25-year-old Cobden resident Guillermo Palmerin was injured in an accident yesterday morning near Milepost 106 on Interstate 64 in Wayne County. According to State Police, at approximately 8:24, 39-year-old Douglass, Kansas, resident Christopher D. Smith was eastbound in a 2008 Peterbilt Semi approaching a single-lane bridge construction zone. Smith was hauling an oversized load, and his passenger side trailer tires and fenders struck a guardrail, causing it to become airborne. The railing landed on the other side of the construction concrete barrier and hit Palmerin, a worker, in the lower right leg.
24-year-old Anna resident Rodney A. Esmon was sentenced in Wayne County Circuit Court last week. He pleaded guilty to a Class 3 felony count of possession of methamphetamine and a Class A misdemeanor of resisting a peace officer. Esmon was sentenced to two years probation and time served and ordered to pay $3,305 in fines, court costs, and restitution.
Wayne County deputies arrested 22-year-old Mt. Vernon resident Jace C. Endsley yesterday on a Wayne County warrant for criminal damage to property; he was booked in the Wayne County Jail and held, pending the posting of $5,020 bond. Fairfield police arrested 42-year-old Fairfield resident Joseph C. Cannon on a Hamilton County warrant for retail theft. He was held in jail, pending the posting of $3,520 bond.
Illinois Supreme Court Justice Rita Garman, the state’s longest-serving jurist, has announced she will retire, effective July 7th. She has been a judge for 48 years and had expected to seek retention to a third 10-year term in November. However, she released a statement this week saying it is time for someone new. The Constitution provides for vacancies to be filled by Supreme Court appointment, and the replacement will serve for two years.
The Du Quoin State Fair has announced six Grandstand acts for the upcoming Du Quoin State Fair. Harness racing will kick off the grandstand events on August 26th, and it will be followed by Cole Swindell, the I Love the 90s Tour, Randy Houser, Jordan Davis, Chase Rice, and Jeff Foxworthy. September 3rd and 4th will see ARCA and USAC racing, respectively.
Sweltering May temperatures can be attributed to the alignment of the jet stream, according to Freese-Notis Meteorologist Dan Hicks. He says the first several days of May had temperatures anywhere from two to six degrees below normal, but a southwest air flow has brought warmer air into the area. He says more moderate temperatures are anticipated by the weekend.
The Fairfield City council met last night. It heard a report from NRCS State Conservationist Ivan Dozier and Engineer Matt Robert on the Johnson Creek Watershed. Dozier said the City has received funding for a feasibility report on its flooding issues. In about four months, the report should be ready to view, and the City can decide if it wants to continue in the Watershed Prevention Operations Program. If it does, and if the program’s abilities align with the city’s goals, complete funding would be available for design plans and between 50 and 100 percent funding for construction. Dozier commented the ideal end result would be alleviated flooding and a lake at Lakeside Park.
In his report at last night’s meeting, Mayor Mike Dreith said city police have started marking vehicles parked for more than two hours on Main and Delaware streets, per a city ordinance. Residents of apartments on those streets will need to find new long-term parking spots, and the City will install new “Two-Hour Parking” signs downtown.
Wayne City High School held its 2022 Senior Awards yesterday, where over $310,000 was announced in scholarships and awards. Ellie Dickey, the September Senior of the Month, was named Senior of the Year, and she also won the DAR Good Citizen award and a $300 DAR Scholarship, as well as the $1,000 David Kinney Memorial Scholarship. A full list of award winners can be found in the following attachment: 2022-Press-Release-Senior-Awards-Day-Wayne-City
The Fairfield Public Library will hold its “Read Beyond the Beaten Path” summer reading program May 21st through July 8th. First- through eighth-graders may register the 21st through June 4th. First- through third-graders will receive a prize after every 25 easy books read, and older grades will receive a prize after every six juvenile fiction and non-fiction grade-level chapter books read. Prizes will be awarded to the top 10 readers, as well, and all books must be checked out from the Fairfield Public Library. Skateland Rollersport will host a skating party on July 8th from 9 to 11 a.m. with free admission and skate rental, provided by Skateland.
The IDPH reported two new cases of COVID-19 in Wayne, Wabash, and Jefferson counties yesterday. Marion County added three cases, and Edwards, White, and Richland counties one. Clay County held steady, and Hamilton and Lawrence counties had their totals decrease on the state website. As a state, Illinois announced 5,344 new cases and 15 additional deaths.
Farmers continue to fall behind in planting, according to the latest statewide weekly crop report. On average, less than two days were suitable for fieldwork in the past week; just 15 percent of corn had been planted, compared to 71 percent at this time last year, and 11 percent of soybeans had been planted, compared to 55 percent last year. 19 percent of winter wheat had headed, and 45 percent of that crop was rated in good-to-excellent condition. Average statewide topsoil moisture was rated as one percent short, 49 percent adequate, and 50 percent surplus.
May is Foster Parent Appreciation Month; Illinois Department of Children and Family Services Spokesperson Deborah Lopez says foster parents help provide a stable home to children in trouble, but more are always needed. Foster parents must be at least 21 years old and can be married, single, divorced, separated, or in a civil union. She says becoming a foster parent is a serious commitment, and the process can take up to six months to complete. More information can be found on the DCFS website.
River stages as of this morning: the Little Wabash east of Fairfield stands at 16.57 feet, below the 17 ft. flood stage. Meanwhile, the Skillet Fork at Wayne City has a reading of 5.74 feet (flood stage is 15 ft.). The Little Wabash below Clay City is at 9.02 feet (flood stage is 18 ft.). Bonpas Creek at Browns reads 2.53 feet, and the Little Wabash at Main Street in Carmi reads 12.78 feet. The Wabash River at Mt. Carmel sits at 14.50 feet.
Today’s crude oil price is $92.75, down $3.25 from yesterday. The June crude oil price is $102.50, down $1.00 from yesterday morning.