The General Assembly wrapped up the first 3 days of the Fall Veto session Thursday in the capitol city. Resolutions to tackle political violence were expected to be met with bipartisan support after so many examples of violent acts toward both democrats and republicans have made headlines over the past several months.

House Resolution 508 was passed and recognizes that politically motivated violence, whether in the form of a mass shooting or a mass deployment of masked troops empowered to instill fear, is a threat to democracy, but State Rep. CD Davidsmeyer says republicans did not agree with the language used in the resolution. “They were saying that these masked ICE agents were racially profiling everyone and they just made it sound absolutely terrible. That’s not what they are trying to do. They are trying to find criminals who are in our country doing bad things,” Davidsmeyer said.

Davidsmeyer had recently filed his own house resolution to condemn political violence, HR 494, which he felt would be a more bipartisan way to tackle the issue. “I thought it was very balanced and I thought it was an opportunity for us to try to do something together,” Davidsmeyer said. “I talked about it on Tuesday and then the next morning the Democrats filed their version with the political language, basically daring us to vote against it, which we did because their language was a little inflammatory and the whole point was to get away from language like that.”

Energy efficiency was another pressing issue going into the session. Legislators are considering the stalled Clean & Reliable Grid Affordability (CRGA) energy omnibus bill. Davidsmeyer says there have been a lot of talks on the subject but, only behind closed. The 100^th district state rep says he’s concerned about legislators handing over too much control to the Illinois Commerce commission. “The General Assembly will be giving up our oversight to an unelected government bureaucracy, which does not make sense to me. There is a reason why we are elected,” he says.

The general assembly returns for the fall veto session October 28^th and will conclude on the 30^th

A Jacksonville man was cited Friday evening for relieving himself in a public park.

Jacksonville Police responded to Community Park at approximately 5:15 Friday evening after a caller to West Central Joint Dispatch reported someone was lying down, and possibly sleeping, by the Ferris wheel with their pants around their ankles.

Upon arrival and a subsequent investigation, 66-year-old David G. Springs, listed as homeless of Jacksonville, was issued a city ordinance citation for public urination/defecation, after it was determined that Springs had defecated in a public park.

Two area men were among several individuals arrested during a human trafficking operation last week.

The Illinois State Police’s Division of Criminal Investigation Trafficking Enforcement Group conducted a human trafficking demand suppression operation on Tuesday and Wednesday this past week.

The two-day operation was conducted in the Marion area of Williamson County with a focus on identifying individuals who were seeking to engage in commercial sex acts.

Among those arrested and charged was 43-year-old Cory T. Stewart of Waverly, who was charged with Class 3 felonies of traveling to meet a minor and indecent solicitation of a minor, as well as a Class 4 felony charge of solicitation to meet a child.

22-year-old Harley D. Angel of Carrollton was also arrested and charged in the operation with Class 3 felony, duty to register as a sex offender.

In all, eight men were arrested and charged as a result of the operation. State Police Officials say the operation was part of a multifaceted approach by ISP aimed at stopping human trafficking in Illinois.

The Illinois Trafficking Enforcement Group, Southern Illinois Enforcement Group, Southern Illinois Drug Task Force, ISP SWAT, Intelligence Support Unit, ISP Division of Patrol Troop 10, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Marion Police Department partnered for the operation. The Williamson County State’s Attorney’s Office also provided support.

The other six individuals arrested in the operation were:

• Nicholas A. Love (44) of Marion, IL – Traveling to Meet a Minor (Class 3), Indecent Solicitation of a Minor (Class 3), Solicitation to Meet a Child (Class 4).

• Michael L. Beltz (66) of Herrin, IL – Traveling to Meet a Minor (Class 3), Indecent Solicitation of a Minor (Class 3), Solicitation to Meet a Child (Class 4).

• Jason R. Fox (51) of Alto Pass, IL – Traveling to Meet a Minor (Class 3), Indecent Solicitation of a Minor (Class 3), Solicitation to Meet a Child (Class 4).

• Willie A. Huddson (50) of Colp, IL – Traveling to Meet a Minor (Class 3), Indecent Solicitation of a Minor (Class 3), Solicitation to Meet a Child (Class 4).

• Isiah J. Rogers (24) of Somerset, IL – Traveling to Meet a Minor (Class 3), Indecent Solicitation of a Minor (Class 3), Solicitation to Meet a Child (Class 4).

• Douglas R. Charles (50) of Union, IL – Traveling to Meet a Minor (Class 3), Indecent Solicitation of a Minor (Class 3), Solicitation to Meet a Child (Class 4).

According to a report by the Morgan County Sheriff’s Office, on Tuesday, October 16^th, at approximately 6:30 pm, an SUV driven by 54-year-old Chad E. Turner, of Regent Estates in rural Jacksonville, was traveling westbound on Strawn’s Crossing Road near Rainbow Lane, when the SUV struck a horse-drawn buggy being driven by 53-year-old Michael S. Robinson of the 2100 block of Strawn’s Crossing Road.

Robinson and a passenger in the buggy, 40-year-old Bridgett A. Hubbertt-Bass of Springfield, were both transported to area hospitals with unknown injuries. Authorities at the scene called for the pair to be air-lifted from the scene, but that was later canceled, and both were transported by ambulance.

According to the report, the buggy was not outfitted with the required lights or placards. Turner said he was driving into the sunset and never saw the buggy until striking it. Turner’s vehicle sustained major damage with airbag deployment and had to be towed from the scene. The buggy was removed from the roadway for a neighbor to retrieve later. No estimate of damage to the buggy or condition of the horse was included in the report.

As of press time, no citations have been issued in the case.

Bex Cox contributed to this story.

Officials say smoke and intermittent flames may still be visible in the coming days after multiple agencies battled a fire near New Berlin Friday.

According to a press release from the Jacksonville Fire Department late Friday night, at approximately 11:30 a.m. Friday morning, a significant fire broke out at Sheppard’s Auto Sales and Salvage located at 3201 Old Route 36.

Officials say the fire started in a piece of machinery during contracted tire granulation operations. Workers on site attempted to contain the fire before being forced to call 911.

The fire reportedly covered nearly an acre of used tires, metal wire, and granulated rubber. Firefighters worked for more than eight hours to contain the blaze.

In all, 14 fire departments from Sangamon, Morgan, and Cass Counties responded to the scene along with officials from the Jacksonville Morgan County Emergency Management, Illinois E.P.A. And New Berlin EMS.

No injuries were reported, but officials say smoke and intermittent flames may continue to be visible in the coming days. Fire crews and facility staff will continue to monitor conditions at the site closely.

The upcoming Jacksonville Rotary 4^th of July Parade looks to be inundated with another fraternal group in honor of their current leader, and helping kids.

Tony Moore of Jacksonville currently serves this year as Potentate of Ansar Shrine in Springfield. Moore says he became a Shriner after his son Brock received years of treatment at the Shriners Hospital for Children in St. Louis for a rare bone disease in his hips. He says he joined the Shriners to help pay it forward for others.

“It’s all about helping kids. Shriners has twenty-two hospitals throughout the country. Our oldest son, Brock, was treated there between the ages of five and twenty-one years old. That was the main reason I became a Mason and a Shriner- to give back. We just want every kid to have the same opportunity that Brock had.”

Since joining in 2010, Moore has helped over 100 children get treated at the Shriners Hospital in St. Louis, chairing the Ansar Off-Premises Screening Clinics in the area, to giving children and their parents rides to the hospital for treatment.

Ansar’s jurisdiction, or territory, stretches from the Missouri and Indiana borders, and between Danville and Litchfield, covering most of Central Illinois. Moore says a great many Shriners will be walking the parade route in Jacksonville this Friday.

“In our jurisdiction, there’s forty clubs and units (of Shriners), and since it is my hometown parade, I asked any of them that parades to come to Jacksonville and participate. I don’t know how many will be here ,but I will tell it is probably going to be the most that our 4^th of July parade has ever had.”

Moore expects somewhere between 75 and 100 Shriner’s from all over Central Illinois to be here Friday, parading in all forms of transportation such as the “Tin Lizzie” mini-Model T cars, “Ag Corp” tractor club, The Wheels, which are giant sized three wheelers, the Four-Wheel Bar Stool Parade Unit and even an appearance by the Mounted Cowboys on horseback, so long as the weather isn’t too hot for the horses.

Moore says the Shriners are about having fun, but above all else, all about helping kids. “Last year alone, between the St. Louis and Chicago hospitals, we helped a little over three hundred kids get treatment. They will take insurance, but we just want to make sure the family doesn’t have to worry about it; it’s for the rich and poor. They will take insurance if they have already met their deductible, but if you get a patient who can’t afford anything, it’s no cost to the parents.”

Tony and his Wife Dana live and work in Jacksonville. Tony is a member of Harmony Masonic Lodge No. 3, and both he and Dana have been parishioners of the Church of Our Savior for 38 years.

To find out more information about Ansar Shrine and the Shriner’s Children’s Hospitals, go online to ansarshrine.com, or you can call Tony Moore at 217-720-9484.

The Jacksonville 4th of July Parade steps off at 10:00 am on Friday from the Morgan County Fairgrounds. The parade will proceed east along West State Street to Church Street.

The Illinois State Police arrested an out-of-state man in the area yesterday. According to a report by ISP Troop 6 officials, at approximately 10:00 a.m., an ISP trooper conducted a traffic stop on a Hyundai SUV on eastbound Interstate 72 near milepost 68 in Morgan County.

As a result of the traffic stop, the driver, 46-year-old Robert L. McElveen of Cincinnati, Ohio was taken into custody. He was transported and booked into the Morgan County jail where he was cited for Cannabis Trafficking – more than 5,000 grams, Manufacture/Delivery of Cannabis – more than 5,000 grams and Possession of Cannabis – more than 5,000 grams.

No further information was made available by the state police. McElveen remains lodged this morning at the Morgan County Jail.

According to an announcement Friday afternoon, Pike County Sheriff David Greenwood is urging the public not to fall for a phone scam involving the release of a loved one from jail.

Greenwood says calls and messages have been sent claiming money needs to be paid for a loved one to secure GPS to be released from jail.

Greenwood says this is a scam and that the Illinois Office of Statewide Pretrial Services does not charge money for individuals to be placed on supervision or GPS monitoring.

Anyone who receives a message like this is urged to hang up and notify law enforcement of this incident immediately.

Jacksonville Fire Department crews were dispatched to 448 South Mauvaisterre Street for a call for a fully engulfed vehicle fire that was starting to spread to the residence at approximately 7:30 pm Friday.

According to an incident report, fire crews were met at the scene by Jacksonville Police, who said it was believed ammunition was inside the vehicle and going off due to the fire.

Flames and heat from the fire had started to damage the north side of the home. Fire crews quickly deployed a fire line and extinguished the fire, and cooled the exterior of the home.

A section of asphalt shingle siding on the outside of the home suffered damage, and three windows were broken when they were rapidly cooled during fire suppression efforts. The vehicle, a 2009 Nissan Rogue, had not moved in the last three to four months, and the windows had been in the down position, according to witnesses on the scene.

The owner denied there being ammunition in the vehicle. The report noted that a chainsaw was found inside the vehicle during the follow-up investigation.

No injuries were reported. Damage to the vehicle was estimated at $4,000 and $400.00 in the vehicle’s contents. No damage was sustained to the inside of the home. Damage was estimated at $10,000 to the exterior of the structure. The owner stated to authorities on scene that neither the vehicle or the home were covered by insurance at the time of the blaze.

According to Jacksonville Police, the license plate on the vehicle was not registered to the vehicle in the incident. A cause of the fire was unable to be determined during the investigation, according to the Jacksonville Fire Department’s report.