40-year-old Mt. Vernon resident Eric W. Jones and 34-year-old Missouri resident Zachary J. Wheeler were arrested Monday by Wayne County deputies and Fairfield police. Jones was wanted on a Wayne County failure to appear warrant for battery, and Wheeler was arrested on charges of possession of drug paraphernalia and possession and possession with intent to deliver between 15 and 100 grams of methamphetamine. Wheeler was also wanted on two active Missouri warrants. The two were taken to the Wayne County Jail.
Wayne City police arrested 32-year-old Wayne City resident Michael R. Smith yesterday on a Wayne County failure to appear warrant for unlawful restraint, obstructing justice, possession of meth, and possession of drug paraphernalia. He was taken to the jail and held, pending the posting of $7,520 bond.
The City of Fairfield is still accepting police officer applications; applications are available at City Hall and must be returned by 4 p.m. tomorrow.
29-year-old Evansville, Indiana, resident Austin W. Ward was sentenced in Wayne County Circuit Court last week. He pleaded guilty to a Class C misdemeanor of disorderly conduct and was sentenced to one year supervision plus time served. Ward was also ordered to pay fines and court costs.
The Wayne County Farm Bureau Foundation has awarded nine $750 scholarships to Wayne County students majoring in an ag-related field of study. Winners include Caitlyn Dickey, Ellie Dickey, Gavin Featherling, Logan Kreiter, Nicholas Lambert, Maddison Oliver, Clay Reed, Camden Robbins, and Ethan Thomason. The Young Leader Committee also awarded Oliver and Reed $1,000 scholarships.
Wayne County Circuit Court has been awarded a technology grant exceeding $69,000 from the Technology Modernization Funding Program offered by the Illinois Supreme Court and the Administrative Office of the Illinois Courts. Enhancements include video and audio upgrades to improve remote proceedings and fiber-optic wiring. The Circuit Clerk’s Office will also benefit from a mobile app allowing people to electronically pay fines and appear remotely for court appearances.
The Wayne County Board will meet tonight at 7 in the upstairs courtroom in the courthouse. After appointments and office reports, the board is set to move to new business, which will include a discussion on ARPA funding applications and the formation of an ARPA Committee. Board members are also set to discuss a new contract with the Wayne County Humane Society. Other business items include a resolution in support of agriculture in the county and a pre-construction report from ADG.
The Illinois Supreme Court has appointed its first Black female justice to replace the retiring Justice Rita Garman. Justice Lisa Holder White will fill the seat in July and will serve until the 2024 election. Currently on the 4th District Illinois Appellate Court, Holder White called the appointment the “honor of a lifetime” and thanked Garman and the court for their confidence.
Fairfield Community High School students and staff were placed on a soft lockdown yesterday morning at approximately 10:10. The school says administration and the Fairfield Police Department were made aware of a potential threat made against the school on social media, and police were called to the campus. The lockdown was lifted after an investigation ensuring the safety of students, staff, and the school at large. Superintendent Jill Fulkerson says FCHS will always take these threats seriously and will look out for the safety of its students.
This week’s statewide crop report had 15 percent of corn and 11 percent of soybeans planted after a wet spring. Wayne County Farm Bureau Manager Doug Anderson says those numbers are fairly close representations of the area, but the heat and sunshine this week will allow quite a bit of work to be completed. He also says farmers are able to cover a lot of ground quickly with current technology and equipment, so next week’s report should look considerably better.
The Cisne Village Board met this week; the village will issue stickers for the use of dumpsters when they are moved, and residents can go to Village Hall to obtain up to two stickers per account at no cost. Stickers will be placed on vehicles approved to drop off, but, until they can be recognized, identification will also be needed.
The Fairfield Park Board will meet tonight at 6. After various reports, the board could discuss its Splash Pad Project before moving to new business. It is scheduled to hear from Jay Edgren regarding pickleball and to discuss golf course roof repair and Southwest Park. After discussions on the pool at its meeting last month, the board is also anticipated to set pool wages and pool hours and fees.
The IDPH reported four new cases of COVID-19 in Wayne County yesterday. Marion County added six cases, Jefferson County added five, and Edwards, Clay, Richland, and Hamilton counties added one. Lawrence, Wabash, and White counties held steady on the state website. As a state, Illinois announced 6,158 new cases and 11 additional deaths.
President Joe Biden was in Kankakee Wednesday to announce a plan to increase fertilizer supplies. He wants to double funding for domestic fertilizer production from $250 to $500 million. He is also looking at increasing the number of counties eligible for double-cropping insurance, and he says he is increasing technical assistance for technology-driven precision agriculture.
Governor J.B. Pritzker has signed a package of bills to assist crime victims and address the root causes of violence. One new law creates a co-responder pilot program in Peoria, Springfield, East St. Louis, and Waukegan, where police officers will be able to bring mental health professionals on calls to help assess situations. Another will fund efforts to retain police officers and pay for funeral expenses when a child is a victim of gun violence.
Illinois Invasive Species Awareness Month is a statewide effort held each May. An invasive species is described as any species not native to an area that does damage to the environment, economy, or human health. Many common invasives are being tracked now, according to University of Illinois Extension Coordinator Sarah Ruth. Anyone who sees an invasive plant or animal species can contact the Extension.
River stages as of this morning: the Little Wabash east of Fairfield stands at 13.32 feet, below the 17 ft. flood stage. Meanwhile, the Skillet Fork at Wayne City has a reading of 5.61 feet (flood stage is 15 ft.). The Little Wabash below Clay City is at 8.19 feet (flood stage is 18 ft.). Bonpas Creek at Browns reads 2.29 feet, and the Little Wabash at Main Street in Carmi reads 12.26 feet. The Wabash River at Mt. Carmel sits at 14.56 feet.
Today’s crude oil price is $98.75, up $6.00 from yesterday. The June crude oil price is $103.55, up $1.05 from yesterday morning.