Last Hurrah For City Pool Is Tonight

You have one last chance to swim at the Mt. Carmel City Pool before it’s closed forever. The Wabash County Animal Shelter Buddies will host their annual dog swim this evening from 5 to 8pm at the iconic landmark. City officials have tried for years to keep the pool within regulations, but various equipment failures have now made that impossible. The Illinois Department of Public Health recently found at least 4 critical violations and ruled the pool wouldn’t be allowed to operate in 2025 until those violations were corrected. Mayor Joe Judge says bringing the pool up to code would cost $11 million while building a new aquatic center would be cheaper coming in at just over $8 million. City voters will decide in November whether to approve a property tax increase to fund $3.5 million of the new pool.

The Mount Carmel City Pool was first opened in 1937. The pool has had several updates through the years. It is known for its Zero-Entry feature, meaning you can walk directly in the pool without the use of a ladder or steps.

The pool went out with a whimper over the holiday weekend as just 27 people showed up to swim on Saturday and 137 visited the 87 year old pool on Sunday.

This evening the Shelter Buddies will have hot dogs and pup cups available plus $20 micro-chipping. Admission is $5 a dog.

Holiday Moves City Council Meeting To Tuesday

AGENDA

CITY OF MOUNT CARMEL

REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING

Tuesday, September 3, 2024 at 4:00 pm

· Call to Order

o Pledge of Allegiance

o Roll Call

· Approve Minutes

o Minutes of meeting held 08/19/2024.

· Visitors (topic discussed by visitor(s) is limited to 5 minutes)

· Reports and Communications

o Mayor Judge

o Commissioner Meador Streets, Cemeteries and Parks

o Commissioner Ikemire Finance and Senior Citizens

o Commissioner Meeks Water and Sewer

o Commissioner Zimmerman Fire, Health & Safety, City Hall and Garbage

· Staff Reports

o Ryan Turner Derek McCullough Luis Garcia

o Michael McWilliams Francis Speth Mike Gidcumb

o WEMA Representative

New Business

o Consent Agenda

§ Pay all bills by providing proper signatures.

o Removal of items from the Consent Agenda

o Resolution 707- Support of an Illinois Transportation Enhancement Program Grant Application for Bicycle and Pedestrian Improvements for Market Street

o Old Business-

o Ordinance 2111-Ordinance approving a special use for placement of manufactured home-second reading

o Executive Session-

o Discuss compensation of union employees and contract negotiations.

o Discuss the price setting for a particular piece of City-owned property.

o Motion to Adjourn-

o Liquor Control Meeting-Immediately after council hearing= N/A

Traffic Stop Leads To DUI Arrest Of Mt. Carmel Man

On 8/26/24, at approximately 2pm, Mt. Carmel Police arrested Tyler D. Roberts, age 34, of Mt. Carmel for Driving Under the Influence of Alcohol following a traffic stop in the 200 block of South Chandler Drive.  Prior to the stop, the arresting officer observed a white Hyundai SUV fail to stop at the stop sign posted at 13th & Walnut Street and for the driver texting while driving.  In making the stop, the officer identified Roberts as the driver and detected an odor of alcoholic beverage coming from the vehicle.  The officer requested Roberts submit to a roadside sobriety check and Roberts agreed to submit to that request.  During the standardized testing, Roberts showed numerous clues to indicate impairment.  Roberts was placed under arrest for Driving Under the Influence and transported to the Wabash County Jail.  Roberts was processed for DUI and issued additional citations for Disobeying a Stop Sign, Improper Use of Electronic Device and Illegal Transportation of Alcohol due to an alcoholic beverage being located in the car.  MCPD was assisted by the Illinois State Police during the stop.  Roberts was later released on a Notice to Appear.

Addition Of Chiropractic Services A Positive For WGH

Even though Wabash General Hospital is one of the few hospitals that has a chiropractor on staff, the addition of Dr. Lawrence Speir has been a beneficial one. At their meeting on Monday, the WGH Board of Directors heard a report of just how beneficial his addition has been. VP of professional services Andrew Kleinschmidt told the board that Speir is seeing up to 40 patients a day as he splits time between the Albion medical clinic and the orthopedic center in Mt. Carmel. Wabash General President/CEO Karissa Turner said adding chiropractic services has been a good one…

KARISSA TURNER ON DR. LAWRENCE SPEIR

Before joining WGH, Speir had practiced in Albion since 2004.

Shelburn Man Arrested for Domestic Battery of Juveniles

Sullivan County - Indiana State Police Putnamville Post initiated a criminal investigation on May 9, 2024, after receiving information from a Shelburn Town Marshall, concerning allegations of domestic battery of two juveniles.

The investigation revealed that Caleb J. Bays, age 34, Shelburn, Indiana, had allegedly committed domestic battery on two victims less than fourteen years of age.  This allegation took place in Sullivan County.

After reviewing the investigation, Sullivan County Prosecutor Ann Mischler asked for a warrant to be issued for Bay's arrest.  A warrant was issued by the Sullivan Circuit Court on August 27, 2024, and Bays was arrested yesterday, without incident, by the Sullivan County Sheriff’s Department.  He is currently being held in the Sullivan County Jail on a $16,000 bond. 

Investing Officer:  Indiana State Police Master Trooper Detective Angie Hahn of the Putnamville Post.

Assisting Agency: Sullivan County Sheriff’s Department, Shelburn Town Marshall Officer Matt Price, Sullivan County Department of Child Services, and Susie’s Place.

Arrested and Charges:  Caleb J. Bays, 34, Shelburn, IN

• Domestic Battery of a person less than 14 years of age (2 counts)

Under the law, criminal charges are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.

911 call leads to arrest of Petersburg woman on burglary charge

On August 28, 2024, at 1:31 p.m. Gibson County Central Dispatch received a 911 report of a woman trespassing at a residence in the 6000 block of East 390 North near Francisco.  Upon arriving on scene Deputy Eric Powell located 42 year old Crystal Young of Petersburg at the residence and began an investigation into the incident.  At the conclusion of the investigation Deputy Powell placed Ms. Young into custody and transported her to the Gibson County Jail where she was charged with Burglary, Possession of Methamphetamines, Criminal Trespass, and Possession of Paraphernalia. 

Assisting Deputy Powell in his investigation was Deputy U.B. Smith.

All criminal defendants are to be presumed innocent until, and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

Mt. Carmel man arrested on theft warrant

On August 27, 2024, Corrections Officer Diego Ortega booked 31 year old Cameron Vessels of Mount Carmel into the Gibson County Jail on an outstanding warrant for Theft.  Detective Jennifer Loesch has multiple open cases against Mr. Vessels for home improvement fraud and check fraud. 

The Gibson County Sheriff’s Office encourages citizens to do the following things to help protect themselves from home improvement frauds and scams:

Verify the contractor:  Check with your local law enforcement, chamber of commerce, and better business bureau to see what kind of history they have with your potential contractor.

Get recommendations:  Ask people you know and trust for recommendations.

Check your potential contractor’s online see what others have to say.

Get multiple bids:  Don’t just accept the first contractor’s offer.

Get everything in writing:  Make sure the contract includes all the details of the project, such as the timeline, payment schedule, and materials.

Avoid high-pressure sales:  Don’t let the contractor pressure you into making a decision right away. 

AVOID making full payments BEFORE the project is complete.  Instead, you can set up a payment schedule that’s based on project milestones and satisfactory progress.  You can also stagger payments based on the completion of the work to ensure that if the work is delayed, your payments are too. 

 All criminal defendants are to be presumed innocent until, and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

WGH Board Hears Report On Updated COVID Metrics

With COVID cases climbing, Wabash General Hospital is implementing steps in the event cases spike. Chief of Staff Dr. Donald Bisby told the WGH Board of Directors Monday that information from the hospital’s entire geographic service region of 35,000 people will be used to determine if there’s a high transmission rate of COVID. That would equate to six people being hospitalized at Wabash General.

Hospital Executive VP of Clinical Services and Chief Nursing Officer Kim Pearson told the board that there are currently no patients hospitalized with COVID. But, there were two last week…

KIM PEARSON ON COVID CASES

Bisby said the metric had to be developed to monitor the cases since the CDC stopped distributing COVID transmission levels.

Kingsview Partners Welcomes Wealth Managers and Partners Josh Farley and Alisha Warren Former Edward Jones Advisors Open Joint Office in Mt. Carmel

GRANTS PASS, OR (August 23, 2024) - Kingsview Partners announced today that Wealth Managers | Partners Josh Farley and Alisha Warren have officially joined Kingsview Partners in Mt. Carmel, IL.

Josh and Alisha bring extensive financial experience to the forefront, focusing on problem-solving to build strong, lasting relationships with their clients. They explore every possible avenue to meet their clients’ unique financial needs and goals, helping them progress through various life stages into—and beyond—retirement.

Josh Farley, AAMS®, joins Kingsview after 23 years as a financial advisor with Edward Jones. As an Accredited Asset Management Specialist (AAMS®), Josh leaves no stone unturned when it comes to helping his clients’ financial dreams become a reality. He is honest and upfront with his clients, especially when discussing matters related to life and money. Josh is supported by a service-minded team at his practice, who prioritize taking care of their clients the same way they would expect to be treated.

“I enjoy logistics and problem-solving,” says Josh. “When clients come to me with a goal or financial challenge and we overcome it, it’s very satisfying. I enjoy working with clients to turn a financial dream into reality, celebrate our success, and then, as time passes, doing the same thing with multiple generations.”

Alisha Warren graduated from Millikin University with a BS in Accounting and minors in English and Business. She comes to Kingsview Partners after spending more than 10 years at Edward Jones. Even before beginning her career in financial services, Alisha’s successes were always rooted in serving and helping people. She previously enjoyed various roles in human resources, OSHA safety coordination, along with tax accounting for partnerships, farms, small businesses, and individuals.

“I hate not knowing the answer and love finding a way to fulfill clients’ needs and wishes,” says Alisha. “Meeting financial goals and progressing through life stages into and beyond retirement is one of my favorite things.”

Kingsview Partners CEO Sean McGillivray welcomed Josh and Alisha, saying, “Josh and Alisha have already proven to be a great fit for Kingsview Partners. Their goals and service to clients align perfectly with Kingsview Partners’ elevated standard of care. I am excited to welcome their entire team.”

Josh Farley and Alisha Warren can be contacted at (618) 221-4810 or through the Kingsview website.

About Kingsview Partners Kingsview Partners operates Kingsview Wealth Management, a fee-based Registered Investment Advisor that serves thousands of individual clients across the nation through independent advisor offices. The firm's advisory business is complemented by our full-service insurance agency, Kingsview Trust and Insurance, and our comprehensive tax preparation service, Kingsview Strategic Tax Consulting. Kingsview Investment Management, our standalone asset manager, provides investment portfolios to meet various client needs.

Kingsview Wealth Managers have a suite of options that include third-party money managers, insurance carriers, platform providers and custodians. Kingsview Partners maintains custodial relationships with Charles Schwab & Co., Raymond James & Associates and Interactive Brokers.

Commissioners Approve Vehicle Purchase For Coroner

Wabash County Commissioners have given the go ahead for coroner Shaun Keepes (Kee-pes) to purchase a vehicle for his office. The price tag of the 2021 Ford Expedition X-L with 78,000 miles came in at just under $40,000 with Keepes paying $20,000 out of his budget and the remaining balance being paid through a four year loan that will also be paid out of the coroner’s budget. The purchase concluded a somewhat adversarial debate between Keepes and county commissioner Rob Dean who questioned the need for the coroner’s office to have a vehicle and how it would be used. But, Dean said he was now on board with the purchase. Previously, Keepes had used his personal and business vehicles for coroner calls.