Christian County Sheriff Bruce Kettelkamp warns citizens about another IRS scam. Recently several people in the area received an automated phone call from the IRS Legal Department stating a lawsuit would be filed against them if they did not contact a certain phone number. If you receive a phone call from someone claiming to be the IRS, you can take the following steps:

- If you know you owe taxes or think you might owe taxes, contact your local IRS Office to find out more information. Here's a list of offices in Illinois: Local IRS Offices

-If you know you don't owe taxes or have no reason to think you owe taxes, call and report the incident to the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration. You can also file a complaint here: FTC Complaint Assitant
Thomack 7/30/15

Over three hundred dollars was stolen from Curly's Corner Market near Granite City yesterday. According to the Madison County Sheriff's Office, at approximately 6:25 last night, a man approached the checkout counter while the clerk was preoccupied and reached into the cash register, stealing the money. The man fled the store and is believed to have fled the area in a silver 4-door passenger car with Illinois registration. The suspect is described as a black male, around 50 years old, wearing a purple t-shirt and baseball hat. The theft was captured on the store's video surveillance system. Anyone with information related to the incident is asked to contact the Madison County Sheriff's Office at 618-692-4433 or 618-296-3000.Thomack 7/30/15

In addition to attending weekly budget sessions in Springfield, State Representative Avery Bourne has some upcoming local events. Bourne says one of the things she gets to provide through her office is constituent services.

"Also, if there are seminars that we can put on, whether it's through other governmental agencies that can provide information to people or if it's outside groups that want to provide a service, we're able to be that venue."

Bourne says the first event they're offering this Friday addresses ID theft.

"It's a seminar to help people look out for those threats of ID theft, which is becoming an even bigger issue, I think, than it has been in the past. I've been the victim of having my ID stolen, so it's really important that we make sure that people can look out for those red flags."

The event takes place from 10 to 11:30am at the Carlinville Library. Upcoming events in August include a bill analysis from 10am to noon on August 3rd at the Montgomery County Farm Bureau and a Tech Fair on Augst 21st in Taylorville. For more information on the events, you can contact State Representative Avery Bourne's Office at 217-324-5200. You can also find the full interview with Avery Bourne here: July Interview
Thomack 7/29/15

The first steps have been taken to reopen Deer Run Mine in Hillsboro, which has been closed since late March. According to Montgomery County Board Chairman, Roy Hertel, the federal mine inspectors have checked out the mine and allowed the coal company to open the mine again.

They can turn on electricity, pump water, (and) clean their equipment. Im not sure exactly what theyre going to have to do to start mining coal again, and they have no projected date as to when they will start mining coal again.

While Hertel said that there is no projected date as to when the production of coal can resume, he reiterated that the mine is open.

The good thing, though, is the mine is open and theyre getting ready to look at everything; but as far as a projection date of actual production of coal or back to full production of coal, they dont have that.

-David Jenkins
July 21, 2015

One of the more polarizing topics of discussion at the Hillsboro city council meeting Tuesday evening was the Hiltop Drive issue brought forth by residents of the street. As it stands, the street becomes dangerous because of the speed of students entering and leaving Hillsboro High School. According to Michael Murphy, the Commissioner of Public Health and Safety in Hillsboro, the busiest times of the street are between 7:15 and 8:00 in the morning as well as 2:40 and 3:15 in the afternoon.

Concerned citizens proposed a couple of different solutions to make the street safer: the complete closure of the street during those time periods, and the conversion of the drive into a one-way street. After discussing it with citizens and other city officials, Mayor Brian Sullivan and the rest of the council decided that these two options were not the best for the city at the time.

Commissioner Murphy proposed taking baby steps to resolve the issue.

In my opinion, I think its something that needs to be done in phases. We need to have a more effective presence over there during school and sporting events; which we have a unique situation with one of our part-time officers and we can send him or one of our full-time officers over there to run radar and be a bigger, better presence over there.

Murphy also said if better law enforcement doesnt help the situation, the council would readdress the issue.

If that doesnt work and we cant get a hold of the situation with that, then we can take it to the next step and introduce speed humps, lower the speed limit, and things of that nature. I think there are ways that everybody can have satisfaction here.

The council approved the measure to address the issue in phases; and when school begins for the 2015-16 year, an officer will be on site to make sure students are obeying the posted speed limit - a solution that should, for the time being, make Hiltop Drive much safer for everyone involved.

-David Jenkins
July 15, 2015

Hillsboro - A Hillsboro man has died from a self-inflicted gun shot wound. On Tuesday at 6 a.m. a 911 call was received, reporting that a subject had shot himself. When police arrived they discovered 40 year old Craig E. Adams deceased in his residence on East 8th Road in Hillsboro.

Adams was pronounced dead, by Montgomery County Deputy Coroner Randy Leetham, from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot. The investigation by the Montgomery County Sheriff's Office and Montgomery County Coroner Rick Broaddus is on going.

A former Harvel resident has been arrested and charged with wire fraud. 40 year old Nicole Drendel, now of Kirksville, MO, is alleged to have started a Go Fund Me account on behalf of 16 year old Jeffery Masters of Harvel, who was killed in an automobile accident in November of 2014.

Three thousand dollars was raised which was supposed to help with funeral expenses. The majority of those funds were never given to the Masters family or the funeral home.

Drendel was booked into the Montgomery County Jail, where she posted five thousand dollars cash bail. Her next court appearance is set for August 17.

The Open Forum Meeting of the Taylor Springs Village Board is next Tuesday, July 14th at 6:30 in the Community Center.