On December 30, 2025, Wanted Gibson County Fugitive Steven Alan Knowles was arrested in West Palm Beach, Florida on an outstanding Gibson County Felony Warrant for Child Exploitation. Mr. Knowles remains in custody in a Palm Beach County Detention Center until extradition and transportation can be obtained.
All criminal defendants are to be presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
District #348 Busses Outfitted With New Stop Arms
In a continuing effort to improve student safety, all Wabash District #348 are outfitted with new extended stop arms. Superintendent Dr. Chuck Bleyer said the stop arms are designed to block motorists from driving around stopped school busses….
Bus drivers have reported incidents of drivers going around stopped school busses continue to rise.
Bleyer also said the district was accepting State Farm agent Dan Schonert’s donation to help install cameras on the busses to help identify motorists who drive around stopped busses.
Kentucky man arrested on multiple charges
On January 1, 2026, Law Enforcement Officers had multiple contacts with 59-year-old Timothy Sadler of Winchester, Kentucky in the Princeton and Haubstadt area. At 5:17 p.m. Gibson County Central Dispatch received a call from the Baymont Inn located at 12798 Access Road 1250 South near the I64 and US 41 intersection requesting law enforcement come to the business and remove Mr. Sadler. Upon arriving Mr. Sadler was located became loud and argumentative with law enforcement and after multiple attempts at deescalation Deputy Eric Powell attempted to place Mr. Sadler into custody. After a brief physical confrontation Mr. Sadler was taken into custody and transported to the Gibson County Detention Center where he was charged with Disorderly Conduct, Public Intoxication, and Resisting Law Enforcement.
Deputies Wes Baumgart, Wyatt Hunt, and Sgt. Loren Barchett assisted in the arrest of Mr. Sadler.
All criminal defendants are to be presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Trial of Evansville Man Set To Start Monday
Jury selection is set to begin Monday morning in Wabash County Circuit Court in the case of 33-year-old Devin Brittain of Evansville.
Brittain faces seven charges, including four felony counts. The most serious charges are Class 2 felonies of aggravated domestic battery and aggravated battery on a peace officer. Other charges include two counts of criminal damage to property and three additional aggravated battery counts.
According to Wabash County Sheriff J. Derek Morgan, Brittain was arrested in Evansville, Indiana, on the morning of August 27th, 2025, at approximately 6:27 a.m. Officers and deputies from the Evansville Police Department, Vanderburgh County Sheriff’s Office, and the U.S. Marshals Service Task Force located and apprehended Brittain without incident.
Brittain was wanted on an active Wabash County, Illinois warrant. Sheriff Morgan credited a coordinated, multi-agency effort for the successful arrest. He has entered not guilty pleas to all charges.
The case will proceed with jury selection beginning Monday.
WGH Head Recaps Successful 2025
Wabash General Hospital President and CEO Karissa Turner delivered a year-end report to the Wabash County Commissioners, highlighting growth, expanded services, and strong patient satisfaction.
Turner reported the hospital provided $1.8 million in charity care in 2025, along with more than $381,000 in community support. She also noted significant gains in patient experience, with the hospital’s emergency department now ranking in the 96th percentile nationally through NRC, the hospital’s patient satisfaction measurement company.
Turner said Wabash General has expanded access to care by extending convenient care hours. The clinic is now open 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. on weekdays, and 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. on weekends, with walk-in availability.
She added the hospital has been named Best Place to Work seven years in a row and recently launched a paramedic training course at Wabash General. The hospital also opened a new clinic location in Olney.
Several new providers joined the medical staff during the year, including specialists in orthopedics, sports medicine, hand surgery, ENT and facial plastics, psychiatry, chiropractic care, cardiology, and emergency medicine, along with additional surgeons from Evansville Surgical Associates.
Turner also updated commissioners on the hospital’s digital health efforts, noting MyChart patient portal utilization has reached 49 percent, meeting a key goal set by the hospital’s finance committee.
She said the hospital remains focused on improving access, quality of care, and services for the communities it serves.
Fort Branch man arrested on Battery charge
On December 31, 2025, at 10:05 p.m. Gibson County Central Dispatch received a report of a physical domestic altercation in the 100 block of East 780 South near Fort Branch. Multiple law enforcement officers were dispatched to the scene and upon arriving Haubstadt Police Officer Jason Marceaux and Indiana State Trooper Robert Kincaid separated all the parties and had detained two of them.
Upon arriving Deputy Wyatt Hunt began an investigation into the incident where he spoke with all parties involved in the incident. At the conclusion of his investigation 21-year-old Keaton Benefiel was taken into custody and transported to the Gibson County Detention Center where he was charged with Domestic Battery and Interference with the Report of a Crime.
All criminal defendants are to be presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Golf Cart/UTV Permit Funds Purchase New MCPD Car
Ever wonder what the city does with the fees collected for golf cart and UTV permits? City Clerk Ryan Turner says the city has used a portion of that revenue to buy a new squad car for the police department’s detective.
Turner also reports that the new horizontal drilling machine should arrive in the next few days. The $193,933 machine will support the city’s water and sewer maintenance operations. Turner said the city has spent nearly $20,000 in recent months renting drilling services whenever crews needed to bore under sidewalks, driveways, and roadways during water and sewer repairs. Turner explained that the city’s previous equipment has broken down, and outside contractors are not always available—leaving lines exposed longer than is safe and forcing crews in some cases to dig through yards or driveways instead of drilling beneath them. Turner said the city initially looked at used equipment, but Vermeer no longer manufactures the model they were considering, making parts difficult or impossible to obtain. The new drill includes all necessary attachments, updated technology, and three days of on-site training for Mt. Carmel crews. He noted that the machine could be used for decades and may eventually generate revenue if the city chooses to offer boring services when residents need them.
Council members agreed the purchase will ultimately pay for itself, since a single drilling job each month would cover the financing cost. The new equipment will allow the water and sewer department to complete repairs more quickly and reliably, especially during heavy winter demand.
City Commissioner Reports
Mt. Carmel Fire and Garbage Commissioner Susan Zimmerman offered this report at the most recent city council meeting…
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Mt. Carmel finance commissioner Eric Ikemire had this report at the most recent city council meeting…
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Water and sewer commissioner Tom Meeks offered this report at the recent City Council meeting….
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At the most recent City Council meeting, street commissioner Tyson Meador had this report…
Mayor Spotlights Heavy Usage Of Library
At the final Mount Carmel City Council meeting of 2025, Mayor Joe Judge took time to recognize the Mount Carmel Public Library and its staff.
The mayor praised Librarian Twilla Coon and the entire library team, encouraging residents who haven’t visited recently to stop in and see the changes that have been made. Judge called the library a valuable community resource.
He shared recent usage numbers, noting that in October alone, 77 people used the library’s internet services, bringing the year-to-date total to 495 users. E-books continue to be a popular offering, with more than 24,000 checkouts in October and over 155,000 so far this year.
Traditional book circulation also remains strong, with nearly 29,000 items checked out in October and more than 186,000 year-to-date.
Mayor Judge also thanked Library Board President Scott Witsman and the entire library board for their continued service and support of the Mount Carmel Public Library.
Photo Credit: Mt. Carmel Public Library website.
Warrant service nets two Oakland City men
On December 31, 2025, at 1:33 p.m. Gibson County law enforcement officers went to 788 South 1150 East to serve a failure to appear warrant on 53-year-old Dennis McCloskey. Upon arriving at the residence, they spoke with 58-year-old William Pope about the outstanding warrant for Mr. McCloskey. While speaking with Mr. Pope he gave false information to Deputy Eric Powell to hinder the warrant service. After a brief investigation Mr. McCloskey was taken into custody without incident. Mr. Pope was also taken into custody, and both were transported to the Gibson County Detention Center. Upon arriving Mr. McCloskey was booked in on his outstanding warrant and Mr. Pope was charged with False Informing.
Deputy Powell was assisted in this warrant service by Deputy Quinten Might as well as Oakland City Police Officers Ty Schmittler and John Pace.
All criminal defendants are to be presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
