Regional Superintendent: Thumbs Down to Southern Illinois School Consolidation

Anna, IL -- Four southern Illinois school districts now have to hope the state will give them permission to consolidate. The regional superintendent for Alexander, Johnson, Massac, Pulaski and Union counties has denied a request for a four district consolidation. Janet Ulrich says she didn't see enough of a benefit in the plan put forward by the four districts. But local leaders say Ulrich isn't looking at the plan as a whole.
The four districts had been hoping to get the okay to ask voters to approve a school merger. Union County is one of the state's smallest counties; the four local districts were hoping to save money by combining operations. A spokesman at the State Board of Education says they are "reviewing" the consolidation plan. There's no word when a ruling may come.  http://bit.ly/tenSb0

Failure of Payroll Tax Expansion Could Lead to $1,000 Increase to Illinois Families

Failure by Congressional Republicans to extend the payroll tax cut by the end of the year could force a $1,000 tax increase on 160 million middle income Americans, including 6.5 million families in Illinois. The two-percent tax cut was created in December of 2010, and would expire at the end of the year without Congressional action.
The tax cut provides an estimated $108.6 billion in tax relief to roughly 159 million workers. Economists estimate nearly one-million American jobs could be lost, and another recession could be triggered.
The loss of the tax cut would lead to a reduction in GDP of $128 billion according to the Economic Policy Institute. The non-partisan Congressional Budget Office found that extending the payroll tax cut is more cost effective to promote economic growth and employment.  http://goo.gl/jfqqW

Police ID Woman Killed after Hit-and-Run Wreck

WEST FRANKFORT, Ill. (AP) - Illinois State Police say a 39-year-old West Frankfort woman was found fatally injured along a southern Illinois highway after an apparent hit-and-run accident. Police say Deidra Wilson was struck by a vehicle early Monday on Illinois 149 near Interstate 57 in Franklin County's West Frankfort.

She later died at a hospital. State police say they're looking for a dark-colored 2000 to 2005 Cadillac Deville that might have damage to the right-front headlight and fender and perhaps a damaged undercarriage.

The victim's father, Jack Hood, says his daughter was a mother of four children and a grandmother.

Anyone with information about the accident is asked to call state police at 618-542-2171.  http://bit.ly/tenSb0

March Primary Election Field Set

Three candidates will be vying for the Jefferson County State's Attorney office in the March Primary Election.

Campaigning for nomination will be Democrats Meleah H. Walton and Nobel Y. Dowell, Jr.  Republican Douglas R. Hoffman, who will begin serving Jan. 1 after being appointed to the office, is unopposed.

Treasurer  Dan Knox, a Republican, is also unopposed for an unexpired two-year term. Democrat Karen Herzing Williams, also seeking the treasurer's seat, is unopposed.

Jefferson County Circuit Clerk Republican John Scott remained unopposed as did Coroner Eddie Joe Marks, a Democrat.

Board seats for Jefferson County Board are up for election in the primary, with Republican Steve Draege unopposed in District 1, a two-year term; incumbent Joey McDermott, a Republican, running unopposed and Democrat Calvin McClintock running unopposed for his party nomination for a four-year term in District 2.

Two Republicans are running against each other in District 3, Robert D. Knutson and Tommy Hayes, seeking a four-year term. Both are currently on the county board, but will be running against each other due to redistricting.

John Keele, an incumbent Republican, is unopposed in District 4, a four-year term.

Squaring off for the four-year term in District 5 will be Democrats David Stewart and Donald Davis.

The two-year term in District 6 has incumbent Democrat Ted Buck unopposed for his party nomination. Jeff L. Williams and Scott Flota will vie for the Republican nomination in the district.

Jim Laird, a Democrat, is unopposed for the two-year term in District 7.

In District 8, two Democrats, incument Don Rector and Donnie Wilkey, will compete for a two-year term.

Republican Robert J. "Bob" White will be unopposed in District 9, a four-year term.

The two-year term in District 10 has Republicans Robert "Bob" Watt and Curtis "Curt" Grothoff campaigning for nomination.

In District 11, which is being held by Jim Nelson until Dec. 31, two Democrats will vie for the nomination — James Moore and Jeremy Hall square off for their party's nomination in District 11, a two-year term; Republican Tom F. Charleton is unopposed.

District 12 incumbent Republican Scott D. Taaka and Democrat Wayne Hicks are unopposed for the four-year term.  

James H. Malone, a Democrat, is unopposed for the District 13 four-year term.  http://bit.ly/sQ74r9

Four Arrested, Fifth Still Being Sought When Meth Lab Operation Found On Bernard Road

Four people are in custody and a fifth is still being sought as Marion County Sheriff's Deputies and the Southeastern Illinois Drug Task Force combined efforts to locate an on-going methamphetamine operation. It was centered at a camper used at one time for deer hunting in the three-thousand block of Bernard Road just south of Route 161 and west of Interstate 57.
The operation was discovered as sheriff's deputies investigated the source of methamphetamine found on the driver of a car stopped early Monday morning nearby at the Bernard and Medlin Road intersection. 37-year-old Charles Timmons of 17th Street in Wamac was taken into custody for alleged participation in meth manufacturing, possession of a meth precursor, meth conspiracy and use of property for manufacture of meth.
When the alleged meth operation was found at the camper, 19-year-old Elizabeth Bradford of Burge Road in Centralia was taken into custody. She is being held for alleged participation in meth manufacturing, possession of meth precursor, meth conspiracy, and participation in meth manufacturing.
Two men ran from the scene, but were picked up later in the morning when they were found walking along the Bernard Road. 35-year-old Chad Cutler of Belleville and 19-year-old Ryan Jacklin of Condit Street in Centralia are both being held for participation in meth manufacture, possession of meth precursor and meth conspiracy.
The sheriff's department is seeking the public's help in locating a fifth person they believe played a key role in the meth operation. Anyone seeing 28-year-old Daniel Tietsort of Wamac is asked to contact the sheriff's department. In addition, to new meth related charges, Tietsort is also wanted on several outstanding warrants. Sheriff's deputies say the Marion County canine alerted on Timmons' car following the traffic stop.
A search of the car turned up under five grams of methamphetamine under the passenger seat and a baggie of meth in Timmons' front pocket. A combination of finished meth, an active meth lab, and parts from past meth labs were located both inside and outside the camper trailer.
In all, two-thousand grams of meth was seized. Deputies note the meth was being made through the 'bake and shake' method that doesn't need anhydrous ammonia, but has a much greater chance of explosion during the manufacture process.
The State Police Meth Response Team was called in to clean up the meth.  http://bit.ly/tenSb0

Three Hurt In Green Street Road Accident

Three people were injured in a two car wreck on the Green Street Road at the Norton Road intersection east of Central City late Monday afternoon. Marion County Sheriff's Deputies say a car driven by 66-year-old Jesse Hamilton of North Falcon in Bluford had slowed to make a right hand turn off Green Street to Norton Road when he was hit in the rear by a car driven by 33-year-old Charles Berger of Bicknell Street in Centralia. Both drivers escaped injury, but passengers in both cars were hurt. Two persons in the Berger car, 27-year-old Dorothy Berger and two-year-old Dottie Berger of Bicknell Street in Centralia, and a passenger in the Hamilton car, 23-year-old Jocelyn Langford of Norton Road in Odin, were all treated and released at St. Mary's Hospital in Centralia. Berger was ticketed for failure to reduce speed to avoid an accident. The wreck occurred at 4:36 Monday afternoon.  http://bit.ly/tenSb0