Thirteen U.S. service members were killed and more than a dozen others injured in an attack outside the airport in the capital of Afghanistan on Thursday.

The Pentagon said a suicide bomber detonated an explosion that tore through a crowd waiting at an entrance to the Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul, where thousands of people have gathered every day since the city fell to the Taliban, desperate to board flights out of the country. The Pentagon said another explosion struck a nearby airport.

Afghan officials say 90 people were killed and another 150 wounded in the attacks later claimed by the Islamic State-Khorasan Province. An IS official Amaq news agency said on its Telegram channel that the member was named Abdul Rahman al-Logari that carried out the suicide attack. The attack was carried out as military service personnel and U.S. allies are expected to be out of the country by August 31st under an agreement signed with the Taliban.

Two local Congressman have weighed in on the deadly attacks. 18th District Congressman Darin Lahood, who sits on the the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence Subcommittee on Counterterrorism, Counterintelligence, and Counterproliferation and Subcommittee on Intelligence Modernization and Readiness says the whole process has been infuriating: “The reports regarding the terrorist attacks at the airport in Kabul, Afghanistan are as heartbreaking as they are infuriating. My prayers are with the family members of the service members killed in these attacks, the service members who were wounded, and those who remain in harm’s way. The U.S. soldiers at Hamid Karzai International Airport represent the best of America, working countless hours despite deadly threats. Their sacrifice will never be forgotten.

“The nightmare we are watching unfold is what many of us feared and it was entirely avoidable. For months, many in Congress from both parties, the military community, and Intelligence Community warned about the consequences of a rapid withdrawal of American forces in Afghanistan. 

“America does not bow to terrorists. The attacks in Kabul must be a wake-up call for President Biden. He is the Commander-in-Chief, and he must reverse his arbitrary deadline, work to ensure evacuation routes are protected, and make sure that no American is left behind.”

13th District Congressman Rodney Davis has called the troop withdrawal and absolute disaster: “May God bless our troops who made the ultimate sacrifice today while working to save American lives. My heart breaks for them and their families. From a grateful Nation, your sacrifice will never be forgotten. My family and I are praying for all of those who have lost their lives and those who are still in harm’s way in Afghanistan. 

“This situation was completely avoidable. Regardless of the decision to withdraw, the way in which President Biden has conducted this withdrawal has been an absolute disaster. The deaths of our troops and Afghan civilians are a direct consequence of the President’s botched, rushed withdrawal. His attempts to meet an arbitrary, political deadline has cost American lives. 

“The President, our Commander in Chief, has a moral responsibility to do everything in his power to get every last American citizen and ally out of Afghanistan safely and as soon as possible. He is not meeting the moment. We must stop depending on the Taliban to support our withdrawal. We know they can’t be trusted to protect American lives. We must make clear to the Taliban that we will stay until every American citizen and ally is safe and out of the country. “The terrorists who perpetrated these heinous attacks in Kabul today must be brought to justice. The President must not hesitate to use the full weight of the American military to fight back against the rise of ISIS and other terrorist organizations in Afghanistan. We absolutely cannot allow them to re-establish a foothold in Afghanistan to plot terrorists attacks against our country.”

President Biden mourned the loss of troops today in remarks at the White House and has vowed to retaliate against those who orchestrated the attacks and continue the process of withdrawing from Afghanistan by the end of the month. The U.S. has helped more than 100,000 people leave Afghanistan since August 14th, according to the White House.

A Springfield man has plead guilty to traffic charges in Greene County related to a high speed chase with officers in May.

36 year old Vonta L. Commer of Springfield plead guilty to felony aggravated fleeing police, speeding 35 miles per hour over the posted limit, driving on a revoked license, and reckless driving. The charges stem from Commer’s arrest after he led multiple agencies on a high speed chase through Sangamon, Morgan, and Greene County. Commer refused to pull over on a traffic stop for Illinois State Police over 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. With the plea in Greene County Court on Monday, Commer was given credit for 35 days served in jail.

Commer is now facing charges of armed habitual criminal, manufacture and delivery of methamphetamine, and possession of a weapon by a felon charges in Sangamon County Court. At the time of his arrest, Commer was also wanted on a traffic warrant in Sangamon County and an Illinois Department of Corrections parole violation.

Commer had been serving time since his May 27^th arrest in the Illinois Department of Corrections, but posted $15,000 bond on June 15^th. His next court date in Sangamon County is on September 20^th.

Youth hunters interested in participating in the Youth Deer Hunt October 9-11 at Jim Edgar Panther Creek State Fish and Wildlife Area in Cass Co. must submit a postcard to the site office by September 4th to enter a drawing to hunt the two open sites.

The drawing will be held September 6th. Applicants must provide name, age, address and phone number. Successful applicants will be notified. Successful hunters can purchase a Youth Firearm Deer Permit over the counter at authorized license vendors.

The Panther Creek Controlled site and Quail Management site will be closed to youth deer hunters. Both open deer sites will be closed to archery hunters during the 3-day youth firearm season. Bow hunters will be allowed at the Controlled site and Quail Management site at that time.

The Youth Deer Season is open only to hunters who have not reached their 18th birthday prior to the opening date of the season. More information is available at the Illinois Department of Natural Resources website.

For additional information about the Jim Edgar Panther Creek youth deer hunt can call 217-452-7741.

A man will spend the next 57 years of his life in the Illinois Department Human Services for in-patient treatment for the murder of his mother and attempted murder of his brother in 2018.

26 year old Glenn Van Avery was given a THIEM date of June 13, 2078 yesterday in Morgan County Court. Van Avery was found not guilty by reason of insanity in June.

Van Avery was arrested on June 13, 2018 after his mother, 53 year old Ruth Van Avery was found dead in the family’s home in the 1700 block of South East Street in South Jacksonville and his brother, Garrick Van Avery, was found in a driveway just a few homes away, suffering from stab wounds.

Morgan County State’s Attorney Gray Noll explains the sentencing process for Van Avery: “As a result of that sentence, the defendant was remanded to the custody of the [Illinois] Department of Human Services in a secure facility in-patient basis for a maximum amount of time of 60 years. Sixty years is being what’s called his THIEM date, and that is based on the maximum amount of time he would be looking at in the Department of Corrections if he was found guilty of the most serious offense, which is first degree murder.”

Noll says that he hopes the sentencing today will bring closure to victim’s widow and the Van Avery family: “Thje decedent’s widow was obviously here [at the hearings] throughout the case, and had an obvious vested interest in the outcome. Hopefully this resolution gives her and the rest of the family some sort of closure. It’s never easy to lose a loved one. It’s never easy to lose a loved one under these circumstances, but hopefully this resolution brings some ability to move forward.”

The closure of the case brings an end to a nearly 3-year period of various mental health evaluations, continuances, and delayed settings due to Covid-19 in Van Avery’s trial. After the hearing, Van Avery was remanded to the custody of DHS officials and has been currently serving his detention at the Chester Mental Health Center.

Jacksonville Police arrested a man at mid-day yesterday after he sent an elderly family member to the hospital.

Jacksonville Police were called to Community Park at approximately 11:50 yesterday morning to a report of two individuals in a physical altercation near a picnic table.

Upon arrival, police found that an 88 year old woman had been severely beaten about the face and head causing severe injury and requested assistance to the scene from LifeStar EMS. According to a preliminary police report, she had severe bruising to the eyes, nose, and face. LifeStar EMS was able to secure the woman with a c-collar and transport her to Passavant Area Hospital for further treatment. As of this morning, her status is unknown.

Police subsequently arrested 29 year old Nicholas C. Lakamp of the 1700 block of Mound Road for aggravated domestic battery. He is currently being held without bond at the Morgan County Jail.

A village official in South Jacksonville may have broken confidentiality on closed session provisions in the Illinois Compiled Statutes.

Village Mayor Tyson Manker, on his personal Facebook page last night, allegedly leaked portions of an executive session held by the Village Board of Trustees on August 17th surrounding personnel in the village. Manker claimed in the post on his page posted at approximately 9:22 last night that Trustee Paula Belobradjic-Stewart and recently reinstated Village Police Chief Eric Hansell were conspiring against him by suspending his access to Village Hall during his recent mental health break.

On the portion of released and edited audio, Hansell voices a concern about Manker’s mental health possibly causing issues. Hansell cites a conversation that he had with Manker after the May 10th incident at Village Hall with former trustee Jason Hill. Manker, according to the conversation which is documented in Village email, asked Hansell if he could bring a firearm to Village Hall to protect himself because he feared for his personal safety. Hansell denied the request at the time, telling Manker under no circumstances could anyone other than law enforcement carry a firearm at Village Hall.

Hansell speaks during the closed session in a portion of the audio released last night:

“So one of my concerns is with Mayor Manker’s mental health absence, his taking a leave of absence for his mental health. In comments that were made to me via email and in person, it would be my recommendation that his access to the building be temporarily suspended until things are clarified.

Anytime we’ve had an employee previously that is out for a mental health issue or has made statements that would put anybody at risk we would do a threat assessment. It would be no different than a student at a school doing, you know, making statements I want to bring a gun to school and shoot somebody or something like that.

We would do a threat assessment on that person, but then with him (Manker) being out, I think that his access should be temporarily suspended.”

Belobradjic-Stewart can be heard asking Hansell how a threat assessment would be done. Hansell says he would have to contact the Illinois State Police for an adult threat assessment as his department only has a threat assessment that can used for school children.

Trustee Stacy Pinkerton and Hansell both cited on the recording that Manker showed symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder related to his military service in Iraq.

WLDS News was present for the meeting and can verify that at the time the Board went into closed session, the only recorder visible was the audio recorder being used by Village Clerk Amy Scoggins.

By disseminating the tape to the public without prior approval of the Village Board, Manker appears to be in violation of the Illinois Compiled Statutes regulating the Open Meetings Act when it comes to confidentiality of closed sessions for verbatim records.

The regulation can be found under 5 ILCS 120/2.06 subsections E and F which says “No verbatim recordings shall be recorded or removed from the public body’s main office or official storage location, except by vote of the public body or by court order.” Minutes for public meetings are set in statute to be approved after 30 days with executive session given a timeline of approval on at least a semi-annual basis so that all information in closed session need no longer be confidential.

The Pike County Sheriff’s Office arrested 3 in Barry on Sunday for various drug charges.

According to a press release from Pike County Sheriff David Greenwood, at at 4:53 P.M. Pike County Sheriff’s Deputies arrested 28 year old Zachary N. Schwalb of Barry after observing Schwalb walking on Decatur Street in Barry. Schwalb was wanted on an outstanding Pike County warrant for contempt of court for failure to pay on a previous fine from a possession of methamphetamine arrest. A subsequent search of Schwalb revealed drug paraphernalia and methamphetamine. He is currently being lodged at the Pike County Jail awaiting a first appearance in court.

At 11:46PM that same evening, he Pike County Sheriff’s Department with assistance from the West Central Illinois Drug Task Force executed a court authorized search warrant at a residence located in the 700 block of Williams Street in Barry. Subsequent to an investigation, 38 year old Thomas J. Wallace and 57 year old Patricia P. Touchette both of Barry were both arrested on a charge of unlawful possession of methamphetamine. Both Wallace and Touchette are being lodged at the Pike County Jail awaiting first appearances in court.

A federal judge has rejected Republican efforts to immediately invalidate a Democratic-drawn map of new legislative districts in the state.

The Chicago Tribune reports that U.S. District Judge Robert Dow said the the Illinois GOP’s June request to throw out the maps was denied. However, Dow rejected Democratic attempts to throw out the case entirely saying that the lawsuit is slated to be heard before a 3-judge panel on September 1st. Dow warned Democrats that they should address concerns about undercounted minority populations when they convene a special legislative session to update their map with figures from the recently released U.S. census on August 31st.

Republicans and the Mexican American Legal Defense and Education Fund filed suit against the map shortly after the maps were approved by the General Assembly during their Spring session and signed into law by Governor J.B. Pritzker in June, to avoid a constitutional deadline that would have required a bipartisan commission draw the maps. The Spring map was drawn using American Community Survey data, which overestimated the state’s population loss. The ILGOP claims that the map resulted in a near 30% deviation from its most populous House district to its least populous district — with a 10% deviation the standard of the U.S. Supreme Court.

Illinois Democrats have scheduled 7 public hearings leading up to the August 31st special session.

The Prairieland United Way 2021 campaign will get underway with a Chamber Business After Hours and Campaign Kickoff at 4:30 pm on Thursday, September 2nd at the Morgan County Fairgrounds. Business leaders and United Way employee campaign coordinators are encouraged to attend.

The 2021 United Way Campaign Theme is “BE SOMEONE’S HERO” and the fundraising goal is $460,000. President of the United Way board this year is Lisa Stambaugh who works at CNB Bank & Trust. Stambaugh joined the board in 2015.

The 2021 Campaign Co-Chairs are Brian and Amy Gillespie of Jacksonville.

Prairieland United Way helps more than 35,000 people annually by funding 28 agencies and 37 programs in Morgan, Scott, Cass and northern Greene counties. For more information about the United Way, please contact Executive Director Karen Walker at 217-245-4557 or stop by the office located at the Jacksonville Municipal Building located at 200 West Douglas in Jacksonville.