A woman on trial in multiple counties on a slough of charges ranging from alleged identity theft, possession of a stolen vehicle, and practicing as a nurse without a license is behind bars in Morgan County this afternoon.

24 year old Abigail L. Martin was placed in handcuffs after her scheduled status hearing on a forgery charge. Martin was charged in April of 2019 for allegedly attempting to purchase a vehicle under false pretenses at a Jacksonville car dealership.

Martin had a warrant issued for her arrest in Greene County after she failed to appear for a status hearing on September 29^th. Martin’s attorney, Public Defender Tom Piper, told Greene County court officials that Martin had indicated to him that she could not be in court that day due to illness. Greene County Circuit Judge Zachary Schmidt ordered that Martin produce a doctor’s note to substantiate the claim within 48 hours. According to court documents, the note was never produced and a warrant was issued.

Prior to Martin’s scheduled date, Psychologist Dr. Daniel Cuneo of Belleville had provided Piper and the Greene County Court a report on Martin’s mental fitness to stand trial. According to Morgan County Court this afternoon, Dr. Cuneo has found that Martin is fit for trial and her cases can proceed in both Morgan and Greene Counties.

Martin also has outstanding charges in Fulton, Montgomery, and Madison counties. Martin is next due in Montgomery County court on November 1^st on charges of identity theft and practicing as a nurse without a license. She was arrested in Hillsboro in April 2020 after she was found allegedly acting as a registered nurse at long-term care facility in that city.

Martin faces three identity theft charges and practicing as a nurse without a license in Madison County. She is due for a jury trial in that county also on November 1st.

Martin also faces account code with intent to defraud, theft, and deceptive practice in Fulton County. She also is due in Fulton County on November 1st.

Martin is currently lodged at the Morgan County Jail on $10,000 bond.

A Quincy State Senator slated to take over the listening area within the next year was in Jacksonville last night as a part of a listening tour. Current 47^th District State Senator Jil Tracy joined current 50^th District State Senator Steve McClure along with fellow state Senators Win Stoller and Neil Anderson.

Tracy says that she’s familiar with her new district and has lived, studied, and traveled through Jacksonville her entire life: “I feel like I have a good pulse of the area, and certainly a town hall meeting like this helps us learn even more. There was a couple of issues [brought up tonight] that I was unaware of, and so I want to keep listening. The constituent service that we do in my office – I am very proud of my staff. They are outstanding and I think Senator McClure and I know Representative [C.D.] Davidsmeyer have done an outstanding job, and I want to continue that service. To me, constituent service is one of our main obligations and duties, so that to me, is very important. Then, hearing from people about ideas for legislation. Tonight, we heard some issues that needed to have some problem solving, and I enjoy doing that. I’m looking forward to it. I feel like it’s really like what I have already been doing in my current district.”

Tracy says that she has spoken with McClure and Davidsmeyer about the district extensively over the years. She says she has a plan on tackling infrastructure problems like completing the Corridor 67 project and the JDC Grounds: “Infrastructure is one of my main concerns. That’s one of the biggest functions of government is to provide good infrastructure because people can’t do that themselves…I’ve always worked towards capital improvements and infrastructure because I think it’s a key to economic development in our area. As a rural community, we have so many commuters and we want to make sure that public safety is at the highest level. I’ve advocated for infrastructure since I started in the legislature since 2006, and I will continue to do so.”

Tracy says part of the tour was to show that Republicans are fighting for things in Springfield despite not having a majority in either chamber of the General Assembly or no executive offices. She says she hopes the tour builds a grass roots conservative movement in state politics and to raise awareness of current legislation to constituents: “Doing these town halls, this is the third one we have done in the last 6 weeks. I’ve got colleagues that are driving 2 hours to these events. Tonight, we will go to Springfield because we have session tomorrow. This is one part of our plan to bring our mission out to tell people about the bills that are out there that they may not know about or been made aware of to try to decrease the apathy. It takes a grass roots level to start a rebuilding of Illinois, and to spread the message of how we can effectively change Illinois’ direction.”

Tracy says that her and her colleagues have seen some progress in recent weeks since the listening tour began. She says people have been filling out witness slips and sending testimony to state committees in opposition to or in favor of Republican-backed legislation in the General Assembly. A teleconference forum is scheduled for Wednesday night from 7-8PM. You can visit this link to register for the event.

COVID-19 cases appear to be slowing down in the area.

The Morgan County Health Department reported 22 new cases over the weekend. It brings Morgan County’s active case count to 76, with 7 of the new cases hospitalized. Morgan County Health officials also received the confirmation of another death in the county, a male in his 60s on Thursday. Morgan County has had 122 overall Covid-related deaths. Aperion Care, DD Homes, and Jacksonville Correctional Center all remain on the outbreak list.

The Scott County Health Department reported 5 new cases over the week. Those 5 cases are the only active ones in the county. Two of the cases are hospitalized.

The Pike County Health Department says their cases are declining with just 41 new cases in the month of October. Of those, Pike County Health Officials say only 4 of those were breakthrough cases. There are 2 Pike County residents hospitalized. The average age of those who have tested positive for COVID-19 so far in the month of October continues to decrease and is 26 years old. Just under 41% of Pike County residents are considered fully vaccinated.

Brown County Health Officials reported 7 new cases of COVID-19 over the week. All 7 of those cases are the currently active cases in the county. Brown County Health Officials also reported one new Covid-related death over the week. Brown County has had 9 total COVID-related deaths since March 2020.

Attorney General Kwame Raoul has filed a brief in support of transgender athletes. Raoul, as part of a coalition of 20 attorneys general, today filed an amicus brief opposing efforts to bar transgender students from participating in gender-segregated school sports.

Raoul says that transgender athletes have the right to participate in school activities, including sports, free from discrimination and consistent with their gender identity.

In an amicus brief filed in Soule v. Connecticut Association of Schools in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 2nd Circuit, Raoul and the coalition argue that the court should reject a lawsuit brought by four cisgender students who claim that the participation of transgender students in gender-segregated sports violates the rights of cisgender girls. The lawsuit was filed after the Connecticut Interscholastic Athletic Conference implemented a policy that allows transgender students to participate in gender-segregated sports according to their gender identity.

Raoul and the coalition argue that, contrary to the plaintiffs’ claims, Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 does not bar transgender female students from participating in gender-segregated sports according to their gender identity. Raoul and the coalition believe that inclusion of transgender people in athletic activities confer significant individual and societal benefits.

Governor J.B. Pritzker announced today that his office has reached a fourth agreement with another one of the state’s union on mandating COVID-19 vaccines.

The agreement is with multiple Illinois state trade unions working in congregate settings. Pritzker’s Office says that negotiations with AFSCME representatives remain ongoing.

The agreement covers approximately 470 employees at facilities at Shapiro Developmental Center, Menard Correctional Center, and the Quincy Veteran’s Home. Given the provisions in the previous agreements the state made with VR-704, the Illinois Nurses Association and Illinois Federation of Public Employees, the deadline for all employees covered by vaccine agreements to get their first shot has been extended to next Tuesday, October 26^th.

The Pike and Brown County Sheriff’s Office assisted in a three-county manhunt on Friday to arrest a suspect in reported vehicle burglaries.

Quincy’s WGEM reports that Quincy Police began receiving reports on Friday evening of vehicles being burglarized in the southwest part of Quincy. Officers were able to find surveillance footage that helped them find a suspect and a suspect vehicle.

The Quincy Police then began connecting with surrounding counties in search of the suspect, eventually connecting with a suspect of in a reported stolen vehicle out of Brown County. With the connection, police were able to identify the suspect as Tony Chambers of Macomb.

Quincy Police officers arrested Chambers and found several stolen firearms that he had taken during burglaries in Quincy. Chambers is being lodged in the Adams County Jail.

The investigation is still ongoing and officers suspect that there are other burglaries that have not been reported yet that Chambers is suspected of. The investigation was assisted by the Pike & Brown County Sheriff’s Departments.

If you have further information about any burglaries, contact the Brown County Sheriff’s Office at (217) 773-2011, the Pike County Sheriff’s Office at (217) 285-5011, the Pike County Crime Stoppers at (217) 285-1500, the Quincy Police Department at (217) 228-4470, or the Quincy Regional Crime Stoppers at (217) 228-4474.

Sinclair Broadcasting was hit by a ransomware attack that has caused some problems for local TV stations.

The Associated Press reports that Sinclair had some of its servers and work stations encrypted with ransomware and that data was stolen from its network. The company said it started investigating Saturday and on Sunday it found that some of its office and operational networks were disrupted. The broadcast group did not immediately say how many TV stations were directly affected.

According to WMAY in Springfield, WICS Newschannel 20 had some of its morning news broadcasts labeled as “pre-recorded” as the company works to sort out the issue. It was unclear how long the situation might persist, or whether other station operations were also affected. There has been no report on Quincy’s KHQA station as of the time of this report, but they also work in the Central Illinois Sinclair Broadcast affiliate network.

Sinclair said it’s taken measures to contain the breach and that its investigation is ongoing. However, it said that the data breach has caused — and may continue to cause — disruption to parts of its business, including aspects of local advertisements by local broadcast stations. The company said it is working to restore operations.

The Jacksonville Center For the Arts has announced they have selected a new Director. Gene Fergurson was selected at the group’s September 30^th business meeting.

JCA President Larry Kuster noted Fergurson’s years as a public school administrator and work in the public education sector that will bring valuable skills to the group.

Kuster went on to note in the press release that the JCA board is not working to redistribute funds to other entities. Calling allegations of the redistribution of funds raised over the past six years“untrue” in the press release, Kuster called the opening of a civic center in Jacksonville a cultural and economic benefit for the community and the group’s ultimate goal.

Kuster is referencing the splintering of the Jacksonvillle Center for the Arts Group that occurred back in August. Former President Dr. Susan Weller, former Treasurer Josh Mariage, and former Secretary Sonie Smith all resigned and formed an alternative non-profit known as Jax Civic Center, which has entered into an agreement to form a similar project in the upper levels of the former Jenkins Education Complex at the former MacMurray College Campus.

The JCA group first started in 2015 in hopes of bringing a new arts & civic center to North Main Street near Downtown Jacksonville.

The Pike-Scott Farm Bureau wants farmers and homeowners in the area to check with their home insurance provider because flood insurance calculations have changed.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency has updated the National Flood Insurance Program’s risk rating methodology through the implementation of a new pricing methodology called Risk Rating 2.0.

No longer will rates be calculated based on elevation and/or level of flood protection provided by levees alone. New rates will be determined by property value, actual flood risk, and other site factors. Transition to the new rates will be completed in two phases. All new policies taken out will be subject to the new methods, which began on October 1^st.

Existing policy holders eligible for renewal should be able to take advantage of immediate decreases in their premiums. All remaining policies renewing on or after April 1^st.

Current National Flood Insurance Program policyholders can contact their insurance company or insurance agent to learn more about what Risk Rating 2.0-Equity in Action means to them.

A large carbon capture sequestration project is moving forward in West Central Illinois. Navigator CO₂ Ventures LLC announced on Thursday that as a result of commitments received during its binding open season, it has obtained the necessary board approvals to proceed with its proposed carbon capture pipeline system, the Heartland Greenway.

According to the company in a press release, The Heartland Greenway is the first substantial, fully integrated CO₂ handling system to reach a final investment decision.

The Heartland Greenway’s first phase is projected to commence initial service in early 2025 and span approximately 1,300 miles across five Midwest states to nearly 20 receipt points. The project is slated to transport and sequester up to 15 million metric tons per year once fully expanded.

The project is possibly positioned to cross through portions of Pike, Scott, Brown, and Cass among other counties in Illinois.