Kathy Cummins, left, who has been employed at the Saline County Clerk’s office for 15 years, and Julie Dunn, right, who has been employed there for almost 28 years, were fired from their jobs on April 4 due to some contrived “reasons” as devised by outgoing county clerk Kim Buchanan, which action caused a firestorm on April 5 at the courthouse, and at a meeting held to deal with the matter.

SALINE CO. – As predicted even prior to the March Primary Election, things are going from bad to worse with the office of one individual who is now a lame duck in Saline County.

That’d be County Clerk Kim Buchanan, who lost her bid to retain the office for a third term in the March 20 Primary to challenger, county board member Roger Craig.

Buchanan stepped in it and squished it up betwixt her toes when, on April 5, she fired two long-time employees from her office, Kathy Cummins, who has held her job at the clerk’s office for 15 years; and Julie Dunn, who’s been employed at the office for almost 28 years.

Dunn, it might be noted, is the Democrat challenger for the office of County Clerk, and will be facing Republican Craig in the November election.

The two were the senior-most employees at the office, but in the past year and a half or so, their responsibilities have been diminished by Buchanan, who took those responsibilities from the women who knew best how to run things in the office, and gave them to new hires, who simply didn’t know what they were doing and who subsequently made a mess of operations at the clerk’s office.

Additionally, the two are part of Laborer’s International Union of North America Local 773, meaning that Buchanan’s arbitrary termination of them is now going to have to be part of union efforts to reinstate, something that could be costly to all involved…including the taxpayers of Saline County.

Initially, when the whole thing exploded on the morning of Friday, April 6, there was no clear indication of why Buchanan fired the two.

However, it later came out that Buchanan’s reasons for firing the two women were “gross workplace misconduct, insolence and insubordination, possible mail fraud and compromisaton of technical security between the county and a state agency.”

Interestingly, most of those factors (other than “compromisation,” which isn’t a word; Buchanan, who isn’t the sharpest knife in the drawer, probably meant “compromising”) were actually what auditors, examining Buchanan’s department’s books from November 2017 to January 2018, found to be problems Buchanan had herself been guilty of.

Why no criminal action has been taken on the expensive forensic audit remains unknown at this time, unless whatever prosecution might actually go down is giving Buchanan enough rope to hang herself.

That she’s been doing since the election, over which, it’s been reported, Buchanan was fuming.

It was fully anticipated that she would lash out, but so quickly and with such inexplicable ferocity probably wasn’t something that was anticipated.

Now, Buchanan has been slacking at the already-slack office: The office is closed over noon hour when most people who need deeds, birth certificates or other documents but have to work and can’t make it in any other time need to come in; staff is overworked when they are in the office because few have been properly trained and there’s a lot of “cleaning up after” general day-to-day messes; and Buchanan herself is there only intermittently, coming in to “start fires,” according to courthouse staff, and then leaving when the fire-starting has sufficiently rowdied up the bunch that’s still working for her.

On the morning of the announcement that the two ladies had been fired, even Buchanan’s most recent hire, the offensive Jeremy Stroud, was whining about how “I didn’t sign up for this. This is crazy.”

Buchanan, however, has been steadily bringing this whole thing on herself, ever since the death of Mike Henshaw in March of 2017 made any possible prosecution of Buchanan and her alleged misdeeds out of the realm of probability.

County board member and Republican candidate for County Clerk Roger Craig defeated Buchanan at the Primary ballot box on March 20, and since that time, Buchanan has been increasingly more ill-behaved than normal, staying away from her duly-elected office…and conducting some spurious doings, as outlined in this article.

Duties of payroll and other responsibilities had been removed from Buchanan and, as reported in the March issue, prompted her to file a lawsuit to reinstate those duties. As noted in that article, Henshaw (as the county’s legal counsel) had previously opined that Buchanan’s duties of payroll and other remittances couldn’t be removed from her, but they could be duplicated, which is something the county board did not do earlier this year, instead choosing to give those duties to county treasurer Jeff Murrie.

Since the removal, an employee, Jennifer Cain, found that $100,000 was being spent on either deceased people or found people who were not insured who should be. 

Former treasurer Danny Ragan, who has been dead for almost two years, until March of 2018, was still having payments paid in on premiums, reported a county official to Disclosure.

He also reported that there were several county employees who should have been on insurance that Buchanan never signed up, which is within her job responsibilities to tend to and manage.

As an example of the nonsense continuing under Buchanan’s management, AFLAC was the insurer that a new hire a few months back had signed up with. One of his twins, age 5, was hurt by a dog and had to be hospitalized. When the man went to file the expenses for his son, he found out that no premiums had ever been taken out of his paycheck.

Disclosure’s source said that the employee tried to take it upon himself, saying that he should’ve checked his pay stubs more carefully so that he’d have caught the fact that there weren’t any deductions, but, as he also said, “Who thinks about that? You just assume that the people who are supposed to take the deductions out know what they are doing and do it right.”

But that’s not what happened, and the little boy wasn’t covered at a time when he was facing significant medical expenses. So Roger Craig, who knew a guy at AFLAC, started making calls on a Saturday, and the AFLAC rep was able to get the top people to say that if two months’ worth of back premiums were paid immediately, they could establish coverage on the little boy. That was done, and he was able to have expenses covered.

That quick action on Craig’s part might’ve forestalled a lawsuit against the county that could’ve been catastrophic.

Another incident occurred with another county employee who had either an accident or health issue that necessitated a LifeFlight (the source wasn’t clear on the nature of the situation, only that it had occurred and some of the features of the occurrence). She, too, was not covered when she thought she was, and went through the steps of using her perceived insurance until she was told she didn’t have any.

Additionally (and in something that is extremely disturbing, given the way elections are going these days), Craig says the county spent $121,000 for new election equipment this election that Buchanan initially lied about. 

At first, he said, she told the county board that the equipment cost only $15,000; then it turns up that “payment 1” was $14,000, headed toward the total of $121,000.

On February 15, Buchanan was observed toting files out of her office, not only by a witness, but also this action was caught on camera operated by the sheriff’s department. She was subsequently told not to remove any files or anything else from her office, but she continues to do this.

It’s being reported that there is a barn somewhere in the vicinity that is holding election equipment that is county property. The board attempted to get her to tell them where the old equipment was. Her answer: “I’m not prepared to answer that at this time.”

That was also the answer she gave when asked officially what the reason for the termination of the two women was. However, that changed to the nonsensical reason given later, which union officials have jumped on. And, at a special meeting called to address the subject on April 11, union rep Julie Simpson advised that the chances at getting the two women back on the job are “very good,” since Buchanan, as is her apparently-oblivious-to-reality way of doing things, didn’t take the proper steps to dismiss the ladies per union regulations.

In the interim of the reinstatement process, the county board voted that night to continue to pay insurance premiums for Dunn and Cummins, so that they and their families will be doing without while the procedure drags on.

That step might not be necessary, however, if a proposal to find the ladies employment in another county department is followed through on; that proposal was fronted at the April 11 meeting, with the outcome pending what other officeholders might be willing to do. There are some retirees moving out of certain positions that either of the ladies are qualified to fill. If they’re moved to those positions, the insurance premiums will of course be paid, alleviating all the aforementioned problems.

Except, of course, for Buchanan.

Whatever other havoc she chooses to wreak is what’s on the minds of many throughout the county, which is already experiencing deeply-rooted problems of rampant crime, high taxes, few jobs and plenty of backbiting.

Whatever of the former of those problem she might’ve helped create or perpetuate, Buchanan has elevated the latter statement to an art form, and seems hell-bent on continuing it right up until she is unseated by whichever candidate – Craig or Dunn – is sworn in on December 4, 2018.

Matthew Moye

GALLATIN CO. – A man originally from Gallatin County is in an intense amount of trouble both criminal and civil in Gallatin following bad behavior that’s somewhat inexplicable in origin and includes alleged squatting in a place where he’s not been paying rent…and which he’s alleged to have ripped off, substantially.

Matthew Moye, 39, currently showing an address of that rural Norris City residence, was part of a list of individuals who, separately from Moye but together with others, have been allegedly helping themselves to other peoples’ things, particularly at hunting camps or river camps in the area, which seems to be a real pastime for local crims and crim-wannabes.

Such pastime has already gotten the likes of Austin Perrone, Alex Fillingim, Geneia Forrester, Jason Patton and Erika Wilson hemmed up with prison sentences and/or a record.

In this case, Moye was charged with the same activity in which Nick Jester had already been charged and sentenced (see article page 8) in Gallatin. 

However, Moye is allegedly up to a little more than what Jester was doing, as evidenced by the civil court filings made by his kids’ grandparents, who are worried about the well-being of the minors enough to petition for allocation of parental responsibilities in order to keep Moye from taking off and disappearing with them.

The criminal activity came to be charged after an early-morning March 22 incident that deputies were called to investigate, this when a report of a deer camp being burglarized came in.

Two locals, Jerry and Frank Graves, reported to 911 that they’d observed a 4-wheeler on Graves Road outside of Omaha, coming from the location of a burglary at a hunting camp. The Graves reported that they had observed the door of the hunting camp kicked in and a window broken at the location, which was described as a pole barn building with an apartment inside.

The Graves said they pursued the 4-wheeler down Graves Road, through fields, woods, across ditches and out onto Washington Road outside of Omaha.

It was about that time that Gallatin County Sheriff Shannon Bradley intercepted Moye and a woman, Jada Grisham, in a Ford F-250 cruising very slowly on Washington Street in Omaha. Bradley knew Moye had a failure to appear warrant in Gallatin, so he took Moye into custody, and as it turned out, Grisham also had an FTA warrant.

Meanwhile, employees of Webb Oil Company had cornered an individual on a 4-wheeler on County Road 125N, northwest of Omaha in White County.

That individual was Jester, who later explained to authorities that a week prior, he and Roxanna Roberts had gone to the Graves Road deer camp and had beaten the doorknob off the apartment door with a sledgehammer in an effort to find something to steal. The two went back to the rural residence Moye was renting at 324 CR 250N, and told him of a trailer inside the pole barn they’d seen.

Moye and Jester decided to go back to the building on Graves Road and steal the trailer, as well as a Polaris Ranger side-by side. Jester said they also decided to steal other items at the deer camp: gas cans, decoys, miscellaneous tools and more. It was those items that Jester was going for when Jerry and Frank Graves caught him.

While Jester was being questioned, a call came in of a female on a red 4-wheeler headed up Washington Road outside of Omaha with several black bags loaded onto the vehicle. This turned out to be Roxanna Roberts, who also had an outstanding warrant, this one in White County.

The traffic stop was fruitful: She was found with three loaded syringes, said authorities, all of them she said contained meth. She also said she had several items of drug paraphernalia and an unknown amount of what she identified to them as liquid LSD. While admitting to her role in the initial break-in at the deer camp, she said that the bags contained her items, which she removed from the residence she shared with Moye and Jester, and that the items the two men had stolen were scattered all around that particular rural property.

When authorities traveled to the property, they found the items as described, got a search warrant, and the rest is recounted in the arrests and charges of the three.

Moye was charged with two counts of Class 2 felony Burglary of the deer camp (which building belonged to Alfred Davis); two counts of Class 3 felony Theft of the items at the deer camp; and a Class 4 felony Aggravated Unlawful Use of a Weapon, in that when he was found, he had a .22-cal revolver pistol with him uncased, loaded and immediately accessible and he didn’t have a Conceal Carry permit to do so.

Moye was given a cushy set of bond terms: On a $4,000 cash bond, he was allowed to leave the state to reside with Hamilton/Saline county crim Brett Stinson in Henderson, Ky., with the codicil that he not be in Gallatin County, Illinois, except to attend court or visit his attorney.

The ridiculousness of this needs noted, in that Stinson, formerly of the Broughton area of HamCo, has two serious felony cases dragging through the court system in Saline (a 2015 Theft between $10,000 and $100,000 count, and a 2017 Theft between $10,000 and $100,000 and Criminal Damage to Property more than $300 but less than $10,000 count) and even more serious cases than that in Hamilton (2013 felony meth possession and Class X felony Aggravated Meth Manufacturing; two 2015 cases involving Theft of more than $500 but less than $10,000; and a 2016 felony Theft of more than $500 but less than $10,000). None of these have been disposed. Why Stinson has been allowed to reside in Henderson, out of the state of Illinois, is jaw-droppingly unexplained; that Moye was allowed to join him, even more so.

To make matters worse, Moye has been reported as “cleaning out” the rural Norris City residence in much the same way he’s accused of thieving from the Graves Road deer camp, and then once he was able to bond out of jail, he returned to that location, and is reportedly residing there. The place is a rental but Moye has reportedly not paid rent in quite a while, meaning he’s squatting there, this while the homeowner is overseas working.

It’s unclear whether charges are going to be pursued in White County on those reports, as well as unclear whether Moye will be in any kind of trouble with the courts for not residing with accused-crim Stinson, if in fact he ever was.

Moye’s problems were compounded, however, when on March 26, multiple civil actions commenced against him in Gallatin over his kids.

The first matters to be filed were Orders of Protection as issued by RJ and Janet Moye (Matthew’s parents) of Ridgway, taken out on behalf of Moye’s two minor children, who have been living with the elder Moyes since May of 2009 when the two boys were but toddlers. The Moyes also, on the same day, filed for allocation of parental responsibilities of the two boys, as Matthew Moye has gotten into more trouble than he apparently ever imagined he’d be in (although he should’ve known, considering the company he was keeping and apparently still keeps), and Jill Plassman Moye, the bio-mom of the two, resides in Cape Girardeau and has effectively abandoned the kids.

As of press time, April 15, the OPs were entered on an emergency basis, and no court dates have been set for the Family case.

In the criminal case, however, Moye was set for a preliminary hearing on the Gallatin County felonies April 23, with a subsequent hearing set for May 7.

There is no indication of any movement in the White County complaint of the situation with the rural Norris City residence, where the alleged theft amount remains undetermined at this time.

BRITTNEY N. WEAD

SALINE CO. – A Ridgway woman is the latest to be charged with having sex with an inmate at a facility where she was in charge of the person with whom she had sex.

Brittney N. Wead, 27, showing an address of a residence on Herrmann Drive in Ridgway in neighboring Gallatin County, was arrested on March 22 following the filing of a charge the day before of Custodial Sexual Misconduct, a Class 3 felony.

Information is scant, but charging documents show authorities alleging that on May 1, 2016, Wead committed the offense when she was an employee of the Illinois Department of Juvenile Justice at Illinois Youth Center in Harrisburg, by engaging in sexual penetration with inmate Jamarea D. Joplin, who was in custody of IYC at that time.

The “sexual penetration” apparently produced an offspring (as it only takes one time), a baby boy, which Wead is all proud of and has photos of all over her social networking pages…sans mention of the boy’s father.

Wead is the second person in the area in recent years to get hemmed up on such a charge…and for very nearly the exact same situation: Becoming pregnant by an inmate over whom she has “custody or control” over.

The last one happened in early 2017, when Lyndsey Runyon, 31 of Olney and an employee of Lawrence Correctional Center in Sumner in the medical wing as a licensed practical nurse, birthed a kid and an inmate, Brandon Garecht, claimed it to be his and wanted visitation with it.

Lyndsey Runyon

Reports differ as to whether a paternity test was done on the infant in order to determine whether it was Garecht’s or Runyon’s husband’s, or whether when confronted with Garecht’s claims, Runyon merely admitted to the deed and that’s what got her caught.

Whatever the case, a felony charge of Custodial Sexual Misconduct was filed in Lawrence County February 15, 2017, alleging the same thing between Runyon and Garecht (which, interestingly enough, also was said to have happened on May 1, 2016).

Runyon was able to hire a heavy hitter in the legal field, Lou Viverito, and was able to get the felony charge pled down to a Class A misdemeanor Battery count with a fines and fees amount of $2,221, all of which has been paid and which probably was one of the many factors in getting the charge pled down.

That’s not exactly what’s going on with Wead’s case.

She was in court on March 23 with a public defender, Lowell Tison, because she was able to show indigency (no income). Somehow she was able, though, to come up with $500 in cash for bond and was released on March 27.

She got herself on the fast track with Tison supporting such a notion, and she’s been set for a jury trial on August 1.

Whether that will actually happen remains to be seen.

In February 2018, Runyon lost her license via disciplinary procedure through the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation for the Battery conviction.

It’s unknown whether authorities came upon Wead’s little problem when Joplin busted her out in a manner similar to Runyon’s exposure, or exactly what occurred that lead to the charges; nor of what job it was that Wead was hired in at IYC to do. There was also no indication of the age of the putative father, nor where he was from or what he was in for. However, it’s likely that he wasn’t underage, as Wead would probably have been charged with an additional sex crim if that had been the case.

IYC, unfortunately, holds people into majority age (18 and older) to finish out their juvenile sentences if they see fit to do so. Reports out of IYC consistently indicate a level of ongoing chaos there (see guest column page 5) that can’t seem to be brought under control.

These are the files in Hamilton County as of last summer that detail the run-ins with the law over drinking and driving or other traffic infractions that Kristina Suprenant, above, was facing. In early April, she was able to strike a deal with prosecutor Justin Hood for sentencing in two of them, this after attending in-patient rehab.

HAMILTON CO. – The mother of the teen murdered by Danny Coston in August of 2012 has finally been sentenced on her multiple DUI cases in Hamilton County.

Kristina Evans Suprenant, 49, of Norris City, who has had an understandably difficult time since the murder of her daughter Jessica Evans, has run into all kinds of DUI and other driving-related counts across both White and Hamilton counties in the last several years.

Last year in her home county of White, a Driving on Suspended License citation, filed as a Class A misdemeanor on February 3, 2017, was settled just a month later with a two-year court supervision sentence.

However, on the same day she was charged with the White County infraction, she also managed another DUI count in Hamilton, which was her fourth DUI in that county over the course of a little more than a year. The first came after a traffic stop on June 11, 2016; the second and third on August 29, 2016 (one was charged as a misdemeanor, but the second count in the same incident was charged as a Class 4 felony owing to the fact that it was “aggravated,” as she was driving without a valid license); and the fourth came on February 3, 2017.

Hamilton County State’s Attorney Justin Hood tried to work with Suprenant on each one, but they kept happening.

So on April 5 of this year, Hood was able to work out a deal with Suprenant: She pled to two of the DUIs – the two charged as misdemeanors – and received sentencing after attending inpatient rehab.

In the first DUI, Suprenant received 24 months conditional discharge and was ordered to spend 20 days in the White County Jail, along with being ordered to pay $2,787. In the second, she got the two-year sentence, but it’s considered probation as opposed to conditional discharge, and she must complete 240 hours of public service. In that one, she was ordered to pay a total of $1,941 in fines and fees.

She has been ordered in both to abstain from drinking or possessing alcohol.

Suprenant also pled guilty to one of the traffic citations issued in Hamilton, filed as a misdemeanor: Driving While License Suspended. For that, she was also placed on 24 months conditional discharge, and will serve 14 days in the White County Jail consecutive to the jail time in the first DUI case. All the other traffic citations filed in that stop – Improper Turn at Intersection, Disregarding Stop Sign, and Operating Uninsured – were dismissed per the plea. As well, in the August 29, 2016 stop, two traffic citations of Driving on Suspended License and Operating Uninsured – were also dismissed.

As of press time (April 14), it doesn’t appear that Suprenant had reported to the White County Jail, but she might just be doing weekends.

This screencap of the vid taken of the fight shows the brawl in progress.

CLAY CO. – An underage drinking party in the Ingraham area in early April lead to a fight that seriously injured a young man, but as of a week after the incident, there have been no arrests made.

Sources advise that the situation emerged on the evening of Saturday, April 7, at a rural location in the Ingraham area of north Clay County.

The exact location, as well as the owner of the property and the host of said party, remains undisclosed by authorities.

However, a video was taken of the actual fight that broke out amongst the drunk teens and 20-nothings present.

Reports indicate (and the video clearly shows) that two 20-year-olds from Clay City – Christian Cox and Chandler Durbin, known locally as “rodeo boys” because of their work in the local and regional circuits as bullriders or in other facets of the sport – allegedly began beating up an as-yet-unnamed 16-year-old boy. A friend of the 16-year-old (who is also 16) went to his aid and in the meleé, that friend was knocked unconscious.

A friend of the second 16-year-old, Kaylee Bridges, 18, of Effingham, went to the aid of the boy and was either pushed or physically struck in the growing brawl.

Her boyfriend, Blake Stuckey, 19, also of Effingham, stepped into the fight, not taking a swing, but instead to holler at whomever laid hands on his girlfriend.

At that point was when he received the first of many strikes to the jaw, and the beating, clearly visible on the video, continued, including the battering of one kid who was already unconscious. It was, for lack of a better term, a complete free-for-all.

How it was all broken up remains unsaid by authorities.

Another screenshot of the extremely violent vid shows the brawlers after at least two and maybe more individuals were harmed when the fight occurred at an underage party.

However, sources indicate that Stuckey was taken to a local hospital (reportedly Effingham, although that’s not been confirmed by authorities), and then transported by helicopter to Carle Hospital in Urbana, severely injured. It’s being reported that both sides of his jaw were broken, with one side literally shattered.

Stuckey is now facing a number of surgeries, and as of press time (April 15), no arrests have been made and no charges filed.

This seems to be a common theme among teens in the area; for probably several decades now, there have been underage drinking parties held in barns, fields, riverside or other properties. But in recent years, the brawling – and subsequent hospitalization of a victim or two – has been increasing. And the lack of authorities willing to do anything about it has also grown, as there’s generally a kid or two belonging to “people of the community” (translation: Kids of public officials or folks prominent in the communities where the illegal activities are held), and so subsequently, there are rarely any arrests. In just the past five years or so there have been several of these in Lawrence, Jasper, Crawford and Wayne counties, each of those in close proximity to Clay.

With the hesitation to arrest or charge getting worse with each incident, it’s unclear why the public at large continues to elect the same ineffective public officials, as well as put up with the rotten kids who allegedly carry out these attacks.

If anything changes in this case, Disclosure will be bringing it to you either at the website (www.disclosurenewsonline.com) or here at the pages of the print version. Be watching.

Harrisburg City Councilman Richard Harper openly utilized public property for his own personal use in mid-April, prompting not a little outrage amongst those aware of the situation…and who remember what happened to the late Gerald Mahan just five years ago.

HARRISBURG – A situation has emerged with a Harrisburg city council member that landed another city employee a forced resignation five years ago.

And, similar to the 2013 event, this one is every bit as mind-numbingly stupid.

The recent event occurred on Tuesday, April 10, when on that morning, Harrisburg commissioner Richard Harper went to the city’s water barn, located behind Rural King, and availed himself of a city trailer. This trailer is one that’s commonly used to haul items in town for purposes such as moving lawn mowers from one location to the other, or taking downed libs to the city’s brush pile for disposal.

Harper, who has been on crutches, was struggling to get the city’s trailer hooked up to his personal vehicle, as reported by those who were present at the water barn and watched it happen.

One of those was water superintendent Kelly Hefner, who apparently didn’t say anything to Harper when he was hooking up the trailer, and so gave implied consent by not stating “not” to hook it up and take off with it.

It’s unclear whether anyone assisted Harper in hooking up the trailer, but he accomplished the job and went on his way…all the way to Benton in neighboring Franklin County.

There, he picked up a side-by-side ATV-type vehicle, which he’d apparently purchased for his own use, and delivered the side-by-side, not back to Harrisburg, but down to a location, it’s reported, at Golconda in Pope County to the south of Saline.

Harper then took the trailer back to the Harrisburg water barn, after traveling approximately 130 miles for Harper’s purposes.

Personal use

The problem comes in with the phrase “Harper’s purposes,” since it was a personal purpose and not city purposes. The standing rule regarding use of property owned by a taxpayer-supported entity (such as a city, township, county, or state agency) is that it’s to be used for official business only, and personal use, even if “approved” by someone in a position of authority, can actually be a chargeable offense…if there’s a prosecutor capable enough of seeing it through.

Generally speaking, unless there’s something really egregious going on – such as a wreck that occurs in the course of the unofficial use of such an item, or in the case of June Bailey in Berry Township in Wayne County, wherein the township received FEMA trailers through a grant, and Berry was giving them to family members for camping purposes – usually a blind eye is turned to such things…which is in part why Illinois communities, and indeed the entire state, is in the condition it is.

Harrisburg Mayor John McPeek’s rant that appeared on his Facebook page the day after Disclosure asked him what was going to be done with Harper.

Unofficial use of city (county/state/etc) property has lead to a number of problems for communities around the region, largely because of the general consensus that “it’s okay as long as it’s just a ‘little’ bit of use…after all, Harper put it back.”

Unfortunately, that’s not how it works.

And because of the track record the city of Harrisburg has, it certainly hasn’t been the case in past incidents.

What happened to Mahan

In particular, the aforementioned situation in town occurred in June of 2013, when long-time public property superintendent Gerald Mahan, acting at the behest of firefighter (now fire chief and public safety coordinator) John Gunning, took the city’s mini-CAT earth mover and brought it to a location in the county where Gunning was building a dirt bike race track. The mini-CAT was used at the location, then returned to city premises.

When the whole thing was discovered, then-mayor Eric Gregg (who was, at the time, doing the same thing himself, driving a decommissioned cop car as a personal vehicle, not only for personal purposes, but also for his work with the Illinois Prisoner Review Board…which position he wasn’t supposed to be holding while he was still mayor, and yet for three months, he was) rallied the council and gave Mahan an ultimatum: He could be fired and lose his retirement benefits, or he could resign and keep all benefits.

Mahan, who was in his late 60s and, according to family, planned on working at least a few more years, as he really enjoyed the job, opted to retire, and did so on June 30, 2013.

Gunning, on the other hand, was not given any such option (despite appearing in front of the council in mid-June of that year to address the issue and actually request some form of punishment, since Mahan was being duly punished). Instead, he was placed on a three-day suspension and was reprimanded for his part in the matter.

Mahan died at the age of 73 last year, on April 18, 2017. Members of his family are still bitter over what happened five years ago.

And while most folks are aware that Harper can’t be fired from a duly-elected position, he can be asked to resign…and Hefner, if indeed he was the one who gave silent consent for Harper to take the trailer, can be fired, or, at least, put on suspension, like Gunning was five years ago.

Symbolic appeasement?

While that likely wouldn’t happen, such a question is symbolic, at least, that the council is cognizant that what took place is wrong…and would be embraced by members of the public whose memories aren’t that short, and who are very upset with the most recent situation involving Harper, those being among the ones who contacted Disclosure asking about the issue.

Disclosure in turn contacted Harrisburg Mayor John McPeek and clarified that the side-by-side was a personal vehicle of Harper’s and that the trailer was indeed used to transport it as described, which McPeek confirmed.

Then Disclosure asked “Since the last person who did something like that was fired, is he at least going to be asked to resign for misuse of city property?”

McPeek did not answer that question.

Instead, late the next day (Friday, April 13), McPeek took to his own Facebook page to vent.

“I wanna make one thing clear,” he wrote in an error-filled rant. “I have been on the Harrisburg City Council since 2003 I have never ever asked for anything to better my house my driveway nothing. Once during a snow storm a city employee asked if he could plow my driveway I said No I would rather crawl thru snow before I asked for help. On that note a council member this past week borrowed a City Trailor to purchase a side by side. Without asking council I have asked him to apologize for doing it. I have worked with a lot of people in my life but I have never worked with so many people that hate people. I would ask that we all try and get along stop all the gossiping life is short. I’m trying really hard to make Harrisburg a great place to live but when people hate each other it’s tough and especially when we all work together. I’m sure this will make some of you mad but let’s be adults.”

It’s ILLEGAL

And while that might be McPeek’s official stand on it, that’s not exactly how the law reads.

Under Article VIII, Section 1(a) of the Illinois Constitution, the law reads:

SECTION 1. GENERAL PROVISIONS

(a) Public funds, property or credit shall be used only for public purposes.

(b) The State, units of local government and school districts shall incur obligations for payment or make payments from public funds only as authorized by law or ordinance.

(c) Reports and records of the obligation, receipt and use of public funds of the State, units of local government and school districts are public records available for inspection by the public according to law.

Violating this can be charged as Official Misconduct.

There are circumstances in which this law doesn’t apply, but those are narrow and involve advance notice of the use of the public property, which, according to what Disclosure has confirmed, didn’t happen in the case of Harper.

Why Harper is therefore above the law and is getting a pass from McPeek – but not from the general public – is unknown at this time, since McPeek apparently doesn’t want to answer the tough questions.

It might also be good to point out at this juncture that the public isn’t “mad,” as McPeek characterized it…the more apt depiction is “outraged.”

Over the past year or so, things have taken a decidedly awful turn for Saline County and Harrisburg in general. The death of long-time judge-turned-prosecutor Mike Henshaw in March of 2017 began the decline, as his way of running the court system kept repeat crims in fear of what would happen to them if they continued to get caught. Now, very little meaningful outcomes in criminal cases, compounded by Illinois’ ridiculous Bond Reform Act, is creating a situation of increased crime in the county. With increased crime comes the kind of hopelessness that causes people to just stop caring: They don’t take care of their properties, they don’t feel like helping anyone else, and some folks who have otherwise been law-abiding citizens resort to some level of criminal activity, oftentimes just to get by, this in the wake of a depressed economy and thereby perpetuating the problem.

McPeek doesn’t seem to get that; as, similarly, Harper and other public officials who apparently don’t care that they bear more of a burden of living above reproach than the unelected citizen over whom they’re in charge. Whatever McPeek is detecting in his constituents that he’s characterizing as “mad” isn’t something that’s happening because people are begrudging Harper owning a side-by-side. It’s happening because people are paying ridiculously-high taxes, putting up with some kind of shooting every month or so, being cited for something stupid every time they turn around, and are living in a town where loose garbage blows from ill-kept properties into nicely-kept properties, trashing out nearly every neighborhood in the city.

If that, in McPeek’s estimation, is how he’s “trying really hard to make Harrisburg a nice place to live,” he needs to try another tact…and many believe that it would start with some kind of formal complaint to law enforcement, acted upon by the courts, regarding Harper’s ill-thought-out use of the city’s property for personal purposes. Had the trailer Harper was pulling lost a tire, the tire flew into a minivan toting a family of six, the minivan crashed, and the entire family lost their lives…the city of Harrisburg would be in for a lot bigger problems than a bit of recrimination for how city officials behave.

Both McPeek and Harper, along with Hefner and a host of other “Wallll thayut’s thu way we’ve ALWAYZ DUNNIT” officials, might want to give some consideration to the reason why laws were created about these kinds of things to begin with before lashing out at the public who funds their paychecks.

RICHLAND CO. – While the documents remained unavailable in the file, it’s been confirmed with Richland County authorities that convicted rapist Glen Ramey has filed a Motion to Reconsider his plea and sentencing.

This was a predicted as soon as Ramey, 54, of Olney, was sentenced March 22 to 60 years in the Illinois Department of Corrections, this for the predatory sexual assault of Sabrina Stauffenberg, 8, who died November 23, 2016, at some point in time either during or after the sex assault Ramey perpetrated upon her.

There has been no conviction as it regards Sabrina’s death, leading to outrage on the part of those familiar with the case, as the charge of First Degree Murder against Ramey was dismissed in exchange for his plea to the Predatory Criminal Sexual Assault of a Child, an amended Class X felony filed in the case. That charge took the place of the original Class X felony of Predatory Criminal Sexual Assault with Great Bodily Harm, which was dismissed along with the Murder charge in exchange for the plea.

In an emotional sentencing hearing, the 60 years was pronounced March 22 by Judge Larry Dunn, who very carefully gave reasons why the sentence – the maximum available for the crime to which Ramey pled – should be imposed.

The entire hearing was outlined in full at Disclosure’s website in an article open to the public and posted on the day of the sentencing, March 22, 2018. Because the hearing was posted in full at the site and is available to all, it won’t be recapped here in detail; readers are encouraged to catch the article at www.disclosurenewsonline.com.

However, one of the points made following the sentencing was that it was likely that Ramey wouldn’t wait long to appeal some aspect of his plea or sentencing.

According to notations in his court file, that’s exactly what’s happened.

Ramey was sent for inprocessing at Graham Correctional Center to begin his 60-year sentence, arriving the next day, March 23.

At some point in time between that date and April 5, Ramey is reported to have submitted a Motion to Reconsider – either sentencing or plea remains unknown – in a three-page, hand-written (read: scrawled, as Ramey, while not illiterate, is definitely a sloppy writer) filing.

Whether this was something generated out of his own addled brain, or whether he was able to get some help from his court-appointed attorney in Richland, Jim Lane, remains unknown at this time.

It all remains unknown because when Disclosure was at the circuit clerk’s office on April 5, the file was in the judge’s possession and was unavailable for viewing as a result.

Online records indicate, as well, that an “anonymous letter” was submitted to the court. Whether this has anything to do with Ramey’s plea, sentence, or other actions, remains completely unknown.

However, because Ramey is a repeat crim who plays “insane” in order to get out of serious charges, and has done this literally since he was a child in deep southern Illinois, it’s a complete crapshoot as to what this “anonymous letter” pertains to.

At the end of the March 22 hearing, Ramey’s options regarding appeal, withdrawal of his plea, and request for a reconsideration of all of it, were all thoroughly explained to Ramey as he sat slouched at the defense table.

Ramey made a statement (largely unintelligible, but mostly because of the poor acoustics in the courtroom, not just because of Ramey’s mushmouth way of speaking) in his own behalf on that day, and in it, he deferred responsibility from himself, claiming that someone else had taken the actions that lead to Sabrina’s death.

In his statement, it was difficult to tell whether Ramey was taking responsibility for at least the rape of Sabrina; it seemed that he was not, but was instead deflecting that off onto someone else, as well.

“I was told to be there,” Ramey said about the location where Sabrina’s body was found, north of the vinegar plant in the Goosenibble section of Olney, about a block and a half away from Sabrina’s home on South Whittle. “Jerry Nicholas told me to meet him there and I did.”

It’s important to note at this point that no one else was arrested nor charged with any crimes in relation to Sabrina’s assault or murder.

But what seemed to be related in the courtroom that day is that “someone else” did the deed, and had “told” Ramey to be there, presumably after it was done. At least in Ramey’s mind, he was asked to come to the scene of a crime, prior to the commission of the crime, in order to be blamed for said crime when he arrived at the scene and “found” Sabrina there.

The alibi is confusing and flimsy, and authorities apparently didn’t buy it, particularly when lab analysis showed that it was Ramey’s DNA on Sabrina (even though he’d had a previous explanation for that, too; in Effingham County back in September 2017, during his fitness trial, Ramey excused DNA evidence by claiming that someone had taken one of his cola bottles, used as a spit bottle for chewing tobacco, and had “poured it” on Sabrina’s body. Apparently he was oblivious to the fact that the DNA evidence was sperm evidence, not spittle.)

“I was there,” Ramey said at his sentencing. “When they found her, she was alive.”

He did not elaborate on who “they” were in his scenario. Sabrina disappeared from her front step on the evening of November 23, 2016, being reported as missing at 7:23 p.m. (earlier reports had inaccurately listed the disappearance as having happened at least two hours prior to this time, which was given as official at the sentencing hearing). Her body was found about an hour later thanks to the fact that she’d had a cell phone with her, and local authorities were able to get a “ping” off of it.

The subsequent autopsy found that Sabrina had died of asphyxiation due to manual suffocation, when someone had closed off her airway to her nose and mouth and applied pressure to her neck, as well.

That action likely happened while she was enduring the sexual assault…and since the sex assault was confirmed as having been done by Ramey, it then stands to reason that he would’ve been the one to bring about her death, too, by closing off her airways so she wouldn’t make any noise while being raped.

However, the murder charge was let go in exchange for the sex assault plea. Disclosure intends to bring to the public the reason for that, once Ramey’s appeals are exhausted.

For now, the wait is on to see what “reasons” Ramey is listing in his Motions to Reconsider. Lane, Ramey was told by Judge Dunn, remains his attorney until 30 days after the sentencing, so that window is rapidly closing.

Updates will be listed at the website; be watching for them.

William L. Catt

WABASH CO.— A Mt. Carmel man who at the request of the states’ attorney was released on a recognizance bond in a sexual abuse case, has not only done it again, but has confessed in a letter to the judge.

Court documents show that William L. Catt, 20, of West Seventh St., Mt. Carmel, reportedly formerly of Saline County, was taken into custody on or about September 12, 2017 and charged with Aggravated Criminal Sexual Abuse, alleging that between February 17, 2016 to August 21, 2017, he committed an act of sexual penetration with his 14-year-old victim, later identified by sources as his 14-year-old niece, by placing his penis in her vagina at a time when he was at least five years older than his victim.

After only a couple days behind bars, Catt penned a latter complaining: “all I can do is sleep and hope my family can pay my bond. They will need to borrow a lot of money for my bond and I don’t want them going into debt for me. I’ve been here for three days and in those three days I have laid on my cot and just thought about how much trouble I’m causing them. I’ve barely been able to eat or sleep and I haven’t ‘used the restroom’ since in here. I feel sicker every day and want to be healthy for my court dates. I know it may not mean much since I’m an inmate, but you have my word that if my bond is paid I will make every court date. I hope that you will accept my reduction request so I can return to my family and be less of a burden to them and the state.”

On October 3, 2017 Catt pleaded guilty to having sex with the 14-year-old but was released on a recognizance bond while a presentencing evaluation was completed.

Still out on that recognizance bond and living at 103 West Seventh St., Mt. Carmel, on or about March 26, 2018, Catt was taken into custody at 5:40 a.m. at 1219 Walnut St., Mt. Carmel, and preliminarily charged with Criminal Trespass to Residence and Aggravated Criminal Sexual Abuse.

The trespass charge was never formally filed.

The sexual abuse charge alleges that between February 1, 2018 and March 26, 2018 Catt committed the offense when he “committed an act of sexual conduct ‘with Jane Doe’ (d.o.b. 02/17/2003), who was at least 13 years of age but under 17 years of age, by placing his penis in the vagina of Jane Doe.”

Several weeks later Catt penned a letter to the judge in the case.

The letter was received in the office of the circuit clerk (who handles such correspondence with the court) on April 3, 2018, in which Catt wrote:

“Dear 

“Honorable Judge.

“I did not intend to insult you or the law system by violating my recognizant probation. It’s easiest explained as ignorant youth. I have written prosecutor Goldman to apologize as well. I understand that I will be going to prison this time all I ask is for mercy. I know I violated the law, but I have been very honest, and up front about everything. I don’t feel that I deserve to spend the next decade or longer in prison for being in love with the ‘victim’; whom will also tell you it was consentual and that she loves me as well. I understand that I am a criminal, but sentencing me to a lengthy consequtive term will only turn me into a worse individual and a parasite on society. I can be a productive member of society your honor and the sex offender evaluation will show that I am not a child predator. All I ask is a choice to prove I can be worth something to society before I’m locked away until I’m thirty years of age or older. I know I don’t deserve a second chance but I am asking for one last chance with my word that I’ll mind the law or at least a leniant sentence. I understand if you ding me, but I will pray that you find it in your heart to give me one last chance your honor. Best Wishes.

“William L. Catt

“PS: I apologize for my sloppy writing and errors

“PPS: I’m willing to jump through any hoops needed to prove I will not mess up again.”

Catt penned a second latter, also received in the circuit clerk’s office April 3, 2018.

In that letter he writes:

 “Dear. 

“Circuit Clerk Angela K. Crum

“I would like to request a bond reduction hearing. I would like to ask for it to be reduced to $2000 cash bond. I understand that I am a violation risk, but all I wish to do is begin building my life and paying back the debt that I’m building with my family. I hurt my family dearly by being ignorant and I just want to make it all up to them and I swear that if I get bonded out, only plausible if my bond is greatly reduced, that the county will get no trouble from me again. I’m not a threat or danger to anyone. You can ask everyone I know as character witnesses, you can even ask the ‘Victim’ of my charges and she will tell you that I’m not a threat. I simply want to pay my debt to you and begin building my life as a productive member of society. In closing; I’d like to make a motion to have a bond reduction hearing.

“Best Wishes,

“William L. Catt”

Cash bond in Catt’s most recent case was set at $10,000.

This is one of multiple photos posted on the Wiltons’ Facebook page of what happened in the aftermath of the tranquilizing of their dog, Jaycee.

HARRISBURG – An issue with a dog created entirely too much drama in the city of Harrisburg in early April, and ended up being nothing that it was made out to be…and which gives a prime example of why some authorities, along with media, at times don’t give attention to such matters, since it’s usually presented with too much slant, a circumstance that can make it impossible to tell the facts from the bloviating.

Public believed dog was ‘shot’

The situation emerged when on April 3, local residents took to social networking, making claims about a dog in a Harrisburg neighborhood that was “shot” by the local Animal Control Officer, Mike Sullivan. Sullivan is a contract employee, who acts as the ACO for not only the city of Harrisburg, but also Saline County. As well, he is on contract for the park district.

Sullivan has been much-maligned over the past several years, but the situation with the dog in question, which is a boxer owned by Jay and Mackenzie Wilton on South Mill Street, was, to put it lightly, overblown and misrepresented from the outset, and now, it might cost Sullivan his job.

The postings about the dog being “shot” were made in response to initial postings by Mackenzie Wilton, who showed her dog, Jaycee, bloody and being held by Wilton’s husband, Jay.

Mrs. Wilton clearly noted that the dog was shot with a tranquilizer gun, but those who took up the cause kind of overlooked that part. One person posted that Sullivan “shot a dog while the dog was in her own yard. If anyone owns a Boxer you know how playful they can be and this girl was trying to run and play in her own yard when Mike Sullivan shot her 2 times.”

There was no explanation offered as to what it was that brought Sullivan to the location to begin with, and little would be said about that aspect of it until the Harrisburg City Council met to discuss Sullivan and the incident, thus leading to increased misunderstanding.

Ginned-up outrage

This same individual encouraged readers to come to the city council meeting that had been called to address the matter on the coming Thursday evening, stating “Please come to this meeting so we can get this man removed from his position. I don’t want another animal harmed because he is on a power kick. I know personally he doesn’t do his job and yet is paid $18,000 to sit in his truck and drive around the park while he smokes all day long! We the tax payers are paying for that!”

The disingenuous (intentionally or not) post was accompanied by the bloody photos Mrs. Wilton had displayed on her page…and it was on at that point; the pile-on of Sullivan was a runaway train.

The meeting held on Thursday, April 5, was nothing short of a circus.

A photo of Jay Wilton holding his wife Mackenzie’s dog, Jaycee, along with other photos, were posted openlly on Mrs. Wilton’s Facebook page, where outrage was sparked at the image of the bleeding dog, tranquilized by ACO Mike Sullivan.

Mayor John McPeek, beleaguered in other areas of running the city, could not keep control of the meeting, a point of contention that was only voiced by a couple of people who knew how a meeting should be run, as everyone else present seemed intent on causing as much disruption as possible.

Individuals kept popping up out of their seats to spew their opinions, nearly all of which focused on their negative opinions of Sullivan – who wisely chose not to attend. The man who’s known as the “mayor of Dorrisville,” Ronnie Patterson, entered the meeting visibly and audibly inebriated (which, according to those in the Dorrisville area, is reportedly a common thing), cussing up a blue streak and raising so much heck that ultimately, he was asked to leave after being told twice to have a seat and calm down. Another Harrisburg resident, Carla Foster (who was behind some of the misinformation about what the boxer was “shot” with), when it came her turn to speak, informed the council that she had a “real live German Shepard. Came all the way from Germany. I spent $2,500 on him and he’s gonna become a cadaver dog!” This unimportant tidbit of information was delivered apparently because the “real live German Shepard” was in a tizzy when Jaycee the boxer was out running around prior to being brought under control by Sullivan.

What really happened

But the bottom line came about, however, in the telling of what really happened, as issued by the postal carrier who first reported the boxer, and the police officer who took the report.

The postal carrier was Josh Goematt, who explained that the dog had advanced on him and was behaving aggressively, and so he made the complaint. This is per protocol for mail carriers. They are required to report such instances; as well, if they are attacked by a dog and make no official report, it’s on them: They have to pay for their own medical care that might result from any attack. So they have to be vigilant and have to report if there’s an incident, which Goematt did.

The report was made to the police and the police called Sullivan out to the location. Sullivan was there right away and found the boxer running around the neighborhood and, as he is required to do, and he hit the dog with two tranquilizer darts. The dog ran back to its house and waited on the step at a doorway, where it bled quite a bit, apparently until it was discovered by the owners and transported to the vet.

A police officer at the meeting presented the report, and basically gave it a thumbs-up as regards following protocol, noting that Sullivan did what he’s tasked to do.

Screeching for punishment

The audience had a mixed response to all of this, and as soon as the discussion was done, they all filed out, not interested in anything else except the premise that they wanted some sort of punishment exacted against Sullivan.

That, however, didn’t quite happen.

The council decided with a vote that Sullivan would be given 30 days to “improve his performance,” and if the council wasn’t satisfied that appropriate “improvements” were made by that time, they were going to terminate his contract.

It’s more than likely a surface move to appease the throngs of people who, if they really cared about how the city was being run on a day-to-day basis (such as when contracts for such services as animal control are being considered and voted upon), they’d attend each and every council meeting, not just the ones that serve their special interests.

And proving that point, a Change.org petition was set up by one Miranda Boon shortly after the meeting, asking for signatures with the “overall goal” being “the removal of Mike Sullivan from his duties.” Boon asked for others’ “previous incidents” with Sullivan if they had them, and many opined.

However, each incident is totally subjective and is based largely on opinion, which generally comes down to a person being aggravated at Sullivan for nothing more than doing his job (and in a couple of cases, not doing his job, which does happen and most of the time results from the Animal Control Officer being somewhere else when a new call comes in.)

Authorities say differently

Authorities in Harrisburg have advised that Sullivan has actually been a very good ACO, willing to work absurd hours and travel long distances in order to fulfill his duties. 

One instance was recounted whereby there was a dog running around campgrounds at Garden of the Gods at 2 a.m., and Sullivan was called out to retrieve it, which he did so without complaint.

He uses his own vehicle, Disclosure was advised, and by and large lives paycheck to paycheck.

Complaints have come in about Sullivan “hanging out at the park” or “being at the school waiting around,” with some kind of inference that Sullivan is a perv of some sort.

However, the reason for his presence in both locations is because he’s a contract employee at the city park and has to be there, and ‘patrol,’ under that contract…and as to the school, Sullivan has a child with Down Syndrome, and he makes an effort to be on-hand as frequently as he can in order to take care of him.

“He does his job,” said one city official to Disclosure. “I know people are never gonna be happy; he does too much or he doesn’t do enough or he’s always here and never there, on and on. But he has a tough job, he’s underpaid, he has other responsibilities, and people are too harsh toward him. If people would start giving him a break, maybe he wouldn’t have to work under the pressure of public opinion, and he can do his job.”

The boxer, Jaycee, is going to be okay; Goematt did what he was supposed to have done; police did what they were supposed to do; and Mike Sullivan did the same.

Whether the drama-saturated complainers will find another topic du jour in a couple of weeks, once the council proclaims that Sullivan is staying on, remains to be seen.

WHITE CO., Ill. - White County authorities, serving a search warrant, report they located a small cannabis grow op among other things at a residence in Maunie yesterday; and a subsequent warrant service got one arrested.

Sheriff Doug Maier said the warrant was being served Monday, April 16, at approximately 5 p.m., at a residence located at 250 Emma Street, with a total of nine officers involved in the detail.

No answer at the door resulted in a forced entry into the residence. No subjects were located inside the residence. During the search, a quantity of drugs, guns and items associated with the manufacture of methamphetamine were confiscated.

Items included approximately 8 grams of suspected methamphetamine, 12 cannabis plants being grown in an upstairs area, cannabis, liquid substance in a glass jar with lithium battery strips (commonly associated with manufacture of methamphetamine) and 12 firearms, one of which had serial numbers altered.

Also taken from the residence was a small safe, for which an additional search warrant will be obtained to view the contents of the safe.

About two hours later, authorities then traveled to another residence on the 200 block of Morgan Street in Maunie.

At 6:44 p.m., Maier, along with deputies Randy Graves and Scott Cantrell, as well as members of the Illinois Drug Task Force, went to the residence, attempting to serve a warrant on Jerrod Farny for Domestic Battery and Disorderly Conduct (Threatening Further Bodily Harm).

Maier said several officers went to the rear of the residence, while he went to the front and knocked on the door. Maier reported he could observe a male and a female inside the residence, and he instructed them to come to the door. They advised, however, that the "door would not open" and they began climbing out of the front bedroom window.

Maier spoke with both subjects and asked if Farny was inside. The male subject, who said he was a family member, advised that Farny was not inside. Maier explained to this subject that if Farny was located inside, this subject would be charged with obstructing justice, which prompted the subject to remember that Farny was indeed inside.

Maier, Graves and a member of the Illinois Drug Task Force crawled through the window, and Maier yelled that the officers were entering.

Farny was located sitting behind items in the back bedroom. He was placed under arrest and taken to the White County Jail, where he was still being held as of this morning (April 17) on the misdemeanor domestic battery charge on a $750 cash bond.

Whether the two Maunie incidents were related or not wasn't indicated in reports.

CLAY CO., Ill. - Clay County Sheriff Andy Myers has submitted the mid-month sheriff's department report, and as is the usual fare, there are quite a few repeat offenders in it.

April 11, a Clay County Sheriff’s Deputy arrested Cara Vaught, 39, Fairfield, for Violation of Bond on the original charge of Unlawful Possession of Methamphetamine. Bond set at $15,000.00 (10 percent). She posted bond and was released.

April 12, the Clay County Sheriff’s Office was notified of a motor vehicle accident at 1:49 p.m. at the intersection of Frontage Road and Sunset Road in Clay City. Apparently Franklin R. Senters, 76, Sullivan, operating a 2007 Ford, was traveling north on Sunset Road, stopped at the stop sign and proceeded into the intersection and was struck by a westbound 2010 Jeep Compass operated by Charity D. Mitchell, 41, Clay City. No injuries reported.

April 13, a Clay County Sheriff's Deputy arrested Timothy Kerr, 45, Louisville, for Violation of Bond on the original charge of Unlawful Possession of Methamphetamine. Bond set at $15,000.00 (10 percent). He is currently incarcerated in the Clay County Jail.

April 13, the Clay County Sheriff's Office was notified of a motor vehicle accident at 12:09 p.m. at the 900 Block of South Main in Clay City. Apparently Larry H. Galloway, 80, Cisne, operating a 2014 Chevrolet Silverado pickup truck was traveling south on South Main and crossed the centerline and struck a northbound 2006 Chevrolet Silverado operated by Alvin Austin, 85, Mason. No injuries reported.

April 13, a Clay County Sheriff’s Deputy arrested Christopher Colman, 24, Louisville, for Unlawful Possession of Methamphetamine. Bond set at $3,000.00 (10 percent). He posted bond and was released.

April 16, Ace Woolard, 23, Olney, was arrested on an outstanding Clay County warrant for Failure to Appear on the original charge of Driving While Driver's License Suspended. Bond set at $3,000.00 (10 percent), plus $75.00 warrant fee. He is currently incarcerated in the Clay County Jail.

SALINE CO., Ill. – The Saline County Sheriff’s Office arrest report for mid-April is in, and it involves ONLY Harrisburg people this go-round.

April 9

Joshua Hurst

Joshua W. Hurst, 36, of Harrisburg, for Failure To Appear Driving on a Suspended License and a Failure To Appear warrant out of Williamson County.

He remains in the Saline County Detention Center.

April 10

Joshua K. Noell

Joshua K. Noell, 35, of Harrisburg, for Unlawful Possession of a Converted Vehicle.

He remains in the Saline County Detention Center.

April 11

Joseph Davis

Joseph D. Davis, 36, of Harrisburg, for Domestic Battery and Violation of Probation.

He posted $1000 bond.

Aubrey Partee

Aubrey G. Portee, 26, of Harrisburg, for Failure To Appear Disorderly Conduct.

He posted $825 bond.

April 12

Hai Van Tran

Hai Van Tran, 38, of Harrisburg for Failure To Appear Obstructing Justice and Driving While License Suspended.

He posted $1000 bond.

April 13 

Kently Nowakowski

Kently J. Nowakowski, 31, of Harrisburg, for two counts of Unlawful Possession of a Weapon by a Felon.

He remains in the Saline County Detention Center.

April 14

Genevieve M. Evans

Genevieve M. Evans, 40, of Harrisburg, for three counts of Endangering the Life/Health of a Child, Reckless Driving and Aggravated Fleeing Police.

HERRIN, Ill. – The Herrin Police Department Arrest Report for the week of April 9, 2018 has been made available for you.

Kayla A. Sadler, 34, Herrin, was arrested on April 9 for Disorderly Conduct. Sadler was transported to the Williamson County Jail pending a court appearance before a judge.

Darla D. Jeralds, 51, Cambria, was arrested on April 10 for Driving While Suspended/Revoked. Jeralds was released on an individual bond.

Jamie M. Johnson, 38, was arrested on April 11 for Domestic Battery. Johnson was transported to the Williamson County Jail pending a court appearance before a Judge.

Mollie F. Hilton, 24, Herrin, was arrested on April 11 on a Williamson County warrant for failure to appear / traffic offense. Hilton was transported to the Williamson County Jail.

Aaron J. Sealy, 26, Herrin, was arrested on April 12 for Aggravated Assault. Sealy was transported to the Williamson County Jail pending a court appearance before a judge.

Kayla A. Sadler, 34, Herrin, was arrested on April 14 on a Williamson County warrant for failure to appear on a traffic offense. Sadler was transported to the Williamson County Jail.

James A. Besson, 43, was arrested on April 14 on Williamson and Franklin county warrants for failure to appear on a traffic offense. Besson was transported to the Williamson County Jail.

Photo provided by a reader

CLAY CO., Ill. - A man from Clay City lost his life yesterday evening in a single-vehicle accident three miles south of Louisville in Clay County, Illinois.

Illinois State Police in District 12 Effingham advised that the wreck occurred last night (Tuesday, April 17) at approximately 7:04 p.m.

The Nissan traveled off the roadway to the left and overturned multiple times. Both Viehmeyer and a passenger, Randall R. Helms Jr., 43, of Louisville, were ejected from the vehicle. The Nissan came to rest in the west ditch of 45. 

U.S. 45 was closed with traffic rerouted for approximately four and a half hours.

CLAY CO., Ill. - The man who lost his life in a single-vehicle car crash last night had a dog with him who survived the crash, and that dog is now missing, prompting a huge response for a public heads-up for her.

William Viehmeyer, 67 of Clay City, was behind the wheel of a car that lost control while passing and crashed on U.S. 45 last night. Viehmeyer died after being thrown from the vehicle; a passenger from Louisville, Randall Helms, 43, was taken to Deaconess in Evansville with injuries.

The Clay County Animal Rescue and Shelter (CCARS) announced the situation on their Facebook page earlier this morning (Wednesday, April 18).

Here's what they posted, along with the photo you see above:

Folks we have an emergency and could use your help. This kind man, William, a veteran living in Louisville, was in a horrible car accident on highway 45 by the racetrack last night.

Joely, the ten month old pitbull in the picture, adopted from CCARS, was in the vehicle with him and thrown out. She was last seen going south on 45. She is very friendly. She must be terrified and could be injured. We need to find her for her family , who are devastated right now with the losses and injuries to their family members.

Pls keep an eye out for her and msg if you find her. We need to find Joely!

Please do what you can to get this message around. We're at risk of losing our page if we call for anyone to share it off Facebook, so we'll say it now: PLEASE SHARE. We have an enormous readership in the Clay County area and it's likely Joely didn't go far; if she's friendly, she's probably sheltering on the property of someone in the area and that person might not be aware that she's a survivor of that wreck. So GET THE WORD OUT: please like and share across ALL your social networking pages.

ESL, Ill. - Marlon P. Bush, 47, formerly the Director of the East St. Louis Public Library, was charged in a six-count Indictment with three counts of Wire Fraud and three counts of Embezzlement from the City of East St. Louis Public Library, A Unit of Government That Received Federal Funds, Don Boyce, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois, announced today.

Counts One through Three of the Indictment, Wire Fraud, each carry a maximum penalty of up to 20 years in prison, while Counts Four through Six, Embezzlement, each carry a maximum penalty of up to 10 years in prison. Each of the offenses is punishable by a fine of up to $250,000, with mandatory restitution.

Demetrius Flowers

SALINE CO., Ill. - A young man who was part of a frightening incident in Harrisburg back in early December has been convicted and sentenced in a plea agreement as of Monday.

Saline County State's Attorney Jayson Clark said that on Monday (April 16), Demetrius T. Flowers, age 23, of Murphysboro, Illinois entered a plea of guilty in Saline County Circuit Court to a Class 3 felony charge of Unlawful Possession of Weapon by a Felon. Judge Walden E. Morris sentenced Flowers to 10 years in the Illinois Department of Corrections, with 1 year mandatory supervised release.

The 10 year sentence imposed by Judge Morris is the maximum term of imprisonment authorized under Illinois law for the offense.

On December 8, 2017, the Saline County State’s Attorney’s Office filed charges against Flowers arising out of an incident in which Flowers, a convicted felon, was caught in possession of a pistol while on the premises of the Saline County Housing Authority in Harrisburg. Flowers had been previously convicted of a Class 4 felony offense of Driving While Driver’s License is Revoked in 2015.

The investigation of Flowers’ case was led by the Harrisburg Police Department. State’s Attorney, Jayson Clark, led the successful prosecution of Mr. Flowers.

If you have an online membership to the e-Edition, you can read about the incident at this link.

WILLIAMSON CO., Ill. - Williamson County State's Attorney Brandon Zanotti has advised of a sentencing that occurred Monday in his county.

Zanotti said that on April 16, 2018, Jeremy Upton, 26, of Franklin County, pled guilty to one count of unlawful use of a weapon by a felon, a Class 3 felony, and was sentenced to three years in the Illinois Department of Corrections. 

On March 24, 2018, after a high-speed chase, Upton was arrested for fleeing Herrin police officers. Once searched, Upton was found to be in possession of a handgun. Due to a previous felony conviction in Franklin County, Upton was charged for possessing the gun.

In addition to three years in DOC, Upton will be under mandatory supervised release for one year following his release. 

The investigation was handled by the Herrin Police Department. Assistant State’s Attorney Sean DeMello led the prosecution of this case. 

“So often we see suspects who have committed crimes in several Southern Illinois counties," Zanotti said. "Here we have a case with a previous conviction out of Franklin County, the suspect knew he should not have a weapon in his possession, he runs from officers and they successfully detain him without incident. We are grateful for the training officers in this county undergo to handle every scenario. Herrin Police officers did a great job minimizing the risk of injuring other motorists and now we have another criminal off the streets.”

LANCASTER, Ill. - The old Lancaster school in northwestern Wabash County was set up years ago to be a private Christian school, and occasionally, it becomes the target of vandals and burglars.

However, thanks to some thorough work by Wabash County Sheriff Derek Morgan and his deputies, along with Illinois State Police Crime Scene Investigations Unit, the most recent incident has been investigated and has resulted in the arrest of two men from right there in the village.

Morgan said earlier today that on March, 2018 the Wabash County Sheriff's Office was called to the Lancaster Christian School reference a break-in. After forcing their way inside the Christian School, the offenders took a sum of cash and checks.

K9 Roy was used for an article search to locate any items of evidentary value around the perimeter of the building. A trooper with the ISP's Crime Scene Investigations Unit also responded to process the scene.

Earlier today (April 18), two suspects were identified and interviews conducted.

Justin Prater

Following those interviews, Justin K. Prater, 23, of Lancaster, and Joseph A. Stevens, 36, also of Lancaster were taken into custody.

Joseph Stevens

Both Prater and Stevens made court apperances today in Wabash County Circuit Court and stand charged with Burglar,y a Class 1 Felony.

Bond has been set at $40,000 ($4,000 cash.)

KNOX CO., Ind. - Indiana State Police detectives are investigating a double shooting that occurred at a location on Cardinal Road in Oaktown.

The investigation was initiated last night (Wednesday, April 18) after a family member requested a welfare check on the occupants. Officers from the Indiana State Police and Knox County Sheriff's Department arrived at approximately 7:50 p.m. and found a male inside the attached garage with serious injuries. A female was found deceased inside the residence.

The male victim has been identified as Roger S. Darrough, 63. He was transported to Good Samaritan Hospital, but was later airlifted to Deaconess Midtown Hospital in Evansville.

The female victim has been identified as Sharon M. Patton, 56, Darrough and Patton resided together at the residence, said ISP.

Detectives do not believe anyone else is involved in this shooting. It's still an ongoing investigation and additional information will be released as it becomes available.