At the July 2024 Allendale School Board meeting held in the library of Allendale School, the board:
● Accepted the bid from Prairie Farms to be the school’s milk product supplier for the 2024-2025 school year.
● Approved to abate $30,000 from Working Cash Fund to the Tort Fund.
● Adopted the Student Handbook, Student Conduct Code, and Internet/Computer Network Usage documents for 2024-2025.
● Approved Amy Kingsbury as Head Custodian beginning August 1, 2024.
FAIRFIELD – Illinois State Police (ISP) Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI) Zone 8, alongside the Fairfield Police Department, announce the arrest of 36-year-old Adreian D.A. Hooper of Fairfield, IL for Involuntary Manslaughter (Class 2 Felony), Endangering the Life of a Child - Death (Class 3 Felony), Reckless Conduct (Class 4 Felony), and Endangering the Life of a Child (Class A Misdemeanor).
On July 14, 2024, ISP was requested by the Fairfield Police Department to assist in the death investigation of a 1-year-old male and the severe injury of another 2-year-old male. Both children were reported to have been left in a vehicle for multiple hours. The Child Death Investigative Task Force was subsequently activated.
On July 16, 2024, after a thorough investigation, the Wayne County State's Attorney's Office charged Hooper with the above-mentioned charges. She is currently being held at the Wayne County Jail. No further information is available at this time.
At Monday night’s Wabash District #348 school board meeting, Superintendent Dr. Chuck Bleyer said the district is opening a gate at Riverview Stadium to allow walkers and runners to the track there. Bleyer said the gate will be closed during school hours, but the track will be accessible from the bottom before and after school, even if practices are taking place on the stadium turf. Up to now, those wanting to access the track have had to traverse the steps at Riverview Stadium and go back up again. Bleyer said the district had hoped to have accessibility available before now but plans to put in a new gate never materialized due to delays from the contractor.
Sign up for the Operation Share School Supply Program is currently underway for High School students in Wabash County. Families needing help with obtaining school supplies for MCHS students should call the Wabash County WADI office at 618-262-4151 between the hours of 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday through Thursday to register. Distribution will be August 5th.
Donations of school supplies, hand sanitizer, disinfectant wipes, personal hygiene items, or cash donations are greatly appreciated. They can be dropped off or mailed to WADI at 119 W. 12th Street in Mt. Carmel. Checks should be made out to WADI with “school supplies” on the memo line. 100% of donations go to the school supply program.
Operation Share is a joint effort of Wabash Area Development, Inc. and the Wabash County Ministerial Association.
A change is being made to the way parking passes will be distributed this year to Mt. Carmel High School students. At last night’s Wabash District #348 school board meeting, Junior High assistant principal Logan Crum, speaking in the place of high school assistant principal Amy Duckworth, laid out the details of the changes to the parking passes at MCHS…
Crum said the top 10 seniors will get first dibs on the parking passes as they’ll be allowed to go online today and purchase theirs. Then on July 23rd, the rest of the senior class will be allowed to go online and purchase parking passes followed by the juniors and licensed sophomore drivers. Crum stressed that only sophomores with a driver’s license now will be allowed to purchase a pass. He said once they get their license, they’ll be allowed to purchase a parking pass. The change comes in the wake of complaints for a parent of a high school student who said last year’s policy of going by GPA to distribute parking passes was demeaning and humiliating to students with lower grade point averages who had to wait to get their pass.
On Friday’s monthly “Ask The Mayor” segment on WSJD, Joe Judge offered some eye-popping figures as to just how bad of shape Mt. Carmel’s City Pool is…
Judge said the leaks are impossible to repairs in that the entire concrete pool bowl would have to be ripped out to get to them….
In November, city voters will be asked to approve a referendum to build a new aquatics center, something Judge said is essential for the continued viability of Mt. Carmel.
WSJD File Photo
Indiana Conservation Officers are investigating after recovering the body of a man from Patoka Lake yesterday.
At approximately 1:43 p.m., officers were dispatched to the area of the overlook dam for a person going under water and not resurfacing.
Conservation officer divers arrived on scene and recovered the body of Edgar Osbaldo Garcia Herrera, 19, of Evansville, at approximately 4:31 p.m.
Other assisting agencies included the Dubois Volunteer Fire Department, Jasper Memorial EMS, and Dubois County Sheriff’s Department.
Indiana Conservation Officers remind the public to always wear your life jacket when on or around the water.
HERRIN – Illinois State Police (ISP) Division of Criminal Investigation Zone 7 arrested 38-year-old Tyler Mezo of Herrin, IL, for First-Degree Murder (Class M Felony).
On July 13, 2024, ISP was requested by the Herrin Police Department to conduct a death investigation at a residence in the 3100 block of Weaver Road in Herrin. A deceased female victim was located at the residence with multiple gunshot wounds. Mezo was identified as the shooter and subsequently taken into custody.
On July 14, 2024, after a thorough investigation, ISP presented the case to the Williamson County State’s Attorney’s Office for official charges to be filed. Mezo is being held at the Williamson County Jail pending his first court appearance.
ISP DCI agents were assisted by the Herrin Police Department, ISP Troop 10 patrol officers, and ISP Crime Scene Services. No further information is available.
On July 12, 2024, at 7:22 a.m. Gibson County Central Dispatch received a 911 report of an automobile accident in the 1300 block of East 150 South. Deputies Chad Craney and U.B. Smith were dispatched to the area, and upon arriving they located a black 2008 Jeep Liberty in a cornfield next to the roadway. Deputy Craney identified the driver as 31 year old Hayley Williams of Princeton. While speaking with Ms. Williams Deputy Craney detected clues that Ms. Williams may be under the influence of an unknown intoxicant. At that point he began a roadside OWI investigation. At the conclusion of his investigation Ms. Williams was taken into custody and transported to the Gibson County Jail. Upon arriving at the Jail Ms. Williams was charged with Operating a Vehicle While Intoxicated-Refusal.
Assisting Deputies Craney and Smith in their investigation were Special Deputy Chuck Frederick and Deputy Jennifer Loesch. Also assisting in this investigation was Princeton Officer Brandt George.
All criminal defendants are to be presumed innocent until, and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
From Wabash County Sheriff J. Derek Morgan:
It is with deep regret that I inform you of the untimely death of our K9 Deputy KiKi. On 07.14.24 Deputy KiKi was found by her handler, unresponsive. Deputy KiKi has served with the Wabash County Sheriff’s Office since September of 2022. KiKi was an invaluable asset and partner to Wabash County. There will be further investigation into determining the cause of death. Her death is a significant loss to the Wabash County Sheriff’s Office.
Photo Credit: Wabash County Sheriff’s Office Facebook Page