If you haven’t paid your Wabash County real estate taxes, time is running out to keep your name from being published in the newspaper. At Monday’s county commissioner meeting, treasurer Angela Broster said her office has been busy since certified notices were mailed to delinquent taxpayers last week….
If you have questions about your real estate taxes, you can call the treasurer’s office at the courthouse.
The city of Mt. Carmel is working on a deal that would see the city sell property on the west side to facilitate a new company locating here. While not saying much, Mayor Joe Judge did offer some details about the project…
City Clerk Ryan Turner said the project was substantial as infrastructure issues are currently being addressed. He said those issues wouldn’t be an obstacle to the project being successful. TIF funding is being explored for the new prospective business as well.
The Board of Trustees of the Illinois Eastern Community College District No. 529 met Tuesday, April 22, 2025 at Wabash Valley College, Mt. Carmel, Illinois.
The Board approved the minutes of the Board of Trustees regular meeting held on March 18, 2025 and the special meeting held on March 27, 2025. At this meeting, the Board Chair and Chancellor recognized and appreciated outgoing Trustee John Brooks for nearly two decades of service to the district. Chancellor Gower also recognized and appreciated Alex Cline, CIO for 28 years of distinguished service to IECC. Mr. Cline will retire on April 30, 2025.
Following adoption of a resolution for the election results of April 1st, the oath of office was administered to trustees Susan Batchelor, Louisville; John McLaughlin, Olney; and Roger Browning, Mt. Carmel. Trustees Batchelor and McLaughlin were seated for six-year terms expiring in 2031 and Trustee Browning was seated for a two-year term expiring in 2027.
The oath of office was also administered to Mireya Rose, who was seated for a one-year term as student member of the Board of Trustees. A student at Wabash Valley College, she succeeds student trustee Jorri VanDyke.
Trustee Gary Carter was elected Chairman of the Board of Trustees, and Trustee Brenda Culver was elected Vice-Chair. Trustee Brenda Culver was elected Secretary Pro Tempore. Ryan Hawkins was re-appointed District Treasurer. Sonja Wease was re-appointed Board Secretary and District Ethics Officer. All of the officers were elected unanimously.
Action was taken to adopt a resolution regarding all rules, regulations, policies, and actions of prior Board of Trustees.
A resolution was adopted listing the dates, times and locations of regular monthly meetings for the remainder of calendar year 2025. The meetings will continue to be held on the third Tuesday of each month at 6:15 p.m., except for the May meeting which shall be on the fourth Tuesday and the December 2025 meeting, which will be held on the second Tuesday. Meeting location will rotate between the four colleges, as follows:
Tuesday, May 27, 2025, 6:15 p.m., Frontier Community College
Tuesday, June 17, 2025, 6:15 p.m., Lincoln Trail College
Tuesday, July 15, 2025, 6:15 p.m., Olney Central College
Tuesday, August 19, 2025, 6:15 p.m., Wabash Valley College
Tuesday, September 16, 2025, 6:15 p.m., Frontier Community College
Tuesday, October 21, 2025, 6:15 p.m., Lincoln Trail College
Tuesday, November 18, 2025, 6:15 p.m., Olney Central College
Tuesday, December 9, 2025, 6:15 p.m., Wabash Valley College
An affiliation agreement was approved with Haven of Bridgeport.
The Board waived a second reading and approved revisions to Appropriate Use of Information Technology Resources Policy (200.2) to reinforce the use of IECC email accounts for professional correspondence.
The Board approved the adoption of a resolution of intent to issue bonds not to exceed $8,000,000 for the purpose of paying the claims of the District, direct that notice of such intention to issue the bonds be given as provided by law, and defines the claims to be paid.
A resolution expressing official intent to reimburse the District for expenditures was also issued.
The Board authorized modifications to the construction budgets of the Capital Development Project at Lincoln Trail College and a future athletic facility at Frontier Community College.
The following were approved as part of the personnel report: Approval of employment for Dr. Cathy Robb as Vice Chancellor of Academic Affairs effective May 19, 2025; prior approval for Chief Information Officer position; Daniel Shugars as Head Women’s Basketball Coach, LTC effective June 1, 2025; Grayson Flittner as Head Men’s Basketball Coach, OCC effective April 28, 2025; and Tanara Ryden as TRIO Student Support Services Academic Advisor, OCC effective April 28, 2025.
New employment contracts were approved for LTC President/Vice Chancellor of Institutional Outreach Tona Ambrose; OCC President/Vice Chancellor of Business Operations Chris Simpson; and WVC President/Vice Chancellor of Student Affairs Matt Fowler.
Change in employment status was approved for Dr. Sharmila Kakac from Dean of Business & Industry to FCC President and Vice Chancellor of Business & Industry effective July 1, 2025.
Voluntary separations for faculty were approved for Curtis Allen Brown effective May 8, 2025; Kristi Urfer, Juliana James effective May 31, 2025; Anne Hustad, Rob Mason, Anuradha Roy, & Reno Bemont effective July 31, 2025.
Resignation ratification was approved for Luke Scheidecker as Head Women’s Basketball Coach, WVC effective April 11, 2025.
Adoption of the 2023-2026 Faculty Collective Bargaining Agreement between the District and the Illinois Eastern Community Colleges Education Association (ICCEA). Memorandums of Agreement establishing a Joint Faculty Evaluation Committee and Distance Learning Education Committees were unanimously voted down by the Board.
The next regular meeting of the Board of Trustees will be Tuesday, May 27, 2025 at 6:15 p.m. at Frontier Community College, Fairfield, IL.
Attorney General engaged in growing volume of suits against Trump administration
By PETER HANCOCK
Capitol News Illinois
phancock@capitolnewsillinois.com
SPRINGFIELD — Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul is asking state lawmakers for a $15 million increase in his General Revenue Fund budget for the upcoming year, saying his office needs a more “stable” system of funding as it takes on greater responsibilities, including the growing volume of litigation against the Trump administration.
In appearances before House and Senate budget committees in recent days, Raoul said the funding method that has traditionally been used for his office — one that relied heavily on fees and settlements generated by cases the office was involved in — no longer is sufficient to sustain its operations.
“This funding structure has evolved over the years as progressive court reforms have made fines and fees a less stable source of funding,” he told the House appropriations committee that oversees his office’s budget. “Also, proceeds from settlements or lawsuit damages are unreliable from year to year.”
In Fiscal Year 2019, the year Raoul took office, the attorney general’s budget totaled $87.7 million, according to state budget records. That included $32.2 million in general revenue funds and $54.5 million in “other state funds,” such as fees and settlements. Another $1 million came from federal funds.
Since then, the attorney general’s office has more than doubled. For the current fiscal year, the total budget stands at more than $193.7 million, including $105.5 million in general revenue funds and $74.9 million in “other state funds.” Federal funds are projected at $13.5 million.
Raoul’s proposed increase would bring next year’s general revenue fund budget to more than $120 million.
Since 2019, Raoul said, his office’s responsibilities have grown substantially. He said the General Assembly has passed 101 new laws — including some at Raoul’s own request — that either have added new duties or expanded existing duties of the office while his office has also been busy defending other laws passed by the General Assembly against legal challenges.
“The Attorney General's Office is the sole enforcement agency for violations of the Cannabis Regulation and Tax Act and parts of the SAFE-T Act,” he told the House panel. “Our office is working diligently to defend both new and long-standing laws against constitutional challenges. Each of these cases require significant resources, including costs associated with our attorneys, travel to courts across the state, lengthy discovery processes, as well as expert with witness retention.”
In addition to those challenges, however, Raoul has taken on additional legal work in recent months challenging actions of President Donald Trump’s administration.
Since Trump was sworn into office for a second term on Jan. 20, Raoul has joined in filing 11 federal lawsuits challenging administration actions and has filed another 14 amicus briefs in support of other legal challenges. It is also defending the state against two lawsuits that the Trump administration has filed against Illinois.
“This budget will support supplying the requisite attorneys to step up where the federal government is stepping away, as well as attorneys involved in critical cases to protect our state's interests,” Raoul said.
Raoul’s office would not provide specific information about the number of attorneys or other staff it would hire with the additional money. A spokesperson in his office told Capitol News Illinois in an email that the money would allow the office “to hire additional attorneys to perform our growing statutorily-required responsibilities in addition to the critical work of vigorously defending the rights of Illinois residents from unconstitutional attacks by the Trump administration.”
Raoul also did not provide specific answers to questions from Republican lawmakers about how much his office has spent, or how many hours his attorneys have worked, pursuing litigation against the Trump administration.
“Our attorneys are, you know, they're not billing hours. They're on salary,” he said. “And so whether they work 20 hours in a day or eight hours in a day, they are compensated.”
Legislative committees are still in the process of holding hearings on each state agency’s budget request for the upcoming year. A final budget is expected to be voted on by the end of May.
Capitol News Illinois is a nonprofit, nonpartisan news service that distributes state government coverage to hundreds of news outlets statewide. It is funded primarily by the Illinois Press Foundation and the Robert R. McCormick Foundation.
Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul answers questions during a luncheon interview at the City Club of Chicago on April 1, 2025. (Credit: City Club of Chicago)
Announcement expected to set off flurry of political moves among Illinois Democrats
By BEN SZALINSKI
Capitol News Illinois
bszalinski@capitolnewsillinois.com
Longtime Illinois Sen. Dick Durbin, the No. 2 Democrat in the U.S. Senate, announced he will retire after his term ends in January 2027.
“I truly love the job of being United State Senator, but in my heart, I know it’s time to pass the torch,” Durbin said in a social media video.
Durbin’s retirement will end a 44-year congressional career. The East St. Louis native who has lived in Springfield for the last five decades was first elected to the U.S. House in 1982.
Durbin, 80, won election to the U.S. Senate in 1996 to succeed retiring Democratic Sen. Paul Simon, to whom Durbin served as legal counsel in the early 1970s when Simon was the state’s lieutenant governor. Durbin has since rose through the ranks of the Senate, chairing the powerful Senate Judiciary Committee and now serving as the No. 2 ranking Democrat in the Senate as minority whip.
“The people of Illinois have honored me with this responsibility longer than anyone elected to the Senate in our state’s history. I’m truly grateful,” Durbin said.
Durbin has kept decisions about his political future a closely guarded secret, telling reporters as recently as last week that he has not made any decisions about his future.
Durbin said at a news conference in downstate Taylorville last month that “whether I’m still physically able, mentally able to deal with the issues,” were the top factors guiding his decision. At the time, he suggested he was.
His retirement is expected to set off a flurry of moves by some of the state’s top Democrats who are widely believed to be interested in the seat, including Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton and U.S. Reps. Raja Krishnamoorthi, Lauren Underwood and Robin Kelly.
“We are also fortunate to have a strong Democratic bench ready to serve,” Durbin said. “We need them now more than ever.”
With Durbin stepping aside in 2027, Sen. Tammy Duckworth, a Hoffman Estates Democrat, will become Illinois’ senior senator.
“It is only because of Dick’s empathy, patience, support and mentorship that I am in the United States Senate today,” Duckworth said in a statement. “It has been the honor of a lifetime to get to work alongside a leader who embodies what it means to be a true public servant.”
Gov. JB Pritzker said in a statement that Durbin has been “a consistent leader and reliable champion” for Illinois.
“The people of Illinois should take great pride having a leader like Dick Durbin represent us in the U.S. Senate,” Pritzker said. “I have been proud to be his partner and am even more proud to call him my friend. He will leave some extraordinary shoes to fill – and has given us all an example of courage and righteousness for the work ahead."
This story will be updated.
Capitol News Illinois is a nonprofit, nonpartisan news service that distributes state government coverage to hundreds of news outlets statewide. It is funded primarily by the Illinois Press Foundation and the Robert R. McCormick Foundation.
On April 22, 2025, at 2 p.m., Gibson County Deputy Eric Powell went to the Diplomat Motel, located at 1733 South State Road 57 near Oakland City, to conduct a welfare check on a possible missing person. Upon arriving at the motel, Deputy Powell located 54-year-old Todd Sloan of Oakland City sitting outside his motel room. While speaking with Mr. Sloan, Deputies detected the odor of burnt Marijuana coming from inside his room. At that point, Deputy Powell began a drug investigation that resulted in Mr. Sloan being taken into custody and transported to the Gibson County Jail, where he was charged with Possession of Methamphetamines, Possession of a Schedule Drug, Possession of Paraphernalia, and Possession of Marijuana.
Detective Jennifer Loesch, Deputies Wes Baumgart, and Shawn Holmes 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 22, 2025, at 8:45 p.m., Gibson County Deputy Wes Baumgart and Eric Powell went to the 12000 block of East Harrison Street as part of an investigation. Upon arriving, Deputies knocked on a door to the garage and spoke with 64-year-old Scott Tooley of Oakland City. While speaking with Mr. Tooley, Deputies detected the odor of burnt Marijuana and began a drug investigation. After his investigation, Deputy Baumgart placed Mr. Tooley into custody and transported him to the Gibson County Jail. Upon arriving at the jail, Mr. Tooley was charged with Possession of Methamphetamines, Possession of Marijuana, and Possession of Paraphernalia.
Deputies Eric Powell, Bart Wagner, and Shawn Holmes assisted Deputy Baumgart in his investigation. Also assisting in the investigation was Oakland City Officer John Pace.
All criminal defendants are to be presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Wabash County, IL — Established in 2023, the Wabash County Drug-Free Community Coalition (WCDFCC) strives to reduce and prevent youth substance use by connecting community sectors through collaboration while engaging youth and families through activities, advocacy, education, and training.
According to the Illinois Youth Survey, 17% of 10th graders and 31% of 12th graders in Wabash County reported purchasing alcohol from local retailers. In a coordinated effort to address this issue, the WCDFCC partnered with the Illinois Liquor Control Commission, Mt. Carmel Police Department, and Wabash County Sheriff's Department to conduct alcohol compliance checks across the county.
During the checks, 17 local businesses were visited. Of those, 6 failed to comply with state law and sold alcohol to an underage individual.
SPRINGFIELD – With construction ramping up across the state, the Illinois Department of Transportation, Illinois State Police, Illinois Tollway, industry partners, local agencies and frontline construction workers today teamed up for National Work Zone Awareness Week to remind the public to “Respect the zone so we all get home.”
“Whatever the mode of transportation, we will all be traveling through work zones over the upcoming weeks and months,” said Acting Illinois Transportation Secretary Gia Biagi. “The people you see working on our roads, on equipment, or behind the cones and barricades are someone’s loved one, a friend, a neighbor, part of our community. Working together, we can ensure their safety and yours. Let’s make this the safest construction season ever in Illinois.”
The theme for this year’s National Work Zone Awareness Week is “Respect the zone so we all get home,” reinforcing the message that your undivided attention and caution is necessary at all times when traveling through work zones to protect everyone in them – workers, drivers and their passengers, bicyclists, and pedestrians. When you are behind the wheel and approach a work zone, eliminate all distractions, decrease your speed and proceed with care and consideration for others.
To call attention to the heightened risks of work zones, Gov. JB Pritzker has proclaimed April 21-25 as “Work Zone Safety Awareness Week” in Illinois. This week, IDOT is once again holding “tailgate talks” at the start of the day to give workers refreshers on work zone protocol.
At all times during construction season, the public should be ready for lane closures, changes in traffic patterns, reduced speed limits and the presence of workers and equipment. This year, IDOT is strengthening its effort to make work zones safer, including expanding the use of speed safety vans and deploying more temporary rumble strips approaching projects. As part of the It’s Not a Game safety campaign, high-traffic work zones will be geotargeted so drivers can hear streaming audio ads, reinforcing safety messages.
“Road workers are out there repairing and maintaining the highways we drive every day to make them safer for us,” said ISP Director Brendan F. Kelly. “Be a decent human being and respect them and the work they do by slowing down and giving them room so everyone can go home safely.”
Each year, an average of nearly 6,300 crashes occurs in Illinois work zones, resulting in more than 1,600 injuries. Preliminary statistics for 2024 show that 13 people died in work zones in Illinois, including four workers, a reminder that crashes in work zones generally have a much greater impact on drivers and their passengers.
“Our highest priority is protecting everyone who uses or works on our roads, and that commitment extends to providing the safest possible work zones as we reconstruct and improve our system, but we’re reminding our customers we need their help,” said Illinois Tollway Executive Director Cassaundra Rouse. “Drivers must do their part to protect workers, emergency responders and themselves by taking additional precautions in work zones, including slowing down, following posted speed limits and putting away cellphones to avoid distracted driving. Working together with our customers makes our roads safer for everyone.”
The following guidelines for traveling through work zones should be followed at all times:
Drop it and drive. Phones and electronic devices down at all times – it’s the law.
Obey the signs. They will help you safely navigate work zones – and sometimes avoid delays.
Slow down. The posted speed limits are there for the safety of workers and you.
Be on the lookout for slowed or stopped traffic.
Give yourself time to react. Avoid following too closely and maintain at least two seconds of space in front of you.
Consider the limitations of heavy equipment, trucks and commercial vehicles. Provide them extra distance to come to a complete stop if they are behind you.
Remember that a work zone can take many forms: a maintenance crew patching potholes or collecting litter, a major interstate reconstruction, a minor repair on a neighborhood street or a utility company out in the field. If you see orange, slow down and save lives.
For additional facts, printable materials and information on projects this year in Illinois, click here or visit idot.click/work-zones.
Once again, IDOT is partnering with communities and businesses across the state to light buildings and bridges orange to commemorate the week. They include: Peoria’s Murray Baker Bridge, the Interstate 74 bridge in the Quad Cities, Rockford’s Morgan Street Bridge and others.
On Friday, IDOT also is collaborating with the Laborers’ International Union of North America to distribute informational material at many of the state’s rest areas on how to keep you and your family safe traveling through work zones.
Work zone safety is another element of IDOT’s comprehensive multimedia campaign, “It’s Not a Game,” highlighting the fact that there are no extra lives, no respawns and no second chances to get it right with safety on the roads. Visit itsnotagameillinois.com for more information.
Indiana State Police detectives are seeking the public’s assistance with pictures and or video that may have been captured leading up to, during, or after the officer involved shooting that occurred on April 21, 2025, on Heim Road between Inderrieden Road and SR 62 in Chandler. This entire event started at approximately 8:52 a.m. when someone called 911 reporting the suspect traveling west on SR 62 in a silver Toyota Corolla near Walmart and operating in a reckless manner. After a brief chase, the suspect crashed, and a confrontation occurred that resulted in the suspect being shot by Chandler Police. The suspect was able to drive away in the officer’s patrol vehicle.
Detectives believe the suspect traveled SR 62 to Boonville and then possibly used various county roads east of Boonville to Spencer County before getting on US 231 where a second chase was initiated near C.R. 350 North. The second chase went into Kentucky and ended near US 60 and Terminal Road in Daviess County, KY. The suspect was eventually taken into custody after being Tased.
One county road that the suspect traveled on was Maurer Road in Warrick County. It’s very possible that the suspect traveled on other area county roads too. Detectives are encouraging homeowners in Warrick and Spencer Counties to check their Ring or home security cameras that may have captured video of the black 2022 Ford Explorer or any other suspicious activity related to this incident. The police vehicle may or may not have had the emergency lights activated.
If you think you have pictures or video off the suspect, suspect’s vehicle, or the Chandler Police patrol vehicle after the officer involved shooting, you can simply click on the link below and download your picture and or video. https://indianastatepdin.evidence.com/axon/-request/public/25ispc006703
You can also scan the QR code, which will take you to evidence.com and follow directions to submit your video or pictures.
