Headlines – Friday, December 2nd

A 37 year old Sims woman pled out before Judge Molt in Wayne County Court Thursday.  Carolyn Hatcher was originally arrested on a Class 3 Felony charge of Unlawful Possession of Meth back in February of this year.  As per her plea deal, in exchange for her guilty admission, prosecutor Kevin Kakac dismissed a charge of Driving on a Suspended License Hatcher incurred while out on bail in August of this year.  For her crime, Hatcher received only 2 years of probation.  According to court documents, Hatcher was originally expected to pay upwards of $4,600 in fines and court costs.  After being credited $400 for bond and 20 days at $30 per day worth of time served, plus a waiver of $2,215 court assessment, Hatcher will owe $1,400 in fines and court costs.

Another day, another deer collision in Wayne County.  The latest occurred around 6pm Wednesday night on Illinois 15 near County Road 800 East according to the Wayne County Sheriff’s Office.  48 year old Sara Wright of Rinard struck the animal while traveling east on the highway.  Wright’s Dodge had to be towed from the scene with extensive damage.  Luckily, Wright was able to walk away uninjured.

25 year old Jon Ausbrook of Fairfield is behind bars in the Wayne County Jail following his arrest by Fairfield Police Wednesday morning.  According to the report, Ausbrook is being held without bond and facing charges of Domestic Battery.  Online court records have yet to be updated with Ausbrook’s upcoming court date.

 

 

 

 

 

Wayne County Sheriff’s Deputies have arrested 32 year old Ashley Nicole Jolly of Fairfield.  Jolly was wanted on a Franklin County Failure to Appear warrant.  Jolly has already been arrested twice before this year in Wayne County on meth charges and is due in court on December 27th according to court records.  Bond out of Franklin County has been set at $575.  Wayne County bond has been set at $1,020. 

 

 

 

Hal Bryant has been chosen to be the parade marshal for the annual Fairfield Kiwanis Christmas Parade on Saturday, December 3, 2022 at 5pm. Hal and Deb Bryant’s miniature horses have been a part of the Christmas parade for over 30 years. Hal is the retired building trades teacher at Fairfield Community High School after 27 years of teaching.Fairfield Kiwanis Club has sponsored the Christmas parade for many years. After all of the years of providing the lighted parade for the community, they will be handing over the parade to the Wayne County Chamber of Commerce next year. Chamber members have been shadowing the parade workers this year to continue this tradition.Lineup will be on Saturday before 4:30 pm for pictures of the entries. The parade will be announced on WFIW from the gazebo on the square. The McLeansboro Kiwanis Club will be judging the parade again from Johnson and Vaughan Funeral Home. The winners will be announced after the parade on the Fairfield Illinois Kiwanis Club Facebook page.

 

The Illinois Student Assistance Commission’s State Scholar program recognizes Illinois high school students for superior academic achievement. Illinois State Scholars represent approximately the top ten percent of high school seniors. Honorees are chosen based on SAT test scores and class rank at the end of the junior year of high school.

The Commission is pleased to announce that the following Cisne High School student has been named as a 2022-2023 Illinois State Scholar:  Avery Smith, daughter of Sonny & Tonya Smith.

 

The Blue Point Church, west and north of Cisne, is having a Seniors Grocery Giveaway on Tuesday, December 6th from 10am – noon.  Bags of groceries are available for free to those age 60 and over.  There are no financial restrictions.  You’re asked to come to the east door of the church Tuesday morning.  The Blue Point Church is at 1147 County Road 1975N, west of Cisne and north off county highway 25.  For more information, contact Pastor Ernie Lewis at 618-838-6708.

 

Illinois lawmakers are signing off on changes to the controversial SAFE-T Act. The Democratic-controlled Illinois General Assembly yesterday approved a series of changes to the criminal justice reform law before some key provisions were set to take effect in January, including a controversial measure to eliminate cash bail. The new proposal expands the list of crimes in which someone can be denied pretrial release, now including arson, second-degree murder and kidnapping. The amended bill now heads to Governor Pritzker’s desk for his signature.

Local representatives including Adam Niemerg, Dave Severin, and Patrick Windhorst along with State Senator Darren Bailey all sounded off against the legislation.  Representative Patrick Windhorst had this to say…
Senator Bailey said the passage of the trailer bill further solidifies the democratic party’s out of touch policies and politics.
  • Illinois House Democrats are proposing a ban on assault weapons and high-capacity ammunition magazines.  Lawmakers also want to take away the ability for most people under 21 to obtain a gun permit in the state.  The legislation was filed in response to the deadly mass shooting at the Fourth of July parade in Highland Park.  The suspected shooter was using an assault-style rifle and high capacity magazines.
  • The State of Illinois is being awarded 86-million-dollars in federal funding to strengthen the state’s public health workforce and infrastructure.  The funding from the CDC will support efforts to recruit, retain, and train the public health workforce.  The grant will also support efforts by the Illinois Department of Public Health and its local health department partners to promote and protect health and address health disparities in communities throughout Illinois.
  • US Geological Survey River Stages for Friday morning:
The Little Wabash River at Golden Gate sat at 5.61 feet.
The Little Wabash below Clay City is at 5.22 feet.
The Skillet Fork at Wayne City had a reading of 5.14 feet.
The Bonpas Creek at Browns reads 1.56 feet
The Little Wabash at Main Street in Carmi shows 3.61 feet.
The Wabash River at Mt. Carmel currently sits at 2.98 feet, rising to 3.2 feet by tomorrow morning.
Most river levels in our region are nearly 2 feet lower than the same time last year.