Felonies
8/18

10-CF-24 - Jennifer L. Zeitler - Forgery




Misdemeanors
8/24/10

10-CM-48 - Barbara J. Wilson - Disorderly Conduct

Jasper County State's Attorney Kevin S. Parker stated, according to a press release, that William T. Johnson, 24, plead guilty and was sentenced August 26, 2010 to 5 years in the Illinois Department of Corrections in connection with two burglaries occurring in Jasper County.
According to court records, on or about August 5, 2010, a rural Jasper County man arrived home to find Johnson inside of his house. The homeowner was able to detain Johnson until police arrived. Johnson was then taken into custody without incident.

The Newton Press-Mentor got to enjoy some unique visitors last week. They were Tobi (female), 9 weeks, and Roscoe P. Coltrane, 2 years old. They are Java Mcaque primates, who stopped by with their owner, Shirley and Jerry Novak of Noble, to talk about how the primates can be used to help people with disabilities and S.A.R.A. Tobi and Roscoe are American born. No animals are brought to the U.S. from a foreign country.

S.A.R.A. (Service Animals Registry of America) promotes the use of service animals by the disabled. The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) defines a service animal as any guide dog, signal dog, or other animal individually trained to provide assistance to an individual with a disability. The term is used in 36.302(c), which required public accommodations generally to modify policies, practices, and procedures to accommodate the use of service animals in places or public accommodation.

Felonies
8/17

10-CF-23 - Levi G. Hall - Burglary & Retail Theft




Misdemeanors
8/16

10-CM-44 - Clarence M. Clark - Failure of Owner Duty

And the walls came tumbling down. Demolition and clean-up began today (Monday) on two apartment buildings at 906 and 908 West Washington Street.

The Jasper County Board at their August meeting approved the purchase of an ambulance from Foster Coach Ambulance for $131,000. It was reported that the bids were received on March 25 and the companies honored them. The other bid received was from American Response Vehicles for $132,000. Joe Bierman, County Board member, stated that the money is budgeted and available for the purchase of the ambulance.

The Board also agreed to hire Bruce Harris & Associates to do mapping and splits for $85 per split for 1 year with the county to revisit the agreement in 1 year at an estimate cost of $10,000.

Bruce Borders, Elvis impersonator, will perform from 2-4 p.m. at the Willow Hill Homecoming, Saturday, August 28th, noon to ?. Food, drinks and fun. Kids Fun: inflatable castle, games, prizes and more fun. Young Fun: joust!, egg toss, paintball, tug of war. Gents Fun: antique tractor club, motorcycle-bike show/trophies, car show/trophies-sign in 10-12 judging at 1; Ladies Fun: cake walks, basket raffle, Bruce Borders and more fun. More Fun: King & Queen, cake auction, 50/50 raffle and raffle items. Bring your lawn chairs and come have some fun!

 

The first Band-aide/PTO meeting for Newton Elementary/Jasper Co. Junior High will be on Wednesday, September 1 in the school Library at 6 p.m.  This meeting if for any parent of a student or band student.

 

The 11 and Under Jasper County All-Stars competed in the Cal Ripken Ohio Valley Regional in Logansport, Indiana on July 29 through August 1.  They finished with 2 wins and 1 loss in pool play to advance to the single elimination tournament where they were eliminated by eventual OVR Champion, Crown Point, IN.

In the first game, Jasper County faced a team from Batesville, IN.  Batesville jumped on top of Jasper County with two runs in the top of the second inning and led 2-0 until Jasper County came to bat in the fourth inning.  With the help of five walks and two hits,  Jasper County scored seven runs to lead 7 - 2 after four innings.  Jasper County tacked on five more runs in the fifth inning to win the game 12 - 2.   The game was called after 5 innings due to the 10 run rule.

Felonies
8/6
10-CF-22 - William T. Johnson - Residential Burglary

Misdemeanors
8/3
10-CM-42 -  Harold Douglas Wilder - Reckless Conduct
8/10
10-CM-43 - Misty D. Travis - Criminal Trespass to Real Property

A one-vehicle accident occurred on August 5 at 10:19 p.m. on Apple Shed Road, 2 miles north of Newton. A 1996 Geo Tracker, driven by 17-year-old Everett Fear of Jewett, was heading northbound on 1000th (Apple Shed Road), 1/2 mile north of 1050th Avenue, when the vehicle veered off the roadway to the right, traveling 254' along the right shoulder before striking a concrete bridge embankment and overturning. The vehicle came to rest on the driver's side.

The NCHS Marching Band held a camp in July. The above photo was taken during one of their practices.

Felonies
7/26

10-CF-21 - Jonathon Orr - Theft



Traffic
7/19

10-TR-748 - Stephen T. Powell - Speeding

As the members of the St. Thomas Parish take "A Step in Faith Together" to their new church building, they are remembering the rich history of their church and school. A book is being compiled to commemorate almost 140 years of St. Thomas the Apostle. Everyone is invited to share in this rich history by purchasing a history book.

Formal child abduction charges were filed Monday against a Willow Hill, Ill. man accused of taking his 13-year-old girlfriend on the run for nearly a week.

Ricky Wayne Brown, 19, was formally charged Monday in Wayne County Circuit Court with a class-3 felony charge of child abduction of a victim under the age of 16 with the suspect being at least two years older.

Brown is accused of picking up his 13-year-old girlfriend Faith Ellison in the early morning hours of July 5 in a pickup truck allegedly stolen from Jasper County, Ill. The two were spotted in Parke County, Ind., later that night when the truck broke down. Witnesses who stopped to help the pair positively identified them, police said.

The Jasper County School Board met and approved numerous items at their recent meeting. Prairie Farms Dairy received approval for their bid for dairy products, Louis Ochs was accepted for driver education vehicles and C.V. Lloyd Sound Design was accepted for the public address system in the NCHS gymnasium.

NCHS will maintain a golf team for the 2010 season. It was stated that at the end of the 2010 season the feasibility to maintain a golf team would be discussed. The Junior High Girls Basketball Cooperative Agreement with St. Thomas was approved for the 2010-11 school year.

The following Junior High Softball Volunteers were approved for the 2010 season: Kaitlin Wallace, Kimberlin Wallace, Courtney Eaton, Amber Shedelbower and Mallory Kocher.

With all members present, the Jasper County Board met on July 8, 2010, at the County Annex Building.

The Economic Development Coop Committee reported at the meeting that grant money was rewarded to the county for the Energy Efficiency Grant from SCIRPDC. The money will be used for 75% of the funding to replace light fixtures in county buildings to save on energy costs. The other 25% should be funded though the EEP program. However, it is unclear if the State will have enough money in this program to fund the full 25%. If the State cannot pay, SCIRPDC will offer 5 year loans at 2% interest to fund the rest of the project.

The Road and Bridge committee reported that construction on the Buck Grove Road should be completed soon, and it will be sealed on Monday, July 12.

Following a one-day trial in the Jasper County Courthouse, a jury has found Effingham resident William Doedtman guilty of Conspiracy To Commit Criminal Damage To Property stemming from a June 27, 2009 spree throughout Jasper County's North Wade Township that left nearly 40 mailboxes damaged or destroyed. During the trial, the jury heard testimony from seven of the nearly 36 Jasper County residents who detailed the damage to and cost of repair or replacement of their mailboxes. The jury also heard testimony from two co-conspirators, Jessica Bannick and Zachary Tegenkamp, both from Effingham and both of whom pleaded guilty to the offense last year.

Courtroom testimony revealed that Doedtman and his companions left Effingham County in Bannick's car during the evening hours of June 27, 2010 on a road trip with no specific destination in mind. At some point after the group of four entered North Wade Township in Jasper County, the first of many mailboxes was destroyed.

Felonies
7/7

10-CF-17 - Anthony A. Brown - Aggravated Battery

7/8

10-CF-18 - Gale M. Jones - Unlawful Failure to Register as a Sex Offender

A Newton landmark, the 'angel tree', will soon be no more just like the old St. Thomas Catholic Church. Crews have been in town looking at the tree-its end is near, although it doesn't have to be.

This tall, majestic tree, that God created over 130 years ago and helped to form into an angel, that is visible from many directions around Newton, will soon meet its demise.