Latest news with #RyanHicks
Yahoo
08-07-2025
- Yahoo
Sterling man tied to bank robbery by receipt with his signature on front, money demand on back: Prosecutor
Jul. 7—MORRISON — A Whiteside County prosecutor says a Sterling man charged with robbing a Morrison bank on Saturday was tied to the robbery after police received a restaurant receipt that bore his signature on the front and a written demand for the bank's cash on the back. Ryan D. Hicks, 37, of Sterling, was arrested Saturday after being found in Sterling with a lot of cash, a bike, computer equipment, multiple cellphones and liquor that he had just bought at the Sterling Walmart store, Whiteside County Assistant State's Attorney Ryan Simon said during Hicks' court appearance Monday. Hicks is charged with one count each of robbery, threatening the use of force, and theft by threat. Hicks is accused of producing a note at Community State Bank, 220 E. Main St., about 11 a.m. Saturday, demanding money and threatening to kill the teller if she did not provide it, Simon said during Monday's hearing. Simon said Hicks made off with $2,000 before police arrived. Simon said the note linked Hicks to the robbery as did a report of an abandoned cellphone found at the same restaurant that the receipt came from. A waitress reported to police that she found the abandoned cellphone, which Simon said belonged to Hicks. His image also was captured on bank surveillance video, Simon said. Hicks was found later Saturday with cash on him and several items he had bought at Sterling's Walmart store, including a new bicycle, multiple cellphones, earbuds, computer equipment that included a new laptop, and liquor, Hicks said. Hicks denied being in Morrison, but police said they think he had been staying at a house in Morrison on Friday night and had been kicked out. Hicks told police he had been drinking moonshine overnight, still was drunk and wanted an attorney. Simon sought to have Hicks remain jailed pretrial in light of the alleged threat and his previous criminal history, which includes convictions for theft, possessing a stolen credit card and writing bad checks. [ Rock Falls felon makes a deal in 13 felony cases filed in Whiteside court ] Whiteside County Assistant Public Defender Jessica Deets, who represented Hicks in court Monday, said Hicks does not work because he is on disability, but volunteers by picking up branches and trash near the canal. She said substance abuse treatment, not jail, would be beneficial for Hicks. After hearing arguments, Whiteside County Associate Judge Magen Mertes ordered that Hicks remain detained at the county jail, agreeing with Simon that Hicks' criminal activity appears to be escalating. At that same hearing, Simon detailed a methamphetamine charge filed against Hicks accusing him of possessing 1.6 grams of meth when Rock Falls police arrested him on a Lee County contempt warrant June 16 at the Walmart in Rock Falls. Hicks will next appear in court at 1:30 p.m. July 21 for a preliminary hearing. The robbery and theft charges are felonies that carry possible prison terms of 2-5 years upon conviction.
Yahoo
07-07-2025
- Yahoo
Sterling man charged in Morrison bank robbery: Police chief
Jul. 7—MORRISON — A Sterling man has been charged with aggravated robbery and burglary in connection with a reported bank robbery Saturday, July 5, in Morrison. Ryan D. Hicks, 37, is accused of producing a note at Community State Bank shortly before 11 a.m., demanding money, which was given to him, and then escaping before police arrived, according to a news release from Morrison Police Chief Michael Moon. According to the release, Morrison police took Hicks into custody, charging him with aggravated robbery, which is a Class 1 felony, and burglary, a Class 2 felony. The Morrison Police Department was assisted by the Whiteside County Sheriff's Office, Illinois State Police Crime Scene Services, and Sterling Police Department. Hicks currently is being held in the Whiteside County Jail.
CBC
16-02-2025
- Business
- CBC
Northern Alberta beekeepers say tariffs on honey would damage already fragile industry
Social Sharing Beekeepers in Alberta's Peace region are watching nervously as the threat of a trade war looms. They say the industry is already dealing with major difficulties from hive loss due to climate change and parasites, so potential tariffs on both sides of the border would make things worse. "It used to be 10 to 15 years ago you would expect to lose about 15 or 20 per cent of your hives over winter," explained Ryan Hicks, who owns and operates Hicks Honey Farm in McLennan, about 50 kilometres north of High Prairie. "It seems like 30 to 40 per cent is closer to the new average. So it's been a bit of a bite into our profit margin," he said. His farm has about 11,000 hives — half for honey production and the other half for canola pollination. The possibility of U.S. tariffs on honey retaliatory tariffs on honey bee queens and beekeeping equipment coming into Canada is a cause for concern from the industry. Hicks Honey ships its product mostly within Canada, but it imports queen bees and equipment from the United States. Hicks said prices are already low and a tariff would lower profits even further. "I don't think anyone wins in a trade war, when there's tariffs being thrown around …I don't know if the producer eats that or if the buyer eats that, but probably nobody would win," he said. Other beekeepers in the area agree with Hicks, and some are reconsidering what their business will look like. Paradis Honey is a family-owned beekeeping business that runs about 5,000 hives. They ship their products within Canada but also to the U.S., Europe and parts of Asia. "Am I going to hire 25 people to run the farm with me or am I going to hire five people?" said Mike Paradis, the owner of Paradis Honey in Girouxville, Alta. "Why would I want to replace all my losses and go through all that extra work if I'm not moving forward? If I'm going to go backwards? This industry is already on life support." Watch | How a trade war would affect beekeepers: Possible trade war spells trouble for beekeepers 5 hours ago Duration 2:17 Beekeepers in northwestern Alberta are worried about the impact of tariffs on both sides of the border, saying the industry is on 'life support' already due to hive loss and slim profit margins. According to the government of Alberta website, the province has the largest beekeeping industry in the country, representing about 40 per cent of the total honey bees in Canada. Alberta produced about 37,000 pounds of honey in 2023, according to Statistics Canada, the largest out of any Canadian province. The Alberta Beekeepers Commission said the Peace region accounts for a large part of that. The commission estimates that the price of honey could drop by about 50 cents per pound if U.S. tariffs come in. "The current price is about $2.30 a pound Canadian. So dropping it by the [50 cents] would be below the cost of production. It could be quite punitive," said executive director Connie Phillips. "In terms of each colony, and this is really general, numbers might produce anywhere from 100 to 130 pounds of honey. If that honey was worth $2.50 a pound and now it's $2.00 or even less, that would be a significant impact on beekeeper revenue. Honey is the basis of a beekeeper's [income] and how they make their living is being able to sell it," she explained. Phillips is advocating for industry leaders on both sides of the border to work out a solution. "I think the U.S. and Canadian industries do work well together. They've been, working well together for many, many, many decades," she said. "We just need to not react and sit down, be calm and say how can we do this? So everybody benefits and nobody really gets hurt here."
