On October 19, 2024, Iroquois County Sheriff’s Police arrested Timothy Simmons, age 42, of Cissna Park. According to police reports, Simmons was wanted on an outstanding Iroquois County warrant charging him with possession of methamphetamine less than 5 grams. Simmons was transported to the Iroquois County Jail where he was released with a notice to appear.

On October 25, 2024, Iroquois County Sheriff’s Police arrested Travis Morris, age 29, of Beaverville. According to police reports, Morris was charged with violation of the sex offender registry act. Morris was transported to the Iroquois County Jail where he currently remains.

On October 25, 2024, Iroquois County Sheriff’s Police arrested Jeremy Morgan, age 34, of Watseka. According to police reports, Morgan was charged with theft. Morgan was transported to the Iroquois County Jail where he was released with a notice to appear.

On October 25, 2024, Iroquois County Sheriff’s Police arrested Dennis E. Baker, age 43, of Milford. According to police reports, Baker was wanted on an outstanding Iroquois County warrant charging him with failure to appear domestic battery. Baker was transported to the Iroquois County Jail where he currently remains.

On September 7,2024 the Iroquois County Sheriff s Department, Illinois State Police, Newton County Indiana Sherifls Department and the Kentland Indiana Police Department responded to the report of an alleged kidnapping in progress regarding a vehicle driven by a suspect named Andrew Roselius, age 37 of Ashkum, Illinois. The suspect vehicle was identified in rural Iroquois County and an attempt was made by law enforcement to stop the vehicle. When the subject vehicle refused to stop, it travelled from Iroquois County into Newton County, Indiana and then back into Iroquois County where it hit another vehicle on a public road in the Village of Sheldon, Illinois. Once stopped, the vehicle driven by Andrew Roselius was sulrounded by law enforcement. It was reported that Mr. Roselius was armed and suicidal. A confrontation occurred between law enforcement and Mr. Roselius while he was seated in his vehicle. After repeated requests by law enforcement for Mr. Roselius to show his hands and to leave his vehicle, Mr. Roselius displayed a revolver and fired one shot which struck a Newton County Indiana Deputy in the head which left him critically wounded. As a result of the shot, an Iroquois County Deputy returned hre by striking Mr. Roselius in the head. Roselius was pronounced dead at the scene. The Newton County Deputy died from his wounds on September 11, 2024. The Illinois State PoliceZone 5 Investigations team conducted an investigation of the law enforcement involved shooting. After a thorough examination of witness accounts, body-camera footage, squad car camera footage, ballistic tests, Illinois State Crime Lab analysis and autopsy findings, the Iroquois County State's Attorney's Office was presented with all relevant investigatory information. The Iroquois County State's Attorney, Jim Devine, concluded that the death of Andrew Roselius by law enforcement on September 1, 2024 was justified. No fuither action will be taken by the State's Attorney's Office. Jim Devine/ Iroquois County State's Attomey 

The Iroquois County Board of Health has offically hired a new Public Health Administrator. Robin Allen, formerly the Fiscal Director at the Illinois Department of Human Services Shapiro Center, accepted the administrator position following the October 2nd, 2024 Board of Health Special Meeting. Robin holds multiple degrees, including a Master’s in Biology and an MBA, reflecting a diverse academic background. She remains actively involved in community service by participating in the Animal Outreach program at Olivet Nazarene University and by serving as a guest speaker for the Nature Conservancy. With extensive experience in public administration, Robin is enthusiastic to support the Iroquois County Public Health Departments mission and community impact. Her anticipated start date is November 1st, 2024. 

 A former Iroquois County Public Health Department administrator charged with 33 felony counts of theft, forgery and official misconduct is due back in court two weeks before Christmas.

Appearing in court with her attorney on Wednesday, Oct. 16, Dee Ann Schippert, 57, of Watseka, pleaded not guilty and requested a jury trial, according to online Iroquois County Circuit Court records. A scheduling conference was set for 9:30 a.m. Wednesday, Dec. 11, before Kankakee County Judge William Dickenson, who was reassigned the case due to the recusal of Iroquois County Judges Michael Sabol and Kara Bartucci.

Dee Ann Schippert

The Illinois Attorney General’s Office charged Schippert on March 20 with 33 felonies — including eight counts of theft of governmental property by deception, eight counts of forgery and 17 counts of official misconduct — alleging she stole more than $100,000 from the health department between May 31, 2020, and July 15, 2022, by billing it for overtime and backpay she never earned. The charges also allege Schippert committed “whistleblower retaliation” by firing an employee on June 15, 2022, after the staffer tipped off authorities to her conduct.

The most serious of the 33 charges are two Class X felony counts of theft of governmental property, each punishable by six to 30 years in the Illinois Department of Corrections and up to a $25,000 fine. The other six theft counts are Class 1 felonies, each punishable by four to 15 years in prison and up to a $25,000 fine, while all eight forgery charges and all 17 official misconduct charges are Class 3 felonies, each punishable by between two to five years in prison and up to a $25,000 fine. If Schippert is convicted, the sentences could run concurrently, the attorney general’s office said.

Schippert was appointed Iroquois County Public Health Department administrator upon the agency’s establishment on July 1, 2014, which coincided with the dissolution of the Ford-Iroquois Public Health Department, where she had worked the previous 22 years, starting as a home health care nurse in 1992 and then as community and school health coordinator since 2009.

Despite the date for the upcoming Consolidated Election being nearly six months away, two candidates have already thrown their hats in the ring for consideration by Watseka voters. Current Watseka Fourth Ward Alderman, Scott Anderson, announced Saturday that he is starting his campaign to win the position of Watseka Mayor. “The current mayor has recently placed his house on the market and his wife has mentioned on social media that they will be moving,” Anderson said, “this implies to me that he will not be seeking reelection. The Watseka residents deserve a new, strong leader to move our City in a prosperous direction, and I feel that I should be their choice to head that way. My time as an alderman has given me the experience and tools I need to be this leader. I have been receiving encouragement from numerous voters that reside in all of the Watseka wards, and this has been the primary reason for my choice to run. I do not want our residents to be left with an uncontested candidate that will continue with the way things have been going for the last eight years.” Along with Anderson’s announcement, Watseka resident Bridget Tobeck announced that she will be seeking a position within the Watseka City Council as a Fourth Ward alderwoman. In a statement she made on Saturday Tobeck said, “I believe it's time we refocus our priorities on what truly matters— supporting our citizens and strengthening our small businesses. My goal is to help bring transparency and integrity to our local government, ensuring that every decision made is in the best interest of our community. I believe in this city and, together, we can create a city that values progress and opportunity for all its residents.” Anderson endorses Tobeck in her campaign and said, “I fully support Bridget in this endeavor, especially since she will be a new, confident, and intelligent decision maker.” 

The Iroquois County Board discussed a vacancy on the board during their October 8th regular meeting. This vacancy was created due to board member Michael McTaggart resigning in order to focus more on his work and family life.

Rules state that a resigning board member's successor must be from the same political party as the person who resigned. Accordingly, the Iroquois County Republican Party is seeking a Republican who will serve on the Iroquois County Board.

Any Republican applicant must live in district 1 which includes the townships of Milks Grove, Chebanse, Ashkum, Martinton, Papineau, Beaver, and Beaverville located in the northern part of Iroquois County. It includes municipalities such as Chebanse, Clifton, Ashkum, Martinton, Papineau, Donovan, and Beaverville. A detailed map can be found on the county's website. If interested in serving, please contact Iroquois County Republican Party Chairman Mitchell Bence.  iqgopchairman@gmail.com

On September 25, 2024, Iroquois County Sheriff’s Police arrested Shawn M. Marcum, age 44, of Sheldon. According to police reports, Marcum was wanted on an outstanding Iroquois County warrant charging him with driving under the influence. Marcum was transported to the Iroquois County Jail where he was issued a notice to appear.

 

On September 25, 2024, Iroquois County Sheriff’s Police arrested Dustin W. Leslie, age 40, of Hoopeston. According to police reports, Leslie was charged with driving while license revoked and obstructing identification. Leslie was transported to the Iroquois County Jail where he was issued a notice to appear.

 

On October 2, 2024, Iroquois County Sheriffs Police arrested Adam S. Blair, age 33, of Gilman, according to police reports, Blair was wanted on an outstanding Iroquois County warrant charging him with possession of a controlled substance. Blair was transported to the Iroquois County Jail where he was released with a notice to appear.

 

On October 8, 2024, Iroquois County Sheriff’s Police arrested Jill N. Williams, age 39, of Iroquois. According to police reports, Williams was charged with violation of an order of protection. Williams was transported to the Iroquois County Jail where she was released with a notice to appear.

 

 

A Hoopeston woman is being held in the Iroquois County Jail on charges of grooming and distributing harmful material after allegations that she made inappropriate comments to students at Watseka High School. Baylee Bushong, 23, an agri-business teacher at Watseka Junior High School and Watseka High School, was arrested Thursday, October 10, after Watseka Police conducted “a short investigation” into the allegations, which police were notified of on October 8. According to a police statement, numerous students were interviewed at the Children’s Advocacy Center in Watseka, alleging Bushong made inappropriate comments to students while in class and that on a few ocsions, students were shown pornographic images. The investigation is ongoing and more charges may be pending, according to the police statement. District Supt. David Andriano said Bushong was placed on administrative leave when the investigation started and will remain on leave. “We are fully cooperating with DCFS and law enforcement in their investigation,” he said in a statement. “The safety and security of our students is our number one priority.” Andriano said future questions could be directed to DCFS or the Watseka Police Department. The district has been advised not to make further comment at this time. 

The Eastern Illinois Mutual Aid Fire Association- which is comprised of all 21 fire departments located in Iroquois County, along with County Board Chairman John Shure and the entire Iroquois County Board, remind all Iroquois County residents that there is currently a burn ban in place across Iroquois County, this was agreed on by the Fire Chiefs of Iroquois County. The Fire Chief has the authority to issue a burn ban, pursuant with Illinois State Law (70 ILCS 705/8.20) directing everyone to refrain from any open burning, including landscape waste, agricultural waste, household trash, and garbage. Also included in this ban are any type of consumer fireworks. The Fire Departments can- by law, impose fines for violation of this burn ban, and will, after warning and extinguishing these fires, impose a fine of $100.00. Fines will double for the second violation. This ban will be in effect until further notice. County Board Chairman John Shure said, “Due to the current extreme drought conditions throughout Iroquois County, we are advising all citizens to refrain from any type of burning, including the use of consumer grade fireworks, until further notice. At the present time, conditions are very favorable for the outbreak of wildfires and other uncontrolled events. Any rainfall in the near future is not anticipated to have any effect on the drought conditions.” He continued, “The Fire Chiefs in the county, with the authority granted by Illinois Statute, have approved this burn ban to prohibit any type of burning including the use of consumer grade fireworks. This burn ban will remain in effect until drought conditions have abated sufficiently. Please direct any questions to the Fire Chief of your local Fire Protection District. On behalf of the County Board, the Sheriff, and all Elected Officials, I urge everyone to cooperate with the Fire Chiefs in this matter.” Nobody wants to impose this burn ban, but much more importantly, fire departments do not want to have to extinguish your house- or your neighbor’s house, if it catches on fire. Thank you all for your help making this a safe time for everyone in this drought-driven, dangerous time, across Iroquois County.

The Iroquois County Public Health Department has changed their regularly scheduled Board of Health meeting. The Board of Health will now meet at 6:00pm on November 6th, 2024. This meeting will be held in the county board room at the Iroquois County Administrative Center located at 1001 East Grant Street, Watseka, Illinois 60970. An agenda will be posted on the Iroquois County website, iroquoiscountyil.gov, at least 48 hours in advance of each meeting respectivley. 

 Mitigation projects and activities that can prevent injuries and fatalities while maintaining vital services for Iroquois County residents will be the main topic of discussion at the Iroquois County Natural Hazards Mitigation Planning Committee meeting at the MABAS 37 Building, 103½ Main St., Crescent City (behind Ailey’s Welding Shop), at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, December 12. The October 24th meeting has been rescheduled to the December 12th meeting date. The Committee began work in January 2024 to update the County’s All Hazards Mitigation Plan. This Plan details the past severe weather events that have impacted the County and identifies mitigation projects and activities that can be taken before a severe weather event occurs to protect residents and critical services and infrastructure. “Obtaining FEMA’s approval of our updated Plan will make all of the participants eligible to receive federal grant money for mitigation projects and activities,” explained Iroquois County Emergency Management Agency Coordinator, Scott Anderson. Projects identified by Committee members at this meeting will become part of the Iroquois County Natural Hazards Mitigation Plan. While the committee has provided input on portions of the Plan, the entire Plan will be presented for public review and comment before it is submitted to the state and federal government for approval. “A public forum will be conducted February 13, 2025 for interested persons to review the Plan update and ask questions of Committee Members. A two-week public comment period will be held following the public forum to accommodate interested persons who are unable to attend. We want to make sure that anybody who is interested has an opportunity to review and comment on the draft Plan update,” added Anderson. Interested persons can submit questions and comments to the Committee members or directly to the Iroquois County EMA Office. 

On Friday, October 4, 2024, the U.S. Marshals Service Great Lakes Regional Fugitive Task Force arrested Esteban Saenz, age 44, at a residence in Sheldon, IL. Saenz, who was wanted on an outstanding Iroquois County felony arrest warrant, was taken into custody without incident. Subsequent to that arrest, Iroquois County Sheriff’s Office Detectives executed a search warrant at the residence. During the execution of that search warrant, detectives recovered narcotics, U.S. currency, and a firearm. As a result, Coty R. Huckleby, age 36, of Sheldon was also taken into custody. Following their arrests, both men were transported to the Iroquois County Jail where they were charged as follows: Esteban Saenz: Unlawful Possession of a Controlled Substance With Intent to Deliver (Class X Felony) Coty R. Huckleby: Unlawful Possession of Weapon by Felon (Class 3 Felony) Both Saenz and Huckleby remain in custody at the Iroquois County Jail awaiting a court appearance. 

 Illinois State Police (ISP) Troop 5 Commander, Captain Tim Sweeney, announces the results of Occupant Restraint Enforcement Patrols (OREP) held in Kankakee, Iroquois, Ford, Livingston, and McLean counties in August and September. These OREPs provided extra patrol coverage for the ISP so officers could focus on saving lives by making sure all vehicle occupants were buckled up. Violations Enforcement Activity Safety Belt Citations 66 Child Restraint Citations 1 Total Citations 107 Total Written Warnings 147 Most motorists know safety belts save lives, but some ignore their safety and that of their families by neglecting to use safety belts and child restraint devices. These patrols reinforce the occupant protection message by focusing on those who ignore the law. Lives can be saved if people simply “buckle up!” This project is funded through the Illinois Department of Transportation.