On 3/30/19 Mt. Carmel Police arrested Kimberly L. Lowry, age 35, of Mt. Carmel, for Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, after officers observed her stumbling around a yard near 1st & Division Street at 3:19am. Officers made contact and found that Lowry showed signs of impairment from suspected drug use. Lowry consented to a search of her person where officers located a glass smoking pipe with suspected methamphetamine residue inside it. Lowry was placed under arrest and transported to the Wabash County Jail where she was charged and held pending the posting of bond.
Utah Man Busted By MCPD For DUI
On 3/29/19 Mt. Carmel Police arrested James Franklin Hamilton, age 41, of Springville, UT, for Driving Under the Influence of Alcohol following a public complaint about an impaired driver. Police located the suspect vehicle and conducted a traffic stop at 9th & Mulberry St. following a vehicle code violation. Officers found the driver, James Hamilton, showed signs of impairment from alcohol, so field sobriety testing was conducted. During the testing officers observed several clues to indicate impairment so Hamilton was placed under arrest. Hamilton was transported to the Wabash County Jail where he was charged and held pending the posting of bond.
Mt. Carmel Man Arrested On Various Drug Charges
On 3/29/19 Mt. Carmel Police arrested Michael L. Trost, age 45, of Mt. Carmel, for Possession of Methamphetamine and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia following a request for officers to the apartments at 1230 N Walnut Street regarding a male subject damaging a door to an apartment. When officers arrived they were allowed inside by the renter. Officers located Michael Trost in the bathroom. Officers made contact and found a glass smoking pipe laying in the trash can while speaking to him. The pipe contained suspected methamphetamine inside of it. Trost admitted the pipe was his and also admitted to methamphetamine being inside a pill bottle in the bathroom. Officers located a small clear bag of suspected methamphetamine inside it as reported. Trost was taken into custody and transported to the Wabash County Jail where he was charged and held pending a bond setting by a judge.
Driving Suspended Lands Mt. Carmel Man In Jail
On 3/28/19 Mt. Carmel Police arrested Joseph A. Stevens, age 37, of Mt. Carmel, for Driving While License Suspended after an officer observed him operating a vehicle in the 900 block of N Market Street. The officer knew Stevens had a suspended license and made contact. Stevens was placed under arrest and transported to the Wabash County Jail where he was charged and held pending the posting of bond.
FTA Warrant Leads To Fairfield Man's Arrest
On 3/28/19 Mt. Carmel Police arrested Randy J. Crews, age 24, of Fairfield, on a Wabash County Failure to Appear Warrant. The arresting officer observed Crews seated as a passenger in a silver Mercury car near 5th & Hackberry and knew Crews had an active warrant for his arrest. The vehicle was stopped and Crews was placed under arrest. Crews was transported to the Wabash County Jail where he was issued the warrant and held pending the posting of bond.
Mt. Carmel Woman Picked Up On FTA Warrant
On 3/28/19 Mt. Carmel Police arrested Heather M. Hall, age 31, of Mt. Carmel, on a Wabash County Failure to Appear Warrant. Hall was observed in the 400 block of Poplar Street and placed under arrest. Hall was transported to the Wabash County Jail where she was issued the warrant and held pending the posting of bond.
Woman Arrested For Allegedly Stealing Electricity
On 3/29/19 Mt. Carmel Police arrested Kaleigh C. Singer, age 26, of Mt. Carmel, for Theft of Labor or Services. On the day prior, police were dispatched to Mt. Carmel Meadows Apartments at 1230 N Walnut Street regarding the theft of electricity from the apartment property to Singer’s apartment, as her electricity had been shut off. A complaint was signed against her for the theft at that time. Singer was later located in a black Nissan that was pulling into the Buy Low parking lot. The vehicle was stopped and Singer was placed under arrest. Singer was transported to the Wabash County Jail where she was charged and held until the posting of bond.
WRAC Sets Date For Fall Fest
The date is set for this year’s Fall Fest hosted by Wabash Rally Against Cancer. The 2019 WRAC board held their first meeting of the year thisweek and announced that the Fall Fest will be held on Saturday, October 5th.
According to figures released at the meeting, WRAC has been to help nearly 20 Wabash County residents in their current fight with cancer by providing nearly $10,000 infinancial aid. The group said funds are still available, so if you know of anyone currently undergoing cancer treatments and needs financial assistance, they’re invited to submit an application to WRAC. More information can be found on the Wabash Rally AgainstCancer Facebook page.
Righter seeks to strengthen constitutional protections for taxpayers
Springfield, IL—On March 26, State Senator Dale Righter (R-Mattoon) unveiled Senate Joint-Resolution Constitutional Amendment 12 which would put in place more stringent safeguards to protect taxpayers from future tax increases.
“As Democratic lawmakers continue to seek ways to siphon even more from the pocketbooks of our taxpayers and at a time when taxes are higher than they’ve ever been, it is crucial that we take precautionary steps to protect taxpayers,” said Righter.
Currently, only a simple majority is required to pass a tax increase or to implement any new tax. SJRCA 12 proposes to change the threshold. Under the proposal, two-thirds of lawmakers in both the Illinois Senate and the House of Representatives—otherwise known as a supermajority—would be required to approve any future tax increases brought before the General Assembly. If passed, the constitutional amendment would place the initiative on the ballot for the next statewide election.
“SJRCA 12 would strengthen the Constitution, empowering taxpayers and providing enhanced protections for our middle class,” said Righter. “As Illinois already has one of the highest overall tax burdens in the nation, adding this extra measure of security to the process is just common sense.”
“Requiring a super majority to raise taxes is something I support and the people of Illinois should have the opportunity to have their say on this issue,” commented Rep. Chris Miller (R-Oakland). “We cannot trust the Governor or Democrats on their track record of taxing and spending in Illinois. The Governor is already back-peddling on his promise about 97% of taxpayers getting tax relief.”
Righter, who is the Chief Co-Sponsor of SJRCA 12, noted that currently 15 states impose some kind of supermajority requirement—two-thirds, three-fourths or three-fifths of the legislature—to raise or implement taxes. Furthermore, similar proposals have been introduced by legislators in Illinois in the past.
“I ran for the Illinois General Assembly promising to oppose all tax increases on our families and businesses,” added Rep. Darren Bailey (R-Xenia) “We saw what happened with the last tax increase. The people in my district are opposed to tax increases and will continue to be opposed to any tax increase without structural changes in how the state spends money.”
If placed on the ballot and approved by voters, any new state tax on any state tax increase would need 40 votes in the Senate and 79 votes in the House.
RANDOLPH COUNTY MAN CHARGED WITH TRANSPORTATION AND POSSESSION OF CHILD PORNOGRAPHY AND ATTEMPTED TRANSFER OF OBSCENE MATERIAL TO A MINOR
A federal grand jury for the Southern District of Illinois has returned a three-count indictment charging Brandon W. Junge, 33, of Baldwin, Illinois, with transportation of child pornography, possession of prepubescent child pornography and attempted transfer of obscene material to a minor, U.S. Attorney Steven D. Weinhoeft announced today. According to the indictment, on April 17, 2018, Junge knowingly transported child pornography in interstate commerce and knowingly possessed child pornography depicting prepubescent children. Junge is further accused of sending a close-up picture of a nude penis to a person he believed to be a 14 year old girl.
An indictment is a formal charge against a defendant. Under the law, a defendant is presumed to be innocent of a charge beyond a reasonable doubt to the satisfaction of a jury.
The arraignment for Junge will be held on April 17, 2019, at the federal courthouse in East Saint Louis, Illinois. Junge is currently in Missouri state custody on related charges.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. For more information about internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab “resources.”
The case was investigated by the St. Louis County Police Department and the FBI and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Angela Scott.