An 18 year old man arrested with other individuals for their involvement in a string of burglaries in August has plead guilty.
18 year old Darrius D. Williams of Greenfield plead guilty to two counts of burglary in Greene County Court today.
Williams and a 16 year old accomplice were arrested August 12th by Greenfield Police in connection to a string of thefts from vehicles and burglaries from several vehicles, including the theft of a handgun. Charging documents in the case listed 10 separate addresses that were hit.
Williams was sentenced to 2 years of probation plus fees and court costs. He was ordered to pay restitution totaling $430.50 along with the co-defendants in the case to the victims. He was also ordered to provide 30 hours of community service. Bond and time served were applied to fees, court costs, and restitution in the case. 9 other counts were dismissed per the plea.
Jacksonville School District 117 is now on its third round of funding from the Federal government for COVID-19 pandemic response.
The district received a little over $977,000 from CARES Act funding last year. The majority of the first round went toward teacher stipends for extra hours put in for remote learning, technology, cleaning supplies, and added district healthcare costs. The district has allocated just over $968,000 from that original set of funding.
The next round of funding has come from the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund, known as ESSER, set aside by Congress for schools in January. In the first round, District 117 received just over $4 million. Just over $1.7 million of that money has been spent on summer school salaries to combat learning loss, wall construction and renovations at Eisenhower Elementary, extra bus driver salaries, and food service costs.
Another round of ESSER Funding came later in the year through the American Rescue Plan. Just over $9.3 million came in this final round from the federal government. Approximately $7.5 million has already been allocated in the current fiscal year of the district with around $616,000 already spent. Allocations have gone toward summer enrichment, curriculum supplements, further technology updates and upgrades, Covid testing supplies, PPE, creation of a parent technology liaison position, portions of the Washington Elementary construction project, window updates at Murryaville-Woodson Elementary, and cleaning supplies.
Superintendent Steve Ptacek says some of the pending money is being looked at to replace carpeting at schools throughout the district: “We are in a wonderful situation to have ESSER Funds that we have to find use for, and we are going to follow what the requirements are. It’s basically around air quality at this point in time. We are trying to find out if replacing carpet, the old carpet in some of our schools – the high school, Eisenhower that’s been in there since 1982. That’s a long time ago. It’s 40 years ago next year. That carpet is old. We have had some people in the past before Covid bring up concerns with air quality based around the carpet. We are making an argument that the condition of ESSER Funds to help increase air quality is being met in that we are going to be able to replace carpet in our schools. We just don’t know if that is going to be approved or not.”
Ptacek says they are also looking at HVAC replacement at particular schools and another creative idea to spend funding: “We are looking at places such as the two gyms at the high school that do not have HVAC to add it to increase that air quality. We are actively looking around the district trying to find those places that fit into that criteria so we can utilize the money to make long-term, long-lasting improvements in the district. I was at a meeting where one of the districts got approved to add a playground area, and it was as an outdoor space, which then gives students the opportunity to take masks off and go outside and air quality is better outdoors. I immediately went to the idea that it’s a creative way to fit within the criteria of the funds that we know would have a lasting impact on our students, so we are exploring that as a possibility.”
Ptacek says that the district is looking for ways to fit within the criteria of the federal programs to spend the money that’s remaining: “We are talking right now for ways for $4 million to be spent. Now, the minute I say that, people will be saying: ‘Well what about cutting this? Cutting that? Cutting etc.’ These are very limited funds and they are ‘use it or lose it.’ We can’t replace other expenditures throughout the district with this money.”
Ptacek brought up during the regular meeting on Wednesday night that some project under the funding had been pulled off the table while the district evaluates Phase III of the Vision 117 plan. Ptacek said it would make sense to spend money while the district is still evaluating the next steps in the long-term goals of the district’s buildings. He said with COVID-19 winding down, a ramp up in community engagement on Vision 117 will beginning happening very soon.
The Jacksonville City Council was confronted by a small number of residents last night after their neighborhood was victim to a drive-by shots fired incident more than a week ago.
Several residents from the 600 block of South Prairie Street asked for accountability and action from the City Council after they believe the victim of the shooting in question had spurred on their shooting in the otherwise peaceful neighborhood.
Kay Berg asked if the council, the State’s Attorney, and the local police had done any follow up on the shooting that occurred at approximately 8:30PM on Monday, October 18th at 650 South Prairie Street. James Nicholson, an EMS worker and combat veteran expressed that he has been dealing with heightened Post Traumatic Stress on top of what he already has due to the incident. A mother from the block said that her and her child were outdoors just 15 minutes prior to the shooting and now her children feel unsafe in the neighborhood.
Berg and Ward 3 Alderman Mike Bartlett got into a heated exchange at one point, with Berg accusing the alderman of inaction on behalf of his ward. Bartlett refuted the argument saying he had followed up with the police, the county sheriff’s department, and others on the matter.
Police Chief Adam Mefford says he didn’t want to argue with residents because he knows their concerns are valid: “I will not push back against their concerns. The neighborhood is a very nice neighborhood. Having that kind of incident in the neighborhood is a very traumatic incident. People don’t expect to be unsafe and insecure in their homes, having to put up with that kind of behavior going on in their streets. For them to be frustrated is definitely understandable. I’m compassionate towards their concerns. There is a lot that goes on behind the scenes, a lot of investigations, and a lot of other things that are going on that aren’t necessarily seen on the surface addressing those issues. There has been enforcement that has taken place there. Unfortunately, we also have to play by the rules. We can’t just go and push back over what we have our limitations on. People are allowed to be secure in their homes, just as the neighborhood wouldn’t want us to come in and start doing things unlawfully.”
Mefford says the situation in the 600 block of South Prairie started with animal complaints, but had escalated to the shooting. Mefford says his department is frustrated as well, because they have not been getting cooperation from individuals involved in the incident: “We are just as frustrated as the individuals who spoke tonight are when we don’t get cooperation from victims. In this case, we didn’t have a lot of cooperation from the victim in this case so it makes our job harder to perform an investigation. I feel for those residents there. They have children there. That is an unacceptable act that was done, and we are doing everything we can to try and take those individuals off the street so we don’t have other neighborhoods that get victimized like this.”
Mefford says he does believe that this is an isolated incident and that more shootings of this nature with this group of individuals are contained to this sole incident at this time.
Mefford asks that anyone who has any information can come forward anonymously through Crime Stoppers to leave a tip. No arrests have been made, and the investigation remains ongoing.
The Morgan County Health Department has received confirmation of another COVID-19 death from last week. The death reported was a female in her 60s at an area hospital on Wednesday. There have now been 123 deaths related to the virus since the pandemic began.
Overall, Morgan County Health Officials reported 28 new cases over the weekend yesterday. Outbreaks continue to be registered at Aperion Care, which is now up to 15 cases, the Jacksonville Prison at 31 cases, which hasn’t reported a new case since October 14th, and DD Homes, which has held steady at 3 cases for over a week.
Cass County Health officials announced only 1 new case yesterday from over the weekend. The active case count in Cass County is 13, with 2 of those hospitalized.
The Scott County Health Department reported 2 new cases over the week yesterday. There are currently 3 cases active in Scott.
Two bargaining units for the state’s largest employee union have announced an agreement with the Pritzker Administration on mandatory COVID-19 vaccinations.
The latest agreement comes with AFSCME units from congregate facilities within the Illinois Departments of Human Services and Veterans’ Affairs. Employees under all union vaccine agreements are required to get their first shot by today and their second shot by November 30th. The agreement covers roughly 7,800 employees statewide.
Governor J.B. Pritzker says he was proud to work with state labor leaders to get the deal done to protect those in congregate facilities.
In addition to the announced agreements, the State and AFSCME have reached an impasse at the bargaining table for employees at the Departments of Corrections and Juvenile Justice. Interest arbitration will be entered into for just over 10,000 employees for these two departments. For an additional 1,900 non-security employees at those two departments, the State has informed AFSCME that it will implement the following terms: employees must get their first shot by today and their second shot by November 30th in accordance with state law. These employees will be subject to the IDVA/IDHS agreement.
AFSCME has indicated that on behalf of the non-security personnel, they will bring their case to the Illinois Labor Relations Board for further review. AFSCME contends to its members that negotiations are not at an impasse but ongoing.
13th District Congressman Rodney Davis has introduced a bill to help people with the expungement process. Davis has introduced the Fresh Start Act of 2021. It’s a bipartisan, bicameral piece of legislation that would increase funding for automated record-sealing and expungement processes in state court systems.
Davis said in a press release that individuals looking to rebuild their lives after serving their time shouldn’t have to face barriers for things like employment, housing, and education.
House Resolution 5651 would allow states that have record-sealing or expungement laws in place to apply for a federal grant to help improve their automated record infrastructure. The bill would authorize $50 million each year for the next 5 years for states to automate their criminal records programs. States can apply for up to $5 million, 10% of which will be for planning and research, with the remaining funds for implementation. States would then be required to not delay the process and provide detailed reports broken down according to race, ethnicity, and gender.
The resolution is currently before the House Judiciary Committee.
The Illinois General Assembly may be voting to amend the Health Care Right of Conscience Act.
18th District Representative Robyn Gabel of Evanston has introduced an amendment to the Health Care Right of Conscience Act passed in 1998. The act has been cited by many employees who are refusing test-to-stay measures or public and private entities requiring COVID-19 vaccination.
The amendment specifically says that “It is not a violation of this Act to enforce such measures or requirements, including by terminating employment or excluding individuals from a school, a place of employment, or public or private premises in response to noncompliance” for COVID vaccination or required weekly testing.
The Catholic Conference of Illinois issued a statement today saying they are against any amendment to the act. A spokesperson for the Illinois Hospital Association told Capitol Fax that they “urging legislators to vote Yes” in support of the amendment.
The Senate is set to reconvene tomorrow to begin voting on measures tomorrow. Debate on this amendment and the bill has not yet been assigned.
A Georgia man was cited after his tanker truck overturned in Scott County early Sunday morning.
According to the Illinois State Police, 55 year old Rkab Abdellah of Sandy Springs, Georgia was driving a 2019 Frieghtliner tanker truck westbound on Interstate 72 around the Winchester exit at approximately 2:45 Sunday morning, when the truck ran off the roadway to the right shoulder in a road construction zone. Abdellah then over corrected and the truck overturned, slid across the westbound lanes and came to rest facing the east in the median.
The contents of the trailer was identified as palm oil. No injuries were reported. Abdellah was cited for improper lane usage.
Another area museum will be hosting a national traveling exhibit in the area next month. The Jacksonville Area Museum is hosting the Voices and Votes: Democracy in America exhibit from the Smithsonian Institute starting on October 30th and running through December 11th.
At the same time, Winchester’s Old School Museum will be hosting an exhibit of its own. The Illinois Freedom Project from Illinois Humanities will visit beginning November 20th and running through December 18th.
According to the exhibit’s website, the project highlights inspiring stories of the move from slavery to freedom in Illinois.
Winchester will be the fourth out of 6 communities that the exhibit will visit. The Winchester Old School Museum is located at 110 East Cherry Street and is open Fridays and Saturdays from 10AM to 4PM and Sundays from 1 to 4PM. To arrange visits for groups or if you have further questions about the visiting exhibit, please call 217-742-8090.
Boyd Memorial Hospital is moving its clinic out of White Hall.
According to the Greene Prairie Press, the clinic located in the back of Pharmacy Plus in White Hall on Main Street will be moving out and relocating to the hospital campus on Ninth Street in Carrollton at the former offices of the late Dr. Jose Parcon.
The location of the new rural health clinic in Carrollton will allow for an expansion of space and services. (Photo Courtesy of Boyd Healthcare Services Facebook page.)
Boyd CEO Debbie Campbell told the Greene Prairie Press that space was the problem at the White Hall location. White Hall residents are being asked to travel to the offices in Roodhouse or visit the new location in Carrollton for services. The White Hall rural health clinic had been in operation for a decade. According to a Facebook announcement, the new clinic in Carrollton is scheduled to be opened by the end of this month.
