HARRISBURG, Ill.--A training exercise last night for first responders prompted a lot of activity over on the east side of the city of Harrisburg.

The exercise focused on the handling of a fire on a propane tank...not an unlikely scenario here in southern Illinois.

Participating in the drill were Illinois Fire Service Institute, the University of Illinois, Yorkville Tech Center, Illinois Propane Education and Research Council, as well as local entities.

While our guys on the scene were joking with the personnel working it that there might be a big explosion that would rock the east side of town, there was little danger of that, as these experienced folks had it well in hand.

Here's a vid of how it went down:

SALINE CO.— An Eldorado man has been charged with three counts of Domestic Battery and one count of Driving Suspended after police say he got drunk and smacked his girlfriend after she called him a “nigger.”

According to police reports, on May 3, officer Nathan Moore spoke with Elizabeth Rector, who informed him that she had been camping at Jackson Falls with her boyfriend, Derrick D. Everett, 43, of Locust Street in Eldorado, whom she had been dating off and on for about three years.

Rector said that Everett had started drinking that morning when they got up and he became obnoxious and so they started back to Eldorado.

She said that Everett was drinking whiskey from a can and when he wasn’t looking she threw it out of the van they were in so he couldn’t drink anymore.

Rector said once Everett realized what she had done he became angry and the two started to argue and he began banging on the pair of vice grips that were mounted on the steering column in place of a missing gear shifter.

She said at one point Everett knocked the vice grips into the reverse position and they eventually coasted into the Legence Bank parking lot on Rte. 45 near the Edward Jones office.

Once stopped, Rector said, they argued and she informed Everett that she was going to call a friend to come and pick her up.

She said he got mad, believed she had called 911 and was threatening to leave.

Rector said she told him that if he did she would contact 911 and inform them he was drunk and driving without a license.

That’s about the time she said he got out of the car, grabbed her phone and threw it to the ground.

When she picked it up and started walking off she said he got back in the van, pulled in front of her and started grabbing for the phone yanking on her other hand.

That’s about the time she said she called Everett a “nigger.”

And that’s about the time she said he smacked her in the head and told her never to say that again.

She claims Everett pushed her several times until her friend showed up and she left.

Everett, a single father of five, was booked into the county jail on $1,000 cash bond.

SALINE CO.— A Galatia man has been jailed after the woman who had been living with him told authorities that he struck her with a handgun and choked her unconscious.

According to information filed in the case, on May 10, at approximately 5:17 p.m. officer Jerod Campbell met Megan Erkmann at the parking lot of the Galatia Police Department to speak with her about a domestic battery she claimed to have been the victim of.

Erkmann told Campbell that she and her boyfriend Robert Mills, 33, of Naugles Road, Galatia, were at a party in the early morning hours of May 10.

She advised that as they left the party she and Robert had begun to argue as they made their way back to his house.

She said they continued arguing after they had returned home and that Robert had called her a “stupid bitch” and told her to get out.

She said she replied back but couldn’t remember what it was she had said.

Whatever it was, she claims it so pissed off Robert that he decided to pull out a handgun and hit her in the head with it, knocking her to the ground.

Erkmann said she then began fighting with Mills on the ground and that he choked her until she passed out.

She said when she woke up she ran out of the house and called a friend to come and pick her up.

Erkmann said the entire incident of violence took place in the kitchen and living room area of the house around 3:30 a.m.

She said she had been living with Mills for about two months, with the last month being there by herself because Mills worked on the river and was gone every other month.

Claims Erkmann was acting strange

When interviewed, Mills told somewhat of a different story.

Mills told officer Campbell, after Mills was placed in two pairs of double locked handcuffs, that he and Erkmann had gone to a friend’s party and that she was acting strange.

He said she would not get out of his truck and that he kept bringing her beer to drink while she sat in the truck.

He said when they left they began to argue and the argument continued after they had arrived back at his house.

Mills said she wouldn’t leave him alone and kept following him around the trailer and when he would try and leave she would throw herself in front of the door and if he went to the back door she would run over to that and stand in the way.

Mills said he finally had enough and pushed her out of the way and left, heading to Harrisburg to get away from her for a while.

He said when he got back she was gone.

Officer Campbell said before he took Mills to the county detention center, at some point, which is unclear what point exactly, Erkmann took all her “stuff” out of Mills’ house and said she was moving out.

Second interview

When Campbell spoke with Mills at the county detention center he was informed that Mills and Erkmann had gone out on a date two months back and she had informed him that she was “down on her luck and needed a place to stay.”

Mills agreed to let Erkmann stay at his place with the agreement that it was for a short time until she could find a place of her own.

He said she moved out with a friend at one point but returned.

Mills said that some time later Erkmann got a job and said that after a couple of paychecks she would get a place of her own.

He said the deal was that since he was getting ready to leave for work on the river for a month that Erkmann could stay at his place but that she’d have to get a place of her own when he got back.

Mills said he had been back from his month on the river when he informed Erkmann she needed to move out as she had agreed.

He said she demanded $500 before she’d leave and that he’d been trying to get her out of his house ever since, but she wouldn’t leave.

A point of interest is that the officer did not mention in the filed report, anyway, whether or not he noticed any injuries on Erkmann from being “hit in the head with a handgun,” choked until she was unconscious or whether or not she sought any medical attention for her alleged injuries.

Mills has no criminal history.

Erkmann, on the other hand, is a convicted felon from 2010 when she was found guilty of Obstruction of Justice and sentenced to two years in the Illinois Department of Corrections, two years probation and ordered to pay $700 in fines and fees, of which she still owes $650.

Mills was booked into the county jail on a charged of Aggravated Domestic Battery/Strangulation.

He was released from police custody May 11 after a $500 cash bond was posted on his behalf by Patricia McDowell of Stonefort.

Grabbed and slapped

In an unrelated case, a Carbondale woman has been charged with three felony counts after authorities say on May 11 she decided to make her way into somebody’s house and attack her.

According to information filed in the case, Kaylen M. Barnes, 24, of 184 Poker Run Road knowingly entered the home of Keyanna G. Warren, located at 117 West Lincoln, in Harrisburg at a time when she one or more people were in the residence.

Once inside Barnes is said to have “grabbed” Warren and then when Warren tried to call 911, she allegedly slapped the phone out of her hand.

For her efforts, Barnes was charged with one count each of Criminal Trespass to an Occupied Residence, Domestic Battery and Interference with the Reporting of Domestic Violence.

Bond in the case has been set at $1,000.

SALINE CO.— A chance spotting at a local Citgo and Craig’s List ad has landed an Eldorado man behind bars.

Authorities were contacted May 29 by one Jacob Lewis who advised that three weeks prior, his ATV had been stolen.

Lewis also informed authorities that his friend Tyler Winters had spotted a trailer at the local Citgo in Harrisburg on which sat the stolen ATV.

Winters got the license number off of the vehicle and it was traced back to 180 Grayson Rd., Eldorado.

Lewis struck up a conversation with an individual on Craig’s List who just happened to be selling an ATV and who just happened to give the address of 180 Grayson Rd., Eldorado.

Saline County Deputy Mychal Gooch agreed to stand by on Moore Road while Lewis met with the individual selling the ATV to see if in fact it was his.

Once Lewis confirmed, he contacted dispatch who contacted Dep. Gooch who moved in and informed Cody B. Sisk, 25, of 1109 East Reeves St., Marion, that he was under arrest.

Sisk claimed he did not know the ATV was stolen when he took possession of it from another individual.

However, he could not provide for Dep. Gooch the name or any contact information of the alleged “other individual.”

Sisk was taken into custody and charged with Theft $500-$10,000.

Sisk was released from police custody May 31 after a $2,000 cash bond was posted on his behalf by Christina Ashby, of 180 Grayson St., Eldorado, which is the address Sisk put down as his on his bond sheet.

‘Homeless’ woman given temp digs after arrest

In an unrelated story, a former Marion/former Harrisburg/now-homeless woman has now been given one address… temporarily at least.

Celia L. Peoples, 38, has been charged with Unlawful Possession of a Controlled Substance (prescription medication), Retail Theft and Criminal Trespass to a Building and housed in the Saline County jail.

According to authorities, on June 1 Harrisburg city officer Zach Popetz was called to the Harrisburg Walmart concerning a report of theft.

Upon arrival Popetz met with loss prevention specialist Ryne Johnson.

Johnson shows Popetz video of Peoples and Jessica Combs using a price tag from a less expensive pair of flip-flops to scan at the self check out in order to purchase two more expensive pairs of shoes.

Combs is said to have had a baby with her during the heist.

Combs was released with an ordinance citation for theft.

Peoples, who had received a “bar” notice for all Walmarts in January, was escorted to the county jail, where a search of her purse turned up two tabs of hydrocodone.

She was formally booked on charges of Unlawful Possession of a Controlled Substance, Retail Theft and Criminal Trespass.

Cash bond in the case was set at $1,000.

SALINE CO.— Reports of shots fired by a neighbor sent officers to the residence of James Arnold Talkington, 54, of 511 Briddick St., Eldorado, May 10 at approximately 11:30 p.m.

When officer Ryan Ward arrived he found Talkington standing in the open doorway of his home with a pistol in his hand.

Talkington was instructed to put the gun down and keep his hands where Ward could see them. He complied.

Talkington told Ward that there had been a man at his house threatening to kill him but that he could not give any details about the man or who he was.

His claims were quickly backed up by Polly McWilliams, 43, who advised there was a man who had come to the house and made threats but she couldn’t offer any more details about the individual either.

The first version

Talkington told Ward he had heard shots fired outside the house.

When asked what had happened with the man, Talkington said, “I did not shoot at anyone.”

McWilliams said Talkington didn’t shoot “anything” and that it was the guy in the gold car.

Ward then spoke with neighbor Stephanie Mahoney, 43, who had contacted authorities about the gunshots in the first place.

Mahoney said she did see a man at Talkington’s house but that the gunshots came from inside the Talkington house, not outside.

She said the man had driven away in a gold car.

The second version

When Ward went back and confronted Talkington about the neighbors hearing gunshots come from inside the house, not outside, he changed his story and said he had fired the shot from inside the house toward the door when he got excited about the man threatening to kill him.

Talkington told Ward the man was in the car and had something in his hands so he fired two shots where the man was standing.

How the man could be standing and in the car at the same time wasn’t exactly explained.

What was clear to Ward was that Talkington fired the shots in the direction of 510 Briddick St., Talkington’s neighbor’s house.

Once in custody, Talkington’s story changed yet again.

Third and final version

He told officer Ward that he had fired a .22 handgun into the front yard, claiming again that he wasn’t shooting at anyone.

That’s about the time Ward informed Talkington that a neighbor had witnessed him walking back to the house with a long, black rifle and set it on the right hand side of the chair he had been sitting in.

Talkington claimed it was an AR-15 replica.

Further investigation on the part of Ward showed that that handgun was indeed loaded, fully. There were no rounds missing from the clip.

He also located an AR-15 standing against the wall where the neighbor had said they saw Talkington put it, and it was no replica.

Ward also discovered two expended AR-15 rounds on the floor near the inside of the front door.

Ward found no expended .22 rounds.

Both weapons were taken into evidence.

Talkington was booked into the county jail on one count of Reckless Discharge of a Firearm.

He was released from police custody the next day after he posted a $1,000 cash bond.

SALINE CO.— A violent encounter on Lincoln Street in Harrisburg May 21 left one woman beaten and a teen frightened.

According to 16-year-old Andrea D. Stuby, she was sitting on her front porch at 101 East Lincoln that night at approximately 11:50 p.m. when 18-year-old Jeremiah Clinton Morgan, of 112 South Main St., Harrisburg, came stumbling down the sidewalk and asked her if she were single.

“I said yes and then he said ‘do you want a boyfriend’ and I said no and he asked me if I would have sex with him, I said no,” Stuby told authorities.

Stuby said she then called her grandmother to see where her brother was and Morgan started asking her about her brother.

Shortly thereafter Stuby said Morgan pulled a bottle out of his pants pocket and started drinking.

Suddenly Morgan busted the bottle of booze on Stuby’s porch.

“The porch smelled like alcohol and I told him to pick up the busted glass,” she said.

Stuby said he complied and walked across the street and disposed of the glass somewhere and began trying to get into cars.

“He tried to get into four cars and I told him he was a dumbass,” she said.

That’s about the time Stuby spotted her neighbor, 22-year-old Brittany L. Gunning, of 106 East Lincoln and asked her if she could make Morgan leave.

“I was outside smoking,” Gunning said. “I told him to get down the road and keep moving and the next thing I know he had me in a headlock and was slamming me against an RV.”

Gunning said she couldn’t breathe, Morgan had such a grip on her throat.

“He grabbed her,” Stuby said. “And he yelled at her ‘You stupid bitch! I could kill you! There are no cops around!’ The he hit her in the face, started walking away then came back and started pushing her.”

Officer Bob Smith arrived on scene and took statements from both women.

He later caught up with Morgan and transported him to the Saline County Detention Center where he was booked on formal charges of Aggravated Battery/Strangulation and Aggravated Battery in a Public Place.

At the time of his arrest Morgan was out on bond from an earlier arrest on charges of two counts of Battery in a Public Place and Ingestion of Toluene (huffing).

Morgan was released from police custody after a $1,000 cash bond was posted on his behalf by Eric Morgan of the same South Main Street address as Jeremiah Morgan.

SALINE CO.— A pair of Harrisburg felons found themselves back behind bars after police say they led them on a brief chase through the city.

According to information filed in the case, on June 2 at approximately 6:49 p.m., county deputy Steve Sloan spotted a maroon Ford passenger car spinning its tires leaving a business on Poplar Street.

When he attempted to execute a traffic stop, the vehicle sped off and he began a pursuit.

The car ran four stop signs before stopping near Dennison and Parish streets.

The two men inside—a driver identified as Michael A. Zentz, 32, of 325 East Locust St., Harrisburg and the passenger as Daniel Lee Vanhoorebeke, 32, of 501 Dennison St., Harrisburg—are both said to have gotten out of the vehicle and fled on foot.

Dep. Sloan, along with Dep. Lindsay Agin, yelled for the pair to stop but they kept running.

When the officers caught up with the pair, they were both searched and taken into custody.

Zentz was found to be in possession of several .22 caliber bullets and a hypodermic syringe.

Subsequent to their arrests and the towing of their vehicle, officers search it and discovered several firearms in the trunk and a .22 caliber revolver thrown out of the car by Zentz.

Unofficial reports had it that those weapons were stolen and that the two were attempting to sell them; that information remains unconfirmed with law enforcement officials, but further charges might yet be pending.

Felonious histories

Vanhoorebeke is a several-time-convicted felon, including a conviction January 7, 2002 for Possession of Stolen Vehicle for which he was sentenced to 30 months probation and ordered to pay $1,475 in fines and fees, of which he has paid nothing.

On April 4, 2002 he was sentenced to 42 months in the Illinois Department of Corrections (IDOC) following a conviction for Possession of Stolen Vehicle.

He still owes $225 in fines and fees from that case.

On July 10, 2003 Vanhoorebeke was sentenced to five years in IDOC after he was convicted of Aggravated Fleeing of Police.

He still owes $269 in fines and fees from that case.

After a January 21, 2011 conviction for Possession of Stolen Vehicle Vanhoorebeke was sentenced to another seven years in IDOC and ordered to pay $329 in fines and fees, of which he has paid nothing.

At the time of his arrest, Zentz was serving a 30-month probation sentence handed him June 24, 2014 after he was convicted of Unlawful Possession of Methamphetamine.

He still owes $140 from that case.

Vanhoorebeke was formerly charged with three counts of Felon in Possession of Weapons.

Zentz was charged with five counts of Felon in Possession of Weapons and one count of Aggravated Fleeing.

Cash bond in Vanhoorebeke’s case was set at $500.

Cash bond in Zentz’ case was set at $2,500.

Armed robbery

In an unrelated story, a Stonefort man has been charged with Armed Robbery.

Authorities say that on December 10, 2014, Jeffrey S. Townsend, 43, of 5346 Brier Creek Rd., while carrying a firearm, knowingly took approximately $7,877 in US currency from Tracey Doss by threatening imminent use of force, this in the infamous alleged bank robbery at First Southern Bank in Carrier Mills.

Townsend was one of two arrested on May 22, 2015 in connection with the armed robbery. Townsend was captured in Midland, Virginia, by FBI agents, who found him at the location 50 miles southwest of Washington, DC.

A male juvenile from rural Stonefort was also taken into custody in connection with the bank robbery; his name has not been released.

Townsend was brought back to Saline and booked into the county jail on $25,000 bond; he was scheduled for a first appearance on the charge June 18.

It remains unknown whether his alleged crime might go federal, as many bank robberies can and do.

Zirkelbach back

An Eldorado man who has already spent some time in the state prison system for driving revoked has been busted for just that.

Anthony Leo Zirkelbach, 48, of 765 Moore St., Eldorado, while driving a 1999 white Ford truck, found himself the subject of a traffic stop May 8, at 6:59 p.m., at Dewey Street and Moore Street in Harrisburg.

Subsequent to that stop Zirkelbach was taken into custody and charged with Driving Revoked.

Zirkelbach served a one-year sentence in the Illinois Department of Corrections in 2005 after he was convicted of his second driving revoked, which he pleaded guilty in return for an additional charge of Theft being dismissed.

He still owes $1,893 in fines and fees from that case.

In 2013 he was sentenced to 40 days in the county jail and 30 months probation after being convicted of Unlawful Possession of Cannabis 30-500 grams.

Zirkelbach was released from police custody after a $150 cash bond was posted on his behalf by Gilbert Austin, of 2 North Skaggs, Apt. 501, Harrisburg.

SALINE CO.—Yet another civil lawsuit has been filed against those responsible for the major mess that is the Anna Bixby Women’s Center (ABWC) in Harrisburg.

This time, it has less to do with their women’s center, and more to do with a side business…which, it’s alleged in the March filings against them, has benefitted from the ABWC in some form or fashion.

Harrisburg Shoppes, LLC, the corporation that owns the shopping center at Rollie Moore Drive, has had to file a Complaint in Forcible Entry and Detainer to get Salon 716—owned and operated by the ABWC women in question, Barbara Wingo and Terrie Eichorn, through their corporation I Downey, Inc.—out of the premises.

The complaint was filed June 4 in Saline County Circuit Court through Harrisburg Shoppes’ attorney, Pat McLaughlin, in St. Louis.

I. Downey, it’s been stated in court documents from the Illinois Attorney General’s Office in felony charges against both Wingo and Eichorn, was alleged to have benefited from funds earmarked only for ABWC for use in supporting the organization, which was created to help women and children who are in domestic violence/abuse situations.

Authorities allege that funds were used in toward the business operations of Salon 716, up to and including a business loan that relied on financial information from ABWC and its corporate information. Charges were filed against the two on March 30 after a months-long grand jury returned indictments in the case.

Whatever benefit the two, Wingo and Eichorn, may have received for Salon 716 apparently didn’t go toward rent, however, resulting in the Forcible Entry and Detainer (FDE).

Court documents show that as of the date of filing, they owed $2,209.61.

A rent demand (five-day notice) was on file with the FDE, dated May 15.

A lease agreement shows that the monthly rent amounted to $1,031.67.

This would coincide with the trouble Wingo and Eichorn found themselves in as of March 30 when their criminal charges were filed in Saline County.

Just a few weeks later, the salon was closed and several people in the area were out of a job with no explanation.

It’s unclear whether the two were unable to make their rent payments…or whether the place remaining open might not be a gamble for them, as there is likely going to be some serious restitution required should their cases move to a conviction stage, and for the time being, it might look better for them to be as “poor” as possible financially (despite the fact that they were each able to pony up $50,000 bond for release from jail, and that they each have high-end criminal defense attorneys, Terry Green and Bryan Drew.)

The matter is set for a first appearance in Saline County court on July 13 at 1 p.m.

SALINE CO.— A 911 hang up call to Saline County Dispatch concerning a gun has landed an Eldorado man behind bars on three felony charges.

According to police reports, at approximately 10:32 a.m. on May 23, Eldorado officer Clint Hooper was advised of the call.

The number came back to Adrianne Grome of 2004 Fourth St. and Hooper headed in that direction.

On his way he was advised that a second call had come in from a female advising the location was indeed 2004 Fourth St…and hung up again.

Hooper arrived and parked several houses south of the address to wait for backup in the form of ISP Trooper Craddock.

A few seconds later, Craddock was on scene.

“I then had dispatch call the number and advised the female to step outside,” Hooper said.

Within seconds, Adrianne Grome, 32, stepped outside the front door of the house and Hooper motioned her to walk to him.

Witnesses say Grome walked slowly toward Hooper and appeared to be very upset.

A second later a male suspect, later identified as Julian V. Rodriguez, Jr., stepped partially out of the front door and was instructed by lawmen to step out with his hands up.

Rodriguez chose to ignore officers and went back inside, closing the door.

Shortly thereafter, Trooper Craddock advised he had spotted Rodriguez running out of the back of the house.

Officers closed in quickly on Rodriguez and ordered him to the ground. He complied and was take into custody.

At that point, more backup arrived in the form of ISP Trooper Cleek and Saline County Deputy Jerod Campbell.

Grome was located hiding behind a tree behind squad cars because she didn’t want Rodriguez to see her.

When asked what had happened, Grome responded that Rodriguez had shot at her; and she then invited officers into the house.

Hooper and Craddock were shown through the back door and immediately to the right in the bathroom where Grome advised the bullet fired at her was under a towel.

Not only did officers find the projectile, but noticed the corner was busted off the vanity in the bathroom consistent with a bullet strike.

They also located a spent shell casing in the bedroom just outside the bathroom.

Grome advised she had no idea where the gun was.

With some coaxing from Hooper, Rodriguez instructed officers where they could find the gun and when they did they found a Ruger P95 9mm, loaded; and after a check was run, they discovered it was stolen out of Stockton, Calif.

A search of Rodriguez produced $5,600 from his left front pants pocket and another $1,605 from the right front pocket of his pants.

When asked where he got all the cash Rodriguez said he had received a settlement from a train wreck.

However, when Grome was asked about the cash, she advised that Rodriguez sold cannabis and that some guy had come to the house the night before and picked it all up.

Grome agreed to a search of the place, and officers found more than 30 grams of weed stashed in the kitchen.

When asked what kicked off the violence, Grome said Rodriguez had asked her to help him find his shoes and when she couldn’t locate them, he grabbed the gun and said he would kill her father, mother, her children, her sister and her if she didn’t produce the shoes.

Grome said Rodriguez pointed the gun about six inches from her and fired a round, which passed through the bedroom wall and into the bathroom.

She said she found the bullet in the bathroom, covered it up and started looking for the shoes again.

She said she called 911 twice, once to let them know she had a gun being pointed at her and a second time to give an address and hung up both times so Rodriguez wouldn’t see her on the phone.

She said when she got a call back from dispatch to leave the house she acted like she was checking the mail.

Grome said Rodriguez claimed he had gotten the gun from his brother Javier, who told him it “had caught a couple bodies.”

When Rodriguez was interviewed a second time, he said he didn’t work anywhere and that he had saved all his money from loading fruit in Stockton, Calif., which is where he said he got the gun from “a buddy.”

Rodriguez was formally charged with Aggravated Discharge of a Weapon, Possession of a Stolen Firearm and Unlawful Possession of Cannabis 30-500 grams.

No bond information was available.

Every newly-elected city administration comes with the inherent changing of the guard.

Mayor Dale Fowler was elected to his first full term in office this April and one of the more notable changes he made took place in the city’s police department.

With the May 5 resignation of Bob Smith as chief, said resignation to ‘spend more time with his family,’ Fowler tapped veteran patrolman James “Whipper” Johnson for the position.

Johnson, 43, was born in Flint, Michigan, the son of an auto worker.

When the plants started closing in Michigan, his father moved the family, including little Whipper, who was nine years old in 1981, to the area hoping to land a job in the coal mines.

With no coal jobs open, Johnson’s father managed to land numerous other jobs and he and his wife raised a family of three boys.

And just where did the nickname “Whipper” come from?

“When I was a little kid they’d say, ‘He’s quick as a whip,’ or they’d call me a ‘little whipper snapper’ and it just stuck,” Johnson explained.

Whipper grew up the youngest of the three.

His middle brother Jeff is a massage therapist.

His older brother Steve, who was a union pipe fitter, and Steve’s wife Tammy were killed in a tragic motorcycle accident July 30, 2006.

“We grew up poor,” Johnson said. “Some might complain, but it made me humble and appreciate every little thing I have. It instills in you at an early age that you work for what you want in life.”

Whipper went to public school, graduated Harrisburg High School and ended up at SIC doing an internship for then-sheriff George Henley.

Johnson landed a part time job with dispatch in 1992 and worked as a corrections officer at the new jail in 1994.

During that time, chief deputy Ed Miller sent Johnson and Kenny Shires to the police academy so the department would have the option of using them as part time officers on the road if the need arose.

Johnson so loved the road work that he accepted a position with the Eldorado Police Department in 1998 where he worked as a patrolman.

“Then when a position opened up and I was offered it, I came back home (to Harrisburg) in March of 2001,” Johnson said.

Shires also went on to become and continues to be an HPD officer.

When asked why he calls Harrisburg his home, Johnson’s answer was unique.

“I’m married to the town,” he said. “I grew up here, coached youth sports here for 20 years.”

In fact, Johnson continues to coach wrestling at his gym in Harrisburg.

Overwhelming support

As with any change, especially in such a high profile position and involving someone who has had near-daily contact with countless individuals over the past 10 years as a police officer in nearly every circumstance imaginable, there were some who moaned and complained when news leaked out about Johnson becoming Chief.

However, the overwhelming flood of support for Johnson when the news hit the streets far outweighed the whiners.

In fact the response was so positive and the news spread so quickly that several, including this publication, had published that Johnson was in as Chief of Police before it had even been made official.

“The public support has been amazing,” Johnson said.

Johnson’s promotion was May 7 but he finished working his usual night shift through May 15.

Johnson and former chief of eight years Bob Smith basically swapped places, with Smith now covering the night shift.

Assistant HPD Chief Todd Cavender remains in the position he has held for a number of years.

“Cavender is a good man and a good cop; I saw no need to make any changes,” Johnson said.

“Daddy Day”

While Johnson said he’s used to being a workaholic, that work now takes place during daylight hours.

“I average 125 hours in a pay period,” Johnson said. “I am not just putting in the 40 hours and going home.”

Johnson comes in to his office everyday at about 9 a.m. and knocks out administrative paperwork then hits the road to patrol.

Twelve-hour days are the norm for Chief Johnson.

“I do take off Thursdays and Sundays,” Johnson said.

He described Thursdays as “Daddy Day” that he spends with his wife of five years Tricia and the infant they adopted.

Sunday is described as mowing day with Johnson maintaining more than half a dozen lawns.

He is also a member of the First Baptist Church in Harrisburg.

“I don’t get to church as often as I should,” Johnson said. “It’s something I am working on making time for.”

Toughest part of being a cop

Johnson said in all his years as a lawman the toughest part has to be when dealing with sexual assault cases involving children.

“It turns your stomach to have to sit there and coax confessions out of these people,” Johnson said. “The worst was a man who had molested his step-son. The way he sat in front of me and calmly explained how he violated that little boy, blaming it on the 12-year-old, disturbed me a great deal.”

Johnson said he had to discuss the generalities of that case with the department chaplain, it bothered him so bad.

Whipper said he has lost count of the number of times he has responded to a domestic situation and found children in the home poorly clothed and dirty, but with a refrigerator full of beer and little to no food.

“Crime against kids and them not being taken care of is probably one of my biggest pet peeves,” Johnson said.

It’s about the good guys

Worried that it might sound like a cliché, Johnson said he became a cop in order to help people.

“It’s not about getting to drive fast and it’s not about getting to carry a gun. That’s not a good way to look at what a cop does. The reality of it is that you drive fast to get to where you need to be, safely, and carry a gun in order to save life, not take it,” Johnson said. “Sure, I like catching bad guys, catching a thief, people hurting kids; but that’s not the overall thing. It’s not about keeping score. Sometimes it’s a felony arrest and sometimes it’s a misdemeanor arrest. It’s not as much about getting the bad guy as it is helping the good guy.”

One good example Whipper offered was a recent criminal case in which he recovered an elderly man’s iPhone.

“There wasn’t enough evidence to be able to tell who took the phone,” he said. “But I was able to recover the phone for the elderly gentleman. Those phones are expensive and he had personal items on there he would not be able to recover. We didn’t catch the bad guy, but the good guy was helped.”

Steroids

Some might be surprised that Johnson didn’t shy away from the subject of the cloud of allegations of illegal steroid use and distribution involving the Harrisburg Police Department.

Allegations flew all over the place in 2014 after Shawn Gregory, one of two individuals charged with robbing a local bank, claimed local police officers were purchasing steroids from him.

In fact Johnson, who has been an avid body builder, weight lifter and coach of wrestling for teens for years, was accused of purchasing $10,000 worth of steroids.

“There have been problems with that in and outside law enforcement for years and some people have made some bad decisions, but not everybody has. I have never taken any illegal substance in my life,” Johnson said. “I am guilty of doing a bit of underage drinking. I was arrested on a violence charge from when I was a teenager and somebody wanted to whoop my %ss but it ended up the other way around.”

Johnson did say that he had been placed on hormone therapy when he and his wife were trying to have children.

“Jack (Howser, Disclosure Publisher) I will sign a release for my medical records if you want to look them,” he said. “But that’s it Mr. Jack. It’s near impossible to prove something didn’t happen unless you have concrete dates and times to see where you were and who you were with. This is something we will all have to live with here at HPD and our efforts to transform this department into the pride of southern Illinois I believe will bear out exactly the quality of officers and leadership we have here.

“I can only speak for myself on this issue. And I will be more than happy to cooperate with any agency who wants to dig into the issue of steroids. I do know I will not tolerate the violation of any law by anyone working in my department. I don’t care who they are.”

When asked if he thinks there is currently a problem with steroids within his department, Chief Johnson answered simply, “No.”

Workforce concerns

Chief Johnson said he was concerned about the number of cops who were nearing retirement.

“We have three or four who could retire if they so chose within the next year or so,” he said. “With the level of crime in our growing city I hope those positions will be filled by qualified officers.”

In fact, according to the numbers, the Harrisburg Police Department has made more arrests compared to Illinois State Police Districts 12 and 19, in the past 12 months.

During the month of May alone HPD has documented 1,300 police actions including 61 offense reports, six juvenile and 49 adult criminal arrests, 47 traffic arrests and worked 36 traffic crashes.

For a department with 12 officers, working 24/7, those are some impressive numbers.

A winning team

The biggest difference in moving from patrolman to chief appears to be the management aspects of it all.

“It puts you in the middle of the guys on patrol and the city council,” Johnson said. “The council expects a good manager of the city’s money. And you have to do that making sure you don’t screw your guys over. Your officers can make you look like a champ or a chump depending on how you treat them. And of course the citizens expect and deserve to be treated well.”

And it is the budget that Johnson said he is most concerned about.

The outgoing council really challenged Johnson’s ability to make financial ends meet and provide the public with the safety and support it has paid for and deserves.

Sources indicate that Johnson has made it clear to the current council that the budget he inherited, if not impossible to stay within and maintain the current coverage to the citizens of Harrisburg, it is very close to it.

While some believe Johnson won’t last long if he is going to be that honest and straightforward with the council, others believe with a new council Johnson will be able to not only make his budget work somehow but end up with a more realistic one which allows for not just the bare minimums of service to the public but one that will keep up with the ever rising rate of crime.

“I believe I can work with the current council and that they can work with me,” Johnson said. “Our new Police Commissioner Natalie Miller is doing everything within her power to work with both the department and the council. She’s out there digging and fighting to get us as many grants as possible. Despite my budgetary concerns this council and those working for and with the department looks like a winning team. It should be an exciting time.”

“Everybody has their own way they would do things”

Wrapping up the interview with the new chief, Johnson said he has no criticisms of former chief Smith.

“Everybody has their own way they would do things,” Johnson said. “That doesn’t automatically mean anything was being done wrong.”

Whipper said he wants to improve morale within the department, improve its overall function and be a leader from a “worker ant’s” prospective.

“I want to be a leader, not a supervisor,” he said.

In fact Chief Johnson shared a few inside details.

If you are traveling on the Bill Franks Bypass west of the city you might want to watch your speed as the city council has requested and received increased police presence in the hope of reducing what they have been told by the Illinois Department of Transportation is a speeding problem to address the number of accidents at that location.

In addition, if you are a drug dealer and have noticed a police car parked outside or near your house, that is not by accident.

“We have set up several stationary police units in areas we have been told drug activity has been,” Chief Johnson said. “We have had some come out of their houses and asked what we were doing and when we tell them many are pleased, while others don’t seem so happy about the change.”

Johnson also addressed some complaints about police cruisers driving fast through town.

“I had a complaint by one gentleman who was worried about that,” Johnson said. “I told him if he would like whenever he needed police help we would slow down and only go the speed limit and for everybody else we would travel to their call as quickly and safely as possible.”

Here we are, as promised....the start of our every-other week run of papers, and we're kicking it off in style, with some of the best articles we've had throughout the paper EVER!

After each publication hits the stands, we put up This Month's Print Headlines, where you can learn what we're doing in the print version of Disclosure, as well as access the e-Edition if you have an online membership to that. Print headlines are presented in this order: Front page, Back page (second front page), pages 2 and 3, features if there are any, Egypt, Heartland, Central, and Op-Ed. They are presented by dateline first (the area of the readership where the material in the article occurred), headline (with a link off this page to the actual e-Edition article) and then a brief synopsis of the article presented in our own signature style.

And now, without further ado, here are THIS ISSUE'S (as opposed to this month's) PRINT HEADLINES!

FRONT PAGE

WHITE CO.--Dog shooting response grows out of control: The hype just last week about the shooting of a pit bull over in rural Norris City grew boisterous within a matter of days, thanks to an online petition effort and one very strange young woman who used animal lovers getting outraged to the fullest extent possible. But was it all accurate? You've probably read everybody else's coverage on it...now read the real story.

Jason Irvin

HAMILTON CO.--Meth bust; tip of the iceberg?: You're probably saying to yourself, "Self, Jack said 'Tip of the iceberg' in the LAST issue about the guy who got stopped in Galatia...didn't he?" Why yes, self, I did. And this is a little bit lower on the tip of the same iceberg...it's a theme...and it's growing exponentially. So you need to keep on buying these issues to see who's getting popped next...and more importantly, what their connections are so that you can see who's outing who.

Will Krup and Madonna Peach

WABASH CO.--Businessman, friend charged with sex assault: We have to say...even with all the crap his kid went through five years ago, and all the posturing we did on it back then, the arrest of the elder Will Krup still surprised us. The arrest of a gal who's apparently his buddy, however--Madonna Peach--didn't surprise us at all. She's been trouble for a number of years, and it wouldn't surprise us if it turned out SHE was the one who dragged him into it.

Burtis Wenzel

RICHLAND CO.--Inmate whines again, sues sheriff: About once a year now, criminal idiot Burt Wenzel (yes, THAT Wenzel, from THAT strain of Wenzels in South Counties, although this one claims he's from Clay County), sitting in the Richland County Detention Center, raises a fit about something. You're not going to believe what he's done this time, however. Click the link to see...and read about how he can't sue us for calling him a "criminal idiot" (Hint: That'd be because it's TRUE, and we have the proof.)

BACK PAGE

Jodan Lee McGuire. Also, Christian Sawyer Thomas Hansen.

JACKSON/WILLIAMSON CO.--Seeking name change in Jackson Co. court; McGuire finally gets "sexual" tagged to his battery case: Jordan Lee McGuire. Google it and you'll see it connected to multiple sexual battery cases...but up til the end of May, no convictions. That all changed though...and so McGuire apparently thinks his NAME needs to change, too. Because he's going to be "famous" some day, you know. He's a big ol musician or singer or actor or whatever. Anyway, here's his name change story, for those who have access to only the print version...with a few further details about it for those who have been reading about it online.

JASPER CO.--Order entered keeping Geier Oil Inc. operating in Newton after owner's death: A follow up on the death of Don Geier in mid-May, which we covered at length in the last issue.

LAWRENCE CO.--Can you identify these people? This is a graphic put together by those Lawrenceville Drive-In and posted on their Facebook page; they had a break-in recently and there is video surveillance of the action, so this is a set of still photos from the video in an effort to show the public something which, hopefully, will be used to capture the crims.

PAGE 2

Lily Abbott

WILLIAMSON CO.--Tax assessor displays serious lack of spine; complaint made with sheriff's department: An unbelievable turn of events in the Williamson County Tax Assessor's office situation as it stands with the person who's turning up irregularities in that office, Lily Abbott. This article right here is one of two that are what are selling us so quickly in Our Willamson vendors. We only printed up a certain number of copies of this issue, since it's a two-week run. We had no idea it was going to be flying off the shelves like it's been. So if you want a hard copy, you'd better get out there quick; vendors are Hunter's Cove Barber Shop on West DeYoung and Pit Road Racing downtown on the square.

PAGE 3

GALLATIN CO.--Man charged after telling wife he wants to watch her die: Most of our page 2 in this issue is taken up by the extensive material obtained in the research put forth in the dead dog case from Page 1. So this GallCo crim roundup is the only article on Page 2 that isn't a jump of the dog story from Page 1.

FEATURE

Whipper Johnson, at work as Police Chief of Harrisburg

New Harrisburg Police Chief takes no nonsense, common sense approach: In the feature article for this issue that's previewed on Page 1, we have a great background story on Whipper Johnson, who has ascended to the role of Chief of Police in Harrisburg.

EGYPT

The Bradley boys, both attorneys. Well, maybe not after Friday.

WILLIAMSON CO.--Will Marion attorney lose law license in Attorney Registry & Disciplinary scrutiny? We've had other attorneys across the readership area lose their law licenses, many of them over frivolous things, or things that we grunts don't understand, which have to do with intricacies of the law and are really just errata that much of us don't understand. But for Josh Bradley, it's a little more cut and dried When you pay an attorney to do a job, and they deliberately don't do that job, hedge and put you off, and then basically lie to you and steal your money...well, that's pretty bad. We think it calls for criminal charges, but good luck with that in Williamson if your last name is Bradley. In the interim, there's the ARDC to fall back on...and like Kevin Kakac and George Woodcock, they can yank a law license in a heartbeat.

SALINE CO.--Eldorado man taken into custody after shooting at girlfriend over missing shoes: This article got top billing in Egypt because...you can't believe what idiocy emerges in these court cases. And guys like this...? They NEED shamed.

Terrie Eichorrn

SALINE CO.--Women of Anna Bixby Center accused of being problem tenants at Harrisburg salon: Heh. "Women of Anna Bixby Center." Sounds like a calendar. Take a look at Terrie Eichorn, though; take a good look. Okay, that's enough looking; you'll damage your retinas. Yes, another lawsuit has been filed against these people accused of filching from the government in their "domestic abuse" center. Find out what it's about by clicking the link.

HARDIN CO.--Rash of peace-breaching plaguing tiny county in National Forest: Well, we have to have at least ONE article about all the mighty work Tarable Wallace, county prosecutor, is doing down in Hardin. This would be it, now that she's disposed of the case with the horrific bigamist. I'll update you on that one later.

SALINE CO.--Chase lands a couple of felons behind bars on weapons charges: One of the many crim roundup articles for Saline; this one has a felonious car chase in it that a lot of people in Harrisburg had been asking about.

SALINE CO.--Teen accosted sitting on her own front porch--neighbor who helped was violently attacked: When you start reading this article, you might think to yourself, "Oh, self, the evils of booze and its negative effect on the underage!" And then, your self realizes that it's not all about booze, and that there are WORSE things these young punks can get into...and they can tool on over to Walmart to get it and don't even need to show ID.

SALINE CO.---Eldorado man taken into custody charged with firing assault rifle out his front door, claimed mystery man threatened to kill him: "It was the guy in the gold car!!" shouted Talkington. Until cops found evidence that, indeed, he was full of crap.

SALINE CO.--Suspected thief nabbed after trying to sell stolen ATV on Craig's list: We're beginning to think that Craig's list is where all the crims hang out, just trying to do their dirties undercover of relative online anonymity. This guy, however, was found out.

SALINE CO.--Galatia man jailed after girlfriend says he beat her: This poor guy. Somehow, I feel bad for him. Read the article and see why.

SALINE CO.--Girlfriend claims she was smacked in the head after calling her boyfriend a 'nigger': Whether she did or she didn't, it's really bad form to say such a thing if you're white and your boyfriend is black...and you've been seeing him for years and the differences have never bothered you up until this point.

SALINE CO.--"Butter" McGhee faces felony: In a story we missed in the last issue because the file was in possession of the judge when we went to check files, here's Butter, with the latest thing to get her hemmed up. She CANNOT stay out of trouble...but she thinks we should just all overlook it, and not write about her. Go figure.

SALINE CO.--Went in charged with child abuse, came out convicted of attempted murder: A brilliant bit of prosecution conducted by Assistant State's Attorney Jayson Clark has a repeat woman-beater going to prison for a LONG time starting in July. We brought you the abbreviated version a few weeks ago; here's the full story, as promised.

HEARTLAND

Trytton Kain Jarvis, owner of the weird name. He just LOOKS like trouble.

CRAWFORD CO.--Olney punk crosses county lines, alleged to have threatened Oblong family: This one leads Heartland's section because...we have been telling people about this little Marching Moron for years, and he continued to get a pass in Richland County. Now, he's jailed in Crawford, so maybe Hartrich will ensure that the kid with one of the weirdest names we've ever seen (Trytton...who names their kid Trytton... THIS guy's parents, apparently...) will spend meaningful time behind bars. See what he's done now by clicking the link.

CHICAGO--Watchdogs speak to Illinois League of Women Voters at annual convention: Adventures of the Edgar County Watchdogs, who have been on the speaking circuit for a little while, and their audiences are getting bigger, and more impactful.

CRAWFORD CO.--Robinson man charged with possession of synthetic stimulant: The Crawford County crim roundup within the dope crimes.

CLARK CO.--Tempers flare, brawl ensues at Clark County Park District; director at the center of it: Hey, is it that bad, Charity?? Apparently...and boy, she's right in the thick of it NOW.

JASPER CO.--Olney meth-head leads list of eight charged with DUI: Last issue we had a butt ton of DUIs all over the readership area. This issue, it's no different. What's going ON?? And what's with all these crossovers??

CRAWFORD CO.--Lawrence doper charged in Crawford after police chase: Yet another crossover. I mean, I know these are neighboring counties, but dang...do these crims go out-of-county to get in trouble because they think we won't find out?

CLARK CO.--Commissioner threatens to remove commissioners over closed meetings issue: Guess what, Clark County park district? It's NOT ILLEGAL for a commissioner to talk to people about what went on in a closed meeting. I know that's hard to wrap your head around, but try and do it...you're looking like jerks.

CENTRAL

Caleb Gallion, Texas mugshot

LAWRENCE CO.--Charge filed in the case of Lawrence County man who was considered runaway in February: After months of waiting, it appears this Lawrence punk isn't yet back in Lawrence from where he was busted in texts...but he's finally charged in Lawrence.

WABASH CO.--Wabash meth-head could have been stopped by prosecutor years ago: When it comes to prosecutors who trade counties every so many years, yes, some of their past mistakes will come back to bite em. With Chris Quick, this one out of Wabash looks to be one of those.

CLAY CO.--Rinard man charged with intending to delivery marijuana near a school: Well, we know there are people who deal specifically and almost strictly to kids IN school...so why not near...right? smh...

LAWRENCE CO.--Felon with violent past turned loose on recog bond: Dude from Bridgeport turned loose on the public. Too bad Lawrence Doesn't get warned about this crap til we put out a paper.

LAWRENCE CO.--Vincennes murder suspect pleads to tractor theft: The ongoing saga of one of the guys who are charged with murder in Knox County; this marcher managed to get his butt in trouble in Lawrence and confessed, more or less, in his jail cell to the Vinny thing. Crims. Aren't. Smart.

LAWRENCE CO.--18-year-old sink bandit brought to justice: We brought you the story when it happened. Now read the follow up.

CLAY CO.--Lawrence doper's Clay drug trial set for August: More crossover, more dope.

WABASH CO.--Violence report includes child porn and an infant struck: Two of the most repulsive crimes on the planet are detailed in this report.

WHITE CO.--Child sex offender caught living near his victim: Another that we brought to you online first; here's a detailed report of the socially-reprehensible Elijah James.

OP-ED

COLUMNS
SURLY & UNCOOPERATIVE (Jack): Bringing everything you've learned in life
ICY (Ang): We're in the freak show; but who are the freaks?
MINKUS INK (Bubba): Slobberfest for Billary Clintoon begins

Voice of the People (letters): Blowing your view of Lincoln out of the water; Nepotism is alive in District 348 too; Wingo was opinionated years ago, says reader

Back Over Your Tales: From the pages of the June-July 2010 edition of Disclosure...and boy we had a lot going on!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

And that'll do it...remember...hurry out and get this one...one day into it and we're restocking already, so this is a big issue; if you missed the last one, you can still get it on the e-Edition. Two ways to subscribe to the online version: $2.99 for a 24-hour pass; $5.99 for a whole month...and starting in two weeks, there are going to be papers every other week...so it's going to move fast, and you need to, too. Get out and get your paper!

ILLINOIS—Tornado touchdowns were the weekend weather activity for downstate Illinois, most of them occurring Friday, but others taking place Saturday as well.

Friday’s activity took place in our South Counties region, where there were five confirmed touchdowns of tornadoes ranging from EF-0 to EF-1 (this is on the Enhanced Fujita Scale, with wind speeds as follows:

EF-0 65-85 mph
EF-1 86-110 mph
EF-2 111-135 mph
EF-3 136-165 mph
EF-4 166-200 mph
EF-5  greater than 200 mph

In White County, an EF-0 touched down a couple of miles west of Norris City; this tracked four and a half miles to just southwest of Enfield. In between, some corn was laid over, a small shed was blown over, and there were large tree limbs down.

In Hamilton County, an EF-0 touched down east of the community of Macedonia. It had a brief track according to the National Weather Service (.35 of a mile), and left broken tree limbs and laid-over corn in its wake.

In Franklin County, a tornado being reported as “high-end” EF-1 by the NWS hit the ground two miles southwest of West Frankfort and traveled for three-quarters of a mile, beginning at Davis Street and continuing until it lifted off the ground near Franklin County Road 6. This was probably the most damaging tornado, leaving a two-story home and garage with major damage, and uprooted trees and downed limbs.

In Jackson County, Murphysboro sustained a strike by an EF-1 that touched down on the town’s east side, near the Big Muddy River. It was on the ground for a quarter mile with 95 mph winds, and damaged power lines and one commercial building, which NWS did not identify.

(Our regular readers are familiar with Ang’s book, Death Rides the Sky: The Story of the 1925 Tri-State Tornado; in that legendary storm, both West Frankfort and Murphysboro took direct hits from the March 18, 1925 tornado. Those two cities had the highest death tolls of the 14 communities impacted by the storm. Over the years, a lot of people have opined that Jackson and Franklin counties seem to be the tornado magnets of southern Illinois. Also, Hamilton and White counties both sustained damage and deaths in that storm, interestingly enough, in almost the same areas).

And in Johnson County, a location two miles southeast of Goreville was the spot of an EF-1 touchdown; this twister traveled about a half-mile, but due to the rural location, there were only damaged trees in the wake of the 90 mph winds.

Then on Saturday, our Central and Heartland counties were sites of tornado touchdowns as we recorded here. These occurred, according to the National Weather Service, in:

Lawrence County, where a tornado touched down in the Lake Sun & Sand area outside of Lawenceville at 2:26 p.m., and in

Richland County, where a in Olney a touchdown was reported two miles northwest of town (behind Walmart, where there were no cars moved around….just carts) at 4:45 p.m., and then north-northwest of Olney again about five minutes later, there was another official report of a separate tornado, which uprooted trees and blew down many limbs just north of the golf course.

The storms were the result of the remnants of Tropical Depression Bill, which came up through Texas and left flooding in Oklahoma and Arkansas. Locally, we experienced incredibly heavy rains in Marion and Harrisburg Friday night; and as of last night's overnight thunderstorms, creeks and rivers are out of their banks as we've observed so far today in Richland, Clay and Jasper counties. Follow us throughout the day as we travel the readership area; we'll report it as we see it. And...we're glad everyone's safe after this weekend's mess.

SALINE CO.— One of the southern region’s miscreants who seems hell-bent on spending time in prison has surfaced like a turd in the punchbowl.

SALINE CO.— One of the southern region’s miscreants who seems hell-bent on spending time in prison has surfaced like a turd in the punchbowl.

Kyle Dewayne Weatherington, age 30, of the 100 block of South Shaw St., Harrisburg, has been charged with Theft after authorities say he forged two checks at the Harrisburg Wal-Mart.

Police reports indicate that in April, officer Nathan Moore spoke with Anna police detective Brian Watkins who was working a case in which Kenny and Patty Weatherington had checks stolen from their home and written in numerous locations.

Officers discovered that two of the checks identified were written at the Harrisburg Walmart February 24 one for $181.44 and the other for $563.48.

Det. Watkins had already viewed video from the Harrisburg Walmart and identified Weatherington, who is apparently the only one on the planet who doesn’t know that Walmart videotapes everything.

Kyle is the son of Kenny Weatherington.

The checks passed at Walmart were signed Craig Bennett.

The problem with that was that Mr. Bennett was incarcerated in the Illinois Department of Corrections at the time the checks were written.

And that may be another one of those tiny facts that Weatherington is too stupid to think about.

“Criminals get caught because they are just stupid,” said one lawman. “They can’t help it. If it weren’t such a serious situation I’d feel bad arresting some of these ignorant dirtbags.”

Kyle Weatherington was taken into custody and formally charged with Theft $500-$10,000.

Kyle was released from police custody May 19 after a $1,500 cash bond was posted on his behalf by Curt Williams of Homer Street in Harrisburg.

On his bond sheet Kyle lists 1415 South Feazel St., Harrisburg as his address.

Weatherington currently has two pending criminal cases in Saline including one in which he is charged with Burglary and Retail Theft and a second in which he is charged with Theft.

The divorced father of four claims to have a girlfriend and to the question of Name and address of employer he answers “5” thus raising once again some question about his level of intelligence or lack thereof.

And with a claimed average income of $400 a month, it looks like it will be some time before Mr. Williams gets paid back for posting Weatherington’s bond.

Debit card

In an unrelated case, James R. Beckham, 38, of the 400 block of West Poplar St., Harrisburg, has been charged with Unlawful Possession of Another’s Credit or Debit Card.

Authorities allege that on April 14 Beckham had possession of a debit card belonging to Sara D. Layton without Layton’s permission.

Cash bond in the case was set at $1,000.

Forgery

Allisha C. Lawrence, 30, of 314 West Washington St., Carrier Mills, has been charged with Forgery and Theft.

Charges filed in the case allege that on March 23 Lawrence forged a check belonging to Rose Kimbrel drawn on the Ambraw Federal Credit Union for $300.

And on that same day she is alleged to have taken $300 cash from Greg Ozment.

Cash bond in the case was set at $1,000.

Burglary on Webster

Adam Gerald Lane, 33, of the 300 block of West Mable St., Harrisburg, has been charged yet again with Burglary after authorities say on May 24 he entered a building belonging to Gerald and Debbie Abney, located at 1029 South Webster St., with intent to commit theft.

Lane was convicted of Domestic Battery July 25, 2012 and sentenced to 24 months probation.

At the time of his most recent arrest Lane was serving a 36-month probation sentence handed him May 2, 2013 after he was convicted of, well… burglary.

In addition to probation he was also ordered to pay $3,017.37 in fines and fees, of which he still owes $2,392.37.

Cash bond in his most recent case was been set at $1,000.

SALINE CO.— Bad drivers being, well… bad enough, one wouldn’t think a drunk driver would get behind the wheel of a stolen car, but that’s exactly what authorities are saying happened.

And Austin L. Hammonds, of Christopher, has found himself in a bit of a pickle in Saline County after authorities say they found him driving a stolen car while under the influence.

According to court documents, on May 3 Hammonds, 22, of the 700 block of East Main St., Christopher, was the subject of a traffic stop after he was spotted driving a stolen 1999 green Saturn on Rte. 45, half a mile north of Winkleman Road in Saline County.

Ultimately Mr. Hammonds was taken into custody and charged with Unlawful Possession of a Stolen Vehicle, one count of Aggravated Driving While Under the Influence of Alcohol and Aggravated Driving With an Alcohol Concentration of .08 or more.

He was also cited for Operating an Uninsured Motor Vehicle.

A humorous side to the story includes Hammonds’ affidavit of assets and liabilities on which shows how old fashioned he is by answering the following questions thusly—Marital status: “single,” Number of Children: “one,” Number of other dependents: “0” and relationship: “one girlfriend.”

While that’s old fashioned by today’s standards, this is a DUI story, after all.

Fort driving revoked—again

And it looks as if Adam Fort is in trouble with the law again.

Fort, 32, of 80 Hill Top Rd., Harrisburg, has been charged with Driving Revoked, again.

Because he has been convicted of the same offense, once January 5, 2010 in Saline County and a second time October 1, 2010 in St. Clair County, if convicted third time he could face an enhanced sentence.

Drunk-driving is not the only criminal antic Fort’s been involved in, however: he was sentenced to 60 days in the Illinois Department of Corrections and one year probation April 1, 2005 after he was convicted of Theft.

On January 5, 2010 he was convicted of Aggravated DUI 3+ and Driving Revoked for which he was sentenced to 14 days in the county jail and 24 months probation.

He also has a pending criminal case from April 6 in which he is also charged with Driving Revoked.

Mr. Fort is due back in court July 20.

Bad get-away driver

In a case that pre-dates one from last issue involving the same bad driver, Michael A. Zentz, 32, of 325 East Locust St., Harrisburg, has been charged with Aggravated Fleeing or Attempting to Elude Police and Driving Revoked.

Apparently this is one of those crimes this convicted doper should stay away from because he’s just not good at it.

In this case it is alleged that on May 16, Zentz sped away from city officer Kenny Shires while driving on Lincoln and Granger streets in Harrisburg after Shires had signaled him to pull over.

And just as before, Zentz performed his less-than-impressive driving act at a time when his driver’s license was revoked.

Cash bond in this case was set at $1,000.

It didn’t take authorities long to serve this warrant, as Mr. Zentz was sitting in the county jail on a $2,500 cash bond after his last unsuccessful run from police.

Repeat offender

William Derek Morris, 25, of 510 Boyd St., Eldorado, just couldn’t stay off his 2013 black Harley, this according to police, who stopped him May 29, at 11:55 p.m. on Boyd and Stokes streets in Eldorado and cited him for Driving Revoked— again.

Morris was convicted October 3, 2012 of Driving Revoked and was sentenced to 30 days in the county jail, 24 months probation and ordered to pay $6,290.40 in fines and fees, of which he still owes $3,466.40.

SALINE CO.— One of the area’s more multi-county crims appears to have battered his way back into the headlines, but this time he appears to have brought a significant other with him.

Danny Michael Gibbs, 32, of the 200 block of State St., Galatia, has been charged with Domestic Battery after authorities say on May 28 he caused bodily harm to family member Tammy Jo Martinez, 22, when he pushed Tammy down, causing her to cut her arm.

If convicted, Gibbs could face an enhanced sentence because he was convicted of domestic battery March 22, 2004.

But Gibbs didn’t go to jail alone.

Ms. Martinez was also charged with Domestic Battery after authorities said she dealt out her own version of violence—when she scratched Gibbs’ shoulder.

And at the time of her arrest, she was serving a two-year probation sentence handed her February 20, 2015 after she was convicted of, well… Domestic Battery and Resisting a Peace Officer.

And so she too faces an enhanced sentence if convicted.

Beating on other people isn’t Gibbs’ only claim to criminal fame.

He seems to excel at driving drunk, earning a July 25, 2005 conviction for same for which he was sentenced to two years’ probation

His multiple convictions include one July 20, 2006 for Unlawful Possession of Drug Paraphernalia for which he was sentenced to 62 days in a county cage and 12 months probation.

In 2010 he narrowly escaped convictions on weapons charges.

He earned himself another felony January 23, 2015 when he was convicted of two counts of Driving Revoked for which he was sentenced to 18 months probation and ordered to pay $7,647 in fines and fees, of which he still owes $7,287.

Gibbs was taken into custody June 11 but released on a $10,000 recognizance bond because of incisions he had from a recent surgery.

What kind of surgery is unknown and rumors it was a surgical procedure to remove his head from his anus have not been confirmed.

Round 2

But that wasn’t the end of the violence between Martinez and Gibbs.

Illinois State Trooper Brett Lane was called back to the unhappy home of Gibbs and Martinez June 3.

When trooper Lane arrived in response to yet another domestic battery call he spoke with Gibbs, who said he had been in an argument with Martinez and that she attacked him scratching his face, neck and chest and even caused some injury to Gibbs’ surgical site, wherever that was.

Trooper Lane observed and photographed visible injuries on Gibbs’ body consistent him being scratched as he had said.

Martinez claimed that Gibbs had picked her up by the throat and slammed her against a refrigerator causing damage to her head.

Trooper lane noted in his report that he saw no visible injuries on Martinez.

Gibbs told Lane the argument was over some xanax that he believed Martinez had stolen from Jamie McIntosh, 21, from Equality.

And that’s about the time Tammy was carted off to the county jail, leaving Gibbs behind to continue to recover from his surgery and scratches.

It is unclear how long the single mother of one will keep her job at the Galatia Dollar General Store if she’s sitting in jail.

Cash bond in Martinez’ latest case was set at $500.

SALINE CO.—A Hardin County regular showed up on the police blotter in Saline County this past month (June), apparently because a “family or household member” had his attention away from Hardin all the way back to February.

Marcus A. Shore, 27, of Cave-in-Rock, was charged on June 9 with a February 18 incident of misdemeanor Domestic Battery, said charge alleging that he pushed one Heather Horvath in an insulting or provoking way.

Shore is best known for his association and breeding habits with Hardin County crim and well-known nutcase, Martina Olveda Shore, who hasn’t been in the headlines lately for whatever reason.

While locals might think Shore apparently just put in an appearance in Saline County long enough to allegedly harm Horvath then move on, they’d be only partially right: as it turned out, there are actually two separate dates of the alleged Domestic Battery; a second occurred on February 19. Of course, that could simply mean that Shore allegedly pushed Horvath at 11:50 p.m. on the night of the 18th and then again 15 minutes later, on the morning of the 19th; court documents aren’t that specific and there’s no enclosed police report, as is the usual case with misdemeanors. And actually, there are two separate counts on the filing for the 19th of February, meaning Shore must’ve been twice as pissy on that date.

Whatever the situation, Shore was set to make an appearance in Saline County court in Harrisburg, all the way up from Cave, on July 6.

Lil Aaron

Another Saline County misdemeanor was racked up this past month by a Saline County regular…since he was about in diapers.

Aaron A. Rector, now 18, of Broughton (where all the good crims are generated), who has been in the pages of Disclosure fairly regularly since age 14, was busted in Eldorado on May 9 on a count of Unlawful Consumption of Alcohol, this occurring June 12.

Why it took so long for the charge to come to the courthouse is anyone’s guess.

Rector, who supposedly lives on what appears to be the only inhabited street in Broughton (Appel Street, spelled weird if they were going for “Apple”; and which appears to be the only inhabited one because that happens to be where members of the Earp/Trout clan reside as well), has been tied up with the Urps since about 2010…and his career as a crim has taken a nosedive since that time.

Rector is scheduled to appear in Saline County court on the misdemeanor on July 13.

Pinch-faced Edith

And yet another familiar Saline County crim graced the misdemeanor report this month: The pinch-faced countenance of Edith Gulley, 29, came across the blotter in late June.

Gulley, like Shore, was charged on June 22 with a June 9 count of Domestic Battery for throwing a glass at Larry W. Harris, a household member, which glass struck him in the hand.

It remained unclear from court filings whether Harris was Gulley’s most recent husband.

A couple of years back, Disclosure reported on the marriage of Gulley to one Kenneth Hren. There isn’t a divorce on file for them, so it’s unknown whether they’re still a couple or what, exactly, Harris’ role in the matter is…but with the recent Supreme Court ruling on marriage no longer being strictly between one man and one woman, it’s anyone’s guess.

Nevertheless they were apparently involved in some sort of cohabiting, as Harris, too, received a charge for his part in the debacle (see related story).

Gulley’s warrant remained unserved as of press time; so to Edith, if you’re reading, you need to post $500 cash bond in your case so the court can set a date for you.

SALINE CO.—Battling over extensions of time, the two women at the heart of the Anna Bixby Women’s Center indictments appear to be in trouble with the Illinois Attorney General’s office.

Indicted on March 30, Barbara Wingo, 76, of Golconda, and Terrie Eichorn, 50, of Elizabethtown, have apparently sought to delay the pursuit of justice in their cases of multiple counts of Forgery, Misuse of Funds, Loan Fraud, and Organizing Financial Crime Enterprises, to name a few of the felonies they’re facing as it relates to the women’s center, which Wingo has run since the late 70s and was later joined by Eichorn in its operation.

It has appeared all along that neither one took their charges very seriously: Wingo, upon announcement of her indictment, promptly posted $50,000 cash bond and reportedly went to the remaining staff of the organization, advising them of the kind of trouble she would rain down on their heads if they cooperated with authorities any further in the investigation.

Eichorn wasn’t even in the state when her indictment was handed down; she was in Florida with her errant husband and son, and posted bond (another $50k) when she got back.

Their problems were compounded when the Attorney General’s office sought to replace the two as Trustees of the board that runs Anna Bixby.

This filing was made about two weeks after the indictments themselves, and was an apparent effort by the AG’s office to keep the two from influencing the operations of the center any more than what they already were.

The AG’s office wanted them to answer to the complaint, filed in a Chancery suit April 14, by May 18.

However, the delay tactics put forth by the two women amounted to those typical of the level of attorney each of them sought to obtain.

Wingo retained Terry Green of Marion; Eichorn, Bryan Drew of Franklin County.

Apparently believing in the “status” of such “big” names in the legal field, Wingo and Eichorn thought it okay to file documents in Saline County civil court indicating that they wanted an extension of time beyond the May 18 date…on May 18.

Wingo claimed that Green was “currently out of his office indefinitely with a family health emergency” (unspecified); Eichorn didn’t make any kind of claim for Drew; she just wanted an extension.

While court documents show that Judge Todd Lambert signed off on that extension of time—on May 26—the AG’s office plowed ahead, as they had the right to do.

On May 18, they AG’s office filed for a setting for default judgment against both Wingo and Eichorn, and they got it: July 10 at 9:30 a.m.

At that time they will seek to have the two removed as board members for the women’s center board, and will also seek to have them replaced, as the center is incorporated with the state and must have board representation as a charitable organization of the state of Illinois.

Whether the two will voluntarily withdraw by that time and have someone seated on the board who has their approval remains to be seen.

Disclosure’s July 15 edition will have the follow up as to the matter.

In the meantime, both women have been set for pretrial conferences on July 31.

SALINE CO.— A Harrisburg convicted drug felon has been charged with Predatory Criminal Sexual Assault of a Child.

According to information filed in the case, on or about June 1, Mark Anthony Stricklin, 51, of the 1600 block of Daisy Lane, Harrisburg, committed an act of sexual penetration with an 11-year-old victim.

According to authorities, on June 10, an 11-year-old female disclosed that Stricklin rubbed his penis on her vagina.

She also said he had her perform oral sex on him by placing her mouth on his penis and had her masturbate him by placing her hand on his penis.

The young girl said the sexual abuse took place multiple times over the past several years.

At least two of those occasions are said to have happened in Harrisburg.

Stricklin was convicted July 10, 2008 of Manufacture/Delivery of Cannabis 2,000-5,000 grams for which he was sentenced to seven years in the Illinois Department of Corrections and ordered to pay $642 in fines and fees, of which he still owes $350.

Authorities say additional charges are pending in the case and will most likely be filed upon the completion of their investigation.

Stricklin is currently being held in the Saline County Detention Center on $50,000 cash bond.

SALINE CO.— The unending stupidity of those who take naked pictures of themselves, send them to people, and then whine like a b!tch when those people threaten them with said photos boggles the mind.

That doesn’t make the threat any less wrong, but the increasing idiocy of an individual setting themselves up for something of the like to happen is bound to clog up the court system, what with the plummeting intelligence quotients commonly seen in the general public today.

Case in point: a Harrisburg man is facing some serious legal crap after police say he attempted to extort money out of a former girlfriend over nude photos she sent him.

According to Illinois State Police Special Agent Stacy Kinter, on December 8, 2014, Daydra Marie Waide, 39, reported that she had been in a relationship with one James Edward Hayes, 33, of 210 West Lincoln St., Harrisburg, since October 2014.

Waide explained that during that time she had sent pictures of herself to Hayes.

She explained the pictures were of her naked and partially naked.

Apparently something went wrong in the relationship and on December 6, 2014 Hayes allegedly contacted Daydra, who doesn’t say she was forced to pose for the nudes/semi-nudes, on Facebook and told her he would post the pictures on Facebook if she didn’t pay him $2,000.

When Hayes was questioned by state police, he denied threatening Waide for money.

However a search warrant proved the conversation Hayes had with Waide and he was taken into custody and charged with two counts of Intimidation.

The first count alleges that he threatened to send “lewd” photos of Waide to her family and the second count alleges that he threatened to show “lewd” photos her husband if she didn’t leave him.

There is no indication whether or not the photos were taken and given to Hayes before or after Waide became a married woman.

Hayes is a convicted dope dealer, having been convicted June 2, 2003 of Manufacture/Delivery of Cocaine for which he was sentenced to 182 days in the county jail and 32 months probation.

Hayes was released from police custody after a $2,000 cash bond (odd amount, given the details of the case) was posted on his behalf by Taylor Patterson of East Church St., Galatia.