Volume 39 Number 11 28 Pages | 75¢ Segar’s art Kiehna on Page 7 Thursday, March 15, 2018 Jeopardy Page 21 Baldwin power plant assessment sees big drop Some bad news came out the October 2016 shutdown of the Randolph County of the unit and said the supervisor of assessments plant was no longer worth office this week. what it was assessed at, and Because Dynegy has I agreed,” said Voss. shut down one unit of the Voss said the effected tax- Baldwin power plant, its ing districts will see their assessed valuation has revenue go down because also been cut by about of the cut in assessed valu- one-third, so taxing bod- ation. ies could get less money The plant is taxed, for the this year. most part, as equipment. Supervisor of Assess- Dynegy’s tax bill last year ments Wayne Voss said was $4.8 million. The bill for an agreement in the year 2017 payable this year is $3.2 2000 between his office million. and Dynegy stated that if Voss estimated that the Red capacity went up, so would Bud school district could be the assessed valuation. the biggest loser and could By the same token, if it see its share of the Dynegy went down, which it did, tax go down by $1 million. the assessed valuation Randolph County could see would be cut. a drop of $275,000. Road Dynegy’s Baldwin power plant The plant had been as- District 1 could also see a sessed at $92,169,00. After decrease. In the Red Bud district, Attorney Jeremy Walker “But the district and the the unit was shut down, However, just how much all however, there are no tax are still talking. community will have to Dynegy asked that its as- of them will lose depends on caps, and its tax rate will “They are such a large tighten their belts to main- sessment go down to about other factors. be figured a little differ- taxpayer that some of their tain a quality education,” $55 million. Meetings were “The rest of us will get bills ently. cut will be passed on to Tallman said. held, and a compromise that are a little higher,” said “The school met with property owners,” said Red Dynegy is currently in the was reached. The assessed Voss. Dynegy and tried to get Bud school Superintendent process of selling the plant, valuation of the plant is Some of that could make up a better deal,” said Voss. Jonathan Tallman. and the plant could still see now set at $62,400,000. for some of the revenue lost “Dynegy said no, but Dyn- Tallman said the school another unit shut down at “Dyngey came to us after due to the Dynegy cut. egy, the school and State’s district has some reserves. some point in the future. Voters will go to the polls Tuesday Slate for November election will be set Republicans and Demo- ing, Kwame Raoul, Jesse crats will square off against Ruiz, Sharon Fairley and members of their own par- Aaron Goldstein. ties for nominations to vari- Parts of Perry and Jack- ous offices during the pri- son counties will choose mary election next Tuesday, between candidates for March 20. 115th State Representative Over the past several District. Marsha Griffin weeks, the County Journal and Tamiko Mueller are has published stories with running against each other interviews of each candi- on the Democrat side, and date in a contested election. incumbent state Repre- Each ballot will also con- sentative Terri Bryant and tain state primaries for Paul Jacobs are in the race governor, 12th Congres- on the Republican ticket. sional District and attorney In the First Judicial Cir- general. cuit in Jackson County, Republican candidates for Democrats Christy Solver- governor are incumbent son and Brian Roberts will Governor Bruce Rauner be the choices for judge. and Jeanne Ives. Democrat The 20th Judicial Circuit candidates are JB Pritzker, in Randolph and Perry Chris Kennedy, Daniel Biss, counties, there is a Repub- Bob Daiber, Tio Hardiman and Robert Marshall. lican race between candi- Brendan Kelly and David dates Katherine Ruocco and Bequette are the Democrats B. Marshall Hilmes. running for Congress in the In Randolph County, there 12th Congressional District. is only one contested elec- Republican candidates are tion. Republicans Cypress The latest proposed locations for the new bridge incumbent Congressman Gibson and Melanie John- Mike Bost and Preston Nel- son will compete for the son. nomination to run in No- Republican attorney gen- vember against Democrat eral candidates are Erika Bobby Klausing for county Chester Bridge study Harold and Gary Grasso. clerk. Democrat candidates are There are no local con- Pat Quinn, Renato Mariotti, tests in Jackson or Perry narrows route choices Scott Drury, Nancy Roter- counties. By Travis Lott and economy. Project manager Buddy The Chester Bridge Study The proposals on the new Desai said the study re- has narrowed down the list all involve the construc- mains on schedule and will Ava mayor to resign list of alternatives for the tion of a new structure. likely end next spring with bridge that were released Two of the alternatives— a finding of no significant last summer. The new list U-1 and U-2—are un- impact, meaning the natu- Announced day after meeting of reasonable alternatives changed from the original ral and human environ- was presented during a list. ment won’t be seriously In a surprise move that Councilwoman Candice meeting of the community Alternative R-2 involves impacted by construction came one day after the Cotter noted that the coun- advisory group at Chester rehabilitating the exist- of a new bridge. regular city council meet- cil could not vote on filling City Hall March 6. ing bridge, but coupling The preferred alternative ing, Ava Mayor Shaun Rei- the position because it Other options not includ- that bridge with a new will most likely be unveiled man confirmed Tuesday wasn’t listed on the meet- ed in the new list would structure and using each in late 2018, followed by a afternoon that he plans to ing’s agenda. have significantly impact- bridge as one direction of public hearing on the pro- leave his post next month. Other council members ed the local environment traffic. ject in early 2019. In a text message sent wanted more time to re- to the County Journal, view the matter and clar- Reiman said he has been ify details such as pay and thinking about resigning duties. for a long time. Reiman later sent the Bennett pleads to home invasion “I almost didn’t run (for) County Journal a copy of By Travis Lott death, whether he directly Bennett will face a manda- the second term,” Reiman the city ordinance that Chad Bennett, one of five killed her or not— and one tory sentence between six wrote. “My life is a balanc- states that the mayor is people charged in connec- count of concealment of a and 30 years in prison. ing act (that) I’m not very the code enforcement of- tion with the 2010 mur- homicidal death, but those A sentencing hearing good at, at times. April’s ficer but can designate der of Sidnee Stephens, charges were dismissed in has not yet been sched- meeting will be my last.” those duties to another pleaded guilty March 13 exchange for his plea. uled. At Monday night’s meet- person if the mayor so to home invasion. Stephens, 15, was found Others serving time for ing, Reiman ran into some chooses. Bennett, 27, of Pinckney- dead under Beaucoup Creek Stephens’ murder are Rob- opposition when he in- Once Reiman’s resigna- ville faced four counts of Bridge in July 2010. Her bie Mueller, James Glazier formed the council that tion is accepted, Alder- murder with accountabil- body was discovered by and Dakota Wall. he planned to hire a code man Charlie Schott, who ity—meaning that his con- fishermen. Dakota Wall, Stephens’ enforcement officer. That is mayor pro tem, will duct on the night of the The home invasion convic- move was postponed when become acting mayor. murder led to Stephens’ tion is a Class X felony, and Continued on Page 5___ Willis Publishing Inc. © Copyright 2018 AURASMA Is Now Called HP Reveal PAGE 2 COUNTY JOURNAL | MARCH 15, 2018 police Local police incidents for the week Charles S. Goodman, paraphernalia, posses- ty warrants for delivery posted bond. Tree falls on 33, of Sparta was ar- sion of a controlled of meth and failure to **** rested March 9 by Spar- substance and posses- appear in court on a Chadrick B. Fergu- ta police on a Randolph sion of cannabis with battery charge. She was son, 31, of Percy was and kills rural County warrant for intent to deliver and jailed. Bond was set at arrested March 11 by domestic battery. He on a Richland County $27,000. the Randolph County posted bond. warrant for petition to **** sheriff’s office for do- **** revoke probation. He Adam L. Linton, 44, mestic battery. He was Ava man Kenneth J. Jones, 58, of Chester was arrested jailed. was jailed, and bond A rural Ava man ally located the man of Sparta was arrested March 9 by Chester **** was set at $10,000. died Tuesday, March in a wooded area, March 10 by Sparta police on a Randolph Aldon H. Hagen, 49, **** 13, when a tree ap- where he had been police for driving on a County warrant for de- of Baldwin was arrest- Matthew H. Witten- parently fell on him. cutting down trees.