The Cisne Village Board met last night and said it is still looking for a new city utility employee but has not yet received an application for the position. It also heard reports on several grants that have been received for expenses for the city water filtration and sewer systems, and it said four oak trees and two maple trees would soon be placed in the town square.
The Grayville City Council met last night and heard more information will be gathered regarding an ordinance dealing with parking recreational vehicles on city streets. The council also heard that a deal on a grocery store that had been in place has fallen through, so it will not come to Grayville as had been planned. Work will continue on finding a store for the city.
25-year-old Brodey I. Murbarger had a pre-trial conference yesterday in Wayne County Circuit Court. Murbarger, his attorney Christian J. Baril, and Wayne County State’s Attorney Kevin Kakac appeared before Judge Tom Dinn via Zoom. Another pre-trial conference was scheduled for January 25th at 10:30 a.m., where Baril is expected to present a motion to allow Murbarger access to a computer or similar electronic device. He also indicated he would have a second motion related to bond, though he did not enumerate yesterday what that motion might be. Judge Michael Molt denied a motion in December to reduce Murbarger’s $300,000 cash bond.
A law enforcement coalition of the Illinois Sheriff’s Association, Chiefs of Police, Fraternal Order of Police, and Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 7 have issued a statement opposing a proposed House Bill calling for sweeping and unfunded police reform. The coalition says it wants to make the profession more transparent and accountable, but the proposed bill is not the way to make the changes. A copy of the coalition’s statement and a 15-point plan of its own can be found in the following file: LE-Coalition-fact-sheet-for-MEMBERS-FINAL-1-4-2021
39-year-old Jason C. Hatrak was taken to Fairfield Memorial Hospital yesterday and issued a notice to appear in court for a charge of criminal damage to property over $500. He is accused of leaving his vehicle in the middle of a county highway due to a lack of gas, causing an accident, and kicking the door of a Cisne resident’s vehicle.
28-year-old Carmi resident Whitney P. McKenzie was killed in a two-vehicle accident yesterday in Harrisburg. State police say she failed to yield to oncoming traffic in a 2011 Chevy Malibu and turned into the path of a 2001 Mack semi, driven by 28-year-old Carl B. Wood. McKenzie was pronounced deceased on-scene, and Wood refused treatment.
Fairfield Memorial Hospital says it began giving the second dose of COVID-19 vaccines yesterday to employees and medical staff who received the first dose on December 16
th. As with the county health department, FMH says it has not been informed of a date when it can offer the vaccine to the public, but it will share that information when it becomes available.
55-year-old Jesse O. Hedden and 39-year-old Brandon S. Cook were sentenced to prison yesterday in Wayne County Circuit Court. Hedden pleaded guilty in October to a count of failure to register as a sex offender, and Cook admitted yesterday to violating probation from a sentence in October 2019. Both were given three years in prison and one year mandatory supervision upon release.
The remains of 46-year-old Marion resident Laura Wolfe were identified last month after being found in October in northern Indiana. Wolfe was reported missing in July. 39-year-old Tennessee resident Lynn Ware, Jr., was identified as a person of interest in the case and was arrested on December 31