A 29-year-old Centralia man is being held in the Clinton County Jail for alleged robbery and domestic battery. Cesar Munoz is accused of going to the Clarissa Glass home on Dover Street and knocking Glass down and physically taking her cell phone. Centralia Police say Munoz claimed Glass owed him money, leading to the altercation. A 25-year-old Centralia man has been arrested and taken to the Marion County Jail by Centralia Police for alleged aggravated domestic battery and felony criminal damage to property. Centralia Police say Eddie Armstrong of East 5th went to the Kimberly Burton home on Saddler Street. When she didn't answer the door, Armstrong allegedly broke out the windows in her car. Once Burton came out of her home, Armstrong allegedly began choking her. Salem Police arrested a 21-year-old Salem man on multiple charges following a traffic stop on his motorcycle early Monday morning. Christopher Keech of Hillcrest Drive was arrested for alleged driving under the influence of drugs, possession of a controlled substance and cannabis and driving on a suspended license. - http://goo.gl/uVhW0
Monday, October 10, 2011
MVTHS updates attendance policy
Mt. Vernon Township High School has updated its attendance policy in the wake of new state truancy guidelines.
"We can't carry out our mission without students in school," said Principal Wes Olson. "We want them to meet their fullest potential."
MVTHS has set a goal of raising attendance 2 percent in response to the changes in the Illinois School Code that went into effect at the beginning of the new school year, which allow students to miss only nine days unexcused rather than 18.
Olson said he expects the new system to result in 90 percent of students accruing less than five unexcused absences, with another 5 percent between three and eight and the remaining 5 percent over the limit of nine.
"Through a framework which provides three tiers of support to our students and families (prevention, early intervention and more intense intervention strategies), the 2011-12 Attendance Plan will assist our students in being successful," information states. "It will take the entire community to support the importance of education and the need for students to be at school every day."
Olson said a fundamental part of the new plan is to hold accountable four groups: school personnel, students, parents and the community.
According to information provided by the school, expectations for students include planning appointments outside school hours and coming to school with minor illnesses rather than staying home; for school personnel, educating the medical community on the attendance plan and reducing out-of-school suspension for tardies and other minor offenses; for the community, providing incentives to be given to students with good attendance, such as iPods, and creating and hanging posters about the policy; and for parents, making sure their children get an adequate amount of sleep and planning vacations around school times.
"This can make a real difference in your child's life. You just have to get them here," Olson said.
Action steps for preventing truancy have toughened up as well: the first day of truancy results in a letter to the student's parent; the second, a call home and five days of social suspension; and the third, a call and/or home visit from school social workers to create a plan for the child. Steps increase in severity until all the student's days are exhausted. - http://goo.gl/eHOVY
Salem Recycling Center To Be Closed All Week Following Arson Fire
Keep Salem Beautiful Coordinator Jane Marshall says the city's recycling center on the county's parking lot off North Broadway and Schwartz Street will be closed this week following an early Monday morning fire. Marshall says the trailer housing the recycling containers is being aired out and will have to be power washed before it is put back into service. Salem Police noticed the fire shortly before two am and called the fire department. Firemen say the cardboard inside the metal trailer that houses the recycling center had been set on fire. The blaze destroyed some of the plastic containers housing the recycled materials and scorched some of the outside paint. No one was seen around the center before the fire was discovered. Salem Police and Fire officials are investigating. Marshall says she's frustrated with the action, but says the recycling center will return. She notes all of the recycled materials that were in the bins will have to be thrown out because it is contaminated with the smoke smell. - http://goo.gl/aSny3
Country Bob's Prepares To Construct New Facility In Centralia
Country Bob's in Centralia is preparing to construct a new facility. Centralia Economic Development Director Jeannie Gustafson says the new facility will be located on a five acre site three and a half miles south of Centralia on U.S. 51 immediately south of Jeff Road. The supported redevelopment of the factory from its current location at Second and Lincoln Street will retain 14 jobs and create two new jobs within two years of the project being completed. The Centralia City Council Tuesday night will be asked to apply for a USDA Rural Business Enterprise Grant to help the city make infrastructure improvements to the site. The city is requesting $74,864 funding to be used by the city to construct a new water line along with extending an eight inch sanitary sewer line to the city's Principal Meridian Business Park to support the redevelopment. The council will be asked to release an additional $7,000 payment to Don Karchmer Enterprises under a development agreement for Tax Increment Finance District Five on the northwest side of the city near McCord and Aaron Parkway. Karchmer provided $21,000 to the city in 2006 to help pay for the cost of a consultant to create the TIF District. Karchmer received another $7,000 payment in 2010 and is still owed an additional $7,000. The council will also be asked to make a $49,829 distribution to Heritage Woods of Centralia from TIF District number six. The payment represents 60-percent of the amount of property taxes paid by Heritage Woods on their 2010 Marion County property tax bill. The Centralia City Council will meet at seven Tuesday night. The meeting has been moved back a day because of the Columbus Day Holiday. - http://goo.gl/Irvtd
Two Centralia Men Arrested For Alleged Home Invasion and Attempted Armed Robbery
Two Centralia men have been arrested for alleged home invasion and attempted armed robbery. Centralia Police say the two had just forced open the back door of the Colt McLean home in the 300 block of North Elm Street around 3:30 Monday morning when they arrived on the scene. Police report both 27-year-old Brandon Hoskins of Fairway Drive and 20-year-old Dustin Rhynes of East Second ran on foot. Hoskins was apprehended about a block away. Rhynes was able to initially flee from the squad car chasing him, but dropped an article of clothing. With the help of the scent, Rhynes was apprehended with the help of the Clinton County canine about 45 minutes later. Police say he was hiding against the side of a home. The attempted armed robbery charge was added because police say they found a sawed off shotgun on the ground where the two menhad initially run from the home. Both Hoskins and Rhynes were taken to the Marion County Jail pending a first appearance in court. McLean had called police when hearing someone trying to gain entry to his home. - http://goo.gl/WkoeS
Sunday, October 9, 2011
Kinmundy Man Injured Changing Tire
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
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