A Chandlerville man found guilty on 3 drug-related charges back in July is heading to prison.

58 year old Charles R. Miller as found guilty of possession of methamphetamine, illegal possession of cannabis between 30-100 grams, and possession of drug paraphernalia. Miller was acquitted of a fourth charge, methamphetamine delivery between 5-15 grams back on July 18^th after a one-day trial by jury.

Miller was arrested by Cass County Sheriff’s Deputies on the charges on January 19^th.

Yesterday, Miller was sentenced to 6 ½ years in the Illinois Department of Corrections by visiting Judge Tad Brenner. Miller was also fined $750 and ordered to pay fees and court costs.

At the conclusion of the sentence, Defense Counsel Dustin Clark made a motion to continue as Miller’s counsel during an appeal, which was granted. Miller was also given credit for 222 days served in the case.

A rural Roodhouse man who broke into a home east of Roodhouse armed with a buck knife in late June has been found unfit to stand trial.

30 year old John J. Scheferkort is currently awaiting transport into the Illinois Department of Human Services after he was found unfit to stand trial in Greene County last week.

Sheferkort is accused of entering into a home located 4 ½ miles east of Roodhouse in late June when the homeowners were present and brandished an 8 inch hunting knife at an adult female. He was later arrested by Greene County Sheriff’s Deputies and transported to the Greene County Jail. Scheferkort has been charged with criminal trespass to a residence with a person present, a Class 4 felony; and aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, a Class A misdemeanor. Sheferkort could face up to 3 years in prison if he is found guilty.

A hearing on Scheferkort’s status has been set for September 7^th.

A national Department of Transportation agency declared a regional energy emergency for 4 Midwestern States, including Illinois, on Saturday after a fire at an Indiana oil refinery.

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration made the declaration to address the need for the immediate transportation of gasoline, diesel and jet fuel for Illinois, Indiana, Michigan and Wisconsin. The declaration allows the states to be exempt from certain federal regulations to manage the emergency.

It will permit motor carriers and drivers providing direct, related assistance to the impacted states not to abide by regulations setting a maximum driving time.

According to Reuters, the Whiting, Indiana refinery owned by BP was shuttered after the fire. According to the report, the refinery handles about 20-25% of the refined gas, diesel, and jet fuel that the 4 states use. Forbes reports that the facility refines 435,000 barrels of oil per day on average.

Molly Hart, AAA Spokesperson for Illinois and Indiana, told WLDS News this afternoon that the automotive group is monitoring the situation and it’s uncertain if the closure of the facility will result in higher gas prices. The release says the order will last as long as the emergency continues or the end of the day on Sept. 15, whichever is first.

Patrick De Haan, a gas analyst for GasBuddy.com, posted to his Twitter page on Sunday that sources believe BP will restart the refinery on either Tuesday or Wednesday, and possibly be back to full capacity by this coming weekend.

The defense attorney for a man facing first-degree murder charges in Morgan County Court for a 2021 shooting is asked where evidence had gone in his client’s case on Friday.

37 year old Joshua E. Wilson was arrested on a charge of first-degree murder in February 2021 in the shooting death of 26 year old Malcom V. Fitts of Chicago. Fitts, who is originally from Jacksonville, died from a gunshot wound in the 800 block of Hoagland Boulevard on the morning of February 28, 2021 at Jacksonville Memorial Hospital.

The Journal Courier reports that Wilson’s attorney, Michael Shantz, asked the court on Friday where a thumb drive had gone after an envelope with discovery material arrived at his office empty. Shantz told the court that the envelope arrived open and damaged with the material missing.

Morgan County State’s Attorney Gray Noll said his office had given the discovery materials in a format that wasn’t compatible with Schantz’s software, so they sent it in a different format on the thumb drive. Noll said that Shantz contacted him about the open envelope and the state would provide Shantz the material directly after the hearing on Friday.

Macoupin County Judge Kenneth Diehl has not set another hearing date in the case. However, according to court recordings, a jury trial has been tentatively set for November 15^th.

Pike County Sheriff’s Deputies had to re-capture a man who got loose from custody on Tuesday after he was being transferred between the Pike County Jail and the Courthouse.

Pike County Sheriff David Greenwood says in a press release that on Tuesday morning, 51 year old Christopher A. Africh of Beardstown was ordered in custody in lieu of $6,000 bond during a court appearance at the Pike County Courthouse in Pittsfield.

Greenwood says while Africh was being escorted across the street from the Courthouse to the Pike County Jail, Africh fled from an officer.

Africh was located by authorities approximately a half hour later hiding under a porch of a residence in the 200 block of West Jefferson Street.

Africh was escorted back to the Pike County Courthouse at 1PM where he was charged with felony escape. He remains held at the Pike County Jail in lieu of $200,000 bond.

The Illinois College Fine Arts Series kicks off its 43^rd Season next month.

The season opens on Sept. 18 with a family concert by Liam Teague on steelpan and will include two additional musicians, including IC Drumline Director Tyler Carpenter, at 3 p.m. in Rammelkamp Chapel.

Then, on Oct. 19, pianist Pei-I Wang will perform a solo concert.

The series will also bring back the Engelbach-Hart Music Festival, which offers three free concerts open to the community. The weekend begins with St. Louis-based Russian-American master pianist Alla Voskoboynikova on Friday, Nov. 11, followed by an IC Faculty Collage Concert on Saturday, Nov. 12. The festival will conclude with pianist George Winston on Sunday, Nov. 13.

Boston-based wind and string ensemble Hub New Music will close the season in April and will premiere a new work by Timothy Kramer, Illinois College professor emeritus in music.

Tickets for the opening family concert are $5. Individual tickets for the Illinois College Fine Arts Series are $15, and season tickets, which include all concerts, are available for $70 each. Students of all ages receive free admission. Tickets are available for purchase in advance by phone at 217.245.3192.

An Arkansas man pled guilty on Friday to two counts of aggravated criminal sexual assault in Adams County Circuit Court in relation to a kidnapping from Quincy last summer.

40 year old Mario Mason of Turrell, Arkansas was sentenced by Judge Amy Lannerd to two 10 year sentences to the Illinois Department of Corrections, which will be served consecutively. Illinois’ Truth in Sentencing requires Mason to serve at least 85% of his sentence.

Mason was charged with kidnapping 36 year old Tabitha Campbell on July 17, 2021 from the Welcome Inn after Quincy Police discovered evidence of a struggle in a hotel room. Campbell was found four days later in Marked Tree, Arkansas after escaping from Mason, who had fled the area in a stolen vehicle.

Mason was eventually captured on September 14^th of last year in Marshall County, Kentucky after a pursuit with local police. Mason fled into a wooded area that eventually caused a massive manhunt with multiple agencies in Marshall County.

Mason faced between 6 to 30 years in the Illinois Department of Corrections for the two aggravated criminal sexual assault charges, both Class X felonies. One count of aggravated kidnapping, also a Class X felony, plus two counts of threatening a public official and single counts of kidnapping, aggravated domestic battery, theft, aggravated battery in a public place, and aggravated battery were dropped as part of the plea, according to court records.

Jacksonville Police arrested two individuals after a handgun was fired during an argument this afternoon.

A complainant reported shots being fired during an argument at a residence in the 600 block of East Chambers Street at 12:50PM.

Upon arrival and after a short investigation, police arrested 27 year old Jordan L. Ransom of the 900 block of North East Street, 18 year old Brett M. Dooley of the 400 block of East Lafayette Avenue, and 19 year old Jason L. Ransom of the 600 block of Locust Street for reckless discharge of a firearm.

Police reports say that a handgun was fired into the air multiple times while a group of people were in an argument. Police reports did not list any injuries at this time. All three men were taken to the Morgan County Jail.

The Pike County Sheriff’s Department along with Pleasant Hill Police arrested two individuals last night after a report of suspicious activity.

A call came in from the Pleasant Hill Shell Jiffi-Stop on Illinois Route 96 just northwest of town at 9:26 last night after suspicious activity from a vehicle was reported.

Upon arrival and subsequent to an investigation by deputies and officer, authorities arrested the driver of the vehicle 34 year old Amy L. Woolford of Smithboro for driving under the influence of drugs, having no valid driver’s license, obstructing identification by allegedly providing a false name to officers, aggravated DUI, and outstanding Madison County warrants for obstructing identification and possession of a controlled substance.

Authorities also arrested a passenger, 41 year old Shannon E. Grills of Greenville for unlawful possession of methamphetamine, possession of drug paraphernalia, a St. Clair County outstanding warrant for possession of methamphetamine, and a Bond County warrant for domestic battery.

Both remain lodged at the Pike County Jail pending a first appearance in court.