ARSON FIRE – A Fairfield, Ill. man has been jailed after allegedly set fire to the home of an acquaintance in Golden Gate, Ill. Thursday morning Cody Randall Lee, 25 of 804 E. King Street in Fairfield has been jailed on a Class-1 Felony charge of residential arson. At about 7:15 Thursday morning, the Albion, Ill. Rural Fire Department responded to a report of a mobile home on fire at 111 S. Water Street in Golden Gate. When firemen arrived, the home was fully engulfed in flames. The home was owned by Matthew Lister, 22 of Golden Gate. Wayne County Sheriff’s Detective Michael Vinson responded to the blaze after questions about the cause of the fire were raised by neighbors. At the scene, Detective Vinson encountered Lee and questioned him about the fire. Lee reportedly told Detective Vinson that he had gone to Lister’s home to confront him about personal issues and discovered he was not home. Lee is accused of kicking in the front door of the home and setting the curtains on fire. The fire quickly spread, leading to the mobile home being destroyed.
SCHOOL BUS WRECK – A Fairfield Community High School student was seriously injured Wednesday afternoon after the Kia Sportage she was driving crashed into the rear of a stopped school bus east of Fairfield. Tayia Sandiford, 18 of Fairfield was traveling eastbound on Ill. Rt. 15 east of Fairfield when she failed to stop for a Fairfield High School bus that had stopped to drop off a passenger. Wayne County Sheriff’s police report there six passengers on the bus. The bus driver, Stephen Mason, 48 of Fairfield and his six passengers escaped injury. Ms. Sandiford’s car caught fire after impact. The bus driver extinguished the fire before local firefighters arrived. Sandiford was taken to Fairfield Memorial Hospital following the 3:15 p.m. accident. She was cited for failure to reduce speed to avoid an accident.
33-year-old David I. Diamond of Fairfield was arrested Tuesday night for DUI and interference with a correctional officer. As Diamond drove away from a local liquor store, his car allegedly jumped a ditch and went airborne. Police caught up with Diamond on S.W. 6th Street. He allegedly became belligerent and uncooperative during the booking process at the Wayne County jail.
21-year-old Dalton Anthony Miller of Grayville has been arrested by Carmi police on two outstanding warrants. Miller was wanted out of Edwards County for resisting arrest and obstructing justice. He was wanted out of White County for failure to appear in court on a charge of violating an order of protection.
The Illinois House Transportation Vehicles and Safety Committee has approved a bill that would require seat belts on school buses. The bill now moves to the full House of Representative for their consideration. Six states – California, Florida, New Jersey, New York, Louisiana and Texas have already passed laws requiring seat belts on school buses.
The Johnsonville Ruritan Club will host its annual Spring Auction and Scholarship fundraising event this Saturday. A soup supper will begin at 5 p.m. with the auction starting at 6. Dagg’s Auction is donating their services for this annual fundraiser.
Fairfield Memorial Hospital will host a book fair this Friday from 9 a.m. until 4 p.m. in the hospital’s Medical Arts Complex Community Education Room. Items suitable for Easter baskets, graduation and Mother’s Day will be available. A portion of the proceeds will be donated to the hospital’s Foundation and the Skilled Care Activities Fund.