The owner of Johnson's Standard Station in Kinmundy received a hand injury when a spring in a grain truck failed when he was putting tire jacks under the truck to change a flat tire. Chuck Johnson of Kinmundy was working on the truck owned by Roger and Cathy Jones on the side of Route 37 in Farina Friday afternoon when the accident occurred. Kinmundy-Alma Fire Chief Kevin Day says Johnson had his hand on the first jack while putting the second one into place when the spring failed. The sudden weight shift forced part of the top of the jack to go through the upper palm of Johnson's hand and trapped him under the truck. Day says the Farina Fire Department used their jaws of life to free Johnson. He was then transported to St. Anthony's Hospital by Kinmundy-Alma Ambulance where he underwent surgery on his hand. Qanrm
Sunday, October 9, 2011
State Awarded Grant for Specialty Crops
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) - Illinois has received nearly $650,000 in federal grants to expand the state's specialty crop industry. State agriculture officials say 13 projects will split the funds from the Department of Agriculture's Specialty Crop Block Grant program. While officials say Illinois is best known for growing corn and soybeans, specialty crops produce nearly $137 million a year in sales for state farmers.Ag officials say Illinois is the country's largest producer of pumpkins and ranks in the top10 in the production of asparagus, cauliflower, green peas and lima beans. The projects receiving funding include pest control workshops for grape growers and efforts to encourage the use of specialty crops among food stamp clients. MaHYw
Saturday, October 8, 2011
Carlyle College Student Joins Harlem Globetrotters
CHICAGO (AP) - A Carlyle,Illinois college student who won the national slam-dunking championship has been signed by the Harlem Globetrotters. The Belleville News-Democrat reports that Jacob Tucker was welcomed to the team Friday with an appearance on NBC's "Today Show." The team drafted Tucker in June and evaluated him over the summer. Tucker says becoming part of the team is "an unbelievable honor." The 5-foot-10 player won the dunking half of the College Slam Dunk and 3-Point Championships at the Final Four in March. He was invited after a YouTube video of his dunking skills became an internet hit. Tucker was a standout at Illinois College in Jacksonville and Carlyle High School in southern Illinois. His new Globetrotters nickname is "Hops." He's one of 10 players joining the team this year. l5miS
Marion County Police Beat for Saturday, October 8th, 2011
Walnut Hill Woman Transferred To St. Louis Hospital Following Traffic Crash
A 66-year-old Walnut Hill woman has been transported to St. Louis University Hospital for treatment of injuries sustained in a one vehicle crash on the Walnut Hill Road just west of Perrine Street Road southeast of Centralia late Friday afternoon. State Police say Dee Anna Correll was eastbound on the Walnut Hill Road when she ran off the left side of the road, struck a culvert and the Blazer she was driving overturned on its top. Correll was initially taken to St. Mary's Hospital in Centralia and later transferred by medical helicopter to St. Louis. Correll was ticketed for improper lane usage. The wreck occurred at 4:30 Friday afternoon. 3OZyS
Friday, October 7, 2011
Bond Set at $500,000 for Centralia Man After Attacking Woman in Her Home
Bond has been set at a half-million dollars for a 20-year-old Centralia man who faces three new charges in Marion County Court after allegedly attacking a 19-year-old Centralia woman in her home. Terrell Branch is charged with criminal sexual assault, aggravated domestic battery, and domestic battery. Branch is accused of entering the woman's home early Friday morning, and beating and sexually assaulting her for several hours. The aggravated domestic battery charge claims Branch strangled and impeded the normal breathing of the alleged victim. The domestic battery charge is a felony because of a prior domestic battery conviction. That offense carries an extended one-to-six year prison term if convicted. In addition to the new charges, the State's Attorneys office has also filed a petition to revoke Branch's probation on the prior domestic battery conviction. Branch had the public defender appointed to represent him. He'll be back in court for a first appearance with attorney on October 18th. - http://goo.gl/ghavO
Marion County Police Beat for Friday, October 7th, 2011
Salem Police have arrested an 18-year-old Centralia man for possession of a stolen property and possession of drug paraphernalia. Jeremy Tate of North Walnut was allegedly riding one of two bicycles stolen from the John Duncan home on Spruce Street when stopped by police on West Main Street. Police report the second stolen bicycle has not been recovered. Salem Police have two vehicle burglaries under investigation where nothing was apparently stolen. Kevin Morris of West Pine Street reported someone entered his vehicle Thursday night or Friday morning. Tyler Lewis of West Warmoth told police he found the doors to his car open Thursday morning. While nothing was taken from the vehicle, Lewis believes some gasoline may have been stolen. A 31-year-old Centralia man has been arrested on a Petition to Revoke his probation. Michael Honecker of Norton Road remains in the Marion County Jail. A second person, 26-year-old Kristine Randall of North Gary, posted 750-dollars bond and was released. 33-year-old Sean Polacek of New Baden posted $200 bond and was released on an outstanding Marion County warrant. 25-year-old Christopher Nichols of Laury Street in Odin posted $150 bond and was released for allegedly driving on a suspended license. - http://goo.gl/gBlhi
Free Trade Agreements May Help Illinois Farmers
Springfield, IL -- The Illinois Corn Growers Association's Rodney Weinzierl says free trade agreements with Colombia, Korea and Panama could mean a lot more business for Illinois farmers. "It's just a huge win for the U.S. to have these agreements. There's very little benefit on the other side of these countries because they already enjoy the benefits coming into the U.S.", said Weinzierl. A U.S. House of Representatives committee has made the first step toward passing agriculture free trade agreements with the three countries. The agreements are aimed at lowering tariffs on U.S. farm produce exports. The USDA projects an additional two and a half billion dollars in agriculture exports and the creation of 20-thousand jobs nationwide if they are signed into law. - http://goo.gl/RjVUO
Fiery Freight Train Derailment Forces Evacuation Of North Central Illinois Town
TISKILWA, Ill. (AP) - A fiery freight train derailment in north-central IllinoisFriday morning sent up bright orange flames and plumes of smoke that could be seen miles away. The derailment forced the evacuation of the village of Tiskilwa, which has about 800 residents. Mick Burkart of Iowa Interstate Railroad says 26 cars on the 131-car train derailed, including seven to nine loaded with ethanol. Burkhart says the fire so far has prevented officials from getting close enough to the train to determine what caused the accident. There's no word yet on any injuries. Authorities say evacuees are being taken to a nearby high school. Residents reported hearing explosions after the cars left the tracks, and Captain Steve Haywood of the Ottawa Fire Department says at least six tanker cars are burning. Resident Amanda Knight says the explosions she heard sounded "like a jet coming over the town." - http://goo.gl/zzlnb
Thursday, October 6, 2011
Illinois' Menard Prison's Staffing Inadequate
CHESTER, Ill. (AP) - A Chicago-based prison watchdog group says a maximum-security prison in southwestern Illinois is getting increasingly dangerous. A report Tuesday by the John Howard Association says the Menard Correctional Center has too many inmates and too few guards. That makes for the state's worst inmate-to-staff ratio of all Illinois maximum-security lockups. The group says there have been 14 staff assaults since January 1st at Menard near Chester, southeast of St. Louis. The 133-year-old prison is designed to hold less than 3,100 prisoners, but it has 3,621. Its population of more than 2,000 convicted killers is more than any other Illinois prison. The Illinois Department of Corrections disputed the report, saying the size of Menard's inmate population must be taken into consideration when comparing it with other prisons. - http://goo.gl/sDQny