This past week was National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week and Mt. Carmel Mayor Joe Judge saluted local dispatchers at Monday’s City Council meeting….
Police Chief Mike McWilliams detailed the role dispatchers played in recent water rescues even crediting them with saving lives in two instances.
REGULAR MEETING Monday, April 21, 2025
4:30 at Courthouse
AGENDA
1) Call to order:
2) Approve minutes of previous meeting:
3) Commissioner’s reports:
4) Officer’s reports:
5) Old Business:
a, Phase 4 of the HVAC project.
6) New Business:
a. Janet Storey with Watler Accounting to meet with the Board.
b. Janice Crow, Regional Manager Region 20 Birth to Five, to update the Board on the Birth to Five activities.
7) Executive Session:
8) Correspondence:
9) Approval of payment of claims presented:
10) Adjournment:
At the April 2025 Allendale School Board meeting held in the Library of Allendale School, the board:
At the beginning of the meeting, the board learned about and experienced the new Virtual Reality program the school has purchased through grant funds.
Authorized Superintendent Bowser to prepare a tentative 2025-2026 School Budget.
Set school fees for the 2025-2026 school year. Registration fees will not increase.
Approved the Consolidated District Plan for FY26.
Set the date and time for a Special Board Meeting on Tuesday, May 6, 2025 at 7:00 pm. This meeting will be to administer the oath of office to newly elected board members, reorganize the board and elect officers, as well as set regular board meeting dates.
Approved an agreement with Wabash General Hospital to provide Speech Services in person for the 2025-2026 school year.
Approved Iconik Studios as the school photographer for the 2025-2026 school year.
Approved two summer maintenance projects: new lockers for each locker room and new floors in five elementary classrooms.
Approved Rhett Andrews, Brendan Bowser, and Isaiah Courter as part-time, summer custodial help.
Approved Haleigh Buchanan as Head Basketball Coach for the 2025-2026 school year.
Approved Jacob Deisher as Assistant Basketball Coach for the 2025-2026 school year.
At the end of the meeting, the board recognized Tia Morgan and Richard Gochenour for their years of service on the board. They have both served the school community very well in their long tenures
On April 16, 2025, at 11:59 a.m., Gibson County Deputy Michael Bates conducted a traffic stop on a Black 2018 Buick Enclave for speeding on US 41 near County Road 550 South. Upon approaching the vehicle, Deputy Bates identified the driver as 33-year-old Kevin Bellizi of Albion, Illinois. While speaking with Mr. Bellizi Deputy Bates detected the odor of burnt Marijuana and clues that Mr. Bellizi may be impaired. At that point, Deputy Bates began a roadside OWI investigation. After the investigation, Mr. Bellizi was taken into custody and transported to the Gibson County Jail, where he was charged with Operating a Vehicle While Intoxicated, Possession of Marijuana, and Possession of Paraphernalia.
Deputies Bryan Small and U.B. Smith assisted Deputy Bates in his investigation.
All criminal defendants are to be presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
On April 16, 2025, at 4:08 p.m., Gibson County Deputy Eric Powell, who was observing for motorists utilizing telecommunications devices and/or cell phones during the “Operation Pull Over” blitz, observed a Blue Chevy SUV holding her cell phone while the vehicle was in motion. At that point, Deputy Powell conducted a traffic stop in the 700 block of West Broadway in Princeton. Upon approaching the car, Deputy Powell identified the driver as 42-year-old Jonelle Ota of Hazleton. While speaking with Ms. Ota, Deputy Powell detected multiple clues that the driver may be impaired. At that point, Deputy Powell began a roadside OWI investigation. After the inquiry, Ms. Ota was placed into custody and transported to the Gibson County Jail.
Deputies Wes Baumgart, Shawn Holmes, and Bart Wagner assisted Deputy Powell in his investigation.
All criminal defendants are to be presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
On April 16, 2025, at 11:31 p.m., Gibson County Deputy Eric Powell conducted a traffic stop on a Blue 2003 Mercedes-Benz after observing the vehicle failing to maintain its lane of travel on Outer South Main (Old US HWY 41). Deputy Powell initiated a traffic stop on US 41 near County Road 350 South. Upon approaching the vehicle, Deputy Powell identified the driver as 52-year-old Larry Ames of Evansville. While speaking with Mr. Ames, Deputy Powell observed Methamphetamines in plain view as well as multiple clues that the driver was impaired. At that point, Deputy Powell began a roadside OWI investigation. During this investigation, Gibson County Central Dispatch advised Deputy Powell that Mr. Ames was currently on parole through the Indiana Department of Corrections. Once the roadside query was completed, Deputy Powell placed Mr. Ames into custody. As a result of the investigation, a Walter P22 handgun and a .22 caliber Smith and Wesson were recovered. Also recovered on the scene were 208 grams of Methamphetamines as well as other illegal drugs.
Larry Ames was transported to the Gibson County Jail, where he was charged with:
Possession of Methamphetamines over 28 grams
Unlawful Possession of a Firearm by a Serious Violent Felon
Possession of an Altered Firearm
Dealing of Methamphetamines
Dealing of Methamphetamines in Possession of a Firearm
Possession of a Legend Drug
Possession of Marijuana.
Deputies Wes Baumgart and Sgt. John Fischer assisted Deputy Powell in his investigation. Also assisting Deputy Powell were Louis Jerrell of the Fort Branch Police Department and Bryan Munnier of the Haubstadt Police Department.
All criminal defendants are to be presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
BENTON, Ill. – A federal district judge sentenced a Wolf Lake man to 150 months’ imprisonment after he admitted to possessing firearms as a felon.
Kyle M. Bond, 41, pleaded guilty to one count of felon in possession of a firearm and one count of receipt or possession of an unregistered firearm. Following imprisonment, Bond will serve three years of supervised release.
“In an effort to protect the public and help keep guns out of the hands of dangerous individuals, convicted felons lose their right to legally possess firearms,” said U.S. Attorney Steven D. Weinhoeft. “As this case demonstrates, the U.S. Attorney’s Office will continue to work to remove repeat criminal offenders who threaten the safety of our communities.”
According to court documents, on January 5, 2023, deputies with the Union County Sheriff’s Office executed a search warrant at the defendant’s residence in Union County in connection to an investigation and located nine firearms on his property—six rifles and three handguns. Four of the nine firearms Bond possessed had obliterated serial numbers.
One of the firearms recovered by law enforcement was a short-barrel semi-automatic rifle, with an approximate barrel length of 12 ½ inches, that Bond did not register in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record.
Prior to Bond’s indictment in 2023, he had been convicted of a felony offense in Missouri and therefore unable to legally possess firearms.
“Mr. Bond showed blatant disregard of federal laws that have been put in place to assure public safety,” said Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Special Agent in Charge, Bernard Hansen. “As we did in this case, we will continue to work with the Union County Sheriff’s Office to ensure that safety of our communities.”
The Union County Sheriff’s Office and ATF contributed to the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney J. David Sanders prosecuted the case.
New board members to be sworn in.
EAST ST. LOUIS, Ill. – A federal grand jury has charged nine illegal aliens with immigration-related offenses in Effingham, Madison, Monroe and St. Clair counties over the last two months.
“Every time an illegal immigrant unlawfully enters the United States, they commit a federal crime. But eight of these individuals are repeat offenders—often deported after earlier crimes, only to reenter and face new charges,” said U.S. Attorney Steven D. Weinhoeft. “The only person who wasn’t a prior offender was indicted for a firearms offense. These charges show our commitment to prioritizing repeat offenders and those who threaten public safety.”
Josue Lopez-Serrano, 35, a Mexican national, was charged with one count of illegal reentry after deportation in Monroe County.
Angel Carmona-Perez, 44, a Mexican national, is facing one count of illegal reentry after deportation in Madison County.
Gaspar Lux-Lopez, 30, a Guatemalan national, was charged with one count of illegal reentry after deportation in Madison County.
Luis Morocho-Minga, 42, an Ecuadorian national, is facing one count of illegal alien in possession of a firearm in St. Clair County.
Pedro Ramos-Garcia, 36, a Guatemalan national, was charged with one count of illegal reentry after deportation in Effingham County.
Andres Jimenez-Santiago, 26, a Mexican national, is facing one count of illegal reentry after deportation in St. Clair County.
Jose Ariza-Angula, 37, a Mexican national, is facing one count of illegal reentry after deportation in St. Clair County.
Erick Roman-Roman, 49, a Mexican national, was charged with one count of illegal reentry after deportation in St. Clair County.
Mayorie Fernandez-Ormeno, 44, a Chilean national, is facing one count of conspiracy to commit access device fraud, access device fraud, attempted access device fraud and illegal entry after deportation in Madison County and two counts of aggravated identity theft.
An indictment is merely a formal charge against a defendant. Under the law, a defendant is presumed to be innocent of a charge until proved guilty beyond a reasonable doubt to the satisfaction of a jury.
In February, a southern Illinois jury convicted an illegal alien from India for participating in an imposter scam and working to exploit more than $400,000 from elderly victims across the Midwest. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for May 29 at the federal courthouse in East St. Louis.
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement is leading the investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Dan Kapsak, Madalyn Campbell and Kathleen Howard are prosecuting the cases.
The cases are part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
On 4/08/25, Mt. Carmel Police arrested Austin M. Knust, age 26, of Mt. Carmel for Criminal Damage to Government-Supported Property and Driving Under the Influence of Alcohol following a complaint about a dark blue GMC SUV driving on the levee near South Division Street. Police arrived to the scene and located the suspect vehicle parked at a residence in the 500 block of W 2nd Street, as confirmed by the license plate provided by the witness. Police located Knust seated in the driver’s seat with the vehicle still running. In making contact with Knust, they had suspicion that he was driving under the influence of alcohol. Knust submitted to a roadside sobriety check, where he showed several clues to indicate impairment. Knust was placed under arrest and transported to the Wabash County Jail, where he was processed for DUI and given the above-stated charges. Regarding the alleged levee damage, officers found deep ruts in several locations as Knust attempted to navigate the levee system after heavy rains and flooding. Knust was released on a Notice to Appear.