City Council Approves TIF Funding For Local Business

The Mount Carmel City Council has approved TIF funding to support the relocation and expansion of TJD Electric in the Southgate Industrial Park.

City Clerk Ryan Turner explained that business owner Tony Delgado recently purchased city-owned property in the industrial park for $25,000 to build a new facility. After review, the city’s TIF advisors recommended approving a $50,000 one-time TIF grant through TIF District 6.

Under the agreement, the first $25,000 will reimburse the city’s general fund for the property purchase, while the remaining $25,000 will go toward site improvements and construction costs once the project is complete.

Delgado told council members that site work is underway and that, weather permitting, construction could begin this week with hopes of having the new building under roof before the end of the year.

Council members unanimously approved the funding, supporting another step forward in the city’s efforts to grow business activity in the Southgate Industrial Park.

Chamber Hands Out Honors At Annual Banquet

The Wabash County Chamber of Commerce celebrated its 78th annual banquet Tuesday night at the Anderson Building, recognizing outstanding businesses, employees, and community achievements from across the county.

This year’s Retail Merchants Committee Employee of the Year award went to Danielle Stevens of Wabash General Hospital.

The Chamber also honored two standout businesses:
• Schoogie’s was named Small Business of the Year, and
• Motorad received Large Business of the Year.

A special moment of the evening came when WSJD’s Rodger Beard was presented with a Distinguished Citizen Award. Beard is set to retire in January after more than 50 years on the local airwaves.

The Chamber also recognized several organizations celebrating milestone anniversaries including:
• Wabash Valley College – 65 years
• WADI – 60 years
• Big Farm and Home – 60 years
• WSJD – 30 years
• Gottman’s Custom Jewelry – 30 years
• Charlie’s Collision and Customs – 20 years

The banquet brought together local leaders, businesses, and community members to celebrate accomplishments and highlight the continued growth of Wabash County.

WSJD was recognized for its’ 30th anniversary.

Photo credit: Wabash County Chamber of Commerce

Indiana State Police Investigating Officer-Involved Shooting in Sullivan 

Sullivan County - Detectives from the Indiana State Police Putnamville Post have been requested by Sullivan County Prosecutor Ann Mischler to investigate an officer-involved shooting incident that took place on November 18, 2025, at approximately 1:50 a.m., at 615 South Bell Street in Sullivan. 

At approximately 1:50 a.m., officers of the Sullivan County Sheriff's Department and Sullivan City Police Department were dispatched to 615 South Bell Street, in reference to a possible domestic situation between a male and female.  Officers arrived at the scene a short time later.  Upon the officers’ arrival, a female was observed in the roadway with visible injuries.  A male subject then exited the residence and proceeded to run towards officers with a knife in his hand.  The officers gave loud verbal commands for the male subject to drop the knife, but he disregarded the commands and advanced towards the officers, still wielding the knife.  One officer fired their police-issued weapon at the subject, resulting in the male subject being shot. 

Medical assistance was immediately rendered at the scene, and the subject was subsequently transported to a local hospital in Terre Haute; later being transported to a hospital in Indianapolis via air ambulance.  The male suspect has been identified as Kylan Holbert, age 31, of Sullivan, Indiana. 

The female subject was also transported from the scene to a local hospital in Sullivan with non-life-threatening injuries. Upon her arrival at the hospital, she refused medical attention.     

The investigation is being conducted by Indiana State Police detectives Angie Hahn and Don Curtis, with the assistance of Trooper Justin Bell, and CSI Sergeant Tim Rader of the Putnamville State Police Post. 

Assisting Agencies: Sullivan County Sheriff’s Department, Sullivan City Police Department and the Sullivan County Ambulance Service.  

This is an active and ongoing Indiana State Police investigation.  There is no further information to be released at this time.  Upon completion of their investigation, Indiana State Police detectives will submit a full report of the incident to the Sullivan County Prosecutor’s Office for review. 

Former Belleville attorney sentenced to prison for stealing from clients

EAST ST. LOUIS, Ill. – A district judge sentenced a former Belleville attorney to spend 90 months in federal prison after he admitted to embezzling more than $1 million from his clients.

Jason R. Caraway, 51, pleaded guilty to six counts of wire fraud in February. He was sentenced on Oct. 1.

“This lawyer didn’t just steal—he preyed on clients who trusted him to fight for them after suffering life-altering injuries,” said U.S. Attorney Steven D. Weinhoeft. “He pocketed their settlements, grabbed money intended to pay doctors, falsified court records, and even defrauded the children of a police officer who was killed in the line of duty. Attorneys must be held to account when they fail to honor their duty to serve as officers of the court. This sentence rightly delivers justice for his victims.” 

Caraway was a partner at Caraway, Fisher & Broombaugh, P.C., a personal injury law firm in Belleville. According to court documents, Caraway had control of the firm’s bank accounts and misappropriated funds by improperly spending client funds on personal and business expenses, issuing checks to himself, accepting settlements without client notification or payment, failing to pay medical lienholders from legal proceeds, and misapplying retainers without authorization.

The investigation identified more than 40 clients that were impacted and a loss of more than $1 million. To help facilitate his theft, he also forged the signatures of St. Clair County judges on two court orders.

"The actions of Mr. Caraway, which involves stealing from his clients, including child beneficiaries, are reprehensible" said FBI Springfield's Special Agent in Charge, Christopher J. S. Johnson. "FBI Springfield believes this guilty plea offers a measure of peace to the victims and hopes this can restore trust in the justice system."

Caraway represented two children of Ricardo Davis, a Washington Park Police officer who was killed in the line of duty after a tragic accident in 2018. He obtained more than $128,000 for their benefit that was never disbursed to them. Thanks to the ARDC Client Protection Program, the beneficiaries were paid after years of waiting.

FBI Springfield Field Office led the investigation, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Zoe Gross prosecuted the case.


St. Peters man sentenced to 15+ years for kidnapping his pregnant girlfriend with a firearm to force her to get an abortion

EAST ST. LOUIS, Ill. – A district judge sentenced a man from St. Peters, Missouri, to 188 months in federal prison after he admitted to kidnapping his pregnant girlfriend at gun point and driving to Fairview Heights to force her into obtaining an abortion.

Kevin L. Smith, 42, pleaded guilty to one count of kidnapping. In addition to imprisonment, he will serve three years of supervised release. He was sentenced on Oct. 1.

“It is not easy to shock law enforcement officials because we have pretty much seen it all—but then someone like Kevin Smith comes along. It is difficult to find words adequate to describe someone who would kidnap his pregnant girlfriend to force her to have an abortion at gunpoint and then continue to threaten her from jail,” said U.S. Attorney Steven D. Weinhoeft. “This vile crime terrorized the victim and threatened the life of her unborn child. Smith deserves every minute of that prison sentence.”

According to court documents, Smith kidnapped his pregnant girlfriend from her job in St. Charles, Missouri, and drove her to Planned Parenthood in Fairview Heights to force her to obtain an abortion on Dec. 7, 2022. During the car ride, he used a loaded firearm to intimidate and threaten to kill the victim by shooting her in the head.

“This case represents a disturbing act of violence and abuse,” said Steve Johnson, Chief of the Fairview Heights Police Department. “Kevin Smith kidnapped his girlfriend at gunpoint and drove her across state lines against her will in an attempt to make her obtain an abortion. His actions were those of a dangerous and manipulative individual. Our investigators worked tirelessly to bring the facts forward, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office ensured Smith was held accountable in federal court. This sentencing sends a clear message that acts of violence will not be tolerated in our community.”

Court documents explain Smith faced higher sentencing penalties, because he repeatedly harassed the victim and continued to threaten her from jail.

The Fairview Heights Police Department led the investigation, and Assistant U.S. Attorney John Trippi prosecuted the case.

Owensville woman arrested for DUI

On November 14, 2025, at 4:48 p.m. Gibson County Deputy Wyatt Hunt conducted a traffic stop on a Grey 2005 Mercedes after Deputy Hunt observed a moving violation.  Upon approaching the vehicle Deputy Hunt detected the odor of alcohol and began a roadside DUI investigation.  At the conclusion of his inquiry, he placed the driver 53-year-old Angela Andrew into custody and transported her to the Gibson County Detention Center.  Upon arriving at the detention center Ms. Andrew was charged with Operating a Vehicle While Intoxicated. 
 
Deputy Wes Baumgart assisted Deputy Hunt 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.

Oakland City man arrested for DUI

On November 14, 2025, at 8:31 p.m. Gibson County Deputy U.B. Smith conducted a traffic stop on a Black 2013 Ram Truck in the 300 block of South State Road 57 near Oakland City after observing multiple clues that the driver was intoxicated.  Upon approaching the vehicle Deputy Smith detected the odor of alcohol coming from the vehicle.  At that point Deputy Smith began a roadside DUI investigation that resulted in the driver 42-year-old David Dunn being taken into custody and transported to the Gibson County Detention Center.  Upon arriving at the detention center Mr. Dunn was charged with Operating a Vehicle While Intoxicated.
 
Deputy Zach Lienemann assisted Deputy Smith 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.

County Holding Public Hearing Today On Energy Grant

Wabash County Commissioners have scheduled a pair of public hearings in the coming weeks. The first will be November 17th at 4pm seeking public input on the energy transition community grant on how local residents want the money from the grant spent. In June, Jeff Vaughan of the Greater Wabash Regional Planning Commission explained the grant to commissioners saying the state had set up the program to assist communities who face losing a coal mine or power plant. In Wabash County’s case, the loss of the Friendsville Mine look to generate at least $50,000 in grant monies but could be much more. Vaughan said the state has a pool of $40 million to pull from during this grant cycle.

The second public hearing is December 8th at 4pm on the proposed solar ordinance in Wabash County. After the public hearing, commissioners are expected to adopt the ordinance necessitated by RWE Clean Energy’s plan to site a solar farm in rural Wabash County.

Blessing Boxes A Blessing To Those In Need

The Wabash County Health Department is working to help meet local food needs through a community food drive supporting the county’s Blessing Boxes.

At Wednesday’s Wabash County Board of Health meeting, Health Educator Tristan Barbre said students across local schools are currently collecting nonperishable food items to fill the blessing boxes ahead of the holidays. Barbre said each school has a collection box, and the department’s prevention division will distribute the donations to several blessing box locations in Mt. Carmel.

Barbre explained that the blessing boxes are available 24 hours a day for anyone in need, and the effort comes in response to a noticeable increase in food insecurity following SNAP benefit reductions earlier this year.

She added that the Health Department has also updated information on local food pantry schedules and is partnering with community organizations to make that information more accessible to residents.

Barbre said the goal is simple — to keep the blessing boxes full and ensure families in need have access to food throughout the winter season.