On May 23, 2026, at 9:42 a.m. Gibson County Central Dispatch received a 911 report of an accident with injuries on US 41 near County Road 1200 South. Upon arriving Deputy Quinten Might observed two vehicles, a Silver 2018 Altima and White 2026 Lexus had been involved in the accident. Upon speaking to the drivers Deputy Might detected the odor of alcohol coming from 66-year-old Jerry Freeman of Haubstadt. At that point Deputy Might began a roadside DUI investigation that resulted in Mr. Freeman being taken into custody and transported to the Gibson County Detention Center. Upon arriving at the detention center Mr. Freeman was charged with Operating a Vehicle While Intoxicated.
Assisting Deputy Might in his investigation was Deputy Michael Owens and Special Deputy Jimmy Lefler.
All criminal defendants are to be presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Evansville woman arrested for driving on suspended license
On May 23, 2026, at 10:20 p.m. Gibson County Deputy Wyatt Lashbrook conducted a traffic stop on a Gray 2005 Nissan passenger vehicle after observing an equipment violation on State Road 57 near Williams Street in Oakland City. Upon approaching the vehicle Deputy Lashbrook identified the driver as 29-year-old Trena Thompson of Evansville. During a roadside investigation Deputy Lashbrook discovered that Ms. Thompson’s Operator License was suspended on a prior driving while suspended conviction. At that point Ms. Thompson was placed into custody. At the conclusion of the investigation Ms. Thompson was transported to the Gibson County Detention Center where she was charged with Driving While Suspended/Prior and Possession of Marijuana.
Oakland City Officer Kaden Tepe 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.
Princeton man arrested for DUI
On May 25, 2026, at 5:19 a.m. Gibson County Deputy Michael Bates conducted a traffic stop on US 41 near County Road 550 South after observing the vehicle traveling 87 in a 60-mph zone. Upon approaching the vehicle, a White 2014 Chevy Equinox, Deputy Bates observed obvious signs of intoxication coming from the driver. At that point Deputy Bates began a roadside DUI investigation. Once the investigation was complete Deputy Bates placed the driver, 31-year-old Jikki Wase of Princeton, into custody and transported him to the Gibson County Detention Center where he was charged with Operating a Vehicle While Intoxicated and Reckless Driving.
Deputy Levi Sims and Princeton Officers Landon Perryman and Ben Michel assisted in this investigation.
All criminal defendants are to be presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Wabash County Commissioner Board Recap
Highway Engineer Dustin Bunting reported attending the County Engineers Association Spring Conference in Bloomington. Bunting also announced he has prepared an intergovernmental agreement for area road districts to officially document how they assist one another during projects and emergencies.
Bunting said county highway crews continue mowing as weather permits and have completed mowing along Highway 11 and areas north of it, while now working on Wabash 17. Crews were trying to complete as much work as possible before the Memorial Day weekend. He also noted oil and chip road work is currently scheduled for July 14th and 15th, although weather could impact those dates.
Sheriff Derek Morgan welcomed Ryan Spore back to the department after graduating recently from the Basic Correctional Academy.
County Treasurer Angela Broster said the final property tax distribution for 2024 payable 2025 taxes should now be completed, allowing state paperwork to be submitted next week.
County Clerk Janet Will reported her office received more than 75-thousand dollars during April, with over 53-thousand dollars coming from tax redemptions. Will also said the county is working with a new voter registration software company after the previous provider went bankrupt. She said costs are expected to remain similar to the old system.
During new business, commissioners discussed a request from the Daughters of the American Revolution supporting Peggy Hughes for a citizenship award recognizing her volunteer work with area food pantries in Allendale, Mount Carmel, Albion, and other communities.
Commissioners also received correspondence encouraging counties to participate in Illinois America 250 celebrations, along with notices regarding upcoming conferences, 4-H updates from Illinois Extension, and upcoming Ameren vegetation management work.
WGH Board Approves Carmi Expansion
The Wabash General Hospital Board of Directors has approved plans to significantly expand services at the hospital’s Carmi outreach clinic.
During Monday’s board meeting, Vice President of Professional Services Andrew Kleinschmidt outlined a proposal to expand the hospital’s current lease agreement in Carmi from one day per week to full-time occupancy of the building.
Kleinschmidt says the expanded location would allow Wabash General Hospital to increase orthopedic coverage, explore adding urgent care services, upgrade radiology equipment, and potentially establish a rural health clinic offering additional lab and rehab therapy services.
Under the proposal, partial occupancy would begin July 1st, with full occupancy starting October 1st. The lease term would run 63 months. Initial rent for the partial space would be just over 48-hundred dollars per month before increasing to about 15-thousand-600 dollars monthly once the full building is occupied.
Hospital officials estimate startup and equipment investments at approximately 380-thousand dollars, including a radiology expansion, upgraded IT infrastructure, and rehab equipment. Kleinschmidt requested board approval for expenditures not to exceed 400-thousand dollars.
Kleinschmidt said the hospital currently handles around 700 patient accounts annually from the one-day-per-week clinic operation and believes those numbers could quickly double or even exceed that amount with expanded services. He also noted patient revenue from White County increased 47 percent between 2024 and 2025, while the area’s insurance payer mix has improved significantly.
The Carmi clinic has operated since 2016 and is located along Oak Street near Huck’s in Carmi.
When the school year ends, their paychecks do too. Lawmakers could change that
Illinois bills would give school support workers access to summer unemployment benefits
By MOLLY A. WALLACE
Medill Illinois News Bureau
news@capitolnewsillinois.com
Article Summary
The Illinois General Assembly is considering extending unemployment benefits to public school support staff during the 10 to 11 weeks of summer break.
While the measures have stalled, the bill’s House sponsor says he’s looking at including it in broader end-of-session legislation.
The bills are similar to a COVID-era provision that expired in 2021.
The Illinois Department of Employment Security estimates costs between $138 million and $176 million annually.
The Illinois Association of School Boards opposes the measure without a state funding mechanism, while labor unions argue the benefits are a matter of basic equity.
This summary was written by the reporters and editors who worked on this story.
CHICAGO — This time every year, Sandra Taylor finds herself in a predicament that is not unusual for people in her profession. Like most other school support staff, her paychecks stop once summer break begins. To prepare, she and her coworkers rely on food pantries and grocery sales to stock up on household essentials.
“Bills do not stop because we're not working, you know? So we’ve got to find a way,” said Taylor, 57, a food service worker at Galesburg High School in Knox County, who said she has worked for the district for 20 years.
The Illinois General Assembly is considering helping educational support staff workers like Taylor whose incomes dry up each summer by allowing them to collect unemployment benefits between academic terms beginning on June 1.
The measures creating the Unemployment Equity Act – House Bill 4416 and Senate Bill 3286 – stalled in committee, but the bill’s union backers and its House sponsor say it could still advance in the final two weeks of the legislative session.
“The discussion we’re having now is how expensive it is,” House sponsor Rep. Marcus Evans, D-Chicago, said. “Is it a Maserati or a Camry? I think it’s a Camry.”
Evans said that, although HB 4416 has stalled, he plans to incorporate its language into an omnibus bill at the end of the session. Legislators commonly package multiple spending measures that are unlikely to pass on their own into a single bill they hope will pass because it contains other measures legislators support.
But the measure is hotly contested by school districts, who say the state should foot the bill rather than putting the onus on districts.
In a fiscal note added to HB 4416, the Illinois Department of Employment Security pulled data from when the law was changed in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic to estimate that it would cost between $138 million and $176 million annually, with an additional $3.6 million for implementation. Public schools, colleges, universities and not-for-profit academic institutions would bear approximately 93% of this cost, according to IDES.
What the legislation does
Employees with a “reasonable assurance” of returning to employment are typically excluded from collecting unemployment benefits. The bills would keep the language of reasonable assurance but exempt educational support staff from the requirement.
“Currently, non-instructional educational staff do not have access to unemployment benefits during the summer and other school breaks, leaving them without the ability to pay their bills at a time when the cost of living is on the rise,” said Sen. Ram Villavalam, D-Chicago, who is sponsoring the Senate bill.
The bills give paraprofessionals, bus drivers, secretaries, cooks and cafeteria workers, health care aides, safety and security staff, and other noninstructional public school employees a maximum of 47% of their weekly earnings for the 10 to 11 weeks school is not in session.
Supporters include union groups like the AFL-CIO, AFSCME Council 31, Illinois Education Association, Illinois Federation of Teachers, Chicago Teachers Union 1 and SEIU Local 73.
“It’s a matter of fairness,” said Alyssa Goodstein, communications director for the AFL-CIO. “Workers doing the exact same job in the private sector are eligible for benefits that the same worker in a public job is not.”
A study by the Illinois Association of Regional Superintendents for Schools found 2,755 paraprofessional vacancies for the 2023–2024 school year. The AFL-CIO said providing unemployment benefits to teachers assistants and aides will help provide stability to school districts that struggle to fill these positions.
Megan Accardo, 39, a paraprofessional in Grayslake, said she has seen many of her coworkers move to the private sector, where they receive higher pay and qualify for summer benefits.
“It pains me to see people come up to me at the end of the year and be like, ‘I love my job, but I gotta go. I can't afford to stay here,’” she said. "I could leave and go do the same exact thing I'm doing in the private sector and get unemployment in the summer. We are losing people all the time."
Cost and opposition
Illinois extended unemployment benefits to school support staff in 2020, with costs substantially offset by federal pandemic relief programs, which expired in September 2021.
Other states have considered similar legislation, but only Oregon and Minnesota have permanently extended unemployment benefits to school support staff. In 2023, the Minnesota Department of Education estimated that the actual cost of benefits given out constituted about one-third of the funding allocated by the state for school districts.
Using data from implementation of the Minnesota unemployment benefits, the Economic Policy Institute estimated that a similar bill would cost Illinois school districts $56.3 million. This figure omits implementation costs and unemployment take-up by colleges and university employees, although these figures are likely to represent a relatively small percentage of the total compared to school districts.
However, a 2025 news release by the Minnesota School Boards Association pointed to a 25% increase in unemployment claims the year after the Minnesota Department of Education’s initial survey estimating costs. The news release also attributes an increase in late-summer resignations by paraprofessionals on the extension of unemployment benefits.
“This would become a permanent cost for school districts. That’s different than in Minnesota because they allocated funding for it,” said Sarah Miller, associate executive director of government relations at the Illinois Association of School Boards. “We’ve conveyed that there needs to be state funding.”
In the meantime, workers like Accardo and Taylor prepare for another summer without pay.
Accardo said her kids have never been on a real vacation, and she dreads telling them they probably will not be able to go on a trip this year either.
Taylor has already started budgeting, having learned with experience that she will not have much success trying to get a job over the summer since she said most employers want workers who can commit for more than a few months. She has resorted to taking out personal loans in the past instead.
Taylor said she cannot imagine a summer free of the anxieties caused by having no income.
“It would be so wonderful to not have to stress or anything. After 20 years, I would probably break down and cry,” she said. “Most people don’t understand. For all of my coworkers, that would mean so much. Most of them would probably just start crying.”
Molly A. Wallace is a graduate student in journalism with Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism, Media and Integrated Marketing Communications, and is a fellow in its Medill Illinois News Bureau working in partnership with Capitol News Illinois.
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.
Rep. Marcus Evans, D-Chicago, on the House floor in May 2025. (Capitol News Illinois photo by Jerry Nowicki)
INDOT to hold public open house for State Road 64 pavement replacement and ADA sidewalk construction project
GIBSON COUNTY Ind. – The Indiana Department of Transportation will hold a public open house for a pavement replacement and ADA sidewalk construction project along State Road 64 in Princeton.
The proposed project is located along S.R. 64 from the intersection with Brown Street to the intersection of Lake Road.
What: Public Open House for State Road 64 pavement replacement and ADA sidewalk construction project.
When: June 2, 2026, from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. (CST).
Where: Princeton Community High School, 1101 North Main Street, Princeton In. 47670.
The public is invited to learn more about the proposed project and provide feedback to INDOT. This meeting is an open house format and does not include a formal presentation.
IECC May 2026 Board Summary
The Board of Trustees of the Illinois Eastern Community College District No. 529 met Tuesday, May 19, 2026 at Lincoln Trail College, Robinson, Illinois.
Minutes of the Board of Trustees regular meeting held on April 21, 2026 and special meeting held on May 11, 2026 were approved.
The Board was presented with the results of the Spring 2026 IECC Facilities & Technology Survey that was conducted March 23 through April 4, 2026, and generated 306 responses Districtwide, including 288 facilities responses and 284 technology responses.
The Board waived a second reading and approved revisions to the following policies:
• Information Technology (IT) Remote Access Policy 200.4 with minor revisions to further define its scope and clarify expectations.
• Term Honors Policy 500.46 is a new policy that formalizes IECC’s longstanding practice of recognizing student academic achievement during the fall and spring terms.
• Guided Pathways Policy 800.14 is a new policy that establishes a formal framework for the delivery of academic programs through structured pathways at IECC.
Policy 100.44, Trustee Onboarding and Orientation, was presented to the Board for second reading and approval. The policy establishes the District’s commitment to providing a structured onboarding experience for newly elected and appointed Trustees to ensure they are well prepared to fulfill their legal, fiduciary, and ethical responsibilities and have a clear understanding of IECC’s mission, governance structure, and operational framework.
Affiliation agreements were approved by the Board with Alton Physical Therapy, InLine Physical Therapy, Union Hospital, Inc., and Crawford Memorial Hospital.
The Board approved a Memorandum of Understanding between IECC/Lincoln Trail College and the Crawford County Development Association in support of “The 618 Project”, a collaborative initiative focused on expanding community engagement, business development, and educational opportunities in Crawford County.
As part of IECC’s ongoing Equity in Athletics initiative, a districtwide intercollegiate athletics staffing model was accepted by the Board. The model establishes more consistent and sustainable staffing expectations across campuses while supporting equitable resource allocation and long-term operational planning.
The Board approved submission of IECC’s FY27 Perkins Postsecondary Grant budget to the Illinois Community College Board to support career and technical education programs across the District, with a focus on welding initiatives.
The purchase of a reality simulation system through IECC’s Postsecondary Perkins Grant to enhance training opportunities within Allied Health career and technical education programs was approved by the Board.
The Board approved a one-year renewal agreement with Ellucian for continued use of the Banner enterprise resource planning system while administration continues evaluating long-term technology and contract options for the District.
The Board authorized administration to implement a voluntary separation incentive program for eligible full-time non-bargaining unit employees as part of IECC’s ongoing organizational alignment and operational restructuring efforts.
Approval of employment was given for Kaitlyn Lasswell as English Composition/Literature Instructor, WVC effective August 12, 2026; Ben Morgan as Temporary, Non-Bargaining, Full-time Automotive Instructor, OCC effective August 12, 2026 – May 14, 2027; Will Bookhout as Welding Instructor, OCC effective August 12, 2026; Jessica Daugherty as Head Women’s Volleyball Coach & Enrollment Management Coordinator, LTC effective May 26, 2026; Douglas Green as Groundskeeper/Custodian, FCC effective May 26, 2026; Alecis Mecum as Custodian, OCC effective May 26, 2026.
Changes in status were approved for Heather Watts from Administrative Assistant to the Dean, LTC to Administrative Assistant to President/Vice Chancellor of Institutional Outreach & Dean, LTC effective May 26, 2026; Jade Montgomery from Head Softball Coach & Bookstore Manager, WVC to Head Softball Coach & Enrollment Coordinator, WVC effective July 6, 2026; and Rachel Dollahan from TRIO Upward Bound Academic Counselor, LTC to Director of Learning Commons, LTC effective May 26, 2026.
The Board approved a reduction in force for Taylor Newlin a Food Services Manager, LTC effective May 15, 2026.
Resignation ratifications were approved for Terrance McGee as Head Men’s Basketball Coach, WVC effective May 11, 2026; Quianna McGee as Coordinator of Marketing & Communications, WVC effective May 15, 2026; Brock Plassman as TRIO Upward Bound Academic Counselor, WVC effective May 9, 2026; and Caleb Kamplain as TRIO Student Support Services Academic Advisor, LTC effective June 5, 2026.
Retirement ratifications were approved for Jackie Shamhart as Administrative Assistant to the President/Vice Chancellor of Institutional Outreach, LTC effective April 30, 2026; Joe Myers as MIT Instructor effective July 1, 2026; Tracy Robinson as Coordinator of International Admissions & Compliance, WVC effective June 30, 2026; and Bobby Moyes as Information Systems Technician, WVC effective August 31, 2026.
The next regular meeting of the Board of Trustees will be Tuesday, June 16, 2026, at 6:15 p.m. at Olney Central College, Olney, IL.
ILLINOIS EASTERN COMMUNITY COLLEGES TO SUPPORT STUDENTS IMPACTED BY OAKLAND CITY UNIVERSITY UNDERGRADUATE PROGRAM SUSPENSION
Illinois Eastern Community Colleges is organizing a coordinated student support response following Oakland City University’s recent announcement that it will suspend undergraduate operations for the 2026-27 academic year.
“Our focus is on students and making sure they can continue making progress toward their academic goals,” said IECC Chancellor Ryan Gower. “Behind institutional announcements are real students and families facing uncertainty about credits, financial aid, scholarships, athletics and what comes next. As a public community college system serving this region, we believe we have a responsibility to help where we can.”
As part of that response, IECC announced plans to honor qualifying OCU academic and athletic tuition and fee scholarships for transferring students.
Under the framework currently being finalized, IECC will honor the dollar amount of qualifying OCU institutional academic and athletic scholarships as first-pay institutional aid, up to the full cost of tuition and fees at IECC.
“Our goal is to create as much continuity and stability for students and their families as possible,” Gower said. “Students should not feel like their educational momentum has to stop because of circumstances outside their control.”
IECC officials also acknowledged that a significant number of OCU students participated in intercollegiate athletics and said opportunities may exist for some student-athletes to continue competing at IECC campuses where roster space and program needs align.
“We recognize athletics are an important part of the college experience and educational pathway for many OCU students,” Gower said. “Where our coaches believe a good fit exists and NJCAA requirements can be met, we want those students to know IECC campuses may be able to provide pathways for them to continue both academically and athletically.”
In addition to scholarship support, IECC is preparing several immediate student support efforts, including:
• dedicated walk-in advising and transcript review days at Wabash Valley College for OCU students and families;
• rapid preliminary transcript evaluations and transfer guidance;
• financial aid counseling and enrollment support;
• exploration of reverse transfer opportunities where appropriate; and
• a centralized student support webpage containing resources, advising dates, contacts, enrollment guidance, scholarship information and frequently asked questions.
Chris Forde, IECC director of marketing and public information, said the institution’s goal is to provide clear and accessible information as quickly as possible.
“We understand students and families are processing a great deal of uncertainty right now,” Forde said. “Our focus is on making sure they have clear information, direct points of contact and immediate opportunities to begin planning their next steps. Additional details regarding advising events, scholarship information and student support services will continue to be shared through IECC’s website and official social media channels.”
IECC officials said additional information about advising events, scholarship support, transfer guidance and student resources will be available at iecc.edu/ocu as details are finalized.
Gower emphasized that the institution’s response is rooted in IECC’s public mission and commitment to the region.
“Community colleges exist to create access, opportunity and stability for students,” Gower said. “This is one of those moments where that mission matters deeply.”
99-year-old Veteran To Be Honored as Hometown Hero during Award Ceremony on Thursday
FAIRVIEW HEIGHTS, Ill. – in celebration of Memorial Day and our nation’s upcoming 250th birthday, the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Illinois and U.S. Attorney Steven D. Weinhoeft proudly recognize Robert “Bob” Gill, 99, from Jerseyville, as the recipient of the Hometown Hero Award.
Over the course of his 30-year military career, Gill served the United States in World War II, Korea, and Vietnam. Gill’s lifetime of extraordinary service is an inspiration to communities across Southern Illinois and throughout the nation.
Sgt. Gill will be honored at an award ceremony held at the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Illinois on Thursday, May 21, 2026 at 1:00 pm
