Steeleville’s Polar Plunge is Saturday Page 24 Those who died Page 6 12th Night Serving The Area With Local News Since 1980 Page 8 Kinkaid Lake Page 13 © Copyright 2015, County Journal www.countyjournalnews.com Volume 36 Number 2 24 Pages Your Local News Leader Thursday, January 8, 2015 60¢ Pleasure at the pump Gasoline prices continue to fall nationwide. By Wednes- day, they ranged from $2 to a few pennies less in south- ern Illinois and well below $2 a gallon across the Ches- ter bridge. From left are gas signs in Chester, Marissa, McBride and Steeleville. Gasoline prices continue to fall because the price of crude oil is falling. This week, it was at $50 or less a barrel. Who knows what the bottom price will be and when it will get back to near $4. Appellate court rules against Coleman appeal Three judges of the Fifth Ap- tions, and the court could pellate Court made their deci- consider that type of evi- sion on the Chris Coleman Family will dence. Courts had used such murder conviction appeal evidence for more than 100 known New Year’s Eve. consider asking years, Goldenhersh wrote, They found unanimously that Illinois Supreme and the defense witness re- Coleman’s May 2011 trial was butted Leonard’s statements. fair, and the trial court’s judg- Court to look at Too many sexually explicit ment was affirmed. Coleman’s pictures? appeal was overturned. the case The judges said because Coleman was convicted of Coleman down-played the in- three counts of murder in that tensity of his affair with his he killed his wife Sheri and ● the hardware store receipt girlfriend, the photos were a sons Garret and Gavin. for paint was hearsay and direct reflection of his cred- Judge Richard Goldenhersh should not have been admit- ibility or lack thereof. It was wrote for the court, with ted. also noted that for Coleman Judges Bruce Stewart and There were other points of and his girlfriend, their Gene Schwarm concurring. the trial to which the defense genitals were blacked out in Coleman’s appeal was based objected, including informa- the photos. on what his attorney called: tion about internet computer “We don’t believe that two Red Bud City Clerk Karla Landgraf administers the oath ● wrongly entered evidence addresses. small, unredacted photos in of office to newly appointed Ward III Alderman David on handwriting and linguistics In the court documents, the the jury room were so seri- Friess. comparisons; judges noted that at one ous that it affected the fair- ● an unreasonable number of point, the jury sent out a let- ness of the defendant’s trial,” sexually explicit photos that ter stating, “We are a hung wrote the appeals court. Red Bud appoints were shown to the jury; jury.” Other notes were sent The court allowed hearsay ● hearsay evidence as to what out asking for other docu- evidence, said the defense. Sheri Coleman had said to ments. Some were not given The appeals judges said the Friess to city council friends; to the jurors. The court told five witnesses who testified ● a refused mistrial based on them to continue delibera- as to what Sheri Coleman the hearsay evidence; tions. had told them were properly Police Chief Dan Brotz will retire ● admitted, and there was no inadmissable spray paint Goldenhersh addressed each By Dana Martin An item tabled last month abuse of discretion by Judge evidence; of the defense’s arguments. Red Bud’s Ward III alder- until all paperwork was in ● Milton Wharton. They were a contention that the evi- As for the linguist who tes- manic seat, which was left order, a contract with Haier properly admitted under dence failed to prove Coleman tified, the court said the wit- open by the December resig- Plumbing & Heating to re- guilty beyond a reasonable ness, Dr. Leonard, relied on nation of Ronnie White follow- place water lines on Westfield doubt, and his experience-based observa- Continued on Page 5_______ ing White’s election to the Drive, Meadow Drive and Randolph County Board of Short Street, was approved. Commissioners, has been The project is not to exceed filled. $112,650. Port district is 50 years old in 2015 At Monday night’s city coun- Action on the contract was cil meeting, David Friess was tabled last month because all It will be “the year of the A book will be published appointed to fulfill the remain- of the paperwork was not in port” for the Kaskaskia Re- History will be with photos and history of der of White’s term, which order. gional Port District, which the past and present KRPD ends in April. Friess, a long- The public works depart- will celebrate its 50th anni- highlighted facilities and their impor- time Red Bud resident, is the ment was given permission to versary. tance to the economy, area sole candidate running for purchase a demo locator unit, KRPD was created by the throughout year and the world. It will be White’s seat. at a savings of 20 percent, for state legislature June 22, available to the public. Friess, a Republican, ran for $6,527 from Edenbros. 1965 with nine board mem- ties. All employees who work Randolph County state’s attor- An ordinance was approved bers appointed by the gover- KRPD partners with busi- on the rivers at port-owned ney in 2012 but was defeated amending utility deposits re- nor to provide and support nesses to facilitate existing or leased facilities will be by Jeremy Walker. ceived from Red Bud utility economic development along or expanding needs that can provided with a tee shirt Another change in personnel customers. Henceforth, resi- the waterways within the dis- include sites, infrastructure recognizing their contribu- is on tap for the city. Police dential customers who do not trict through plans, facilities and liaison with federal, tions to the success of the Chief Dan Brotz plans to re- own the property where they and regulations. state and local agencies. navigation project and to tire in 2015. He and Alderman live will pay a deposit equal That includes the Kas- Throughout the year, thank them for all they do Bill Hanebutt have set a goal to a bill for two months, based kaskia River and part of the KRPD will highlight the his- to keep the rivers opera- to have a replacement selected on an average for the previ- Mississippi River, encompass- tory of the facilities on the tional. for the council’s approval in ous 12 months. Any appli- ing more than 1,800 square rivers and their accomplish- An open house will be held April. The council approved cant operating a business will miles in Monroe, Randolph ments through news articles advertising the search during pay the same, but in neither and southern St. Clair coun- and events. Continued on Page 5____ February, which would allow case will the deposit exceed interviews to begin in March. $3,000. In addition, rather than fill- Upon either discontinuing ing part-time positions in the service or after 24 months, police department, Hanebutt customers can request, in Randolph adjusts employee said a full-time officer is be- writing, the return of their ing sought. Following com- deposit. Any balance owed to mittee meetings scheduled for the city will be deducted, with reimbursement for miles, phones January 22, Mayor Tim Low- the remainder returned to the By Dan Zobel six months. Holder explained that for ery said the city may call a customer. However, those Mileage rates and cell phone “In the past, Randolph years, employees would re- special council meeting to who participate in energy reimbursement dollar amounts County has always gone with ceive $70 per month to help approve hiring such an indi- assistance programs are not were approved at the January the IRS rate,” Holder said. “I with their bills. vidual to begin in February. eligible for a refund until 2 Randolph County Board of think it’s too high and would He said when the budget The council approved a con- their accounts have been Commissioners meeting. propose a rate of 50 cents per had its struggles, the board tract with the YMCA to oper- paid in full and closed. The rate paid to county em- mile.” did away with the reimburse- ate and manage the city pool Police department training ployees who travel for county Commissioner Ronnie White ment altogether for awhile, again in 2015. Revenue re- requests were approved for a business and training has been agreed with Holder, stating but recently it was set at $50 ports to the city from the one-day hazardous materials 56 cents a mile. that from what he has heard, per month. YMCA will be due the 20th of class January 7 and a one-day Chairman Marc Kiehna said gas prices will stay low for Sheriff Shannon Wolff said each month the pool is in op- class on blood-borne patho- the IRS has suggested the rate awhile. his office probably has the eration. gens February 4, both in be 57.5 cents per mile. The IRS The board approved the bulk of the people who use The council also approved a Evansville, for Carl Williams, rate is the maximum it can be change of the mileage rate, their own phones, especially reimbursement of $2,250 to Chris Hewitt and Todd Eh- before it has to be put on W-2s. based on the recent drop of the deputies. Wolff said there the Waverunners swim team, lers. Ehlers will also attend “I would suggest that we stay gas prices, to 50 cents per are only a couple of people fees the team was charged in an eight-hour juvenile law at 56 or go a little lower,” mile.