Two Mt. Carmel Students Nominated For Service Academy

From Congressman John Shimkus: As a graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point, the annual reception I host for service academy cadets and nominees is one of the highlights of my year. This year, I'm pleased to have nominated 17 bright young men and women from around the 15th District who are considering an academy for their college choice.

Receiving a congressional nomination is important, but that alone doesn't guarantee admission to any of the service academies. The academies themselves make the final determination as to whether a nominee receives an appointment to attend that academy. They'll look at the prospective-cadet's academics, leadership, and physical fitness to make sure he or she is well-rounded and able to cope with the unique experience of attending a military school. 

If you or someone you know in the 15th District is a high school junior, college student, or current member of the military who is interested in attending an academy beginning in 2019, information you'll need can be found on my website at shimkus.house.gov/services/academy

I offer my sincerest congratulations to these promising young people and commend them for considering a career of service to our nation.

From left to right, the nominees with me above are: Anna Freeland of Mount Carmel, Gianna Vacca of Iuka, Marvin Abernathy of Ashmore, Will Schleper of Breese, Justin Del Rosario of Troy, Gary Harness of Mount Carmel, Broderick Goss of Sullivan, Patrick Sherrod of Effingham, Jerry Koretz of Collinsville, Andrew Perry of Effingham, and Spencer Johnson of Sullivan. I was also pleased to nominate the following students who were unable to attend the reception: Trenton Butler of Dahlgren, Conrad Ebbecke of Mahomet, Augustus Heal of Effingham, Walter Jackson of Danville, Dylan Pattison of St. Jacob, and Robert Rardin of Charleston.

While I can and do tell nominees about my experience at West Point from 1976-1980, a fresh perspective is helpful as they make their final decisions. That's why I also invite current cadets (pictured above) to attend our annual reception, so they can share their perspective and answer nominees' questions. From left to right, they are: Abigail Duzan of Tuscola, Collin Henderson of Trenton, Ashton Haythorne of Effingham, Gabe Oetting of Charleston, Charles Goss of Sullivan, Austin Myers of Champaign, Jarod Noel of Danville, and James Crane of Arcola.

ILLINOIS STATE POLICE REMIND MOTORISTS TO REMAIN VIGILANT

Second Round of Snow and Cold Temperatures Could Impact Travel

Springfield, Illinois – The Illinois State Police (ISP) reminds motorists to remain vigilant as a second system of winter weather enters Illinois. During last weekend’s storm, the ISP handled 384 traffic crashes and assisted 1,257 motorists.

Forecasted extreme cold temperatures and snowfall could again affect travel across Illinois this weekend.

The ISP suggests that you refrain from traveling during inclement weather. If you must travel, the ISP recommends that you:

 Move over and slow down for emergency vehicles, including snowplows.

 Make sure someone is aware of your travel route.

 Dress warmly. Choose layers of clothing in anticipation of unexpected winter weather emergencies.

 Ensure you keep plenty of gas in your tank in case your vehicle becomes stranded.

 Clear ice and snow from your vehicle windows and lights.

 Don’t crowd the plow. Remember, a snowplow operator’s field of vision is restricted. You may see them, but they may not see you.

 Watch out for black ice. Roads that appear clear may be treacherous. Take it slow when approaching intersections, off-ramps, bridges, and shady areas – all are prone to black ice.

 Have an emergency car care kit that contains jumper cables, a flashlight, an ice scraper, blankets, gloves, food items, water, and a first-aid kit.  Carry a cell phone and a charger.

 Always wear a safety belt.

Please slow down and pay attention to the road if you must drive during inclement weather.

HOMECOMING SET FOR SATURDAY, JANUARY 26 AT WVC

Homecoming Weekend 2019 will be observed at Wabash Valley College on Saturday, January 26, with several activities in store for WVC students, alumni, and the public.

WVC is hosting Southwestern Illinois College, with the Lady Warriors playing at 4:00 p.m. and the Warriors at 6:00 p.m. in the Spencer Sports Center.

Coronation of the 2019 Homecoming King and Queen will take place during halftime of the Warriors game. The WVC student body has selected candidates from the various participating clubs, and an election is being held for the student body to select the King and Queen.

Following the games, the WVC Student Senate will host a Homecoming event, open to all WVC students and alumni, upstairs in the Spencer Sports Center, running until 10 p.m. The free event will feature games, music, refreshments, and a drawing for door prizes.

Candidates for King and Queen are:

King: Price Adams of Louisville, KY (WVC Baseball); Tyger Clodfelter of West Salem, IL (Student Senate); Josh Dieball of Linton, IN (Health Professionals Club); Naoki Fujita of Fukuoka, Japan (International Club); Trevor Kennard of Mt. Carmel, IL (Student Nurses Association); Tanner McFall of Columbus, IN (WVC Men’s Basketball); Christian Oliver of Louisville, IL (Players Guild); Tristan Thomas of Mahomet, IL (Radio/TV & Digital Media); Jonas Trimble of Allendale, IL (Phi Theta Kappa); and Isaac Wilson of Mt. Carmel, IL (Diesel Club).

Queen: Kate Broster of Albion, IL (Student Nurses Association); Katie Embry of Albion, IL (Social Services Club); Dana Fancher of Albion, IL (Players Guild); Holly Hawkins of Mt. Carmel, IL (Phi Theta Kappa); Tegan Henne of Mt. Carmel, IL (Marketing Business Management Club); Kyra Hogan of Louisville, KY (WVC Women’s Basketball); Miah Holmes of Tuscola, IL (WVC Cheerleading); Sarah Luescher of Kloten, Switzerland (International Club); Erin Niederhaus of Evansville, IN (Radio/TV & Digital Media); Lindi Roesch of Owensville, IN (Health Professionals Club); Maci Simmons of Hartford, KY (WVC Softball); and McKenna Zimmerman of Mt. Carmel, IL (Student Senate).

WVC Student Senate members Taylor Waggoner and Andrew Tennis will perform the coronation honors.

Homecoming activities are sponsored by the WVC Student Senate and Warrior Athletics.

MCES Perfect Attendance Celebration

Mt. Carmel Elementary School celebrated perfect attendance on Thursday, January 17th. These are the students with no absences, no tardy days and no leave early days. Congratulations to these young men and women. A very special thank you to Tastee Freeze for donating a coupon for mini shakes to all the students.

(left to right) Kindergarten: Front Row: Kenzlee Adams, Victoria Babcock, Aryn Baker and Treyson Cohoon. 2nd row: Carly Dawson, Christian Dill, Keely Drone and Benjamin Johnson; Back Row: Rayden Lockhart, Benjamin Miller, Aubrey Stevenson and school counselor, Mrs. Vargo.

First Grade: Front Row: Ezekiel Baumgart, Lathan Blair, Caroline Blake, David Bump and Tate Buss. 2nd Row: Carsen Christie, Jaylyn Decker, Arianna Glick, Andrew Hagerty, and Annie Hagerty. 3rd Row: Grant Hodgson, Michael Ke, William Krup, Jaeodon Mallernee, and Jackson McCleave. Back Row: Landen McCoy, Tateum Seibert and Principal, Mrs. Odom. (not pictured - Stella Marsh)  

Second Grade: Front Row: Brooklyn Bertram, Hailey Courtney, Madison Courtney, Madilyn Dawson, Adriauna Dill and Aiden Dunkel. 2nd Row: Josie James, Ezekiel Kasinger, Zayden Memmer, Payton Morrison, Jersey Mounts and Ruthie Reed. Back Row: Greyson Roberts, Connor Spore, Katelyn Sutton, Jaxsen Wood and Joesoph Wood.  

Princeton woman arrested for driving on a suspended license.

On January 17, 2019, at 12:04 a.m. Gibson County Deputy Loren Barchett conducted a traffic stop at the intersection of Main and Clark Street on a Blue 2010 Chevy Traverse for having improper headlights. Upon approaching the vehicle Deputy Barchett identified the driver as 26 year old Whitney Bowen of Princeton. During a roadside investigation Deputy Barchett ran Ms. Bowen through the Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles and discovered that her license was suspended on a prior driving while suspended conviction. At that point Ms. Bowen was placed into custody and transported to the Gibson County Jail where she was charged with Driving While Suspended/Prior. She has since posted a $650 bond. 

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

Theft call leads to arrest of two on drug charges

On January 18, 2019, at 8:38 a.m. Gibson County Deputy Jennifer Loesch was dispatched to Walmart in Princeton to investigate a shoplifting complaint. Upon arriving Deputy Jennifer Loesch and Princeton Sergeant J.D. Clark spoke with loss prevention and began an investigation into the complaint. At the conclusion of their investigation Deputy Loesch placed two individuals into custody and transported them to the Gibson County Jail. Upon arriving at the Gibson County Jail Kevin 26 year old Kevin Owen of New Harmony was charged with Possession of Paraphernalia and Possession of Meth. He remains in custody on a $750 bond. Also arrested was 22 year old Logan Ray of Newburgh. Mr. Ray was charged with Possession of Marijuana. Mr. Ray remains in custody on an outstanding warrant through Posey County. 

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

Grayville Woman Sentenced To 3 Years In Prison On Meth Charge

Cassandra A. Goldman, Wabash County State's Attorney, reports that Skyler Johnston, a 25-year old Grayville, Illinois woman, was sentenced to the Illinois Department of Corrections by the Honorable Circuit Judge Michael J. Valentine in Wabash County Circuit Court.

State's Attorney Goldman advises that the Defendant was charged October 1, 2018, with Possession of Methamphetamine, a Class 3 Felony. Ms. Johnston was sentenced to 3 years in the Illinois Department of Corrections, to be followed by one year of mandatory supervised release (parole).

FACTS AND CIRCUMSTANCES OF OFFENSE:

That on the 30th day of September, 2018, in Wabash County, Illinois the Defendant, SKYLER N. JOHNSTON, committed the offense of POSSESSION OF METHAMPHETAMINE, in that said Defendant knowingly and unlawfully had in her possession less than 5 grams of a substance containing methamphetamine, other than as authorized in the Methamphetamine Control and Community Protection Act, in violation of 720 ILCS 646/60(a). A CLASS 3 FELONY

Here’s the original press release from MCPD when Johnston was arrested last fall:

On Sunday, Mount Carmel Police arrested Skyler N. Johnston, age 24, and Seth U. Perry, age 31, both of Grayville, IL for Possession of Methamphetamine.  Johnston was also charged with Driving While License Suspended and Perry for a Wabash County Failure to Appear Warrant. 

The arrests stem from officers checking on a vehicle parked behind the police department playing loud music.  The arresting officer made contact to find out why the subjects were parked in the rear parking area of the police department playing music excessively loud. 

The subjects stated they were waiting on a friend who was visiting an inmate in the Wabash County Jail.  While doing so the officer discovered one of the subjects in the vehicle, a white Chevy Impala, had a warrant for his arrest (Perry).  Perry was placed under arrest at this time.

  The officer then checked the seating area where Perry was located and found a container of suspected methamphetamine.  By this time the subject at the jail had finished her visit and exited.  Contact was made with her and she was identified as Skyler Johnston.  Johnston was found to have a suspended license and admitted she drove to the jail after being questioned.  Johnston was placed under arrest and taken to the jail at this time. 

At the jail Johnston was found to have a bag of suspected methamphetamine on her person as well.  Both were charged with the above stated offenses and were held pending a bond setting by a judge.

IECC Employees "Very Satisfied" With District Operations

Results of the Employee Satisfaction Survey for the fiscal year 2018 were presented to the Board of Trustees of Illinois Eastern Community Colleges, at the regular meeting Tuesday, January 15, at Olney Central College, Olney.

            In the fall of each year, District employees are given the opportunity to answer a survey which reviews the operation of the District and its four colleges.  The employees were given an opportunity to review health and dental benefits, information availability, personnel changes, website quality, equipment and technology needs, and a variety of other questions concerning the District.

            The Board reviewed the highest areas of agreement or strong agreement and the highest areas of disagreement or strong disagreement with the administration of the District.  Overall, the survey shows that employees are very satisfied with the operation of the District.

            The Board learned of the opportunities and goals through the Title III Grant, a federal grant from the Department of Education that will allow for the development of an Unmanned Aerial Systems program, redevelop the Information Systems Technology and Welding programs, and strengthen advising and registration services. 

            It was also announced that the District will host a new scholastic competition at Olney Central College this Spring.  The Academic Challenge is a high school competition that will be conducted by Eastern Illinois University and is similar to the Worldwide Youth in Science and Engineering (WYSE) Competition that the University Of Illinois College Of Engineering has discontinued. The competition is expected to bring students from 14 area high schools to campus.

            An affiliation agreement was approved with Effingham’s St. Anthony’s Memorial Hospital for the Phlebotomy Program at Olney Central College.

            Board approval was given for the employment of Brandi Rich as Administrative Assistant, Student Services at Olney Central College and for Lynne Welker, Administrative Assistant, Assistant to the Dean at Olney Central College, both employment are effective January 16th.       The resignations of Amy Ferguson, Office Assistant at Lincoln Trail, effective December 13th and for Heather Moore, Academic Counselor, Student Support Services, located at Lincoln Trail effective January 26, 2019 were accepted.

            A retirement was accepted for Ed Patton, Instructor at Frontier effective May 11th.          

            Next regular meeting of the Board of Trustees will be Tuesday, February 19, at 7 p.m. at Wabash Valley College.

NRCS Team Receives Volunteer Award

Eight staff from Southern Illinois who make up USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service’s (NRCS’s) Edwards-Lawrence-Richland-Wayne-Wabash County District Group were recently recognized for accomplishments achieved from 340 hours of hard work from a talented local Earth Team volunteer, Ms. Janet Billington. Illinois State Conservationist Ivan Dozier traveled to Fairfield, IL to present the award to the NRCS team and to meet Billington on January 10, 2019. “By working together, these individuals accomplished a tremendous amount of conservation work that supports the NRCS mission and increases the use of conservation programs and practices NRCS administers,” Dozier said. District Conservationist Gary Zwilling is thankful for her volunteer work and hopes her experience will motivate other local citizens to consider volunteering their time and talents as well. Billington is a local farmer working to obtain a degree from Wabash Valley Community College. Her hard work with NRCS earned her five college credit hours and so much more!

Local team members from the Fairfield office who worked with and alongside Billington included Soil Conservationists Charles Trimble, Nathaniel Crawford, Justin Massie, and Soil Conservation Technician Jenny Tannahill. What did Billington do during those 340 hours and why did she do it? Billington worked in the Fairfield USDA Service Center from May to July 2018 as part of an Internship with the college. Time spent working at the NRCS office fulfilled five college credit hours for her Associate degree in Agricultural Business Production and Technology.

Janet is a friendly, outspoken person who greeted USDA customers with a smile and helpful attitude. Because she grew up and farms in Wayne County, she was able to personally greet customers—some of whom she already knew. She assisted many customers directly and became so familiar with the USDA office staff that she was able to quickly refer them to staff who could best help them. Janet’s efforts helped free up both NRCS and local Wayne County Soil and Water Conservation District staff so they could focus more on the heavy Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) workload they face during summer months.

A quick learner and a good communicator, Janet helped in the office and tackled the tough job of completing paperwork and government program forms. She also reviewed and organized about 2,200 Wayne County case files, which is about 25% of the total files on hand in the office. With her local knowledge of other farm owners and the lay of the land, she quickly identified maps and other important documents to ensure all contracts and information in customer files were correct and complete. Her work and attention to detail improved office efficiency and provided a quality customer service experience.

Janet’s volunteer skills extended beyond office and indoor file work. She traveled to farm fields on occasion, working to conduct 10 field investigations, five design surveys, and seven construction checks. According to Tannahill, Janet’s knowledge of the area and her farming background assisted in data collection. She also attended four wetland field investigations with Soil Conservationist Charles Trimble, helping record data they collected.

“Janet's service to NRCS, FSA, and USDA was invaluable,” Zwilling says. “With her determination to start a complete evaluation of the case folder review, and her resolve to get through one-fourth of all the office files in Wayne County, it gave us a glimpse of what dedicated volunteers can do. Talented volunteers can really help us get important work accomplished and her experience will definitely improve her ability to find a great job in the future!”

According to Janet, “It was a great experience for me. I’d recommend serving as an Earth Team volunteer to anyone pursuing any Ag degree, any student interested in conservation, or anybody who wants to make a difference and protect Illinois soils for future generations.” To learn more about the NRCS Earth Team volunteer program and how you can be involved locally, contact the NRCS Earth Team Volunteer Coordinator at 217-353-6600 or visit www.il.nrcs.usda.gov/earthteam.gov.

State Conservationist Ivan Dozier (left) and District Conservationist Gary Zwilling (right) stand with Earth Team volunteer, Janet Billington (center) to thank her for serving as a volunteer at the Wayne County USDA Service Center in Fairfield, Illinois.

It's Official: Shopko Files Bankruptcy

GREEN BAY, WI – January 16, 2019 – Shopko (“the Company”), a leading operator of general merchandise stores throughout the Central, Western and Pacific Northwest regions of the U.S., today announced that it, along with its subsidiaries, has filed voluntary petitions for a court-supervised financial restructuring under Chapter 11 of the United States Bankruptcy Code.

The Company is seeking to facilitate the restructuring as a result of excess debt and ongoing competitive pressures. The petitions have been filed in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Nebraska.During the restructuring process, Shopko will continue to operate and serve its customers, vendors, partners and employees.

Shopko has obtained up to $480M debtor-in-possession (DIP) financing from certain of its prepetition secured lenders, led by Wells Fargo, N.A. as administrative agent, to help fund and protect its operations during the Chapter 11 process. This incremental liquidity will ensure that suppliers and other business partners and vendors will be paid in a timely manner for authorized goods and services provided during the Chapter 11 process, in accordance with customary terms.

“This decision is a difficult, but necessary one,” said Russ Steinhorst, Chief Executive Officer. “In a challenging retail environment, we have had to make some very tough choices, but we are confident that by operating a smaller and more focused store footprint, we will be able to build a stronger Shopko that will better serve our customers, vendors, employees and other stakeholders through this process.”

In order to position the Company for future success, Shopko has announced that it will be closing an additional 38 stores, relocating over 20 Optical centers to freestanding locations, and conducting an auction process for its pharmacy business. Throughout this process, all Shopko Optical centers and pharmacies remain open and continue to deliver the high-quality products and services to which its customers are accustomed. All other stores remain open as the Company continues to optimize its store footprint. Parties interested in receiving additional information about the Company’s pharmacy auction process should send inquiries to shopko@hl.com.

Additionally, encouraged by the performance of the four freestanding Optical centers that were opened in 2018, Shopko plans to continue to grow its optical business by opening additional freestanding Optical locations during 2019.

Shopko is also filing customary first day motions that, once approved by the court, will allow the Company to smoothly transition its business into Chapter 11, including, among other things, granting authority to pay wages, salaries, benefits, and pay vendors and suppliers in the ordinary course for authorized goods and services provided on or after the filing date.

Additional information is available on the Company’s restructuring website at http://info.shopko.com or by clicking on the Restructuring link on www.Shopko.com. Court filings and other documents related to the court-supervised process are available at https://cases.primeclerk.com/shopko or by calling the Company’s claims agent, Prime Clerk, at (844) 205-7495 (toll-free in the U.S.) or +1 (347) 576-1550 (for parties outside the U.S.).

Kirkland & Ellis LLP is acting as the Company’s legal counsel, BRG is serving as restructuring advisor and Houlihan Lokey is acting as financial advisor.

ABOUT SHOPKO

Founded in 1962 and headquartered in Green Bay, Wisconsin, Shopko Stores Operating Co., LLC is a $3 billion retailer that operates more than 360 stores in 26 states throughout the Central, Western and Pacific Northwest regions. Retail formats include 126 Shopko stores, providing quality name-brand merchandise, great values, pharmacy and optical services in small to mid-sized cities; 5 Shopko Express Rx stores, a convenient neighborhood drugstore concept; 6 Shopko Pharmacy locations; 4 Shopko Optical locations and 234 Shopko Hometown stores, a smaller concept store developed to meet the needs of smaller communities. For more information, visit www.shopko.com.