Erratic Behavior in Rest Park Results in Drug Arrest

Vigo County—On Tuesday March 20 at approximately 8:55, Indiana State Police troopers were dispatched to the Interstate 70 Welcome Center near the one mile marker, for a report of a suspicious male in the rest room acting erratically. 

Upon arrival, officers located the male outside near the vending machines and identified him as 28-year-old Bryan P. Moreno of Trinidad, Ohio. Further investigation revealed multiple used syringes in the bathroom stall previously occupied by Moreno, and inside Moreno’s white Chevrolet, troopers located approximately 84 grams of suspected Marijuana, approximately ½ gram of Methamphetamine, approximately ½ gram of Heroin, 13 packages of Suboxone, and a .25 caliber Colt semi-auto pistol, assorted items of drug paraphernalia. 

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Bryan P. Moreno was incarcerated in the Vigo County Jail on preliminary charges of Possession of Controlled Substance, Possession of Methamphetamine, Possession of Marijuana, Carrying a Handgun without a License, Public Intoxication, Unlawful Possession of a Syringe, Maintaining a Common Nuisance, Possession of Paraphernalia, and Possession of a Narcotic Drug. 

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The case was investigated by ISP Trooper Brad Fyfe. Assisting were Troopers Nicole Cheeks and Ian Portteus with his K-9 “Czar”, the Vigo County Sheriff’s Office and the West Terre Haute Police Department. 

Under the Law, criminal charges are merely accusations and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

Three Evansville Residents Arrested on Drug Charges, Mother Arrested for Neglect

Vanderburgh County – Yesterday afternoon at approximately 4:21, Indiana State Police, US Marshal Service Task Force and Vanderburgh County Sheriff’s Department responded to 681 Sweetser Avenue to locate and arrest Jaci McQueen, 22, who was wanted on a Vanderburgh County felony warrant.  When officers entered the residence they found McQueen sleeping in a downstairs bedroom. She was arrested without incident. Officers discovered a plastic bag in her front pants pocket containing five ½ pills that were later identified as Clonazepam and Alprazolam, both Schedule IV Controlled Substances. She also had a syringe in her purse.

There were also two other adults and two children inside the residence. The adults were identified as Kandice Rhodes, 28, and Darian Watt, 28, both residing at the residence. Rhodes’ two children, an 8-year-old boy and a 7-year-old girl were also present.  Rhodes was in possession of a small bag of marijuana.

Watt was located in an upstairs bedroom. Officers detected a strong odor of marijuana when they entered the bedroom and observed a small amount of marijuana and several pills on a nearby TV stand. A black safe-box containing 110 grams of marijuana, two boxes of Ziploc baggies and one digital scale was located on Watt’s bed. A local wanted check revealed Watt was wanted out of Vanderburgh County for failure to appear.

All three adults were arrested and taken to the Vanderburgh County Jail. Watt and McQueen are currently being held without bond. Rhodes is currently being held on bond. Rhodes’ two children were released to her grandmother.

Arrested and Charges:

  • Jaci R. McQueen, 22, Evansville, IN
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  1. Possession of a Controlled Substance, Class A Misdemeanor
  2. Visiting a Common Nuisance, Class A Misdemeanor
  3. Petition to Revoke Probation (Warrant)   

 

  • Darian A. Watt, 28, Evansville, IN

 

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  1. Maintaining a Common Nuisance, Class 6 Felony
  2. Dealing Marijuana, Class A Misdemeanor
  3. Possession of Marijuana, Class A Misdemeanor
  4. Possession of Paraphernalia, Class A Misdemeanor
  5. Possession of a Controlled Substance, Class A Misdemeanor
  6. Failure to Appear for Possessing Marijuana (Warrant) 

 

  • Kandice D. Rhodes, 28, Evansville, IN
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  1. Possession of Marijuana, Class B Misdemeanor
  2. Possession of a Controlled Substance, Class A Misdemeanor
  3. Neglect of a Dependent, Class 6 Felony
  4. Maintaining a Common Nuisance, Class 6 Felony
  5. Failure to Appear (Warrant) 

Arresting Officer: Trooper Ross Rafferty, Indiana State Police 

Assisting Officers: Senior Trooper Michael Finney, Senior Trooper Justin Bean and Trooper Tyler Widner, Indiana State Police 

Assisting Agencies: US Marshal Task Force and Vanderburgh County Sheriff’s Department

                                              All criminal defendants are to be presumed innocent until, and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

Deadly Crash In Southern Illinois

ISP (FATAL) TRAFFIC CRASH ALERT

The Following Preliminary Information is Being Released by Illinois State Police District 22

WHAT: Single vehicle single fatality Crash

WHERE: Old Route 146 Loop Johnson County

WHEN: Thursday, March 22, 2018

DRIVERS: Not releasing names of driver or passengers at this time.

PRELIMINARY: The Illinois State Police is investigating a single vehicle, single fatality crash which occurred on Old Route 146 Loop, west of Honeysuckle Ln in Johnson County. The three occupants of the vehicle were transported from the scene to out of state and area hospitals. One of the three occupants succumb to their injuries and was pronounced dead at the hospital. The investigation into the crash continues. All subjects are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

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Allendale School Board Notes

At the March 2018 Allendale School Board meeting held tonight at the main office of Allendale School, the board:

Approved use of school grounds for the Allendale Fire Department to host its Annual Easter Egg Hunt on March 31st.

Approved use of the building to the University of Illinois Extension Office for Kids in the Kitchen cooking school July 30-August 3 and August 6-10.

Approved the 2018-2019 School Calendar.  The calendar would begin August 13, 2018 with Teacher Institute Day and finish May 24, 2019 if all emergency days are used.

Approved to not release the closed session verbatim minutes of August 16, 2017; October 18, 2017; November 15, 2017; December 20, 2017; January 17, 2018; February 21, 2018.

Approved the updated Concussion Management Protocol document.

Accepted resignation letter from Kristi Isaac, Volleyball Coach, effective at the end of the 2017-2018 school year.

Re-employed the following tenured certified staff for the 2018-2019 school year:

                        Mrs. Jacqi Aubrey                              Mrs. Darlene Smith

Mr. Kyle Buss                                     Mrs. Kristi Stevens

Mrs. Tonia Hawf                                Mrs. Diana Morgan

                        Mrs. Jennifer Rhinehart                      Mr. Nick Waldroup

                        Mrs. Brittany Weiss

                       

Re-employed the following non-tenured certified staff for the 2018-2019 school year:

Mr. Bill Hudson                                  Mrs. Brooklynn Lezon

Mrs. Dena Tarpley

Re-employed the following support staff for the 2018-2019 school year:

Aides:                                      Ellen Grounds, Michele Loeffler, Kila Garrett    

Bus Drivers:                            Tom Jefferson                                                                        

            Coaches:                                 Sarah Courter – Cross Country Coach

                                                            Rich Casburn – Basketball Coach

            Cook:                                      Karla McCowen

            Custodian:                               Lee Campbell

            Assistant Cook/Custodian:     Vicky DeLong

            Health Aide:                           Amanda Hershey

            Secretary:                                Sarah Courter

            Treasurer:                               Debbie Hipsher          

            Yearbook Sponsor:                 Brittany Weiss

Director of Student Activities & Complaint Manager:  Nick Waldroup

 

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Morgan Routs McVaigh; Secures Republican Nomination For Sheriff

Wabash County Sheriff Derek Morgan easily won the Republican nomination for re-election in Tuesday's primary. The GOP sheriff’s nomination was the only contested race on the ballot in Wabash County and it was all Morgan as he smashed challenger Jimmy McVaigh by garnering almost 82% of the vote compared to only 18% for McVaigh. Morgan talked with us after securing the nomination….

 

Morgan does not face a democratic opponent in the November election for his second 4-year term.

2018 Wabash County Primary Election Results-FINAL

16 Of 16 Precincts Reporting

24.90% Voter Turnout
Registered Voters: 8,459
Ballots Cast-Total:2,106
Ballots Cast-Republican: 1,701
Ballots Cast-Democrat: 405

Republican Primary Ballot:

Wabash County Sheriff
J. Derek Morgan-1,382 (81.82%)
Jimmy L. McVaigh-307 (18.18%)

109th State Representative:
David B Reis-836
Darren Bailey-784

Governor:
Bruce Rauner-802
Jeanne Ives-802

Attorney General:
Erika Harold-734
Gary Grasso-675

Democratic Primary Ballot:

State Central Committeewoman:
Vivian Robinson-34
Tonya Loker-14
Rena Elkins Bever-269
Diana K. Douglas-43
Germaine Light-16

Governor:
JB Pritzker-170
Chris Kennedy-117
Daniel Biss-57
Bob Daiber-8
Tio Hardiman-5
Robert Marshall-14

Attorney General:
Pat Quinn-193
Renato Mariotti-29
Scott Drury-17
Nancy Rotering-33
Kwame Raoul-41
Jesse Ruiz-9
Sharon Fairley-29
Aaron Goldstein-12

15th District Congressman:
Carl Spoerer-117
Kevin Gaither-236

Our Election Returns Are Brought To You By:

Harris Insurance Agency
Wabash County Coroner Shaun Keepes
J. Wilderman Autoplex
Wabash General Hospital
First National Bank
Borowiak's IGA
Short-Cunningham Funeral Home

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Wabash District #348 School Board Revisits Pay To Play Policy

The Wabash District #348 school board is taking a second look at the pay to play and transportation policies enacted three years ago. At Monday’s school board meeting, superintendent Tim Buss said the policies were enacted as the board made several personnel cuts because of the financial situation of the district. Currently, those who want to play sports or band at MCHS pay $75 a sport, with a cap of $175 per student, and family max of $300. At the junior high, it costs students $50 a sport, with a cap of $125 a student, and family max of $200.

Teams, bands, and clubs are also required to either arrange their own transportation to games and events or reimburse the district if district vehicles are used. Buss outlined the thinking behind revisiting the issue….

 

School board members asked Buss to compile updated financial figures on the athletic and extra-curricular activities before any changes are approved.

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April 24th Court Date Set In Molstad Case

An April 24th preliminary hearing date has been set in the case of 18 year old Jacob Molstad of Mt. Carmel. Molstad was charged March 6th with a Class X felony of delivery of a controlled substance while on school property.

A status hearing in the case was held Tuesday in Wabash County Circuit Court where Judge Christopher Weber set the April 24th date for first advisement of the charges and preliminary hearing.  It’s alleged that Molstad delivered a substance containing Xanax to a 16-year-old boy on the Mt. Carmel High School parking lot.

A Class X felony carries a mandatory prison sentence of 6 to 30 years and probation is not an option. represented by attorney Stephen G. Sawyer.

Molstad remains free on a $10,000 cash bond and a condition of that bond is that he not be on any District #348, junior college, or elementary school property.

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Wabash District #348 Personnel Matters

RETIREMENTS

Cindy Yonaka -MCES Pre-school Teacher effective June 30, 2022

RESIGNATIONS

Bonnie Simmons -MCJHS Secretary effective March 5, 2018

Jessica Gill -MCHS AER Paraprofessional effective March 16, 2018

CERTIFIED

Clover Perkins -MCHS Special Education Teacher starting the 2018-2019 school year

(Replacing Bev Johnson who is retiring)

EXTRA CURRICULAR

Ann James -MCHS Special Education Department Chair starting the 2018-2019 School year

(Replacing Bev Johnson who is retiring)

Recommendations for 2018-19 Staff Needs

 

1. Mt. Carmel Elementary School

· Move Kindergarten Teacher that we hired because of increased numbers last fall to First Grade (high numbers)

· Move Kindergarten Assistant to 1st grade (high numbers)

2. Mt. Carmel Grade School

· Add Special Education Teacher Make Part-Time Custodian Full

· Hire 2 P/T Lunch Recess Aids

3. Mt. Carmel Junior High School

· Hire a Special Education Teacher

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Internet Upgrades Coming To District #348 Schools

Higher speed internet is coming to Wabash District 348 schools. At their monthly meeting last night, the school board approved a recommendation from district technology director Kevin Smith to go with a 5 year contract with Clearwave Communications. Smith said the new fiber optic service will triple the current speeds at the high school while other schools will experience similar improvements. While the cost of the service wasn’t revealed last night, board member Kyle Peach indicated the cost would be less than what the district is currently paying with New Wave Communications.

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