The Sangamon County Board OEM/9-1-1 Committee has reactivated the county’s rescue squad.

Effective immediately, all squad members with an Emergency Medical Responder (EMR) certification or higher are allowed to respond to rescue calls.

According to a press release, following a thorough review of Squad Members’ training records, in July, the County was forced to temporarily suspend Rescue Squad operations until the required certification could be obtained.

The press release says that the County and Rescue Squad leadership worked diligently to offer multiple EMR training classes to members over the past eight weeks. Today, a majority of squad members are certified EMR or above, and additional training sessions are ongoing and scheduled in upcoming weeks for members who still need certification.

The Pike County Sheriff’s Office is seeking information on a report of criminal damage to property.

The report includes the same victim in two different locations.

In August, a pickup truck was scratched on Fair Street in Pittsfield. The same pickup truck discovered water was added to the gas tank in early September.

The same person owns a camper in Bedford, in rural Pearl. Sometime between Friday, September 23rd and Sunday, September 25^th; unknown individuals drilled or punched approximately 138 holes in the roof of the camper.

Any information on these incidents, the Sheriff’s Office asks you to please place an anonymous call to Crime Stoppers at 217-285-1500. If your tips lead to an arrest, you could be eligible for up to a $1000 cash reward.

Five local service clubs came together with 3 food charities in the Jacksonville community to address food insecurity in the Jacksonville area in recognition of Joint Service Club Week.

Representatives of the Rotary Club of Jacksonville, Sunrise Rotary Club, Jacksonville Kiwanis, Jacksonville Lions Club, and the Jacksonville Pilot Club presented a total of $4,200 in donations to the Jacksonville Area Food Center, the Salvation Army, and the Spirit of Faith Soup Kitchen to serve needy families in Jacksonville.

Lisa Kluge, president of the Rotary Club says she came together with Lori Hartz, Director of Community Health for Jacksonville Memorial Hospital to put the idea together quickly: “Rotary International sent me an email about Joint Service Week to get together with the other clubs in our community to raise funds for something for the good of the community to come together. I got with Lori Hartz and she came up with, instead of doing a food distribution drive, [the groups] giving actual money to the food center, the soup kitchen, and the Salvation Army so they could come up with the food that is actually needed in the area.”

Kluge says this is different than the Joint Service Club dinner held in November as a time to come together to be thankful. She says this week was another example of how well all of Jacksonville comes together to meet the community’s needs.

The Village of Chapin is set to honor the 25^th Anniversary of its Police Department this weekend.

Chapin Police Chief Steven Helmich says the all part-time department began due to an initiative by the federal government during the Clinton Administration: “The police department was created in January 1997 by a village ordinance. During that time under the Clinton Administration, the federal government had grants to get more police out on the streets. That was one of the initiatives that the Clinton Administration had was grants for creating police departments in smaller municipalities that did not already have a police department. Chapin took advantage of that grant and created the police department that it didn’t previously have. Morgan County Sheriff’s Deputies and the Sheriff’s Office were kind of the creators of the police department. They helped Chapin get the grant. They helped Chapin do all the myriad of things you have to do to establish a police department.”

Helmich says the Chapin community has always been extremely supportive of its first responders, including the police and fire department. He says that this Saturday, the entire Morgan County community can come to the Chapin American Legion and celebrate the area’s first responders.

Chapin Village Clerk Christina Courier says the event on Saturday running from 1-4PM is open to the public: “We are going to have a meet & greet, open house-style of event. We’re going to have some light refreshments and desserts. At kind of the same time, we are doing award presentations for our officers and other area officers. Come on out October 1st from 1-4PM. At 1PM, we are going to do the awards presentation part, so if you don’t want to come out for that, you can come after and enjoy light refreshments. We are inviting some other agencies so everyone is welcome to come. You can come and meet some of the Chapin trustees, myself of course, our treasurer – a lot of different people will be there so come out and say hello to everyone.”

Helmich says that the 25^th Anniversary Celebration was being planned prior to the incident in which he was shot in the line of duty after a pursuit into Brown County. He says the award ceremony isn’t meant to overshadow the celebration, but he wants to honor the partner agencies and officers that helped to save his life.

Previous Chapin officers and Police Chiefs in attendance will also be recognized.

Four officers and seven dispatchers along with Helmich will be honored with ceremonies at 1PM. Helmich is still recovering from the wounds he received during the incident.

The celebration again will be held from 1-4PM at the Chapin American Legion located at 534 Superior Street.

Two individuals from Greene County were arrested after a high speed pursuit with Calhoun County authorities this past weekend.

The Calhoun County Sheriff’s Office reports that on Friday at 10:21PM, deputies attempted to conduct a traffic stop on Illinois Route 100 near the North Side Grocery store on a black 2008 GMC truck. The driver of the truck refused to stop and fled from deputies.

The report says the truck fled northbound on Illinois Route 100, passing Calhoun High School at speeds exceeding 100 miles per hour with deputies still in pursuit. Eventually, the vehicle came to a stop on Illinois Route 100 in Michael. Deputies then conducted a full traffic stop and investigation.

Subsequent to the investigation, deputies arrested the driver, 20 year old Eric D. Brown of White Hall for aggravated fleeing or attempting to elude police, driving under the influence of alcohol, illegal transportation of alcohol by a driver, unlawful consumption of alcohol by a minor, reckless driving, speeding, operating an uninsured motor vehicle, improper lane usage, improper vehicle lighting, and improper passing.

Deputies also arrested a passenger, 18 year old Koal A. Smith of White Hall for aggravated battery of a peace officer, resisting arrest, illegal transportation of alcohol by a passenger, and unlawful consumption of alcohol by a minor.

Both individuals were transported and booked into the Greene County Jail. Bond set for Brown was at $10,000. He is due for a first appearance in Calhoun County Circuit Court on November 1^st. Bond for Smith was set at $30,000. He is also due for a first appearance with counsel on November 1^st.

Calhoun and Pike County Sherriff’s Deputies averted a tragedy with a chase of a suspect on Saturday evening.

The Calhoun County Sheriff’s Office reports that on Saturday at 7:55PM, deputies received a report of a red Chevrolet truck with a four-wheeler in the back, driving erratically and causing damage at a business located near the Mozier Junction in Mozier, with the vehicle fleeing the scene northbound at a high rate of speed on Illinois Route 96.

A deputy with the Calhoun County Sheriff’s Office observed a vehicle matching that description traveling northbound on Route 96 and attempted to conduct a traffic stop, but the vehicle fled once the deputy activated emergency lights and sirens.

According to the report, the truck continued northbound on Illinois Route 96 into Pike County at a high rate of speed. A Pike County Deputy then joined and took over as lead in the pursuit.

Due to the Pleasant Hill Homecoming, the pursuit was terminated prior to entering the village. Police observed the truck continuing northbound through the village, passing Pleasant Hill High School in excess of 100 miles per hour. Deputies then observed the vehicle turn onto County Highway 11 and extinguish its headlights. Both Deputies activated their emergency lights and continued the pursuit once traffic conditions were safe.

The vehicle continued to travel on Highway 11 towards Pittsfield when the truck struck a guardrail, causing the driver to lose control of the vehicle. The vehicle came to a rest and was inoperable. Both occupants received minor injuries and did not require EMS at the scene, according to the report.

Deputies then arrested the driver of the truck, 38 year old Jeremy A. Miller of Griggsville on the following Calhoun County charges: aggravated fleeing or attempting to elude police, reckless driving, and speeding. Miller was also cited for the following Pike County offenses: aggravated fleeing or attempting to elude police, driving under the influence of alcohol, reckless driving, speeding, spilling load on roadway, no headlights, operating an uninsured motor vehicle, improper lane usage, improper vehicle lighting, improper passing, failure to reduce speed to avoid a crash, and expired registration.

Miller was transported and booked into the Pike County Jail. Miller later posted bond and was released. He is due in Pike County Circuit Court on October 25^th for a first appearance, and on November 1^st in Calhoun County Circuit Court.

Springfield man continues to throw up road blocks to his trial as he defends himself in Adams County Court.

35 year old Bradley Yohn filed a motion last week requesting a substitution of judge in his case in Adams County Circuit Court. Yohn is defending himself against charges of home invasion, aggravated kidnapping, aggravated vehicular hijacking and aggravated criminal sexual assault with a weapon. He allegedly committed the crimes on Nov. 9, 2021, at the home of Christine “Tina” Schmitt, who died on Dec. 12 from injuries sustained in the incident. Yohn could be sentenced to serve between six and 30 years in the Illinois Department of Corrections if he’s found guilty of any Class X felony.

Judge Roger Thomson has presided at most of the hearings involving Yohn.

The motion, filed on Thursday, claims that during a June 21st hearing, Yohn was given a list of witnesses to be called to testify. He wrote that two names had not been disclosed to him, nor had he received any written or audio/video statements from those two people. Yohn claims the options given to him by the court at the hearing violated his rights to self-representation.

The motion also noted he had asked Thomson to recuse himself from the case during a Sept. 7 hearing. Yohn made vulgar comments directed at Thomson as he was escorted from the courtroom following a status hearing on July 20. He apologized to Thomson, but he also said the comment could be used in a “prejudiced” way against him. Muddy River News reports that Thomson said he never heard the comments and that even if he had, it wouldn’t have affected his work from the bench. In Yohn’s motion, he says that Judge Thomson is lying about whether or not he heard his comments. Yohn claims that Thomson cannot give him a fair hearing.

Yohn also filed two more motions on Wednesday asking for discovery of witnesses and evidence.

Muddy River News reports a motion hearing set for Wednesday afternoon was cancelled. Judge Amy Lannerd is scheduled to preside at a Monday hearing about Yohn’s motion to replace Thomson.

A fire severely damaged a house and attached garage south of Greenfield early this morning.

Greenfield Fire Chief Cory Hudson told the Journal Courier that Greenfield Fire was dispatched to the Weisner residence at 149 North Illlinois Route 267, at 2:10AM. The Carrollton and White Hall Fire Departments were also called for immediate mutual aid by West Central Dispatch.

Hudson went on to report that the family was asleep when they awoke to the smell of smoke and the sound of a smoke detector alarm before exiting the home and immediately calling 9-1-1. Hudson said when they arrived on the scene, the family was attempting to extinguish flames near the garage.

Hudson said the fire started in an attached two-car garage and spread into the residence. He said firefighters were able to quickly control the fire before it spread further into the house. Hudson did not provide the Journal Courier with a dollar amount for damage but did say a vehicle and ATV were a loss and there was extensive smoke, water, and fire damage to both structures.

Firefighters were able to clear the scene shortly after 6AM this morning.

The Roodhouse, White Hall, and Winchester Fire Departments responded to a single-story structure fire in the early morning hours on Tuesday.

Roodhouse Fire Chief Terry Hopkins says that initial calls for a structure fire came in just after midnight Tuesday to 1508 Northeast 160^th Avenue just inside the limits of Barrow Township, west of Roodhouse.

Hopkins says the structure was fully involved upon arrival: “It was an occupied residence. We got in and got out. Nobody was hurt. By the time we arrived, it was fully involved and was pretty much a total loss. We did get mutual aid from White Hall for water, because the water line out there is pretty minimal; and Winchester – we had them bring tankers of water for us, too.”

Hopkins says the lone occupant made re-entry to the home to attempt to gather some belongings, and he’s unsure if the occupant was able to save very much as the structure was deemed a total loss.

Hopkins says they believe the origin of the fire began in the kitchen: “We are assuming and we’re pretty sure we know this that the occupant had a fryer on. I think they left it unattended for a little too long.”

Hopkins says there were no injuries to anyone at the scene. Fire crews cleared the scene shortly after 3:30AM on Tuesday.