On September 4, 2021, at 6:30 p.m. Gibson County Deputy U.B. Smith received a tip about a possible impaired driver at the Huck’s Gas Station located at 76 East State Road 168 near Fort Branch. Upon arriving in the area, he located a Black 2000 Chevy Silverado matching the description of the impaired driver and began a roadside investigation. During the investigation Deputy Smith identified the driver as 41-year-old Angela Casswell and after a brief search a small piece of aluminum with a powdery substance that tested positive for Heroin was located. At the conclusion of his investigation Deputy Smith placed Ms. Casswell into custody and transported her to the Gibson County Jail. Upon arriving at the Jail Ms. Casswell was charged with the Possession of Heroin. She has since posted a $750 bond.
All Criminal defendants are to be presumed innocent until, and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Elberfeld man arrested on multiple charges
On September 3rd, 2021, at approximately 4:24 a.m. Steve Grubb contacted the Gibson County Sheriff`s Office to report a possible burglary occurring at 13090 E 275 S. Officers arrived and found Gregory J. Leingang on the property. Mr. Leingang was driving a Ford F-150 and had several items in the back that had been taken from the property. Mr. Leingang was charged with nonresidential burglary, theft under 750 and criminal trespass. Mr. Leingang remains in custody on a $2,000 bond.
Sgt. John Fischer was the arresting officer and was assisted by Deputy Brian Naas and Patrol Officer Jeff Hill with the Oakland City Police Department.
All Criminal defendants are to be presumed innocent until, and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Princeton man arrested for fleeing
On September 2, 2021, at 1:27 p.m. Gibson County Deputy Jennifer Loesch was dispatched to the area of Wood Street and Cottonwood Street in Patoka to investigate a suspicious male who was walking through yards. Upon arriving in the area, she attempted to stop a male who matched the description and attempted to conduct an investigation. The male who was later identified as 33-year-old Kyle Douglas of Princeton fled on foot after being ordered to stop multiple times by Deputy Loesch. Deputy Loesch pursued Mr. Douglas and placed him into custody. Mr. Douglas was transported to the Gibson County Jail where he was charged with Resisting Law Enforcement/Fleeing. He remains in custody on a $650 bond.
All Criminal defendants are to be presumed innocent until, and unless proven guilty beyonda reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Lawmaker Wants Mask Decisions Be Given To Local School Boards
A first step has been taken in an effort to allow local authorities to make decisions about mask mandates at Illinois schools.
State Rep. Andrew Chesney, R-Freeport, has filed legislation to counter Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s recent order that requires masks in private and public schools, regardless of vaccination status.
“I'm really concerned about the power aspect and I would have the same concern and I would have the same position if it was a Republican governor,” Chesney said. “You just can't rule the state. You have to have a deliberative process. You have to have a process of independent, but co-equal branches of government.”
HB 4131 would allow a school board or the governing board of a public or non-public school the power to determine, in consultation with a local health department, whether to implement mask requirements for staff, students and visitors during a time when the Governor has declared a disaster due to a public health emergency related to COVID-19.
“If the governor believes that school boards are best suited to teach their kids, they should also be the ones that are tasked with keeping our kids safe,” Chesney said. “That's why they have student counselors and resource officers to make sure that they're protected. I don't understand why local school boards, in consultation with the local health departments, can't decide if they want to wear masks or not. Just let them decide.”
He said lawmakers have been too timid during the pandemic and should step forward to assert themselves as part of the governing process.
“The legislature has been accepting the position that they just don't want to legislate,” Chesey said. “They don't want to lead. And they're going to allow the governor just to run this state like a king.”
Chesney admits that with a Democratic supermajority in the House and the Senate, it will take plenty of outside pressure to force a change.
“Simply put, they're not going to buck the governor unless their constituency overwhelmingly feels this way,” Chesney said. “The parents are going to have to be outraged. I've already had a number of calls from people I've never known from the Chicagoland area who have suggested their support. The suburban moms … they gotta start calling their legislators and asking them to support this bill. Because this is absolutely getting crazy.”
Chesney previously has encouraged everyone who wants to get a COVID-19 vaccine to get vaccinated as soon as possible, and he says he doesn’t have a problem with masks themselves.
“Where I take exception is these mandates,” Chesney said. “The Democrats are playing politics with this. They're not following science. And I think they're intentionally destroying our economy to push a progressive agenda.”
Fourteen states, including Illinois, currently have a statewide mask mandate for people at schools regardless of vaccination status.
Wabash County Man Held On $30,000 Cash Bond Following Manhunt
On 08.27.21 the Wabash County Sheriff's responded to a complaint of criminal damage to property. Through the investigation the offenses of Aggravated Discharge of a Firearm (3 counts) and (2 Counts) of Aggravated Assault were also present in this investigation. Information was gathered and an arrest warrant and search warrant were sought by the Sheriff's Office.
On Sept. 1st a search warrant was granted for 4797 N. 600 Blvd. Mt. Carmel, IL the residence of James M. Morgan, 56 years of age. The Wabash County Sheriff's Office along with officers of the Mt. Carmel Police Department and Illinois State Police went to the residence to execute the search warrant.
While at the residence two occupants were removed that were not the target of the investigation. Information obtained on scene led Deputies on a manhunt throughout the river bottoms in the outer Keensburg/Cowling area. Drone technology was utilized thanks to Mt. Carmel Police. After 7 hours the scene was processed and evidence collected and officers left the area.
The next day James Morgan contacted the Sheriff's Office asking if Law Enforcement or his daughter had taken his firearms. Mr. Morgan was informed the Sheriff's Office had his firearms and was encouraged to come to the Sheriff's office. Morgan determined he would not come in but invited deputies out to his residence.
When deputies arrived at Morgan's residence he was gone once again. Information obtained was that Morgan made the statement that he was "doing suicide by cop", before leaving he residence.
At approximately 11:56 A.M. Morgan was located at his residence. Deputies and the Illinois State Police surrounded his residence and established contact by phone. A deputy with the Sheriff's Office negotiated Morgan's peaceful surrender and he was taken into custody without incident.
Morgan's Wabash County warrant was for 3 counts of Aggravated Discharge of a Firearm and 2 counts of Aggravated Assault. Morgan is currently being held in the Wabash County Jail on a $30,000 cash bond.
Make the smart choice over Labor Day: Drive sober
SPRINGFIELD – As people join together to celebrate summer’s last hurrah, the Illinois Department of Transportation and Illinois State Police are reminding motorists to make a plan for a safe and sober ride home before indulging in Labor Day festivities. During this busy time for travel, law enforcement throughout the state are stepping up enforcement efforts to keep impaired drivers off the roads.
“Driving impaired is a dangerous choice,” said Cynthia Watters, IDOT’s bureau chief of Safety Programs and Engineering. “Instead of playing Russian roulette with the wheel, we urge motorists partaking of impairing substances to make the responsible choice to find a sober ride home. Let’s work together to save lives.”
The enforcement campaign runs through Sept. 7.
According to IDOT crash data, there were 938 fatal crashes in 2019, the most recent year for which complete alcohol test data is available, 258 (27.5%) of which involved at least one driver, surviving or killed, who tested positive for alcohol. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, between 2009 and 2018, the presence of marijuana had nearly doubled in drivers killed in crashes in the U.S.
“With Labor Day assuming the role of the unofficial end to the summer travel season, we are expecting an increase in traffic volume on the roadways,” said ISP Director Brendan F. Kelly. “That factor alone makes driving more dangerous. Driving impaired makes traveling on our roadways exponentially more treacherous. Impaired drivers put everyone at risk, including our first responders. Do your part to have a safe, fun and responsible holiday weekend by designating a driver.”
As you prepare for Labor Day weekend, keep the following tips in mind and spread the message to your friends and family.
• If you have used an impairing substance, do not drive.
• If you think a driver may be impaired, do not get in the car.
• If you are going to drink or use drugs, plan ahead for a sober ride. Options include your community’s sober ride program, a cab, public transportation or your favorite ridesharing app.
• If you know someone about to drive while impaired, take their keys and arrange to get them home safely.
• If you see an impaired driver on the road, contact local law enforcement.
The “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” campaign is funded by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and administered by IDOT in Illinois. Impaired driving is yet another element of IDOT’s comprehensive multimedia campaign, Life or Death Illinois, highlighting the incredible responsibility of each driver to make good decisions and decrease the number of lives lost each year. Visit lifeordeathillinois.com for more information
Lawmaker Seeks To Limit Executive Orders From Governor's Office
After a year and a half of executive orders from Gov. J.B. Pritzker dealing with the state's response to the COVID-19 pandemic, a state lawmaker is pleading to have his measure curbing that authority to be called for a vote
On the Illinois House floor Tuesday, state Rep. Dan Ugaste, R-Geneva, urged for lawmakers to take up House Bill 843.
“All this bill would do is indicate an emergency stops after 30 days and after 30 days a governor has to get authority from the legislature to continue working under such an emergency,” Ugaste said.
He said he can’t get a hearing, despite having dozens of co-sponsors, and that discounts the job the people of Illinois expect their elected representatives to do.
“I’m hearing from constituents constantly day in and day out asking why the legislature isn’t involved in the decision making process in dealing with the current health situation,” he said. “We hear from them constantly. They can get in touch with us. They can’t always reach one person at the top who oversees the government for almost 13 million people.”
He questioned if, 18 months into the COVID-19 pandemic, there’s still an emergency.
“I don’t deny science, I believe in science, and I want to see the science and data we’re told are being relied upon to make these decisions,” Ugaste said.
House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch’s office didn’t return messages seeking response to Ugaste’s call for the legislature to provide a check of the governor’s use of executive orders.
WGH Board Approves Renovations To Main Lobby & Radiology Department
The Wabash General Hospital board of directors has approved another piece of the extensive remodeling and expansion project at WGH. The board has approved spending just over $573,000 to renovate and upgrade the main lobby and radiology department. Of the $573,000 price tag, the WGH Foundation has pledged to pick up almost $187,000 of the cost. The radiology upgrades will include new mammography equipment.
Army Worms Invade Area Yards
Brown patches of grass in local yards aren’t just due to the hot weather last month. Army worms have invaded and marched through yards with a vengeance..destroying what was once green, thick yards…many in a matter of days. Mike Wilson of Wabash Valley Service Company talks about the first step to combat Army worms…
Wilson said once your yard is infested with Army worms, their appetite is seemingly unending….
Local lawn care companies have been busy killing the worms by treating the yards with a product called Wisdom.
WGH Kitchen To Close September 20th For Renovation
The ongoing makeover and expansion of Wabash General Hospital is continuing with the next part of the project being the renovation of the kitchen and cafeteria area. WGH President/CEO Karissa Turner reports the hospital’s kitchen will temporarily close starting September 20th…
Turner said the kitchen and cafeteria will be much more accommodating once it reopenS because of current space limitations based on the volume of meals served at the hospital.