Headlines for Friday, May 13th

Fairfield Businessman Gary Carter says he has received notice of a hearing date for his appeal to be put back on the ballot for the upcoming primary election. The hearing will take place Monday at 10 a.m. in Sangamon County Circuit Court. Carter says he hopes the judge will rule quickly and allow him to continue with his campaign; he thanked his supporters for their encouragement and asked them to continue their prayers for a right decision to be made.

The Wayne County Farm Bureau is accepting applications for the 2022 Wayne County Farm Family of the Year. Nominees must reside in and be involved in the production of ag products in Wayne County; the family selected for the recognition will receive a framed aerial photo of their farm, a $100 gift card to a local restaurant of their choice, and a complimentary membership in the county farm bureau for 2023. The selection committee will be comprised of three county farm bureau leaders from outside of Wayne County, and the deadline to submit nominations is July 1st. Nominations can be made at waynecfb.com/family, and the winner will be announced at the Member Appreciation Dinner on August 11th.

Wabash Valley College will hold its 60th Commencement today at 7 in the Spencer Sports Center. More than 200 Associate’s Degrees and certificates are anticipated to be awarded. WVC President Dr. Matt Fowler will present candidates to IECC Trustee Roger Browning, who will confer the degrees and certificates.

Frontier Community College will offer two Basic Computer classes in the coming weeks. Basic Computers I will be held May 20th and 27th, and Basic Computers II will be on June 17th and 24th. Both will run from 9 to 11:30 a.m. on FCC’s campus, and Amy Hart will be the instructor. The cost to enroll is $40, and anyone interested may register with Student Services at FCC.

Illinois State Police are offering a new training program to attract potential troopers. The lateral entry program is designed for local law enforcement looking to become a state trooper. Cadets will spend time at the academy in Springfield but also complete some training at home, according to ISP Director Brendan Kelly. The retirement age for troopers was also lowered from 60 to 55.

Fairfield Police Chief Ritchie Fulkerson has tendered his resignation from his position. Mayor Mike Dreith accepted the resignation with regret yesterday, and the action will be effective at the close of business on May 20th. At that time, Assistant Chief Keith Colclasure will assume command of the department as Acting Chief until a full-time replacement is approved. Mayor Dreith said this week he plans to submit appointment proposals for city positions, including police chief, at the May 24th City Council meeting.

The Fairfield Park Board met last night. The board set pool hours as 1 to 5 p.m. seven days per week. Lap swim hours will be between 5 and 6 a.m. Pool parties will be allowed from 6 to 8 and 8 to 10 p.m., and the target opening date is Memorial Day; that date is not set in stone, as some work around the pool still needs to be completed. Park Superintendent Chris Jenkins said he would start filling the pool last night.

The Wayne County Board met last night. Only eight members were present, just enough for a quorum, and they approved a payment schedule for officeholders to be elected in the upcoming election, minus the Sheriff. Salaries will begin at $53,600 and will increase $1,000 per year for each term. The Sheriff is under a different salary schedule per state law, as is the State’s Attorney.

The Wayne County Health Department and City of Fairfield will partner for an electronic waste recycling event on May 25th at the Wayne County Recycling Center behind the Fairfield Police Department. The event will run from 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., and eligible electronic waste will be collected throughout the entire event. All Wayne County residents are welcome. 20220512125514898

The IDPH reported two new cases of COVID-19 in Wayne, Wabash, and Jefferson counties yesterday. Marion County added four cases, and Edwards and Richland counties added one. Lawrence, Clay, Hamilton, and White counties held steady on the state website. As a state, Illinois announced 5,686 new cases and three additional deaths.

Governor J.B. Pritzker is urging Congress to act quickly to protect women’s reproductive rights. He says Illinois has done its part to make sure women can choose healthcare options for themselves, and it’s now time for federal lawmakers to do the same. He made his remarks at a Planned Parenthood clinic in the Metro East area, where 75 percent of patients seeking care are from out of state.

As the next farm bill is crafted, Illinois Congressman Rodney Davis is concerned it could be filled with green-energy initiatives. He says the bill should be crafted with the help of farmers and should consider things like rising input costs and risk management practices. Davis is a member of the U.S. House Ag Committee.

River stages as of this morning:  the Little Wabash east of Fairfield stands at 10.55 feet, below the 17 ft. flood stage. Meanwhile, the Skillet Fork at Wayne City has a reading of 5.51 feet (flood stage is 15 ft.). The Little Wabash below Clay City is at 7.68 feet (flood stage is 18 ft.). Bonpas Creek at Browns reads 2.16 feet, and the Little Wabash at Main Street in Carmi reads 11.03 feet. The Wabash River at Mt. Carmel sits at 14.22 feet.

Today’s crude oil price is $99.25, up $0.50 from yesterday. The June crude oil price is $106.58, up $3.03 from yesterday morning.