A Mt. Carmel man arrested last month on sexual assault and abuse charges has entered a not guilty plea to the charges. 26 year old Hunter Ingram was arrested by Mt. Carmel Police on November 19th on a Wabash County warrant for criminal sexual assault and aggravated criminal sexual abuse. The arrest was the result of an MCPD investigation into an alleged incident on November 17th at a residence in the 600 block of West 6th Street. During an appearance yesterday in Wabash County Circuit Court, public defender William Easton waived Ingram’s formal arraignment and entered the not guilty plea. Judge William C. Hudson then denied Easton’s motion to have Ingram released from the Wabash County Jail. State’s Attorney Kelli Storckman argued that Ingram faces further charges as the investigation into the incident continues and another possible victim has come forward. Ingram is due back in court on January 13th for a final pre-trial hearing with a jury trial scheduled for February 3rd.
The Gibson County Sheriff's Office investigate accident with serious injuries on State Road 165 in Johnson
On December 9, 2024, at approximately 12:21 p.m. Gibson County Central Dispatch received a 911 report of a car versus semi accident in the 9900 block of West State Road 65 in Johnson, Indiana. Communications Officer Bethney Anthis dispatched county units as well as the Owensville Fire Territory and Gibson County Ambulance Service to the scene after learning that the driver of the passenger car was entrapped inside their vehicle.
Upon arriving on scene Deputy Wesley Baumgart began an investigation into the incident. After speaking with witnesses on scene and reviewing dash cam footage from other vehicles in the area it was determined that a Maroon 2005 Toyota Camry was traveling eastbound on State Road 165 near County Road 1000 West when the vehicle crossed the center of the roadway and struck a loaded semi-trailer pulled by a White 2022 Kenworth semi.
During the investigation of the accident the Owensville Montgomery Township Fire Territory extricated the driver of the Toyota Camry. The Gibson County Ambulance Service transported the driver to an Evansville area hospital for treatment for serious bodily injuries.
Assisting the Sheriff's Office in this investigation was the Indiana State Police and Owensville Police Department.
This is an active and open investigation.
All criminal defendants are to be presumed innocent until, and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
City Drafting Ordinance Addressing Local Contractors
An ordinance is being drafted that would aim to crack down on contractors who skirt Mt. Carmel’s required permits. City Clerk Ryan Turner explained that there are contractors, many from out of town, who either don’t pay the required fee to work in Mt. Carmel or don’t pay the $15 for a required roofing permit. Turner proposed the contractor’s annual license fee go up to $50 a year while the roofing permit would go to $75….
Turner said the proposed ordinance would serve a dual purpose….
Turner said some contractors actually come into town over weekends to work thinking those that check for the permits might not be working. He said even if the fees are increased, Mt. Carmel would still be one of the lowest in the area.
County Commissioners Hear Plans For Tri-County Wind Project
A representative of a Boston company was at Monday’s Wabash County Commissioner meeting outlining details of a proposed wind energy project that would encompass parts of three counties. Brady Evans is the senior director of development for Swift Current Energy, and he explained his company’s plans…
Evans outlined a potential timeline for the project….
Evans said currently no wind turbines are planned for Wabash County as better wind speeds are further north in Richland and Lawrence Counties. He expects a substation to be built in Wabash County. An informational meeting was held last night at the Wabash County Quail Club.
Brady Evans of Swift Current Energy speaks to Wabash County Commissioners Monday.
More than 54,000 deer harvested during first weekend of Illinois firearm deer season
SPRINGFIELD - Hunters in Illinois harvested a preliminary total of 54,661 deer during the first weekend of the Illinois firearm deer season between Nov. 22-24. Comparatively, hunters took 53,348 and 52,354 deer during the first firearm weekends in 2023 and 2022, respectively.
Illinois' seven-day firearm deer season will conclude Dec. 5-8.
Remaining 2024-2025 deer hunting opportunities in Illinois include:
Muzzleloader-only deer season Dec. 13-15.
Late-winter antlerless-only and chronic wasting disease deer seasons in select counties only, Dec. 26-29 and Jan. 17-19.
Archery deer season continues through Jan. 19. Please note that archery deer hunting is closed Dec. 5-8 in counties open for firearm deer season.
Go online to the Illinois Department of Natural Resources' website for more information about deer hunting.
A table of preliminary Illinois firearm deer harvest totals by county for the first weekend of the 2024 season and comparable totals for 2023 and 2022 follows.
County
2022
2023
2024
ADAMS
1437
1423
1414
ALEXANDER
239
199
225
BOND
537
562
594
BOONE
71
74
80
BROWN
655
591
629
BUREAU
609
695
628
CALHOUN
465
476
499
CARROLL
331
389
387
CASS
423
448
434
CHAMPAIGN
137
144
165
CHRISTIAN
403
417
412
CLARK
721
721
783
CLAY
889
1007
1118
CLINTON
606
588
735
COLES
487
415
523
CRAWFORD
673
729
788
CUMBERLAND
542
511
575
DEKALB
73
83
97
DEWITT
220
220
261
DOUGLAS
120
121
129
EDGAR
424
413
407
EDWARDS
317
283
309
EFFINGHAM
653
696
763
FAYETTE
1184
1166
1298
FORD
86
85
86
FRANKLIN
956
888
879
FULTON
1249
1296
1317
GALLATIN
305
306
301
GREENE
634
624
660
GRUNDY
172
217
204
HAMILTON
741
750
838
HANCOCK
1128
992
1102
HARDIN
548
467
366
HENDERSON
283
320
318
HENRY
275
321
300
IROQUOIS
257
344
338
JACKSON
1484
1371
1355
JASPER
794
784
851
JEFFERSON
1249
1286
1406
JERSEY
425
435
475
JO DAVIESS
843
967
936
JOHNSON
874
749
759
KANE
18
27
24
KANKAKEE
114
138
139
KENDALL
43
49
34
KNOX
737
821
715
LAKE
5
4
7
LASALLE
427
499
392
LAWRENCE
399
426
476
LEE
314
385
424
LIVINGSTON
268
310
323
LOGAN
193
215
252
MACON
155
135
156
MACOUPIN
1120
1077
1200
MADISON
509
484
549
MARION
1186
1202
1272
MARSHALL
412
429
462
MASON
249
280
239
MASSAC
268
247
235
MCDONOUGH
495
528
530
MCHENRY
129
204
152
MCLEAN
349
432
407
MENARD
215
262
260
MERCER
509
600
542
MONROE
856
821
798
MONTGOMERY
619
592
707
MORGAN
442
432
435
MOULTRIE
158
156
182
OGLE
356
503
418
PEORIA
576
581
554
PERRY
969
941
918
PIATT
89
84
100
PIKE
1129
1189
1136
POPE
1068
994
895
PULASKI
222
208
206
PUTNAM
228
244
229
RANDOLPH
1518
1506
1565
RICHLAND
487
480
533
ROCK ISLAND
408
526
480
SALINE
628
611
605
SANGAMON
327
357
358
SCHUYLER
904
875
914
SCOTT
190
254
216
SHELBY
883
895
921
ST. CLAIR
576
560
595
STARK
118
150
131
STEPHENSON
342
375
307
TAZEWELL
352
377
371
UNION
812
813
798
VERMILION
369
419
392
WABASH
122
126
156
WARREN
290
337
352
WASHINGTON
771
747
802
WAYNE
1015
938
1113
WHITE
553
542
532
WHITESIDE
335
402
391
WILL
134
167
150
WILLIAMSON
1287
1163
1165
WINNEBAGO
154
181
174
WOODFORD
434
475
528
Total
52,354
53,348
54,661
Guilty Plea Brings Abrupt End To Scheduled Trial
A jury trial scheduled to begin Monday morning in Wabash County Circuit Court was abruptly cancelled after the defendant entered a guilty plea to the charge.
21-year-old Krieg Addison of Mt. Carmel was arrested by Mt. Carmel Police following an incident on July 12th at his residence in the 500 block of West 5th Street. State’s Attorney Kelli Storckman said Addison was charged with a Class 2 felony of aggravated domestic battery after strangling and beating up his girlfriend. When officers arrived at the home, Storckman said Addison was dragging the battered girlfriend across the floor by her feet. An additional misdemeanor child endangerment charge was filed after Addison knocked over a television that nearly struck an infant that was in a car seat.
Addison had pled not guilty to the charges up until yesterday morning when the jury selection was slated to begin. As prospective jurors waited outside the courtroom, Addison changed his plea to guilty on the aggravated domestic battery charge.
The plea change was not tied to any sentencing promises as Addison will be sentenced on January 21st. He faces up to four years in prison on the charge and continues to be held in the Wabash County Jail because he has been deemed a real and specific threat to a specific person or the community.
No agreement or plea was reached on the child endangerment charge.
Fire Commissioner Offers Cold Weather Safety Tips
The coming days will feel more like January as several days of very cold weather are forecast through the next 5 days. Mt. Carmel fire commissioner Susan Zimmerman has these tips to keep in mind as the temps dip down into the teens…
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.
New Wabash County Officeholders To Be Sworn In Monday Morning
Wabash County office holders who were elected last month will be sworn in to new terms tomorrow morning. Those taking the oath of office will be coroner Shaun Keepes, state’s attorney Kelli Storckman, circuit clerk Angie Crum, and county commissioner Tim Hocking. The ceremony will take place at 8am.