Wabash County Jobless Rate At 3.6%

Wabash County’s jobless rate continues to be strong according to the latest figures from the State’s Department of Employment Security. The October numbers released this week show that Wabash County’s 3.6% is one of the lowest in southern Illinois and slightly above the 3.4% rate in Hamilton County. The October rate locally is a tick above the 3.5% level in October of last year.

In the Mt. Carmel-Olney IDES region, total nonfarm payrolls increased by +150 positions between October 2023 and October 2024. Payrolls increased among employers in the Private Education, Health Services (+75), Other Services (+50), Leisure Hospitality (+25) and Government (+25) sectors. Payroll employment was unchanged for employers in the Natural Resources-Mining, Information, Professional-Business Services, Construction and Manufacturing sectors. Employers in the Financial Activities (-25) and Trade-Transportation Utilities (-25) sectors shed jobs between October 2023 and October 2024.

The highest unemployment rate in southern Illinois continues to be in Pulaski County where the rate is 7.7%. Statewide, Illinois’ unemployment was 5.2%.

Mount Carmel man arrested on DUI charge

On December 1, 2024, at 11:10 p.m. Gibson County Deputy Eric Powell conducted a traffic stop on a Gray 2019 Jeep for speeding and failure to maintain its lane of travel on US 41 near Fort Branch.  Upon approaching the vehicle Deputy Powell identified the driver as 73 year old Donald Mains of Mount Carmel.  While speaking with Mr. Mains Deputy Powell detected clues that Mr. Mains was under the influence of alcohol.  At that point he began a roadside DUI investigation.  At the conclusion of the investigation Deputy Powell placed Mr. Mains into custody and transported him to the Gibson County Jail where he was charged with Operating a Vehicle While Intoxicated/ Refusal  
 
Assisting Deputy Powell in his investigation was Deputy Levi Sims.
 
All criminal defendants are to be presumed innocent until, and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

Wabash County Commissioner Agenda

December 2, 2024: 4:30pm

AGENDA

1) Call to order:

2) Re-Organize the County Board and Elect the Chairman.

3) Approve minutes of previous meeting:

4) Commissioner’s reports:

5) Officer’s reports:

6) Old Business:

a. ARPA Ordinance.

c. HVAC update in the Courthouse.

7) New Business:

a. Re-organize the County Board and Elect the Chairman.

b. Resolutions 2024-14 and 15, resolution appropriating funds for the County Engineer’s Salary and for Maintenance under the Highway Code.

c. Sara Plucinski with First Mile Development and Brady Evans with Swift Current have asked to speak to the Board about the Wind Ordinance.

d. County Board appointments.

e. Semi-annual review of Executive Session minutes.

f. Declare Computer equipment and other items surplus from the Assessor, Treasurer and County Clerk’s Offices.

8) Executive Session:

9) Correspondence:

10) Approval for payment of claims presented:

11) Adjournment.

Evansville man arrested for operating vehicle while intoxicated

On November 28, 2024, at 11:06 a.m. Gibson County Central Dispatch received a report of a disturbance in the 500 block of South Mulberry Street.  Upon arriving in the area officers were unable to locate to source of the disturbance.  At that point officers began to check the area.  During that check Oakland City Police Chief Tim Gaines located an unresponsive male in a running vehicle in the middle of the Las Islas Mexican Restaurant parking lot.  At that point officers conducted a welfare check on the male who was identified as 21 year old Ervin Velazquez of Evansville.  While speaking with Mr. Velazquez Deputy Wes Baumgart detected the odor of alcohol coming from Mr. Velazquez and began a roadside DUI investigation.  Once that investigation was complete Mr. Velazquez was transported to the Gibson County Jail where he was charged with Operating a Vehicle While Intoxicated and Operating a Vehicle Without Ever Obtaining a Valid Operator’s License. 
 
Assisting Deputy Baumgart in his investigation was Deputies U.B. Smith and Michael Owens.  Also assisting in the investigation was Oakland City Police Chief Tim Gaines.
 
All criminal defendants are to be presumed innocent until, and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

Owensville woman arrested for leaving the scene of an accident

On November 27, 2024, at 10:58 p.m. Gibson County Central Dispatch received a 911 report of a vehicle that had struck a utility pole on County Road 125 West near County Road 400 South.  Communications Officer Michael Austin dispatched county units to the scene and upon arriving they found a Black 2019 Toyota Corolla had left the roadway, struck the pole, and was resting in a ditch.  Upon speaking to a male on scene they determined that the driver 33 year old Lillian Schneider of Owensville had left the scene of the accident.  After a brief investigation Ms. Schneider returned to the scene and was taken into custody where she was charged with Leaving the Scene of a Property Damage Accident. 
 
Assisting Deputy Sims in his investigation was Sgt. John Fischer.  
 
All criminal defendants are to be presumed innocent until, and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
 

Haubstadt man arrested for DUI

On November 27, 2024, at 10:40 p.m. Gibson County Deputy Wyatt Hunt conducted a traffic stop on Gray 2020 Jeep Wrangler for disregarding the traffic signal at Main and Broadway in Princeton.  Upon stopping the vehicle on Clark Street near Main Deputy Hunt approached the vehicle and detected the odor of alcohol coming from the driver 52 year old Ora Martin of Haubstadt.  At that point Deputy Hunt began a roadside DUI investigation.  Once his investigation was completed he placed Mr. Martin 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 Bart Wagner and Levi Sims.  Also assisting were Sgt. Ben Kiesel and Bryce Jutzi of the Princeton Police Department.
 
All criminal defendants are to be presumed innocent until, and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

Today Is Last Day To Pre-Pay Wabash County Property Taxes

Wabash Co. Treasurer, Angela Broster, would like to remind the community that the Prepayment deadline is on November 27, 2024. That’s in less than 2 weeks! It is very important for you to prepay your Real Estate taxes if you would like to be able to deduct them on your income taxes. This is due to the County converting to a new software system that the 2023 Payable 2024 Real Estate Taxes will not be out until after the first of the year in 2025.

If you have any questions regarding prepaying your Real Estate Taxes, please call the Treasurer’s office at 618-262-5262. No Prepayments will be accepted after November 27, 2024! After November 27th, you will have to wait until the Real Estate bills come out after the first of the year.

Mt. Carmel Man Sentenced To Prison On Child Porn Charges

29 year old Sean Willis of Mt. Carmel has been sentenced to prison on child pornography charges in Wabash County Circuit Court. Willis was indicted in May of last year by a statewide grand jury in Lee County on the two Class X felonies in addition to a third count of failure to register as a sex offender. The Illinois Attorney General’s office brought the case to the grand jury which was prosecuted by Assistant Attorney General Shannon O’Brien of the high-tech crime bureau in Chicago.

Bond at the time was set at $750,000 but was later reduced to $20,000 which Willis posted. Appearing in court Monday, Willis entered a guilty plea to the two-child porn charge in exchange for the sex offender registry charge being dropped. Judge Tara Wallace of Hardin County sentenced Willis to 14 years in prison on each count with the terms to run consecutively. The sentences will be served at 50%. Upon his release from prison, Willis will be on three years to life of mandatory supervised release. All electronic devices seized during the investigation were also ordered forfeited. Wallace also referred Willis to alcohol treatment while in prison. In addition to the prison sentence, Willis was fined $4,000 and ordered to pay court costs.

Take advantage of local pesticide applicator/operator testing

ALBION, Ill. – If you hold an Illinois license to apply pesticides, now is the time to check your expiration date. The Illinois Extension Pesticide Safety Education Program (PSEP) collaborates with Extension offices and the Illinois Department of Agriculture (IDOA) to offer annual pesticide applicator/operator testing. Local in-person testing will be available in Edwards, Richland, and Wayne counties. To register online, visit the IDOA website at agr.illinois.gov/pesticides/in-person-testing.html or contact your local Extension office.

 Testing locations and dates:

 Albion, IL

Edwards County Farm Bureau community room

15 S. Fifth St., Albion, IL 62806

Dec. 6, 2024, Jan. 13, 2025, Feb. 7, 2025

10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

To contact the Edwards County Extension office, call: 618-445-2934

 Olney, IL

Richland County Extension office meeting room

306 S. Fair St., Olney, IL 62450

Dec. 20, 2024, Jan. 20, 2025, Feb. 21, 2025

10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

To contact the Richland County Extension office, call: 618-395-2191

 Fairfield, IL

Wayne County Extension office meeting room

2B Frontier Drive, Fairfield, IL 62837

Dec. 13, 2024, Jan. 24, 2025, March 7, 2025

10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

To contact Wayne County Extension office, call: 618-842-3702

 For more information regarding licensing requirements, study materials, resources, and additional testing and training opportunities, visit the Illinois Extension PSEP website at extension.illinois.edu/psep. You may also contact your local Extension office to see what study materials may be available to purchase. If you need a reasonable accommodation to participate, please contact Dana Hart at dbhart@illinois.edu. Early requests are strongly encouraged to allow sufficient time to meet access needs.