3rd Street. Health department administrator Judy Wissel outlined what the project will entail…
Areas of the parking lot that is currently graveled will be paved. The bid for just over $150,000 was awarded to Johannes Construction in Centralia. Wissel said the health department has half of the money for the project through provider relief money that must be spent by the end of the year. The remainder will be paid for either through a grant or health department general funds.
Resolutions Pave Way For Wabash County Road Projects
A couple of big Wabash County road projects are in the planning stages. The county board has approved highway engineer Dustin Bunting’s recommendation for an engineering agreement with HLR to resurface Poor Farm Road from Route 1 to Friendsville Avenue.
Another engineering agreement with HLR was approved to resurface six miles of Friendsville Avenue from Park Road in Mt. Carmel to Friendsville as early as FY ’26.
Bids will be also opened December 7th on the Tennis Dairy Farm Road and the Gards Point Road projects.
The county board also adopted motor fuel tax resolutions for Bunting’s salary and road maintenance.
Christmas Uptown This Friday In Mt. Carmel
Relive your memories of Christmas past, create new memories for Christmas future, and all the while revel in the excitement of Christmas present during the 14th edition of Mt. Carmel’s “Christmas Uptown - It’s Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas”, scheduled for Friday, December 2nd from 4pm-9pm on the city’s Market Street.
And brand new this year to help make your family’s experience even better is the new Christmas Uptown app. Just search Christmas Uptown in the App Store or (available soon) Google Play, or click the link found on the Christmas Uptown Facebook page. There’s an interactive map, as well as a complete chronological listing of events.
You won’t need to miss a thing! Christmas Uptown 2022 covers nearly 4 full blocks, and festival goers can enjoy 3 Scenic Carriage Rides, 2 North Pole Express Trains, and 2 Rustic Wagons as they travel Market Street throughout the evening. Several Ponies will be available for Rudolph Rides, and all the rides are free to the public!
Also part of this family event, you have a chance to “create your own treat” at the S’Mores Making Station, even make a “take home” craft. Who wouldn’t want to take a few minutes to relive everyone’s favorite narratives of Christmas at Storytime with Mrs. Claus, and even talk to Santa himself on the Harris Insurance Group Pavilion after winding through the Festival of Trees in Merchants Park (Don’t forget to drop off your Letter To Santa next to the Santa House). Maybe you’d like to join the fun at one of the two Festive Face Painting stations, one of which also provides a specially created balloon animal for the children. Again, there is no charge for these activities.
While you’re inside the Wabash County Museum visiting local authors, offering their newest books, you’ll absolutely want to vote for the best entries in the Gingerbread House competition. You can even enter your own creation, just visit our Facebook page for guidelines and a link to the entry form. You’ll for sure want to take advantage of the multiple Character or Family Photo Ops, especially the giant 10’ x 10’ backgrounds (including live characters from “Frozen” and “Polar Express”), just across the street from Veterans Park and the City of Mt. Carmel Christmas Tree.
Then step inside the Wabash Senior Center where the kiddos can decorate their own Christmas Cookie, fo a $1 donation to the Center. Just down the street you’ll find a beautiful Christmas Tree surrounded by live carolers, and a real, live nativity scene. Parents, let the younger folks burn off some energy playing Kid Friendly (ages 2 thru 7) games at the Winter Wonderland Play Zone, while those a bit older (8 thru 13) join the Snowball Fights versus the Sports Teams from Wabash Valley College just a block away.
Throughout the entire evening we’ll bring you both the old and the new Sounds of Christmas! Relax with the “Strings of the Season”, catch the Christmas Beat with the “MCHS and MCJHS Jazz Bands”, gather round the “Strolling Victorian Carolers” (comprised of the MCHS Singing Seven), or just enjoy the background sounds of Christmas Uptown Radio.
Of course, you’ll no doubt be hungry. The vendors in Mistletoe Market, Santa’s Workshop and the Elves’ Cafe’ will be offering Sweets & Treats as well as fantastic festival food choices to satisfy almost every taste. Burgers, Soups, Sandwiches, Thai, BBQ, Pizza, Drinks and more are just a sampling of the menu, along with candy, cookies, popcorn and caramel apples - who knows what you might find! Vendors will also offer craft and other dry goods items.
For even more fun, be sure to shop the Market Street Retailers, many offering snacks, refreshments and really fantastic Christmas sales on the items you need to complete your Christmas shopping list.
And just one request we would make of you, please consider bringing a donation of a new toy, canned food item or cash, all to be donated to Operation Share, helping to create a better Christmas for many children and families in Wabash County for nearly 40 years. Just drop off those donations at the North Pole Info Center, where you will also find the festival map along with entry forms for the Sights & Sounds of Christmas Home Decorating contest. Still want more Christmas in your life?
Come back to Market Street on Saturday for Santa’s “Pictures with Pups” from 1pm to 3pm at Merchants Park, and at 5:15pm for the 56th Annual Mt. Carmel Lighted Christmas Parade.
You can find more information on the Christmas Uptown App, our Facebook pages, “Christmas Uptown Mt. Carmel” & “Wabash County Chamber”, or by phone at 618-263-8591(Festival) and 618-262-5116(Parade).
Wissel: Wabash Co. In High Transmission Flu; Medium Transmission COVID
With Thanksgiving here and big holiday gatherings looming, Wabash County Health Department administrator Judy Wissel offered a word of caution at Monday’s county board meeting. Wissel reported that while Wabash County currently stands in medium transmission for COVID, the number of positive flu cases has pushed the county into the high transmission category.
And with that in mind, the Illinois Department of Public Health is urging families to help protect loved ones from COVID-19 and other illnesses over the Thanksgiving holiday. Besides the basics of covering your cough and sneezes and staying home if you’re sick, state chief medical officer Dr. Arti Barnes suggests improving ventilation in your home during large family gatherings. That includes opening windows if possible and using fans to circulate the air. She also recommends a Hepa air cleaner….
Barnes stresses the importance of getting your annual flu shot and latest COVID booster, citing a potential surge in cases this winter. In Wabash County, Wissel said her department has given over 700 COVID vaccines in the last two months and around 900 flu vaccines.