SALINE CO. – Fewer and fewer people are becoming surprised at the ongoing legal problems of “Harrisburg resident” Dan Moutria, 52.

Moutria, who landed in Harrisburg a couple of years ago from Madison County after taking up with a local wealthy woman, Nanette Franks (ex of banker Tom Franks), as is his habit, is at least no longer sitting in Saline County Detention, having posted $8,000 on a pair of Madison County felonies with which he was charged in October of 2015.

Now, Moutria’s inability to pay his bills (as evidenced by a massive $60,000 judgment in Madison County a few years back, as well as a much smaller judgment in Saline last April) is catching up to him again…and with the severity of the Madison County charges, a local dentist may never see a dime for work he did on Moutria’s mouth.

Dr. D. Michael Cook, via his attorney, former assistant state’s attorney Amanda B. Moore, filed suit against Moutria on January 14, stating that Moutria owes $615 for services rendered by Cook in April of 2014 (at a time when Franks was ostensibly his sugar momma).

Cook is getting in line; there is no record that Moutria has made any kind of payment on the judgment in Madison County, nor on the one in Saline from last year.

Now, with Moutria facing the criminal charges in Madison, just another element of “no one will ever see their money” – including the person he allegedly filched it from in the criminal case – is emerging.

According to available information, Moutria is charged with a count of Financial Exploitation of an Elderly Person/Person with a Disability, and four separate counts of Forgery (for signing someone else’s checks). Not much has been published in Madison on the case, and there are no online court records for that county, so it’s unclear exactly who he is alleged to have done this to, but sources close to Moutria have opined that it may have been his parents or another close relative, possibly in an attempt to pay on some of his debts, since a lawsuit against Knapp Oil (propane provider for Nanette Franks) is dragging through court in Saline. Moutria sued Knapp after an explosion of a hot water tank at Franks’ house that he was trying to light the pilot on. Naturally, he’s blaming the propane company instead of taking his lumps for doing something generally considered routine, but that a true schleprock will screw up as a matter of course.

Moore, on behalf of Cook, had been set to show up in court on a first appearance in the Small Claims case on February 8; however, no records were available to update as of press time.

HARRISBURG – The arrest of a Harrisburg city commissioner for alleged DUI threw the area’s policing entities into somewhat of a temporary turmoil on the evening of Sunday, February 14…less than two weeks after that same commissioner voted to wrest oversight and control from Harrisburg’s police chief and give it to a “public safety director.”

Richard Harper, 69, of Harrisburg, was stopped by a Harrisburg police officer at around 7:30 p.m. that evening on Illinois Route 13 east of town, in the vicinity of Vince Ashley Drive (what used to be Missouri Street, which leads south back into town toward the area of Harrisburg Medical Center.)

The stop was considered a ‘suspicion of driving under the influence,’ but when the officer realized who was driving, before proceeding with the DUI assessment he called for Saline County Sheriff’s Office to come and continue the stop, on a conflict, since Harper is on the city council, which oversees the city police.

Chief Deputy Ken Clore confirmed that Illinois State Police were also called, and stayed with the deputy throughout the process as an additional measure.

Harper was taken to the Saline County Detention Center, booked on DUI and was released on a $300 cash bond, which allowed him to keep his driver’s license.

He was not allowed to take his vehicle, however; it stayed on 12-hour impound at the center.

Reports that attorney Robert Wilson was present at the jail when Harper was being booked had been unconfirmed as of press time, but Disclosure is examining that. Wilson has been a former city mayor as well as city attorney and is currently said to be embroiled in some capacity in the ‘gentlemen’s club’ that has had all of Saline and surrounding counties bristling with indignation over the past several months (see related story, front page).

Whether or not Harper is a member of that club, or whether that was where he was coming from upon the traffic stop (which route could easily have taken him to his home in that quarter of town) is also unknown.

The contention occurring on the city council right now toward the city’s police department, as orchestrated in part by Harper, and which could have a direct impact on the club’s success, also remains unverified as it pertains to the club…or, it could simply be that mismanagement in past years by finance and police commissioners on the council have brought things to this point.

Whatever the case, the office of public safety director was created on a 3-2 vote at the regular city council meeting Feb. 4, with Harper and public property commissioner Beth Montfort spearheading the matter (John McPeek was the third commissioner to give it a yes vote, with Mayor Dale Fowler and commissioner Natalie Miller dissenting).

The gripe, in essence, is that the city’s police department is enduring financial duress due to overtime and other expenses, including retiring officers, which is creating a serious burden on the budget.

The position of public safety director, at an additional $6,000 to the city’s annual budget, ostensibly will curtail some of that, “freeing up” Police Chief Whipper Johnson to manage his department while, supposedly, someone else manages the budget.

That “someone else” came in the form of a nomination of Fire Chief John Gunning, which, the council explained, would be a great fit, since the public safety director will also oversee the fire department’s budget management.

On Feb. 4, Gunning was pulled into executive session after nomination…but he declined.

The public learned, however, that Gunning accepted the appointment the next day.

“I accepted this to try and help the PD,” Gunning told Disclosure on Feb. 5. “I’ve spoken with several of them and they seem to think this can help.”

Gunning didn’t respond to the question of what changed his mind from the previous night.

Johnson only expressed his concern that while a civilian (Gunning doesn’t have a badge and therefore, no arrest powers) cannot be in the chain of command of police, he hopes people understand that the position is simply one of administration…and that, in administrating, the public safety director doesn’t cut officers, refuse to hire more, or reduce shifts, since crime in Harrisburg has taken a decided uptick, this according to stats made available by State’s Attorney Mike Henshaw’s office. The county has been dealing with an average of 1.5 felony filings per day for the past several months. Most of those emerge from the city of Harrisburg and involve crimes of violence or drugs. Therefore, trained police officers – and managers/administrators who know at least to let the police do their job without micromanaging – are crucial to the front lines.

Whether that’s going to continue under the auspices of a public safety director or not remains to be seen.

Back to the arrest of Harper – the timing, for the city council, couldn’t be worse.

The city’s mayor, however, is dealing with it with his characteristic aplomb.

“This is a very serious situation,” Dale Fowler told Disclosure Monday morning, Feb. 15. “We will let the legal process carry itself out. The Harrisburg officer acted appropriately to have Saline County take over the stop. As elected officials, we need to set a good example and should be held to a higher standard. I hope this councilman seeks the help that he needs.”

SALINE CO. (RALEIGH), Ill. - Wind gusts of close to 20 mph this morning caused issues over at the curve on Highway 34 north of the village of Raleigh.

The locals there said that it was "like a mini tornado came through."

The big gusts happened right before 10 a.m. this morning (February 19, 2016).

We're coming up on the four-year anniversary of the Leap Day Tornado that took out a portion of Harrisburg in 2012; so everyone in Saline gets understandably nervous when these February winds come across the county.

Scroll down to see the pics we got this morning.

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HARRISBURG, Ill. - A wreck occurring shortly after 8 p.m. tonight has left debris all over a main highway in Harrisburg.

The wreck occurred at the intersection of Small and Commercial Streets; Commercial is Highway 45 that runs through town north to south.

We're getting info on those involved and will post when we can; here are pics. Avoid the area if you can.

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SALINE CO., Ill. - Reports are very preliminary, and we're waiting on an official to comment, but we've learned that a stabbing that occurred near Carrier Mills last night may have been related to an incident of road rage.

Our source on the case who's close to the family of the victim says that the alleged attack took place in the Walnut Grove Road area, due east of the Mills, this at about 7 p.m. last night (Friday, February 19, 2016).

Zane Horton, mug shot from Saline County Detention, last summer

According to preliminary information submitted to us, both Zane Horton, 35, of Carrier Mills, and Brandon Gibbons, 29, of Harrisburg, were traveling the road in the Walnut Grove community (what used to be a community, between Highway 34 and U.S. 45 in the south part of Saline County, but now it's just a collection of farms) at that time. It was reported that Horton's vehicle rear-ended Gibbons' vehicle. With Horton was his wife, Ashley Tolley Horton.

The vehicles stopped, and all occupants got out. Horton is alleged to have started, at that point, hitting Gibbons with a bottle; then, the Missus Horton is alleged to have jumped in and started punching Gibbons.

Gibbons, who is an Iraq War vet, was able to retrieve a knife and in reported self-defense, stabbed Horton.

Horton is a Carrier Mills crim with a felony record dating back to 1998. His record includes violence. Gibbons is a petty crim with nothing of the sort on his record, just misdemeanors.

Horton was taken to the hospital in Harrisburg, then transferred to Evansville at some point in time later. Gibbons was interviewed and released at around 1 a.m.; apparently, there was nothing to charge and no reason to hold him, thus the suggestion that self-defense might have been taken heavily into consideration.

More as we get it; keep checking back.

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We are ALMOST into our 14th year of publication of Disclosure NewsMagazine Monthly...and we are happy to be bringing you the final issue of year number 13, February-March 2016...and it's a HOT one!

We know this because this issue's been blowing off the stands for a week now...and we were on top of it enough this time to ensure we printed up several hundred over last issue (which sold out in most locations). We're a week delayed in bringing you this post because regular site maintenance last week got all glitchy on us and we had to take a few days to repair and reinforce, which we now have, and the site's back up, including the February-March issue, which we lost in the initial upgrade. Since you're used to a paper every three weeks anyway, I reckon it wouldn't hurt to bring this one to you a week later, and three weeks from our NEXT issue (yes, we're taking a rare four-weeker between this issue and the next, and no, it's not for vacation, unfortunately....)

Print Headlines are presented in order that they appear in the paper - Front Page, Back Page (our second front page), pages 2 and 3, Features if any (usually presented on page 12/13), Egypt, Heartland, Central and then Op-Ed. They are laid out here according to dateline (the location where the material in the article occurred), headline with link to the e-Edition, and a brief synopsis in our increasingly-less-snarky Disclosure style (because, you know...we're a kinder, gentler Disclosure these days). So without further ado, we present to you THIS MONTH'S PRINT HEADLINES for FEBRUARY-MARCH 2016.

FRONT PAGE

LAWRENCE/WABASH COs. - Traffic arrest of drug felon unnerves local meth world: There's been a lot happen lately that should make the meth-slingers shake in their shoes. The arrest of Cameron Jones on a basic traffic stop in Wabash County is just the beginning of the tendrils that have far-reaching implications...and a lot of people who everybody thinks have been "out of the meth scene" for a long time might not want to kick back and relax just yet. Because conspiracy, as you know, can be charged 7 years back. Just sayin.

Rick White, as taken by me. No, you can't use this. Yes, it is copyrighted; 2013. Yes, I'll call my attorney. Ask a particular Clay County dweeb about that when a couple of weeks ago, he ripped a photo of Ricky that I took.

RICHLAND CO. - INDICTED: PERJURY: The errant Rick White's arrest on a perjury indictment January 27 is the subject of this in-depth article, which brings out every step completely overlooked by all the area mainstream media. And why WOULDN'T they deliberately overlook it? It's a bad idea to get ISP upset with you; they're a vindictive bunch, and you can't win against them...unless you have proof aka evidence of what they've done. And there are a few people who do indeed have that.

SALINE CO. - CHESS CLUB DOCUMENTS: The follow-up to the explosive article we brought you in the February issue that gives just the basic details of what we've learned about Harrisburg's Chess Club, the place that has so many decent people up in arms over the bourgeoisie thinking they can do whatever they want, whenever they want, to whomever they want, and there will be no repercussions. And there wouldn't...if we didn't exist. Because, hey, like mainstream newspapers say, "That's gossip. That's not my problem." The PROBLEM is that it ISN'T just "gossip," it's reality...and when it comes to people involved in it who are making a living of your tax dollars, well...that's EVERYBODY'S problem.

RICHLAND CO. - 'Date' with 12-year-old leads to kidnapping charge: Remember this massive situation that broke at the beginning of February? Well guess what...it wasn't quite what it was being made out to be. And we have the backstory...and no one else, incidentally, does.

BACK PAGE

FRANKLIN/RICHLAND COs. - Heroic Richland County man wins a victory in difficult court battle: While most mainstream media was abuzz about the punitive and compensatory damages suit a man originally from Dundas won in an early-February civil court case, they completely missed the point about the defense and what was involved. Here, we tell the details that the other places who were covering this left out...and you'll understand how serious this whole case really was when you finally get to read it. And for e-Edition subscribers, the full video will be posted soon.

Richard Harper

HARRISBURG - Harrisburg councilman charged: Drunk Driving: The full coverage of Richard Harper's arrest and charge of DUI which occurred on deadline and which the coverage on the free side of the website here was lost in the crash a few days later. This is the only place you can read it, therefore...and despite the "efforts" put out by other media to cover the case, they don't say what needs to be said. We do.

RICHLAND CO. - Two familiar faces bust within days of each other: Are people rollin rollin rollin? Kinda seems that way, doesn't it, when these folks with spotty pasts all of a sudden are busted on a variety of charges ...and many around them know they've been (allegedly) up to no good recently. Here are two that won't surprise you.

PAGE 2

SALINE CO. - Now Moutria not only is charged with felonies in Madison...but he has bad teeth in Saline Co.: Dan Moutria just won't go away. We had to hold this piece from last issue because we ran out of room...but the material, updated for this month, is still just as pertinent.

WHITE CO. - Radioactivity in oil operation among many claims of injury from two White County woman in lawsuit: There have been a lot of strange allegations going around about the oil patch in the Illinois Basin of White, Wayne, and surrounding counties. This is one of them...and yet here are a couple of ladies who have brought it to litigation.

PAGE 3

Briefs from around the Disclosure area: Your tour of the briefs this month includes material from a sex crime in Flora; the guy from Percy with the bad hair accused of stabbings in Hamilton County; cocaine arrests in Mt. Carmel courtesy some out-of-state peeps just passing through; and a couple of White County women, married to each other, who decided to engage in thievery at the local Wallyworld. Yeah. I know.

FEATURE (PAGE 12)

WILLIAMSON CO. - Commissioner sued for defrauding mother: Ron Ellis just keeps flopping around the courthouse and other areas of Williamson as if nothing has ever happened to put his mother in abject poverty and never address it again. Oh wait, something did happen...a lawsuit happened. And he's the defendant.

EGYPT

HARDIN CO. - Hardin woman's flight from justice over: Yes, Carrie Atkinson was caught, sneaking into Hardin County to see who-knows-who. Seriously...if you've managed to escape southern Illinois with (allegedly) tens of thousands of dollars in cash, WHY are you coming BACK. Stay gone! Go to the islands. Get a job as a housekeeper there. Good grief.

SALINE CO. - Suspect claims ignorance following crash that ended high-speed pursuit: This kind of thing absolutely cracks us up. Guy runs from cops; guy crashes his car; guy is surrounded by cops while he's lying across the front seat of his crashed car; guy is roused and all of a sudden doesn't remember a THING that happened. Wait'll you see it.

SALINE CO. - Suspect threatens to kill officer and his children: People like this guy just need put away. On their own island. With an active volcano.

SALINE CO. - Speakeasy cigar caper lands doper behind bars: We frequent Speakeasy; it's a great place, with wonderful employees...who have no hesitation regarding putting up a pic of the most recent alleged thief from the establishment. Note: If you're a crim and you want to steal from Speakeasy, know that they're going to make you famous. Or infamous, which isn't as much fun as it sounds. Ask this guy.

SALINE CO. - One of four escapees returns on his own: Was it the genuine hospitality; the fine cuisine; the several amenities that had this guy returning to the Henley Hotel (aka the Saline County Detention Center)? Nah. It was probably that warrant for running while he was supposed to be behind bars.

SALINE CO. - Granger couple caught boosting chrome rims and tires: This issue's hint for the criminally-retarded: When helping yourselves to someone else's tires, be sure that your story matches each other's. Cops around here have a tendency to separate you, THEN ask questions.

SALINE CO. -  Two felons, both arrested, both carrying weapon: Perhaps the best line in the entire paper this month: "Oh, I have a gun in my boot." You can't make this stuff up. And who would WANT to??

HEARTLAND

EDWARDS/JASPER COs. - 'Great guy' being held on $10k cash bond following breaking of family member's face: He's such a great guy, and so misunderstood, and you know, it's he said/she said, and maybe someone had better check out her face and see if it's REALLY broken because she lies...no, really. These are the things that come from the potato bin of our Facebook page dating back to February 1 when this above-pictured guy from Newton was arrested in Edwards County. I kid you not.

JASPER CO. - Cannabinoid and pot pipe focus of Jasper crim roundup: The headline says it all.

JASPER CO. - Ste. Marie pair face water services theft and violence charges: Nothing like a little violence to bring the cops out only to find out that you're illegally tapped on to the city water. Not that we're saying anyone really DID that. It's all just alleged at this point, ya know.

CRAWFORD CO. - $10,000 cash bond set in AK-47 case: Why. Oh why. Would anyone in possession of such a nice weapon as an AK allegedly opt to just up and fire on the building in which they were formerly employed? Maybe because the operative word is 'formerly'...idk.

CRAWFORD CO. - Serial criminal charged with sexual abuse: Here's another one of those where everyone comes to bat because he's such a "nice guy." Folks. Really. So was Ted Bundy; he helped people change flat tires at the side of the road. But as to this dude...well, we'll just let the whole thing shake out in court.

EDGAR CO. - Airport manager who lied his way into the job in Edgar resigns over being called a 'liar': Yes. You read that right. The guy who blatantly lied on his resume and application (which the Watchdogs discovered, like, two years ago) has resigned the position at the airport because the Watchdogs called him a liar. Oh, if only EVERY case were that easy....

CRAWFORD CO. - Big Jack Nidey accused of pot possession: Big Jack, in trouble again.

CLARK CO. - Former circuit clerk took out OP against whistleblower to stop court appearance: Just when you think you have heard EVERYTHING, along comes someone who steps over that line of "things that everyone thinks they've heard." And oh my, this one...wait til you read the narrative.

CRAWFORD CO. - Violent Robinson man charged with harassing witness in case against him: Always a bad idea, to intimidate or harass someone who's a witness in your case. Let this be a lesson to those who believe they might want to engage in such a thing.

CENTRAL

RICHLAND CO. - Olney man accused of wanting to kill step-daughter and bury her in the yard: There are some truly sick individuals out there, and while some of them haven't been brought completely out of the shadows yet, some, like this idiot, have been. The fate of each class needs examined: The ones whom we KNOW are violent and won't ever amount to anything need put away; the ones who've not been determined openly to be of this sort need found out...and put away. This story will sicken you. And if it doesn't...you might be among those in the second class.

CLAY CO. - Flora man accused of strangling family member: There was a dearth of news out of Clay this month, but we did the best we could. Here's the first of a few pieces from a rather calm month in Clay.

WABASH CO. - $10,000 bond set in sex case: At least Cassandra has it going on with this sex case in Wabash.

LAWRENCE CO. - State's attorney rushed former Lawrence County sex abuse suspect through court: What's up with Chris Quick? Has he decided to live up to the last name? We can't figure out some of the stuff being pulled in court. Bet you can't either.

WHITE CO. - Police say knife used during assault of family member: It wasn't the same as the front-pager from last month...but it was bad enough.

RICHLAND CO. - One suspected meth lab, one suspected drug dealer among seven nabbed in latest Richland drug arrests: There's never a lack of meth arrests coming out of Richland County, thanks to our deputies and Olney cops being on the ball with it. Maybe...one day...the meth slingers and tab poppers will be run out of our fair county...

RICHLAND CO. - Man with history of letting swine run at large charged with criminal damage: No, the pigs didn't do any damage. This time.

WABASH CO. - Mt. Carmel day of violence began on Mulberry St.: Any Dr. Seuss readers out there...?

WHITE CO. - Obsessed woman ordered to seek counseling or go to jail: I believe I may have uttered this a little further up, but...oh, if only this could be done with ALL obsessed people. Some of them, they just skirt under the wire of the law and never get caught, only to continue their sick ways.

CLAY CO. - Employment mandate made part of sentencing for Louisville man convicted of harassment: And this, friends, is how the job pool ends up being the potato bin....

RICHLAND CO. - Olney sex offender charged with not registering - AGAIN: He's a repeat offender, as it were....

OP-ED

COLUMNS
SURLY & UNCOOPERATIVE (Jack): Jack's pissed AGAIN and it's Biblically epic
ICY (Ang): Studying the 'things that are not okay' chart
MINKUS INK (Bubba): Preparing for the fatwa: How many people...?

VOICE OF THE PEOPLE (Letters)

BACK OVER YOUR TALES:  From the pages of the February 2011 edition of Disclosure

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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!…and if you like what you’re reading here, why not subscribe? You can get the print version as well as the e-Edition (the electronic version of the print version, where we put the in-depth articles as well as the serious crime and corruption rundown for the previous weeks; more than local papers provide) at this link…get clicking and get on board so YOU can be informed!

SALINE CO., Ill. - A two-vehicle collision on Illinois Route 34 in Saline County sent two men to the hospital early this morning.

The accident occurred on 34 approximately a quarter-mile south of Rileyville Road this morning (Wednesday, February 24) at about 6:40 a.m.

At that time, according to the preliminary traffic crash investigation provided by Illinois State Police District 19, the driver of a 2006 Ford Ranger, Michael P. Trammel, 43, of Harrisburg, was northbound on 34 at that location when he lost control of his vehicle and traveled into the southbound lane.

Once in the southbound lane, Trammel struck a 2008 Kenworth truck tractor pulling a semi-trailer, driven by David W. Lowry, 51, of Pinckneyville.

Trammel and Lowry were both transported from the traffic crash scene by ambulance to area hospitals for treatment of injuries sustained in the crash, Trammel by Saline County Ambulance Service; Lowry by Williamson County Ambulance Service. No passengers were in either vehicle; both vehicles were towed from the scene.

ISP District 19 was assisted at the crash scene by the Saline County Sheriff’s Department, Galatia Police Department, Saline County Ambulance Service, and Williamson County Ambulance Service. An ISP Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Officer (C.V.E.O.) was assigned to the crash investigation.

Trammel was cited for Driving Too Fast for Conditions.

Court Grants Madigan’s Request for Preliminary Injunction

From steamgenerator.com

Madigan’s office filed the lawsuit in Saline County Circuit Court against the American Coal Company (AmCoal), a Delaware-based company with mining operations in Saline County. The complaint alleges that an injection well located north of Bethel Road around the village of Raleigh, was leaking unknown quantities of coal slurry, a byproduct of coal preparation. The complaint further alleges the slurry flowed into the nearby Bethel Creek and contaminated soil and groundwater, resulting in at least one resident having to be relocated.

“Our first priority is to ensure that the contamination does not spread and further jeopardize public health and safety,” Madigan said. “This action will ensure that the company continues cleanup and monitoring while a remediation plan is put into place.”

In filing the complaint, the court also granted Madigan’s request for a preliminary injunction that will address environmental concerns while the litigation continues. The court’s order requires the defendant to continue 24-hour cleanup and remediation at the leak site and nearby impacted residence, providing regular updates to the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The defendant is also required to determine the cause and extent of the contamination and to submit to the Illinois EPA a plan for soil and groundwater monitoring.

The Illinois EPA referred the case to Madigan’s office after AmCoal reported the leak to state officials.

Assistant Attorneys General Raymond Callery and Scott Marsik are handling the case for Madigan’s Environmental Bureau.

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A shot of the damage left behind on the morning of February 29, 2012, in Harrisburg

HARRISBURG, Ill. - This is an unusual anniversary for us in Harrisburg: Our Leap Day Tornado anniversary is falling on ...a Leap Day.

We get an extra day in February this year, and while that's a bothersome calendar matter for most people every four years, it's a sad reminder for those in Harrisburg who lost loved ones in what is likely our most devastating disaster here, ever.

We're not going to repost the photos we began obtaining minutes after the EF4 swept through the southwestern-to-southeastern portion of town, wiping out the Gaskins City section west of the hospital, as well as significantly damaging the country club area south of the hospital.

Freaky Fred Phelps. Yes, he's that scary.

What we're going to do is give you links to our coverage as it literally unfolded over several days' time, as funeral progressed, the Westboro Baptist Church threatened, and people rallied in response and in love and compassion for their fellow man.

Eric Gregg

We're not fully recovered from the storm. There is still a vast sum of money unaccounted-for out of city coffers, this having gone completely unaddressed and now, past the statutory limits for filing. There is only slight suspicion - at least on the public level - as to who or what was responsible for the unaccounted-for funds. We have opined on it for these ensuing years. There's a reason why we won't attend the "services" today: One of our greatest disgraces in Harrisburg and perhaps in Saline County, former mayor/former state employee Eric Gregg is going to be there. We have better things to do than to listen to him lie about what he did in response to the tornado, which, if truth were to be told, was only to ride a disaster to a job at the state level later that year, a job which he lied to get and which we have proven...to the point that the governor got rid of the appointment.

Out at the country club area of Harrisburg

So here now are headline links to what happened four years ago today on this sad anniversary.

WE ARE EN ROUTE TO HARRISBURG, STRUCK BY A TORNADO 3 HOURS AGO 8:35 a.m., 02.29.12

FIRST PICS COMING IN FROM HARRISBURG TORNADO, 9 a.m., 02.29.12

Funeral director is just fine after Harrisburg tornado, 9:44 a.m., 02.29.12

VIDEOS OF STORM DAMAGE, GASKIN CITY, 11:41 a.m., 02.29.12

HARRISBURG TORNADO -- VERY EARLY PHOTOS -- SHOT BY CHRIS (ADMIN), 2:11 p.m., 02.29.12

TORNADO DAMAGE ON BARNETT STREET, HARRISBURG, 7:15 p.m., 02.29.12

VIDEO: Damage one hour after Harrisburg Tornado 2-29-2012, 9:11 p.m., 02.29.12

Relief efforts underway throughout the area for EF4 tornado victims, 7:22 p.m., 03.01.12

HORROR IN HARRISBURG: WESTBORO BAPTIST FREAKS WANT TO DESCEND UPON FUNERALS, 8:04 p.m., 03.01.12

VIDEO: Footage of Search & Rescue Just Moments After The Storm, 3:53 p.m., 03.02.12

All quiet; cold front coming in. WBC, maybe not: UPDATE, 5:11 p.m. 03.02.12

On the ground at the Wall of Purple/Human Shield, March 3, 2012

ON THE GROUND AT THE HUMAN SHIELD IN HARRISBURG, 9:48 a.m., 03.03.12

SCENES OF THE HUMAN SHIELD AT REED'S FUNERAL CHAPEL, 03.03.12, 11:42 a.m., 03.03.12

Harrisburg storm victims, thrown two blocks in house debris, tell about it, 5:08 p.m., 03.03.12

Feds deny funds for tornado stricken area, 11:23 am, 03.12.12

In the damage zone

A shot of the press conference earlier today. From left, county board member David Phelps; assistant state's attorneys, Eva Walker, Letitia Wiggins and Jayson Clark; Henshaw at podium; then assistant SA Jason Olson, Saline County Chief Deputy Ken Clore, Sheriff Keith Brown and former Sheriff George Henley.

SALINE CO., Ill. - Saline County State's Attorney Mike Henshaw held a press conference today (Wednesday, March 2) to formally kick off his campaign for reelection as Saline County State's Attorney. Henshaw was joined at the podium by members of the Saline County law enforcement community and members of his office staff.

Mike Henshaw has dedicated his entire legal career to serving Saline County. For 20 years, he was Saline County's resident circuit judge. After that, Henshaw was the chief judge of the First Judicial Circuit of Illinois for 8 years. During his 28 years on the bench, Mike Henshaw presided over many of the most significant criminal cases in Saline County, including murder, sex crimes and illegal drug cases.

Henshaw was well aware of the growing crime problem in Saline County when he retired from the bench in 2006. He also knew that Saline County needed an experienced State's Attorney to deal with that problem. As a result, Henshaw decided to come out of retirement and run for State's Attorney. Henshaw won election as Saline County State's Attorney in 2008 and was reelected to a second term in 2012.

As Saline County State's Attorney, Mike Henshaw has fought to protect Saline County from the growing problems caused by drug abuse, child abuse and violent crime. During Henshaw's tenure as State's Attorney, eh and his team of experienced prosecutors have secured convictions or alternative dispositions in nearly 1,800 felony cases, with over 800 convictions coming in cases involving felony drug crimes, sex crimes and violent crimes.

The Belleville News Democrat recently studied the statistics surrounding sex crime prosecutions in the 32-county Southern Illinois region and found that the Saline County State's Attorney's office had the highest prosecution rate of any county in that region that had more than just a few reported sex crimes. Saline County also had one of the highest conviction rates in the Southern Illinois region. Saline County charged 80 percent of all felony sex crimes reported to the police and secured convictions in 80 percent of cases involving an adult defendant. Throughout the rest of the 32-county Southern Illinois region, 70 percent of reported sex crimes never even made it to a courtroom

Mike Henshaw and his team have achieved these results while faced with one of the highest per capita criminal caseloads of any county in Southern Illinois. From December 2008 to November 2015, Henshaw's office prosecuted 2,835 felony cases (an average of 405 cases per year), 2,756 misdemeanor cases (an average of 394 cases per year) and over 22,000 traffic and conservation offense cases (an average of over 3,000 cases per year). In the first two months of 2016, Henshaw's office has already filed 80 new felony cases. At that rate, Saline County can expect to see 500 new felony prosecutions in 2016.

Given the growing crime problem in saline County, the State's Attorney must be a person with the ability, experience and integrity to seek justice for ALL residents of Saline County, regardless of their circumstances. Henshaw's lifetime commitment to public service and his record as State's Attorney prove that he is the candidate with those qualities. Mike Henshaw is proud of his record and he hopes the residents of Saline County will continue to entrust him with the honor of serving them as their State's Attorney.

All of this is important because of the one question that was posed today at the press conference outside the Saline County Detention Center, and that question posed by Jack: Given the fact that lawmen are making so many felony arrests that it's amounting to an average of 1.5 felonies filed in Saline PER DAY, what does Henshaw think about his opponent's claim that she can run the office with just herself and a single assistant?

Henshaw's opponent this fall on the Republican ticket is Molly Dearing.

Henshaw was very clear about what he thought about it.

"It would be physically impossible to do that," he said. "We've already filed 80 felonies this year. It would not be possible to run an office this busy with just a state's attorney and one assistant. The idea that it could be done shows a level of inexperience that would not do well for such an office in Saline County."

Henshaw had previously pointed out during the press conference that while the office of state's attorney isn't in the business of bringing in revenue for the county, when comparing the fines and fees generated and collected in criminal and traffic court to the cost of running his office with his dedicated staff as well as four assistants (Eva Walker, Jason Olson, Jayson Clark and Letitia Wiggins), during his tenure, the fines and fees collected amounted to over $450,000 MORE than the costs of office operation.

(In our estimation, with that kind of gain, the county should probably consider hiring two more assistant prosecutors. And maybe build some more file rooms...since the circuit clerk's office is being taken over with felonies.)

The press conference was well-attended and Henshaw's remarks lasted 15 minutes. We'll have a video as soon as it uploads.

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WAYNE/SALINE COs., Ill. - Captain Kelly Hodge, District 19 Commander, announced today that the Illinois State Police (ISP) will conduct Alcohol Countermeasure Enforcement (ACE) patrols in Wayne and Saline counties during the month of March.

These ACE patrols allow the ISP 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 and other drugs.

Across the country, an average of one alcohol-related traffic death occurs every 51 minutes.   Alcohol and drug impairment remain significant factors in nearly 40 percent of all fatal motor vehicle crashes in Illinois.  Each year in Illinois, hundreds of lives are lost in alcohol-related crashes. Don’t risk losing your license, your car, and your freedom. If you drive impaired, law enforcement will arrest you.

DISTRICT 19, Ill. - Illinois State Police (ISP) District 19 Commander, Captain Kelly Hodge, announced District 19 Troopers will conduct Occupant Restraint Enforcement Patrols (OREP) in Wabash, Edwards, Hamilton, and Saline counties during the month of March.

OREP allows the ISP to target an area with saturation patrols that focus on traffic violations and related compliance with safety belt and child safety seat laws. Safety belt enforcement zones will also be set up to ensure the driver and passengers are buckled up. Illinois law requires all vehicle passengers (front and back) to be buckled up!

Safety belts are one of the most effective safety devices in vehicles today, estimated to save over 12,000 lives each year. Over half of vehicle occupants killed in a traffic crash were not properly buckled up. The objective of this program is to increase compliance of occupant restraint laws through education, child seat inspections, and enforcement. Greater awareness, acceptance, and use of occupant protection equipment will save many lives.

SALINE CO., Ill. - A traffic crash on Illinois Route 142 at the Eldorado Blacktop Road this morning resulted in injuries for drivers and passengers.

Illinois State Police, who worked the scene, said the accident occurred this morning (Thursday, March 3) at approximately 11:00 a.m.

According to the preliminary traffic crash investigation, the driver of a white 2005 Chevrolet Malibu, Tanner Michael Martin, 37, of Henderson, Kentucky, was southbound on Illinois Route 142, preparing to make a left hand turn onto the Eldorado Blacktop Road, when he failed to yield to a northbound vehicle.

Martin proceeded to make his left hand turn, when he was struck by a northbound green 2004 Jeep Patriot, driven by Darlene Randolph, 46, of Eldorado.

Martin and Randolph, along with two passengers in Randolph’s vehicle, Robert F. Essex, 35, and Terry L. Smith, 38, both of Eldorado, were transported from the traffic crash scene by separate ambulances to an area hospital for treatment of injuries sustained in the crash. Both vehicles were towed from the scene.

ISP District 19 was assisted at the crash scene by the Saline County Sheriff’s Department, Saline County Ambulance Service, and Med Force Ambulance Service.

Martin was cited for Failure to Yield Turning Left and No Seat Belt.

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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!…and if you like what you’re reading here, why not subscribe? You can get the print version as well as the e-Edition (the electronic version of the print version, where we put the in-depth articles as well as the serious crime and corruption rundown for the previous weeks; more than local papers provide) at this link…get clicking and get on board so YOU can be informed!

SALINE CO., Ill. - Saline County State's Attorney Mike Henshaw has announced the sentencings for the month of February out of his county.

Michael Humm

Michael D. Humm was sentenced Feb. 5 by Judge Walden Morris to six years in Illinois Department of Corrections and two years mandatory supervised release (MSR, or, parole)  for the offense of Unlawful Possession of Converted Vehicle.

Carmen S. Murphy was sentenced Feb. 10 by Judge Morris to six years in IDOC and two years MSR for the offense of Residential Burglary.

Austin Fitts

Austin C. Fitts was sentenced Feb. 10 by Judge Morris to eight years in DOC and two years MSR for the offense of Residential Burglary.

Joshua Blumenshine was sentenced Feb. 10 by Judge Morris to five years in DOC and two years MSR for the offense of Unlawful Delivery of a Controlled Substance. Blumenshine was also sentenced to five years DOC/one year MSR for the offense of Unlawful Possession of a Controlled Substance.

Tony Patrick

Tony D. Patrick was sentenced Feb 16 by Judge Morris to three years DOC, one year MSR for the offense of Criminal Damage to Government Supported Property. Patrick was previously sentenced to 12 years DOC for a total of 15 years DOC.

David P. Sheppard was sentenced on Feb. 16 by Judge Morris to 10 years DOC and three years MSR for the offense of Aggravated Kidnaping. Sheppard must also register with the Illinois Sex Offender Registry for a period of 10 years after his release from DOC.

Parker S. Bryan was sentenced on Feb. 24 by Judge Morris to two years in DOC and one year MSR for the offense of Escape.

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

Troopers in District 19, which includes Wabash, Edwards, Wayne, White, Hamilton, Saline, and Gallatin counties, recorded 1,227 incidents during the month.

Enforcement activity consisted of 490 citations and 1,079 written warnings, including 231 speeding citations, 9 DUIs, 44 seatbelt citations, 2 child restraint citations, 388 written warnings for speeding, and 24 criminal arrests. Troopers also assisted 67 motorists, conducted 281 Motor Carrier Safety Inspections, and investigated 35 traffic crashes. There were no fatal traffic crashes investigated by District 19 during February.

In addition, 301 citations and 471 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.

WHITE CO.— This issue’s drug report out of White County features meth, pills and weed.

And it starts with a county-crossover: A Harrisburg convicted thief has been charged in White County with drug offenses.

According to information filed in the case, on Feb. 15, Amy L. Lane, 32, of 310 West Mable St., Harrisburg, was found to have on her person while in White County less than 15 grams of Oxycodone, a syringe with suspected Oxycodone loaded and less than 2.5 grams of weed.

Where on earth she got the alleged syringe full of Oxycodone – ordinarily a medical device – is unknown at this time.

She was formally charged with Unlawful Possession of a Controlled Substance, Unlawful Possession of Drug Paraphernalia and Unlawful Possession of Cannabis.

Lane was convicted on July 16, 2013 of Theft $400-$10,000 in Saline County and sentenced to probation for 30 months and ordered to pay $3,753.02, of which she still owes $1,548.02.

At the time of her White County arrest, Lane was free on bond from Saline County in an October 22, 2015 case in which she is charged with Theft.

Lane was released from White County police custody Feb. 18 after a $150 cash bond was posted on her behalf by Jimmy Shirel, of Sturgis, Ky.

One to rehab, one to prison

A Carmi woman who was already serving a probation sentence following a felony conviction has been charged with drug offenses.

According to court documents, following a traffic stop on Feb. 16, April D. Spoonemore, 37, of 710 Perry St., Carmi, was found to have on her person less than five grams of methamphetamine, a syringe with liquid meth loaded in it (these syringes are getting popular…) and marijuana.

Spoonemore was listed in police documents as a passenger in the vehicle.

She was booked into the county jail on formal charges of Unlawful Possession of Methamphetamine, Unlawful Possession of Cannabis and Unlawful Possession of Drug Paraphernalia.

Spoonemore was convicted June 27, 2011 of Battery Causing Bodily Harm for which she was sentenced to court supervision for two years and ordered to pay $4502 in fines and fees.

At the time of her arrest, Spoonemore was serving a probation sentence of two years handed her January 6, 2016 after she was convicted of felony Theft $500-$10,000.

She still owes $1,973 in fines and fees from that case.

Spoonemore was released Feb. 25 on a $25,000 recognizance bond allowing her the opportunity to seek rehab as soon as a bed opens up.

Spoonemore has been ordered to report back to the county jail once she is no longer in rehab, be it because of successful completion or washing out.

The driver of the vehicle, identified as Richard E. Ott, 30, of 803 Sycamore St., Carmi, was charged following the same traffic stop with Unlawful Possession of a Controlled Substance, Unlawful Possession of Cannabis and Unlawful Storage of a Controlled Substance.

He pleaded guilty to the controlled substance possession charge in return for the remainder of the charges being dismissed and was sentenced to the Illinois Department of Corrections for one year and ordered to pay $427 in fines, of which he has paid nothing.

Meth and needle

A Carmi convicted drug felon has been busted for meth possession.

According to information filed in the case, Michelle D. Shelow, 45, of 1109 Valter Dr., Carmi, has been charged with Unlawful Possession of Methamphetamine, Unlawful Possession of Drug Paraphernalia identified as a meth smoking pipe and Unlawful Possession of Hypodermic Syringe or Needle.

Shelow was convicted December 17, 2001 of three counts of Unlawful Possession of Methamphetamine/Lookalike and sentenced to six months in the county jail, probation for 30 months and ordered to pay $3,016 in fines and fees.

Shelow was released from police custody Feb. 22, after a $2,500 cash bond was posted on her behalf by Robert Harvey, of Crossville.

Meth and weed

Convicted drug felon Shawn Robert Peyton, 39, of 904 Oak St., Carmi, has been charged with Unlawful Possession of Methamphetamine, Unlawful Possession of Drug and Unlawful Possession of Cannabis after authorities say he was found with less than five grams of meth, a pot smoking pipe and less than 2.5 grams of weed on his person Feb. 19.

Peyton is a convicted felon having been convicted March 19, 2003 of two counts of Unlawful Possession of a Controlled Substance (prescription medication) for which he was sentenced to 90 days in the county jail, probation for two years and ordered to pay $3,131 in fines and fees.

Two months later, May 12, 2003, Peyton was convicted of Unlawful Possession of a Controlled Substance (prescription medication) for which he was sentenced to the Illinois Department of Corrections for three years and ordered to pay $880 in fines and fees.

Peyton was released from police custody Feb. 22 after a $2,500 cash bond was posted on his behalf by Jerry Lamont, of 709 Naple St., Carmi.

Meth and blue pencil torch

Josette L. St. John, 21, of the same 904 Oak St., Carmi address as Mr. Peyton, was also taken into custody Feb. 19.

St. John was charged with Unlawful Possession of Methamphetamine less than five grams, Unlawful Possession of Drug Paraphernalia identified as a blue pencil torch used to smoke meth and Unlawful Possession of Cannabis.

At the time of her arrest Ms. St. John was serving a probation sentence of two years handed her December 15, 2014 after she was convicted of Unlawful Possession of Cannabis.

In addition to the probation she was also ordered to undergo drug treatment and to pay $2,114 in fines and fees, of which she has paid nothing.

St. John was released from police custody Feb. 23, after a $2,500 cash bond was posted on her behalf by Kaylee Snyder, of 805 Smith St., Carmi.

Meth and pills

Raymond C. Rountree, 43, of 627 Church St., Carmi, has been charged with five drug felonies.

Information filed in the case alleges that on Feb. 19, he committed the offense of Unlawful Possession of Methamphetamine less than five grams, Unlawful Possession of a Controlled Substance identified as less than 15 grams of Alprazolam, Unlawful Possession of Cannabis less than 2.5 grams, Unlawful Possession of Drug Paraphernalia identified as a silver pipe to smoke meth and Obstruction of Justice when he allegedly dispose of his pipe by flushing it down the toilet at his residence.

Rountree was convicted September 14, 2995 of Unlawful Possession of 15-100 grams of Morphine for which he was sentenced to probation for 18 months and ordered to pay $1,118 in fines and fees.

He was released from police custody Feb. 22 after a $2,500 cash bond was posted on his behalf by Carolyn Clifford, of New Haven.

SALINE CO. – Recent news reports have had it that there are about 1.5 felonies being filed daily in Saline County…but it’s the misdemeanors that are doing their part to clog up the court system. As of week’s end before print date of this issue (March 11), almost 40 misdemeanors had been filed, and many misdemeanors that would otherwise have been included in that number were actually filed as ordinance violations in municipality in Saline (almost two dozen total as of March 11) …just to keep the cases down in court.

Here are some of those misdemeanors; the most recent ones as of press time, most of them in the month of February.

Mess in the Mills

The first is out of Carrier Mills, where Phillip Keith Morrison, 24, of Eldorado, was charged on Feb. 5 with Disorderly Conduct after a Feb. 3 incident.

That afternoon, police were dispatched to the 400 block of North Thompson Street to investigate a fight-in-progress call made by Richard Horn, who said that the fight involved two males and two females at a trailer north of Horn’s residence.

When Carrier Mills Sgt. Billy Duncan arrived, he claims he saw a man later identified as Morrison shove another male, later identified as Dakota Skelton.

When Duncan saw Morrison attempt to pull open the front door of the residence in an attempt to re-enter, Duncan drew his firearm and ordered Morrison to the ground. Morrison wisely and immediately complied and was handcuffed as other officers arrived.

Skelton, all of 15, claimed that Morrison had been “flipping out and arguing” with Skelton’s mother, Jennifer Jolly, then when asked to leave, Morrison is alleged to have shoved past her and went toward her daughter, Nikki Jolly.

Turns out Nikki was pregnant; Morrison, her boyfriend, was to have given her a ride to the doctor, and she didn’t want to lose her ride so she asked that no action be taken against him. However, since her brother appeared to have been injured in whatever altercation had taken place, and since a neighbor had called about the disturbance, Duncan told her it had to be.

Morrison narrowly missed being charged with Endangering the Life or Health of  Child, since he could have been, due to Skelton’s age and his condition (abrasions and torn shirt). Instead, he was charged with simple Battery and Disorderly Conduct.

Unfortunately for Morrison, he’s on Probation with Special Conditions until June of 2017…so this current arrest isn’t going to go well for him.

A revocation hearing had been set for March 14.

Being ‘stupid’ on Trolley Road

On Feb. 7, one Tracy Keith Gwaltney, 51, of Eldorado, was charged with a Violation of an Order of Protection when he was accused, on that day, of being within 500 feet of 905 Trolley Road, Eldorado, a protected residence.

Officer Jerod Gott had been dispatched to that location in reference to “people yelling and screaming.” This turned out to be Gwaltney, according to David Hines, 32, who said that Gwaltney was threatening to “beat his @ss.”

Hines said he wouldn’t pursue charges, but Jessica M. Edwards, 28, advised Gott that she had an active OP against Gwaltney and since he was in the vicinity of her place, she wanted to fill out a statement.

When Gott located Gwaltney, Gwaltney admitted that what he had done was “stupid”…and as such, he turned himself in at Eldorado PD.

Gwaltney is no stranger to the crim life…he has felonious activity dating all the way back to 1986; however, in recent years, he’d mellowed, gradually moving on to traffic violations and an occasional OP problem here and there.

He spent a couple of weeks in jail after the incident, was able to post bond on the 24th, and was set to make first appearance on publication date of this issue.

More OP violation

Another OP violation was filed against one Mark J. Traxler, 48, of Vienna, on Feb. 17 after a Feb. 11 incident that got Traxler in trouble in Eldorado.

On that date, Officer Joel Stanley went to Davidson Street on that call, talking to Denise Traxler, who advised that her 15-year-old son had called her and told her Mark Traxler was beating on the front door and scaring him.

Stanley saw what turned out to be the elder Traxler walking at the bike path at Davidson Street. After the younger Traxler and Denis filled out statements, Stanley went back and located the elder, this time inside Huck’s in ‘rado. After pretending he didn’t know what the officer was talking about when he asked about pounding on the door, the elder Traxler admitted he was there to talk to his son.

The elder Traxler almost immediately advised the cop, once cuffs were on him, that he was “feeling suicidal” and wanted to go to the Mulberry Center at the hospital in Harrisburg.

Court records don’t show whether that happened or not, but bond was set for him, he was appointed Nathan Rowland as counsel…and he was set to enter a plea on March 14.

Jagerbombs…out his pants

A Feb. 12 incident in Harrisburg found Jeremiah Morgan, 19, in trouble over Criminal Damage to Property, so filed on Feb. 26.

Walgreens in Harrisburg called the police on the 12th stating they had a male in the store trying to steal alcohol, according to the report. Police said that upon viewing the store security system, Morgan could be seen “walking around the store messing around the front part of his waist shorts and lower sweatshirt.” He then walked to aisle 6 and a bottle of Jagermeister fell from his sweatshirt; he walked to aisle 9 and another bottle of Jager dropped from his sweatshirt and basketball shorts.

He then put his hands in the air and walked out of the building…however, an employee had seen the bottle fall out of the sweatshirt and another employee tried to get Morgan to stay inside the front doors as he left.

Morgan was found back at his residence wearing the same clothes he’d had on inside Walgreens.

Morgan stayed in jail til the 20th, when Darlene Tolbert posted his $500 bond.

He’s in a ton of trouble already with felony cases pending, including one filed just a few weeks prior to this incident involving violence. He also has other underage alcohol-related offenses.

His first appearance was set for March 21.

Are we really still charging pot…?

A Feb. 18 incident with cannabis got an Eldorado man hemmed up on Feb. 25.

Jason M. Duvall, 26, was charged with two counts on that day: Unlawful Possession of Cannabis and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, which was filed Feb. 25, and which likely definitively proves, upon the posting of $100 bond and confiscation of the items in question, pot charges are really only being filed these days for the money and no other reason, since no one overdoses on pot, unlike other controlled substances in the state of Illinois.

Duvall, who has no criminal history of which to speak besides OVs and traffic, was set for a court date on March 21.

Enforcing a ‘wholesome dog food’ law

On Feb. 24, apparently after some investigation by Animal Control Officer Mike Sullivan, one Jasmine Vinyard, 20, of Galatia or Eldorado depending on which piece of paperwork is being considered, was charged with a Jan. 20 incident of Violation of Animal Owner’s Duties, in which she, as “owner of a brown dog, failed to provide sufficient quantity of good quality, wholesome food and water” in violation of Illinois’ relatively-new, and some say ridiculous, law about how people must treat their pets.

It’s unclear whether the dog complained about the “wholesomeness” or “quality” of the food, or maybe the chlorine level in the water, which is fairly atrocious throughout Saline County; or maybe it was just the quantity, and if the dog was overweight, it complained about not getting enough.

If the laws continue to become more oppressive, maybe some legislator will come up with a way to ensure that “wholesome, good quality” dog food becomes eligible for purchase through SNAP with a LINK card.

Until that time, Ms. Vinyard was set back $200, as supplied by Jason Vinyard in the form of bond on Feb. 26. She too was set for that March 14 first appearance as her case makes its way through the court system.

Mounds man makes mistake

A Criminal Trespass to Residence charge was filed against a young Mounds man on March 2, when it was alleged that Drew A. Walsh, 22, entered the residence of James E. Davis on Pickering Road in Harrisburg on Feb. 19.

Davis is reported to have told Walsh to leave that evening when he was on the premises. Walsh might have been there to see one Alexa Rightnoward; she has a child with Walsh, and was accusing Walsh of mistreating said child. Walsh was accused of grabbing her by the arm and shoving her, but when Walsh was interviewed, he stated that she struck him first and he was merely defending himself.

He was arrested on not only the criminal trespass charge but also Domestic Battery, but the latter of the two didn’t make it to formal charges.

Walsh was set for a hearing March 21.

Left drunk, amorous hubby at Walmart

A Feb. 22 incident in Harrisburg resulted in a Feb. 25 filing of Domestic Battery against Kenneth L. Mitchell Jr., 35, when he is alleged to have gotten rough with a household member, Bobbie J. Mitchell, 33, in that he grabbed her.

The police report indicated that it was a little more that that, the situation arising when Bobbie said that at 9:43 that night, she called in to police stating that her husband was drunk and beating on the front door…and she wanted him removed.

When the officer arrived, the Missus Mitchell said she was at Walmart with Kenneth and he was “drunk and causing problems.” She said she tried to get him in the vehicle but he didn’t want to leave, so…she left him there at Walmart.

She went home, and he managed to get back, so she was telling police she wanted him out. But married domiciles being what they are, it was his house, too, she was told, and he was told he could remain there “as long as he didn’t cause problems.”

Less than an hour later, Mrs. Mitchell was back on the phone stating that hubby had “grabbed her and was pushing her…trying to kiss her and she was telling him no but he would not quit and just kept coming at her.”

So police arrived again, and about the time they pulled up, Kenneth ran out the front door. Cops found him a block behind the house on Longley Street. And there, they arrested him for Domestic Battery, because Bobbie had advised that her husband had grabbed her around the arm and was pushing on her, and she was in fear of him hurting her or one of the children.

Wayne Bruce of Herrin posted the $500 cash bond for Mitchell a couple of days later, ostensibly after Mitchell had a chance to sober up and be less amorous.

Mitchell’s court date was set for March 21.

Second Mitchell mess

Another Mitchell, this one Byron Andrew, 28, of Carrier Mills, was next up in the queue, charged on Feb. 23 with a Feb. 12 incident of Domestic Battery in which he’s accused of grabbing one Amber Mitchell.

How, where, and why he “grabbed” her isn’t made clear in court documents as, unlike others, there was not arrest report with this one.

However, the Mister Mitchell was told to stay away from the Missus (if indeed she is…that’s not clear either) Mitchell while out on bond, which set him back $500.

SALINE CO.— Another poorly-penned-prose from the county crim center to Judge Walden Morris has many wondering if these authors actually spent any time in the public sector’s institutions of higher learning, or even lower learning, for that matter.

Hershel Lee English, 27, of 155 Goolsby Rd., Eldorado, claims to have not the foggiest idea of why he has been charged with Theft, alleging that on July 12, 2015, he snatched a Yamaha Linmax 125 ATV belonging to John Herrmann.

He also claims that the pills found in the backseat of the police cruiser he was taken to jail in were planted by a police officer.

If English had spent as much time in a spelling class as he did on his criminal career, maybe his handwritten letter wouldn’t be so embarrassing

He was convicted October 2, 2008 of Retail Theft for which he was sentenced to probation for 18 months.

When he screwed that up, by violating the terms of his probation, he was re-sentenced to 45 days in the county cage and another term of probation for 12 months.

He was again convicted March 9, 2009 on one count of Unlawful Possession of Cannabis and fined $865.

And then on December 14, 2009 he decided not to return to jail and was subsequently found guilty of Failure to Return from Furlough earning himself another 15 days behind bars and costing him $324.12 in fines and fees.

English graduated to felony status Sept. 27, 2012 when he was found guilty of Theft and sentenced to probation for 24 months and ordered to pay $5,372.45, of which he still owes $5,247.45.

Arrests in 2013 for Theft and Unlawful Possession of Drug Paraphernalia earned him a probation revocation and a trip to the Illinois Department of Corrections (IDOC) January 9, 2014, on a three-year sentence.

In his letter to Judge Morris, English claims complete ignorance of the charges against him.

“Dear Judge Morrus This is Hershel L. English I do believe This is the very first Letter I have ever wroten. And it’s to Do with why Im in Here. Well For Starter’s I really have no Idea. I was walking to the Store with my girlfriend Tiffany Risininger and out of no where two cops pulled up ask who I was I Told Him then said he had a warrant for my arrest couldn’t even Tell me why I was arrested on this Bull Hocky warrant For Theft Under $500 with an inhandced sentence and That’s whay my charge was Then they both surched me before i was pit in the back passenger seat of officer Jerod Gott… And sir I Don’t have the slites Ideal on what It is that I’m being accused of Stealing and The After officer Jerod Gott… left the building he say’s He was searching through his backseat and found some pill and went up stair’s and filed charges with the pIlls he pfound agaist me Now I don’t have a bound IVe been doing really great out there I haven’t been out getting into any Trouble I always’s go to court on time. I just got myself On the right path. And now It seems like this theft warrant was at least have a Report of whatever it is. Please Do as much as possible sorry about that could U please, please, please let me out the door with a O.R. Please Sir I can take care of myself plz sir sir ^%$#. I Really Don’t know Where There coming up with the charges I haven’t did anything Stolem my Right hand to God Ill tale a lice detector test and a pee test that is gonna have to be sent to a lab and broke down into specific Drug’s and I know for a Fact that drug officer Jerod Gott… troed to Leave then say’s ten mins. Later when he comes back that he has some more charges for me But I Want and Need to know as Fast as possible What’s being said that was Stolen and also Need to Send Someone to take some pee to see what’s in my systom There’s drug’s in my systom but not the one he say’s I hid in his back seat Sir Judge Moreus I can Garrently Thet Drug is not in my body and my print’s are not on Whatever Stuff he said he found in his Seat can u pretty Please Maybe help me out on this I don’t see any reason I can be getting arrestet when I haven’t Stold anything it don’t even say whay, or where anything was taken From. And Sir I know there’s got to be smething wrong With What ever’s going on, But if you could please get my bond to around say $500 Dollar’s I maybe about to get out and then I can get me a paid attorney P.S. Please And Thank you so much P.S. I really Need Help.”

At last check English was still sitting in the Saline County Jail.

No bond information was available.

SALINE CO.— A February cleaning out of the safe at a Harrisburg Huck’s has been blamed on a broken toilet paper dispenser, but an element of criminal inclination fueled the theft.

According to information filed in the case, on Feb. 8 Harrisburg Police Officer, Sgt. Michael Riden, was briefed by fellow HPD officer Kenny Shires that a female reportedly stole a large sum of cash in the early morning hours, on Shires’ shift, from the Huck’s on Commercial Street.

Riden arrived at the Huck’s at approximately 8:30 a.m. and spoke with manager Patricia Hall, who had pulled the surveillance video.

The vid showed a large white van, driven by former Huck’s employee, Tabitha S. Binkley, 23, of 1900 North Main St., Apt. 4A, Eldorado, with a front seat passenger identified as Ethan Isom, pull up to the south side of the building near gas pumps.

The pair are seen getting out of the van, talking a bit and Isom heading toward the bathroom while Binkley stayed near the front of the outside of the store.

Isom is seen coming out of the bathroom and speaking to employee Denise Gibbons about him breaking the toilet paper dispenser.

As Gibbons was helping Isom, Binkley made her way into the store, went behind the cash register and is seen on vid taking a blue National Bank bag containing $597.

Binkley is seen on vid walking out of the store with the bag of money, getting in the van, moving it near the bathroom when Isom came out, got in and they drove away.

The van was located a couple hours later and stopped in the Arby’s parking lot for failure to use turn signal.

The plates checked back to Brooke Hill Management, Inc., Mt. Carmel.

The driver was identified as Kristy L. Wood, with passenger Loren Wood, neither seen on the Huck’s video.

Woods told Riden the van was a work vehicle and reported that Binkley and Delbert Watt had access to it during third shift the night/morning previous.

Authorities caught up with Binkley at 1102 Washington St., Eldorado.

She initially said she didn’t want to talk about the incident and claimed she wasn’t even in Harrisburg that morning.

When she was confronted with a still photo Riden had taken of her in the video, she claimed that it wasn’t her and that she had been working.

That’s about the time she was taken into custody and charged with Burglary and Theft $500-$10,000.

Binkley was released from police custody Feb. 13 after a $2,500 cash bond was posted on her behalf by Jerome Steven Catalano, 56, of 52 Carter Rd., Harrisburg.

Catalano is a convicted felon.

He was found guilty January 8, 1990 of Aggravated Battery Causing a Bodily Harm for which he was sentenced to probation for 12 months.