David F. Nester, 79, of Carmi , passed away Sunday afternoon, at his home. A Marine veteran of the Korean War, he was employed by Bell Atlantic for 35 years. .
He is survived by two daughters, Krisanne (Bill) Weinbrecht of Carmi and Cheryl (Rich) Hobbie of Califon NJ; 4 grandchildren, Justin and Wyatt Weinbrecht and Samantha and Jamie Barinas.
Private family services will be held at a later date. Stendeback Family Funeral Home in Carmi is in charge of arrangements.
Lowell Dalton Jamerson, 95, of Columbia, IL died on Saturday, August 9, 2014. He spent the majority of his life in Fairfield, IL, McLeansboro and Eldorado. He served his country in the Armed Services during WWII. He was at Omaha Beach and served in the Battle of the Bulge. After 35 years of employment as a lineman, he retired from Wayne-White Electric Co-Operative.
Survivors include two daughters: Karen (Charles) Thompson of Columbia, IL and Larna (Randy) Kirsch of McLeansboro, IL. Five grandchildren: Seth (Mimi) Thompson, Kyle (Cecily) Thompson, Lori (Ben) Anderson, Christopher (Melissa) Kirsch and Caleb Kirsch. Six great grandchildren: Sasha Thompson, Miya Thompson, Damaris Thompson, Damian Thompson, Benjamin Anderson and Luke Anderson. He is also survived by a sister Nelma Ripplinger, as well as several nieces and nephews.
Ffuneraol services for Lowell Dalton Jamerson will be 12 noon Saturday, August 16 at the Eldorado Gospel Assembly Church with burial in Olive Branch Church in Wayne City.
Visitation will be from 5 – 8 Friday, August 15, 2014 at the church. The Watson Funeral Home in Eldorado is in charge of all the arrangements.
73-year-old Dahlgren resident, Mary Winemiller died at 11:30 p.m. Monday, August 11 in DePaul Hospital in Bridgeton, MO.
Survivors include her husband, Frederick “Rick” Winemiller of Dahlgren; a son, Stephen and wife Rebecca Winemiller of Dahlgren; three daughters, Stephanie Sanders of McLeansboro, Jacqueline Thomas of McLeansboro and Judith and husband Bill McCullough of McLeansboro; two brothers, Richard Herzing of Mt. Vernon and William “Bill” Herzing of Dahlgren and one sister, Betty Tanner of Hurst, TX.
Funeral services for Mary Winemiller will be 10 a.m. Saturday, August 16 at St. John’s Catholic Church in Dahlgren with burial in St. John’s Cemetery.
Visitation will be from 9 a.m. Saturday, August 16 until the time of service with a Rosary Service at 9:30 a.m. at the church.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the American Cancer Society and will be accepted at the Gholson Funeral Home in Dahlgren, which is in charge of all the arrangements.
The Fairfield City Council Tuesday night approved the purchase of two pickup trucks to be used as patrol vehicles for the Fairfield City Police Department. The two trucks will be purchased from LeMonds in Fairfield at a cost of $26,150 each. The vehicles will be Dodge Ram Special Service Crew Cab 4-wheel drive pickup trucks. Pictured above is a representation of the trucks being placed into service for the Fairfield City Police Department.
The Fairfield City Council has approved seeking bids for a firm to plant 2,040 trees on 26 acres of wetlands the city previously secured to replace the wetlands damaged by the failed attempt to build a side channel reservoir east of Fairfield. The trees have been purchased at a cost of $22,000 and will be delivered on Oct. 1.
An On-Line Utility Exchange has been established for the City of Fairfield. Customers seeking to establish a utility account with the city must submit to a credit check. Those with good credit will have to pay a $150 utility fee or no fee at all. Those with bad credit will have to pay $450.
Mayor Chuck Griswold has announced that a company has been secured to begin collecting unpaid utility bills. Anyone in Fairfield with an unpaid utility bill should pay up now, as the bills are about to be turned over for collection.
63-year-old Phillip D. Brown of Laurel Street in Fairfield was arrested Tuesday night for domestic battery. He is accused of slapping and kicking his girlfriend, 59-year-old Clara A. Dicus.
The annual Wayne County 4-H Foundation Pork Chop Fundraiser will be this Friday at the Geff Ruritan Building. Serving will be from 5 – 7. All the money raised will benefit Wayne County 4-H programs and activities.
95-year-old Rt. 5 McLeansboro resident, Elberta Utterback died at 1:50 p.m. Tuesday at the Helia Health Care Center in Benton, IL.
Services for Elbert Utterback are pending at the Gholson Funeral Home in McLeansboro.
More than a year after being formally charged, a trial date has been set for former Wayne-White Electric financial officer Bruce D. Johnson. Johnson, 50, of Wayne City is accused of embezzling thousands of dollars from the co-op and faces two class-3 felony charges of theft. A January 20, 2015 trial date has been set. Johnson remains free after posting $5,000 cash bond in July of last year.
A Tamaroa truck driver was injured Wednesday when his truck load of hot asphalt overturned at a construction site on Interstate 64 in Jefferson County. State Police reported the truck was on uneven pavement when it tipped over, spilling its load of hot asphalt. State Police did not release the identity of the 53-year-old driver.
For the first time since the fatal accident in 2007, former Illinois State Police trooper Matt Mitchell has publicly apologized for the Interstate 64 crash that killed 18-year-old Jessica Uhl and her 13-year-old sister, Kelli. Mitchell was back at the Illinois Secretary of State’s office in Centralia this week trying – for the fifth time – to get his drivers’ license back. The Secretary of State’s office has 90 days to make a decision on Mitchell’s request.
Another rash of telephone scams is targeting area consumers. The latest one comes from a group claiming to be with the Internal Revenue Service. These scammers are asking victims for personal and financial information. The IRS has identified over 1,100 victims who have lost around $5 million in the scams. IRS officials say they will never ask for debit, credit or prepaid card information over the phone.
The annual Elm River Chowder has been set for Saturday, August 30. Volunteers are asked to show up around 7 a.m. to help cut up vegetables. Thirty cast iron kettles will be placed over wood fires to produce approximately 900 gallons of chowder. Serving will begin around 12:30 in the afternoon. Bluegrass music will also be featured.
87-year-old Fairfield resident, Nelson H. Windland died at 1:10 a.m. Thursday, August 14 at Belleville Memorial Hospital in Belleville, IL. A veteran of the U.S. Navy, he had worked 47 years at Airtex, farmed and ran a butchering service for many years.
Survivors include his wife, Doris Windland of Fairfield; a daughter, Connie (Jerry) Clark of Keenes, IL; two sons, Ronnie (Linda) Windland and Lonnie “Zeke” Windland of Fairfield; a sister-in-law, Margrette Oliver of Fairfield; 7 grandchildren and 17 great-grandchildren and several nieces and nephews.
Services for Nelson H. Windland will be 10 a.m. Saturday, August 16 at the Johnson & Vaughn Funeral Home in Fairfield with burial in Thomason Cemetery at Wayne City.
Visitation will be 5 – 7 Friday evening, August 15 at the Johnson & Vaughn Funeral Home in Fairfield.
Police in White County, Ill. were asked to search a remote wooded area near Dogtown as part of the investigation into the disappearance of 30-year-old Joelle Lockwood of Evansville. Sheriff Doug Maier says his office received a request for assistance from the Evansville Police Department Thursday to search a heavily wooded area near Dogtown in connection with property owned by a person of interest in the Lockwood disappearance. The location is along the Wabash River south of Maunie, in southern White County. Sheriff Maier reports nothing was found as a result of the search. Joelle Lockwood was last seen on July 9 walking near Pigeon Creek. At the time of her disappearance, police said they had no evidence to suggest that foul play was involved in the case. Lockwood is described as 5’ 3” tall and weighing around 125 pounds. She has brown hair and eyes. According to Evansville police, she might be driving a silver Chevy Malibu with Indiana license plate 2111 TYC.
A Johnston City teen was seriously injured early this morning when the pickup truck he was driving ran off Ill. Rt. 14 in rural Hamilton County, hit several culverts and overturned. 18-year-old Derek Smith was airlifted to an area hospital for treatment of serious injuries. A passenger in his truck, 18-year-old Andy Vaughan of Carmi fled the scene on foot and is being sought by police. Derek Smith was cited for DUI following the 12:01 a.m. crash. Vaughan later checked in at an area hospital for treatment of his injuries.
39-year-old Jason L. Hart of Spring Street in Fairfield was arrested Thursday night on a charge of domestic battery. Hart is accused of assaulting his wife, 25-year-old Elizabeth J. Hart during an argument. He is accused of pulling her hair and striking her on the neck. Police responded to the call at 7:30 Thursday night.
A McLeansboro man remains hospitalized after being beaten with an aluminum ball bat. 35-year-old George Weingartner suffered major injuries when he was allegedly beaten by 36-year-old Terry Morgan of McLeansboro. Morgan has been jailed under $100,000 bond on a charge of aggravated battery.
Farmers are expected to harvest a record-breaking corn crop this year, surpassing earlier expectations of the USDA. The nation’s corn harvest is expected to hit 14 billion bushels. The soybean crop is expected to set a new record as well at 3.8 billion bushels. Local corn and soybean crops are said to be in excellent condition.
Gov. Pat Quinn has signed legislation aimed at improving emergency response in rural areas of Illinois. The law allows ambulance providers in rural areas to be upgraded to the highest emergency medical technician license of any person staffing that ambulance. Current law restricts an ambulance to a set level of emergency care regardless of the qualifications of those staffing it. Sponsors of the law say the change allows more kinds of life-saving procedures to be performed in the ambulance.
60-year-old Akin resident, William “Bill” Wyant died Monday, August 11 at his home. He was a journeyman roofer for 35 years and worked in a coal mine for three years maintaining equipment. He was a member of the American Legion and former member of the Legions Rider’s Club and was a member of St. Clement’s Catholic Church in McLeansboro.
Survivors include his wife, Anita (Grein) Wyant of Akin; three daughters, Shellie (Lem) Gage of Dahlgren, Dana (Mike) Flota of Woodlawn and Charlene (Charles) Boyd; three sisters, Carolyn Johnson, Judy (John) Overturf and Renna Pritchard of Benton; a brother, Lyle Wyant of Akin and 7 grandchildren.
A private family service was held Wednesday at the Harre Funeral home in Dahlgren. A Memorial Celebration of Life will be Saturday, August 30 at 3 p.m. at Anita and Bill Wyant’s farm in in Akin – a mile south of Brady Cemetery, 7432 Hoover Rd. Thompsonville. A meal will be served at 5 p.m. and a covered dish would be appreciated. The dress is casual.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the family 0f Bill Wyant.
The Harre Funeral Home of Dahlgren is in charge of all the arrangements.
71-year-old Dale, IL resident, Charles Lemmons, Sr. died Thursday, August 14 at the Hamilton Memorial Hospital in McLeansboro. He was a retired machinist with the Emerson Electric of Aurora, IL.
Surviving are his wife Mandy C. Lemmons of Dale, IL; three sons, Charles (Robin) Lemmons of McLeansboro, David (Candace) Lemmons of Aurora, IL and Thomas (Jenny) Lemmons of Aurora, IL; three daughters, Billie Doogan of McLeansboro, Darlene (Owen) Trainer of Sturgis, KY and Marlene Abbott of Creal Springs, IL; 12 grandchildren and five great-grandchildren and one on the way; one brother, Tom Lemmons of McLeansboro; and three sisters, Christine Weaver of Dahlgren, Dora Presley of Rudement and Bonnie Bramlet of Lake Charles, LA.
Funeral services for Charles Lemmons Sr. will be at 2 p.m. Monday, August 18 at the Gholson Funeral Home in McLeansboro. Burial will be in Digby Hill Cemetery at Dale, IL.
Visitation will be from noon Monday, August 18 until the time of service at the Gholson Funeral Home in McLeansboro.
75-year-old Tuscola, IL resident, Lyle E. Douglas, died at 3:27 p.m. Thursday, August 14 at Decatur Memorial Hospital in Decatur, IL. He was a welder for Caterpillar, a sheriff’s deputy, a minister, and a veteran of the Marine Corps.
Surviving are his wife LaDonna Douglas of Tuscola, IL; three sons, Richard (Brenda) Douglas of Mt. Vernon, IL, Robert (Jennifer) Douglas of Tuscola, IL and Randall Douglas of Fairfield; a special daughter, Tobein Cuvar of Mt. Vernon, IL; eight grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
Funeral services for Lyle E. Douglas will be at 3 p.m. Monday, August 18 at the Johnson & Vaughn Funeral Home in Fairfield. Burial will be in Maple Hill Cemetery with military rites.
Visitation will be from 1 p.m. Monday, August 18 until the time of service at the Johnson & Vaughn Funeral Home in Fairfield.
Memorials may be made to the Wounded Warrior Project.
A rural Edwards County farmer became entangled in a feed auger Friday afternoon on the Stumpy Hill Hog Farm south of Albion. The victim was identified as Keith Roosevelt, one of the owners of the farm. His foot was somehow drawn into the device. Roosevelt was extricated from the device with help from the Edwards County Ambulance Service, Albion Police and the Edwards County Sheriff’s Department, and flown to an Evansville, IN hospital for treatment of major injuries.
For the second time in less than a week, Saline County Sheriff Keith Brown reports a fall at the Garden of the Gods recreational area Friday morning. 50-year-old Hines Basse of Laatzen, Germany, fell about 15 feet to a ledge near a rock formation known as the Devil’s Smokestack. Authorities received the call for help around 10:30 a.m. Basse suffered injuries to an ankle, knee and leg and was airlifted to St. Mary’s Hospital in Evansville, IN.
White County Sheriff Doug Maier says his office was asked to search an area in southern White County near Dogtown Thursday as part of an investigation into the disappearance of 30-year-old Joelle Lockwood of Evansville, IN. A heavily wooded area was searched in connection with property owned by a person of interest in the Lockwood disappearance. Sheriff Maier said nothing was found Thursday as a result of the search. Lockwood disappeared July 9th near Pigeon Creek. At the time of her disappearance police said they had no evidence to suggest foul play. Lockwood was described as 5’3″ and weighing around 125 pounds, and possibly driving a silver Chevy Malibu with Indiana license plate 2111 TYC.
Officials with “Citizens for Reopening the Harmony Way Bridge” say they have been informed that three Posey County Commissioners will vote next week on whether to take over ownership of the bridge, which has been closed for over two years. The meeting and expected vote will take place Tuesday morning at 9 at the Hovey House in Mt. Vernon, IN. A member of the citizens group says over 3000 signatures have been gathered on petitions signed in White and Posey counties supporting the effort to reopen the bridge. It was reported that businesses on both sides of the river has lost anywhere from ten to 30 percent of their revenue since the bridge closed in May of 2012.
Carmi-based Elastec American Marine could likely play a role in helping curb the spread of the Ebola outbreak in Africa. Elastec Sales Manager Jeremy Pretch says he’s been fielding questions about the company’s MediBurn device as a weapon in the fight to curb the spread of Ebola. MediBurn is a diesel-fueled incinerator for the disposal of infectious and pathological waste in remote locations. Elastec has manufactured over 600 of the devices since their inception, and have been used on every continent except Antarctica.
Illinois Governor Pat Quinn says he’s directing state lottery officials to end the contract with Northstar Lottery Group, the firm hired to run the state’s lottery. The move comes after Northstar has fallen nearly a half-billion dollars short of the revenues it promised to raise for the state over the past three years. The contract requires the company to make up the difference between revenue projections and actual profits, but so far that hasn’t happened because, the company claims, the past three years numbers have not been audited.
60-year-old Equality, IL resident, Brenda Jean Forshee died Friday, August 15 at her home.
Services for Brenda Jean Forshee are pending at the Gholson Funeral Home in McLeansboro.
87-year-old Wayne City resident, Elmer E. Haegele died at 1:53 p.m. Friday, August 15 at Deaconess Hospital in Evansville. He owned and operated the City Cleaners for 18 years. Later, he worked for the State of Illinois in the Highway Garage as a parts man before retiring. He was a U.S. Army veteran of WW II.
Survivors include a son, Randy and wife Donna Haegele of Union, KY; a daughter, Roxie and husband Tom Blasdel of Wayne City; four grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.
Services for Elmer E. Haegele will be 2 p.m. Tuesday, August 19 at Nale’s Funeral Home in Fairfield with burial in Maple Hill Cemetery.
Visitation will be noon Tuesday, Aug. 19 until the time of service at Nale’s Funeral Home in Fairfield.
Memorials may be made to the American Heart Association and will be accepted at Nale’s Funeral Home in Fairfield.
84-year-old Cisne resident, Bob Farleigh died at 2:45 a.m. Saturday, August 16 at Brookstone Estates in Fairfield. A U.S. Army veteran of the Korean War, he was a retired barber. He was a member of the Cisne Christian Church, Cisne Masonic Lodge, former member of the Cisne Village Board, Cisne Rotary Club, Cisne State Bank Board Member, Bedford Township Fire Department, Greater Wabash Regional Planning Commission, Wayne County Sheriff’s Commission and the Fairfield Country Club.
Survivors include a son, Jim and wife Tara Farleigh of Cisne; a daughter, Mary Kay and Husband Darell Hargrave of Johnsonville; a brother, Bill and wife Gaye Farleigh of Casper, WY; five grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.
Funeral services for Bob Farleigh will be 2 p.m. Monday, August 18 at Nale’s Funeral Home in Fairfield with burial and military rites at the graveside at Cisne Cemetery.
Visitation will be noon Monday, August 18 until the time of service at Nale’s Funeral Home in Fairfield.
Former Fairfield Mayor and City Alderman Harold Tubbs died Saturday in a traffic crash in rural Gibson County, Indiana. Tubbs, 72 was driving a bus for Frey Produce at the time of the accident. He was near the intersection of Indiana State Rod 165 and County Road 700 S when the bus ran off the road. Tubbs apparently overcorrected, crossing both lanes of traffic before striking a tree. Mr. Tubbs was pronounced dead at the scene. (Photo courtesy Gibson County Sheriff’s Department)
50-year-old David Brassard of Carmi died Saturday morning when fire swept through his mobile home on South 8th Street. Officials said the blaze broke out around 5:30 Saturday morning. White County Coroner Chris Marsh and Carmi City Police are investigating the fatal blaze.
Heavy rain and thunderstorms moved through the region overnight, prompting a flood warning to be issued for Hamilton County until noon today, after more than two inches of rain was recorded. Hamilton County officials reported several roads in the county were underwater and impassible, including parts of Route 14 near McLeansboro. More rain is in the forecast for the area today and tonight. Here at the studios of WFIW/WOKZ, two inches of rain has been recorded, as of 8 a.m.
16-year-old Dorian L. Reeves of Centralia, IL was cited for improper lane usage and driving without insurance following a wreck Saturday night on U.S. Route 51 near Walnut Hill Road in Centralia, IL. State police said Reeves was westbound on Route 51 and lost control of the vehicle, causing it to leave the roadway and hit an embankment, overturning on its top. Reeves and a passenger, 16-year-old Tyria A. Billberry of Centralia, IL were taken to St. Mary’s Hospital in Centralia, IL for treatment of their injuries.
Frontier Community College will be holding evening registration Monday through Thursday from 4:30 to 7 p.m. on the campus at Student Services. Evening registration continues August 25th through 28th in Student Services and the Bookstore for textbook pickups. Fall semester begins on Thursday, August 21st. More information is available by calling the college at 842-3711.
The 6th annual Wayne County Antique Tractor Drive is set for Labor Day, Monday, September 1st. The route will begin and end at the Crop Production Services plant in Johnsonville with check-in at 9 a.m. and a planned departure time of 10 a.m. Participants will have lunch at the Skillet Fork Grill in Orchardville. Registration is $30 per tractor, and lunch is included with the registration fee. Lunch for non-drivers will be $10 and they are encouraged to contact the Wayne County Farm Bureau to RSVP their attendance.
Joyce A. Frymire, 81 of Enfield, passed away Friday afternoon August 15, 2014 at the Enfield Nursing and Rehabilitation Center. Joyce had farmed her entire life. She had sang and played the music for hundreds of weddings and funerals. She was a member and the organist for the Enfield Christian Church.
She is survived by cousins, including Mike Frymire and many other cousins and friends.
Funeral services for Joyce A. Frymire will be held at 1 p.m. on Wednesday August 20, 2014 at the Stendeback Family Funeral Home in Enfield, with burial in Enfield Cemetery.
Visitation will be from 11 a.m. until time of services at the Stendeback Family Funeral Home in Enfield.
86-year-old Fairfield resident, Verschel A. Shaw died at 12:14 p.m. Saturday, August 16 at Good Samaritan Regional Health Care in Mount Vernon. He was a farmer.
Survivors include five sons, Gary (Linda) Shaw of McLeansboro, Kent Shaw of Mt. Vernon, David (Tina) Shaw of Somonauk, IL, Donnie (Dolly) Shaw of Opdyke and Roger Shaw of Bloomington, IN; a daughter, Debra (Robert) Shoemaker of Mamomet, IL; two brothers, Lavern Shaw of Wayne City and Edmund Shaw of Chicago; 19 grandchildren, 21 great-grandchildren and 4 step-great-grandchildren.
Services for Verschel D. Shaw will be 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, August 20 at the Richardson Funeral Home in Wayne City with burial in Thomason Cemetery at Wayne City.
Visitation will be 6 – 8 Tuesday evening, Aug. 19 at the Richardson Funeral Home in Wayne City.
67-year-old Fairfield resident, Connie L. Walker died at 9:35 p.m. Saturday, August 16 at Fairfield Memorial Hospital’s Skilled Care Unit. She was a bookkeeper, retired from North American Lighting.
Survivors include her husband, John Walker of Fairfield; a daughter, Liz (Russell) Robertson of St. Charles, MO; a son, Donald Walker and girlfriend Janice Boyd of Northglenn, CO; five grandchildren, Jacob Robertson, John Russell Robertson, Avery Boyd, Grace and Henry Walker; sisters, Debra Braddock of Westerville, OH and Janet Tidwell of Round Rock, TX.
Services for Connie L. Walker will be 10 a.m. Thursday, August 21 at the Johnson & Vaughn Funeral Home in Fairfield with burial in Maple Hill Cemetery.
Visitation will be from 5 – 7 Wednesday evening, August 20 at the Johnson & Vaughn Funeral Home in Fairfield.
Memorials may be made to the American Cancer Society and will be accepted at the Johnson & Vaughn Funeral Home in Fairfield.