SALINE CO., Ill. - Friends and family of those from New Burnside, Illinois, involved in a car accident Saturday night, report that the Schell family has been devastated by the incident.

The accident occurred November 21 at 10:47 p.m., on U.S. 45 at Alexander Road where the driver, Sarah K. Schell, 35, fell asleep, missed a curve, and the car drove off the road and rolled.

Relatives of the family (composed of David and Sarah Schell, their five-year-old son Connor, and their three-year-old daughter Maddie) have advised Disclosure sources of the conditions of the surviving family members of the wreck in which the little boy was fatally injured.

The little girl, Maddie, experienced a broken neck and as a result, she has had a spinal cord injury. Her condition is being reassessed day-by-day, but it appears at this point that she is paralyzed. Whether that's a permanent situation or not will remain to be seen; surgeons today, the family reported, said that they could fuse the broken vertebrae but were hesitant about the prognosis on the spinal cord injury. She also has multiple broken bones (including broken legs) and her spleen was lacerated. She was reported as showing improvement this morning.

William David Schell, 41, was thrown from the vehicle and received numerous broken bones throughout his body, in particular along his left side, where he apparently landed after being thrown. Some reports indicate that he was thrown so far from the vehicle that it took a while for first responders to find him. It was being reported at one point that all his teeth had been broken. He had surgery yesterday and is showing improvement this morning, having been on life support (whether he remains so at this point is unknown; we're checking that).

Sarah Schell suffered a broken ankle and a lacerated liver. She is showing improvement today as well. The family confirmed reports that she was driving and fell asleep. The family had been gone for an outing at Louisville, Kentucky, and were headed home.

David Schell has another son, Zack, 12, who hadn't gone on the outing with them and instead was with his mother that day.

Authorities are investigating the accident, and have said that citations are pending; however, contrary to other published reports, it's unclear whether or not Sarah Schell will be charged with anything in connection with the crash. If anything, traffic citations might be in order, but it appears this was nothing more than a tragic accident the likes of which occur on occasion when drivers grow sleepy behind the wheel.

SALINE CO. – As if anyone thought Shaneetown’s Tyler Patton couldn’t get into any more trouble, he proved that thought wrong in neighboring Saline County in early November.

Patton, 21 (but whose date of birth was incorrectly listed on the charging documents), who has a slew of problems in Gallatin County (and a couple in neighboring White County to the north), managed to get in trouble in Saline at about the same time he got into it in Gallatin (see related story).

In Saline, authorities have charged Patton with a misdemeanor count of Resisting or Obstructing a Peace Officer on November 2, this after an October 19 incident in which Patton is accused of struggling with Harrisburg police officer Michael Riden and resisting being placed under arrest.

While it’s not indicated in court documents, the likelihood that this arrest is related to the problems Patton is facing in Gallatin is a very good one, given the time frame.

The Class A misdemeanor carries with it a mandatory 48 consecutive hours of jail time or 100 hours of community service if Patton is convicted, this likely because of Patton’s ongoing inability to abide by the laws governing this state.

As had been done in Gallatin County following his arrest there, Ruth Patton of the same Shawneetown address as Tyler’s posted $100 cash bond to spring him; and he was issued a Nov. 23 court appearance on the charge.

SALINE CO.— A Harrisburg teen has been charged with sending three other teenagers to steal electronics.

Court documents show that on Nov. 1, Julianna M. Body, 19, sent three minors, identified by their initials including DJL, age 14; CBH, age 13 and JTL, 17, to swipe an HP Chrome note book computer, a Playstation 4 controller, Beats by Dr. Dre headphones and an Xbox 360 console belonging to Jadiah Hopson.

The items were valued in excess of $500.

No bond information was available in the case.

E’town man charged

In an unrelated story, Skyler P. Williams, 21, of Bassett Road, Elizabethtown, has been charged with one count each of Residential Burglary, Theft $500-$10,000 and Criminal Damage to Property $300-$10,000.

Information filed in the case alleges that on June 1, Williams knowingly entered the dwelling of John Irvin and Leslie Irvin, located at Beech Hollow Rd., Harrisburg.

Authorities say that Williams gained entry into the home by damaging a screen door and the access door behind it which lead into the residence.

Once inside the home Williams is said to have taken miscellaneous jewelry, one generation 4 iPOD and one Samsung Galaxy S3 cell phone.

Cash bond in the case was set at $2,000.

SALINE CO.— An Eldorado man has been charged with felony Domestic Battery after authorities say he smacked the crap out of his wife.

On November 8, at approximately 11:40 a.m., Eldorado officer Clint Hooper received a call from Amy Marie Allen, 44, who said her husband Jerry Anthony Allen, 36, of 2005 Fourth St., Eldorado, had hit her.

Hooper said he spoke with Jerry, who advised that Amy had scratched him on the side of the face the night before.

When Officer Hooper traveled to speak with Amy at 1901 Organ St., he noticed she had a bloody fat lip.

She informed Hooper that she and Jerry had gotten into an argument and Jerry ended up hitting her in the face twice and then struck her in the head.

Jerry was taken into custody and transported to the county detention center for questioning.

However, Jerry gave Hooper several different versions of how he got his scratches.

At one point Jerry said Amy scratched him while he was asleep, “maybe with a black phone.”

A few minutes later Jerry changed his story and said Amy scratched him with a butter knife.

Then he claimed she had scratched him with her fingernails.

When Hooper asked him why he kept changing his story, Jerry said “Amy is making up stuff, so why can’t I?”

And that’s about the time Jerry was charged with domestic battery and handed over to jail staff.

Just six days prior, Jerry had pleaded guilty to misdemeanor Domestic Battery from a 2013 case for which he was fined $3,075.

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

As a side note: Amy Allen was charged October 28, 2013 with Domestic Battery.

She pleaded guilty to an amended charge of Disorderly Conduct January 9, 2014 and was fined $1,382.38, of which she still owes $57.38.

SALINE CO.— A man who was taken in for questioning following the September 9 gunfight near West Towle Street in Harrisburg has been charged with violence.

Byron L. Godsey, 36, of 710 North Main St., Carrier Mills, has been in and out of trouble with area lawmen for years.

Godsey was believed to have been one of the men firing gunshots from a moving vehicle during the incident.

No one was ever charged in the September Towle Street shootout.

Godsey is a convicted drug felon from June 13, 2008 at which time he was convicted of Unlawful Possession of a Controlled Substance (prescription medication) for which he was sentenced to the Illinois Department of Corrections (IDOC) for two and half years.

Now Godsey is charged with Aggravated Battery and Domestic Battery after authorities say on Oct. 26 he strangled household member Precious Taborn and threw her against a wall, causing her to strike her head.

No bond information was available in the case.

SALINE CO. – An incident at Harrisburg’s McDonald’s on South Commercial Street November 10 had everyone in two counties wondering what the heck was going on with William Michael “Billy” Cummins, 27, of Harrisburg.

And thus far, the answer is “traffic tickets and some felony charges.”

But Harrisburg and Marion residents are saying there’s more to it, and that because of Cummins’ associations,

Showy display of Hummer

It was at about 3 p.m. that day when Cummins, driving his 2006 white Hummer and generally making a showy display of himself (given that he’s a convicted Saline County drug felon, reportedly well-known for his narking abilities, and that he has no visible means of income) and his girlfriend Marissa Thompson were at Harrisburg McDonald’s drive-through when they caught the attention of a conservation police officer, Charles Diggins.

It was initially reported to Disclosure that Cummins was stopped for a conservation infraction out of Williamson County, but there were no records available to indicate this was the case; the confusion likely ensued because it was a conservation officer that approached Cummins and affected the arrest.

“I confronted Cummins in the parking lot,” Diggins wrote in his report. “I informed Cummins he had a suspended driver’s license and active warrant out of Williamson County” (records show that Cummins had had an ex parte judgment issued against him on a speeding ticket in Williamson as well as a Driving on Suspended License ticket in Williamson that had yet to be adjudicated; and, he’d failed to appear on a speeding ticket in Saline back on August 17.)

The magical center console

After the arrest, Diggins wrote, “a .40 caliber pistol was discovered in the center console. Cummins is a convicted felon.”

Diggins went on to note that there was a little more found in the vehicle, in particular, “252 grams of cannabis,” and, in that same center console, “Hydrocodone…was found (not prescribed.)”

Further, “materials to package and deliver the cannabis were found in a black backpack.”

As well, in that magical center console, $11,052 in cash was located.

And to top it all off, Diggins wrote, “Cummins had his juvenile son in the back seat unsecured at the time of the stop.”

Cummins was hauled off to the Saline County Detention Center and placed under arrest with a $15,000 bail ($1,500 cash bond) set on the charges.

When it all shook out in formal counts according to Assistant State’s Attorney Jason Olson, Cummins was charged with Unlawful Possession of Weapon by a Felon, a Sig Sauer Pistol .40 caliber, a Class 2 felony; Unlawful Possession of Cannabis with Intent to Deliver, a Class 3 felony; Unlawful Possession of a Controlled Substance (carisoprodol), a Class 4 felony; and a misdemeanor Driving While Driver’s License Suspended.

The girlfriend, Thompson, was reported by those on the scene to have been “arrested after she fought with the cops,” but she has no formal charges in Saline.

No surprise here

Not surprisingly, Cummins was sprung from the SCDC a week later.

It’s not surprising because of who Cummins has been aligned with for a number of years: Harrisburg attorney and former mayor Robert Wilson.

Cummins’ grandmother, it was reported to Disclosure, has worked as Wilson’s bookkeeper for a number of years. It was rumored, but not confirmed as of press time, that Wilson has provided at least some kind of legal expertise in Cummins’ various criminal counts over the years.

Whatever else Cummins has supplied by way of trade with Wilson for services, however, is merely rumored at this time, and is said to be along the lines of whatever it is Cummins does to garner income, since he holds no employment but owns not only the gas-guzzling Hummer, but reportedly a Corvette, two Cadillacs, three racing “crotch-rocket” motorcycles, and three houses.

The girlfriend, reportedly a pharmacy tech at Walgreens, may or may not have enough means of support to fund such possessions.

However, whether she’s able to fund his total of six kids is unlikely; Cummins himself, it appears according to court records, can’t fund them.

Cummins has been seet for a December 14 first appearance on the felony counts.

Charles Ryan, shown here in his December 2011 mugshot from the Saline County Detention Center where he’s been held since the death of his stepfather Carl Crouch, was suffering a meth-induced psychosis, according to the forensic psychiatrist hired by the defense to ask for a “not guilty by reason of insanity verdict”…which Ryan got, from Judge Walden Morris, on November 20, 2015.

Doctors: Meth contributed to the death of Harrisburg man

SALINE CO. – A stipulated bench trial held during the middle of November ended with a decision by Judge Walden Morris that is rare in the state of Illinois: A man who murdered his stepfather declared not guilty by reason of insanity.

The verdict rendered by Morris on Nov. 19 after two days of deliberation came about after hearing the evidence in the case of Charles Ryan, the 45-year-old man who, on December 23, 2011, attacked and stabbed his stepfather, Carl Crouch, 59, to death on Barnett Street in Harrisburg.

Ryan had been housed at the Saline County Detention Center on a million dollar bail ($100,000 cash bond) since his arrest, and his case had been laboring through the court system since his hiring of Granite City-area attorney Morgan Scroggins.

The stipulated bench trial, however, finally started on Nov. 17.

Those familiar with a stipulated bench trial know the difference between that and a regular bench trial, however, and know that there wasn’t really a ‘trial’ at all…at least not in the traditional sense of the word.

In a stipulated bench trial, both sides – defense and the state – get together and hash out the details of what largely amounts to a plea agreement: They decide on an outcome (verdict) and the judge listens to both sides’ input, then determines an appropriate verdict and sentence. No testimony is given unless it’s stipulated statements from agreed-upon investigators or experts.

This is what occurred as a part of Ryan’s “trial”: Experts in the case as retained by both sides issued their opinions, and Morris made his decision on the afternoon of Friday, Nov. 20 – not guilty by reason of insanity, a verdict which is reached in only 1 percent of cases in which it’s offered as a verdict in the state of Illinois.

Meth-related psychosis

According to the stipulation presented that Friday, Ryan had had problems for a long time prior to his stepfather’s death and many saw a marked deterioration in recent years.

And according to the defense expert, Michael E. Althoff, PhD, a forensic psychiatrist, there was a little more contributing to Ryan’s deteriorated mental state: meth use.

In the stipulation, it was noted by both sides that were Althoff to have testified, he would have told about not only Ryan’s history of numerous psychotic episodes, but also Ryan’s chronic meth use and an overdose, which occurred at an unspecified point in time in the past. Dr. Althoff would have testified that in his opinion, Ryan was experiencing psychotic symptoms at the time of the offense and that Ryan suffered from a mental disease or defect diagnosed as Methamphetamine-Induced Psychotic Disorder with Delusions and Hallucinations.

The state’s witness, Dr. Terry M. Killian, concurred…to an extent. While Killian stipulation made no remarks about meth use, his investigation of records, reports and interviews with Ryan and those around him, including Egyptian Public and Mental Health Department reports, indicated that Ryan was suffering from a mental disease of defect of psychosis or otherwise specified, rendering him incapable of appreciating the criminality of his conduct at that time.

Naked on the porch

Part of what the doctors reviewed came from law enforcement agencies, including those who initially responded to the situation, the Jackson County Sheriff’s Department in Murphysboro.

Officers of that department would have testified that they were dispatched to the home of Wade Glasser, who had reported to police the presence of a naked man on his porch: Ryan, who was “out of his head.” All officers would have testified that Ryan was making indiscernible utterances and statements, including that “ a guy named Hambone told him to come here and play a joke on these people.” They reported that he appeared to be under the influence of alcohol, but they smelled none; and Ryan told them he didn’t do drugs. When they asked him to tell them what was going on, he said “Hambone told me in his dying breath that if I needed surgery on my cerebrum to come to the house in Murphysboro by McDonalds and beg for help,” all of this occurring on Dec. 23, 2011.

Glasser, were he to have testified, would have said that he didn’t know Ryan, and that Ryan was talking to himself when on Glasser’s porch.

Various medical professionals, from Mr. Vernon, DuQuoin, Herrin, Harrisburg and Eldorado would have testified that during emergency room visits in the past, or other medical treatment, Ryan presented conditions including hallucinations, paranoia, confusion, depression and anxiety. They would also say that he had, in the previous weeks prior to Crouch’s death, been in an ER (in DuQuoin) complaining that he had been poisoned with cyanide, this by his mother and uncle. At Eygptian in Eldorado, he’d claimed that he’d been hearing voices since 2003.

Sons killed in four-wheeler accident

To shed further light on what may have caused more trauma in Ryan’s life, his wife, Djuna Ryan, was interviewed. Her stipulated testimony was that they two had been together since 2004, and that after their two sons were killed in a four-wheeler accident (the time frame of this tragedy not disclosed), Ryan suffered two nervous breakdowns.

Djuna would have testified that in the several weeks leading up to the offense of Crouch’s death, Ryan had been yelling at himself in the mirror, wearing headphones while hearing voices in his head, suffering from intense paranoia, claiming that someone was out to kill him, and claiming that there were people in the attic or outside the house. He had nailed an access door to the attic shut, and had duct taped holes in the ceiling and screwed windows shut so that people couldn’t get in; he also taped around the doors and windows of their room for fear they were going to be gassed.

She also said that Ryan was very close to his mother and stepfather, and didn’t understand why Ryan would hurt Carl Crouch.

Ryan’s mother was to have testified to the same; as well as that his delusions were becoming more intense.

State’s witnesses

For the state, Ryan’s mother would have testified about the day of the incident, when she left the house that morning at about 7:30-8 a.m.

When she called home to check on her husband at about 5 p.m., she was informed that Ryan had locked Crouch in the bathroom of the house for 3 hours. But when she arrived back home at about 9 p.m., she found her husband lying on the kitchen floor in a pool of blood. Ryan wasn’t home, and his car was not at the house.

The state would also have called investigators into the matter, including Harrisburg Detective Curt Hustedde, who was the one who actually noted that he found Crouch dead, with two knives impaled in the body protruding from the left shoulder area.

Illinois State Police investigator Bryan Harms would have testified that he had interviewed Ryan on video, during which time Ryan stated that he “killed the son of a bitch because he thought Carl Crouch had killed Charles Ryan’s relatives,” stating also to Harms that he stayed at the residence for 30 to 40 minutes before leaving, and removing his clothing because they had Crouch’s blood on them (resulting in the state of nudity on Glasser’s porch.)

Final statements

Finally, Walden reviewed in the stipulation that he would have heard from Dr. John Heidingsfelder, regional pathologist who performed Crouch’s autopsy; Saline County Coroner Jerry Doug Watson; and Dr. Fred D. Klug, PhD., who would have been the only one that would have testified that he found the defendant competent to stand trial.

But Morris did not. Instead, he ruled that Ryan was not only incompetent, but was ‘not guilty’ by reason of insanity, this coming after the stipulation was read into the record on the afternoon of the 20th.

This, explained the prosecution, did not mean that Ryan did not kill his stepfather; only that he was in such a state of mind when he did it that his mental capacities were compromised, and he literally didn’t know what he was doing when he stabbed the man and killed him.

A person who receives such a judgment is not able to go free, however.

Saline County State’s Attorney Mike Henshaw said the likely option at this point is that Ryan will be remanded to the care of the Illinois Department of Human Services for custody. He will not be in prison, but instead will be institutionalized for his own safety and the safety of those around him.

A status hearing has been set for Ryan, who remains housed at SCDC, for December 22.

SALINE CO. – Saline County’s sitting state’s attorney made it official Monday, November 23:

He’s running for a third term in office.

Saline County Prosecutor Mike Henshaw filed his petition officially Monday, Nov. 23, providing 1,036 signatures …quite an amount, as the only number he needed in order for the petition to be valid and make him eligible to get on the ballot was 41.

The support Henshaw enjoys in Saline comes from seven years of some of the toughest prosecution Saline has seen in a long time, and includes going after public officials in the commission of their various crimes, including former chief deputy Todd Fort.

He has also gained the distinction of being ably assisted by the likes of Eva Walker, who manages sex crimes and crimes against children, as well as Jason Olson and Jayson Clark, each of whom could easily lead the office, and Letitia Wiggins, who makes short work of the many small cases that tend to clog up the system in an incredibly busy county that sees more than its share of drug crimes, crimes against persons, and personal property crime.

Henshaw will be running on the Democrat ticket.

As of press time for this issue on the 23rd, no other filings were made, but it was anticipated that Molly Deering was going to be running on the Republican ticket.

Deering is the niece of former Harrisburg mayor/city attorney, Robert Wilson.

Deering opted not to run in the 2012 election, having obtained a job with the Workmen’s Compensation division of Illinois’ government as a judicial attorney (workmen’s comp judge), hearing and adjudicating cases.

This, however, may no longer be the case; reports indicate that Deering has given up that job (which paid well over $100,000 annually, and came complete with a fine benefits package) in order to run for public office.

It’s been reported to Disclosure multiple times from multiple sources over the past several months that Deering, whose family largely leans Dem, was advised that she couldn’t win against Henshaw if she ran on the Dem ticket, so she opted for the opposite party.

That reportedly didn’t sit well with the Republican Party chairs, who, either directly themselves or indirectly through others, advised Deering that she didn’t have much party backing…largely because of her uncle, who, despite his many holdings and influence throughout southern Illinois, has become somewhat of a pariah as of late, possibly because of his connections with Peoples National Bank’s/Grand Rivers Bank’s Bill Bonan II (lil Bill).

Interestingly, Wilson (comically known, after a series of amusing articles about his antics in 2009, as “ChickenBob”) used to be a Republican, and when he found he didn’t have the support of that party, like his niece he turned Dem. Unlike Deering, however, he hasn’t yet gone back to Republican.

Only in America can such flip-flopping translate to party runs; nevertheless, that’s what’s happening for the office of prosecutor in Saline.

Whether any other candidate will emerge remains to be seen.

SALINE CO. – An astonishing set of sex charges has been filed in Saline County against a man from Equality and could constitute a record-making case involving the largest number of separate counts ever charged in southern Illinois.

The alleged perpetrator of 256 separate counts is one Ronald C. Yarber, 48, who lives at 7000 Forest Road, Equality, which is in Gallatin County.

Yarber is accused of multiple counts of Predatory Criminal Sexual Assault and Criminal Sexual Assault of a Family Member, with crimes dating back to 2004 when his alleged victim was 12 years old.

The alleged victim is an adopted daughter, A.E.A., now 24. Yarber along with his wife are foster parents and have reportedly had numerous children in the home over the years.

According to court documents, A.E.A. disclosed to investigating authorities on November 4 that Yarber had, when the family lived on Cottage Grove Road in Saline County, been having “oral and vaginal sex with her since she was 12 years old. Yarber and his wife Lesa adopted A.E.A. when she was 7 and she lived with them until she was 20.

“A.E.A. provided vivid details surrounding numerous incidents which occurred while Lesa was at work,” the report in the case reads, “and Ron was home with A.E.A. and other foster children. The sexual assaults began when they lived in Saline County and continued after they moved into Gallatin County.

“When confronted with the allegations, Yarber exercised his right to remain silent without an attorney present,” the initial report concluded.

As of press time (Nov. 23), there had been no charges filed in Gallatin.

Four charges per month, per year, for years

The phenomenal number of charges against Yarber recount alleged incidents dating back to June of 2004.

They begin with that month’s charge of Predatory Criminal Sexual Assault of a Child, in that when A.E.A. was younger than 13 years of age (in this case, she was 12 and a half), he penetrated her vagina with his penis.

Subsequent charges allege that in the same month (June 2004), he penetrated her vagina with his finger.

The third charge lists the same month and year, but alleges that Yarber performed cunnilingus on A.E.A.

The fourth count charges that in the same month and year, he had A.E.A. perform fellatio on him.

Then, starting with count 5, which lists the month of July of 2004, the same allegations as separated by the above four acts are reiterated, and repeated month by month throughout the subsequent years until count 256, which occurred during the month of September 2009 just before A.E.A. turned 18 and became an adult.

The Guardian Center involved

Authorities say that A.E.A. gave explicit details about the sexual activity, and that her recall was very good.

For whatever reason, the matter was taken to Sheryl Woodham at The Guardian Center, where the now-24-year-old A.E.A. recounted her accusations.

The Guardian Center is a child advocacy center, one of a handful in downstate Illinois, which are tasked with being “the voice” for children who are abused and, due to their young age, aren’t generally asked to take the stand against their abuser because young children most of the time back down in a court setting when confronted by not only the abuser but often his equally-abusive (in a different manner) attorney. The CACs are called upon to take the stand in the courtroom and recount what the young child told them in a video/audio taped interview (keeping it from being hearsay), and are considered the legal stand-ins for the abused children. It’s then up to a judge or jury to determine the veracity of what the CAC representative is saying about what the child told them.

Ordinarily, it’s accepted that an adult (a person 18 years of age or older) is able to take the stand and testify, as the accused has the right to face, and question, his accuser.

Why, then, the 24-year-old went to the Guardian Center to recount her information is puzzling, unless Saline County prosecutors (in this case, lead by Eva Walker) needed another layer of witness, since the bulk of the alleged crimes against A.E.A. occurred when she was a child.

Facing massive sentence if convicted

Yarber was arrested on Nov. 4 and jailed at the Saline County Detention Center, held on a quarter-million dollar bail ($25,000 cash bond).

On Nov. 12, Yarber, in a handwritten motion, asked the judge in the case to reduce his bond to $10,000.

At a Nov. 13 hearing, it appears the judge didn’t even take the motion under advisement, and the bond stood as of press time.

All the Class X felonies (Counts 1 through 16) charged carry a minimum of six years and maximum of 30 years imprisonment, and are non-probationable upon conviction.

All the Class 1 felonies (counts 17 through 256) each carry a minimum of four years and maximum of 15 years imprisonment, and are non-probationable upon conviction.

Yarber requested a public defender and was appointed Lowell Tison; he was set for a preliminary hearing on December 1.

MARK FITTON     |     NOVEMBER 20, 2015     |      NEWS

From Illinois News Network.com

SPRINGFIELD — A southern Illinois state lawmaker says his bill to release funding to help residents of an often-flooded area of Alexander County isn’t about politics, but he’s finding himself at odds with the governor.

Rep. Brandon Phelps, D-Harrisburg, this week filed House Bill 4339, which seeks $5 million from the Capital Development Fund.

The money, along with $9 million in federal funds, would help complete buyouts of properties in the Olive Branch area that were destroyed or made uninhabitable by flooding in 2011.

Phelps said the concept and funding has been approved before, and the floodplain buyout effort needs to get rolling again despite the state’s budget impasse.

“It’s all been approved, but I think the governor’s holding it because he says we don’t have a budget,” Phelps said.

“I’m just trying to kick start it,” he said. “I don’t want this to be in the political game.”

The Republican governor’s office says Phelps and his fellow Democrats need to get together with the GOP and work out a balanced budget.

“Instead of focusing on enacting reforms and passing a balanced budget, Rep. Phelps is choosing to politicize a project that his party’s out-of-balance budget failed to include. In fact, the money for the Olive Branch relocation project...

To read the rest, click this link here

SALINE CO.— The story of a crashed truck and the two dopers who were inside of it last issue has opened the floodgates of information streaming in on an elusive “gentlemen’s club” believed to be operating inside the city of Harrisburg.

In fact three separate sources, each claiming they are familiar with the club, say a recent masked ball held at the yet-to-be-disclosed site was nothing short of bizarre.

“The owner of the club actually showed up dressed as Jesus,” the three sources confirmed independently of each other.

Another source claims the owner of the site is often seen thumbing through a Bible he keeps on his desk.

“But that’s just for show,” the source claimed. “He makes a show of praying about business decisions but the way he acts behind the scenes and to his employees is shameful to say the least.”

Thus far nobody wants to put a name to exactly who the mysterious owner of the site is.

“He forbids anybody who knows the inner workings of the club to talk to anybody about it,” the source said.

Does Jesus have a sidekick…?

Once word got out that Disclosure was looking in to the ‘masked ball,’ which sounded much like an uppity Halloween party, several sources came forward and asserted that the man dressed up as Jesus had a sidekick with him.

“It wasn’t exactly what you would call scriptural, to say the least,” said one source, who sounded offended that anybody would dress up as the Christ.

It appears that the man dressed as Jesus kept company the better part of the night with another man who was described as “tall…and dressed as Batman.”

Sex room

There has also been some validation given to claims that there is one or more special areas reserved for members granted “special access.”

This area or areas are said to offer special members most any drug of choice, strippers and even prostitutes.

One Harrisburg businessman said he was told by a close friend that he had received an invitation to the club and decided he’d go and see what all the fuss was about.

“He said he walked into one room and everybody in the room was having sex,” the source said. “He said he backed out, closed the door and left.”

The source said the man was so shocked by what he saw and who he said he recognized in the room that he refused to disclose the location of the club.

“I have to work and do business in this community,” he said his friend told him when he asked about the location of the club. “I can’t afford to get in the middle of this.”

Dopers and the overturned truck

Exactly what the pair of dopers, mentioned at the beginning of this article, may have to do with such a “gentlemen’s club” is unclear.

Both Forrest Lee Zaranti, 25, of 410 Cotton Rd., Harrisburg and Brian J. McBee, 22, of 262 Trammel St., Carrier Mills, the alleged occupants of the truck that ended up on its top in a city ditch located at Parish and Cheney streets in Harrisburg on October 1, remain charged with Receiving/Possession of a Stolen Vehicle, Resisting a Peace Officer and Unlawful Possession of Cannabis in Saline County Circuit Court.

Both men are free after $1,000 cash bond was posted for each.

The actual number of people inside the truck appears to have become somewhat of a mystery as well.

There are unconfirmed reports that McBee and Zaranti were not the only two in the truck.

Initial reports that when authorities arrived they found both doors on the truck jammed have been refuted by other officials on scene; these said the doors were not jammed at all, but were locked from the inside.

Attempts by Disclosure to reach Zaranti and McBee have been unsuccessful thus far.

The Bonan connection

The connection to one of the area’s most successful businessmen, People’s National Bank owner Frank William Bonan, also known as ‘Lil Bill Bonan,’ seems to be a bit of an oddity as well.

Authorities have confirmed that Zaranti worked for Lil Bill and that Bonan was gracious enough at one point to purchase Zaranti a car from Grady Gaskins, also known as Robert Wilson’s son-in-law, married to Robert’s daughter Taylor.

Wilson, another well-known, successful businessman in the area, is also known as an attorney, former mayor, accountant and occasional favorite FBI interviewee.

More than a few questions

There have been more than a few questions about Lil Bill telling authorities the truck (that was overturned in the ditch), which his bank owned, had been parked at his Harrisburg home, located at 110 Waterhole Rd., that it was to be used only for work on the property, and that the truck was not to be removed from the property.

Bonan had also told investigators that he had given Zaranti a sum of money and that he was supposed to return it but didn’t.

For unknown reasons there is no reference to what the money was given to Zaranti for.

McBee was also found to be in possession of a large sum of cash but refused to tell authorities where it came from.

McBee is a convicted drug dealer and Zaranti has been convicted for violence.

One source claims that Zaranti had been granted permission (they didn’t say by whom) to drive the truck while his car, allegedly purchased by Bonan, was in the shop for repairs.

Of course those who know him say that Bonan is not the kind of man who would give a false report to police, especially one that leads to people being charged with possession of a stolen vehicle.

“That’s a felony and Mr. Bonan would have nothing to do with such a thing,” said a source close to the man. “It is unfortunate his name is even connected to this story.”

Letterhead

In the final hours of publication of this issue, Disclosure received what several individuals have identified as a club logo, letterhead or stationary allegedly belonging exclusive to the elusive “gentlemen’s club.”

“It has appeared at the top of invitations the club management sent out to select individuals in June,” said one source. “They use it on all their official documents.”

And just prior to publication, Disclosure received documents purported to be a membership agreement.

Those documents had not been verified as of press time, November 23.

Jeffrey Townsend

SALINE CO., Ill. - The man who robbed a bank in Saline County a year ago was sentenced today to a lengthy stint in Illinois DOC.

Jeffrey Scott Townsend, 43, of Stonefort, was sentenced in Saline County Circuit Court today (November 25, 2015) by Judge Walden E. Morris to 29 years in DOC, three years mandatory supervised release and was ordered to pay $7,877 in restitution to First Southern Bank in Carrier Mills, along with costs of the prosecution of his crime.

Townsend was found guilty by a Saline County jury of Armed Robbery on September 24. Armed Robbery is a Class X felony punishable by a term of 6 to 30 years in DOC and a $25,000 fine.

Due to the fact that Townsend was armed with a firearm during the commission of the Armed Robbery, he must be sentenced to an additional 15 years in DOC.

On December 10, 2014, Townsend entered the Carrier Mills branch of the Bank of Marion, now known as First Southern Bank, and produced a note demanding money from the tellers. Townsend then produced a loaded revolver and plastic bags within which the tellers placed $7,877 in U.S. currency. Townsend then left the bank with the money.

The Saline County Sheriff’s Department and Federal Bureau of Investigation led the investigation of Townsend with the assistance of the Illinois State Police, Carrier Mills Police Department and Illinois Secretary of State Police.

Assistant Saline County State’s Attorney Jason A. Olson led the successful prosecution of Townsend.

SALINE CO.— An Arkansas man was airlifted to an area hospital last night (Wednesday, November 25) after authorities say he struck a utility pole on Liberty Road.

According to Sgt. Mark Zimmerman, of Dist. 19 Illinois State Police, at approximately 10:35 p.m. Ryan C. Baker, 37, of Plainview, Ark., was southbound in a silver 2000 Pontiac Sunfire on Liberty RoaD approximately 1,000 feet south of Gibbons Drive, when for unknown reasons, the vehicle he was driving left the roadway on the west side and struck a utility pole.

The state police were assisted at the scene by the Saline County Sheriff’s Department, Harrisburg Police Department, Harrisburg Fire Department, Saline County Ambulance and Air Evac.

Baker was transported by helicopter to a regional hospital for treatment of his injuries.

Authorities say that charges are pending.

Saline County Central Dispatch received a 9-1-1 call reporting that a van had hit a train at 3:45 a.m.

A Saline County deputy and Saline County EMS responded to the scene, where they found Candaso A. Murphy, 39, of Carrier Mills. Murphy was driving 1994 Ford Van, which struck the train in the side, as it was crossing Harco Road at Illinois Highway 34 North, two miles west of Galatia.

Murphy’s van was dragged a few feet before the car came to a stop. Murphy was transported to Harrisburg Medical Center with minor injuries. The Canadian National train was hauling coal and it took nearly two miles before the train came to a stop. No one on the train was injured.

Murphy was cited for failure to yield at a train crossing. Winters towing removed the vehicle from the scene

December is upon us, and welcoming you to the first day of it is This Month's Print Headlines!

We'll be having TWO issues in December, so you'll have to be sure and get out and buy both of them so you can keep up with what is undoubtedly one of the hottest series we've ever produced, which leads the front page this issue as well as the last one (November 2015). Print headlines lays it all out for you: What's in this issue, where, and what it's about. Print headlines are presented by dateline (where the material featured in the article took place), headline, and a brief synopsis of what the article is about, in our own snarky Disclosure style. They are presented by Front Page, Back Page (second front page), pages 2 and 3, Features if any, Egypt, Heartland and Central, then Op-Ed. Each headline links back to the e-Edition version of the article for those of you who have an online membership, for ease of reading. If you don't have one, get one! Otherwise, here's our vendor list!

So thank you for waiting patiently for us to produce THIS MONTH'S PRINT HEADLINES...without further ado, here they are!

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

FRONT PAGE

What is this, you ask...? Where did it come from...? There are a lot of people hoping you're not going to ask...because WE'RE going to give an answer.

SALINE CO. - Information pours in on "gentlemen's club": This is the series, and it's just getting started. What is this place? Where is it? Who goes there? What goes on there? We have some of the answers for you...and yet, there's so much more.

RICHLAND CO. - Missing girl may have been with felon twice her age: The bizarre situation with accused Olney meth crim Tammy Phipps' kids just gets increasingly strange...then she wonders why authorities aren't necessarily interested in helping her. Four years ago it was her 13-year-old getting knocked up. Now, it's her 15-year-old running off with a man twice her age. Monkey see, monkey do, as many are opining...

Ronald Yarber

SALINE CO. - Over 250 sex cime counts charged: A horrific tale of alleged sex abuse that began back in 2005 and didn't end until recently...and it happened within a foster family. You've got to read the allegations to believe it. Oh and also...Rick White got in trouble for leaking this to "his" media outlet, the Fairfield radio outlet. Just pointing that out.

WILLIAMSON CO. - Illinois Centre Mall sells once again for back taxes: Not like this beleaguered place hasn't asked for - and received - its own share of troubles...now, Barrett Rochman has inserted his grimy hands into it. And you'd think he might be a little more discreet.

An empty Illinois Centre Mall

BACK PAGE

At the Cave-in-Rock Fire Department fundraiser

HARDIN CO. - Cave-in-Rock FD holds annual holiday feed: Coverage of a wonderful fundraise held by the fire department in beautiful Cave.

SALINE CO. - State's attorney to seek third term: Mike Henshaw is running again, and there are some butts puckering because of it. Read the article to find out who, but...we're betting you already know.

FLORA - Allegations of police wrongdoing surface in Flora: Hot on the heels of the last massive story coming out of the city of Flora about its police department, here's another sure to stoke SOMEBODY'S fires....

PAGE 2

Kim Meyers. She doesn't look happy.

MARION - Auditor is auditing her own work...and getting taxpayer money to do it: Just when you think there can't be any more scurrilous doings coming out of Williamson County....? Along comes this story. And you know what...? This crap is leaching over into one of our home communities of Harrisburg, too.

PAGE 3

SALINE CO. - Forensic shrink says meth-induced psychosis lead to stabbing in 2011: You regular readers will recall the strange tale of Charles Ryan, who stabbed his stepfather to death on December 23, 2011. And you know...upon the outcome of his bench trial, we learned that it's even stranger than you could have imagined. And with meth involved, why WOULDN'T it be...?

FEATURE

MARION, Ill. - Disclosure gets an exclusive inside look at Harbory Medical Cannabis Dispensary: How is that, you ask? Because someone on staff has a medical cannabis card, that's how. You should try getting one. The more demand, the more they state will support it. The more the state supports it, the more doctors they'll bring in. The more doctors they bring in, the more people will apply. The more applicants, the more money the state makes. And if anything in the world is a truism, it's this: The only thing that talks in Illinois is money, because our pathetic state is BROKE.

EGYPT

SALINE CO. - Incident, arrest at McDonald's raises questions about young Harrisburg man: Lots of people wondering how Mikey (aka "Billy") Cummins is able to drive that big Hummer, since he has no visible means of support. Maybe what was found in it during the big bust last month will shed some light on things.

HARDIN CO. - Brawling Williams-Shaffer family comes to blows during incident in Rosiclare: Tina Williams isn't the only offensive heifer in her family...nor the only criminally-inclined, as we've seen with her punk kid Alyse. Now, Jamie Nicole joins in on the hideous lack of self-control...and gets yet another charge that Tara Wallace will dismiss.

GALLATIN CO. - Local bat-manufacturing company sued of alleged unpaid amount on order: Weird little civil suit coming out of Gallatin County about one of their only viable businesses.

SALINE CO. - Gunfight suspect charged with violence: Remember Byron Godsey...? All hemmed up in that early September gunfight on Towle Street in Harrisburg, but no charges at all? Well. He screwed up again.

GALLATIN CO. - Numerous misdemeanors in Gallatin: The petty crims have been up to no good in GallCo, and here are some charges to show what we mean.

SALINE CO. - Eldorado domestic lands husband behind bars after wife says he smacked her in the face: What's a paper without a domestic battery...?

SALINE CO. - Teens charged with using minors to steal: Yes, it's as bad as the headline makes it sound.

SALINE/GALLATIN COs. - Bad Shawneetown boy getting around; arrested in Saline Co.: Is anyone else getting just flat sick of Tyler Patton...?

SALINE CO. - One charged in inmate fight...which seems to be becoming the norm at SCDC: There have been accusations, in our letters section this month in particular, of fights and abuse going on at Saline County Detention Center. This article, with bona fide charges, seems to support that claim.

SALINE CO. - Man charged with stealing disabled elderly woman's power chair: You've got to read this story to believe it. And even then...you probably won't believe it. People are just dumb these days; criminals even dumber. And we never did find out the all-important question: WHY....

SALINE CO. - Simpsons in financial trouble again: One of the most-commented-on articles of this issue, according to our texts, emails and messaging. Everybody hates the Simpsons. Read this, and you'll understand why.

SALINE CO. - Man claims Satan was going to burn down his Harrisburg home on Hazel Street: It was a twisted take on "the devil made me do it" defense. It didn't work.

SALINE CO. - Sticky-fingered chick could send drug convict back to prison: The theft report out of Saline County.

SALINE CO. - Harrisburg woman sued by credit card company; felony case working through court: The sad, sad tale of L'Erin Ragon...from whom we distanced ourselves when she started requesting Ambient and Xanax on her Facebook page.

HEARTLAND

JASPER CO. - Jasper meth conspiracy reaches even dozen: On deadline for the last issue, we learned that there were six more people busted on meth conspiracy over the first six, seen here. We didn't get those second six in due to space and time restraints. Here they are.

JASPER CO. - Police say man faked being unconscious: This guy learned a valuable lesson: Never, ever fake being ill, no matter what the stupid cause, busted up relationship, drama queenness, hypochondriac, appeasing parents, etc. These days, EVERYTHING is a crime.

CRAWFORD CO. - Third financial suit filed against former deputy: Poor former deputy Troy Love. And we do mean poor.

JASPER CO. - Newton's Smithery suspected of being meth cook: Another meth arrest, this time not related to the big conspiracy, apparently.

CRAWFORD CO. - Palestine chief attacked by crim: Poor Jeff Besing can't get a break.

JASPER CO. - Wheeler man fights with police officer: Always a bad idea. Apparently this is one crim who simply doesn't pay attention to the news.

JASPER CO. - Ste. Marie man faces charge of sexually assaulting 15-year-old girl: Way too much of this kind of stuff going on these days...

CRAWFORD CO. - 'Hitter pipe' lands one behind bars: The alleged dope report out of Crawford County

CRAWFORD CO. - Sticky finger syndrome ends in jail: The alleged theft report out of Crawford County.

CENTRAL

RICHLAND CO. - Eight charged with DUI out of Richland: Last month, it was massive meth busts. This month...oh my word the DUIs. When people can't smoke their poison, they drink it, I guess.

WHITE CO. - Crossville chronic crim charged in fitness crime: Steal a bike? Probably not a good idea to do such a thing in White County.

Russ McKamey and one of his canine friends

HAMILTON CO. - 'Haunt' artist sued in Hamilton County small claims case: No McKamey Manor. In fact, no McKamey. Until he's called to court, to answer to the Irvins, who filed suit against him. See what they're asking for in this article.

Jessica Aten

WABASH/EDWARDS COs. - High-speed chase ends Lawrence flee-ers across Wabash County and into Edwards: That infamous duo, Jessica Aten and Austin Wiggins.

CLAY CO. - Prince comes down from Cook, accused in stabbing: We just know there's more to this story than what's in police and court reports...we're just waiting for someone to fill us in.

LAWRENCE CO. - Alleged dope-dealing county employee has fan club: Who would have thought that the girl who at least WAS double-dipping the the taxpayers (by having a job at the tax office, as well as living in housing) would have such a vociferous - yet ridiculous - fan club? But...she does.

HAMILTON CO.. - McLeansboro sex offender charged with not reporting: Because...they do that, you know. You'd think they'd just report and get it over with.

RICHLAND CO. - Female officer kicked in the crotch during arrest: Just one thing to say about this: ouch.

WHITE CO. - Parole compliance check leads cops to meth: And what an awesome day THAT probably was!

CLAY CO. - Flora man charged with cruelty to animals after slamming puppy on concrete: If anyone's going to abuse animals, they might as well just go to Clay County. We've never seen the like of the abused animals there...seriously.

WHITE CO. - Carmi suspect accused of beating handicapped man: Of all the low-down, despicable things to be accused of doing to a person...

WHITE CO. - Traffic stop for speeding leads to DUI alcohol: Of course it does.

RICHLAND CO. - Drug busts not slowing down in Richland: We know you're thrilled to hear this, even though we don't have any of them on the front page. Rest assured, they'll be back.

OP-ED

SURLY & UNCOOPERATIVE (Jack): Climbing rocks can be a pain in the neck: Yes. But...I get the added benefit of a massage with cocoa butter and tea tree oil from my lovely wife...so I'll take that pain!

Problem is...the wrong people are committing suicide over it.

ICY (Ang): The complicated life of a beer-and-music snob: Yes. She is. And she's not apologetic. So...yall are just gonna have to get a grip. At least we drink good beer and listen to good music at the same time...
MINKUS INK (Bubba): 'Re-training' cops may mean 'de-training' cops: Bubba has been watching the news, now...
VOICE OF THE PEOPLE (letters): Complaints about city of Carmi meetings; complaints about a yard barn in the city of Carmi; no transparency in Benton; wth is it with all these fights in Saline County Detention Center?

BACK OVER YOUR TALES: From the December 2010 edition of Disclosure, including Todd Fort, ChickenBob, Poor Boys fights, Raymond Martin, you name it, we got it!

...so, he has to do the keyboard commando thing on his Fecesbook page in order to stir it up.

Read this (if you can without getting a headache. Apparently his sot of a mother MIGHT'VE proofread it):

Well, let's see...we only "know" what's important (which would be why we even wrote about this idiot to begin with) and that's that:

• He's a felon
• He's a drunk driver
• He's a doper
• His entire family pretty much is alleged by the state to be thieves
• His fines and fees were probably paid by YOUR taxpayer money
• He can't spell ("hamydowns"???)
• He can't write a sentence without a run-on problem
• He doesn't make a lot of sense
• He learned nothing from what happened a year ago
• He thinks cop and court records are "gossip"

That about covers it. What else would there be to "know"?...except that he's got an obvious narcissistic personality disorder. But, you know...he's got a "conscious," and he's "older" (right...19, now, is it...?)

And for the record...? The rest of the morons who think in the fractionated idiocy lil Kyle does...? You're stupid, too. Stop reading our paper. Right now. You're a road hazard; thinking too much might cause you to have accidents.

But...nice to know he's still reading.

Click.

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

Hit our Facebook page (yes we still have one), and this post on it if you'd like to discuss this subject on Facebook; and be sure you check your "get notifications" selection under the 'like' button on our page; recent Facebook upgrades have booted many of our followers off from getting our posts. Also, check us on Twitter, Pinterest, Google+ and Tumblr!

Figures from numerous previous patrols presented

SOUTHERN ILL.— Illinois State Police (ISP) District 19 Captain Kelly Hodge has announced upcoming roadside/safety checks as well as the results of such programs from the month of November.

Hodge said that Alcohol Countermeasure Enforcement (ACE) patrols will take place in Hamilton and Saline Countries during the month of December.

The patrols allow state police to target an area with a saturation patrol that focuses on preventing, detecting and taking enforcement action in response to violations associated with impaired driving and illegal transportation or consumption of alcohol or other drugs.

Across the country, an average of one alcohol-related traffic death occurs every 51 minutes.

Each year in Illinois, hundreds of lives are lost in alcohol-related crashes.

Capt. Hodge also announced that a Roadside Safety Check (RSC) will be conducted in Wabash County Saturday, December 19.

Officers will be watchful for drivers who are operating vehicles in an unsafe manner, driving with a suspended or revoked driver’s license, transporting open alcoholic beverages or driving under the influence.

Alcohol and drug impairment is a significant factor in over 40 percent of all fatal motor vehicles crashes in Illinois. RSCs are designed to keep roads safe by taking dangerous DUI offenders off the road.

There were also three Occupant Restraint Enforcement Patrols (O.R.E.P.) conducted.

One in White November 20, another in Saline, November 23, and a third in Wayne on November 24.

Recent Results

ISP Dist. 19 conducted a special Traffic Enforcement Patrol (sTEP) in Wayne County November 22, White County November 25 and again in Wayne County November 29.

The program involves a combination of increased enforcement and community education designed to raise public awareness and compliance with all traffic laws.

A special emphasis was placed on speeding, failure to wear a safety belt, DUI, and other alcohol-related offenses in areas that experience the highest level of traffic problems.

The results from the sTEP program were as follows:

WAYNE NOVEMBER 22

WHITE NOVEMBER 25

WAYNE NOVEMBER 29

The results from the O.R.E.P. program were as follows:

WHITE NOVEMBER 20

SALINE NOVEMBER 23

WAYNE NOVEMBER 24

From Sara Schell's Facebook page

SALINE CO., Ill. - The New Burnside woman who was behind the wheel of a car that crashed in late November has issued a public post on her Facebook page regarding the condition of the surviving family members.

Sara Schell posted this on her page yesterday. We're reposting it in its entirety and will let you draw your own conclusions.

First I want to apologize to all of David Schell and my friends and family...I realize that you all have been waiting patiently for updates, and I haven't been able to keep up with everything....

Lets start out with me, since I am the easiest one to explain...I am doing great physically...I did have a broken ankle, which is temporally in an external fixation (think of a erector set) on my right leg from the heel to mid calf...I'm going to the doctors office on wed in Evansville, to figure out when I'm having outpatient surgery...I did have a concussion, and a laceration on both the spleen and the liver (I'm not suffering from any of those thing now.)...I am here at Riley's Childrens Hospital in Indianapolis, IN with Maddie.

David...has all of his teeth (unlike otherwise posted)...he surprisingly did not have any head trauma...he had three out of four limbs broken...which had erector sets on all of them (I like to think that David would like the childhood toy reference)..he has had surgery on his right leg from his ankle to his pelvis...he had a punctured lung...which he is still struggling with...but is under control....he is off the vent, so it is still difficult for him to communicate...he does enjoy hearing the kids and my voice on the phone...and he is anticipating seeing me on Wednesday...if there is several lessons to learn from this tragedy, one of them is to not take your partner for granted...raising small kids and working so many hours...i think that i lost my appreciation for the man that I fell in love with many years ago...but though the last two weeks, I have grown to be aware of my need for my PARTNER...the man that I needed to lean on...please go give your partner a hug and kiss and tell them how much you appreciate that stubborn fool ( HAHA)

Maddie...as always in the most difficult smile emoticon ...she has a fracture at the base of her neck...which has been fused together...she will have to wear a collar for 8-12 weeks...she has fractured pelvis...but it is non surgical, just non-weight baring (not an issue for a bit)...she does have a spinal contusion (stretching or narrowing of the spine)...this is where everything gets questionable...with the stretching she has swelling...right this moment she doesn't move a lot on her lower extremities...but unlike what was otherwise posted that can change, once the swelling goes down...for example she pees on her own (which takes muscles)..will have to working on training again...another example is just this morning the neurosurgeon came to check on her and he asked her to wiggle her toes...and she did on her left side...what is our main concern at this moment is that she acquired pneumonia because of the vent...her right side is fine, but her left side is full of mucus...it is a ongoing fight, which we will prevail...she is giving the staff a run for their money...for example yesterday she told RT that she "didnt want to do that, not right now."...she is talking and fighting...which we know to be the norm for a three year old (at least ours)...

Once again thank you for your patience in this difficult time...i cannot tell you how hard this time has been (even writing this post)...But most of all thank you for being in our lives...being a part of Conner's life...he was a joy to know and raise...and I'm so glad that he touch as many lives as he apparently did...

Sara

The five-year-old child, Connor, lost his life in the crash.

Illinois State Police, who worked the accident, said any charges are pending.

CARMI, Ill. – Illinois State Police District 19 Commander Captain Kelly Hodge announced yesterday activity and enforcement figures for the month of November.

Troopers in District 19, which includes Wabash, Edwards, Wayne, White, Hamilton, Saline, and Gallatin counties, recorded 976 incidents during the month.

Enforcement activity consisted of 521 citations and 609 written warnings, including 238 speeding citations, 4 DUIs, 104 seatbelt citations, 3 child restraint citations, 212 written warnings for speeding, and 26 criminal arrests. Troopers also assisted 57 motorists, conducted 202 Motor Carrier Safety Inspections, and investigated 72 traffic crashes. There was one fatal traffic crash, resulting in one fatality, investigated by District 19 during November.

In addition, 353 citations and 259 written warnings were issued for “Fatal Four” violations. These violations are most associated with fatal traffic crashes and include Speeding, DUI, Failure to Wear a Seatbelt, and Distracted Driving.

CARMI, Ill. -  Illinois State Police District 19 Commander, Captain Kelly Hodge, would like to announce the results of the 14th annual in-house Charity Auction held at the District 19 Headquarters on Tuesday, December 8.

Retired District 19 Troopers and current staff, along with local businesses and vendors, donated the various items that were auctioned off. At the end of the day, $2,450.00 was raised from the Charity Auction and other monetary donations.

As a result of the auction, District 19 will be able to make a $350.00 donation to charitable organizations already identified in each of the seven counties it serves. The donations are being made to those charitable organizations coordinating programs for underprivileged children in the area this holiday season.

Captain Hodge stated, “I would like to recognize and thank all those who made the 14th annual District 19 Charity Auction a success. If it was not for the continued generosity of those involved, these monetary donations would not have been possible.”

Captain Hodge would like to give special recognition to the following businesses and organizations for their donations to this year’s District 19 Charity Auction:

Amy’s Sweet Gallery – Fairfield

Carmi Fitness Center – Carmi

Cherry Street Automotive - Carmi

DiMaggio’s Pizza – Carmi

Palace Cleaners – Carmi

Wooly Wash – Carmi

Mimmo’s Pizza – Norris City

Larry’s Gun Shop - McLeansboro

Southern Illinois Pool - Eldorado

Point Blank Range - Harrisburg

Saline County Circuit Clerk Randy Nyberg - Harrisburg