The Cass County Sheriff’s Office netted a second arrest as a part of an ongoing drug operation being dubbed “Operation: March Madness.”

Cass County Sheriff’s Deputies served a search warrant at a residence in the 500 block of East 2^nd Street in Beardstown yesterday. Cass County Sheriff Devron Ohrn says the warrant was obtained based on information gathered from an ongoing drug investigation throughout the county, particularly surrounding methamphetamine trafficking.

Subsequent to execution of the warrant, 46 year old Oscar Martinez of that vicinity was cited for possession of methamphetamine, possession of methamphetamine with intent to delivery, delivery of methamphetamine, possession of drug paraphernalia, animal cruelty, unlawful use or possession of firearm and/or ammunition by a felon, and possession of an open title.

Martinez is currently lodged at the Schuyler County Jail without bond. Assisting the Cass County Sheriff’s Office in the arrest were members of the Beardstown Police Department.

UPDATED:

Pike County authorities are searching for a missing man this hour.

According to Pike County Sheriff David Greenwood, just before 2PM on Sunday, the sheriff’s office received a report of 30 year old Austin J. Shaw as a missing person. According to the missing persons report, Shaw has been missing since March 7^th.

Shaw is described as a white male, with brown hair, reddish-brown goatee, brown eyes, and he has a barbwire tattoo on his right bicep. He was last seen wearing a green & white baseball cap, an olive green hoodie, jeans, and thigh high hunting boots.

Shaw was last seen just southwest of Fishhook, which is reportedly where he was dropped off to go rock hunting. A couple of items belonging to Shaw were reportedly found in this area. The area was searched on foot on Monday. The Illinois State Police Air Operations also searched the area on Monday. On Tuesday, a large scale ground search was conducted of the area with 34 volunteers including the Baylis Fire Department, Brown County EMA, Griggsville Fire, North Pike Fire, Meredosia Fire, the Pike County Volunteer Emergency Corps, and Pike County EMS. This group also included family and private citizens.

On Tuesday, the Pike County Sheriff’s Department received a tip that said Shaw was observed walking north of Route 104 on 372^nd Street on March 10^th around 4:30PM.

According to Sheriff Greenwood, this is a much larger area that was also searched by ISP Air Operations for three hours on Tuesday. Ground searches are still continuing in this area.

The Pike County Sheriff’s Office says if you know of Shaw’s whereabouts or wish to leave an anonymous tip to please call 217-285-5011.

UPDATE: Pike County Sheriff David Greenwood confirmed Friday afternoon it was NOT Austin who was seen walking on 372^nd St, North of State Highway 104.

He was last seen at a Pike Co Business wearing a two tone brown hat with a white patch on the front, a grey hoodie, muck type boots, and jeans with the right back side ripped around the whole pocket.

A Morgan County man who tried to entice a minor to engage in sexual activity will spend the next 15 years of his life in prison.

32 year old Corey Meador of Woodson was sentenced to 15 years in prison along with 15 years of mandatory supervised release by U.S. District Judge Sue E. Myerscough on Monday.

Federal prosecutors say that Meador used facilities and means of interstate commerce, the internet and a cell phone to knowingly try to “persuade, induce and entice” a person who he believed was under 18 to take part in sexual activity. He used money and candy to try to persuade the person, who he believed to be 11 years old.

According to court documents, Meador then spent months planning a trip and drove to meet the child, which is where he was arrested. The activity is said to have taken place between February 11, 2021, and April 8, 2021.

Judge Myerscough wrote in her ruling on the case that Meador’s conversations with the minor were “extended” and “disturbing.”

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Springfield Division, and Illinois State Police. The government was represented in prosecution by Assistant U.S. Attorney Tanner K. Jacobs.

Illinois College’s annual day of giving surpassed expectations yesterday.

The college surpassed their 800 separate donor goal by 25%, with 1,006 donors donating over $398,432 yesterday. The total nearly matches the $400,000 total from last year.

The Class of 2024 had the most individual donors with 25. The Class of 1966 had the highest dollar amount donated with their 12 individual donors hitting $12,925.

Illinois brought back the hunting of bobcats almost six years ago. Sightings of the animal have increased rapidly across the state. West Central Illinois appears to be the prime place to come looking for one during its regulated hunting and trapping season during the winter. Prior to 2016, the species was considered a protected species due to over hunting in the late 19th and early 20th Centuries.

Illinois Department of Natural Resources Program Manager for the Wildlife Diversity Program Stan McTaggart says that the bobcat population and species is a true conservation success story. He says over harvest of the animals occurred due to a lack of any conservation laws. He says that over the past century the state was able to bring back several animals from near extinction by protecting their habitat, encouraging growth of population through monitoring efforts, and creating regulations on hunting and trapping.

McTaggart says that the West Central Illinois habitat along with bobcat prey population makes it an ideal place to hunt or trap bobcats as one of the state’s 14 fur-bearing species’ hunting seasons. Brown, Macoupin, Morgan, and Schuyler were all in the top 10 counties for harvested bobcat this year with double digits. It was nearly double what many had brought in compared to previous years’ harvest numbers.

Overall, for the 2021-2022 season, 290 bobcats were harvested by hunters and trappers. That number is slightly down compared to the previous year’s 339.

McTaggart says that bobcat are hunted and trap for a number of reasons. He says some people hunt and trap them because the last 6 years was the first time the animals were allowed to be hunted since the early 1970s. Others, he says, hunt bobcats due to being a nuisance on farm ground while others hunt and trap them for their fur despite the fur market being depressed for a number of years.

The bobcat season in Illinois runs from November 10^th to February 15^th annually, with the exception of being closed for firearm deer season. To find out more, visit this link.

Cass County Sheriff’s Deputies arrested one woman yesterday after conducting a search warrant.

Deputies executed the warrant at a residence in the first block of Frank Wessel Drive in Beardstown. According to Cass County Sheriff Devron Ohrn, the search warrant was obtained on information from an investigation involving the theft and forgery of stolen checks. Stolen checks were allegedly written in Cass and neighboring counties.

Deputies arrested 48 year old Rebecca L. Spears of that vicinity for Forgery, Possession of Methamphetamine less than 5 grams, and possession of Drug Paraphernalia. She remains held without bond at the Schuyler County Jail.

A Springfield man involved in a high speed chase through Sangamon, Morgan, and Greene County last year has been indicted by a federal grand jury on multiple charges.

WICS Newschannel 20 reports that 36 year old Vonta L. Commer of Springfield has been charged with possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine.

Commer has a long line of felony arrests dating back to the early 2000s in the area including robbery, armed robbery, and miscellaneous drug charges.

A State Journal Register story indicates that Commer was arrested in May 2013 for a shooting in the 2100 block of South Renfro Street in Springfield. Commer was cited with a parole violation, unlawful possession of a weapon by a felon, aggravated discharge of a firearm and aggravated battery/discharge firearm in the arrest by Springfield. Commer was later charged in Sangamon County Court for manufacture and delivery of cocaine. Commer would go on to plead guilty to the drug charges and be sentenced to 10 years in the Illinois Department of Corrections, along with 3 years of Mandatory Supervised Release.

In May 2021, Commer would lead multiple agencies on a high speed chase through Sangamon, Morgan, and Greene County after refusing to pull over for a traffic stop for Illinois State Police after they allegedly observed traffic violations on Interstate 72. Commer was eventually stopped after a high speed chase down Illinois Route 267. Greene County authorities performed a pit maneuver on Commer’s 2020 Nissan just north of the Illinois Route 108 intersection and took him into custody. Commer would plead guilty to aggravated fleeing of police in August 2021 and was sentenced to 1 year of conditional discharge plus fines, fees, and court costs.

The plea was also pending deferred prosecution in Sangamon County Court on charges of armed habitual criminal, manufacture and delivery of methamphetamine, and possession of a weapon by a felon charges. Commer was also wanted in May 2021 for a parole violation and a Sangamon County traffic warrant. He is scheduled to have a trial call on April 11th.

Yesterday, the federal grand jury indicted Commer as a part of The Department of Justice’s Project Safe Neighborhoods initiative. Commer is currently being lodged on undisclosed charges at the Macon County Jail in Decatur.

Governor J.B. Pritzker visited Lewis & Clark Community College in Godfrey on Monday to announce a nearly $40 million investment in the college’s buildings.

The project includes a complete renovation of the Main Complex, which includes 5 historic buildings (Baldwin, Caldwell, Wade, Fobes, and Reid) at approximately 170,000 square feet. The renovations are partially being funded by $37.5 million in Rebuild Illinois capital plan funds as well as an additional $12.5 million local match from the school.

Pritzker says that community college investment is just as important as 4-year institutions because of the variety of programs and certifications they offer to students: “It’s another thing we can do to lift up learners all across the State of Illinois. Serving 15,000 students, Lewis and Clark is exactly the kind of institution we should be investing in to fuel economic opportunity in this region – and thanks to our Rebuild Illinois capital plan, we’re celebrating nearly $40 million worth of renovations on the L&C campus.”

State Senator Steve McClure says community colleges are an economic driver for their localities: “I don’t think people realize that people tend to stay where they go to college. Lewis & Clark has a particularly strong impact on that because of all the trades [programs] that they offer. I remember the first time I toured this campus – number one, you see what a beautiful campus it is; number two, you just see the impact it has on the entire economy. The fact that so many come from across the country to come here and so many stay in the area afterwards is a real testament to the impact this school has.”

In addition to the Main Complex, the funding is also a part of 3 deferred maintenance projects at Lewis and Clark Community College totaling just over $1 million in investments. The projects will address fire alarm system and fan coil unit replacements, as well as critical structure and foundation repairs.

The current renovation work, scheduled to begin next year, will include mechanical, electrical, and plumbing upgrades, health and life safety improvements, the replacement of the fire suppression and fire alarm systems, ADA, lighting, and elevator upgrades, interior finishes, and upgrades to the roofing systems, windows, and building envelopes.

The school has been working on securing the funding for the renovations for nearly a decade.

Mediacom has moved into its new location at 1223 West Morton Avenue. Mediacom’s Senior Director of Area Operations Dan Stuhr says the new location will update the look and feel of their retail location after leaving their previous location at 409 Massey Lane.

Stuhr says it will provide a new customer experience while also providing their continued customer service: “We’ve been in the building on Massey Lane location for over 40 years. It was just time to update things. The cable business has changed. The video business is changing. The Internet is growing, and we have done this change in other markets across Central Illinois. We thought it was time to do it in Jacksonville, as well. It gives [our office] a little more of a retail flavor. If people are familiar with the retail locations of cell phone companies, it is the same type of thing where you can come in and touch and feel the product, talk to sales representatives, start new service, and of course, we can still take payments and answer billing questions. It’s just an updated feel with a more modern look.”

Mediacom also automatically boosted speeds across their network this week. The company’s Access Internet Basic tier will rise to 100 megabytes per second download speeds. They also doubled download speeds for the Connect – 2 – Compete service through the FCC’s Affordable Connectivity Program. Stuhr says the program is designed to give low income households that qualify broadband Internet access: “As times change, the speeds go up. People need to use the Internet more – it seems like several new devices come out each day that connect to your home network. People work from home or are going to school from home, which we have seen more of over the last couple of years. Speed is important. Just a couple or three years ago, people were coming in [signing up for our service] at 60MB download speeds. Now, we are seeing most people coming in and signing up at the 100MB and 300MB levels, which is now automatically become 200MB and 400MB. As people use [the Internet] more for home and school and it seems like everyday something else is coming out on the marketplace that connects to your WiFi, speed is important. We are lucky that our founder had the foresight to sink some money into our network several years back to be able to offer 1GB speeds. We’ve done that for 5-6 years now, and that really helped prepare for something that nobody was prepared for, which was the pandemic.”

Stuhr says with the increased speeds and now the increased visibility of the retail location that more changes may be on the way in the future for Mediacom.