Traffic Stop Results In Meth Charge For Mt. Carmel Man

On 5/20/24, Mt. Carmel Police arrested Jason L. Cox, age 45, of Mt. Carmel for Possession of Methamphetamine following a traffic stop on a 2007 Mercury in the 1300 block of West 9th Street for a violation of the Illinois Vehicle Code.  During the stop, Wabash County Deputy Cheadle arrived with his K-9 Kiki, for a free air narcotics sniff around the exterior of the vehicle.  Kiki alerted to the odor of narcotics, resulting in a search of the vehicle and its occupants, to include passenger, Jason Cox.  Officers located a clear bag of suspected methamphetamine on Cox’s person, that later field tested positive for methamphetamine.  Cox admitted to forgetting about the item being on him.  Cox was placed under arrest and transported to the Wabash County Jail where he was charged, processed and later released on a Notice to Appear. 

Mt. Carmel Woman Arrested Following Altercation With DCFS Investigator

On 5/22/24, Mt. Carmel Police arrested Samantha E. Smith, age 40, of Mt. Carmel for Aggravated Battery to a Department of Children & Family Services investigator.  Police were called to the apartments in the 1200 block of N Walnut Street by the investigator for an upset individual they were investigating.  Officers arrived to the scene and found that Smith became upset with the investigator due to the context of their conversation.  At one point, Smith allegedly threw a box of matches toward the investigator which struck her, followed by Smith attempting to approach the investigator in an aggressive manner.  The arresting officer intervened, placing Smith under arrest.  Smith was transported to the Wabash County Jail where she was charged accordingly and held pending a pre-trial detention determination by the court. 

Extra Troopers Will be on Patrol This Memorial Day Weekend

Indiana State Police and area law enforcement agencies are participating in the “Click it or Ticket” enforcement campaign through the Memorial Day weekend and would like to remind all motorists the importance of doing their part to help ensure everyone’s safety.

Troopers will be watching for unrestrained passengers in cars and trucks and for dangerous and impaired drivers. Overtime enforcement is made available with National Highway Traffic Safety Administration funds administered by the Indiana Criminal Justice Institute (ICJI).

Troopers are offering the following safety tips:

Ensure you are rested before driving. A fatigued driver is a dangerous driver.

Follow other vehicles at a safe distance.

Always utilize your turn signals when changing lanes and when turning.

Avoid “hanging out” in the left lane unless you are actively passing or preparing to make a nearby left turn.

Avoid driving while distracted.

Ensure everyone is properly buckled up.

Don’t drink and drive.  If you are going to drink, please have a designated driver.

If you observe a possible impaired driver, the Indiana State Police encourages motorists to contact 911 immediately. Please be prepared to give a description of the vehicle, license plate number, location, and direction of travel.

 

Lanes reopening where possible for Memorial Day travel

SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois Department of Transportation announced today that lanes that have been closed for construction will reopen, where possible, for the Memorial Day holiday to minimize travel disruption. ​ 

Non-emergency closures will be suspended from 3 p.m. Friday, May 24, to 11:59 p.m. Monday, May 28. 

The following lane closures will remain in place during the holiday weekend. Motorists can expect delays and should allow extra time for trips through these areas. Drivers are urged to pay close attention to changed conditions and signs in the work zones, obey the posted speed limits, refrain from using mobile devices and stay alert for workers and equipment. At all times, please buckle and drive sober. 

 

District 1 

City of Chicago 

  • 111th Street over the Bishop Ford Freeway (Interstate 94) in Chicago; closed, detour posted. 

  • Westbound Bishop Ford ramp to 111th Street; closed, detour posted. 

  • Bishop Ford at 111th Street; nighttime lane closures continue. 

  • Southbound Du Sable Lake Shore Drive along Jackson Park; lane closures continue. 

  • Kennedy Expressway (I-94) reversible lanes between Lawrence Avenue and Ohio Street; closed. 

  • Kennedy between Milwaukee Avenue and Hubbard’s Cave; lane reductions continue. 

  • Outbound Kennedy Expressway west of Addison Street; right shoulder closed. ​ 

Cook County 

  • National Parkway between Golf Road and American Lane in Schaumburg; closed, detour posted. 

  • Waukegan Road (Illinois 43) between Maple Avenue and Founders Drive in Northbrook; lane reductions continue. 

  • Franklin Avenue between Runge Street and Mannheim Road (U.S. 12/45) in Franklin Park; lane reductions continue. 

  • 183rd Street at Pulaski Road in Country Club Hills; lane reductions continue on both roads. 

  • La Grange Road (U.S. 12/20/25) between 87th Street and the Tri-State Tollway (I-294) in Lyons Township; lane reductions continue. 

  • Southbound La Grange ramp to eastbound Archer Avenue (Illinois 171); closed, detour posted. 

  • Chicago Avenue over Des Plaines River Road between First and Thatcher avenues in Maywood and River Forest; lane reductions continue. 

  • Inbound Eisenhower Expressway (eastbound I-290) between First Avenue (Illinois 171) and the Des Plaines River; right shoulder closed. 

  • Roy Avenue over Addison Creek in Northlake; closed, detour posted. 

  • Cicero Avenue (Illinois 50) between 67th and 71st streets in Bedford Park; lane reductions continue. 

  • Cermak Road between 19th Street and Gardner Road in Broadview and Westchester; lane reductions continue. 

  • Ashland Avenue/Wood Street between 127th Street in Calumet Park and 147th Street/Sibley Boulevard (Illinois 83) in Harvey; closed, detour posted. 

  • Cicero Avenue (Illinois 50) from Cal-Sag Road to the Midlothian Turnpike in Crestwood; lane reductions continue. 

 DuPage County 

  • I-55 at Lemont Road in Woodridge; all ramps closed with traffic controlled by temporary signals. 

  • Roosevelt Road (Illinois 38) between Fapp Circle and Hazleton Avenue/Community Drive in Wheaton; lane reductions continue. 

 Kane County 

  • Eastbound Chicago Street between Center Street and Liberty Street (Illinois 25) in Elgin; closed, detour posted. 

 Lake County 

  • Sheridan Road (Illinois 137) over Bull Creek, just south of Wadsworth Avenue in Zion; closed, detours posted. ​ 

 McHenry County 

  • Souwanas Trail between Vista Drive and Riverwood Drive in Algonquin; closed, detour posted. 

  • Riverside Drive between Johnsburg Road and Running Brook Farm Boulevard in Johnsburg; closed, detour posted. 

  • Millstream Road between River Road and Illinois 176 in Seneca Township; closed, detour posted. 

 Will County 

  • Moen Avenue between Mound Road and Larkin Avenue in Rockdale; closed, detour posted. 

  • Sioux Drive/Dove Drive between Sunset Drive and Eames Street (U.S. 6) in Channahon; lane reductions continue. 

  • Essington Road between Pandola Avenue and Citadel Drive in Joliet; lane reductions continue. 

  • Northwest Frontage Road between Jefferson Street (U.S. 52) and Black Road in Shorewood; closed, detour posted. 

  • I-80 at Wheeler Avenue; all shoulders closed. 

  • River Road over I-80 in Shorewood; closed, detour posted. 

  • I-55 at between I-80 and Jefferson Street (U.S. 52) in Shorewood and Joliet; all shoulders closed. 

  • I-80 between River Road in Shorewood and Ridge Road in Minooka; all shoulders closed. 

  • I-80 between River Road and Houbolt Road in Joliet; all shoulders closed. 

  • I-80 between Houbolt Road and the Joliet Junction Trail; all shoulders closed. 

  • I-80 between Rowell Avenue in Joliet and Gougar Road in New Lenox; all shoulders closed. 

  • Illinois 59 at Seil Road in Shorewood; lane reductions continue. 

  • Westbound I-80 at Richards Street in Joliet; all ramps closed; detour posted. 

  • Old Chicago Road over Forked Creek in Wesley Township; closed, detour posted. 

District 2 

Carroll County 

  • Illinois 84 in Savanna; lane reductions continue with traffic controlled by temporary signals. 

 Jo Daviess County 

  • Westbound U.S. 20 in Galena; closed, detour posted. 

 Whiteside County 

  • Illinois 84 north of Fulton; Illinois 84 in Savanna; lane reductions continue with traffic controlled by temporary signals. 

  • Illinois 78 in Morrison; closed, detour posted. 

  • Illinois 40 south of Rock Falls; lane reductions continue. 

  • U.S. 30 east of Rock Falls; lane reductions continue. 

  • Freeport Road; closed, no detour posted. 

 Winnebago County 

  • Illinois 2 near Rockton; lane reductions continue. 

  • U.S. 20/Harrison Avenue in Cherry Valley; lane reductions continue. 

  • U.S. 20 at I-39 in Cherry Valley; lane reductions continue. 

District 3 

Bureau County 

  • I-80 from the Henry County line to Illinois 40; lane reductions continue. 

Grundy County 

  • Northbound I-55 at Dwight (exit 220); lane reductions continue. 

Kankakee County 

  • I-57 through Kankakee; lane reductions continue. 

  • Armour Road just west of Kinzie Avenue (Illinois 50) in Bourbonnais; lane reductions continue. 

La Salle County 

  • Illinois 170 about 4 miles north of Ransom; lane reductions continue with traffic controlled by temporary signals. 

Livingston County 

  • Illinois 17 at I-55 in Dwight; lane reductions continue. 

  • Southbound I-55 near the Limestone Rest Area about 2 miles south of Pontiac; lane reductions continue. 

District 4 

Fulton County 

  • Illinois 100 over Otter Creek near Enion; lane reductions continue with traffic controlled by temporary signals. 

  • U.S. 136 and Illinois 78/97 over Lacy Ditch and over the Spoon River; lane reductions continue with traffic controlled by temporary signals. 

Knox County 

  • Illinois 116 about 1.5 miles east of Illinois 41; lane reductions continue with traffic controlled by temporary signals. 

  • Illinois 116 just east of the Warren County line; lane reductions continue with traffic controlled by temporary signals. 

  • I-74 just north of Main Street in Galesburg; lane reductions continue. 

Marshall County 

  • Illinois 29 at the Illinois 17 junctions in Sparland: 

  • Over Gimlet Creek; lane reductions continue. 

  • Over Thenius Creek; lane reductions continue with traffic controlled by temporary signals. 

  • Illinois 17 over Senachwine Creek west of Sparland; lane reductions continue with traffic controlled by temporary signals. 

Mercer County 

  • U.S. 67 over Pope Creek 3 miles south of Viola; lane reductions continue with traffic controlled by temporary signals. 

Peoria County 

  • Eastbound War Memorial Drive (U.S. 150) at Adams Street (Illinois 29) in Peoria; lane reductions continue. 

  • Adams Street (Illinois 29) between Lorentz Avenue and Eureka Street; lane reductions continue. 

  • Westbound I-474 at Airport Road (exit 5) near Peoria; lane reductions continue. 

  • Illinois 8 just east of Oak Hill; closed. 

  • Eastbound I-74 at the I-474/Illinois 6 interchange (exit 87A-B); lane reductions continue. 

Stark County 

  • Illinois 17/91 over the Spoon River west of Wyoming; lane reductions continue with traffic controlled by temporary signals. 

Tazewell County 

  • U.S. 24 between Cummings Lane and Main Street in Washington; lane reductions continue. 

  • I-155 near Hopedale; lane reductions continue. 

  • Cedar Street Extension (Illinois 116/8) in East Peoria; lane reductions continue. 

District 5 

Champaign County 

  • Westbound I-74 ramp to northbound I-57 in Champaign; closed, detour posted. 

  • Northbound I-57 ramp to westbound I-74; closed, detour posted. 

  • I-57 at the U.S. 45 interchange in Pesotum (exit 220); lane reductions continue. 

  • I-74 at the Illinois 130 interchange in Urbana (exit 185); lane reductions continue. 

Edgar County 

  • U.S. 150 east of Paris; lane reductions continue with traffic controlled by temporary signals. 

McLean County 

  • Westbound U.S. 24 in Chenoa; lane reductions continue. 

  • Market Street (U.S. 150/Illinois 9) between Martin Luther King Jr. Drive and Hinshaw Avenue in Bloomington; lane reductions continue. 

Piatt County 

  • Bridge Street over I-72 in Monticello; lane reductions continue 

Vermilion County 

  • I-74 between mileposts 205 near Oakwood and 216 at Danville; lane reductions continue. 

  • Georgetown Road (U.S. 150/Illinois 1) over I-74 in Tilton; lane reductions continue. 

  • Northbound Illinois 1 about 2 miles north of Rossville; lane reductions continue. 

  • Southbound Illinois 49 northwest of Armstrong; lane reductions continue. 

District 6 

Macoupin County 

  • Illinois 16 near Piasa; lane reductions continue. 

Morgan County 

  • I-72 east of Jacksonville; lane reductions continue. 

Sangamon County 

  • Illinois 104 west of Auburn; lane reductions continue. 

Scott County 

  • Westbound I-72 near the Illinois River; lane reductions continue. 

District 7 

Clark County 

  • U.S. 40 over I-70 at Marshall; lane reductions continue. 

Coles County 

  • I-57 over U.S. 45 south of Mattoon; lane reductions continue. 

Effingham County 

  • Fayette Avenue between Henrietta and Walnut streets in Effingham; lane reductions continue. 

  • I-70 between Montrose and the Cumberland County line; lane reductions continue. 

  • U.S. 45 about 3 miles south of Illinois 37; lane reductions continue with traffic controlled by temporary signals. 

  • Illinois 37 over the Wabash River just south of I-57; lane reductions continue with traffic controlled by temporary signals. 

Fayette County 

  • U.S. 51 over I-70 at Vandalia; lane reductions continue. 

  • Illinois 185 over I-57 at Farina; lane reductions continue with traffic controlled by temporary signals. 

Lawrence County 

  • Illinois 1 about 2 miles south of Lawrenceville; lane reductions continue with traffic controlled by temporary signals. 

Macon County 

  • I-72 east of Forsyth; lane reductions continue. 

  • Pershing Road (Illinois 121) at University Avenue in Decatur; lane reductions continue on both roads. 

  • Kirby Road over I-72 northeast of Decatur; closed. 

Wabash County 

  • Illinois 1 just south of the Lawrence County line; lane reductions continue with traffic controlled by temporary signals. 

Wayne County 

  • Illinois 15 about a mile west of Sims Road; lane reductions continue with traffic controlled by temporary signals. 

  • Illinois 15 about a mile west of County Highway 3; lane reductions continue with traffic controlled by temporary signals. 

District 8 

Clinton County 

  • Illinois 127 just north of Illinois 161 at Posey; lane reductions continue with traffic controlled by temporary signals. 

Marion County 

  • I-57 between Illinois 161 and the Jefferson County line (mileposts 106-110); lane reductions continue. 

  • Southbound I-57 ramps at Illinois 161; closed. 

Randolph County 

  • Illinois 155 east of Bluff Road in Prairie du Rocher; lane reductions continue with traffic controlled by temporary signals. 

St. Clair County 

  • 26th Street between Illinois 15 and Bond Avenue in East St. Louis; closed. 

Washington County 

  • Illinois 15 about 4 miles west of Illinois 127; closed, detour posted. 

District 9 

Alexander County 

  • U.S. 60/62 bridge over the Mississippi River at Cairo; closed. 

  • Old Illinois 3 south of Gale; closed. 

  • U.S. 51 north of Cairo; lane reductions continue. 

Hardin County 

  • Illinois 34 over Rose Creek; lane reductions continue with traffic controlled by temporary signals. 

Jackson County 

  • U.S. 51 north of DeSoto; closed. 

  • Illinois 3 north of Illinois 151; lane reductions continue. 

Jefferson County 

  • I-64 at milepost 86 east of Mount Vernon; lane reductions continue. 

  • I-64 at the Bluford/Belle Rive interchange (exit 89); lane reductions continue. 

  • I-64 between U.S. 51 and I-57; lane reductions continue. 

Pope County 

  • Illinois 145 over Bay Creek, just south of Illinois 146; lane reductions continue with traffic controlled by temporary signals. 

  • Illinois 145 over Bear Creek, just south of Bay Creek; lane reductions continue with traffic controlled by temporary signals. 

Saline County 

  • U.S. 45 near Texas City; lane reductions continue with traffic controlled by temporary signals. 

White County 

  • I-64 east of Burnt Prairie; lane reductions continue. 

Williamson County 

  • I-24 at milepost 2; lane reductions continue. 

  • Southbound I-57 between mileposts 32 and 43; lane reductions continue. 

 Over the next six years, IDOT is planning to improve more than 3,000 miles of highway and nearly 10 million square feet of bridge deck as part of Rebuild Illinois, which is investing $33.2 billion into all modes of transportation. Accomplishments through Year Four of Rebuild Illinois included approximately $12.1 billion of improvements statewide on 5,339 miles of highway, 533 bridges and 762 additional safety improvements. ​ 

For more information on IDOT projects, click here. Follow us on Twitter at @IDOT_Illinois or view area construction details on IDOT’s traveler information map on GettingAroundIllinois.com. 

4-H Day Of Service Benefits Safe Haven

The Hi-Flyers 4-H Club participated in the National 4-H Day of Service in April. The club worked hard helping people of the community with outdoors yard work and spring cleaning. The club collected free will donations for work. As a club they voted to donate the proceeds to Safe Haven Women’s Shelter. Laura Leathers represented the shelter in accepting the donation from Hi-Flyers Club President Maria Kennard. Mrs. Leathers talked to the club about the needs of monetary donations as well as volunteer help that the shelter needs. She discussed the services the shelter provides to those in need from our community and surrounding counties. The kids were very happy to see their hard work benefit such a worthy cause.