The County Board, on its final meeting night of 2018, appointed Ryan Turner to the 9-1-1 Board replacing John Lockhart, who is stepping down. Commissioners also heard from County Highway Dustin Bunting, who reported that the state has approved project reports on a bridge project in Road District 5. That means Bunting can now proceed with right-of-way acquisition.
Important Dates For Delinquent Wabash County Taxpayers
If you haven’t paid your taxes yet, Treasurer Beverly McBride has outlined some dates you might want to keep in mind. On January 7th, certified notices are going out, and at that point late penalty fees will rise to 4.5% for the first installment, and 3% for the second. January 18th is the last day to pay taxes before your name is published in the newspaper. And, the tax sale is planned for February 15th.
AQUA AEROBICS OFFERED SPRING SEMESTER AT WVC
Wabash Valley College will offer Aqua Aerobics I, PEI 1138, this Spring Semester at 8:30 – 9:20 a.m. on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday at the WVC Pool, with Carolyn Caddell as the instructor. The class will meet beginning January 7. Aqua Aerobics II, PEI 1139, will be offered from 9:45 – 10:35 a.m. on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday with Carolyn Caddell as the instructor. The class will begin on January 7. Students may register at the first day of classes or at the College.
In-District tuition may be discounted for students enrolled in four or less semester hours in the evening. There will be a $5 Technology fee per credit hour, a $12 Student Support fee per credit hour, and a $15 Maintenance fee per credit hour. For more information, contact the Student Services Office at 618-262-8641.
AQUA AEROBICS OFFERED EVENINGS AT WVC
If you enjoy aqua aerobics and would like to be a “stronger and healthier you,” there is room for you in Aqua Aerobics II, PEI 1139, which is being offered from 4:00-4:50 p.m., Mondays and Thursdays, at the WVC Pool for Spring Semester. The class will begin January 7, with Betty Tharp as instructor.
In-District tuition may be discounted for students enrolled in four or less semester hours in the evening. There will be a $5 Technology fee per credit hour, a $12 Student Support fee per credit hour, and a $15 Maintenance fee per credit hour.
For more information, contact Betty Tharp at 618-262-7016, or WVC at 618-262-8641.
WVC TO OFFER AEROBICS II SPRING SEMESTER
Mt. Carmel, IL – Wabash Valley College will be offering an Aerobics class Spring Semester which will offer low-impact cardio, strength, and toning exercises with Yoga and Pilates stretches. This class is designed to improve cardiovascular fitness, firm and tone muscles, and increase and enhance flexibility.
Students will need a Yoga/exercise mat, wear comfortable clothing, and gym shoes. The class will be using exercise/flex bands to enhance the workouts. The class, PEI 1137, will meet on Mondays and Wednesdays from 4:30-5:20 p.m., and a second class will meet on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 4:30-5:20 p.m. A third class will meet on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 6:00-6:50 p.m. Spring Semester classes will begin January 7. All classes will meet in Main Hall, Room 101. Ada Neigh is the instructor for the classes.
In-District tuition may be discounted for students enrolled in four or less semester hours in the evening. There will be a $5 Technology fee per credit hour, a $12 Student Support fee per credit hour, and a $15 Maintenance fee per credit hour. Students may register at the first class meeting or at the College. For more information, contact the Student Services Office at 618-262-8641.
Allendale December Students Of The Month
Allendale School is proud to announce its Students of the Month for December:
front row: McKinlee Grimes (2nd grade), Chandler Bray (Kindergarten), Brady Hershey (1st grade)
back row: Reese Price (3rd grade), Brayden Wilford (Junior High), Ashleigh McGinnis (Junior High), Riley Hershey (4th grade)
US 50 Crash Sends One To Hospital
ISP TRAFFIC CRASH ALERT
The Following Preliminary Information is Being Released by Illinois State Police District 12
WHAT: Personal Injury Crash
WHERE: US 50 at Underpass Rd (5 miles east of Iuka, Marion County)
WHEN: 5:45 PM 12/21/18
VEHICLES: Unit #1 – 2016 Ford Escape
Unit #2 – 2018 Toyota Highlander
DRIVERS: Unit #1 - Oral Deckard, age 64, of Terre Haute, IN
Unit #2- Michelle Linder , age 52, of Iuka, IL
CHARGES: Unit 1 – Failure to Reduce Speed to Avoid an Accident
TRANSPORTS: Unit #1 - Driver was transported to Salem Township Hospital by United Medical Response.
PRELIMINARY: Preliminary investigative details indicate Unit 1 was following Unit 2 westbound on US 50 near Underpass Rd. Unit 2 was yielding to traffic to make a left turn. Unit 1 did not slow down in time and rear ended Unit 2. Unit 1 driver was transported to Salem Township Hospital with minor injuries.
All subjects are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law
ISP AGENTS ARREST SUSPECT FOR ENGAGING IN SEX ACTS WITH A MINOR
SPRINGFIELD – Illinois State Police (ISP) Investigations with assistance from the Lincoln Police Department today arrested Javier J. Joiner, 24, of Arlington Texas, for the offense of traveling across state lines to meet a minor, and production of child pornography.
Beginning in September 2018, after meeting on a social media site, Javier J. Joiner picked up a 15 year old juvenile female in Texas. Joiner, an over-the-road truck driver, allegedly engaged in a sexual relationship with the juvenile female until December 2018. Joiner and the juvenile female traveled through numerous states without Joiner having authorization to transport the juvenile across state lines. Joiner allegedly photographed and video recorded sexual acts between himself and the juvenile female, and distributed the images via an electronic communication device.
On December 6, 2018, Joiner allegedly physically assaulted and left the juvenile female on Interstate 55 near Lincoln, Illinois, after the juvenile female tried to end the relationship. The juvenile female was interviewed by the ISP and placed in the care of the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS). Joiner later contacted the juvenile female and arranged to travel from Ohio to Lincoln, Illinois to pick her up.
On December 21, 2018, agents from the ISP Zone 4 Investigations Violent Crimes Unit in Springfield, and Lincoln Police Department, located Joiner traveling southbound on Interstate 55 near Lincoln. Joiner was arrested and charged with Traveling to Meet a Minor (Class 3 Felony) and Child Pornography (Class 1 Felony). Joiner was incarcerated at the Logan County Jail awaiting a bond hearing. A formal filing decision will be made once the Logan County State’s Attorney reviews the case.
The case remains an open and ongoing investigation. No additional information will be released at this time.
Retirement Reception Held For WGH CEO Jay Purvis
Wabash General Hospital staff and the public gathered today to honor Jay Purvis as he retires at the end of the year after a long tenure as head of WGH. He’ll be replaced as CEO by Karissa Turner.
WGH Administrative Staff pose with Jay Purvis
Judge Hudson Explains Bail Reform Act
Illinois criminal law has seen a major change this past year. The Bail Reform Act went into effect on January 1, 2018, and was a major departure from the old way of setting bail.
In the past, a judge was to consider a great number of factors before setting a cash bond, with input from the State’s Attorney. But once the Bail Reform Act went into effect, cash is no longer king.
The Act specifically states that conditions of bail shall be non-monetary in nature for a large number of non-violent or drug possession offenses. In other words, for those crimes, persons arrested should not have to post any money before they are released.
This is quite a shocking concept to most people. But the rationale behind the new law explains the drastic change. There are two purposes of bail: 1. To protect the public, and 2. To insure people show up for their court dates. Those are the only two reasons. The purpose of bail is absolutely not to pre-punish someone for a crime, because everyone charged with a crime is innocent until proven guilty.
As for protecting the public, posting money for bail is still required for violent offenses and Class 2 Felonies or greater. But what about those non-violent offenses?
Non-violent offenses include driving on a suspended license, theft, and drug possession, to name a few. The General Assembly, after conducting quite a bit of research, found that those people arrested for non-violent offenses and drug possession were increasingly likely to commit more and worse crimes in the future the longer they stayed in the county jail awaiting trial. Additionally, poorer citizens were being kept in jail simply because they could not afford to post any cash, not because they couldn’t remember to show up for court. And for those being kept in jail, they were losing their jobs and could not pay their bills or provide for their families. For the poorer citizens, life got disproportionately worse than for those who could post cash.
How does the new act work in practice? First, a judge looks at the offense charged. Offenses are placed into two categories: Category A. Violent offenses and Class 2 felonies or greater, and Category B. Non-violent offenses less than a Class 2 felony.
If a person is charged with a Category B offense, the judge is to consider a great number of factors, but most importantly, What will cause this person to show up on their court dates?
If the judge does require monetary bond and the person is not able to post the cash, the person is entitled to a bond reduction hearing within seven days. Also, for each day a person is held in jail on a Category B offense, the amount of their cash bond is reduced by $30 per day, until it reaches $0 and they are released.
For further information, the complete text of the statute can be found on the Illinois General Assembly’s website: http://www.ilga.gov.
William C. Hudson, Circuit Judge
