A Virginia, Illinois man arrested by Illinois State Police in June for multiple charges of child pornography and sexual abuse is heading to prison.

20 year old Devan J. Rice pled guilty to one count of child pornography in December. In March of last year, ISP Division of Criminal Investigations Zone 4 launched an investigation into Rice after a 13-year-old and a 14-year-old told police in separate interviews that they had been in a sexual relationship with Rice. During the investigation, police reportedly learned that Rice had been in contact with several other juvenile girls through social media. According to ISP, Rice requested nude photos from several juvenile victims through social media messages.

Rice was also linked to the messages allegedly sent by former Virginia Police Chief Bryce Kennedy. Kennedy eventually resigned from the position after social media messages were made public. Rice’s involvement in Kennedy’s case were made public in January when Kennedy received employment with the Grandview Police Department near Springfield. According to reports, Rice disseminated the messages in an effort to get back at Kennedy for writing him a cannabis possession ticket.

The investigation into Rice involved Jacksonville Police, Beardstown Police, the Cass County Sheriff’s Office, the Advocacy Network for Children, DCFS, and the Illinois Attorney General’s Office Internet Crimes against Children Task Force.

Rice heard victim impact statements from both of the victims’ mothers and also presented two character witnesses prior to today’s sentencing by Cass County Judge Timothy J. Wessel.

Rice was sentenced to 7 ½ years in the Illinois Department of Corrections, 4 years of Mandatory Supervised Release, and ordered to pay a $1,000 county fine plus court costs. Rice will also have to register as a sex offender upon release from prison.

A local man has won a national award for saving a family from a burning vehicle.

Gerald “Andy” Wright accepted the 37^th Goodyear Highway Hero Award during a news conference Sunday at the 2022 Technology & Maintenance Council in Orlando, Florida.

While driving on Illinois Route 3 in the Metro East, Wright encountered a vehicle that was on fire following an accident. Equipped with nothing more than a fire extinguisher and load bar, Wright sprung to action and quickly suppressed the fire as best he could until the extinguisher ran out. Wright then proceeded to break the vehicle’s sunroof and helped pull the trapped occupants out of the vehicle to safety. By the time all riders had been removed, the car was fully engulfed in fire.

Wright received a significant monetary reward and other custom prizes from Goodyear. The program has been in existence since 1983. It celebrates professional truck drivers who act selflessly for the good of others on the highways across North America.

Wright currently serves as the Fire Chief of the Alexander Fire Protection District.

A local representative’s bill to help ease the bus driver shortage in the state has passed the Illinois House.

State Representative C.D. Davidsmeyer’s bill helps out an applicant who may have had their license suspended for a specific reason but is now back in good standing and wishes to drive a school bus. Davidsmeyer said during floor debate that the situation came up in his district and a person was turned away over issues due to unpaid child support. He says the chamber has a recent history of passing bills that alleviates penalizing people for the rest of their life for something they did in their past: “This gentleman has since fully paid up his child support, but the law currently says that you have to have had your driver’s license for the 3 years prior to be able to drive a bus.”

Davidsmeyer says that the bill will require someone to have their child support fully paid off or in a payment plan to secure bus driver employment: “A payment program allows them to pay the back child support and continue to work towards continuing to pay that child support.”

HB4230 was approved 99-1, with 25^th District Democrat Curtis Tarver as the lone no vote. The bill now heads to the Senate for their consideration.

Pittsfield City Hall is expanding.

Pittsfield’s City Council approved a $130,000 purchase of a neighboring building to add an additional 4,400 square feet, according to the Journal Courier.

The expansion will allow for private offices for city officials, including a small business incubator. The city council will also get a new meeting room, along with a separate conference room.

The money for the purchase will come from the city’s TIF funds. Mayor Gary Mendenhall told the Journal Courier that the city is seeking grants for any additional necessary construction.

The move into the new space isn’t expected for several months as the adjacent building’s tenants are looking for a place to relocate.

An international animal rights group is saying a Beardstown pork producer is mistreating its animals.

The Journal Courier reports that PETA wrote to Cass County State’s Attorney Craig Miller this week, urging action in light of a U.S. Department of Agriculture investigator’s reports from April and May while at JBS USA in Beardstown.

A USDA investigator reported an employee of the facility striking a hog in its face with a driving aid on the two occasions, which is not in compliance with USDA regulations involving the humane handling of livestock. The investigator noted in the report that compliance was not properly implemented.

Miller has acknowledged to the Journal Courier receiving an email about the incidents, but had yet to receive the complete report. Miller declined to comment further to the paper about whether an investigation would take place.

The National Weather Service of Central Illinois says there is a threat for severe weather near and west of the Illinois River Valley this evening.

Severe storms will be most likely between 6 pm and midnight. Damaging wind gusts to near 60 mph will be the primary hazard. Damaging wind gusts are expected to become more isolated farther east. An isolated tornado or two are also possible. The line of possibly areas that should be on watch stretches from Pittsfield in Pike County to the northeast towards Havana in Mason County. Other cities in the area that could be on watch are Beardstown and Meredosia.

The entire listening area is under a Wind Advisory until 6AM Sunday.

Be alert for storm development, and know where you would take shelter if severe storms occur.

A Versailles man was arrested yesterday by Illinois State Police Division of Criminal Investigation Zone 4 investigators and Brown County Sheriff’s Deputies for Criminal Sexual Assault and Aggravated Domestic Battery.

According to ISP DCI Zone 4 reports, ISP DCI Zone 4 Investigators and the Brown County Sheriff’s Office initiated an investigation into 24 year old Robert W. Crafton, Jr. after a victim came forward and disclosed that she was both sexually and physically abused by Crafton.

Crafton is currently out on bond from a December 2021 arrest for 4 counts of aggravated criminal sexual assault, domestic battery, 4 counts of criminal sexual assault, and unlawful restraint. Crafton was set to appear in Brown County Court on the charges on March 14th. All of the 2021 charges are in regards to a different victim.

Crafton was arrested yesterday after being located on a traffic stop by the Brown County Sherrif’s Department. Crafton was transported to the Schuyler County Jail. Crafton is initially being charged with Criminal Sexual Assault and Aggravated Domestic Battery, and is being held in custody pending the completion of a risk assessment.

Anyone with information concerning this case is asked to contact ISP Zone 4 Investigations at (217) 782-4750.

Governor J.B. Pritzker has issued updated guidance for Covid-19 in schools.

Yesterday, the governor issued an executive order lifting the school exclusion requirements, shifting schools back to the ordinary processes for handling infectious diseases.

According to a press release from the administration, the executive order was initially put in place to standardize CDC requirements for schools and alleviate the burden on overwhelmed local health departments from having to provide individualized recommendations. The order says that schools and local health departments can now resume exercising their own authority to address infectious disease cases among students and staff.

According to the CDC guidance, everyone who has presumed or confirmed COVID-19 should stay home and isolate from other people for at least 5 full days. They should wear a mask when around others for an additional 5 days. For close contacts: CDC guidance continues to recommend that individuals who are not up-to-date on COVID-19 vaccinations stay at home and quarantine for at least 5 days after exposure to COVID-19 and wear a mask until day 10. The CDC recommends that close contacts who are up to date with their COVID-19 vaccines or who are within 90 days of a COVID-19 infection do not need to quarantine. The new CDC guidance was issued on February 25^th that lifted masking requirements for most indoor facilities, including schools.

According to the order, it has no impact on the state’s vaccination or testing requirements to screen unvaccinated school staff. Additionally, school districts and private businesses can continue to require masks at their discretion.