Journal Gazette from Mattoon, Illinois • A3

Journal Gazette times-Courier Friday, august 10, 2018 A3 1 THE ASSOCIATED PRESS audience members react as it was announced Wednesday at Willow Creek Community Church in south Barrington that lead pastor Heather Larson is stepping down, and the entire Board of Elders will do so by the end of the year. THE ASSOCIATED PRESS SOUTH BARRINGTON The leadership of a massive Chica- go-area evangelical church is stepping down and has apolo- gized to women who accused the founder of sexual harassment. The Board of Elders of the Willow Creek Community Church announced Wednesday they will all leave by end. In a statement on the website, the elders apologized for being slow to take seriously all the women who came forward with accusations against church founder Bill Hybels. Hybels, who resigned in April, has denied the groping allega- tions dating to the 1980s.

Lead pastor Heather Larson admits she made mistakes and that has been broken by Willow Creek is hosting its 23rd annual Global Leadership Summit, starting Thursday, even though several speakers backed out and over 100 churches cancelled plans to broadcast the event. Megachurch elders resign over groping scandal son announces area investment DECATUR The foundation of billionaire investor Warren son plans to invest $30 million in a central Illinois cam- pus of facilities to help people with drug addiction and bring together social services. Lee News Service reports Ma- con County Sheriff Howard Buf- fett announced plans Wednesday in Decatur. Crossing Healthcare, which serves primarily low- and moderate-income residents, will own four new facilities including a residential rehabilitation building and outpatient treatment center. Howard Buffett says the in- vestment address the health of our community at multiple Howard Buffett was appointed sheriff in September and was an executive at Archer Daniels Mid- land.

Warren Buffett has helped the Howard G. Buffett Founda- tion by giving his Berkshire Ha- thaway stock. The foundation has donated millions of dollars to projects in central Illinois. Rauner blames mayor for on violence SPRINGFIELD Gov. Bruce Rauner says Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel has horri- on public safety after gunfire in the city last weekend injured more than 70 people and killed at least 11.

The Republican said Thurs- day that Chicago police have not received sufficient personnel, equipment or staffing assistance to be effective. Rauner says in Democrat Emanuel. Rauner says public safety is an first duty and that leaders funda- mentally failed, failed A spokesman for Emanuel did not immediately respond. Chi- cago police added 400 officers to affected neighborhoods with plans for 200 this weekend. Rauner made his comments after saying for a second day he would not dispatch the National Guard Chicago.

He says Illinois State Police help patrol some neighborhoods and have juris- diction on Chicago-area express- ways. GOP rebukes candidate ROCK ISLAND Illinois Re- publican leaders are disavowing a second of the congressio- nal candidates over contentious views promoted. The state GOP chairman and other party officials say withdrawing support for candi- date Bill Fawell after reviewing conspiracy theories about the terrorist attacks and the 2012 Sandy Hook mass school shooting that he posted to social media. Fawell is the GOP chal- lenger to Democratic Rep. Cheri Bustos in northwestern 17th congressional district.

GOP Chairman Tim Schneider calls Fawell a liar whose com- ments have hurt those affected by tragic events. Fawell tells The Dispatch-Argus he tries to present alternate the- ories and that never received any Republican Party support. Schneider previously de- nounced outspoken Holocaust denier Arthur Jones, the GOP nominee against Demo- cratic Rep. Dan Lipinski for a Chicago-area seat. Police criticized for using bait trucks CHICAGO Civil rights ac- tivists and local aldermen are criticizing a joint investigation by Chicago police and the Norfolk Southern Railroad that involved using a truck loaded with goods to lure potential thieves.

Residents of the Engle- wood neighborhood recently filmed police arresting a man and accused officers of trying to en- trap poor residents with the truck. An arrest report from the in- cident says Chicago police have been was working with railroad police to crack down on thefts from freight containers in rail yards, especially gun thefts and nearby areas on the South Side. Norfolk Southern Railroad police spokeswoman Susan Ter- pay defended the investigation, dubbed Operation Trailer Trap, saying such stings are used by law enforcement to crack down on patterns of thefts in certain areas. She says three people were arrested during the operation. suspects saw a parked, unmarked trailer and then pro- ceeded to cut open the safety seal with box cutters, broke into the back of the trailer and only then did they find retail shoes in un- marked brown boxes, previously secured and hidden Ter- pay said.

Chicago police deferred all questions to railroad police. Ald. Roderick Sawyer, who chairs the City Black Caucus, says such operations are unacceptable and inap- propriate use of police Karen Sheley of the Ameri- can Civil Liberties Union of Illi- nois released a statement saying Chicago police should on building trust and better re- lationships within the commu- nities they serve, not engage in stunts like bait Statue repair work could start in spring OREGON, Illinois Organiz- ers say repair work could begin next spring on the century-old Black Hawk statue in north- ern Illinois as they are less than $90,000 short of their fundrais- ing goal. Repairs on the 48-foot-tall (14.5-meter-tall) concrete stat- ute in Lowden State Park are es- timated to cost $600,000. Sauk Valley Media reports Black Hawk Restoration Team member Roger Cain says the group has $210,000 of the $300,000 needed for con- tracts to be signed.

That money will match a $350,000 grant approved by state lawmakers in late May. A protective plastic shroud was removed in June, after which ad- ditional cracks were found. Cain says uncertain whether the statue will be wrapped again this winter to protect it. Sculptor Lorado Taft created the statue in 1910 as a tribute to Native Americans. Officials monitoring state fair rides SPRINGFIELD Illinois offi- cials will make routine inspec- tions of all amusement rides at the Illinois State Fair.

The Illinois Department of Labor reported Wednesday that inspectors will be reviewing 65 rides at the state Carnival Midway, Adventure Village, and Happy Hollow pavilions. The state fair opens Thursday and closes Aug. 19. Chris Wieneke is assistant La- bor Department director. He says unannounced safety checks will be made as well as a precaution.

The department recommends that riders follow all safety rules and instructions from ride atten- dants. Parents should be aware of general safety guidelines offered by the Labor Department. The Associated Press Mattoon police make 2 meth related arrests MATTOON Police offices recently made two arrests on methamphetamine-related charges in separate cases in Mattoon. The Mattoon Police Depart- ment reported in a press release that Mark K. Simmons, 35, homeless, was arrested at 3:33 p.m.

Tues- day in the 700 block of North Second and Division streets on preliminary charges of possession of meth and possession of a controlled substance. According to the charges, Simmons was found to be in possession of meth and also some illicit prescription med- ication when he was arrested for an outstanding warrant of arrest from Tazewell County for a violation of his proba- tion. Simmons was taken to the Coles County jail. The other meth-related case involved Jordan A. Smith, 23, of Mattoon be- ing arrested at 11:15 a.m.

Mon- day in the 3100 block of Mar- shall Avenue on a preliminary charge of pos- session, according to police. Smith was taken to jail. In other matters, Justin M. Drennan, 28, of Mattoon was arrested at 3:05 p.m. Tuesday at po- lice station on a preliminary charge of fel- ony theft.

The charge alleges that Drennan stole just under $10,000 from his employer over a period of months. Dren- nan was taken to jail. Police criminal caseload is up MATTOON The Mattoon Police criminal caseload has increased by 26 percent over figures for the previous calendar year. Police Chief Jason Taylor re- ported at Mattoon City Council meeting that the detective sec- tion had assigned 368 crimi- nal cases for investigation by Aug 1, 2017, and has assigned 484 criminal cases for inves- tigation as of Aug. 1 this year.

He said the av- erage caseload per year is 125- 150 cases per detective and the caseload as of Aug. 1 is 121 cases per detective. Taylor said 55 percent, 245 cases, of the total felony case- load filed to date with the Coles County Of- fice has been submitted by the Mattoon Police Department. Regarding the Mattoon Po- lice Department-based East Central Illinois Task Force, Taylor said officers seized 4.2 pounds of methamphet- amine with an estimated street value of $190,200 in calendar year 2017. He said officers have seized 11.4 pounds of meth with an estimated street value of $516,400 as of this August.

Coles County pools close for season The three outdoor pub- lic swimming pools in Coles County are preparing to close for the season. Oakland Swimming Pool at Howard Miller Memorial Park will close after Sunday. Lytle Pool in Mattoon will close af- ter Tuesday, but Lytle splash fountain will remain open while the weather is warm. As in past years, the Charles- ton Rotary Pool will stay open over the weekend to allow younger students the chance to get one last splash in before the start of the school year. This year, the pool will close 7 p.m.

Sunday. Brian Jones, Charleston Parks and Recreation director, said there were a few more peo- ple in attendance this year than last, but overall, it was consis- tent with what they normally see. DAVE FOPAY dave.fopay@lee.net CHARLESTON Two men pleaded guilty to charges accus- ing them of having methamphet- amine in Mattoon and one also admitted he stole and used the other debit card. Mark A. McQueen and Tyler D.

Barr, who both have addresses on record in Champaign, were arrested for methamphetamine possession following a traffic stop in Mattoon on June 13, according to records and police accounts. McQueen was later charged with theft and possession of an- debit card for allegedly using card for about two weeks after their arrests. With the agreements reached in each of their cases, McQueen, 42, and Barr, 18, were placed on probation for two years. probation was a type that gives him a chance of no record of a conviction. According to case records, Barr told police he discovered his debit card was missing after he was re- leased from jail on a pretrial basis.

He also found that unauthorized purchases on the card were made, the records say. McQueen later admitted to po- lice that he used debit card, according to the records. He said some purchases were with approval but others totaling about $1,000 were not, they say. Probation terms for McQueen included payment of restitution for the debit card purchases. His guilty plea in that case was to the theft charge; the possession of debit card charge was dismissed.

An evaluation for substance abuse treatment and a require- ment that McQueen follow its recommendations were also part of the terms. He was also ordered to pay about $1,800 in fines and court fees. Jail time was stayed, mean- ing he have to serve it un- less he violates his other proba- tion requirements. McQueen faced the possibility of up to 10 years in prison, which would have been twice the usual maximum sentence for the of- fenses. That was because of his criminal record, which includes a 2015 Coles County conviction for a felony DUI offense.

sentence was two years of first offender probation, which allows for no record of a convic- tion if completed successfully. He was also ordered to be eval- uated for treatment and to pay about $1,500 in fines and fees. Stayed jail time was also one of probation terms. Coles County Circuit Judge Brien sentenced both men by accepting plea agree- ments that prosecuting and de- fense attorneys recommended. Assistant Attorney Joy Wolf prosecuted both cases.

Public Defender Anthony Or- tega represented McQueen and attorney Stephanie Corum rep- resented Barr. Contact dave Fopay at 217-238- 6858. Follow him on twitter: Man admits stealing from co-defendantLOCAL BRIEFS Simmons Smith Drennan STATE BRIEFS Mattoon Legion Aux. Serving Public Welcome. Broasted Chicken Shrimp Basket PLACE 11-2 Italian Beef $6.99 Harrelson Plumbing Heating Inc.

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