Marion County Police Beat for Wednesday, March 7th, 2012

An 18-year-old Centralia woman was being held in the Marion County Jail Wednesday morning for alleged misdemeanor theft. Katelyn Wollever of Melrose Avenue is accused of attempting to leave the Family Dollar Store on North Elm without paying for two items of clothing. Centralia Police say she surrendered the items to a store employee who stopped her after the anti-theft alarm sounded.

19-year-old Chelsae Cessna of North Walnut in Centralia was arrested by Marion County Sheriff's Deputies on a petition to revoke her probation.

34-year-old Helen Rene Hollingsead of South Hickory in Centralia turned herself in on an outstanding Marion County misdemeanor warrant. Two others posted bond on outstanding warrants and were released.

26-year-old Zachary Slater of North Marion in Salem was arrested at his home Tuesday night by Salem Police for failure to appear in court on an aggravated battery charge. He was released on $750 bond.

22-year-old Justin Scott Green of South Pine in Centralia posted $200 after being arrested by Kinmundy Police on an outstanding misdemeanor warrant. - http://goo.gl/QBC2x

Rape Victim Supports Strip Club Tax

Springfield, IL -- An Illinois rape victim is supporting a plan to add a five dollar admission fee to strip clubs that sell alcohol. The extra cash will be used to fund rape crisis centers, which Deborah Curington says helped save her life after she was raped. "They helped me connect the dots, and to see that it wasn't my fault because that's what I believed.

I believed that if I had never been there, that would have never happened to me. They helped me reestablish my identity, and face my past, and challenge my beliefs", said Curington. Curington once worked in the strip club industry and says she's seen a direct correlation between alcohol use and the objectification of women. She says she's knows at least ten other former strip club employees who've been raped.

State Senator Toi Hutchison is behind a proposal to raise strip club admission fees. The measure passed in committee yesterday but Hutchison promised to make changes before calling it for a full vote. - http://goo.gl/ns2kL

Three Sentenced To Marion County Jail Terms

A 28-year-old Centralia man has pleaded guilty to false impersonation. Robert Smith of Ronnie Terrace admitted to falsely impersonating a Marion County Sheriff's Deputy to a clerk at the Huck's store in Centralia. He was sentenced to 120 days in jail. The incident occurred on January 15th. A 20-year-old Centralia man has pleaded guilty to one of four burglary charges pending against him. Keith Charlton of East Broadway was placed on four years probation, 180 days in jail, ordered to pay court costs, and make restitution. Charlton admitted entering a car owned by Stacey Jolliff of Dogwood Lane.

Charges of breaking into three other vehicles on Green Street Road east of Central City on the same day last month were dropped. However, Charlton has agreed to make restitution to all four vehicle owners. 31-year-old Matthew Hall of Centralia pleaded guilty to a theft charge.

Hall admitted having possessing of golf equipment belonging to Ian and Brandi King. Hall was ordered to serve 120 days in jail, pay court costs and make $130 in restitution. - http://goo.gl/0ldDP

Tuesday Afternoon Fire Destroys Home East of Mt. Vernon

An early Tuesday afternoon fire destroyed a home in eastern Jefferson County. Jefferson Fire responded to the fire located on Marlow Road west of Marlow and four-miles east of Mt. Vernon.

The owner of the property was burning a fencerow when her home caught on fire. The fire destroyed the home and everything inside. There were no injuries reported. Fire investigators determined the cause of fire was from the burning of the fencerow. The name of the owner of the home has not been released. The fire occurred at 1:38pm Tuesday.    full story

Farmers Question Mild Winter's Effect on Crops

GALESBURG, Ill. (AP) - Agricultural experts in Illinois say they're unsure how this winter's mild weather will affect the planting and growing season. The Register-Mail in Galesburg reports insects have been one concern for farmers. University of Illinois professor Mike Gray says many insects that impact crops don't spend winters in the area, so the mild weather wouldn't affect them.

Gray says the mild weather may lead some insects to appear earlier but he says that doesn't mean there will be more insects. He says that's because the number of adult insects last year was "relatively low." Gray is more concerned about spring weather. The weather has been a bonus for cattle producers. Knox County Cattlemen's Association President Matt Johnson says the weather has let him use less feed and do field work.  full story

Deal with Flora Cable Plant to Bring 1,450 Jobs

CHICAGO (AP) - Officials say a deal between an Illinois power cable manufacturing plant and a Texas company means 1,450 jobs in Illinois and a step toward improving wind energy. The agreement involves Georgia-based Southwire Company, which has a plant in Flora in Clay County, and Houston-based Clean Line Energy Partners.

It was announced Tuesday during a wind energy conference in Chicago. Southwire's Illinois plant will manufacture 500-miles of overhead transmission cable to deliver 3,500 megawatts of power from Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska and South Dakota to Illinois and beyond. Construction could begin as early as 2014 for the three-year labor agreement.

It'll be called The Rock Island Clean Line Transmission Project. It's expected to cost nearly $2 billion. Governor Pat Quinn says the project provides infrastructure for boosting wind manufacturing.  full story

Illinois Man Abruptly Pleads Guilty in Woman's Attack

EDWARDSVILLE, Ill. (AP) - A southwestern Illinois man abruptly admitted in the middle of his trial that he attacked a woman with a baseball bat. Freddie Ross pleaded guilty Tuesday in Madison County to one-count of attempted murder. He made the plea after hearing opening statements and the victim's testimony.

The 43-year-old East Alton man faces up to 35-years in prison. A sentencing date was not immediately set. Authorities have said Ross beat the woman with a bat, threatened her with a knife and said he would suffocate both of them with natural gas. Investigators say he bound the woman to a chair with duct tape and a telephone cord. She eventually managed to escape and call police.  full story

City of Salem to Demolish Two Water Towers Next Week

The City of Salem will begin demolishing two-water towers next week. The city has contracted with Iseler Demolition Inc. for demolition of the elevated water storage towers at Route 37 North and at 1010 South College Street. Iseler Demolition will move supplies in on Monday, March 12th. Demolition will begin on the Route 37 North tower on Tuesday March 13th at 6:30am.

Demolition should be completed by the afternoon. Some temporary road closures will occur during this demolition, however those have not been announced yet. Demolition will begin on the 1010 South College water tower on Wednesday, March 14th at 6:30am. Demolition should be completed by the afternoon. No road closures are anticipated with this demolition. Both demolitions are weather pending and is subject to change.  full story

Waltonville receives grant

MT. VERNON - The village of Waltonville recently received a $130,000 grant to tap into Rend Lake's water supply.

The village received a grant through the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity for a new pump system to hook into the Rend Lake water line along Hall Lane, said Walter Cox of Heneghan and Associates in Centralia.

"The only other thing that causes me — that we're going to talk about with them is 'metering equipment water main upstream,' is, 'the meter stations and the land upon which they are located shall be the property of the district as soon as the system becomes operational and the water main and master meter are accepted by the district'," he said. "... That one, I've got to sort through and figure out how we're going to accomplish that. If you go ahead with the project once we get past the design stage, that's funded through the DCEO grant, but to be able to physically build it, we'll apply for grant funds through them and/or loan and grant funds through Rural Development." - http://goo.gl/rM8t2

Bank of Carbondale robbed; police on scene

CARBONDALE - The Bank of Carbondale was reportedly robbed at about 1
p.m. Monday.

Officers from the Carbondale Police Department were at the bank
facility, located at 216 E. Main Street, shortly after 1 p.m. in
response to the call.

Police on scene aren't commenting on what happened inside, other than to
say the facility was indeed robbed. An officer on the scene told The
Southern Illinoisan the department would be releasing more information
shortly.

Right now there is no word on whether the suspect or suspects involved
in the robbery are in custody. - http://goo.gl/EFoHf