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Illinois experienced a cooler, drier 2022 compared to average

Illinois' 2022 weather summary has been released by the state's climatologist, which includes floods, droughts, record-breaking heat and lower tornado counts.

Effingham , Illinois , United-states , Richland , Storm-prediction-center , Little-wabash , Blog , Llinois , Op-stories ,

Headlines – Friday, December 9th

The Wayne County Board met for their regular monthly meeting Thursday evening at the Wayne County Courthouse. Fairfield Park Board President Jay Fyie and Park Board member Linda Monge addressed the board seeking funding for a portion of the cost of the proposed Splash Pad at Leo French Park. Estimated cost of the project is $750,000. The Park Board had originally filed a grant request with the County Board seeking $100,000, but at last nights meeting, both Park Board representatives stated they would certainly take whatever the board saw fit to appropriate. Board member Ronnie Windland stated that the Splash Pad would be used by 95% "City" kids, with rural families not choosing to use it. It was obvious that several board members did not agree with his assumption. In the end, the board is tabling the request for ARPA funds until it becomes clearer as to what repairs have to be made to the courthouse. the request will be addressed at a future meeting. Wayne County Farm Bureau Manager Doug Anderson presented the board with a plaque of appreciation for the board being named an Ally of Agriculture. Board Chairman Daryl Hargrave accepted the award. In board appointments: Carrie Halbert was appointed to a 1 year term on the WADI Board Bill Bruce was appointed to replace Gary Sloan on the Wayne County Health Department Board. 3 ARPA funds requests were approved by the board and it was noted that the ARPA funds currently total $1.6 million. The 3 requests approved were: Jasper Waterworks for $40,293 for a new chlorinator system and building to house the new equipment. Wayne County Ambulance Service for $11,000 as a supplemental request to the previously approved $111,000 for the purchase of a new ambulance. The additional request was required due to price increases and limited availability of new ambulances. County Clerks office for $15,300 to make the office more handicap accessible for voting. In Office Reports: County Highway Engineer Denis Seidel requested the board pass a resolution allowing Motor Fuel Tax dollars be used for his partial salary and equipment maintenance. This resolution is a yearly formality that is required by the state. Sheriff Chris Otey reported that his office is currently working with the States Attorney and Judges to examine what will happen January 1 with the implementation of the so called Safe T Act. Sheriff Otey stated that a trailer bill was signed by the governor this week, but it did little to address the concerns of Law Enforcement. Otey stated that no matter what, his Deputies would continue to make arrests and enforce all laws. County Clerk Liz Ann Woodrow reported that the recently completed election results were canvased with no issues found. She also said that local city, village, and boards were currently seeking people to run for these important offices and she urged people to get involved in these local open positions. The petition filing period is from 12/12 - 12/19. Wayne County Health Department Administrator Nicole Schoenborn and Wayne County Coroner Carrie Dagg updated the board on a booklet they have published for survivors of the death of a loved one. The booklet provides valuable resources and information to survivors. Also, a new Mental Health Class will be offered for First Responders and other individuals who could benefit from enhanced Mental Health Training. A representative from Volunteers for a Progressive Fairfield says they had a successful night on Wednesday raising money for a light display to honor slain Wayne County Deputy Sean Riley. At the Festival of Lights at Leo French Park, the family of Riley including his wife Leslie and sons along with numerous volunteers collected $3,032.11. That money will go toward the family choosing a Christmas display to honor the late law enforcement officer. Riley was gunned down by Ray Tate on December 29th of 2021. Tate was sentenced to life in prison without parole in April of this year. Andy Abell, a Harrisburg native and expert on Mideast foreign policy will be sharing insights and about his journey from Saline County to the U.S. State Department during a free presentation Friday at Southeastern Illinois College. Abell served for 30 years as an analyst and policy specialist for the state department where he helped ot shape American foreign policy in the Middle East. Later he worked the department's Ukraine desk, assisting in the formation of the American response to the Russian invasion. A graduate of Southeastern Illinois College, Abell recent retired after 30 years of diplomatic and military service. His presentation is hosted by the SIC student government and will be at 12:30 p.m., Friday, Dec. 9 in the B126 West Lecture Hall. The event is open free and open to the public, but those wishing to attend should RSVP to Matt Lees atmatt.lees@sic.eduor by calling(618) 252-5400. Viktor Bout, the convicted illegal weapons trafficker from Russia that the Biden administration swapped in exchange for WNBA player Britney Griner, was serving his time in the U.S. Penitentiary in Marion. The prisoner swap was made Thursday. Boot was sentenced to 25 years by U.S. courts in 2012. Griner was sentenced to 9 years in a Russian prison for being in possession of cannabis oil in violation of that country's laws.Illinois had the largest increase of smuggled cigarettes in the country. That's according to the Tax Foundation. Their annual report of Cigarette Taxes and Cigarette Smuggling by State showed net cigarette smuggling in Illinois increased by more than 14 percentage points in 2020. That's an estimated $200 million in lost revenue from nearly 44 million cigarettes smuggled. 2020 is the year Illinois added an additional $1 per pack tax on cigarettes. Community Church Services/Activities for the Edwards County area for Christmas Lick Prairie Christian Church will be having a Live Nativity on December 10, 5-7:30 p.m., Golf carts will be available, plus refreshments will be available. 17485 E 400 Rd, Mt. Carmel, IL. Experience "O Holy Night" Drive Thru Saturday, December 17, 5-7 p.m. at the Elm River "Brown" CP Church, 161 Extension, 3 miles west of Mt. Erie, IL. Albion Church of Christ 603 IL 15 East, Albion, IL 62806 · Sunday School, 9:30 a.m. · Morning Worship, 10:30 a.m. Albion First Baptist Church 106 South 4th Street, Albion, IL 62806 · Candlelight Service on Christmas Eve, December 24, 10:00 p.m. with Christian Cullison preaching. Open to everyone and parents are welcome to bring kids in pajamas if they want. · Sunday School, 9:00 a.m. and Morning Worship, 10:10 a.m., Christmas Day. Albion First United Methodist Church 127 E Main Street, Albion, IL 62806 · "The Most Wonderful Time of the Year" Christmas Cantata featuring the church choir, December 18, 9:00 a.m. · Christmas Eve Candlelight Service, December 24, 11:00 p.m. · Christmas Day Service, December 25, 9:00 a.m. Albion Free Methodist Church 118 South 7th Street, Albion, IL 62806 · Sunday School, 9:00 a.m. and Worship, 10:00 a.m., December 18 · Come and Go Communion, Christmas Eve, 5-7 p.m. · Come and Go Communion, Christmas Day, 9-11 a.m. Bethel United Methodist Church 568 Co Rd 2925 E, Ellery, IL 62833 · Christmas Program, December 18, 6:00 p.m. · Sunday School, 9:30 a.m. and Morning Worship, 10:30 a.m., Christmas Day Bone Gap Christian Church 325 South State Street, Bone Gap, IL 62815 · Christmas Fellowship, December 18, 6:00 p.m. · Morning Worship, Christmas Day, 9:00 a.m. Browns Chapel Church 100 N 400 E, Albion, IL 62806 · Joint services at Mt. Zion on Christmas Eve, December 24, 6:00 p.m. · Sunday School, 9:30 a.m. and Morning Worship, 10:30 a.m., Christmas Day Browns Christian Church First Street, Browns, IL 62818 · Christmas Theme Song Service, Christmas Day, 9:00 a.m. Cornerstone Fellowship Church 108 North Street, Grayville, IL 62844 · Sunday School, 9:30 a.m. · Worship Service, 10:30 a.m. Ebenezer United Methodist Church 527 Co Rd 1650 N, West Salem, IL 62476 · Christmas Program, December 18, 10:45 a.m. · Christmas Eve Service at Little Wabash with Parkersburg, December 24, 4:00 p.m. · Combined Morning Wor

United-states , Edwards-county , Illinois , Bone-gap-christian-church , Zion-united-methodist-church , West-village-christian-church , Grace-fellowship-church , Russia , Parkersburg , Ukraine , Fellowship-church , Norris-city

Headlines – Thursday, December 8th

The District V Ag Education Career Development Event was held on Tuesday, December 6th at Mt. Vernon High School. Students participating submitted a lesson plan, prior to the event, that they would teach to an Introduction to Agriculture Education class. Participants then presented a ten minute segment of their designed lesson to a room of students while the judges observed. The individuals participating were scored on their lesson plan, delivery of lesson as well as follow-up questions in addition to their provided reflection and a written test. Chloe Iles, from Edwards County FFA, participated in the competition. She received 8th place. She also competed in the Section 23 Ag Education CDE and placed in 2nd. Congratulations to Chloe! Fairfield Chamber of Commerce would like to announce the Annual Senior Citizen's Christmas Light Tour Monday, December 12 th . To nominate a home for the tour, please call the Chamber Office on or before tomorrow. Locations must be within the city limits. 1st , 2nd and 3rd place prizes will be awarded. If you have not signed up for the tour and need a ride, call the chamber office. Rides Mass Transit will be picking up participants at the Highrise, Brookstone, and Fairway Apartments, beginning at 5:00 PM. Entertainment will be provided at the conclusion of the light tour by the Roasted Chestnuts and refreshments will be served at Ellen Moore Church. A special thanks to our sponsors, Vic and Marty Both. The Illinois Commerce Commission has announced a new area code is coming to southern Illinois. The new 730 area code will "overlay" the existing 618 area code to address the depletion of prefixes available for assignment within the region. The first prefix in the new area code will not be introduced until after July 7, 2023. The 618 area code covers all or parts of 37 counties in Illinois and includes communities such as Alton, Belleville, Cairo, Carbondale, Centralia, E. St. Louis, Edwardsville and Marion. The 618 area code is one of the original, eighty-six area codes in the United States, assigned by Bell Laboratories in 1947. It has not undergone any substantive changes to its boundaries since then. A Fairfield man is behind bars facing charges of Criminal Trespass to Vehicles, Obstructing Justice/Resisting Arrest, and Aggravated Battery of a Peace Officer following an altercation Tuesday in Fairfield. 29 year old Jacob Ferranti is being held without bond in the Wayne County Jail. He was arrested in May of this year on a violation of an order of protection filed by Victoria Greer in April. Fairfield Police found him Tuesday evening and brought him into custody. Ferranti is due back in court January 5th. Governor Pritzker is signing off on a series of amendments to the controversial SAFE-T Act. The governor signed a bill that he says clarifies multiple aspects of the criminal justice reform law, which ends the cash bail system in Illinois beginning January 1st. The changes clarify court authority in controlling electronic monitoring and escape, outline specific guidelines for trespassing violations, and create a grant program to aid public defenders with increased caseloads. The number of voters using early voting and vote by mail is growing in Illinois. The State Board of Elections says 21-percent of the more than four-million votes cast in the November 8th were submitted at early-voting sites, while nearly 18-percent were cast through the mail. That is an increase from the last midterm election in 2018. The board certified the election results Monday. llinois reported 4,019 new COVID cases and 9 new deaths Wednesday. The Illinois Dept. of Public Health says "daily deaths reported on weekends and at the beginning of the week may be low" and "those deaths will be captured in subsequent days." As of Tuesday night, 1,639 patients in Illinois were reported to be in the hospital with COVID-19. Of those, 177 patients were in the ICU, and 72 patients with COVID-19 were on ventilators. Democrats are moving ahead with their plan to ban assault weapons in Illinois. They have now filed legislation in the House and are looking to move quickly on the bill. But gun rights groups are already planning legal challenges. The proposed legislation would not only ban the future sale of assault weapons, but also high capacity-magazines. Just five months after the tragic shooting at the Highland Park 4th of July Parade that killed 7 and wounded dozens more, Democrats are pushing a state-wide ban on assault weapons, like the AR-15 used in that attack. A Richland County man is behind bars after Wayne County Deputies made an arrest Tuesday. Taylor Deon Charles of Dundas was wanted on multiple warrants out of Wayne County. Charles was originally charged with Possession of a Controlled Substance and Meth Possession back in October. He's due in court on December 29th according to the warrant. Bail has been set at $10,000 or $1,000 in cash. A Wayne County Deputy found a Florida man a long way from home and driving while license suspended Tuesday in Wayne County. 31 year old Andrew Ridenour, who hails from Altamonte Springs in the Sunshine State was pulled over on Highway 15 near County Road 840 North and found to be in violation of the law. 20 year old Tanner Burgess made a plea deal in Wayne County court Tuesday afternoon. The Grayville man was arrested in early October of 2021 and charged with Obstructing Justice by way of destroying evidence, a Class A Misdemeanor. Following multiple rescheduled arraignments and pre-trials, Burgess agreed to a deal which will only levy against him a year of supervised release, but also fines and court costs totaling $1,665. Also in Wayne County Court Tuesday, 20 year old Andy Bailey pled out after failing to comply to probation on a Class 3 felony charge of Unlawful Possession of Meth. The original arrest happened back in January of 2020. Bailey was originally sentenced to a year of probation and fined. As per the new deal, Bailey will serve 2 years supervised release, allegedly in St. Clair County according to court documents. Bailey also faces no additional fines. Two local men were sentenced in White County Court yesterday to the Illinois Department of Corrections. 28 year old Levi Sork of Norris City was convicted of Residential Burglary, class 1 felony...he got 6 years. Sork's case was investigated by the Norris City Police Department. 38 year old Chance Young Fairfield was sentenced to three years for Unlawful Delivery of Methamphetamine, a class 2 felony. Young was investigated by the Southern Illinois Drug Task Force. The Second Judicial Clrcuit is pleased to announce Michael M. Strange has been sworn in as the Resident Circuit Judge of Lawrence County. Judge Strange was elected in the November general election to fill the seat vacated by the retirement of the Honorable Robert Hopkins following his 30 years of service on the bench. The official swearing-in ceremony took place Monday morning in the Lawrence County Courthouse where Judge Strange was surrounded by family, friends, and other members of the judiciary. Judge Strange formerly served as the Lawrence County States Attorney from 2016-2022, as well as, an Assistant States Attorney in the counties of Crawford, Richland, and Lawrence. A lifelong resident of Lawrence County, Judge Strange graduated Lawrenceville High School in 1999. He received his Bachelors Degree from Saint Louis University in 2003 and his Juris Doctorate Degree from Saint Louis University School of Law in 2006. Second Judicial Circuit Chief Judge Melissa Morgan stated, "l am honored to welcome Judge Strange to the judiciary. He brings with him extensive experience and a commitment to serving the people of Lawrence County. The Judges of the Second Circuit congratulate him and we look forward to serving alongside him." The Second Judicial Circuit is comprised of the counties of Crawford, Edwards, Franklin, Gallatin, Hamilton, Hardin, Jefferson, Lawrence, Richland, Wabash, Wayne, and White. The Second Judicial Circuit is honored to recognize Lawrence County Resident Circuit Judge Robert Hopkins in his recent retirem

Illinois , United-states , Highland-park , Richland-county , Edwards-county , Altamonte-springs , Florida , Wayne-county , Bonpas-creek , Clay-city , Grayville , Norris-city

Headlines – Wednesday, December 7th

The Fairfield FFA Alumni is holding the annual winter meeting on Wednesday December 7th at 5:00 pm in the Fairfield Community High School Agricultural Classroom. All past members, parents and supporters are welcome to attend. State FFA Alumni Lifetime membership is only $50 and National FFA Alumni Lifetime membership is $250. Congratulations to the December Student of the Month, Jimmy Downs! Jimmy was nominated because he is always kind to other students and respectful of his teachers. For his efforts, Jimmy receives a water bottle from Doug Raber State Farm, a gift certificate and t-shirt from Country Home Processing, a hat from SN Partners, a backpack from FFA, $20 cash from Matthes Farms, and a t-shirt from JW Equipment. An Albion woman has been cited with Failure to Reduce Speed to avoid an accident following a collision Thursday afternoon just before 4pm. According to Wayne County Sheriff's Deputies who responded to the scene, a Chevy Silverado with a trailer driven by Nina Geiling of Petersburg, Indiana was east bound on Highway 15 at the intersection with County Road 2400 East. Geiling had slowed at the intersection due to a vehicle turning at the intersection. The report indicates Brianna Dawson of Albion was driving a Chevy pickup behind the truck and trailer and allegedly due to a distraction from Dawson's child, she wasn't able to slow down in time to avoid the accident. Geiling was also cited for not having valid registration. Wayne County Deputy Jeffrey Taylor made an arrest of 43 year old Joseph Cannon of Wayne City Friday. Cannon was wanted on failure to appear warrants out of Wayne County, one for Meth Possession and the other for Theft. Bond was set at $1,095. Cannon was originally charged with Meth Possession back in September of 2020 and given probation after a series of pre-trial proceedings and a plea deal. He's due in court for a status hearing next Tuesday, December 13th. State wildlife officials suspect that bird flu killed at least 300 waterfowl recently found dead at public hunting sites across southern Illinois. The Illinois Department of Natural Resources said Tuesday the wild birds, mostly snow geese, have been found dead at Baldwin Lake, Pyramid State Recreation Area, Rend Lake and Carlyle Lake. The DNR says the wild birds are believed to have died of avian influenza. The Belleville News-Democrat reports the bird deaths come as a nationwide bird flu outbreak that's hit mostly chickens and turkeys on commercial farms has already prompted the slaughter of more than 52 million birds at farms in 46 states. Wayne County officers tracked down a Mt. Vernon, IL man that's been wanted since at least May of 2019 on Friday. 46 year old Mark Buchman was originally charged on Christmas Eve of 2018 with 2 Class 3 Felonies of Forgery. In May of 2019, Judge Molt signed the warrant seeking to bring Buchman into custody. Bail has been set at $20,000 or $2,000 cash. Norris City Police went to 106 E Cherry St to pick up Luther McPherson for a warrant on a Domestic Battery warrant. Police told him it was time for him to take care of his warrant. Two Fairfield residents are behind bars Tuesday morning following arrests made by Fairfield law enforcement. Fairfield Police nabbed 25 year old David Asher at around 9am Monday morning. He was wanted on a Wayne County warrant for Domestic Battery. Asher has been in trouble with law enforcement already this year. Back in April, an Order of Protection was granted against the Fairfield man. He was also picked up on a warrant for a Disorderly Conduct charge that dates back to 2020 in April. Online court records indicate Asher is scheduled for arraignment on that charge on December 29th. Wayne County Sheriff's Deputies arrested Marie Antoinette Milash at the Wayne County courthouse Monday afternoon. It was just after 1:30pm when officers took her into custody on the warrant for Obstruction of Justice. Court records show she was at the government building apparently filing an order of protection for stalking against a Carl Tuttle of Fairfield. Bond has been set at $500. Area river stages for today: The Little Wabash at Golden Gate is at 5.73 feet. The Little Wabash below Clay City is at 4.53 feet. The Skillet Fork at Wayne City had a reading of 5.01 feet. The Bonpas Creek at Browns reads 1.81 feet. The Little Wabash at Main Street in Carmi shows 3.66 feet. The Wabash River at Mt. Carmel is at 3 feet. Just down river, it's at 1.5 feet at New Harmony.

Illinois , United-states , Norris-city , Wayne-county , Carlyle-lake , Albion , Indiana , Fairfield-community-high-school , Rend-lake , Petersburg , Sankt-peterburg , Russia

Headlines – December 6, 2022

At the Illinois Farm Bureau Annual Meeting held in Chicago, two local county Farm Bureaus were recognized with the prestigious Pinnacle Award for excellence in programming and services to their members. The Edwards County Farm Bureau was recognized with the award for Membership Group 1 and the Wayne County Farm Bureau was recognized in Membership Group 2. The Pinnacle Award is presented to the top county Farm Bureau in each membership group for their outstanding programming activities. It is the highest-level award given by the organization and recognizes overall program excellence, planning, and implementation, as they relate to the county Farm Bureau's goals and priorities. The Wayne County Farm Bureau was also recognized with the Liberty Bell Award for exceptional advocacy at the local, state, and national legislative levels. In addition, the White County Farm Bureau was awarded the Liberty Bell for Membership Group 1. The Illinois Farm Bureau has five membership groups based on county Farm Bureau membership size. The Albion City Council met Monday night...with the report, here's Mark Curtis The number of counties in Illinois with elevated levels of COVID-19 cases is on the rise. The Illinois Department of Public Health reported Friday that there were 63 counties in the state at an elevated Community Level for the virus as of November 18th. That is up from 46 counties the previous week. State Representative Adam Niemerg (R-Dieterich) has issued a stinging rebuke of Illinois Democrats' latest attempt to take away law-abiding citizens' Second Amendment rights. Niemerg says he believes the bill is a direct affront to the rights afforded citizens of the United States to protect themselves, their families, and their property. He says this is a straight up gun and ammunition grab. The bill contains several provisions that would make law-abiding citizens currently in possession of semi-automatic hand guns, rifles, and shotguns and magazines that hold more than ten rounds into criminals. Niemerg says a hearing of the House Judiciary Criminal Law Committee had previously been scheduled and canceled. Illinois lawmakers last week passed significant legislation dealing with electric vehicle manufacturing incentives and the availability of hygiene products for prisoners in the state's correctional system. But some weightier issues, including a possible assault weapons ban, will wait until a lame duck session scheduled for early January. Last week, lawmakers wrapped up a five-day fall veto session that focused mainly on changes to the SAFE-T Act criminal justice reform package first adopted in 2021 and a $1.8 billion infusion of cash into the state's Unemployment Insurance Trust Fund. But several other bills passed as well, including an expansion of tax credits and other incentives aimed at promoting electric vehicle manufacturing in Illinois. Last year, lawmakers passed the Reimagining Electric Vehicles in Illinois Act, or REV Illinois, that provided tax incentives for electric vehicle manufacturers, or companies that manufacture certain component parts for electric vehicles, to locate or expand in Illinois. Under that program, companies receiving the breaks could receive a state income tax credit of 75-100 percent of payroll taxes withheld from each new employee and 25-50 percent for retained employees. Lake Land Community college has a new volleyball player from Fairfield. Lexi Cline from the Mules volleyball team has singed with the Lakers. The signing had the whole volleyball team there, her parents and her closest friends! The Mules volleyball team was one for the ages setting a bunch of school records. The team went 33-6 (2nd most wins in Mules volleyball history) BDC champs for the 5th straight time, and regional champions. All of us here at WFIW are wishing Lexi good luck next year at Lake Land! Illinois football is set to face Mississippi State in the 2023 ReliaQuest Bowl. The game will be played January 2nd at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida. The Illini is playing in its 20th bowl game in program history. Illinois finished 8-and-4 overall and 5-and-4 in the Big Ten. Taking a look at US Geological Survey River Stages from the area: The Little Wabash at Golden Gate sat at 5.79 feet Tuesday morning. The Little Wabash below Clay City is at 4.61 feet. The Skillet Fork at Wayne City had a reading of 5.01 feet. The Bonpas Creek at Browns reads 1.43 feet. The Little Wabash at Main Street in Carmi is at 3.63 feet. The Wabash River at Mt. Carmel sits at 3.08 feet.

United-states , Raymond-james-stadium , Florida , Edwards-county , Illinois , Lake-land , Mississippi , Albion , Wayne-county , Bonpas-creek , Clay-city , Chicago

Headlines – Friday, December 2nd

A 37 year old Sims woman pled out before Judge Molt in Wayne County Court Thursday. Carolyn Hatcher was originally arrested on a Class 3 Felony charge of Unlawful Possession of Meth back in February of this year. As per her plea deal, in exchange for her guilty admission, prosecutor Kevin Kakac dismissed a charge of Driving on a Suspended License Hatcher incurred while out on bail in August of this year. For her crime, Hatcher received only 2 years of probation. According to court documents, Hatcher was originally expected to pay upwards of $4,600 in fines and court costs. After being credited $400 for bond and 20 days at $30 per day worth of time served, plus a waiver of $2,215 court assessment, Hatcher will owe $1,400 in fines and court costs. Another day, another deer collision in Wayne County. The latest occurred around 6pm Wednesday night on Illinois 15 near County Road 800 East according to the Wayne County Sheriff's Office. 48 year old Sara Wright of Rinard struck the animal while traveling east on the highway. Wright's Dodge had to be towed from the scene with extensive damage. Luckily, Wright was able to walk away uninjured. 25 year old Jon Ausbrook of Fairfield is behind bars in the Wayne County Jail following his arrest by Fairfield Police Wednesday morning. According to the report, Ausbrook is being held without bond and facing charges of Domestic Battery. Online court records have yet to be updated with Ausbrook's upcoming court date. Wayne County Sheriff's Deputies have arrested 32 year old Ashley Nicole Jolly of Fairfield. Jolly was wanted on a Franklin County Failure to Appear warrant. Jolly has already been arrested twice before this year in Wayne County on meth charges and is due in court on December 27th according to court records. Bond out of Franklin County has been set at $575. Wayne County bond has been set at $1,020. Hal Bryant has been chosen to be the parade marshal for the annual Fairfield Kiwanis Christmas Parade on Saturday, December 3, 2022 at 5pm. Hal and Deb Bryant's miniature horses have been a part of the Christmas parade for over 30 years. Hal is the retired building trades teacher at Fairfield Community High School after 27 years of teaching.Fairfield Kiwanis Club has sponsored the Christmas parade for many years. After all of the years of providing the lighted parade for the community, they will be handing over the parade to the Wayne County Chamber of Commerce next year. Chamber members have been shadowing the parade workers this year to continue this tradition.Lineup will be on Saturday before 4:30 pm for pictures of the entries. The parade will be announced on WFIW from the gazebo on the square. The McLeansboro Kiwanis Club will be judging the parade again from Johnson and Vaughan Funeral Home. The winners will be announced after the parade on the Fairfield Illinois Kiwanis Club Facebook page. The Illinois Student Assistance Commission's State Scholar program recognizes Illinois high school students for superior academic achievement. Illinois State Scholars represent approximately the top ten percent of high school seniors. Honorees are chosen based on SAT test scores and class rank at the end of the junior year of high school. The Commission is pleased to announce that the following Cisne High School student has been named as a 2022-2023 Illinois State Scholar: Avery Smith, daughter of Sonny & Tonya Smith. The Blue Point Church, west and north of Cisne, is having a Seniors Grocery Giveaway on Tuesday, December 6th from 10am - noon. Bags of groceries are available for free to those age 60 and over. There are no financial restrictions. You're asked to come to the east door of the church Tuesday morning. The Blue Point Church is at 1147 County Road 1975N, west of Cisne and north off county highway 25. For more information, contact Pastor Ernie Lewis at 618-838-6708. Illinois lawmakers are signing off on changes to the controversial SAFE-T Act. The Democratic-controlled Illinois General Assembly yesterday approved a series of changes to the criminal justice reform law before some key provisions were set to take effect in January, including a controversial measure to eliminate cash bail. The new proposal expands the list of crimes in which someone can be denied pretrial release, now including arson, second-degree murder and kidnapping. The amended bill now heads to Governor Pritzker's desk for his signature. Local representatives including Adam Niemerg, Dave Severin, and Patrick Windhorst along with State Senator Darren Bailey all sounded off against the legislation. Representative Patrick Windhorst had this to say... Senator Bailey said the passage of the trailer bill further solidifies the democratic party's out of touch policies and politics. Illinois House Democrats are proposing a ban on assault weapons and high-capacity ammunition magazines. Lawmakers also want to take away the ability for most people under 21 to obtain a gun permit in the state. The legislation was filed in response to the deadly mass shooting at the Fourth of July parade in Highland Park. The suspected shooter was using an assault-style rifle and high capacity magazines. The State of Illinois is being awarded 86-million-dollars in federal funding to strengthen the state's public health workforce and infrastructure. The funding from the CDC will support efforts to recruit, retain, and train the public health workforce. The grant will also support efforts by the Illinois Department of Public Health and its local health department partners to promote and protect health and address health disparities in communities throughout Illinois. US Geological Survey River Stages for Friday morning: The Little Wabash River at Golden Gate sat at 5.61 feet. The Little Wabash below Clay City is at 5.22 feet. The Skillet Fork at Wayne City had a reading of 5.14 feet. The Bonpas Creek at Browns reads 1.56 feet The Little Wabash at Main Street in Carmi shows 3.61 feet. The Wabash River at Mt. Carmel currently sits at 2.98 feet, rising to 3.2 feet by tomorrow morning. Most river levels in our region are nearly 2 feet lower than the same time last year.

Franklin-county , Illinois , United-states , State-of-illinois , Fairfield-community-high-school , Wayne-county , Bonpas-creek , Clay-city , Cisne-high-school , Mcleansboro , Highland-park , Darren-bailey

Headlines – Thursday, December 1st

Wayne County Sheriff's Deputies responded to a deer collision early Tuesday morning near County Road 1549 North. They say the 2015 Chevy Silverado driven by 62 year old Jerry Brock of Fairfield had to be towed from the scene following the accident. More than $1,500 in damages are estimated. Rinard resident Cody R. McKinney pled guilty in Wayne County court Tuesday. McKinney pled out to a charge of Possession of Less than 5 Grams of Meth. Charges of Driving on a Suspended License and Operating an Uninsured Motor Vehicle were dismissed as per the plea deal. He was given a year of probation and sentenced to 58 days behind bars which he'll be serving concurrently with a sentence handed down out of Clay County. Additionally, McKinney will be expected to pay $2,635 in fines and court costs. The original arrest in Wayne County happened back in February. McKinney is expected to report to jail on January 16th. The family of slain Wayne County Deputy Sean Riley will be given the honor of lighting the official Christmas Tree on the courthouse square prior to this Saturday's Christmas parade in Fairfield. The lighting is set to take place at 4:45pm. The Riley family, along with the Wayne County Sheriff's Department will also be collecting donations at the Festival of Lights in Leo French Park next Wednesday, December 7th. Those funds will go towards purchasing a featured display for the Festival of Lights. This Sunday, the Benevolent and Protective Order of the Elks Lodge of Fairfield will be holding it's annual Memorial Service for Elks and their families. The service is planned to honor members that have passed over the last year. Members to be memorialized include Ernest Eastin, Max Tipps, Ann Robinson, Charles Preston Matthews, Larry L. Jones, and former Mayor and WFIW/WOKZ Manager Mike Dreith. The speaker for the memorial service will be Past Exalted Ruler for the Elks, Mr. L. Bryan Williams. Family and Friends are welcome to attend. Principal Eric Lingafelther of Wayne City and Edwards County High School Principal Dale Schmittler are pleased to announce their students who have been named Illinois State Scholars. From Wayne City: Trevor Bailey, son of Chris and Shelly Bailey of Wayne City Madeline Boyd, daughter of Heath and Misty Boyd of Wayne City Jovi Horton, daughter of Joel and Cyndi Horton of Keenes From Edwards County: Brooklyn Metcalf, Kassidi Metcalf, Cage Metcalf, Isabel Shepherd, and Ali Barnes. These top scholars rank in the top 10% of Illinois High School students and were selected based on their rank as first in their class, having a perfect 4.0 GPA combined with impressive ACT and/or SAT scores. Albion Grade School held their annual Spelling Bee Wednesday. This year's winners include Hudson Green for Grades 3rd – 5th and JD Harrison representing the best of the best in Grades 6th – 8th. Changes to the SAFE-T Act's no-cash bail provision set to take effect Jan. 1 have been filed and Illinois state lawmakers are aiming to get it across the finish line on the final day of veto session Thursday. The measure was passed in early January 2021 along with other provisions of the SAFE-T Act. While there have been several trailer bills since then, concerns have been raised about conflicting language leading to its implementation as well as what crimes are and are not eligible for pretrial release. Dozens of state's attorneys and sheriffs across the state have sued to block the law's implementation. That case is to be heard next week in Kankakee County. State Sen. Scott Bennett, D-Champaign, filed his own changes weeks ago, but supporters of the original act opposed them. Bennett is now a cosponsor with Sen. Robert Peters, D-Chicago, of a 300-page Senate amendment to House Bill 1095 with changes he says will address concerns. "What we're trying to do is talk to the people, public defenders and state's attorneys and judges who actually will be dealing after Jan. 1 with the in-courthouse portion of this bill and making sure that the bill's got the specifics in here that help them do what they need to do to implement the bill," Bennett told The Center Square. Among the changes, pretrial release can be denied for defendants charged with first and second degree murder, sexual assault of a child, robbery, home invasion, kidnapping and other severe crimes. Changes also make clear that pretrial release can be denied in cases of real and present threats to any persons, instead of just a single specific person, or the community. Release conditions can also include a review of prior criminal history of violence, abusive behavior and more, including a "regularly validated risk assessment tool to aid its determination of appropriate conditions of release." The amendment also addresses individuals who have been released pretrial who fail to show up for a court hearing. Added is, "If the person summoned fails to appear by the date required or cannot be located to serve the summons, a warrant may be issued by the court for the arrest of the person complained against." The amendment also allows revocation of pretrial release for a felony or Class A misdemeanor if the defendant is charged with a crime that occurred during the defendant's pretrial release. If a defendant is released awaiting trial for a petty or business offense or ordinance violation and is subsequently charged with a felony during pretrial release, such conditions may not be revoked, but the court "may impose sanctions." One new element regarding the release of arrest reports to the media, the amendment leaves intact the identifying information of a defendant like name, age, address and photograph and information on charges upon arrest. But, it removes language allowing the furnishing of "the conditions of pretrial release." "The argument is there's certain information that we want to make available to defense counsel, but then the initial privacy issues of people who have not been convicted of a crime yet and so we have to balance those two issues of privacy and that they can defend themselves at that hearing," Bennett said. The measure will be heard in a Senate committee Thursday morning. If passed there and then by the full Senate, the House would need to take it up before it can be sent to the governor. The final day of scheduled session is Thursday. Bennett hopes the measure quells opposition heading into implementation in just weeks. "And we just keep whittling down what started as a lot of issues to language that everyone gets something they want, but nobody gets everything they want," Bennett said. State Sen. Jason Plummer, R-Edwardsville, said the process feels rushed and that's not good for transparency or public safety. "Who knows if it will address the issues that are in question in the court case. I hope we find out soon," Plummer told The Center Square. "But, this is really consequential legislation. We're not talking about a random $25 fee here. This is going to impact people's lives and legislators need to take it more seriously." The Old State Capitol in Springfield will always be associated with former President Barack Obama. Governor Pritzker and others gathered yesterday to dedicate a historical marker on the grounds of the Old State Capitol to Obama's 2007 and 2008 presidential campaign announcements. Obama was a U.S. Senator when he announced his bid for presidency from the Old State Capitol in 2007. Eighteen months later, he returned to announce that U.S. Senator Joe Biden of Delaware would be his running mate. Barack Obama was elected the nation's 44th president on November 4th, 2008. The Illinois House voted unanimously Wednesday to withdraw state investments in Russia to protest the country's invasion of Ukraine. The legislation requires divestment of money in Russian banks and companies and prohibits future investments. The bill would also welcome Ukrainian refugees to Illinois and develop a way for detecting Russian money laundering in real estate. The bill now goes to t

Center-square , Indiana , United-states , Edwards-county , Illinois , Clay-county , Delaware , Wayne-county , Albion-grade-school , Bonpas-creek , Russia , Hampaign

Headlines for Wednesday November 30th

Crimestoppers is offering a reward for the person or persons who entered a construction trailer on I 64 a lock was cut iff and taken from the trailer concrete chop saw, echo generator, predator generator, still backpack blower, and the security camera call or text crimestoppers at 618 842 9777. The family of Wayne County Deputy Sean Riley will be in charge of lighting the official Christmas tree on the courthouse square prior to Saturday's Christmas Parade in Fairfield. The lighting will take place at 4:45 p.m. The Riley family, along with the Wayne County Sheriff's Department will also be collecting donations at the Festival of Lights in Leo French Park on December 7, in honor of Riley. The money that is raised will be used to select a display for the Festival of Light to honor Deputy Riley. Save the Date! On December 14th from 5-7 pm the Wayne County Chamber of Commerce is hosting a Chamber Mixer sponsored by CSI Insurance who will be celebrating 70 years of serving Fairfield and the surrounding communities. The location of the mixer will be in Bryan and Barbara Williams home! For the address call the chamber office at 618-842-6116. Growls and Meows Veterinary Clinic will be hosting a Ribbon Cutting and Grand opening this Saturday December the 3rd at 9am. The Veterinary Clinic is located at 101 Railroad in Cisne. This is a public event plan to attend and help the community congratulate Growls and Meows Veterinary Clinic on their new Cisne facility. Wayne County Sherrifs reported a crash on 11-27 around 6:30pm. Monty D Ewing age 39 of Fairfield was Northbound on County Road 1225 East and North of 675 North in a 2016 Chevy 1500 when a deer ran into the roadway causing Ewing to strike the deer. There was over $1,500 in damages to the front of the vehicle. The US District Court in Fairview Heights ordered the forfeiture of nearly a quarter of a million dollars in cash seized from a Fairfield man arrested for being in possession of a large amount of counterfeit goods. Trevor J. Edwards, 21, was arrested earlier this month on a petition to revoke his bond on multiple federal charges related to the trafficking in counterfeit goods including cell phone cases. In an administrative forfeiture notice, the Court ordered the government's seizure of $241,000 in cash, 836 counterfeit designer cellular telephone cases and Edwards' 2014 GMC Sierra pickup truck. In the original criminal information filed in the case, Edwards is accused of attempting to import for sale, a shipment of 500 counterfeit cell phone cases. The shipment from Hong Kong was bound for Edwards at a West Main Street address in Fairfield. After seizing the shipment, Customs and Border Protection agents sent a return receipt to Edwards by certified mail, notifying Edwards that the goods were counterfeit and that importing the goods violated Federal law. Edwards, officials stated, read the return receipt, accepted delivery and placed the goods in a storage building where it was later recovered. Investigators also allege that Edwards transported 336 counterfeit designer cell phones through Washington County, Illinois with the intent to sell them. Those had a retail value of more than $101,000. At the time of the seizure, Edwards also had $241,000 in cash with him in his vehicle stuffed inside DeWalt tool bags plus 2,909 THC vape pens and cartridges from various brands. Edwards remains in custody of the US Marshals Service pending further court appearances in US District Court in Benton. Flora Police Chief Guye Durre released the following activity report on Monday. On Sunday, November 23, at 8:47 am, Flora Police investigated a traffic crash involving Thomas L. Harmon, 70 of Flora driving a 2015 Ford and the parked 2017 Toyota belonging to Christy Beachy in the 900 Block of West North Avenue. No injuries were reported, and no citations were issued. On Wednesday, November 23, at 11:59 am, Flora Police investigated a traffic crash involving Rick L. Opell, 63 of Flora driving a 2004 Ford and Kelly L. Colclasure, 31 of Flora driving a 2011 Ford at the intersection of East North Avenue and Stanford Road. Opell and Colclasure were taken to Clay County Hospital. No citations were issued. On Wednesday, November 23, at 10:20 pm, Flora Police investigated a single vehicle traffic crash involving James D. Komo, 54 of Union, MO near the intersection of Highway 50 and North Stanford Road. No injuries were reported, and no citations were issued. On Thursday, November 24, at 7:18 am, Flora Police arrested Shawna L. Matchett, 44 of Flora for Driving While License Revoked following a traffic stop at the intersection of West 12th Street and East Clan Street. On Friday, November 25, at 10:37 am, Flora Police issued Jaeven A. Schofield, 21 of Flora citations for No Valid Driver's License, Squealing/Screeching Tires, and Operating Uninsured Motor Vehicle following a traffic stop at the intersection of Austin Avenue and East Drive. On Friday, November 25, at 9:17 pm, Flora Police arrested Nicole L. Keller, 31 of Flora for Driving While License Suspended, an outstanding Wayne County Warrant, and two outstanding Effingham County Warrants following a traffic stop in the 500 Block of East 3rd Street. Keller was transported to the Flora Police Department where she underwent booking procedures and issued a citation for the above offense. She was released with Notices to Appear. All persons are merely accused of the charges against them and are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law. The Illinois Department of Public Health reported 1,068 new confirmed and probable cases of coronavirus disease in Illinois overnight, including 14 additional deaths since Thursday. There were 95 new cases reported in our area over the holiday weekend, including 13 new cases in Clay County. Since last Monday there have been 20 New cases of Coronavirus diagnosed in Clay County and 1 death. Since Wednesday there have been 26 new cases reported in Effingham County, 16 in Marion, 14 in Richland, 13 in Clay, 9 in Fayette and Wayne, and 8 in Jasper County. Currently, IDPH is reporting a total of 3,869,181 cases, including 35,437 deaths. As of Sunday night, 1,317 individuals in Illinois were reported to be in the hospital with COVID-19. Of those, 139 patients were in the ICU and 41 patients were on ventilators. A total of 25,323,692 vaccines have been administered in Illinois as of Sunday night. The seven-day rolling average of vaccines administered daily is 14,173 doses. Since Wednesday 55,799 doses were reportedly administered in Illinois. The Little Wabash at Golden Gate sat at 5.41ft (flood stage 17ft). The Little Wabash below Clay City is at 4.57ft (flood stage 18ft). The Skillet Fork at Wayne City had a reading of 5.27 (flood stage 15ft). And elsewhere in the region, Bonpas Creek at Browns reads 1.62ft , The Little Wabash at Main St. in Carmi shows 2.61ft , and the Wabash River at Mt. Carmel currently sits at 2.87ft Today's Crude Oil price is $71.20 up $.96 The January Crude Oil price is $79.96

Illinois , United-states , Clay-county , Hong-kong , Clay-county-hospital , Fairview-heights , Washington , Wayne-county , Bonpas-creek , Clay-city , Effingham-county , Jasper-county

Headlines for Tuesday, November 29th

Fairfield Memorial Hospital honors an employee each month who has been nominated by their peers for providing extraordinary patient care and customer services within and outside of the Hospital. Angela Bruns, who works as a Patient Access Specialist in the Urgent Care Department at Fairfield Memorial Hospital, was selected as the November 2022 Employee of the Month. Angela has been with Fairfield Memorial Hospital since August of 2021. Angela strives for excellence in customer service and is a role model for displaying credo behaviors set forth as a Fairfield Memorial Hospital standard. "Angela is highly skilled in all phases of her position as a patient access specialist. She is highly efficient in her role by registering appointments, labs and radiology tests. While also verifying insurance, demographics and healthcare needs. She greets each patient with a warm welcome and makes them want to keep coming back to utilize the Urgent Care Services. Fairfield Memorial is fortunate to have this employee on our team as the first face the patients see when they present to the Urgent Care window." commented Hollie Barrett RN BSN, Director of Physician Practices. "Angela strives for accuracy in her work and maintains high quality customer service at all times. Urgent Care can be a stressful time for patients who are visiting due to the need for an urgent medical visit and we are fortunate to have someone who greets everyone with compassion and patience. She makes the patients feel more at ease and encourages the staff with her positivity. We are proud to announce Angela Bruns as Fairfield Memorial Hospital's November Employee of the Month." stated FMH CEO Katherine Bunting-Williams. On Sunday, December 4th at 2 pm, the Benevolent (BUH NELLA VENT) and Protective Order of Elks Lodge #1631 of Fairfield will conduct its annual Memorial Service for Elks and their families. This service is so that we may gather to remember our Members that have passed during the previous year. (Dec 6 2021-Dec 4 2022). Member's to be memorialized: Ernest Eastin, Max Tipps, Ann Robinson, Michael Dreith, Charles Preston Mathews, Larry L Jones The special speaker for this Memorial Service will be Past Exalted Ruler L. Bryan Williams. We invite all family and friends to attend this service. Police were called to a single vehicle accident in downtown albion on Monday. A motorist suffered a medical emergency on their way to work lost control and crashed into the former Chinese restaurant in downtown. No injuries were reported the front facade at the restaurant suffered considerable damage The Senior Life Solutions Department is sponsoring an Antique Christmas Angel Tree for older adults throughout the community who are in need or do not have any family nearby. Each ornament on the Antique Christmas Angel Tree has the name of an older adult, along with items they desire or need. Simple things like a warm blanket or socks can warm their hearts, minds, and bodies during this holiday season. Starting Tuesday, November 1st, anyone who would like to sponsor an "antique angel" can choose an ornament from the Antique Christmas Angel Tree by contacting the Senior Life Solutions Department at 618-847-8298. Once you are ready to return your gift, please call FMH Senior Life Solutions at 618-847-8298 or Mary Knight in Administration at 618-847-8243 to arrange for the drop off of your gift. Gifts need to be by Tuesday, November 29th and they do not have to be wrapped. "The Christmas spirit comes alive whenever our staff show up at their door to deliver their gifts. Seeing the smiles, and sometimes tears, on their faces is heartwarming and reminds how great it feels to be able to give to those in need in our community. It truly is an indescribable feeling. This is our sixth year to host this program and we love being a part of it! We appreciate all of the support that our staff and community gives to help make this program a success." commented FMH CEO Katherine Bunting-Williams. Wayne City Matters will be holding a Holiday Light Competition. The competition will be held on December 10th and the registration deadline is December 2nd. There is a $100 Cash Prize and it will be given to the best decorated residence and business the home and or business must be inside city limits. To registration call or text Leigh Dickey at 618-231-1988 or email her at leighdicket61895@gmail.com. Wayne City Matters will be holding their 6th annual Hometown Christmas Parade December 10th at 7p.m. The Parade Marshall will be Sandy Baker, and the National Anthem will be sung by Kristen Musgrave. Here are the Parade winner categories: 1st, 2nd & 3rd place – Best School Group, Best Float with kids, Best walking group float, best atv or side by side entry. There will be some fun activities with the kids before the parade at the community building starting at 5pm. There will be free hot chocolate & cookies from church of the harvest, meet & greet with Santa & Disney Princesses, Petting Zoo, Cooking decorating by FCCLA, Free Hot Dogs & Chips from yellow rose smokehouse as well as food available to purchase. It is not to late to sign up, call Angie at 618-599-4522. Wayne County Chamber of Commerce would like to announce the Annual Senior Citizen's Christmas Light Tour Monday, December 12th. A light meal will be served at Ellen Moore Church following the light tour. A performance by the Roasted Chestnuts will also get underway around 6:00 PM. Rides Mass Transit will provide transportation for seniors 55 and up. To get on the list please sign up at Fairfield Apartments, Brookstone, The Fairfield Highrise, or Fairway Apartments. Pick up at these locations will be at 5:00 on Monday, December 12. To nominate a home for the tour, please call the Chamber Office at 842-6116 on or before Thursday, December 8th. Locations must be within the city limits. 1st, 2nd & 3rd place prizes will be awarded The Little Wabash at Golden Gate sat at 5.40ft (flood stage 17ft). The Little Wabash below Clay City is at 4.56ft (flood stage 18ft). The Skillet Fork at Wayne City had a reading of 5.33 (flood stage 15ft). And elsewhere in the region, Bonpas Creek at Browns reads 1.70ft , The Little Wabash at Main St. in Carmi shows 2.52ft , and the Wabash River at Mt. Carmel currently sits at 2.79ft Today's Crude Oil Price is $70.24.

China , Chinese , L-bryan-williams , Larryl-jones , Mary-knight , Max-tipps , Michael-dreith , Kristen-musgrave , Ernest-eastin , Katherine-bunting-williams , Ann-robinson , Leigh-dickey

Headlines for Monday, November 28th

Hunters weren't the only ones bagging bucks over the last week. The Wayne County Sheriff's Office fielded four collisions dating back to November 22nd, three of them occurring then with the other happening Sunday. Last Tuesday, Claire Bushur of Teutoplis hit a deer in her Toytal Corolla just before 5:30pm in the Mt. Erie area. Not half an hour later, Syanne Schnepper of Louisville clocked a coyote in Bedford Township near County Road 2050 North. Later Tuesday evening, Sheila Mattot of Geff made impact with a deer on Highway 45 near County Road 1150 North. That accident happened just before 10pm. Sunday night at 6pm, Sheriff's authorities were called about a deer collision in Jasper Township from Nicholas Easton. At least $500 damage was reported in all of the accidents and all the deer collisions resulted in estimated repairs that will run north of $1,500. No human injuries were reported. State Police have arrested 18 year old Anthony Vasoli and booked him in the Wayne County Jail. The teenager, now with an address of Newburgh, Indiana, has been arrested multiple times and on a laundry list of charges this year. Most recently, he was arrested on August 5th with 8 counts ranging from Aggravated DUI to Reckless Driving and Operating an Uninsured Motor Vehicle. He'll be due in court again on December 22nd. Bond has been set at $750 plus booking fees. The warrant specifically names the charges of Driving while License Revoked, Reckless Driving, Operating and Uninsured Motor Vehicle, and Operating a Motor Vehicle while Using an Electronic Communication Device. Four have been sentenced in Wayne County court. 26-year-old Jordan Cottrill of Olney will serve 2 years probation along with community service, a fine, and restitution to his victim after agreeing to a plea deal for a Class 2 felony of Burglary. Cottrill was originally charged back in August of 2021 after burglarizing Kathy Black of rural Fairfield. As per his plea deal, 9 counts, eight of them traffic violations and also a charge of possession of meth were all dismissed. Along with his 2 years on probation, Cottrill will be expected to pay Black $500 and a fine of $1,000 plus court costs. 25-year-old Jonathan E. Collins will also spend the next 24 months on probation following a plea deal in Wayne County court. Collins, of Cisne, pled guilty to a charge of Unlawful Possession of Cannabis in return for counts I and II for possession production/manufacturing equipment and manufacturing with the intent to deliver being dismissed. Collins also has a fine of $2,000 plus court costs he'll be responsible for paying. In a case that dates back to January of 2020, Brandon Taylor of Fairfield has been sentenced to 2 years of probation. He was facing 8 counts including charges of possession of a firearm with a revoked FOID card, possession of wild game not taken legally. All of those charges were dismissed as per his plea; the only charge that ended up sticking was a possession of controlled substance in the form of cocaine. As per the plea deal, Taylor will serve 2 years probation, a fine of $1,000 plus court costs. He'll also be expected to pay $5,000 to the Illinois Department of Natural Resources and additionally, had his 12 gauge Benelli shotgun as well as Remington ammunition seized and forfeited. 19-year-old Kreed Bumpus of Fairfield will also serve 2 years probation following his plea deal in Wayne County court. As per his plea deal, Bumpus will also serve community service and be expected to pay a $1,500 fine. Of the 3 charges, Bumpus will only have the Unlawful Possession with intent to deliver cannabis ticket stick to his record. Charges for Possession of Cannabis, Possession of a Firearm without a valid FOID card, and Illegal Possession of Ammunition were all dropped per the agreement. The most recent Clemence Elizabeth Cox Scholarships have been awarded to six deserving young women enrolled in their second year of the nursing program at Frontier Community College. Applicants must show achievement in academics, but also a qualifying financial need. Students were recognized on Monday, November 14th in the newly rededicated Cox Hall on the campus of Frontier Community College. Since 2009, through Jerry's generosity his dedication to the education of nurses in our community has resulted in awarding over 70 scholarships to nursing students in their second year at Frontier. His gifts to the Foundation ensure that students will benefit from his generosity for many years to come. It is his hope that local students will attend Frontier and find employment in our community in the health care field. If you would like more information on the Frontier Community College and the establishment of endowments, please contact Sarah Rush or Kent Reeves. Pictured below from left to right: Tiarra Sharp, Flora, Madison Beckham, Flora, Alisha Best, Fairfield, Rebecca Owens, Bluford, Maria Farmer, Flora and Aquoya Cantley, Mt.Vernon The latest numbers out from the Illinois Department of Employment Security shows Wayne County with the lowest unemployment rate the county has had all year. The just released October numbers show Wayne County at 3.7%. Statistics show that of the eligible 7,029 members of the labor force, 6,772 are employed. That 3.7% is pretty flat with 2021 when the rate was at 3.6%. For what the IDES considers the Olney/Mt. Carmel area which includes Edwards, Lawrence, Richland, Wabash, and Wayne Counties, officials say total non-farm employment increased by 275 people compared to October of 2021. Gains were seen specifically in government, Natural Resources and Mining, Leisure and Hospitality, and Financial sectors. Elsewhere in the region, Wabash County is reported to have a 3.3% unemployment rate; Edwards County is at 4.1%; White County is at 3.9%; Hamilton County is at 3.1%. A long time Albion chiropractor, Dr. Lawrence Speir will be joining Wabash General Hospital in January. Top brass at the medical facility tells us Dr. Speir will temporarily work at the Wabash General Orthopaedic Department in Mt. Carmel on Mondays and Thursdays as well as every other Friday. Additionally, Speir will work out of the Albion Medical Clinic on Wednesdays and every other Friday. Speir says he's excited to join Wabash General and continue serving the community as he has for the last 18 years. Dr. Speir resides in Edwards County with wife Holly and son Sam who currently attends USI in Evansville. To schedule an appointment with Dr. Speir, contact 445 – 8170. Hunters in Illinois harvested a preliminary total of 52,354 deer during the first weekend of the Illinois firearm deer season Nov. 18-20. That is compared to nearly 49,000 deer during the first firearm weekend in 2021. The top three counties for deer harvest were Randolph, Jackson and Adams counties. Illinois' seven-day firearm deer season will conclude Dec. 1-4. Other deer hunting opportunities in the weeks ahead include muzzleloader-only deer season Dec. 9-11, and archery deer season, which continues through Jan. 15. Secretary of State Police will be conducting parking stings at shopping malls statewide throughout the holiday season and ticketing individuals who illegally park in spaces reserved for persons with disabilities. They will be enforcing the provisions of the Parking Program for Persons with Disabilities at shopping centers through the end of December. Drivers caught misusing a placard face a six-month driver's license suspension and a $600 fine. Farmers borrow short term money up front every year to pay for inputs and operating expenses. At harvest time when they sell their crops, they pay back their operating notes. For the first time in 20 years, fast-rising interest rates have doubled the cost of short term operating notes, an impact a lot of farmers have never seen before. "Farmers who are 40 or 50 years old have run cash flows and budget numbers for years, but they have never experienced the interest rate shock we have now," said Brad Zwilling, vice president for data analysis with Illinois Farm Business Farm Management. "Those are the rates that have gone way up. Those

Edwards-county , Illinois , United-states , Albion , Frontier-community-college , Wayne-county , Hamilton-county , Bonpas-creek , Clay-city , Richland , Cox-hall , Olney-mt