The Sangamon County Coroner’s Office is investigating the death of a woman who was found in a SUV in a creek near Loami today.

WICS Newschannel 20 reports that the Sangamon County Sheriff’s Office responded to a car crash near Waverly Road and Maxwell Hall Road near Loami at 6:23AM Sunday.

Officials said deputies got to the scene and found a 2017 Chevrolet SUV in a creek. According to Newschannel 20, a 21-year-old woman that died was found in the SUV without a seat belt.

Illinois State Police told WICS Newschannel 20 that the Sangamon County Coroner’s Office had been contacted and would be investigating the incident.

UPDATE 7:45PM: Sangamon County Coroner Jim Allmon confirms that the 21-year-old woman found deceased is a resident of Waverly. Her identity is being withheld pending notification of next of kin. Allmon also confirms that the woman was the sole occupant of the vehicle.

This story will be updated when further details are made available.

The Montgomery County, Missouri Sheriff’s Office arrested a man formerly from Cass County, Illinois after a police standoff at a residence in Bellflower, Missouri yesterday.

Fox 2 News reports that 40 year old Charles L. Story, formerly of Beardstown, was arrested after an anonymous tip lead Montgomery County, Missouri Sheriff’s Deputies to a residence on Elm Street in Bellflower, Missouri. At 3:47PM yesterday, police got permission to search the home and found Story barricaded in a hidden room. He told them he was armed and injured after being shot in the leg a few days ago. The wanted man also threatened to shoot anyone who tried to enter the room and then himself.

Story was placed under arrest after a brief standoff. His gunshot wound was treated and he is currently being held at the Montgomery County, Missouri Jail. The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office said in a post that they had been actively searching for Story to question him about the disappearance of 32 year old Beverly J. Logan of Belleville, Illinois.

Logan was last seen at a residence on Ross Lane outside Belleville on January 25th. The St. Clair, Illinois County Sheriff’s Department says they learned through investigation that Logan had made it to Warrenton, Missouri with a male friend. Logan was last seen in possession of a rented blue Nissan Versa with Alabama license plate of CH1006. Anyone with information about Logan’s whereabouts s asked to contact the St. Clair County Sheriff’s Department at 618-825-5204.

Story is currently being held at the Montgomery County, Missouri Jail with bonds from two active warrants out of Illinois with bonds totaling $90,000. Story currently has 3 orders of protection against him and has a history of resisting arrest, threatening public officials, aggravated battery, and is a registered sex offender in the State of Illinois.

Approximately 2,500 Ameren-Illinois customers are still without power this afternoon after early morning storms swept through the area.

Multiple reports of downed power lines and trees came in this morning starting around 5AM. Locally heavy rainfall flooded out roads in low-lying rural areas and other flood-prone locations. East of Winchester, a report came in this afternoon of a tree landing on a garage. No injuries have been reported and no further damage has been reported officially at this time.

Ameren-Illinois announced that at 6:30AM they activated their Emergency Operations Center to begin assessing storm damage across the region. Ameren says that the center will be staffed around-the-clock to coordinate restoration services, logistical support, and communication.

Ameren-Illinois customers are encouraged to report outages of either electricity or natural gas immediately by calling 1-800-755-5000. By calling the hotline, utility customers with Ameren can receive the most updated information and an estimated time of service restoration. Real-time outage information can be found by visiting AmerenIllinois.com/outagemap.

Illinois Electric Co-Op had the following about their current outage situation with Internet and Electricity: “Last night’s storms caused widespread damage to the system. We currently have all crews working, as well as additional contractor crews. Due to the scattered nature of the damage, restoration times will vary depending on your location. Extensive damage from fallen trees will take considerable time to repair. Some members may be out for several more hours. We appreciate your patience, and will provide updates as available.” More information about Illinois Electric Co-Op can be found by visiting here.

Menard Electric Cooperative is not currently reporting any service outages.

The storms have already played havoc with some events in Jacksonville today.

The Links Golf Course is currently flooded causing the JHS Basketball and Football Golf Outing scheduled for tomorrow to be postponed to July 23rd.

Tonight’s scheduled races at the Jacksonville Motor Speedway at the Morgan County Fairgrounds are cancelled due to a flooded racetrack.

Jacksonville’s first cannabis dispensary should be opened by the end of the year.

The Journal Courier reports that Kenny Pleasant of Kush21 should be receiving his dispensary license from the State of Illinois by the first weeks of August.

The State of Illinois had been at a stalemate with a federal lawsuit about residency requirements for state cannabis dispensary licensing. The Chicago Tribune reported last month that Cook County Circuit Judge Michael Mullen lifted the stay that was issued last year, allowing the state to begin licensing new businesses, many of them started by Black and Latino owners.

The state plans to issue licenses in three waves. The first wave, for the Chicago area, is to be issued by July 22. The next wave, for other regions with multiple licenses, is due by August 5^th, with the final wave for districts with a single license on August 19^th.

The pace of licensing will be determined by how quickly applicants’ compliance checks can be verified for payment.

Kush21’s Jacksonville location at 1112 Veterans Drive will be its first outside of the State of Washington. Kush21 has 10 stores considered to be some of the top dispensaries in Washington. Pleasant told the Journal-Courier that the store will have a staff of 10 people.

The Pike County Sheriff’s Office arrested a man yesterday after he was caught operating under an alias on a social media site as a convicted sex offender.

Pike County Sheriff David Greenwood reports that sheriff’s deputies began an investigation into 21 year old Isaac E. Henson of Griggsville, who is currently on felony probation in Pike County for the offenses of indecent solicitation of a child and grooming, after they were made aware that Henson was utilizing a social media site listed under another person’s name. Henson was arrested at his residence in Griggsville without incident at 2PM yesterday.

Henson has been cited for failure to register as a sex offender and false information provided by a sex offender. Henson is currently lodged at the Pike County Jail on $20,000 bond. He is due for a first appearance in Pike County Circuit Court on Tuesday.

The Jacksonville Public Schools Foundation will be under new leadership when the new school year starts this Fall. Executive Director Amy Albers has announced her retirement after 12 years. Albers will officially step down on August 10^th to transition into self-employment.

Albers says she’s enjoyed everyone and the mission of the Public Schools Foundation during her tenure: “As I’ve told the teachers, the administrators, and the District 117 staff, it has been a work of passion for me that will leave a little piece of my heart behind. They have been so wonderful to work with, and it has been so great to see how they take care of our students and how they want the best for them. It’s been just a joy to be able to help them do that.”

Beginning August 1^st, Leslie J. (Smith) DeFrates will become the new Executive Director. Albers says that DeFrates is the right person for the job: “Leslie’s parents were both educators in District 117. She has worked in education her whole life at the collegiate level. She will be wonderful. She’s someone who is taking this job for the right reasons. It’s not for any other reason than she wants to continue the work of the Jacksonville Public Schools Foundation’s Board of Directors. She will be a wonderful addition.”

DeFrates’ experience spans an almost 30-year career as a higher education administrator working in multiple positions at both Lincoln Land Community College and the University of Illinois Springfield. She most recently served as the Associate Vice President at Illinois College where she sat on the President’s Cabinet and oversaw multiple areas of the College, including the President’s Office, facilities management, human resources, public safety, special projects, and was the liaison to the board of trustees. DeFrates has also been a member of the Public Schools Foundation’s Board of Directors since 2019.

The Jacksonville Public Schools Foundation asks that the Jacksonville community honor Albers for her years of service by making a donation to the Needy Student Fund in her honor.

To make a contribution, please send a check for the Jacksonville Public Schools Foundation Needy Student Fund by August 1^st to the offices at 211 West State Street in Jacksonville. Please note “Amy Albers” in the memo section of the check.

Sangamon County authorities arrested a Springfield man late last week in connection to several burglaries in rural Sangamon County earlier this month.

32 year old Brian E. Hiler II of Springfield was arrested last Friday afternoon at his residence in the 1000 block of North Edmond Avenue after an execution of a search warrant.

Hiler was wanted in connection to 3 separate burglaries that occurred throughout the first weeks of June and late May. According to Springfield Leaks, on May 20^th, Sangamon County Deputies responded to a residence in the 5000 block of South Cantrall Creek Road, near Cantrall. The homeowner had encountered three subjects in a vehicle outside the residence. The suspects fled but the vehicle, a white 2003 Buick Rendevous, was abandoned and later located by deputies in the 100 block of Hawkeye Way in Springfield. The vehicle was seized and processed for evidence.

On June 1^st, Sangamon County Sheriff’s Deputies took a residential burglary report in the 8000 block of Staley Road, near Loami. Numerous items were taken from the residence, including an antique firearm, a coin collection, and a rock collection.

Last Wednesday, a burglary report was taken from a storage facility in the 3200 block of Sangamon Avenue in Springfield. A Shelby Cobra kit car, dirt bikes, and car engine parts were taken from a storage shed.

Subsequent to the execution of the search warrant last Friday at Hiler’s residence, Sangamon County Deputies and Detectives discovered the body chassis, and numerous parts to the Shelby Cobra kit car were found concealed on the property on Edmond Avenue in Springfield.

Additional items, believed to be stolen property, were also seized in an attempt to identify other victims. Detectives believe all these cases are related and the investigation continues. If you have further information about these burglaries, please call the Sangamon County Sheriff’s Office at 217-753-6666 or the Menard-Sangamon Crime Stoppers at 217-788-8427.

Springfield Leaks reports that Hiler was released from the Illinois Department of Corrections in January and was on parole for a delivery of methamphetamine conviction. Hiler also has a lengthy criminal history throughout Central and West Central Illinois.

Hiler has been charged with residential burglary, burglary, theft of a motor vehicle, and possession of stolen property. Hiler is currently being held on $500,000 bond at the Sangamon County Jail.