Road closures planned for chip and seal road maintence work in INDOT Southwest district

SOUTHWEST Ind. – The Indiana Department of Transportation has begun its spring schedule of chip and seal road maintenance. The following roadways will be closed for chip and seal projects:

• May 11-13 - State Road 165 in Posey County between S.R. 66 and S.R. 68.

• May 18-21 – State Road 69 in Posey County on asphalt section of the roadway south of S.R. 62.

• May 25 – State Road 269 in Posey County from S.R. 69 to Harmonie State Park entrance.

• May 26-29 – State Road 68 in Posey/Gibson County from S.R. 65 to U.S. 41.

• June 1-4 – State Road 237 in Perry County from S.R. 66 to S.R. 37.

• June 8-11 – State Road 545 in Spencer County from S.R. 66 to S.R. 62.

• June 15-18 – State Road 545 in Dubois County from S.R. 164 to S.R. 56.

• June 22-30 – State Road 145 in Crawford/Orange County between S.R. 64 to S.R. 56.

•  July 6-9 – U.S. 150 in Orange/Washington County between S.R. 37 and S.R. 66.

• July 13-15 – U.S. 50 in Lawrence County between S.R. 37 to S.R. 446.

• July 16-21 – State Road 158 in Martin County between S.R. 158 to S.R. 450.

All work is weather dependent and all schedules are subject to change.

Local traffic will retain access during these closures. Traffic flow will be controlled with a flagger. INDOT reminds drivers to slow down, use extra caution, and avoid distractions when traveling in and near work zones.

During operations, existing pavement is coated with liquid asphalt, which seals cracks and provides waterproof protection. This extends the service life of the roadway and lowers maintenance costs. Once the roadway is coated with liquid asphalt, aggregate is applied and excess material is swept from the roadway.

After a curing period, crews will return to fog seal the new driving surface and apply pavement markings under flagging operations.

ISP Conducts Underage Alcohol Enforcement In Wayne County

Illinois State Police (ISP) Zone 8 Commander, Holly Finney, announces the results of Alcohol Countermeasure Enforcement (ACE) surveillance at various establishments in Wayne County on May 6, 2026. The detail was conducted to determine which businesses may be selling alcoholic beverages to minors (persons under 21 years of age). The ultimate goals are to enforce underage drinking laws and save lives by preventing impaired driving crashes and fatalities.

A total of fifteen (16) locations were surveyed of which the below three (4) were involved in the sale of an alcoholic beverage to a minor.

Business Name / Address / City Name of Employee

Chava Cantina and Grill LLC 5 Williamson Drive Fairfield, IL 62837 Mariana Sanchez-Esquivel

Jovalou 112 E. Main Street Fairfield, IL 62837 Kristy Churchwell

Lonzo’s Place 805 County Highway 9 Sims, IL 62886 Rachel Esmon

Midtown Package Liquors and Tobacco 701 Robinson Street Wayne City, IL 62895 Tyler Moyer

The employees were cited for Unlawful Delivery of Alcoholic Liquor to a Minor, a Class A misdemeanor and released on a notice to appear in court. The public is reminded that all defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law. The ISP commends establishments and their employees which do not sell alcohol to minors. This project is funded through the Illinois Department of Transportation.

Illinois woman arrested for leaving scene of accident

On May 10, 2026, at 5:51 p.m.  Gibson County Central Dispatch received a report of an accident with injuries at the off ramp of Interstate 64 onto US 41.  Upon arriving Deputy Wyatt Lashbrook observed a White 2026 Chevy Equinox with rear end damage stopped at the stoplight.  Upon speaking with the driver who was complaining of neck injury they advised that they were rearended by another vehicle who left the scene shortly after the accident happened.  While on scene witnesses came forward with statements and photographic evidence of the fleeing vehicle.   At that point multiple a Be On the Look Out was placed for the other vehicle a Red 2014 Toyota Prius.  Through the assistance of multiple officers from the Gibson County Sheriff’s Office and Princeton Police Department the vehicle was located in the 1000 block of North 950 West in rural Gibson County.  Law enforcement spoke the driver, 38-year-old Mabel Zamarripa of Grayville and at the conclusion of the investigation, Ms. Zamarippa was taken into custody and transported to the Gibson County Detention Center where she was charged with Leaving the Scene of a Property Damage accident. 
 
Deputy Wyatt Lashbrook was assisted in his investigation by Princeton Officers Matt Perry and Jackie Wood.  He was also assisted by Deputies Wes Baumgart, Shawn Holmes, Eric Powell, and Bart Wagner.   
 
All criminal defendants are to be presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
 

Accident nets impaired driver

On May 9, 2026, at 5:39 p.m. Gibson County Central Dispatch received report of a property damage accident in the 1400 block of East State Road 64.  Upon arriving Deput Wyatt Lashbrook observed a two-vehicle accident where a Bronze 2013 Chevy Silverado rearended a Blue 2024 Ford F150.  Upon speaking with the drivers Deputy Lashbrook detected the odor of alcoholic beverages on the driver of the Silverado, 59-year-old Quentin Drew of Oakland City.   At that point Deputy Lashbrook began a roadside DUI investigation that resulted in Mr. Drew being taken into custody and transported to the Gibson County Detention Center when the investigation was finished.  Mr. Drew was booked into the detention center on the charge of Operating a Vehicle While Intoxicated- Endangerment. 
 
Deputies Shawn Holmes, Bart Wagner, and Sgt. Loren Barchett assisted Deputy Lashbrook 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.

Democratic Candidates To Appear First On Wabash County November Ballot

Wabash County Clerk Janet Will provided an update on election matters during last Monday’s county board meeting.

Will told board members that reports from the recent primary election are nearly complete. She said the next step is to send paperwork to both political parties so they can submit their recommendations for election judges.

Once those recommendations are approved by the county board, they will be forwarded to the circuit court for final approval.

Will noted that election judges serve two-year terms and said the county is currently looking for individuals interested in serving.

In a related matter, Democratic Party candidates will appear first on the Wabash County ballot for the November 6th General Election, following a lottery held last Monday to determine ballot placement.

Champ Closing Spikes Edwards County Jobless Rate To 14.9%

New unemployment numbers show a sharp increase in joblessness in the Olney–Mt. Carmel area, driven largely by the closure of Champion Labs.

According to the Illinois Department of Employment Security, Edwards County’s unemployment rate surged to 14.9 percent in March. That’s up 10.7 percentage points from 4.2 percent in March of last year—by far the highest rate in southern Illinois.

By comparison, Wabash County posted a rate of 5.7 percent, up from 3.5 percent a year ago. Lawrence County came in at 5.3 percent, Richland County at 4.8 percent, and Wayne County at 6.5 percent—all showing modest increases year-over-year.

State officials say the spike in Edwards County was expected following the Champion Labs shutdown, which contributed to significant job losses in the manufacturing sector. Overall, manufacturing employment declined by 675 jobs across the region.

Other sectors seeing losses included private education and health services, trade, transportation and utilities, and leisure and hospitality. Meanwhile, gains were reported in natural resources and mining, with employment in several sectors remaining unchanged.

Massac County recorded the lowest unemployment rate in southern Illinois at 4.6 percent, while Alexander County had the next highest rate behind Edwards at 6.6 percent.

Officials say they will continue to monitor the economic impact as the region adjusts to the plant closure.

Gibson County Sheriff’s Office to increase patrols to target seatbelt enforcement

The Gibson County Sheriff’s Office is partnering with the Indiana Criminal Justice Institute (ICJI) to urge Hoosiers to buckle up as part of the national “Click It or Ticket” campaign, a high-visibility enforcement effort focused on increasing seatbelt use.

Beginning May 11 through May 31, 2026, officers will work overtime to ensure drivers and passengers are using their seatbelts and children are properly secured. The overtime patrols are funded by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) through ICJI’s Comprehensive Highway Injury Reduction Program (CHIRP).

“Buckling up is one of the simplest and most effective ways to protect yourself and your loved ones on the road,” said Douglas Huntsinger, executive director of the Indiana Criminal Justice Institute. “Seatbelts save lives every day, and every trip should begin with making sure everyone is secured before hitting the road.”
Since 2021, Indiana has seen a steady decline in fatalities among passenger vehicle occupants not wearing seatbelts. Seatbelt usage among Hoosiers has also increased, reaching 94.1% in 2025 according to the Annual Seat Belt Usage Survey conducted by Purdue University Center for Road Safety in partnership with ICJI. This rate is above the national average of 91.2% usage in 2024.

“Too often, we see tragedies that could have been prevented with one simple click of a seatbelt,” said Sheriff Bruce Vanoven.  “Buckling up isn’t just the law. It’s a responsibility that helps ensure you make it home safely.” Indiana law requires drivers and all passengers to buckle up. Children under age eight must be properly restrained in a federally approved child car seat or booster seat. Drivers can be cited for lack of seat belt use, but also for each unbuckled passenger under the age of 16.

Parents and caregivers are encouraged to make sure children are in the right car seat and that it is used correctly and properly installed. Resources can be found at www.nhtsa.gov/TheRightSeat. To schedule an appointment with a certified car seat safety technician at one of Indiana’s 100 fitting stations, visit on.in.gov/SafeKids.

CHIRP is supported by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and administered by the Indiana Criminal Justice Institute. For more information about ICJI’s traffic safety programs, visit www.in.gov/cji.

City Crews Plant 25 Oak Trees

Mount Carmel Mayor Joe Judge is highlighting recent efforts to enhance the city’s green spaces.

Judge reported that city crews planted 25 new oak trees last week, with 10 trees added at Lincoln Park and 15 planted near the new pool parking lot.

The mayor credited the Illinois Extension Office for helping make the project possible, thanking Jana Stanley for assisting the city in securing the trees at no cost through a special program.

Judge also recognized city employees for their work on the project, noting the use of a specialized tree planting machine purchased by public utility in recent years. The equipment allowed crews to efficiently remove soil, replace it, and plant the trees.

Judge said the additions will benefit the community for years to come, saying that hopefully the trees will continue to grow over the next 50 years.

Gas Price Disparity Could Soon Widen

Gas prices continue to climb across the region, with a noticeable difference on either side of the Illinois–Indiana state line.

This week, some stations in Mt. Carmel were reporting prices as high as 4.99 a gallon. Just across the border in Princeton, drivers could find gas for as low as 4.38 and prices there could drop even further.

The difference comes as Indiana Governor Mike Braun has announced an extension of the state’s suspension of both the gasoline sales tax and the 36-cent per gallon excise tax. The move, announced Wednesday at the Statehouse, will remain in effect for another 30 days.

According to AAA, Indiana’s average gas price is currently around 4.75 per gallon, about 20 cents higher than the national average. State officials say the tax suspension will provide roughly a 12 percent discount for Hoosiers at the pump.

Illinois Governor JB Pritzker has not indicated any plans to suspend gas taxes in Illinois, leaving drivers here continuing to pay higher prices.

Officials say Indiana’s tax break could continue to impact where drivers choose to fill up in the coming weeks.

Upgrades Continue With MCPU System

Mt. Carmel Public Utility is making significant progress on system upgrades and new technology for customers.

During Monday’s county board meeting, MCPU President David James reported that the utility is now more than 99 percent deployed on its advanced metering infrastructure for electric service. On the gas side, he says the project is about 60 percent complete.

James also shared that MCPU is working toward launching interactive outage maps, which would be available on the utility’s website and Facebook page. The feature is designed to give customers real-time information during service interruptions.

He says as technology continues to advance, the utility is excited about new tools that will improve service and communication with customers moving forward.