On August 30, 2021, at 10:26 p.m. Gibson County Deputy U.B. Smith attempted to conduct a traffic stop on a White Toyota Corolla on US 41 near State Road 168, but the vehicle continued northbound for three and a half miles before being stopped by multiple police cars. Upon approaching the vehicle Deputy Smith placed the driver 25-year-old Dominic Smith of Harvey, Louisiana into custody. A search of the vehicle resulted in 2.75 ounces of Marijuana being seized. At the conclusion of his investigation Deputy Smith transported the driver to the Gibson County Jail where he was charged with Possession of Marijuana and Resisting Law Enforcement by Fleeing. He remains in custody on a $1500 bond.
Assisting Deputy Smith in his investigation were Captain Bryan Ellis and Zach Lienemann from the Gibson County Sheriff’s Office as well as Sergeant Steve McNeece, Jeremy Robb, and Chelsea Jones of the Princeton Police. Also assisting was Jeremy Volk of the Haubstadt Police Department.
All Criminal defendants are to be presumed innocent until, and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Vet Shortage Is Problem Everywhere
The demand for veterinarians remains strong in Illinois and nationwide. There are 130 vet students at the University of Illinois this fall says Associate vet-med professor Dr. Jim Lowe.
The Illinois Farm Bureau offers the IVET Program, which provides low interest loans up to $40,000, to as many as three veterinary students each year. Loans are paid to recipients for a period of two to three years and are payable over 5 years after graduation. IVET also awards recipients a $1,500 stipend during their fourth year in school to help pay expenses associated with clinical rotations. Eligible applicants must be attending an accredited college of veterinary medicine in the U.S. and must commit to an Illinois food animal practice and work in the field for five years.
Law Aims To Remove All Lead Service Lines In Illinois
SPRINGFIELD -- Illinois has more lead lines that bring drinking water into homes than any other state, but under Senator Melinda Bush’s Lead Service Line Replacement Notification Act, which became law Friday, that will change.
“Lead service lines are a health threat that poisons our children, undermines our residents’ confidence in our municipal government and costs billions of dollars,” Bush said. “This is a feasible and equitable path forward that would require all cities in Illinois to tackle a problem that we know harms Black and Latinx communities the most.”
The Lead Service Line Replacement Notification Act establishes timelines and requirements for the removal and replacement of all lead service lines in Illinois and creates a low-income water assistance program to help fund financial assistance and water projects that include lead pipe replacement.
As more cities across the country have seen increased amounts of lead in their drinking water – including Chicago, Aurora, Joliet, Cicero and Rockford – the health risk has also increased. Aside from keeping the harmful chemical out of people’s water, the Lead Service Line Replacement Notification Act would create up to 11,000 jobs and $115 billion in economic activity each year.
“After years of fighting this battle, we are finally on the right track toward bringing safer drinking water into our communities,” Bush said. “Today shows our commitment to the health of all Illinoisans – one that is long overdue.”
The Lead Service Line Replacement Notification Act was signed into law Friday.
East Peoria Not Enforcing New Mask Mandate
East Peoria’s mayor announced he will not be enforcing Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s mask mandate. On social media, Mayor John Kahl said the move recognizes the community’s ability to decide the best course of action for local health and livelihoods. Pritzker issued the mandate for everyone over the age of 2 to wear masks indoors starting today.
Farmer's Almanac Calling For "Typical" Winter In Illinois
Look for a typical winter in Illinois if the Farmers’ Almanac’s winter prediction holds true.
The Farmers’ Almanac is releasing it’s winter weather outlook for 2021-22 that has its own set of extremes, earning it a “frosty flip-flop” moniker. Managing editor Sandi Duncan said they make their predictions using a set of rules established back in 1818.
“These rules look at things like sun spot activity, tidal action of the moon, position of the planet, and a variety of other factors,” Duncan said. “Its both a mathematical and astronomical formula.”
The Farmers’ Almanac predicts a cold and snowy January for Illinois, but a much quieter month of February.
“In your area we are calling for icy, flaky conditions, which means there’s going to be near to somewhat below normal temperatures with above average snowfall and there will be some ice mixed in as well,” Duncan said.
The thought of ice should bring the shivers to many in Illinois after the 2021 New Years Day ice storm that paralyzed Central Illinois. A thick coating of ice brought down tree branches and power lines. Temperatures did not warm up to near freezing for days, so the ice didn’t melt until several days after.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Climate Prediction Center says there is a 70% chance of La Nina returning between November 2021 and January 2022. A La Nina winter could have implications for winter storm activity, flooding and even drought, depending on where you live.
Research shows winter road maintenance can pay for itself in less than a half hour after use. According to research from Illinois Policy, a traffic engineering study showed that applying salt and plowing two-lane roads pays for itself within 25 minutes.
Duncan says people who follow the Farmers’ Almanac weather predictions say they are between 80 and 85 percent accurate.
“Obviously some local conditions could come into play, but we feel pretty confident that we give people a good idea on what's to come the next two to three seasons ahead,” Duncan said.
Eviction Moratorium Continues In Illinois Despite Supreme Court Ruling
Even though the U.S. Supreme Court has ended the pandemic-related federal moratorium on residential evictions, the Illinois moratorium continues.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention health order had banned evictions nationwide in areas with high COVID-19 transmission rates.
“In light of the Supreme Court ruling and the continue risk of COVID-19 transmission, President Biden is once again calling on all entities that can prevent evictions, from cities and states to local courts, landlords, Cabinet agencies, to urgently prevent evictions,” White House spokesperson Jen Psaki said.
Gov. J.B. Pritzker recently extended the ban until September 18. The extended statewide moratorium applies to all Illinois counties, including areas reporting low transmission rates. The governor’s office previously said it would be phasing out the moratorium.
Housing advocates says the moratorium extension will give tenants and landlords more time to connect with rental assistance funds that are available.
While the moratorium prevents the enforcement of an eviction order, property owners and landlords can still file for eviction in court or challenge a tenant’s written declaration that they fell behind in paying rent due to the pandemic. But, the moratorium prevents final trials and judgments from taking place in eviction hearings.
Michael Glasser, president of the Illinois-based Neighborhood Building Owners Alliance, said housing providers prefer not to go through the long and painful, legal process of eviction.
“Just having the ability to evict gives us a tool that we need to kind of wake up and shake up some of the tenants who have been milking this process,” Glasser said.
Glasser warned of a pending debt tsunami once the moratorium is lifted.
“Tenants owe billions in back rent, and the burden of that debt on neighborhood housing providers has drained their resources and impacted their ability to invest and maintain the homes that their tenants live in,” Glasser said.
Nearly 6.4 million U.S. households now cumulatively owe more than $21 billion in back rent, according to an estimate by the National Equity Atlas created by PolicyLink.
Tony Nudo, from the Springfield Area Landlord Association, told WMAY that with the statewide moratorium still in place, it is impossible to go after bad tenants.
“You can’t get a court date at this time for evictions concerning money and it is very difficult to know what is going to happen in the future,” Nudo said.
As new mask mandate begins, special session to focus on maps, not COVID orders
Illinois state lawmakers are headed back to the capital for a special session, but it’s not to deal with Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s indoor mask mandate, which starts Monday.
Lawmakers are expected to take up revised legislative maps Tuesday after Illinois House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch, D-Hillside, and Illinois Senate President Don Harmon, D-Oak Park, made the joint proclamation Aug 20.
Wendy Underhill, the director of elections and redistricting with the National Conference of State Legislatures, told Illinois lawmakers during a redistricting hearing Thursday she’s not aware of any other states set to approve new maps this soon after the latest U.S. Census data was released.
“I am not aware of any others,” Underhill said. “That does not mean there aren’t any out there. But, if there are others, I will catch them and bring them back to your attention.”
The maps expected Tuesday for special session are to replace maps based on estimates that Republicans have challenged in court.
Since the special session for the political maps was announced, Gov. J.B. Pritzker issued a statewide order requiring masks indoors and vaccine mandates for all health care workers, educators and college students. The governor has been issuing executive orders for 18 months on a range of issues regarding COVID-19 without formal approval from the General Assembly.
House Minority Leader Jim Durkin, R-Western Springs, said the real focus of this week’s special session should be on the governor’s mask mandates and other COVID-19 orders.
Welch’s office said it supports the governor’s orders. Harmon’s office did not respond when asked for comment.
“Here’s the thing, the Democrat leaders, specifically Speaker Welch, is not going to do anything without the governor’s permission,” Durkin said. “I’ve been around long enough and I know how these guys operate. That’s why I went specifically to the governor to say ‘you have the authority to call both chambers in.’”
Pritzker wouldn't commit to calling a special session when asked Thursday.
“If he truly believes that there’s a role of the legislature in the betterment of our state and also for a healthier environment for our children, then he should call for that hearing,” Durkin said.
Pritzker said he’s always open to input from both sides of the aisle.
“Well, Republicans can call hearings, and if they want to invite Democrats to it, they should and can and if they don’t want to they can still call hearings, I’m sure you all will cover them,” Pritzker told the media.
The hearings Democrats called for the revised legislative maps have been a mixed bag. One lasted three hours with civic groups saying to not rush the process. Another hearing lasted ten minutes when no witnesses showed up.
City Prepping For Winter Weather
Despite the extreme heat the last week, Mt. Carmel city officials are already prepping for snowy winter travel. Construction will start soon on the new salt storage bin that will make it easier for crews to access salt to combat icy city streets. Street commissioner Tom Meeks said the new storage benefit will help more than just Mt. Carmel…
Meeks also said recent work by Mayor Joe Judge and city inspector Mike Gidcumb saved the city about two-thirds the estimated cost of the salt storage bin.
Driver Arrested Following Early Sunday White County Crash
ISP TRAFFIC CRASH ALERT
The Following Preliminary Information is Being Released by Illinois State Police District 19
WHAT: One Unit Personal Injury Traffic Crash
WHERE: U.S. Route 45 southbound near County Road 2200N, White County
WHEN: Aug. 29, 2021, at approximately 4:30 a.m.
VEHICLE: Unit 1- 2015 White Kawasaki Ninja 650
DRIVER: Unit 1- Chad C. Hayes, 44-year-old male of Carmi, IL – Transported to a local hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
PRELIMINARY: A preliminary investigation indicates the following occurred: Unit 1 was traveling southbound on U.S. Route 45 near County Road 2200N. The driver of Unit 1 lost control and the motorcycle left the roadway, overturned and the driver was ejected. No further information is available at this time.
CHARGES: Unit 1 driver was arrested for Driving Under the Influence of Alcohol and was cited for Improper Lane Usage.
The public is reminded all persons are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
City Still In Running For Pool Grant
Mt. Carmel is still in the running to receive a Restore Illinois grant that would help to restore the city pool to its’ former glory. Mayor Joe Judge announced at last week’s City Council meeting that the state has eliminated some projects vying for the grants, but Mt. Carmel’s application is still in the queue. He said a decision is expected sometime in early to mid-September on the grant application…
The city pool’s summer season was cut short by a pump malfunction.
WSJD File Photo