Illinois State Police (ISP) Troop 5 Commander, Captain Tim Sweeney, announces the results of Alcohol Countermeasure Enforcement (ACE) patrols held in Kankakee and McLean counties during July. These ACE patrols allowed the ISP to focus on preventing, detecting, and taking enforcement action in response to violations associated with impaired driving and illegal transportation or consumption of alcohol or drugs. Violations Enforcement Activity Driving Under the Influence (DUI) Citations 0 Other Alcohol/Drug Citations 1 Occupant Restraint Offenses 2 Registration Offenses 3 Driver’s License Offenses 1 Insurance Violations 3 Total Citations/Arrests 37 Total Written Warnings 13 Alcohol and drug impairment are estimated to be a factor in more than 47% of all fatal motor vehicle crashes in Illinois. There is one alcohol-related traffic fatality every 39 minutes in the United States. The ACE program allows officers to work even harder at removing dangerous DUI offenders from the road. This project is funded through the Illinois Department of Transportation.

Three people were arrested Thursday by the U.S. Marshals Service Great Lakes Regional Fugitive Task Force after a lengthy investigation conducted by the Iroquois County Sheriff’s Department.

They arrested Samuel Hines, 27; Rubicell Lopez, 28; and Justin Kuehne, 47, all of Kankakee, on Iroquois County warrants charging them with multiple counts of burglary in connection with a series of burglaries that occurred earlier this year in rural areas of western Iroquois County.

The burglaries, the Iroquois County Sheriff’s Department noted in a news release, occurred at rural homes and farm sites stretching from rural Onarga to rural Chebanse.

Hines, Lopez and Kuehne were taken into custody in Kankakee without incident and subsequently transported to the Iroquois County Jail, where they remain awaiting a court appearance.

3 OTHERS ARRESTED

After the arrests of Hines, Lopez and Kuehne, U.S. Marshals and sheriff’s deputies arrested Candace Searcy, 39; Joshua Searcy, 37; and Austin Knauss, 30, at a Cissna Park residence on a series of outstanding arrest warrants, the news release said.

Candace Searcy was wanted on warrants from Vermilion and Douglas counties in Illinois and Benton County in Indiana for drug possession and a violation of probation.

Joshua Searcy was wanted on two Ford County warrants charging him with forgery and drug possession.

Knauss was wanted on a Kankakee County warrant charging him with aggravated DUI.

All three were taken into custody and transported to the Iroquois County Jail.

Eastern Illinois Foodbank (EIF) is distributing food to area families facing food insecurity. The Foodmobile will travel throughout southern Iroquois County on 08/15/2024 and northern Iroquois County on 08/28/2024, with distribution sites and times and for each town listed at https://www.eifoodbank.org/help/mobile.html.

The distribution is part of the Foodbank’s Foodmobile Program, a system of mobile food pantries designed to help bring nutritious food to rural or underserved areas. Those planning to attend should pre-register at www.EIFclient.com, although doing so does not guarantee a place in line. Income guidelines are as follows:

Updates regarding future food distributions can be found at the Foodbank’s website at www.eifoodbank.org.

Sixteen youth from Iroquois County, during a drizzling rain, and a change of venue to the 4-H Center, brought together 11 superb acts to our stage for the Fifty second Annual Talent Show.

Vocal solos in the Junior Division included Natalie Ader, singing Riptide, Abby Tindle, singing Rescue, Melody Vice, singing Beauty and the Beast, Kolbee Shoufler, singing Naughty, Kenzie Keller, singing When Will my Life Begin and Tessa Pankey, Ealyn Rhodes and Claire Schumacher performing a jazz dance to Spice up Your Life.

Winners in the Junior Division were, Kolbee Shoufler 1st place, Spice of Life, Tessa Pankey, Ealyn Rhodes and Claire Schumacher’s jazz dance to Spice up Your Life, 3rd place Abby Tindle, Rescue.

Vocal solos in the Senior Division were Julia Hilgeman, singing Creep, Lillian Unger, singing Don’t Rain on My Parade, Rachael Dexter, singing Once Upon a December. Vocal duet, sung by Julia Hilgeman and Lillian Unger, Wondering and Vocal trio, sung by Paige Miller, Kairi Rossi and Walter, A Man or a Muppet.

Senior Division winners are Rachael Dexter, Once Upon a December, 2nd place Julia Hilgeman, Creep, and third place Paige Miller, Kairi Rossi and Walter with A Man or a Muppet.

 

 

Thank you for all your support of the Iroquois County Fair!

Congratulations to Jahni Lavicka, who has been crowned Miss Iroquois County Fair Queen for 2024!  She joins a group of talented contestants who participated in the pageant. Additionally, Riley Willms has been named Little Miss Iroquois County Fair for the same year.

 

Get more fair info at: iroquoiscofair.com

The body of a 6-year-old boy was pulled out of the Kankakee River at Beckman Harbor this afternoon.

The identity of the victim has not been released.

It is believed the boy was one of a few children playing on a boat dock about 75 feet or so east of the Kankakee Boat Club dock.

Emergency personnel from Kankakee and Kankakee County responded to the 6th Ward area at just after 3 p.m. today following a report of the child going into the river to retrieve a ball.

Once the child went into the water, nearby adults attempted to grab the youngster, but were unable to reach the victim.

 

The river has been swollen due to a series of heavy rains within the past three days.

At about 5 p.m., a boat equipped with a sonar search system appeared to have settled at the site which was no more than 20 feet off of the north river bank just east of the boat club.

Dive team members from MABAS Division 15, a mutual aid unit comprised of departments including Wilmington, Plainfield, Morris and Minooka, at the direction of the sonar system, were then able to physically grab the youngster and get the body out of the water.

Emergency personnel formed a corridor made of red tarps to shield the body from public view.

Kankakee Mayor Chris Curtis was on site for the duration of the rescue-turned-recovery operation. Curtis said a statement would be released before the end of the day.

Once it became clear the child had been located, the once talkative gathering of emergency personnel and onlookers fell to a hush with only the growling of idling fire truck engines and hovering news helicopters providing background noise.

Today's recovery marked the second drowning in the Kankakee River within the city limits of Kankakee.

On June 15, the body of Roger Brooks, 58, of Kankakee, was pulled from the Kankakee River only a short distance west of where this 6-year-old was found today. Brooks had fallen out of a fishing boat.

On Wednesday, June 10th, 2024, at approximately 12:00 p.m., KAMEG Agents, assisted by the Kankakee City Police Department and Illinois State Police Troop 5, arrested Travaris M. Rowell Jr., age 23, Kankakee, IL, following a search warrant at his residence, 565 W. Henry St. Apt. #1, Kankakee. The search warrant execution resulted in the seizure of approximately 1,226 grams of suspected cannabis, 153 suspected fentanyl pills, approximately 93.1 grams of suspected cocaine, approximately 66.1 grams of psilocybin mushrooms, and United States Currency. 2 vehicles were also seized in conjunction with the investigation. Rowell Jr, has been initially charged with the following: 3 counts of Unlawful Delivery of a Controlled Substance (Cocaine), 3 counts of Unlawful Possession of a Controlled Substance with Intent to Deliver, Possession of Fentanyl with Intent to Deliver, Unlawful Possession of Cannabis with Intent to Deliver, and Child Endangerment. Rowell Jr. was transported to and detained at the Jerome Combs Detention Center (Kankakee County).

 

LITTLE MISS - EVELYN DEYOUNG - LAKE VILLAGE

1ST RUNER UP - KAROLINE ANDERSON - MORROCO

LITTLE MR. JACE HENNEIKE- KENTLAND

1ST RUNNER UP - LOCHLAIN CAHILL - MOROCCO

 

QUEEN - MISS CONGENIALITY - LIZZIE GLASSBURN - EARL PARK

1ST RUNNER UP & PEOPLES CHOICE - ADDYSE STANDISH - KENTLAND

MISS PHOTOGENIC - LILLIANA POSTMA - LAKE VILLAGE

MISS TEEN - LINDSAY LOWE - BROOK

1ST RUNNER UP TEEN - KAYLEIGH BURTON - KENTLAND

On Thursday, July 4^th, the Watseka American Legion Post #23 Honor Guard will march with the colors for this years Watseka Independence Day Parade. The Legion will also have a trailer in the parade for our military veterans to ride in honor of their service and sacrifice for our nation.

 

This year we will be recognizing and honoring our local Korean War Veterans. We are asking that these veterans contact the American Legion to reserve a seat on the trailer. We would also like to extend an invitation to other non-American Legion veterans to join us on the parade route to celebrate the freedom and independence that each veteran made possible during their military service.

 

All riders will need to be in front of the Watseka Area High School at 9:30 AM. The Legion Honor Guard and trailer will be at the front of the parade lineup. The parade will begin promptly at 10:00 AM.

 

If you want to participate with the Legion in the parade, please call or text Rick Ziebart at 240-515-4216.