Latest news with #SarahBeth
Yahoo
30-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Two local gems named 2025 Illinois Made Makers
CENTRAL Ill. (WMBD) — Two local businesses, Tres Rojas Winery in Washington and Sarah Beth's Homemade Dips & Market in Hanna City, have been named to the 2025 class of Illinois Made Makers by the Illinois Office of Tourism. The Illinois Made program was launched in 2016. It highlights small businesses that showcase Illinois' unique culture, creativity, and craftsmanship. This year's group features 20 exceptional businesses from across the state, including seven outside the Chicago area, with the Peoria region once again proving its role as a hub for local innovation. Lisa Barry, co-owner of Tres Rojas Winery, expressed her surprise and excitement upon learning of the honor. 'I was quite surprised to get the email. I know that the Peoria Visitors Bureau had nominated us last year and we weren't selected. I had no idea we were resubmitted again. So to get the email saying that—like, is this real? Wow. We were thrilled,' Barry said. For Sarah Beth, co-owner of Sarah Beth's Homemade Dips & Market, the news came as an unexpected delight. 'It was a surprise. We actually saw it in the media before I even opened the email,' she shared. Beyond the products they offer, both business owners emphasize the joy of connecting with their customers. 'The people—sharing our wine with people and finding out what they like and their stories,' Barry said. 'To my understanding, it's the little interactions with people every day that help you live a longer, happier life. So I think I'll be set.' Sarah Beth echoed that sentiment, saying, 'Having people come back and tell us how much they love what we created—you know, I started this dabbling with dip mixes. My husband's come into it. He's right there with me. We're in this together. And as I said before, we talk about it all the time. That's what we love most.' Honorees in the Illinois Made program receive a handcrafted commemorative plate created by Mississippi Mud Pottery of Alton, Illinois. They also benefit from statewide promotional efforts aimed at inspiring residents and visitors to discover Illinois' hidden gems. With the addition of Tres Rojas Winery and Sarah Beth's Homemade Dips, the Illinois Made program now honors 277 small businesses. 'Now Tres Rojas Winery and Sarah Beth's Homemade Dips join the ranks of 17 other amazing businesses in the seven counties that Discover Peoria serves,' J.D. Dalfonso, CEO of Discover Peoria said. 'We look forward to seeing which local businesses will be recognized each year.' To view the full list of 2025 Illinois Made Makers, visit here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
05-02-2025
- Yahoo
Woman accused of lying for twin sister after fatal Amish buggy crash enters guilty plea
Feb. 4—PRESTON, Minn. — The twin sister accused of lying to investigators after a 2023 Amish buggy crash entered a guilty plea in court. "I did," Petersen said during the settlement conference on Tuesday, Feb. 4. "I lied." Sarah Beth Petersen, 36, is accused of lying to investigators after the crash on Sept. 25, 2023. She was charged in February 2024 with 16 felony counts, relating to aiding an offender and taking responsibility for criminal acts. Petersen pleaded guilty to two felony counts of criminal vehicular operation that caused great bodily harm, both involving her taking responsibility for the criminal acts of another. In exchange for probation, Petersen may face up to four years of probation and six months in jail. Petersen and her twin sister Samantha Jo Petersen are accused of attempting to switch places after Samantha's vehicle struck a two-wheeled horse-drawn buggy at 8:25 a.m. on Sept. 25, 2023, on Fillmore County Road 1 near the intersection with County Road 102. As a result of the crash, two children and a horse were killed. Two more children were injured. During the hearing, Sarah Beth admitted that her twin sister called her around 8:30 a.m. on Sept. 25, 2023. "She was crying," Sarah Beth said. "She was panicking and scared." Sarah Beth said in court that once she got to the scene of the crash, her sister told her she didn't see the buggy while driving over the hill. Samantha Jo then asked Sarah Beth to tell law enforcement that she was driving. "At first, I said no," Sarah Beth said. "Then she made a comment saying she would go to prison for a long time." Sarah Beth continued answering questions from her attorney, Dan McIntosh of Knutson Casey, PC, including telling the court she persisted with lying to law enforcement. At Sarah Beth's sentencing hearing, which is scheduled for March 31, District Judge Jeremy Clinefelter said the court would then accept her guilty plea and dismiss the 14 other charges. Samantha Jo Petersen is facing 17 charges, relating to criminal vehicular homicide, felony criminal operation, driving while impaired, failing to provide proof of insurance and careless driving. Four counts including the element that Petersen was under a combination of methamphetamine and THC, were dismissed. Following Sarah Beth's hearing, Fillmore County Attorney Brett Corson said there is a chance that the testimony heard in court on Tuesday would impact Samantha Jo's case. He did not specify how. Samantha Jo's trial is scheduled to begin on July 14. Witnesses who first arrived at the crash told a captain with the Fillmore County Sheriff's Office that they saw a woman they presumed involved in the crash on the scene on a phone. Later, another woman appeared at the scene who looked similar to the first woman, but wearing different clothes. As Sarah sat in the squad car, the car's audio recording equipment picked up a conversation between the sisters. The two discussed how law enforcement could not tell them apart. "There's no way they would ever know the difference between the two of us so they can't tell," Sarah could be heard saying. In a search of Samantha's phone, investigators found text messages from Samantha to friends including one where she wrote: "Made Sarah come and take the fall for it so I wouldn't go to prison." Samantha had also used her phone to search "What happens if you get in an accident with an Amish buggy and kill two people," "how to lock an iphone cops have," and "if you hit a buggy and kill two people are you going to prison?"
