The Fairfield FFA Alumni will hold their Scholarship Lunch today at the Fairfield Rural Fire Department building on the east highway out of Fairfield. Service will begin at 11, and the meal will include pork chops, cheesy potatoes, green beans, dessert, and a drink. The cost is by donation, and all proceeds will benefit the Fairfield FFA Alumni Scholarship Program.
The Fairfield FFA Chapter will wrap up National FFA Week festivities Monday at FCHS due to winter weather this week. Monday will be Drive Your Tractor to School Day, and the FFA will grill porkchop sandwiches for lunch. Sandwiches will be available at the west end of the FCHS Ag shop, beginning at 11.
The Cisne FFA Alumni interviews scheduled for yesterday were postponed until March 2nd at 6 p.m.
A 46-year-old Centralia man has been formally charged in Marion County Court with a Class X felony drug charge. Christopher Taulbee of West 3rd remains in the Marion County Jail in lieu of $50,000 bond for unlawful possession with intent to deliver 15 to 100 grams of methamphetamine. He also faces a second felony charge of possession of 15 to 100 grams of methamphetamine. Taulbee is eligible for an extended term on the possession charge due to a prior conviction. Centralia Police Chief Greg Dodson says Taulbee was allegedly found in possession of 34 ounces of meth following a traffic stop. He reports there was a large chunk of meth along with baggies with smaller amounts. Taulbee had the public defender appointed to represent him. Taulbee had just been arrested a week earlier for felony possession of a weapon and possession of a hypodermic syringe.
Illinois State Police have become aware of a planned event along several interstate corridors scheduled from now until March 5th where truck drivers plan to conduct a ‘Convoy’ causing traffic delays and potential crashes. Illinois State Police Division of Patrol Colonel Margaret McGreal says while the Illinois State Police respects the rights of citizens to express their opinions in a lawful manner, there is great concern with any event that is designed to impede or block the normal and reasonable movement of traffic. She notes traffic backups are a major contributing cause to traffic crashes which lead to property damage, personal injury, and even death. McGreal says those who choose to participate in events that intentionally endanger the public and violate Illinois law will be subject to the enforcement of applicable laws and could potentially be held liable for traffic crashes occurring as a result of their actions. The Illinois State Police is urging all motorists to abide by traffic laws for the safety of all.
It’s official, the state’s indoor mask mandate will be lifted tomorrow. Thanks to the decrease in new COVID cases and hospitalizations, masks will no longer have to be worn in gyms, restaurants, bars and stores. Illinois Public Health Director Doctor Ngozi Ezike says that seniors, people with compromised immune systems and others may still want to keep the extra layer of protection.
Currently the IDPH is reporting a total of 3,026,737 cases of COVID in the Illinois with 32,654 confirmed and 4,138 probable deaths. The current positivity 7-day rolling average of case positivity is 1.8%, test positivity is 2.4%. Total Illinois vaccination doses stand at 23,808,265, to date Illinois has administered 21,070,546 doses of the vaccine, and the vaccine administration 7-day rolling average is 16,309. Illinois population five and up who are fully vaccinated stands at 71.6%; 12 and up 75.3%; 18 and up 76.5% and of the population 65 years and older 87.4% are fully vaccinated.
IDPH reports that 14,819 doses of the vaccine have been administered in Wayne County. Of the 16,332 reported population, 39.63% have had at least one does, 37.48% are fully vaccinated. Edwards County has administered 5,663 doses and report 39.10% of their population having received one dose, 37.41% are fully vaccinated. To date White County has administered 14,774 doses and show 45.03% of the total population as fully vaccinated. The state reports 54,338,979 tests performed since the pandemic began.
The CDC is updating the metrics it uses for recommending masks. Director Rochelle Walendsky was among those to unveil a new community level metric system that labels an area’s COVID level as low, medium or high. The CDC now says masks only need to be worn when a community is in the high level. Immunocompromised people are recommended to wear masks when a location is in the medium tier.
Attorney General Kwame Raoul has announced final approval of the historic national $26 billion opioid settlement agreement with the nation’s three major pharmaceutical distributors – Cardinal, McKesson and AmerisourceBergen – and one manufacturer, Johnson & Johnson. Following successful state and local government subdivision sign-on periods, the companies will start releasing funds to a national administrator on April 2, 2022. States and local governments will start receiving funds during the second quarter of 2022.
River stages as of this morning: the Little Wabash east of Fairfield stands at 26.70 feet, above the 17 ft. flood stage. Meanwhile, the Skillet Fork at Wayne City has a reading of 7.45 feet (flood stage is 15 ft.). The Little Wabash below Clay City is at 17.65 feet (flood stage is 18 ft.). Bonpas Creek at Browns reads 12.9 feet, and the Little Wabash at Main Street in Carmi reads 32.82 feet. The Wabash River at Mt. Carmel sits at 26.22 feet.