Latest news with #FordCountyChronicle
Yahoo
29-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Gibson City man sentenced to 32 years in prison for child porn
PAXTON, Ill. (WCIA) — A 25-year-old man, formerly of Gibson City, has been sentenced to 32 years in prison for four counts of possession of child pornography. WCIA's partners with the Ford County Chronicle reported that Ryan J. Nelson received his sentence after pleading guilty in the Ford County Circuit Court on May 13. Paxton Police arrest Bradley man for traveling to meet child According to Ford County State's Attorney Andrew Killian, Nelson, who was already on probation in DeWitt County for aggravated criminal sexual abuse, reported to the Ford County probation department on Jan. 31, 2025, and was discovered to have a cellphone in his possession that had not been registered as required by the Sex Offender Registration Act. While examining his cellphone, probation officers found what they believed was child pornography on it. They then reported it to law enforcement, who ended up arresting Nelson that same day, according to Killian. Additionally, a search of Nelson's Gibson City house, pursuant to a search warrant obtained from Judge Matt Fitton, discovered more electronic devices that contained child pornography, Killian said, who then charged Nelson with 10 counts — including four Class 1 felonies and six Class 2 felonies. 'Mr. Nelson was, with every video he downloaded, victimizing unknown children and driving the demand for this type of material to be created,' Killian said in a news release. Paxton's pool pump fixed, pool opening draws closer Nelson was then sentenced to four consecutive eight-year terms (32 years total) in the Illinois Department of Corrections upon entering his plea of guilty to the four Class 1 felony charges. He will receive credit against his sentence for the 103 days he has already served in the Ford County Jail. Public defender Harvey Welch of Urbana represented Nelson in this case. 'This case was a joint effort between Ford County Court Services, the Paxton and Gibson City police departments and the Ford County Sheriff`s Department, who spearheaded the investigation,' Killian said. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
29-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Paxton Police arrest Bradley man for traveling to meet child
PAXTON, Ill. (WCIA) — A 45-year-old man from Bradley was arrested in Paxton after trying to meet up with a 16-year-old girl earlier this month. Mattoon man sentenced to 58 years in prison after pleading guilty to killing his mother WCIA's partners with the Ford County Chronicle reported the arrest followed an investigation by the Paxton Police Department into online communications that Michael T. Wiggins had with an officer posing undercover as a teenager, beginning on Aug. 11, 2023. At around 1:30 p.m. on May 18 in the 600 block of E Pells St, Wiggins arrived in Paxton to meet up with who he thought was a 16-year-old girl. He was then arrested for traveling to meet a minor, solicitation to meet a minor and indecent solicitation of a child. The 2009 Chevrolet Silverado he was driving was impounded by Paxton Police under city ordinance. For more information on recent arrests in Ford and Iroquois Counties, visit the Chronicle's website. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
01-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Solar farm, energy storage facility proposed in Iroquois Co.
IROQUOIS COUNTY, Ill. (WCIA) — A $100 million project to construct a solar farm and energy storage facility could be coming just north of Buckley. WCIA's partners with the Ford County Chronicle reported that community members gathered at Chris Lutheran High School in Buckley for an informational open house on the proposed project known as the Louis Creek Solar. This project is being developed by Allium Renewable Energy LLC of Chicago, which plans to build it on 380 acres of land in Artesia Township about two miles north of Buckley. Iroquois County CUSD 9 investigating communication software breach Construction of the 50-megawatt solar farm and 10-megawatt battery storage facility would start in early 2026 and finish by the first quarter of 2027, which is when it would be put into full operation. 'Louis Creek Solar is currently in the advanced design phase and has reached an agreement to connect to the electrical grid with the host utility company, Ameren,' the Louis Creek Solar website said. 'We are now pursuing the necessary land-use permits and agreements with both Iroquois County and Artesia Township.' The project, estimated to cost $100 million, is expected to produce enough renewable energy to power approximately 8,000 homes each year while creating more than 100 local jobs. It is also supposed to generate economic benefits including an estimated $8-9 million in new local property tax revenue over the project's life span to the Paxton-Buckley-Loda school district, Buckley Fire Protection District, Parkland Community College, Iroquois County and Artesia Township. Urbana set to host inauguration ceremony for mayor-elect, city council, officials On the project's website, it said Allium Renewable Energy LLC was established in 2008 'to originate, develop, finance, construct and operate wind farms, solar power plants and energy storage facilities.' 'With our pipeline of more than 3,500 [megawatts] of solar and wind projects, we are contributing to the country's energy self-sufficiency — renewably and sustainably powering the future,' the website said. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
12-04-2025
- Yahoo
Bayles Lake highway still awaiting safety improvements in Iroquois Co.
WATSEKA, Ill. (WCIA) — There is still no decision on if Iroquois County will apply for a state grant to fund the improvement of a dangerous stretch of road at Bayles Lake. WCIA's partners with the Ford County Chronicle reported that on April 3, another meeting of the Iroquois County Board's transportation and highway committee commenced without a decision being made. The debate is for if the county should apply for a state grant to pay for the installation of guardrails or other safety improvements along a dangerous stretch of County Highway 10 in Watseka at Bayles Lake. Bill cracking down on license plate flippers in Illinois passes Senate With the grant application running from early May to mid-June for the Illinois Department of Transportation's Highway Safety Improvement Program, there is still no evidence that the county is attempting to apply. There have been repeated requests from the public to make immediate safety upgrades on the road, including from the mom of a Loda crash victim, the Loda Homeowners Association and many other members of the Loda community. There have also been two accidents in just over a year at this location where vehicles slid off the highway and crashed into the cold waters of Bayles Lake. The first in which 68-year-old Stevie A. Chapman died after his vehicle slid into the lake and sank underwater on Dec. 16, 2023. The second instance is when 18-year-old driver Elaine Carmen-Loveless hit a patch of black ice before losing control of her SUV which slid into the lake on Dec. 20, 2024. On the contrary, some have said the problem is not the county's responsibility to fix, but rather the Bayles Lake Homeowners Association's. Charles Alt, the transportation and highway committee chairman, said last month that State's Attorney Mike Quinlan raised an issue about the subdivision's potential responsibility and was looking into the matter. Quinlan said to Alt to not move forward with 'anything' until his review was finished. Woman arrested in connection to Urbana crash that killed two-month-old Additionally, Quinlan has not been present for the committee's meetings in recent months, and did not immediately respond to messages left over email with a secretary at his office requesting his comment. Iroquois County Highway Engineer Alan Hardwood confirmed this week that the committee and himself were still waiting to hear from Quinlan. 'There has been no further discussion,' Hardwood said in an email, 'as the committee is awaiting counsel from the state's attorney.' In January, Hardwood said Quinlan's predecessor, former State's Attorney Jim Devine, had advised that the county is not legally responsible for protecting drivers from hazards located outside the county's 'right-of-way.' This area would include Bayles Lake. County Highway 10 is owned and maintained by Iroquois County. However, Bayles Lake Homeowners Association president William Dick said he thinks there should be no question that the county, not the homeowner's association, is entirely responsible for keeping this road safe. 'We were startled to hear that the county would think that the Bayles Lake HOA — a neighborhood — should in any way financially support that project,' Dick said last month. 'We were startled to think that we had any responsibility for that road at all.' Illinois House passes 'Dillon's Law' to help more people carry Epi-Pens On the other hand, Illinois Department of Transportation spokesman Paul Wappel said in January that the county, not the homeowner's association, would need to be the entity to apply for a grant through IDOT's Highway Safety Improvement Program. Dick said he would be happy to help the county's highway department write the grant application if asked. While he said he fully supports the project, he also said it's not his responsibility to follow through with writing out and applying for the application. 'We are willing to help write the application if that is useful to the county, but we cannot be responsible for a major county road,' Dick said. The topic of County Highway 10 was listed under the 'public comments' portion of the April 3 meeting's agenda. The only person to comment on the matter was the committee's vice chairman, Jode Munsterman, who offered to share pictures she took of the highway where it bisects Bayles Lake. For more information on other business discussed during the April 3 board meeting, head to the Ford County Chronicle's website. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
26-03-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Gibson City swimming pool to open Summer 2025
GIBSON CITY, Ill. (WCIA) — The opening of the Gibson City pool this summer is expected to go on as normal according to its manager. WCIA's partners with the Ford County Chronicle reported that swimming pool manager Randy Ferguson told members of the city's pool board and representatives of the local swim team last week that they should proceed 'as if everything is OK to go forward' with the opening of Gibson City's pool this summer. He also said it is safe to start swim team registration. Paxton Dog Park reopens after Parvovirus closure The Illinois Department of Public Health issued a permit approving the pool's opening earlier this month, but the pool still has to undergo a physical inspection by the IDPH to complete the permitting process. Additionally, Ferguson assured the pool board during its meeting on March 18 that the IDPH has a history of working with him on the issues effecting the pool. 'They don't let us slide on safety or protocols, but they bring ideas and references on how to overcome problems,' Ferguson said. The initial inspection of the pool in March, organized to assess the work required to open it this year, resulted in various repairs being scheduled for this spring. Some of these repairs include the replacement of several broken drain covers, the painting of the inside of the pool and the repair of holes and cracks in the concrete. 'I thought it was normal': Doctor discovers rare uterus condition in Ford Co. woman after decades of pain Ferguson also said he would prioritize the work, with an emphasis on fixing the most pressing problems first, in anticipation of the pool's eventual replacement. Pre-opening work at the pool is expected to start in April. He said that different tasks need to be done at different times, meaning that some of the jobs can't be done until others are finished. For example, no leaks can be detected until the pool is filled, which can't be started until the pool has been painted. 'It's kind of like a dance to get it open,' Ferguson said. For more information on the personnel changes and the budget that was approved for the swimming pool, visit the Ford County Chronicle. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
