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The Litchfield Fire Department responded to a structure fire on Saturday, Sep. 28, at a residence in Walshville.

The Fire Department was dispatched at 12:59 p.m. to a mutual aid request to the Shoal Creek Fire Protection District. The structure was located at 101 Commercial St. in Walshville. Flames and heavy smoke were visible when first responders arrived on scene, with heavy fire on the south and west sides of the building and through the roof.

An Illinois State Police trooper on scene reported that no one was inside the structure. The fire was nearly extinguished by a crew inside when water from an apparatus was depleted, forcing firefighters to wait for the arrival of another apparatus. Once it arrived, the fire was extinguished.

Litchfield Firefighters remained on scene until 3:45 p.m. when Shoal Creek, who had had command transferred to them, released them. In total, Litchfield dispatched eight personnel, staffing two apparatus to the scene.(Photo and Story Courtesy of the Litchfield Fire Department)

Greenville University has announced the winners of its 2019 Alumni Awards.

This year's honors go to Distinguished Alumnus Carol Wilson Shoultz of Scurry, TX, Loyalty Awardee Tony Smarrella of Danville, IN, and Outstanding Young Alumnus Aaron Cobb of Pike Road, AL.

Shoultz was a member of the graduating class of 1981. She currently practices family law in Dallas and was featured in a Dallas magazine as one of the best lawyers in the City.

Smarrella graduated from Greenville in 1988. He created the curriculum for four courses within the Briner School of Business online program, and was a teacher for Greenville University on entrepreneurship.

Cobb is a member of the class of 2001. He is currently an associate professor of English and philosophy at Auburn University in Montgomery, AL.

The University will formally recognize these honorees during a Homecoming chapel service on Friday, Oct. 18 at 9:30 a.m. in the Whitlock Music Center. The public is invited to attend.

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The Doyle Public Library in Raymond will be hosting a Young Adult Media Club meeting on Thursday, Oct. 3, featuring a showing of the movie The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe.

The movie is based on C.S. Lewis's book of the same name from his series, The Chronicles of Narnia. The library shows a free movie every month to all Young Adult participants. Library Director Deb Young says they also give away free books after the movie.

As a special incentive to increase attendance and participation, the library will give away the book, Dogman, Brawl of the Wild, to one attendee who is between the ages of 10 and 16.

The event will begin at 3:30 p.m. Snacks will also be provided. For more information about the Young Adult Media Club and other events at the library, visit the library's website, doylepubliclibrary.org.(Photo Courtesy of the Doyle Public Library)

Governor JB Pritzker announced today that Taiwan has made a $2.2 billion commitment to purchase Illinois corn and soybeans over the next two years.

Illinois corn and soybean producers have cultivated a world-class industry with customers in all parts of the world, and this $2.2 billion commitment is a testament to their dedication and hard work, said Governor JB Pritzker. When Illinois agricultural economy thrives, so do working families all across the state. Im committed to supporting our states leading industry and opening up new opportunities for our farmers to sell their goods and make a good living.

Illinois and Taiwanese associations signed two $1.1 billion agreements to purchase Illinois crops between 2020 and 2021.

The Illinois Corn Marketing Board and the Taiwan Feed Industry Association signed a letter of intent marking Taiwans intentions to buy 5 million metric tons (equivalent to 197 million bushels) of corn and 0.5 million MT of corn co-products (distillers dried grains with solubles).

The Taiwan Vegetable Oil Manufacturers Association and the Illinois Soybean Association signed a letter of intent marking Taiwans intentions to buy between 2.6 million and 2.9 million MT (equivalent to between 96 million and 97 million bushels) of soybeans.

Illinois Director of Agriculture John Sullivan, Illinois Soybean Association (ISA) Chairman Doug Schroeder, Illinois Corn Marketing Board (ICMB) Chairman Roger Sy and a Taiwan trade delegation also celebrated the investment.

Its no secret that 2019 has been a hard year for Illinois farmers with a tough growing season and trade uncertainty, said John Sullivan, Director of the Illinois Department of Agriculture. Its good to know we have trade partners like the Taiwan Vegetable Oil Manufactures Association and the Taiwan Feed Industry Association who help provide some certainty when we need it most.

We value the longstanding trade relationship weve established with Taiwan, said Doug Schroeder, a Mahomet, Ill., soybean farmer and chairman of the Illinois Soybean Association, which represents the states 43,000 soybean growers. We recognize the critical importance of their trade agreement, underscoring their role in helping to maintain the viability of our soybean crop and our livelihoods. We look forward to strengthening the relationship between our two countries and our soybean industry for years to come.

This Taiwanese delegation has invested quite a bit of time in understanding corn farmers and corn farming here in the U.S. and they remain committed to us, said Roger Sy, a Newman, Ill., farmer and chairman of the Illinois Corn Marketing Board. We remain committed to Taiwan, as well, and look forward to shipping Illinois corn their way.

Illinois is the top soybean producing state and second largest producer of corn in the nation, exporting more than 360 million bushels of whole soybeans annually and an average of 877 million bushels of corn.

Taiwan is Illinois third largest trading partner of agricultural products.

Officials with the Montgomery County Health Department are reminding everyone that flu season is approaching.

Most influenza occurs from October through May, according to a release from the department. In recent seasons, most infections have occurred in January and February.

According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, a person should get the vaccine as soon as it is available. It takes up to two weeks for protection to develop after the shot, and protection lasts about a year. By getting the shot early, one should be protected if flu season comes early. The CDC also recommends that all people six months of age and older get the flu vaccine. By getting the vaccine, people can protect themselves from influenza and may also avoid spreading it to others.

Officials with the Health Department can administer the shot at the Hillsboro Office Mondays through Thursdays from 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., and on Fridays from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Shots may be administered at the Litchfield office from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Mondays through Fridays. Vaccination clinics will also be held soon in Litchfield, Nokomis, Hillsboro, Coffeen, Witt, Irving, Fillmore, Panama, Donnellson, Taylor Springs, Raymond and Farmersville.

Anyone who would like more information or would like to call to ensure that a nurse is available to administer the vaccine should call the Hillsboro office at 217-532-2001, or the Litchfield Office at 217-324-3430.

A single-vehicle accident in Hillsboro on Friday, Sep. 20, led to the arrest of a Litchfield man after police noticed a woman in the accident had injuries consistent with a gunshot wound.

Hillsboro Police Chief Randy Leetham responded to the accident at 10:53 a.m. in a person's yard at the intersection of Fairground and Seymour Avenues. Several neighbors were attempting to aid the female victim as Leetham arrived. That's when the Chief determined that the victim's injuries were not from the accident, but rather were consistent with a shooting.

The victim's family then called the police to inform them that an alleged shooting had occurred at the Free Methodist Church, located approximately three blocks south of the scene of the accident. Hillsboro Police Officers and Montgomery County Sheriff's Deputies were dispatched to secure both scenes.

The victim was taken by ambulance to Hillsboro Area Hospital before being airlifted to St. John's Hospital in Springfield in critical condition.

At 11:32 a.m., the suspect, later identified as 69-year-old David Chesser, returned to the church allegedly armed with a handgun and attempted to enter the building. At that time, students at Beckemeyer Elementary School, across from the scene of the accident, were preparing to dismiss early for a scheduled teachers work day. Police requested the school go on lock-down status until the suspect was apprehended.

Officers investigating at the church apprehended Chesser without incident. The investigation is ongoing.

Authorities are investigating the death of a Benld man who died while in police custody after an altercation with the Madison County Sheriff's Department on Monday, Sep. 16.

Jason Strahan, 41, was arrested at 10:57 p.m. on Monday after allegedly attempting to damage multiple vehicles in the area of Williamson Avenue and 4th Street in Williamson. He also reportedly exhibited erratic behavior, according to the Illinois State Police.

After officers arrived on scene, Strahan allegedly became combative with them during his arrest. A Conducted Electronic Weapon, commonly known as a Taser, was deployed by one of the officers during the altercation. Shortly after, investigators say Strahan became unresponsive. Medical services were summoned and the subject was taken to an area hospital for treatment. Efforts to revive the man were unsuccessful and he was pronounced dead.

An investigation is being conducted by the State Police Zone 6 Investigations. Autopsy and toxicology reports will be released at a later date. Upon completion of the investigation, all findings will be presented to the Madison County State's Attorney's office for review. No further information is being released at this time.

A pair of Litchfield Police officers were presented with merit awards on Tuesday, Sep. 17, for their roles in separate criminal arrests in July.

Police Chief Kenny Ryker presented the awards to officers Brian Maxwell and Quincy Ferguson during the city council meeting. They were presented on behalf of the American Police Hall of Fame.

On July 10, Maxwell apprehended 70-year-old Gregory Stickel of Victoria, TX, after an alleged armed robbery of Litchfield National Bank. Maxwell noticed Stickel carrying a transparent plastic bag full of cash and exhibiting suspicious behavior. Soon after, he heard the report of an armed robbery at the bank and noticed that Stickel matched the description of the suspect. Ryker called the incident an arrest of a career for an officer, and said the department has great appreciation for his efforts on that day.

Ferguson received his award for the arrests of Nathan Thrasher, 34, and Amanda Majors, 33, on July 31. Both were taken into custody on charges of Possession of Methamphetamine with the Intent to Deliver. Over 90 grams of suspected methamphetamine and evidence indicating delivery was recovered from a residence on North Madison Street. Ryker said Ferguson has made 27 arrests for possession or delivery of narcotics in just this calendar year.

Mayor Steve Dougherty congratulated the two officers for their awards and thanked them for their service. Both men also received a standing ovation from the guests in attendance and each of the council members.

The next Litchfield City Council meeting is scheduled for Thursday, Oct. 3, at 6:30 p.m.

A Butler man was arrested in Taylor Springs on Sunday, Sep. 15, after allegedly leaving the scene of a hit and run accident.

Brett Kalaher, 23, was taken into custody and charged with Leaving the Scene of an Accident and Driving Under the Influence of Alcohol. He was also cited for Driving in the Wrong Lane and Disobeying a Traffic Control Device.

Taylor Springs Police responded to a call at the Community Center at 3:05 a.m. for an alleged hit and run. Officers eventually found Kalaher sitting in the middle of the street near the intersection of Hamilton Road and Livingston Street.

Law enforcement agencies in Madison County recently collected over 2,300 pounds of prescription and over-the-counter medications as part of the Rx 4 Safety prescription drug initiative.

The Madison County Sheriff's Office, in partnership with Madison County Planning and Development and all the Police Chiefs of the county, have disposed of the medications at a federally regulated location, approved by the Environmental Protection Agency. Since implementation of the program in April 2015, the Sheriff's Office alone has disposed of just over eight tons of medication, according to Sheriff John Lakin.

This is a collective effort, Lakin says, between the community and law enforcement to protect the environment from the improper disposal of medications and to keep presciption medications from being ingested accidentally, stolen or misused. Secured drop-off bins are located at the police departments in Alton, Bethalto, Collinsville, East Alton, Edwardsville, Glen Carbon, Granite City, Highland, Maryville, Roxana, Troy and Wood River, as well as the Madison County Sheriff's Office and Southern Illinois University in Edwardsville. Locations are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Items that can be accepted are any over-the-counter medications, vitamins, liquids, narcotics, cough syrup, prescription medicines, hormones, painkillers, antibiotics, ointments, oils and any unidentified pills. Items that cannot be accepted are oxygen tanks, asthma inhalers, mercury thermometers, hearing aids, household waste and sharps or needles.

Anyone with questions about the program may contact Jaimie Linton, Administrator of Business Affairs for the Madison County Sheriff's Office at 618-296-4850.

Illinois Crop Progress & Condition 9/15/19

There were 5.7 days suitable for fieldwork during the week ending September 15, 2019. Statewide, the average temperature was 74.8 degrees, 6.5 degrees above normal. Precipitation averaged 1.16 inches, 0.37 inches above normal. Topsoil moisture supply was rated at 12 percent very short, 25 percent short, 57 percent adequate, and 6 percent surplus. Subsoil moisture supply was rated at 11 percent very short, 22 percent short, 61 percent adequate, and 6 percent surplus. Corn dough was at 94 percent. Corn dented was at 67 percent, compared to 99 percent last year and 94 percent for the 5-year average. Corn mature was at 14 percent. Corn harvested for grain was at 1 percent. Corn condition was 5 percent very poor, 14 percent poor, 40 percent fair, 35 percent good, and 6 percent excellent. Soybeans setting pods was at 93 percent. Soybean coloring was at 25 percent, compared to 85 percent last year and 67 percent for the 5-year average. Soybean dropping leaves was at 3 percent. Soybean condition was 8 percent very poor, 14 percent poor, 36 percent fair, 36 percent good, and 6 percent excellent.

A pair of 22-year-olds were injured in an automobile crash on Wednesday, Sep. 11, after a school bus pushed a car into oncoming traffic in Madison County.

Sara Kirksey of Highland and Briano Gutierrez of Flora were both taken by ambulance to an area hospital and treated for non-life threatening injuries.

According to the Illinois State Police, Kirksey was driving north on Route 4 at 4:48 p.m. when she stopped to turn left onto the Interstate 70 westbound ramp. Investigators say a school bus that was traveling behind her struck the rear end of her car and pushed it into oncoming traffic. The impact caused the car to sideswipe a southbound SUV.

The driver of the bus, identified as 47-year-old Martha Kay Lawhorn of St. Jacob, refused medical attention. She was cited for failing to reduce speed to avoid a crash. Kyle Kampwerth, 31, of Beckemeyer, was driving the southbound SUV. He also refused medical attention. Additionally, none of the children who were on the bus were injured during the incident.

The Montgomery County Board adopted an ordinance on Tuesday, Sep. 10, establishing a County Cannabis Retailers' Occupation Tax.

"Cannabis is coming," said Finance Committee Chair Megan Beeler, adding that her committee's recommendation is that county tax it. Illinois has allowed each county to set the rate at which they tax, up to 3.75 percent for unincorporated areas and 3 percent in municipalities.

The recommendation of the finance committee was to tax at the full amount. Beeler said the state will be taking the majority of the tax money to run the cannabis program. From the amount left over, she said 8 percent will be divided amongst all Illinois counties.

Sheriff Rick Robbins said he doesn't believe the board will have a lot to worry about as far as how the tax revenue is allocated. He said he has attended many of the informational meetings about cannabis legalization, and Montgomery County's share of the revenue will likely be small.

According to the adopted ordinance, the county will tax 3.75 percent of the gross receipts from cannabis sales made in unincorporated areas, and 3 percent of the gross receipts of sales made in a municipality. The motion passed, 20-0.

The next Montgomery County Board meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, Oct. 8, at 5:30 p.m.

The future of the Montgomery County Recycling Program was once again a topic of discussion during the County Board meeting on Tuesday, Sep. 10.

The board approved a motion to close all drop sheds in the county, with the exception of the facility in Hillsboro, and to cease pickup of materials, effective October 1. The sheds will be closed for the remainder of the fiscal year.

Following the resignation of Recycling Supervisor Mike Hand, the department is down to two full-time employees and one part-time. Board members Chuck Graden and Megan Beeler each said there is simply not enough manpower to justify keeping all sheds open at this time. While the decision was made to close the sheds, they will accept recyclable materials if the individual municipalities choose to receive the items and then deliver them to the Hillsboro facility themselves. The materials must be separated before delivery. Beeler said this option is not a long-term solution, and the future of the program is still unknown.

Prior to the vote, other board members spoke about the program. Glenn Bishop said the first thing the board must do is decide if they are committed to the recycling program or not. He also said he does not believe a special service taxing district should be created in order to support it. He said while he is in favor of keeping the program open and knows many utilize it, he believes it is not the responsibility of property owners to fund the program.

Kirby Furness said with the announcement of the Coffeen Power Plant closing, the county is going to have to make cuts. They expect to lose a projected $675,000 in supplemental sales tax revenue next fiscal year and are looking at a loss of $1 million the year after. He suggested looking into privatizing the program, and said he has spoken with at least one person who has expressed interest in taking it over. Other board members also said they had spoken with individuals who were interested in taking it over in a privatized fashion.

With the long-term future still unclear, the board moved forward with the vote to close the drop sheds.

The next Montgomery County Board meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, Oct. 8, at 5:30 p.m.

The Litchfield Fire Department extinguished a structure fire on Sunday, Sep. 8, at a home on North Lincoln Street.

First responders arrived at 213 North Lincoln St. after 2 p.m. to find a single-family dwelling with fire venting out the rear of the home. Firefighters did not know if the home was occupied at the time, and they forced entry into the residence via the front door.

According to a release from the department, firefighters were met with heavy fire conditions upon entry with fire rolling across the ceiling. They progressed toward the rear of the structure to find a bedroom heavily involved in the blaze. No occupants were found after a search of the residence.

Responders gained control of the fire at 2:32 p.m., and crews remained on scene to extinguish hot spots. The scene was cleared at 7:15 p.m.

Two firefighters were injured during the incident, the release said. One was taken to HSHS St. Francis Hospital with non life-threatening injuries and was later released. The other was also treated for a minor injury.

The fire is being investigated by the department's Fire and Arson Investigators, Litchfield Police and Illinois State Fire Marshal. Anyone with information is urged to contact the fire department at 217-324-8171.

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Volunteers of the 2019 Montgomery County Yield Survey
Back (Left to Right): Lisa Klaus, Gabe Osborn, Brian Brown, Jim Miller, Kevin Niemann, Mike Bitter, Jay Niemann
Front (Left to Right): Tim Hoehn, Matt Stolte, Mark Knodle, Jay Ryan, Heath Houck, Jen Compton, Nick Kuhns (not pictured: Terry Trader)

Montgomery County Extension conducted their annual yield survey of the area corn crop on Thursday, September 5. The survey data gathered resulted in an estimated county wide average yield of 187.5 bushels per acre, which was down from last years average of 215.7 bushels per acre.

The day began with volunteers meeting at 8 AM at University of Illinois Extension Office in Hillsboro where they broke into groups to survey crops across the county. Groups then returned to the Extension office before noon to share results and enjoy lunch.

Volunteers sampled fields in each of the 19 townships in Montgomery County. Results for each township are:

Audubon 179.9
Bois DArc 215.1
Butler Grove 202.7
East Fork 182.5
Fillmore 182.9
Grisham 179.3
Harvel 195.6
Hillsboro 177.3
Irving 188.9
Nokomis 170.5
North Litchfield 191.6
Pitman 204.9
Raymond 199.0
Rountree 193.3
South Fillmore 175.9
South Litchfield 187.8
Walshville 168.1
Witt 183.0
Zanesville 184.9
County Wide Average: 187.5 Bushels/Acre

The survey was sponsored by First National Bank of Litchfield; Security National Bank of Witt; Montgomery Land Improvement, Inc., and Montgomery County Farm Bureau

Volunteers for the survey were: Mike Bitter, Brian Brown, Tim Hoehn, Heath Houck, Lisa Klaus, Mark Knodle, Nick Kuhns, Jim Miller, Jay Niemann, Kevin Niemann, Gabe Osborn, Jay Ryan, Matt Stolte, Terry Trader, and Dr. Talon Becker, Commercial Ag Extension Educator, University of Illinois complied the data.

Anyone interested in volunteering for or sponsoring future yield surveys is asked to contact the Montgomery County Extension office at (217) 532-3941.

Gov. J.B Pritzker recently signed a bill into law that will require a plan of action for students in Illinois who live with epilepsy.

The Seizure Smart Act, which was sponsored by State Rep. Avery Bourne, requires a parent or guardian of a student with epilepsy to submit a seizure action plan with the student's school so that they can properly respond to any incidents. A delegated care aide shall perform the activities and tasks necessary to assist a student in accordance with the seizure action plan.

In addition, all school employees will receive training in the basics of seizure recognition and first aid. School employees won't be liable for civil or other damages as a result of conduct, other than willful or wanton misconduct, related to the care of a student with epilepsy.

Under the federal Individuals with Disabilities Act, public schools are not allowed to place children with disabilities, including epilepsy, in a special education classroom setting away from all other students, just because the student requires special services. The Seizure Smart Act goes a step further and also forbids a school district from denying a student access to the school or any school-related activity on the basis that the student has epilepsy.

The law goes into effect on July 1, 2020.

Montgomery County Clerk Sandy Leitheiser has announced that candidates interested in running for County offices in the General Primary Election in March may now receive petitions from her office.

The petition circulation period began on Tuesday, Sep. 3, and the filing period for submitting completed nominating papers and petitions for County offices will be from Monday, Nov. 25 through Monday, Dec. 2, excluding the Thanksgiving holidays of November 28 and 29.

County offices to be nominated in the Primary include State's Attorney, Circuit Clerk and Coroner, as well as 11 of the 21 County Board seats in all seven board districts. In addition, Democratic and Republican precinct committee representatives will be elected at the Primary, and petitions for those candidates can be obtained and will be filed at the County Clerk's office as well.

The primary will also nominate federal offices of U.S. President, U.S. Senator, and U.S. Representative in the 13th Congressional District, as well as State Representative of the 95th District and judges, if necessary.

The 2020 General Election will be held on Tuesday, Nov. 3. Anyone needing further information about the upcoming elections is encouraged to call the County Clerk and Recorder's office at 217-532-9530, or email sandyl@montgomeryco.com.

The Taylor Springs Village Board has passed an ordinance pertaining to the closing hours of local bars.

According to a release from the Village, all bars are to close and patrons be off the premises by 1 a.m. Sundays through Thursdays and by 2 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays. The Ordinance takes effect on Friday, Sep. 6.

The board has added a special event package for these establishments. A bar owner may choose to remain open until 3 a.m. on select nights which include the night before Thanksgiving, the nights of the Taylor Spring's Fireman's Dance and Stamp Out Cancer, and events that feature live entertainment on Fridays and Saturdays.

The Major Case Squad of Greater St. Louis is investigating a shooting in Cahokia after a 36-year-old man was found shot in the chest late Sunday, Sep. 1.

St. Clair County Sheriff's Deputies found the man at around 11 p.m. Sunday in the 100 block of Amelia Drive. The victim was located outside of a vehicle with what appeared to be multiple gunshot wounds. His identity and condition have not been released at this time.

Anyone who has information regarding this incident is urged to contact the Major Case Squad at 618-825-5201. Investigators are withholding the identity of the victim until his next of kin has been notified.

A 22-year-old man was injured in a two-vehicle crash on Friday, Aug. 30, north of Farmersville.

Nicholas Cox of Girard was airlifted from the scene and taken to Memorial Hospital in Springfield with serious injuries. According to the Illinois State Police, a westbound truck, driven by 46-year-old Stephen Condon of Pawnee, struck the driver's side of Cox's vehicle at the intersection of East 2nd Road and Virden Avenue in Montgomery County. Cox was driving his vehicle north at the time of the incident.

Tanner Stelle, 23, of Girard, was a passenger of Cox's at the time of the accident, which occurred at 3:46 p.m. No other injuries have been reported. The incident remains under investigation.

Montgomery County Extension will be conducting a yield survey of the area corn crop on Thursday, September 5, starting at 8 AM at U of I Extension Office in Hillsboro. Volunteers will break into groups and survey crops across the county to estimate yields, and will meet back at the Extension office by noon to share results and enjoy lunch.

Extension will sample fields in each of the 19 townships in Montgomery County, and will publish the results after they are compiled.

Anyone interested in participating or sponsoring the event is asked to contact the Montgomery County Extension Office at (217) 532-3941.