Two People Arrested for Drugs and Sexual Assault in Jefferson County

Detectives from the Jefferson County Sheriff's Department located a large amount of drugs while investigating a sexual assault case Monday afternoon. Detectives were called to 4588 East Dix-Irvington Road in northwestern Jefferson County around 3:40pm.

They were executing a search warrant for evidence pertaining to a sexual assault case when officers located more than 500 pounds of cannabis, estimated at $16,685, and other drug paraphernalia inside the home. Officers arrested a male juvenile for criminal sexual assault, and are currently being held in Juvenile Detention pending a bond hearing. 39-year-old Richard M. Foutch, Jr. was arrested and charged with the manufacturing and delivery of cannabis over 500-grams.

Foutch is currently being held in the Jefferson County Justice Center pending a bond hearing. The Jefferson County Animal Warden seized four-dogs and a snake from the property for safe keeping. The case is still under investigation. full story

State Says it's Testing for Tritium near Reactor

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) - Workers from Illinois' Emergency Management Agency are collecting water and vegetation samples to check for radioactive tritium around a northern Illinois nuclear plant. Agency Director Jonathon Monken said Tuesday that there's no reason to believe harmful levels of tritium were released from a stalled reactor at the Byron Generating Station.

One of the site's reactors shut down automatically Monday after an off-site power failure, and steam was vented to reduce pressure on the reactor. Federal and company officials said the level of tritium released with the steam was safe. Monken says it's his agency's public duty to verify current levels of tritium in the area, and results should be available within a few days. Exelon Energy officials say they traced the power failure to an electrical insulator in a switchyard.  full story

One Person Killed in Clay County Crash Monday Afternoon

One person was killed in the result of a collision in Clay County Monday afternoon. The accident occurred at the intersection of U.S. Highway 45/50 and Stanford Road near the Clay County Hospital at 3:47pm.

The Illinois State Police say 30-year-old John Paul Loveless of Cape Girardeau, MO was traveling westbound on U.S. 45/50 in his white 2008 Volvo truck-tractor semi. 86-year-old Eugene England of Flora was stopped northbound on Stanford Road, preparing to cross U.S. 45/50. England did not yield to Loveless' vehicle, and began to cross the highway. Loveless did not have time to stop, and struck England's vehicle on the passenger side. England died of his injuries sustained in the crash. State Police made no mention of any citations issued, or a further investigation into the crash.

The Flora Police Department, Clay County Hospital Ambulance, Flora Fire Department, and the ESDA were on the scene with the State Police handling the accident. Traffic was detoured for about two-hours around the crash site.  full story