County Mails More Than 11,000 Tax Bills

Wabash County treasurer Angela Broster’s office has been busy prepping and mailing out tax bills and now collecting from local taxpayers. At Monday’s Wabash County Board meeting, Broster said her office mailed over 11,000 real estate tax bills last week. Due dates are March 7th and April 7th for the first and second installments respectively. She said just under $3.8 million or 30% had been collected by her office during last year’s prepayment window and the first four days since the bills were mailed. It’s hoped that money can be distributed to local taxing bodies by the end of the week. County board chairman Rob Dean acknowledged Broster and her office for their work in getting the delayed real estate tax bills out….

Broster also reported that 90% of mobile home taxes have been collected with 25 still outstanding. There is currently a $100 penalty for late mobile home taxes.

Three Metro East Men Sentenced to Federal Prison for Wire Fraud in Gas Pump Scheme

EAST ST. LOUIS, Ill. – A federal judge in southern Illinois sentenced three men to prison for their involvement in a scheme to use counterfeit credit and debit cards to fill up tanks for gas station patrons in exchange for cash.

Dee E. Day, 31, of Belleville, was sentenced Monday to 30 months’ imprisonment and ordered to pay $14,295 in restitution. Marquise Q. Golliday, 29, of Collinsville, and Montuelle F. Wright, 33, of East St. Louis, were each previously sentenced to 28 months’ imprisonment.

Day, Golliday and Wright each pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, access device fraud and aggravated identity theft.

“Financial exploitation and identity theft crimes are serious offenses with lasting effects on victims, but thankfully, our law enforcement partners worked swiftly to disband this criminal ring,” said U.S. Attorney Rachelle Aud Crowe.

According to court documents, the conspirators had counterfeit credit and debit cards with one set of information on the front, but the routing information was electronically modified and reencoded on the cards’ magnetic strip. The encoded data included the victims’ names and card numbers.

“Financial crimes perpetrated on law-abiding citizens often have lasting effects on unknowing victims. The U.S. Secret Service is dedicated to stopping and deterring such crimes to safeguard our nation’s financial security as well as innocent people,” Special Agent in Charge Dai Tran, of the Chicago Field Office, said. “I’m proud of our agency’s work on this case and I’m thankful to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for pursuing it.”

 

The trio used the modified cards to charge more than 130 fraudulent transactions on accounts belonging to 34 victims totaling more than $14,000.

Most of the fraud was committed at a Sauget gas station from Nov. 1-5, 2019. Similar conduct was reported at gas stations in Columbia and Fairview Heights in Illinois and Valley Park, Missouri.

The U.S. Secret Service led the investigation, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Peter Reed prosecuted the case.

Mayor Offers Update On 9th Street Project

As Mt. Carmel motorists impatiently wait for the 9th Street repaving to begin, some might have been confused to see some recent work on the crumbling surface…

That’s Mt. Carmel Mayor Joe Judge who said crews this Spring will begin working on sidewalk intersections before the repaving starts…

Judge said he anticipates Howell Paving to start the 9th Street re-asphalting to start in late May or early June. Howell Paving has allocated 111 working days for the project with a completion date no later than October 25th, 2025.

WSJD File Photo

Early Bird Deadline Today For Rockets Foundation 5K

The Mt. Carmel City Council has given the go ahead for the 16th annual Rockets Foundation’s 5K Run set for Saturday, February 22nd. A kids fun run will start at 1:30pm on Chestnut Street in front of St. Mary’s School while the 5K will start at 2pm on West 5th Street in front of St. Mary’s Church. You can register online at http://www.fueltherockets.com/rockets-5k-info.html. The early bird deadline to save $5 on the 5K registration and $3 on the kids fun run registration is Wednesday.

Local Agencies Scrambling For Answers In Wake Of Funding Freeze

President Trump’s freeze on federal funding has put thousands of agencies around the country on pins and needles unsure what their futures may hold. Wabash County board chairman Rob Dean reported at yesterday’s county board meeting that he was a part of an emergency conference call last week with representatives of Wabash Area Development, Incorporated…better known as WADI….

Wabash County Health Department administrator Judy Wissel said her agency is facing the same unsure future….

Wissel said the majority of the health department’s grants don’t rely on federal funding.

ILLINOIS SHERIFFS’ ASSOCIATION ANNOUNCES SCHOLARSHIPS

The Illinois Sheriffs’ Association announces that it will be awarding over $58,000 in college scholarships throughout the State of Illinois to students wishing to pursue higher education during the 2025-2026 academic year. The scholarships are to be applied to tuition, books, and fees only. The student must be enrolled full-time at a certified institution of higher learning within the State of Illinois, full-time. Online learning at an Illinois-based school is also acceptable.

Sheriff J. Derek Morgan, Wabash County, will be awarding 1 scholarship in the amount of $500.

There will be no restriction on any applicant by reason of race, age, creed, color, sex or national origin. The only limitations are as follows:

· Applicants must be permanent Illinois residents

· Scholarships must be utilized at institutions of higher learning within the State of Illinois, including those offering online learning

· Students must be enrolled as a full-time student during the 2025-2026 school year (excluding summer session).

Applications are now available at your local Sheriff’s office or on the ISA Website https://www.ilsheriff.org/youth-2/. Students must complete the application, answer the essay question, and return all documentation to the Sheriff’s office in their permanent county of residence by March 14, 2025 (must be postmarked by this date). A directory of Sheriffs offices is available on the ISA website at https://www.ilsheriff.org/sheriffs-directory/. For more information, please contact your local Sheriff’s office, Illinois Sheriffs’ Association, high school advising center, or college financial aid office.

Bicknell woman arrested for OWI

On January 31, 2025, AT 4:38 A.M. Gibson County Deputy Michael Bates conducted a traffic stop for speeding on US 41 near County Road 350 South after observing the vehicle traveling Northbound on 41 at a high rate of speed.  Upon stopping the vehicle, a White 2007 Toyota Camry Deputy Bates identified the driver as 36 year old Loretta Allen of Bicknell.  While speaking with Ms. Allen Deputy Bates detected clues that Ms. Allen was under the influence.  At that point Deputy Bates began a roadside OWI investigation.  At the conclusion of his investigation Deputy Bates placed Ms. Allen into custody and transported her to the Gibson County Jail where she was charged with Operating a Vehicle While Intoxicated, Possession of Marijuana, and Possession of Paraphernalia. 
 
Assisting Deputy Bates 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.

Hazleton man arrested on DUI charge

On February 2, 2025, at 11:58 p.m. Gibson County Deputy Levi Sims conducted a traffic stop on a White 1995 Oldsmobile for speeding on US 41 near County Road 800 North.  Upon approaching the vehicle Deputy Sims detected multiple clues that the driver 47 year old Dennis Garwood of Hazleton was under the influence.  At that point Deputy Sims began a roadside DUI investigation.  At the conclusion of his investigation Deputy Sims placed Mr. Garwood into custody and transported him to the Gibson County Jail where he was charged with Operating a Vehicle While Intoxicated. 
 
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.