The Village of South Jacksonville was barely able to hold a meeting last night. Two members of the Board of Trustees – Stacy Pinkerton and John Stewart did not show to the meeting. The meeting was also again not attended by Village Treasurer Tiffanee Peters. South Jacksonville Fire Chief Rich Evans Jr. was also not in attendance. Village President Dick Samples says that Evans called ahead prior to the meeting saying he would not be able to attend so his absence was excused.

Samples says he doesn’t know why the two trustees didn’t show: “[I have] no idea. I was not informed of anything. Nobody called. Nobody emailed. Nobody texted. They just aren’t here.”

Samples says he still hasn’t had any interested parties come forward for the clerk position right now. Currently, Village Office Employee Clay Johnson is filling the role on an interim basis. Samples says he’s got bigger jobs on his plate right now: “I haven’t done a thing with [the clerk’s position] to be truthful. I haven’t worried about it. I have a clerk here that’s filling in the job so far and we’re getting by. I know we need a clerk but that requirement or that deal is at the low end of the requests right now.”

The attending board members failed to approve Samples’ second appointment to the trustee position at the meeting, Jason Hill. Hill resigned in the summer last year after an altercation with then-Mayor Tyson Manker that lead to a police investigation over alleged eavesdropping and harassment. No charges were ever filed against Hill. Hill and former Village Clerk Krystin Hill, who happens to be his wife, submitted their letters of resignation in June, just a month following the incident.

Trustee Tom Jordan made the motion to accept the appointment, but the motion died for a lack of a second. Hill was not in attendance for the meeting. Samples says he purposely didn’t invite Hill to the meeting: “I told him not to come. I wasn’t going to embarrass him in the event that he was not installed tonight. I wasn’t going to go through that again like Todd [Warrick] had to go through last month by not getting voted in. If Jason had been voted in tonight, you know, I would’ve called him and we would’ve had a special meeting probably and put him in before the Committee of the Whole meeting this month.”

According to state statute, Samples now can appoint anyone he chooses to the position after 30 days is up from this meeting. Samples says that Warrick will be his choice once the time is up.

Samples says the past few months in his position has been frustrating at times: “I think we are beginning to see light at the end of the tunnel, but it’s one step forward, two steps back every time you turn around.”

In other business, the trustees approved 13 sets of session minutes dating back to October 7, 2021; February payable bills in the amount of $244,395; and discussed personnel in executive session.

The trustees also heard a presentation by Village Chief of Police Eric Hansell about a proposal to update body cameras, tasers, and squad car cameras with the Axon Software Company. The cost would be approximately $84,000 spread over annual payments over the next 5 years. Hansell invited the trustees to visit the police department for further demonstration and explanation about the system’s potential upgrades to the department’s current equipment.

The village board will next meet during Committee of the Whole on Thursday, March 17^th at 6:30.

Jacksonville is one step closer to having its first adult use cannabis dispensary.

The Jacksonville Plans Commission approved the rezoning of 1112 Veterans Drive from business-4 to business 4 special use zoning by a vote of 4 to 1. Nick Little was the lone ‘no’ vote on the council. Little did not wish to be interviewed in concern to his vote.

Kenny Pleasant of Bellevue, Washington was in attendance for the meeting. The former real estate entrepreneur said that he was originally opposed to cannabis usage because of its detriment to the Black community’s progress. However, as a Black man, he saw that many of the customers to the industry were older people and those with mental health problems seeking the drug for therapeutic use. He says that a main component of his 10 other dispensaries is education and being a good municipal partner with the cities in which they operate. Pleasant says he hopes to use the dispensary as a way to partner with the City of Jacksonville’s other businesses and help the community grow and succeed.

Plans Commission Chair Mike Oldenettel says that Pleasant’s petition for rezoning checked all the boxes under the city’s ordinance for placement of the business: “I was very impressed actually with [Mr. Pleasant’s] presentation. It was comforting to know that isn’t his first dispensary – this isn’t his second one – this is his 10th or 11th, so we are dealing with an entity that I think that they know where they are going and they know the hurdles that they have to get through. He had mentioned issues with the State of Illinois, whom they are waiting on for some finalization of things. My comfort level was raised with him being here this evening and talking about his business, and his business’ operations. The city already made the decision to allow this to happen. It was just up to us to decide where it could go. I feel this is a good location and so did the committee.”

City Development Director Brian Nyberg believes that Pleasant’s company is the perfect fit for Jacksonville. Nyberg believes that city is missing out on large revenue stream as many in the city already go to Springfield or Quincy for dispensaries anyway. Nyberg says he’s also been impressed by the blue prints of the business when it comes to security: “I know the State of Illinois puts regulation on as far as cameras and what the Illinois State Police has to have access to those cameras 24/7, so I think that will make policing for any city, local or municipality that much easier when it’s 24/7. They know exactly what’s going on. I know it’s even more strict with craft grow facilities that you have to have card swipes to go in any rooms so they know where everybody in the building is at any time and they know exactly how many plants are in the building. I’m not sure if that’s the same type of strict things that [dispensaries] have to have, but I know that the State Police will be involved and they will have close contact with the city police.”

With the Plans Commission making their recommendation, the special use permit will now head before the Jacksonville City Council for final approval.

In other petitions, the Plans Commission approved Chehog, LLC’s petition to rezone 117 East Morton Avenue from Business-3 to Business-3 with Special Use. The proposal indicates that a drive-thru Pizza Hut will go in the location. Tom Richards of Chehog, LLC says they will also be constructing a concrete pad to have their own dumpster to the east of the business. Local neighbors had questions about the business after complaining of alleged health code violations and problems with the dumpster currently behind Dunkin’ Donuts. The petition passed unanimously.

The final petition was to rezone the old Lafayette School at 747 West Lafayette Avenue from public to Business-4 for the relocation of The Little Red Wagon Daycare. After a neighbor voiced concerns about the daycare’s hours of operation bringing noise and traffic concerns as well as concerns about the daycare’s miniature ponies and a proposed barn to be constructed on the property, the commission approved the rezoning.

The commission also discussed potential zoning ordinances for an upcoming city licensing ordinance of long-term rentals, bed & breakfasts, and AirBnBs. City Attorney Dan Beard says that the ordinance would require everyone in the city who currently operates one of those types of business to be registered and licensed by the city. The plans commission’s input to the ordinance would be just exactly where those types of businesses could be located. Further discussion with the city council and the plans commission is expected before the ordinance is finalized.

The Jacksonville Kiwanis have announced the recipient of proceeds for this year’s .5K.

The Jacksonville Public Schools Foundation will be this year’s benefactor.

The charity event has raised nearly $60,000 over the past decade under the direction of Jacksonville residents Bruce and Dessa Surratt.

This year’s event is being run by a Kiwanis committee.

The .5K committee is accepting registrations from race participants, as well as sponsorships from businesses or individuals. The cost to participate is $25 or $30 after March 21st.

Participants will receive a long-sleeved shirt.

Contact Gary Scott at 217-370-9058 or gscott@wlds.com; Lauren Dwyer at lauren@beardimplement.com or 618-946-2323; or Kristin Jamison at kristin@jredc.org or 217-719-9215 for more information.

A Jacksonville man arrested in November for molesting two minors may spend the rest of his natural life in prison.

62 year old John A. Levins of the 100 block of Woodfield Boulevard pled guilty to one count of predatory criminal sexual assault of a child. Assistant State’s Attorney Chad Turner says that the investigation into Levins’ behavior began with an out-of-state phone call to local authorities, leading Jacksonville Police Detectives to arrest Levins at his residence on November 17^th: “There were two [minor] victims. One of them was a little bit older than the other, who was very young. How it came about that the investigation got initiated was that the older victim who does not live in Illinois told her parents about [the crime] and they contacted the parents of the younger victim who does live here, and they asked their daughter about it. Then, all of the floodgates opened and everything started to come about in the mid-to-late summer last year. That led the parents to call the authorities here and the investigation got under way and that led to some obviously very credible evidence to some very bad behavior.”

Levins’ plea led to a sentence of 23 years in the Illinois Department of Corrections. Turner says due to Illinois’ truth in sentencing law, Levins must serve at least 85% of his sentence. Levins will be credited for 107 days served in the Morgan County Jail.

Turner says that Levins’ court proceedings aren’t over yet: “Part of the investigation, as I said, was initiated by a victim that lives in Ohio. The Ohio authorities have alleged that in addition to victimizing that young girl that lives in Ohio while he was here in Illinois with her, he also victimized her in the State of Ohio and they are prosecuting him for that. I don’t know what their analysis is going to be in relation to whether or not they want to go forward with their charges based upon the significant nature of the sentencing here, or whether they might forego that given that I think it’s quite likely that the defendant, Mr. Levins, is going to die in prison or they may so ‘no.’ The people of Ohio may want their pound of flesh as well, so to speak, so there will be more court proceedings, just not in the State of Illinois.”

Levins remains at the Morgan County Jail awaiting transfer into the Illinois Department of Corrections.

A Quincy man will remain free after a controversial acquittal in an Adams County sexual assault case.

The Illinois Supreme Court today denied a request from the Office of the Illinois Attorney General to issue a supervisory order to overturn Adams County Judge Robert Adrian’s acquittal of 18 year old Drew S. Clinton.

Adrian had convicted Clinton in October 2021 of one count of criminal sexual assault but then reversed that decision at a sentencing hearing in January, saying he did not want to sentence Clinton to the mandatory four-year prison term in the Illinois Department of Corrections. Adrian went on to admonish parents for having a party that served alcohol to minors, and said that Clinton had served enough time in the local jail for the crime.

In its order, the Supreme Court cited double jeopardy protections established in previous cases. In the order submitted by Supreme Court Clerk Cynthia Grant, it says: “The double jeopardy clause prohibits further prosecution even where an acquittal is based on an egregiously erroneous foundation.”

Adams County State’s Attorney Gary Farha expressed his disappointment to Muddy River News saying that his office believed the victim, Cameron Vaughan when she came forward , when she testified, and in the current term. Farha says that it would be herculean effort to get the ruling overturned, but felt like he owed it to Ms. Vaughan to try every option.

Adrian was called out internationally for his reversal in the case and was removed from trying felony cases by Chief Circuit Judge J. Frank McCartney.

A local representative is upset that legislators are still being required to mask up at the State Capitol for session.

During session on Tuesday afternoon, Republican members were removed from the House floor once again for refusing to wear a mask. State Reps. Adam Niemerg, Blaine Wilhour and Dan Caulkins were once again removed by a floor vote.

100^th District Representative C.D. Davidsmeyer says the House Floor rules are outdated and are now operating contrary to CDC guidance: “This is absolutely ridiculous. We need to work to change these rules. These rules are outdated, and the only reason you guys continue to do this is because you want to have power over the minority party or power over your members.”

Davidsmeyer accused House Speaker Emmanuel “Chris” Welch and Democratic leadership in the chamber of attempting to muzzle Republicans while not following the rules themselves: “This is absolutely ridiculous! I saw at least two or three members of your side of the aisle walking around with their masks on around their chin. This is getting absolutely ridiculous, and it’s taking away from the job we were sent here to do. It’s not because we are doing this. It’s because you’re doing this. You are trying to muzzle people with these things. It is not protecting anyone. It is not doing the job that it’s supposed to do, and the CDC and your governor have said masks optional.”

Niemerg, Wilhour, and Caulkins issued a joint press release later in the day on Tuesday calling masks a “symbol of subjugation” and accused Welch of being an authoritarian, drawing veiled comparisons to Welch’s predecessor Michael Madigan.

A Pike County school superintendent says she is throwing up a white flag and resigning from her post at the end of the school year.

Barry-Western Superintendent Jessica Funk announced that she would be resigning from the district on June 30^th.

In a Facebook resignation letter posted on February 22^nd, Funk cited the COVID-19 pandemic and the political pressures and the changes in the realm of education that it brought as her reasons to leave the position. Funk said that she can no longer endure the personal stress that has compounded since March 2020. She says she is going to put her own priorities in order and that she may be exploring career opportunities outside of education as her next step.

Funk went on to commend the district for its handling of the pandemic and expressed gratitude for the community and the district for her 9 years at the helm.

The Barry-Western School Board told the Pike Press that a search for a new superintendent would begin this week.

Former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan has been indicted on federal corruption charges.

The 106-page, 22 count indictment laid out by Federal prosecutor John Lausch says that Madigan used his Chicago 13th Ward power base as a center of criminal activity: “The indictment accuses Madigan of leading for nearly a decade a criminal enterprise whose purpose was to enhance Madigan’s political power and financial well-being while also generating income for his political allies and associates. The charges allege that Madigan used his various elected and professional positions to further the goals of the criminal enterprise. Those positions included Speaker of the Illinois House, Representative of Illinois’ 22nd District, committeeman for Chicago’s 13th Ward, Chairman of both the Illinois Democratic Party and the 13th Ward Democratic organization, and partner for the Chicago law firm of Madigan & Getzendanner.”

For the past four years, federal investigators and prosecutors have been encircling the former Democrat powerhouse of Illinois politics. Prosecutors all but named him outright in Commonwealth Edison’s deferred prosecution agreement in the summer of 2020 as “Public Official A” – in which the public utility admitted to a bribery scheme that gave Madigan associates do-nothing jobs, money, and contracts to curry his favor at the Illinois Capitol.

Madigan resigned his seat as a state representative in February 2021, little more than a month after he surrendered the gavle as Illinois Speaker of the House and as Chairman of the Illinois Democratic Party. Madigan had served in the Illinois House since 1971, and save for a few years, served as Speaker of the House since 1983.

Also charged in the indictment was Madigan’s longtime confidant, Michael McClain of Quincy, a former state legislator and lobbyist who is facing separate charges alleging he orchestrated an alleged bribery scheme by ComEd. McClain was charged along with former ComEd CEO Anne Pramaggiore, former ComEd executive and lobbyist John Hooker, and former lobbyist and president of Chicago’s City Club Jay Doherty in November 2020. The charges allege that the 4 Madigan associates orchestrated a scheme at the utility through bribery conspiracy, bribery, and willfully falsifying ComEd’s books and records to further curry favor and push money to Madigan and his associates. All 4 have plead not guilty and are scheduled to go to trial in September. The inner circle’s indictment followed a September 2020 guilty plea by a former ComEd vice president, Fidel Marquez.

Madigan’s indictment yesterday also accused Madigan of illegally soliciting business for his private property tax law firm during discussions to turn a state-owned parcel of land in Chinatown into a commercial development. Though the land deal never was consummated, it’s been a source of continued interest for federal investigators, who in 2020 subpoenaed Madigan’s office for records and communications he’d had with key players. According to the Chicago Tribune, it was former Chicago Alderman Danny Solis, who was secretly cooperating with the investigation, recorded numerous conversations with Madigan as part of the Chinatown land probe, including one where the speaker told Solis he was looking for a colleague to sponsor a House bill approving the land sale.

Further cracking of Madigan’s inner circle came in May of last year when his former chief of staff Timothy Mapes was indicted on charges of perjury and obstruction of justice for allegedly lying to a federal grand jury about Madigan’s relationship with McClain as well as other matters involving the ComEd scheme. Mapes’ indictment alleged that he lied to the grand jury about McClain allegedly obtaining private jobs, contracts, and payments for others from ComEd in order to influence and reward Madigan.

In addition to the criminal charges, the indictment also contains a forfeiture allegation against both Madigan and McClain seeking $2.8 million in alleged ill-gotten gains. In the press conference yesterday, John Lausch says that Madigan’s tenure in politics was yet another sign of the state’s problems with public corruption: “Unfortunately, this type of criminal conduct drastically undermines the public’s confidence in our government. Simply put, it’s not a good thing.”

In a reaction statement released yesterday, Madigan again proclaimed his innocence to the charges, saying that prosecutors were “attempting to criminalize” legal political actions such as job recommendations. Madigan’s criminal defense lawyers, Sheldon Zenner and Gil Soffer, said in their own statement that the charges were “baseless” overreach by prosecutors and that the evidence would prove so in court.

Madigan and McClain are set to be arraigned on the charges March 9th before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jeffrey Cole.