Daily Record - May 17, 2012

Mt. Vernon Police Department Arrests

Daniel B. Williams, 26, of the 600 block of South 19th Street, was arrested Tuesday at 8:15 p.m. on a charge of resisting a peace officer. Bond was set at $1,000.

Thefts

Tuesday at 11:31 a.m., an employee of a business in the 3200 block of Broadway told police an item had been rented and never returned.
Incidents

Police responded to a report of a battery in the 900 block of Wescott Street at 6:14 p.m. Tuesday.
A resident in the 900 block of South Sixth Street told police there were five people fighting at 8:07 p.m. Tuesday.

Tuesday at 11:52 p.m., police responded to a report of an attempted robbery in the 1000 block of South 20th Street.

Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office Arrests

Aaron X. Collins, 21, of the 800 block of South 22nd Street, was arrested Tuesday at 3:37 p.m. on a charge of violation of bail bond. Bond was set at $75,000.

James B. Lockwood, 24, of the 14300 block of East Loyola Road, was arrested Tuesday at 7:27 p.m. on a charge of violation of bail bond. Bond was set at $40,000.

Charles L. Whipple, 41, of Woodlawn, was arrested Wednesday at 4:28 a.m. on charges of criminal damage to property, criminal trespass to a residence, aggravated battery of a peace officer, criminal damage to property and resisting/obstructing an officer.

Incidents

A resident in the 200 block of West James Street told police someone damaged items in her house at 8:55 p.m. Tuesday. Full Story

Mt. Vernon/Jefferson County Arrest Record - May 16, 2012

Mt. Vernon Police Department Arrests

    Tyson A. Carlos, 24, of the 1000 block of Southgate Drive, was arrested Friday at 3:57 p.m. on a charge of driving with a suspended/revoked license. Bond was set at $1,500 and Carlos was released.
    Shannon L. Taylor, 33, of the 600 block of South 22nd Street, was arrested Saturday at 3:10 a.m. on an in-state warrant. Bond was set at $5,000 and Taylor was released.
    Bryant M. Harris, 39, of the 1400 block of South 12th Street, was arrested Saturday at 4:38 a.m. on charges of unlawful delivery of a controlled substance and possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver. Bond was set at $10,000 and Harris was released.
    Jonathan M. Gresham, 21, of the 1400 block of South 34th Street, was arrested Saturday at 5:49 a.m. on charges of domestic battery and criminal damage to property. Bond was set at $3,000 and Gresham was released.
    Edward K. Taylor, 27, of the 2000 block of Herbert Street, was arrested Monday at 8:38 p.m. on charges of violation of bail bond.
    Shawn M. Montaleone, 29, of Ina, was arrested Tuesday at 1:26 a.m. on a charge of driving with a suspended/revoked license. Bond was set at $1,500 and Montaleone was released.
    Brandan L. Hankins, 31, of the 500 block of Broadway, was arrested Tuesday at 2:10 a.m. on a charge of driving with a suspended/revoked license. Bond was set at $1,500 and Hankins was released.
    Owen L. Buchanan, 37, of the 800 block of South 21st Street, was arrested Tuesday at 3:13 a.m. on a charge of domestic battery with physical contact.
    Etoria D. Bradley, 28, of Cahokia, was arrested on charges of driving with a suspended/revoked license and violation of bail bond.

Jefferson County Sheriff’s Department Arrests

    Benjamine Stuckey, 22, of the 700 block of South 15th Street, was arrested Friday at 11:25 a.m. on a charge of violation of bail bond. Bond was set at $1,500 and Stuckey was released.
    Cody L. Hicks, 19, of Bluford, was arrested Friday at 2:07 p.m. on a charge of criminal trespass to land. Bond was set at $1,500 and Hicks was released.
    Brian W. Gregory Jr., 19, was arrested at 3:57 p.m. Friday on a charge of criminal trespass to land. Bond was set at $1,500 and Gregory was released.
    Laura M. Vailes, 33, of Broughton, was arrested Saturday at 1:29 p.m. on a charge of driving with a suspended/revoked license. Bond was set at $1,500.

Illinois State Police Arrests

    Cheryl L. Shultz, 37, of Dickeyville, was arrested Friday at 9:18 a.m. on an out-of-state warrant. Shultz was released. - Full Story

Mt. Vernon/Jefferson County Daily Record - May 15, 2012

Mt. Vernon Police Department

Arrests

• Lorie L. Sherman, 39, of the 1600 block of South 13th Street, was arrested Saturday at 4:49 p.m. on a charge of retail theft. Bond was set at $7,500.
• Tashira L. Deloch, 21, of the 800 block of South 21st Street, was arrested Sunday at 5:51 a.m. on charges of battery making physical contact, criminal trespass to a resident with a person present, and knowingly damaging property.
• John R. Moore, 41, of the 1100 block of South 22nd Street, was arrested Sunday at 10:07 p.m. on a charge of theft of labor, services or property.

Thefts

• Police responded to a report that a customer of United Taxi got out without paying near the 3300 block of Broadway at 5:35 p.m. Sunday.

Incidents

• A resident in the 200 block of Opdyke Avenue told police someone tried to break into her home at 4:03 p.m. Sunday.
• Sunday at 7:32 p.m., a resident in the 1300 block of Casey told police three young men were throwing rocks at him.
• Police responded to a report of four young people climbing the back of J.L. Buford Intermediate Center at 11:06 p.m. Sunday.
• An employee at the Hucks at 1801 S. 10th St. told police two people were fighting in a vehicle at 11:29 p.m. Sunday.

Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office

Arrests

• David Lambus, 19, of Ina, was arrested Saturday at 5:07 p.m. on charges of aggravated battery of a police officer, resisting or obstructing an officer and obstructing a peace officer.
• Renard M. Waters, 62, of Dix, was arrested Sunday at 9:06 p.m. on a charge of false report of an offense.
• Warren Reich, 55, of the 14500 block of North Old Centralia Lane, was arrested Sunday at 10:07 p.m. on a charge of aggravated driving under the influence with no valid driver’s license.

Incidents

• A resident in the 6200 block of East Dayton Drive in Woodlawn told police at 7:10 p.m. Friday that his neighbors were shooting off guns, and when he went and asked them to knock it off, they refused and one man shoved him.
• Saturday at 3:19 p.m., a resident in the 300 block of West Third Street in Ina told police someone broke the windows out of his shop.
• Police responded to a report that two rooms were ransacked in a residence in the 600 block of West South Avenue in Bluford at 9:50 a.m. Sunday.  - Full Story

Mt. Vernon Arrest Record - May 8, 2012

Mt. Vernon Police Department

• Jerold C. Ellis, 21, of the 2900 block of Brownsville Road, was arrested Friday at 3:36 a.m. on charges of violation of an order of protection and domestic battery. Bond was set at $6,500 and Ellis was released.
• Jesse R. Greenwood, 27, of the 200 block of Cottonwood Drive, was arrested Friday at 5:22 p.m. on a charge of violation of an order of protection. Bond was set at $3,000 and Greenwood was released.
• Johnny L. Webb Jr., 41, of the 1300 block of Harlan Road, was arrested Saturday at 6:29 p.m. on a charge of driving with a suspended/revoked license. Bond was set at $1,500 and Webb was released.
• Marie E. Anderson-Hernandez, 19, of Salem, was arrested Saturday at 12:19 a.m. on a charge of retail theft.
• Amanda R. Ortiz, 22, of Olney, was arrested Saturday at 1:45 a.m. on an in-state warrant and a charge of probation violation. Bond was set at $1,500 and Ortiz was released.
• Joey R. Fairchild, 24, of the 1900 block of South Ninth Street, was arrested at 3:44 a.m. Saturday on a charge of disorderly conduct. Bond was set at $1,500 and Fairchild was released.
• Robert E. Coulson, 30, of the 2400 block of Casey Avenue, was arrested at 8:10 a.m. Saturday on a charge of disorderly conduct. Bond was set at $1,000 and Coulson was released.
• Tirita L. Pryor, 23, of the 1600 block of South 12th Street, was arrested Saturday at 7:37 p.m. on a charge of driving with a suspended/revoked license. Bond was set at $1,500 and Pryor was released.
• Khirece D. Tucker, 20, of the 400 block of Forest Avenue, was arrested Sunday at 1:09 a.m. on an in-state warrant. Bond was set at $3,000 and Tucker was released.
• Somer M. Lowry, 30, of Benton, was arrested Sunday at 3:40 a.m. on charges of resisting a peace officer, retail theft and aggravated battery of a police officer. Bond was set at $30,000.
• Matthew J. Anderson, 33, of Sparta, Mo., was arrested Sunday at 5:57 a.m. on a charge of violation of bail bond.
• Leslie A. Courtney, 25, of the 1000 block of George Street, was arrested Sunday at 3:13 p.m. on charges of aggravated battery of a peace officer and resisting/obstructing an officer. Bond was set at $50,000.
• Willie B. Wallace, 63, no address listed, was arrested Sunday at 5:49 p.m. on a charge of driving with a suspended license. Bond was set at $1,500.
• Montrell D. Williams, 18, of the 1000 block of South 25th Street, was arrested Sunday at 6:08 p.m. on a charge of theft. Bond was set at $1,000.
• Jerry A. England, 35, of the 300 block of South Second Street, was arrested Sunday at 9:01 p.m. on a charge of violation of bail bond. Bond was set at $1,000.
• John C. Benjamin, 24, of Dix, was arrested Monday on a charge of interfering with a report of domestic violence.
• Wanda M. Feggins, 49, of the 700 block of Conger Avenue, was arrested Monday at 1:40 a.m. on a charge of criminal trespass to land. Bond was set at $1,000.

Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office

• Khayman G. Collins, 19, of the 100 block of Cottonwood, was arrested at 5:37 a.m. on a charge of possession of drug paraphernalia. Bond was set at $1,000 and Collins was released.
• Codey R. Tate, 19, of the 19200 block of East Sandpiper Road, was arrested Saturday at 8:18 a.m. on a charge of driving under the influence of alcohol and drugs and consumption/possession of an intoxicating compound. Bond was set at $3,000 and Tate was released.
• Jennifer Y. Hernandez, 28, of the 700 block of South 22nd Street, was arrested Saturday at 6:23 p.m. on an in-state warrant. Bond was set at $5,000 and Hernandez was released.

Illinois State Police

• Leigh Messamore, 20, of West Frankfort, was arrested Saturday at 4:45 a.m. on a charge of driving with a suspended/revoked license. Bond was set at $1,500 and Messamore was released.
• Ladarrin E. Grayer, 22, no address listed, was arrested Sunday at 3:22 p.m. on a charge of driving under the influence of alcohol. Bond was set at $1,500 and Grayer was released. Full Story

Indianapolis police: Boy 4, fatally stabbed

INDIANAPOLIS -- Indianapolis police say a 4-year-old boy who apparently suffered multiple stab wounds has died and his 14-year-old cousin was being questioned by detectives.

Police spokesman Kendale Adams said officers were called about 11 p.m. Saturday to an apartment, where they found the bleeding boy and he was rushed to a hospital where he was later pronounced dead.

Adams said in a statement early Sunday that officers subsequently found the boy's 14-year-old female cousin, covered in blood, on a city street afterward. The statement said officers took the cousin to police headquarters for questioning. Police said they had made no immediate arrest, but the investigation was continuing.

Authorities say the victim and his 11-year-old sister were apparently at their grandparent's apartment at the time, but further details weren't released. - http://bit.ly/IQOKh7

Proposed I-64 interchange near O'Fallon is 'top priority' for region, planners say

A proposed interchange on Interstate 64 at Rieder Road is the top priority for the region and construction may begin as soon as 2014, according to project managers.

The $15.3 million interchange is part of an overall $59.1 million proposed project, which includes improvements to Interstate 64, Rieder Road from Scott Air Force Base to Highway 50 and Cardinal Creek gate at the base.

The interchange would mean significant changes for the area, including likely industrial development north of the interchange and east of the current city limits of O'Fallon.

Geri Boyer, co-owner of Kaskaskia Engineering Group in Belleville which is managing the project for St. Clair County, said progress on the project has gone surprisingly quickly --partly because similar studies had already been done on the area during the construction of nearby MidAmerica St. Louis Airport in Mascoutah.

Proponents of the project believe it will provide SAFB with direct access to the interstate, accommodate heavy traffic on nearby roads created by development west of the interchange, and be cheaper than redesigning the Illinois 158 interchange at an estimated cost of $50 million.

The Federal Highway Administration has already given its conditional approval for the construction of the interchange.

The Illinois Department of Transportation has earmarked $28.2 million of the cost through its Aeronautics Transportation Improvement Program and SAFB has budgeted $2.3 million for the gate's improvements. Approximately $28.6 million of the project remains unfunded.

In anticipation of potential development, the City of O'Fallon has placed 6,000 feet of water lines along Shiloh Valley Township Line Road just north of I-64 and east of the city. Another project placed 8,000 feet of water lines from the intersection of Shiloh Valley Township Line Road and Rieder Road to Highway 50.

O'Fallon leaders believe a host of industries could develop near the site, such as the transportation, logistics and technology industries -- utilizing those industries' experts already housed nearby at SAFB.

St. Clair County already owns much of the land south of the interchange, but land north of the proposal is within the O'Fallon facilities planning area and likely will be annexed into O'Fallon. - http://bit.ly/JetzGF

Madison County sees outbreak of whooping cough

An outbreak of pertussis, also known as whooping cough, has been reported in Madison County: 14 cases, with eight reported Friday and Monday alone.

Pertussis is a highly contagious bacterial infection spread through coughing and sneezing. It is usually preventable through vaccination. However, Edwardsville District 7 officials informed parents Tuesday that one of the cases is a student at Lincoln Middle School, and that case is hardly a single incident.

"It's all over the county," said Debbie Knoll, personal health services manager for the Madison County Health Department. "There's no two (cases) in the same school or the same city."

Still, the outbreak does not necessarily mean the beginning of a massive number of cases. "Hopefully most kids are immunized against pertussis," Knoll said.

However, there were only 16 cases all of last year in Madison County, she said; 14 cases in one month is a matter of concern.

While most people are vaccinated for pertussis as young children, the vaccination requires booster shots that adults rarely receive and thus can spread the disease. Pertussis can lead to serious complications or even death, particularly in infants.

Knoll said the disease usually appears in the winter months, but there were only three cases in January and one in February for Madison County. No cases have reported in St. Clair County, according to health department spokeswoman Marilyn Vise.

Symptoms appear like a common cold -- runny nose, sneezing, low-grade fever and a mild cough. But the cough worsens over a week or two, and then turns into what health officials describe as a "spasmodic burst of numerous, rapid coughs." There is a characteristic high-pitched "whoop" in patients' breathing after a coughing episode, which can be so violent that patients turn blue or vomit.

Melanie Arnold, spokeswoman for the Illinois Department of Public Health, said pertussis "tends to be cyclical," meaning reported cases rise for a few years and then disappear again. The statewide numbers for April were not yet available.

Vaccinations should be given to infants at 2 months, 4, 6 and 15 months; and another dose at age 4-6. The vaccine usually is combined with the diphtheria and tetanus vaccines.

A new booster vaccination for adolescents and adults, called TDap, was developed in 2005 and is recommended for anyone with routine contact with infants. That includes senior citizens whose vaccinations may be decades out of date, and the CDC's advisory boards recommend any senior citizen who has contact with infants get the booster, Arnold said.

However, it is considered an "off-label" administration of the booster under FDA regulations, and thus senior citizens may have a hard time acquiring it from private physicians or getting private health insurance to pay for it.

St. Clair County Health Department does not do any adult vaccinations, Vise said. Madison County does provide adult vaccinations, including to those over age 65 -- especially during a pertussis outbreak two years ago, Knoll said.

"There was a big push in Illinois to vaccinate everyone," Knoll said. "We went through hundreds of doses, including older folks."

Edwardsville schools have sent more information home with Lincoln students and are encouraging parents who notice symptoms to report them to health care providers. - http://bit.ly/IDmIsv

School consolidation is a possibility

JEFFERSON COUNTY - The possibility of consolidation of schools is on the minds of educators both in the county and across the state.

While Dr. Nick Osborne is in the midst of conducting a consolidation study for Ina, Dodds, McClellan, Bethel and Opdyke-Belle Rive grade schools, the Classrooms First Commission recently released a set of draft recommendations intended to make it easier for school districts to consolidate.

Opdyke-Belle Rive Grade School Principal Debbie Blakey said she can see both advantages and disadvantages to consolidation of the lower-attendance schools in Jefferson County.

She said three to five years ago, the school saw a decrease in its enrollment, but it has been steady through the last few years.

The ability to offer music and art programs to grade school students is one of the possible advantages of consolidation, Blakey said.

"We don't have an instructor for those," she said. "If we had a larger population, we would have the funds for those types of services."

However, Blakey said transportation is likely to be a sticking point, especially if a suggested 50 percent slashing of the transportation fund by Gov. Pat Quinn is approved.

"There may be more costs involved that people don't see," she said. "If all five consolidate, teacher pay scales would go up to the highest of those five schools."  School consolidation is a possibility - http://bit.ly/Iyh87B

Motorcyclist injured in Thursday morning collision at Mt. Vernon

MT. VERNON — One person was airlifted to a St. Louis hospital after a car-vs.-motorcycle collision early Thursday.

Police responded to a report of a motor vehicle accident at 7:12 a.m. Thursday at the intersection of 44th and Broadway streets.

Eric Jiardina, 32, of Mt. Vernon, was traveling west bound in a car on Broadway, and turned in front of Timothy McCullough, 43, of Marion, who was riding a motorcycle.

McCullough was airlifted to Barnes-Jewish Hospital in St. Louis with extensive injuries. No other injuries were reported.  full story

Jiardina was cited for failure to yield to an oncoming vehicle.

Budget expenses below budgeted projection

MT. VERNON - Jefferson County's budget expenses are 3.7 percent below the budgeted projection, according to Jefferson County Board Chairman Robert White.

Income is .29 percent below projections as well, he said.

The county has received more than $350,000 since March 31, he said, but is still waiting to receive more than $1.2 million due from the state.

White said a large portion of the money received came after Sen. John O. Jones called on the behalf of the county after reading about its issues with Second Judicial Circuit probation reimbursements in local newspapers.

"It was not requested and was not known until he called to let me know that the payment is on the way," White said. "Jefferson County will be missing Senator Jones after the upcoming elections."

White said the county has stood its ground with the probation payroll agreement with Franklin County, which he said keeps Jefferson County from ever getting past three months in arrears.

"Whether the (Second) Judicial Circuit will supplement the extension of any amount over three months is up to them," White said. "We are firm in our resolve to maintain this arrangement and will mitigate these outstanding balances moving forward."

He said though standing firm on the payroll doesn't address the other line items in arrears from the state, but said he believes they will help moving forward.

Jefferson County Treasurer Dan Knox is holding the other 11 counties in the Second Judicial Circuit to a promise that they will not get "too far behind" in reimbursing Jefferson County for probation salaries.

"As a whole, we do not generally get over two months behind, however, there are a couple of counties that are not holding up to the agreement and we'll be monitoring them monthly as we move forward," White explained. - http://bit.ly/HZb5XM