My name is Karlee Adams.
I am 13. My parents are Kevin and Jenny Adams.
I am a member of Town and Country 4-H’ers.
My hobbies and interests include horseback riding, helping with my church food pantry, puzzles, reading and baking.
My current goal is to become more skilled at horse shows and riding my horse.
My future goals are to go on church missions in other countries. To become an animal vet and train horses.
I want to thank my sponsor Mason Kennard Farms.
My name is Reese Price, and I am fifteen years old. I am a six-year member of the Allendale Twisters 4-H club. The Wabash County Fair has been a highlight of my summers over the years.I have learned a great deal, made lasting friendships, and grown as a person in numerous ways through my experiences at the fair. I am very grateful for my parents, Jared and Jodi Price, who have supported me each year and with every project. I realize it is a gift to have the experiences that 4-H and the Junior Fair offer, and I sincerely appreciate that my parents made it possible.
I will be entering my sophomore year as a homeschool student this fall. I highly value the flexibility of studying from home. It has helped me to enjoy learning and has taught me to make wise choices with the investment of my time and energy.
This will be my ninth year playing volleyball and my fifth year playing for the Ambassador Christian Academy. I also enjoy playing club volleyball and have been with Evansville United Volleyball Academy for the past two years. This sport is a massive part of my life. The athletic and mental challenge of the game is invigorating, and the team aspect is like no other. I aspire to play in college one day.
I love my church family at Allendale First Christian Church and feel very blessed to have been spiritually nourished there for the past five years. I officially committed my life to Christ this past January and proudly proclaim Jesus as my Lord and Savior.
My 4-H projects this year include rabbits, hogs, and horses. I genuinely enjoy working with all three species, but horses are my true passion. My life has always been centered around these magnificent creatures, and their impact on my character has been significant.
I decided to run for Wabash County Princess this year because it is an excellent opportunity to challenge my comfort zone, practice interviewing skills, and serve others. Our county fair is full of wonderful, hardworking people and families, and I would be honored to spend my time serving them.
Thank you to my sponsor, Richard Gochenour Construction, for always supporting me and encouraging me in everything that I do.
My name is Stella Swanson. I am 14 years old. My parents are John and Tracy Swanson. My father works for FS in Grayville and my mother owns Keys Hill Engineering.
My hobbies are baking, catching frogs, fishing, walking, drawing, writing, and playing sports.
My goals for this year are to win a soccer tournament, win a Discovery Degree in my FFA chapter, and grow my baking business.
I would like to be the Fair Princess because I believe the experience would strengthen my leadership skills and allow me to meet many knowledgeable people.
If I am chosen, I will strive to be as helpful as I can be and to be a good role model for the younger kids, and I will represent Wabash County 4-H well.
Thank you, Food for Thought, for your sponsorship.
Hello! My name is Zoie Ankenbrand. I am the daughter of James and Jennifer Ankenbrand and have one brother, Zeb. Growing up in 4-H, I always looked up to the Wabash County Fair Queens. This year, I’m excited and honored to have the opportunity to compete for the chance to represent our county and be a role model for the next generation.
Some of my favorite things include attending local fairs during the summer, baking, cooking, and photography. I am a proud member of the Blue Ribbon 4-H Club in Edwards County and currently serve as a Senior Federation Member. I’ve been involved in 4-H since I was 8 years old, and this will be my final year. Through these organizations, I’ve had many opportunities to serve my community and live by the 4-H motto, “Make the best better.” If chosen as the 2025 Miss Wabash County Fair Queen, I plan to use my background in community service to help make a positive difference in our community.
The fair is more than just an event to me — it’s a chance to grow as a person and inspire others. I want to encourage the younger generation to keep going, no matter what challenges they face. I understand how powerful, encouragement can be. When I was a first-year showman, I looked up to others for help and guidance, and now I strive to be that support system for others.
Right now, I am the new owner of Café 82:3 and also run my cake business, Gray Cakes, which I started in 2023. Looking ahead at the future, I plan to continue running Café 82:3 and grow my photography on the side, while some day i hope to get married and start a family so my kids get the same opportunity of being in 4-H has I had.
I’m truly grateful for the opportunity to represent Wabash County and excited about what lies ahead. I see this pageant as a door to new opportunities and connections. When I was younger, I dreamed of one day becoming the Fair Queen. Now, I hope to be the same inspiration to others that past queens were to me.
A big thank you to RT Farms for sponsoring me. Your support means the world!
My name is Ava Giese, and I am seventeen years old. I am proud to say that this year marks my ninth year as a member of 4-H. Throughout my journey, I've been fortunate to have the unwavering support of my parents, Jared Giese and Danielle Peach. They have always encouraged me to pursue my passions, including my deep involvement in 4-H.
I am an upcoming senior at Mount Carmel High School, where I've had the opportunity to grow both academically and personally. During my high school years, I was a three-year varsity tennis player, a member of the MCHS band as part of the color guard, and actively participated in many of the school's musical productions. One of my proudest academic accomplishments was being inducted into the National Honor Society last year, recognizing my commitment to scholarship, leadership, service, and character.
Looking ahead, I plan to attend Wabash Valley College for two years before transferring to a four-year university. My goal is to become an Occupational Therapist, a career path that allows me to help others
This year, l've decided to run for Wabash County Fair Queen because I believe in the power of strong relationships and leading by example. The Wabash County Fair has always been more than just an event—it's a time when our community comes together to celebrate shared values and hard work. I hope to be a positive influence and someone that younger 4-H members can look up to, just as l've looked up to others over the years.
Lastly, I would like to express my sincere thanks to my sponsor, John Haase Family Farms, for supporting me and continually showing dedication to all 4-H members. This support makes opportunities like this possible, and I am truly grateful.
Fair Queen Contestant #1 Glenna McVaigh
Hey y’all, I’m Glenna McVaigh daughter of Tracee McVaigh and the late Jim McVaigh. I'm 19 years old and a graduate of Mount Carmel High School. I’m getting ready to start my sophomore year at Wabash Valley College. There I am pursuing a degree in Agricultural Business and Production. I am currently interning for Wabash Valley Service Co. in Browns, IL. In high school, I was a member of the National Honor Society, and FFA. I am currently a member of the First Apostolic Church in Mount Carmel, National Technical Honor Society, PAS, Wabash County Farm Bureau, FFA alumni, and 4-H. I have been in 4-H since my cloverbud years and before that I assisted my sister during shows at the fair as well.
Through the years, I have shown every animal you see out at the county fair. My heart will always go to my horses and showing pigs! In the future, I plan on owning my own farm where I raise quarter horses, along with other farm animals, and work on expanding myself within the agricultural world. Outside of the family farm and work, you’ll find me at church or the gym. I wouldn’t have gotten where I am if it wasn’t for God being alongside me every step of the way!
The reason I am running for Wabash County Fair Queen is to show other girls younger than me that it’s good to step out of your comfort zone and try new things. At the end of the day, you are the only one who can apply yourself and put yourself out there. I want to show the younger generations that being yourself is better than fitting into the crowd. I also want to shout out to my sponsor Wabash Valley Service Co. for helping me in my running for Wabash County Fair Queen! They have not only been an amazing sponsor, but amazing people to work with who support me and encourage me everyday.
EVANSVILLE- Michael Jerome Wright, 45, and Cortney Lashea Young, 36, of Princeton, Indiana, have been sentenced to 12 and 2 years in federal prison, respectively, for their roles in a mail theft scheme.
Wright pleaded guilty to mail theft, unlawful possession of a mail key, access device fraud, aggravated identity theft, possession of ammunition by a felon, and possession of a machinegun. Young pleaded guilty to mail theft and possession of a firearm by a felon. Both will serve three years of supervised release following their prison sentence.
According to court documents, in 2023, law enforcement officials began receiving numerous complaints about mail theft and check forgery.
In March and April of 2024, Evansville Police Department officers surveilled local United States Postal Service (USPS) collection boxes. On six different occasions, investigators saw Wright open collection boxes with an arrow key around 4:30 in the morning, sort through the mail, then drive off with stolen mail. On at least two of those occasions, investigators saw Young behind the wheel of the getaway car.
The USPS uses a unique type of lock known as an “arrow lock” to secure collection boxes, lockers, and apartment mailbox panels. These locks can only be opened with an arrow key. It is a crime for anyone not authorized by the Postal Service to knowingly have or use arrow keys.
On April 3, 2023, law enforcement officers stopped the pair just as they drove away from another mail theft. Officers searched the vehicle and uncovered an arrow key and stolen mail on the passenger floorboard.
Investigators conducted a court-authorized search of Wright and Young’s apartment in Princeton and located hundreds of checks and their corresponding envelopes, many of which had been previously reported as stolen. The stolen checks had a total face value of $1,857,460.91.
Investigators also found two handguns under the mattress in Wright and Young’s bedroom. On Wright’s side of the bed was a partially 3D printed, privately made firearm with no serial number. This type of weapon is commonly referred to as a “ghost gun” because it has no records related to its manufacture or sale. Investigators also recovered two, 30-round extended magazines. The ghost gun had a machinegun conversion device, also called a “Glock switch,” installed, allowing it to fire as a fully automatic weapon. Glock switches are themselves considered machine guns under federal law, whether they are installed in a firearm or not. On Young’s side of the bed was a Ruger pistol.
Wright has sustained multiple felony convictions including murder, dealing in a synthetic drug, operating a vehicle as a habitual traffic violator, and operating a vehicle while intoxicated. Young has sustained a felony conviction for fraud. These prior felony convictions prohibit Wright and Young from ever legally possessing a firearm or ammunition.
Also in the bedroom of the apartment, law enforcement found two backpacks. In Wright’s backpack, investigators found 30 debit and credit cards bearing the names of other individuals, as well as a piece of notebook paper that had the names, dates of birth, and Social Security numbers for three other individuals written on it.
“Americans rely on the U.S. Postal Service to securely deliver everything from birthday cards to critical financial documents,” said John E. Childress, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “This couple exploited that trust through a widespread mail theft and identity fraud scheme that caused two million dollars in losses, while arming themselves with very dangerous illegal weapons. We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to hold accountable those who target the public and abuse systems we all depend on.”
“This case highlights the distinguished partnership between the Indianapolis Field Office, the Evansville Police Department, the United States Postal Inspection Service, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The United States Secret Service has a duty to safeguard the nation’s financial infrastructure, but we protect far more than just the economic interest of the communities we serve,” said Special Agent in Charge of the Indianapolis Field Office, Ike Barnes. “This case is a prime example of how those who look to victimize our communities will do so in numerous ways. Michael Wright and Cortney Young not only exploited our community of roughly $1.8 million in illicit funds but also brought dangerous weapons into our neighborhoods to carry out their depraved scheme.”
“Protecting the U.S. mail and its customers is at the core of our mission as postal inspectors,” said Acting Inspector in Charge Sean McStravick of USPIS - Detroit Division. “Thanks to incredible collaborative efforts with our law enforcement partners and the U.S. Attorney’s Office, we were able to do just that by putting these individuals behind bars. This sentencing should be considered a warning to anyone else looking to prey on the Postal Service or its customers – we will bring you to justice.”
The U.S. Secret Service, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Federal Bureau of Investigation, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and Evansville Police Department investigated this case. The sentences were imposed by U.S. District Judge Matthew P. Brookman.
Acting U.S. Attorney Childress thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew B. Miller and Todd S. Shellenbarger, who prosecuted this case.
MT. CARMEL, IL – The Wabash County Sheriff's Office is actively seeking the public’s help in locating Donald “Scott” Baird, a 54-year-old white male, approximately 6’0” tall, weighing 210 pounds, with brown hair and blue eyes. Baird is known to have lived at 327 N. Cherry Street, Mt. Carmel, Illinois.
Baird was re-sentenced on May 12, 2025, to five years in the Illinois Department of Corrections and was ordered to report to the Wabash County Jail by noon on May 14, 2025. He failed to turn himself in and is now wanted by law enforcement.
On May 15, 2025, a no-bond arrest warrant was issued for Baird out of Wabash County. Baird is considered a fugitive from justice and has a history of fleeing from law enforcement.
A $500 cash reward is being offered by Wabash County Crimestoppers for information that leads directly to Baird’s arrest.
Anyone with information on the whereabouts of Donald “Scott” Baird is urged to contact Wabash County Crimestoppers at 618-262-HALT (4258). Tips can also be submitted anonymously through the Wabash County SheriffApp, available for free download on both Apple and Android devices.
Do not attempt to apprehend Baird. If you see him, contact law enforcement immediately.
EAST ST. LOUIS, Ill. – A former bank president and contractor appeared in federal court and admitted to committing bank fraud by conspiring together to falsify loan applications and obtain funds.
Francis Eversman, 74, of Collinsville, and Gregg Crawford, 65, of Columbia, each pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit bank fraud for their roles in a scheme that extended from 2011 to 2020.
“The integrity of our banking system relies on the integrity of loan officers and applicants,” said U.S. Attorney Steven D. Weinhoeft. “We will continue to work closely with our law enforcement partners to ensure that those who violate their fiduciary duties and those who obtain loans through fraud are brought to justice.”
According to court documents, Eversman was a senior loan officer at former Tempo Bank in Trenton. Crawford was the owner of construction companies in southern Illinois. Eversman and Crawford admitted in district court that Crawford recruited straw purchasers to act as nominal loan applicants on what were often highly overvalued properties.
“Every American citizen deserves to walk into their bank and trust the people behind the counter. In southern Illinois, these people are usually our neighbors and friends, people that we trust with our money and wellbeing. The defendants in this case violated that trust through schemes aimed to self-serve and increase wealth,” said FBI Springfield Assistant Special Agent in Charge Karen Marinos. “FBI Springfield and our partners with the Office of Inspector General - Treasury and the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency will always look out for the wellbeing of the citizens of Illinois and ensure their money is being put in the hands of people they can truly trust.”
His brother-in-law, Eversman, steered these loans through the approval process. Crawford then used the loan proceeds for other purposes. In some cases, Crawford provided fake lease agreements to purport to show rental income from subject properties. When at audit by the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency discovered the suspect loans, Crawford instructed a straw purchaser to provide investigators with false information.
Both Crawford and Eversman waived their right to be indicted by a grand jury and pled guilty to an Information.
Conspiracy to commit bank fraud carries penalties of up to 30 years in prison, five years of supervised release and fines up to $1 million. Sentencing is scheduled for Oct. 14, 2025.
The investigation was conducted by the FBI Springfield Field Office, the Office of Inspector General – Treasury Department, and the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kevin Burke is prosecuting the case.
The First of July yesterday ushered in a new 1% sales tax in the city of Mt. Carmel. The 1% sales tax was approved by the City Council in April with a July 1st start date. It replaces a 1% grocery sales tax that had gone to Illinois cities before it was repealed by the Governor. Municipalities were given the option of reinstating the grocery tax or implementing a 1% sales tax on other items. Mayor Joe Judge commented on the tax on a recent Ask The Mayor segment on WSJD…
Judge said there are some exceptions to the new tax…
July 1st also saw an increase in the Illinois gas tax and higher tobacco taxes in Indiana.
Credit: @BobFiorettiChi on X