The Wayne City Village Board met this week and heard village lift stations continue to have issues. After repeated warnings to seven residents in a problem area for flushing inappropriate items, a committee is anticipated to recommend a price increase for next month to offset additional costs for the sewer station. The park committee is considering changing park hours, as well. The park has been closing at 10, but it could be changed to sunset to avoid more vandalism. Most damage has been done early in the morning, per the committee, and it will consider the hours and make a decision in the near future.
The Fairfield FFA team of Hunter Biggs, Camden Robbins, Logan Kreiter, Jaxon Combs, and Cody Wick took third at the District Envirothon in Mt. Vernon Tuesday. The team was recognized as the top one in Wayne County, the top Wildlife Knowledge team, and the top Forestry Knowledge team. A second Fairfield team of Sawyer Jones, Miller Simpson, Devon Smothers, and Jacob Maguire placed 10th overall in the event.
Front, from left: Jones, Simpson, Smothers, and Maguire. Back: Wick, Robbins, Kreiter, Combs, and Biggs
Two Fairfield residents were booked in the Wayne County Jail recently. Fairfield police arrested 38-year-old Holly G. Bigley on a charge of domestic battery, and county deputies arrested 58-year-old Jerry L. Sarles on charges of possession of methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia. Both were held, pending the setting and posting of bond.
Illinois State Police District 19 Commander Captain Nathan Douglas has announced the activity and enforcement figures for the month of February. Enforcement activity consisted of 260 citations and 612 written warnings, including 102 speeding citations, 32 occupant restraint citations, nine distracted driving citations, 12 criminal arrests, and 218 written warnings for speeding.
State Senator Darren Bailey has filed his paperwork in his run for the Republican nomination for Illinois governor. He and his running mate collected about 20,000 signatures, far exceeding the necessary 3,250. Monday was the first day for filing petitions for local, state, and federal offices for the June primary. The final day to file is this coming Monday.
Former State Senator Thomas Cullerton, a Democrat from Villa Park, pleaded guilty yesterday in a federal embezzlement case after a 2019 indictment. He resigned from his seat two weeks ago and admitted he improperly took more than $240,000 from the Teamsters labor union. He has agreed to pay nearly $250,000 in restitution, and a prosecutor said he could serve more than a year in prison. His sentencing has been set for June 21st.
The Fairfield City Council met last night and held a public hearing for a potential business district. The idea would increase sales taxes by one percent in its boundaries on most purchases. Downtown merchants Kristi Hornung, Nicole Jordan, Marjorie Jordan, and Mark Turner spoke in favor of the idea, saying the City needs to do something to bring in additional funds to help with building upkeep, bring in more small businesses, and enhance the downtown area. Gary Carter and Cindy Grimes spoke against it; Carter said even a small tax increase would hurt his sales, and both said the current climate with gas prices and inflation does not lend itself to any tax increase. The council will vote on the matter at its meeting on the 22nd.
In the Fairfield City Council meeting proper, action began with the seating Cody Attebery on the council to replace Brett Coale as First Ward Aldermen. Alderman Gary Moore motioned to seat Attebery for Coale’s unexpired term, and Alderman Dewey Eckleberry seconded. With a unanimous vote, Attebery was sworn in by City Clerk Tina Hutchcraft. Brad Young was appointed new leadman at the Water Distribution Department, and he replaces Kevin Leonard, who moved to work in the cemetery. Alderman also voted to authorize the Board of Fire and Police Commissioners to proceed with hiring three new police officers and to authorize testing to establish a new eligibility list. The City has three spots open in the state police academy this year. In other action, the council approved spending money for fireworks for Independence Day, with $10,000 provided by the City and $5,000 provided by the Recreation Fund. Corporate support is also a possibility as organizers hope to make the holiday more of an event. Aldermen voted to support the City Band with $7,000.
In his report at last night’s meeting, Mayor Dreith said he met with three water departments who buy bulk water from the city yesterday. Water rates in the Jasper, New Hope, and Boyleston water districts will go up 7.5 percent, retroactive to January 1st, based on the Consumer Price Index. He also said landowners at 1302 Leininger Road, 205 West Seventh, and 900 Leroy have been given until Friday to clean up properties. He said they have been given fair warning the City will not continue to stand by.
The Edwards County High School Music Department will hold its full Dinner Theater event this month for the first time since 2019. Shows with dinner will take place on the 18th, 19th, 25th, and 26th, and the 24th will be a show-only night. The theme for the show is Seasons, and tickets can be purchased for $20 by calling 445-2325.
The IDPH reported two new cases of COVID-19 in Wayne, White, and Wabash counties yesterday. Richland County added one, and Jefferson County added four. Edwards, Hamilton, Clay, and Marion counties held steady, and Lawrence County had its case total decrease on the state website. As a state, Illinois announced 1,055 new cases and 22 additional deaths. Statewide totals sat at 3,040,861 cases and 32,978 deaths. The Southern Region had a seven-day positivity rate of 2.6 percent on the 5th, up from 2.5 percent on the 4th.
Teachers and other school staff can take paid administrative leave if they contract COVID-19 under a bill passed by the Illinois House last week. The legislation is similar to one vetoed last year, but it has one major change: only teacher who have been vaccinated can take administrative leave instead of sick time. Opponents argue this is just another vaccine mandate.
A pilot program where a law enforcement officer will accompany child welfare workers during high-risk home visits will be launched with the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office. Sheriff Jeff Bullard says it is important to understand front-line workers find themselves in unstable situations that can turn dangerous. Two DCFS investigators have been killed in their work in the last five years- Deidra Silas in January and Pamela Knight in September 2017.
River stages as of this morning: the Little Wabash east of Fairfield stands at 22.82 feet, above the 17 ft. flood stage. Meanwhile, the Skillet Fork at Wayne City has a reading of 10.00 feet (flood stage is 15 ft.). The Little Wabash below Clay City is at 20.77 feet (flood stage is 18 ft.). Bonpas Creek at Browns reads 12.46 feet, and the Little Wabash at Main Street in Carmi reads 29.26 feet. The Wabash River at Mt. Carmel sits at 20.90 feet.
Today’s crude oil price is $116.75, up $4.25 from yesterday. The April crude oil price is $124.18, up $2.46 from yesterday morning.