Congresswoman Mary Miller’s re-election bid in the new 15^th District was hit with an investigative report about one of her unpaid volunteer campaign workers yesterday.

KSDK’s 5 on Your Side says that Miller has enlisted the services of Brad Graven of Sullivan.

Graven pleaded guilty to Indecent Solicitation of a Child in 2005 while working as a member of the Illinois State Treasurer’s Office under the late Judy Baar Topinka.

According to an article by the Chicago Tribune, Graven contacted a Villa Park police officer who was posing as a teenage boy in an Internet chat room in June 2003 and then Graven drove from his home in Sullivan to a drugstore parking lot in Villa Grove to engage in sexual activities. Graven was eventually sentenced to 2 years of sex offender probation and 40 days in the DuPage County Jail.

According to KSDK, Graven has actively petitioned for Miller during this primary election season and has had virtually unlimited access to Miller, serving as her personal chauffeur at public events and raised money for her campaign. Miller allegedly trusted Graven with her family vehicle, according to photos, videos, and other documents.

The 57 year old Graven claimed to KSDK by phone that he was an unpaid volunteer on the Miller Re-Election campaign. His LinkedIN account lists his profession as a self-employed political consultant.

Miller is running against five-term 13^th District incumbent Rodney Davis in the Republican primary next month. KSDK obtained a statement from Davis campaign manager Aaron DeGroot challenging the Miller camp to explain her relationship with Graven.

The Miller Campaign has made no public statement on the issue as of press time.

Mother Nature has driven a new event indoors on the Downtown Square tonight in Jacksonville

Julie Rowe of Home Girls says the Central Park Market is still going as planned: “Mother Nature took over. We have moved indoors for the Central Park Market for today. It’s still 4-8PM at 41 South Central Park Plaza, which is the old Woolworth Building right next door to Home Girls.”

Rowe is optimistic the weather will break this evening to allow more people to come out: “All the vendors are still coming. The food trucks are still setting up. It looks like, according to the weatherman this morning, that their might be a break in the rain. It will still be raining but not quite as hard as it is this morning. Hopefully that will happen. It’ll make things a little bit better. The indoor space is great, though. We have some tables set up inside so people can come and sit down and enjoy themselves. Then, all of the downtown businesses are staying open late tonight, until 8PM.”

Rowe says the event will be the first Thursday of the month from now until September.

For more information, email centralparkjaxil@gmail.com or visit the Central Park Market Facebook Page.

Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul filed a lawsuit yesterday going after predatory Home Repair scams hit multiple counties.

Raoul filed the lawsuit in the Circuit Court of Cook County against G&M Exterior Pros, Inc. and Illinois Adjustors Corporation as well as their respective owners. The lawsuit alleges the businesses preyed on more than 40 homeowners in several counties across the state.

According to Raoul’s lawsuit, Illinois Adjustors allegedly promised to waive its public adjusting fees for homeowners who agreed to hire G&M to perform roofing repairs after homes were hit with storm damages. Illinois Adjustors would then allegedly act as a middleman between the homeowner and insurance company, receiving claim checks in the company’s name. However, Raoul alleges that once the checks were issued, G&M often failed to begin or complete promised repair work or would perform substandard work. When homeowners attempted to cancel their contracts, G&M often ignored complaints, leaving people with limited options and the fear that Illinois Adjustors would demand payment for the public adjusting fee that was previously waived when the homeowner selected G&M. That fee often equated to over a third of the total insurance proceeds.

Raoul’s lawsuit also alleges that the company failed to provide homeowners information in regards to their cancellation rights.

In the lawsuit, Raoul is seeking restitution for victims, a court-ordered prohibition against both companies and owners from further engaging in similar business practices, and civil penalties for violations of the Consumer Fraud Act.

Consumers who believe they have been the victim of fraud can file a complaint on the Attorney General’s website or by calling the office’s Consumer Fraud Hotline at 1-(800) 243-0618.

The first of a quartet of suspects allegedly involved in an armed robbery in Jacksonville from January has pleaded guilty to charges in Morgan County Court on Tuesday afternoon.

41 year old Edith M. Schubert of the 700 block of West Douglas Avenue pleaded guilty to theft over $500, a Class 3 felony. Schubert was one of four suspects wanted by Jacksonville Police in relation to an armed robbery that occurred in a vehicle in the Rolling Acres subdivision on East Morton Avenue on the evening of January 13^th.

Schubert and 38 year old Jonathan P. Parrish were arrested by police detectives on January 24^th and initially charged with aggravated robbery, a Class 1 felony, for their alleged role in the incident.

Schubert was sentenced to 2 years of probation, a $500 fine, plus court costs. She was credited for 86 days served in the Morgan County Jail. She was also ordered to pay $7,500 in restitution to the victim.

The Jacksonville Memorial Foundation received their allocation of funds yesterday from the 2021 Memorial Health Championship as part of the Korn Ferry professional golf tour, sponsored by LRS.

Pam Martin, Executive Director of the Jacksonville Memorial Foundation says the funds raised are an annual gift to the foundations that support the Memorial Health system across Central Illinois.

Martin says that the $10,000 allocation will be used to support people in Jacksonville looking for employment: “$50,000 of proceeds from last year’s Memorial Health Championship will be split between the five Memorial affiliate foundations. Our Jacksonville Memorial Foundation accepted $10,000 to fund education grants helping individuals obtain degrees in healthcare. Such grants support the workforce at our local hospital. As the tournament grows, so will the charitable funds to distribute annually between the five Memorial affiliate foundations serving important community health needs.”

Korn Ferry Tour officials announced yesterday the opening of ticket sales for the 2022 Memorial Health Championship scheduled for July 14-17^th at Panther Creek Country Club in Springfield. Taylor Moore will defend his title from last year. Moore set a course record in the third round last year with an 11-under 60.

Martin says it’s a great tournament for local golf fans: “It’s exciting for golf enthusiasts in our area to make the short drive to Panther Creek Golf Club in Springfield to watch 156 professional golfers compete for the top of the leader board. As a spectator, you can observe the action up close. There are also opportunities to volunteer and help on the golf course.”

Get more details at memorialhealthchampionship.com.

A Springfield man accused of car jacking, sexual assault, and home invasion in Adams County says his public defender is ineffective and he wishes to represent himself in court.

35 year old Bradley Yohn of Springfield was in court yesterday and told Adams County Judge Amy Lannerd that Public Defender John Citro needs to be dismissed from his case.

Yohn’s case was on the May jury trial docket. It was removed last Friday, however, after Citro asked for an expert to review DNA evidence. Yohn filed a motion yesterday for withdrawal of counsel in Adams County Circuit Court saying Citro has not discussed his case with him at the Adams County Jail and has not presented evidence discovery to him. Judge Lannerd called a hearing on the case late yesterday afternoon.

Yohn also wrote he believes he can be more effective in defending his own innocence. He wants his trial to proceed and to represent himself Pro Se.

According to Muddy River News, Judge Lannerd closed the hearing by keeping Citro as Yohn’s counsel for the time being and set a hearing on a motion for ineffective counsel on May 11^th. Yohn remains held at the Adams County Jail.

The Jacksonville Area Convention and Visitor’s Bureau has been celebrating National Travel & Tourism week all week long.

Executive Director Brittany Henry says people should be watching the bureau’s social media this week for special highlights of what makes it great to come to Jacksonville. The theme for the week has been “The Future of Travel.” The bureau has been doing a city tour on their social media where they’ve been showcasing a different, unique location in Jacksonville each day. There’s also been a Bingo game for families to complete by traveling to different locations in the Jacksonville throughout the week.

Henry says the week will be capped with a party tomorrow night with the Jacksonville Area Chamber of Commerce’s Business After Hours at the bureau office at 310 East State Street from 4-6PM. Mayor Andy Ezard will give a brief speech about tourism in Jacksonville at 5PM. Since it’s Cinco de Mayo, there will be snacks and refreshments with that theme at the after hours get-together. Henry says though that the party will end a little early, as they are going to attempt to push visitors out to the Central Park Market happening at the same time on the Downtown Square: “We’ve created a fun little market card as well as some fun little swag items…There’s also a big event happening [tomorrow], which is the Central Park Market. We had already had our event scheduled and thought that this would be great. There are going to be businesses open late in downtown, so we shortened our event hours so we can push people out into the community to explore and experience that new event.”

Henry says it’s important that tourism and small business partner with each other, especially during recovery from the pandemic: “When you turn in our market card to us, you have a chance in a drawing to win a $250 Visa gift card. We hope that people will get out and explore this new event that will be happening the first Thursday of every month. The museum will be open across the street from us. There is going to be some local and area vendors and food trucks. There’s just alot of fun things happening tomorrow. With the future of travel, one of the things that we talk about with this recovery process is small business. Small businesses are the heartbeat of our economy, and those are businesses that our travelers like to experience when they are here visiting Jacksonville.”

Henry says according to a report from 2020, tourism supports 364 jobs in the area and $1.6 million in local tax revenue. Travelers to Jacksonville spent $50.6 million in 2020. Henry says the 2021 tourism figures will be released later this summer.

If you would like to RSVP to the Business After Hours tomorrow, RSVP at visitors@jacksonvilleil.org or call 217-243-5678.

A familiar friend will be returning to the State Fair this summer.

Organizers announced that Willie Nelson & Family will be the headlining act at the Grandstand on Tuesday, August 16^th. Opening for Nelson, is four-time Grammy nominee Elle King. King had a #1 U.S. Rock Hit (#10 Billboard Hot 100 single) with “Ex’s & Oh’s” in 2014. She recently reached #4 on the Rock charts and #1 on the Hot Country Charts with her duet with Miranda Lambert with the single “Drunk (And I Don’t Wanna Go Home.”

Nelson has played the Illinois State Fair multiple times over the past several decades. It will be his first time performing at the State Fair since 2000.

State Fair organizers also announced several opening acts for other shows.

Sean Stemaly and Shelby Darrall will open for Sam Hunt Friday, August 12th.

Southern Illinois native and singer songwriter Kendell Marvel will open for Brooks & Dunn Sunday, August 14th.

Vocalist Ann Wilson of Heart will be the opener for Sammy Hagar & the Circle on Sunday, August 21st.

Ticket sales for Willie Nelson & Family will be available on ticketmaster.com starting at 10am Saturday, May 7th.

Fairgoers are reminded that Ticketmaster is the only authorized ticket broker for the Illinois State Fair. All other websites and offers may be fraudulent and buyers should beware.

The U.S. Central District Court has set a date for a retrial of one of the Western Illinois Correctional Facility guards accused of violating the rights of a prisoner by participating in a beating that led to the prisoner’s death.

U.S. District Judge Sue E. Myerscough says the court has no objection to re-trying the case with a new jury against 53 year old Todd Sheffler of Mendon.

Sheffler’s verdict in the initial case was hung on a 9-3 vote on a jury that convicted 30 year old Alex Banta of Quincy on April 25^th.

According to testimony, Sheffler was not a part of an initial beating doled out to 65 year old Larry Earvin in his residential unit but joined an escort that was taking Earvin to segregation at the Mt. Sterling prison. According to jurors after the trial, other fellow jurors didn’t believe that Sheffler was a part of the assault that ultimately led to Earvin’s death in May 2018, but believe he ultimately didn’t do anything to stop it or to report it properly.

The holdout jurors also said they did not believe evidence proved additional beating in the segregation unit’s blind spot because the bulk of the testimony about it came from Corrections employees who admitted to initially lying to the Illinois State Police or FBI. The “blind spot” in the segregation unit’s vestibule was not covered by security cameras. Multiple reports of beatings at this “blind spot” was uncovered by WBEZ radio in Chicago after an investigative report and interviews with several former inmates of the prison.

Sheffler faces a potential maximum penalty of life in prison if he is found guilty to any of the conspiracy or deprivation of civil rights charges.

Pre-trial motions are due to the court by May 23^rd with responses by both sides to be made by May 31^st. Jury selection for the case will be performed by a U.S. Magistrate judge. The final pretrial conference is scheduled for June 16^th with the re-trial set to begin on July 5^th.

Sheffler, Banta, and other guards and parties who have been mentioned during testimony at last month’s trial also face civil federal litigation with a possible trial in that case set for next year.