On 01.30.24 the Wabash County Sheriff's Office was called to a Keensburg residence reference stolen checks. Once the deputy arrived it was determined a theft had occurred. Following up on that complaint and seeking the suspect, led the deputy to another residence in Keensburg. Upon a short investigative interview, it was determined that Billie Jo Dybedahl 35 of Keensburg, was responsible for the check theft. In addition to the first theft and second was discovered. Dybedahl was taken into custody and transported to the Wabash County Jail where she was processed and released with a notice to appear.
Search For Wanted Person Results In Meth Charge
On 01.30.24 the Wabash County Sheriff's Office went to 931 N. Walnut St. reference a wanted person investigation. Once at the residence, 39-year-old April L. Winter was located. Winter had an active no bond felony warrant of out Lawrence County. Once in custody Winter was found to be in possession of less than 5 grams of methamphetamine. Winter was transported to the Wabash County Jail where she was processed and given and NTA on the meth possession. Winter was then transferred to Lawrence County.
Judge Promises More Sidewalk Improvements In 2024
Years of neglect to Mt. Carmel’s sidewalks have resulted in sidewalk replacement being one of the top priorities to Mayor Joe Judge’s 2024 agenda. During his state of the city address last week, Judge said a lot of sidewalk improvements have been made, but even more will be done this year….
Judge’s state of the city remarks came at the conclusion of last Monday’s City Council meeting.
Mt. Carmel Man Picked Up On FTA Warrant
On 1/30/24, Mt. Carmel Police arrested Ronald Scott Eckiss, age 58, on a Wabash County on a Failure to Appear Warrant for Methamphetamine Delivery after observing him in the 400 block of W 10th Street. During the arrest, the officer located a clear straw containing a white residue on his person. This type of item is commonly used to ingest narcotics. Eckiss was transported to the Wabash County Jail where he was issued the warrant, with no bond, along with a charge of Possession of Drug Paraphernalia.
Gibson County Man Arrested after Chase and Resisting Troopers
Gibson County – Monday night, January 29, at approximately 7:45 p.m., Trooper Hurley stopped the driver of a 2007 Chevrolet for driving 49 mph on Main Street near River Road in Patoka. The speed limited on Main Street is posted at 25 mph. The driver was identified as Zeberiah Stilwell, 46, of Princeton. Trooper Hurley detected an odor of burnt cannabis inside the vehicle and observed a metal smoking device containing burnt residue on the center console. Trooper Hurley requested another trooper to assist and was preparing to administer field sobriety tests when Stilwell drove away. Stilwell drove east on Spring Street, north on Mill Street, east on CR 400 North, and eventually onto CR 15 East where he drove off the roadway into a field. The chase continued a short distance before Stilwell got stuck in the mud and fled on foot. Trooper Hurley was able to tackle Stilwell, but he continued to resist arrest. Trooper Marsee arrived to assist, but Stilwell continued to resist and fight both troopers for several minutes before finally being taken into custody. Both troopers received minor injuries.
During a search of Stilwell’s vehicle, officers located a loaded .22 caliber handgun with no serial number, three syringes, a spoon with crystal like substance on it, two more smoking devices, a plastic bag with white crystal residue, and a glass vile with crystal like residue. The crystal-like material later field tested positive for methamphetamine.
Stilwell was transported to Deaconess Gibson Hospital in Princeton before being taken to the Gibson County Jail where he is currently being held without bond.
Arrested and Charges:
Zeberiah Stilwell, 46, Princeton, IN
Possession of a Firearm by a Serious Violent Felon, Level 4 Felony
Battery with Bodily Waste, Level 6 Felony
Battery causing Injury, Level 6 Felony
Resisting Law Enforcement, Level 6 Felony
Possession of Meth, Level 6 Felony
Possession of a Syringe, Level 6 Felony
Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, Class C Misdemeanor
Operating While Intoxicated, Class A Misdemeanor
Assisting Agencies: Princeton Police and Gibson County Sheriff’s Office
All criminal defendants are to be presumed innocent until, and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Petersburg man arrested on OWI charge
On January 29, 2024, at 11:02 p.m. Gibson County Deputy Wyatt Hunt conducted a traffic stop on a Blue Ford Fiesta 2014 after observing the vehicle failing to maintain its lane of travel multiple times while on State Road 64. Upon stopping the vehicle on State Road 64 near County Road 180 East Deputy Hunt immediately detected the odor of burnt Marijuana coming from inside the vehicle. At that point Deputy Hunt had the driver 36 year old Jeffrey Johnson of Petersburg step out of the vehicle so he could conduct an OWI investigation. At the conclusion of his investigation Deputy Hunt placed Mr. Johnson into custody and transported him to the Gibson County Jail where he was charged with Operating a Vehicle While Intoxicated.
Assisting Deputy Hunt in his investigation was Deputies Michael Owens and Bart Wagner. Also assisting in the investigation was Princeton Officers Bryan Archibald, Ben Kiesel, and Zach Strickland.
All criminal defendants are to be presumed innocent until, and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Fort Branch woman arrested on battery charge
On January 29, 2024, at 6:10 p.m. Gibson County Central Dispatch received a 911 report of a disturbance in the 7700 block of South 200 East. Upon arriving Deputy Michael Owens separated all parties and began an investigation into the incident. Once his investigation was complete he placed 19 year old Sarah Chamness into custody and transported her to the Gibson County Jail. Upon arriving at the jail Ms. Chamness was charged with Battery. She remains in custody on a $650 bond.
Assisting Deputy Owens in his investigation was Sgt. Loren Barchett.
All criminal defendants are to be presumed innocent until, and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
MCHS Scholarship Information
The Wabash General Hospital Healthcare scholarship is now available in the Guidance office. The deadline for this scholarship is March 22, 2024.
The ON1 Scholarship is now available in the Guidance Office.
MCHS Alumni Foundation Spirit Scholarship The MCHS Alumni Foundation will be awarding a $1,000 scholarship to a qualified student meeting the application requirements. Applications are to be submitted no later than May 1, 2024. The Spirit Scholarship will be paid directly to the student's college or technical institution upon entry of the school year for the Fall semester of 2024. Applications are available in the Guidance Office.
The Aces Scholarship is open to a graduating senior from Mt. Carmel High School in 2024. The scholarship may be used at any college/university of the recipient's choice and will be payable after June 1, 2024, upon receipt of evidence of enrollment. There are two $750 scholarships for May of 2024. The deadline is April 10, 2024. Applications are available in the Guidance Office.
Illinois Sheriffs Association $500 Scholarship Is now available in the Guidance Office. The deadline is March 15, 2024.
WVC Ambassador Scholarship With the Student Ambassador Program, a student will help on campus 5 hours of week for Full Tuition Coverage of 16 hours! The program is designed to be both enjoyable and fulfilling, fostering not only a fun environment but also providing valuable opportunities for professional development, leadership skills, and active campus involvement. Applications are available in the Guidance Office. The deadline is March 15, 2024.
The Kyle Andrews Memorial Scholarship Fund Application is now available in the Guidance Office.
Snyder- Crumpacker Scholarship A designated fund was created by Dr. Sara Snyder Crumpacker and Mr. J. Peter Crumpacker to support an annual scholarship administered through Mt. Carmel High School. If sufficient money is available to accommodate the awarding of two scholarships in the same year, one should be awarded to a male student and the other to a female student, when possible. This scholarship has been established to honor Max R. and Sara L. Snyder, and in the spirit of Thomas Jefferson, to recognize that an educated citizenry is vital for our survival as a free nation. ∙ DEADLINE for scholarship application: Applications must be turned in to the MCHS Guidance Office by March 20, 2024, at 3:00 p.m. (No exceptions). ∙ Incomplete applications will not be considered. ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA: Graduating seniors of Mt. Carmel High School in Wabash County, Illinois who are planning full-time enrollment at an accredited college or university, who demonstrate financial need, and who have a GPA of at least 3.0 or show demonstrable achievement on SAT or ACT exams. Preference may be given to applicants planning a course of study or intending a career in the food industry, nutrition/nourishment, health, or agriculture. If there are no qualified applicants from Mt. Carmel High School in a given year, graduating seniors of other nearby Southern Illinois high schools may be eligible to apply.
The 2024 DCFS Scholarship Application is now live and will be available until March 31, 2024. https://apply.mykaleidoscope.com/scholarships/DCFS2024
The Mt. Carmel Lions Club Scholarship application is now available in the Guidance Office. The Deadline is April 26, 2024.
IPRB Accepting Applications for the 2024 Scholarship Have a senior student planning to attend a college or trade/technical school pursuing an oil and gas-related degree or certification? Encourage them to apply for IPRB's annual post-secondary education oil and gas scholarship! Applicants must have a career goal in the oil and gas industry. The application deadline is June 30, 2024. Check out the scholarship application for more details. https://iprb.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/2024-IPRB-Scholarship-Application.pdf Scholarship Application
Gill - Wedding Orthodontics Scholarship Applicants must currently be in orthodontic treatment or have completed orthodontic treatment by Dr. Gill or Dr. Wedding. Applicants must have a GPA of at least 2.5 on a 4 scale at the end of their senior fall semester for consideration for this scholarship. Applications are available in the Guidance Office.
SIU Credit Union Scholarship is now available. To learn more and obtain the scholarship application, visit https://siucu.org/about/scholarship/
Kate Froman Trust Scholarship is available in the Guidance Office. The Deadline is April 30, 2024.
A. Frank Orr Educational Trust Scholarship applications are now available in the Guidance Office. The deadline for applications is April 30th.
The Jason Ile Memorial Scholarship is now available in the Guidance Office The deadline is April 25, 2024.
The Taco Tierra Nursing Scholarship is available in the Guidance Office. The deadline is March 20, 2024.
The Bev Morgan Memorial scholarship is available in the Guidance Office. This scholarship is specifically for those going into the medical field. Deadline is April 24, 2024.
Stu Grant Gavel Scholarship To be considered for this scholarship you must have been a member of at least one of these organizations to apply. CEO 4-H FFA Applications are available in the Guidance Office. Deadline is April 10, 2024
The Brian Wright Memorial Scholarship is to be awarded to a graduate of MCHS in the amount of $500. Applications are available in the Guidance Office and must be submitted to the Guidance Office no later than April 25, 2024 by 3:00 pm.
CBAI Foundation Scholarship The CBAI Foundation for Community Banking provides monetary awards for top high school seniors statewide. The total number of awards available this year by the Foundation is $21,000. These awards help deserving students highlight the importance of community banking to the local economy. You could win up to $4,000 for higher education, and your school is eligible to win $500. The deadline to apply is March 1, 2023. Applications are available in the MCHS Guidance Office.
Applications for the MCHS Class of 1969 scholarships are available in the Guidance office. Two $500 awards will be presented at Awards night. One to a graduating senior planning to attend WVC and one to a graduating senior planning to attend a college other than WVC.
Elks Legacy Scholarship Eligibility - College-bound high school seniors who are the children or grandchildren of dues-paying Elks are encouraged to apply. Visit https://www.elks.org/scholars/scholarships/legacy.cfm for complete eligibility details. The deadline is February 5, 2024.
Mt. Carmel Man Gets 60 Years In Prison
A Mt. Carmel man has been sentenced to 60 years in prison after being convicted last year on 8 counts of child pornography. State’s attorney Kelli Storckman reports that 37 year old Zachary Reed was charged in September of 2022 with the 8 Class X felonies after pornographic images of a 12 year old girl were found on his phone and a laptop. Last September, a Wabash County Jury spent only about an hour before returning the 8 guilty verdicts. In addition to the 60 year prison term, Judge William C. Hudson ordered Reed to serve 3 years to life on mandatory supervised release if he is ever released from prison.
Zachary Reed is led back to the Wabash County Courthouse on September 8, 2023 after a Wabash County Jury found him guilty on 8 counts of child phonography.
Shoals Man Arrested for Child Molesting
Martin County – Indiana State Police initiated a criminal investigation in October 2023 after receiving information that Jeremy L. Sanders, 48, of Shoals, had allegedly molested a child.
Indiana State Police Detective Tyler Matthew and Martin County DCS conducted the investigation and submitted the findings to the Martin County Prosecutor’s Office. After reviewing the investigation, the Martin County Prosecutor’s Office filed criminal charges against Sanders, and an arrest warrant was issued.
Friday evening, January 26, 2024, at approximately 4:30 p.m., Sanders was arrested at his place of employment without incident. He was taken to the Martin County Jail where he is currently being held on bond.
Arrested and Charges:
Jeremy L. Sanders, 48, Shoals, IN
Child Molesting - Level 4 Felony (2 Counts)
Investigating Officer: Detective Tyler Matthew, Indiana State Police
Assisting Agency: Martin County DCS
All criminal defendants are to be presumed innocent until, and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
