On July 16 Iroquois County Sheriff’s Police arrested Daniel R. Anderson, 50, of Kankakee. According to police reports, Anderson was charged with burglary and theft over $7,500. Anderson was transported to the Iroquois County Jail in lieu of bond.

On July 21 Iroquois County Sheriff’s Police arrested William J. Donaldson, 38, of Clifton. According to police reports, Donaldson was charged with battery. Donaldson was transported to the Iroquois County Jail where he posted the required bond.

On July 25 Lawrence Lalumendier, 65, Clifton, turned himself in at the Iroquois County Jail to serve a sentence for aggravated assault, DUI and driving while license suspended.

On July 23 Iroquois County Sheriff’s Police investigated a single-vehicle accident that occurred a County Road 2900 North near 1141 East. According to police reports, a vehicle being driven by Maylon J. Hardy III of East St. Louis, was eastbound on 2900 North when he fell asleep at the wheel. Hardy entered the south ditch then woke up and over-corrected going back onto the roadway and entering the north ditch and cornfield. Hardy had minor suspected injuries and refused EMS. Thee was more than $1,500 in damage to the vehicle and no citations were issued

Police observed a person known to have a Department of Corrections warrant in the area of Fifth and Lincoln. The person ran but was caught by police. Arrested was Brent Durflinger, 41, Ranking, for a parole violation warrant. He was taken to the county jail where he is being held.

Police conducted a traffic stop in the 300 block of East Walnut at 4:58 p.m. Arrested was Roscoe Durflinger, 32, Gilman, on an outstanding Iroquois County warrant charging him with failure to appear on a driving while license suspended charge. He was taken to the county jail.

Police were called to the 100 block of West Fleming about a suspicious person at 7:40 a.m. Arrested was Darrel L. Jones, 51, Watseka. Jones was charged with being child sex offender in a public park and violation of bail bond. Jones was transported to the Iroquois County Jail without incident.

Police arrested Darrell Jones, 52, homeless, in Forrest Park, at 7;45 a.m. for being a child sex offender in a park and violation of bail bond after an officer recognized him and knew he was not to be present in a park. He was taken to the county jail.

Police responded to a call about a fight in progress in the 800 block of East Walnut at 1:13 a.m. Arrested was Travis Houser on an outstanding Iroquois County warrant. He was taken to the Iroquois County Jail.

Police responded to a traffic accident in the 400 block of West Walnut at 3:08 p.m. According to police reports, a 2008 Ford operated by Drake Gipson, 22, Sheldon, struck a concrete divider at the gas pumps. Gipson was arrested and charged with DUI. He was taken to county jail.

On July 14 Iroquois County Sheriff’s Police arrested Roy M. Tykol Jr., 35, of Watseka. According to police reports, Tykol is wanted on an outstanding Iroquois County warrant charging him with driving while license suspended or revoked. Tykol was transported to the Iroquois County Jail in lieu of bond.

On July 12 Iroquois County Sheriff’s Police arrested William J. King, 29, of Watseka. According to police reports, King was wanted on an outstanding Iroquois County warrant charging him with domestic battery. King was aware of his warrant and turned himself in at the Iroquois County Jail where he posted the required bond and was released.

MISS TEEN - ADDYSEN STANDISH

1ST RUNNER UP - HAILEY HOSKINS (ALSO MISS PHOTOGENIC)

QUEEN - HANNAH VANDERWALL

1ST RUNNER UP - ALEXXYS STADISH

2ND RUNNER UP - KYLIE BLANN

MISS CONGENIALITY & PEOPLES CHOICE - KAILYN KROLL

RP Home & Harvest Rooted in the Heartland Sale starts July 13th! Click here to view all the great deals and find a store near you!

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On Wednesday, July 6, 2022, 8:54pm the Newton County 9-1-1 center received reports of a vehicle fire on CR 150E, north of 700 S.  This is approximately 2 miles north of Brook.

The preliminary investigation by Sheriff’s Deputies indicates a 2008 Chrysler van was traveling north on CR 150E.  The vehicle left the roadway striking the concrete bridge guardrail.  The impact of the crash caused fatal injuries to the driver (sole occupant).  Subsequently the vehicle caught fire.

The name of the driver is being withheld at this time pending positive identification.

The Newton County Sheriff’s Office was assisted by Newton County 9-1-1 Communications, Brook-Iroquois Fire Department, Newton County EMS, Newton County Coroner’s Office and the Brook Police Department.

The Iroquois Fair Talent Show will be held in front of the grandstand Wednesday evening July 20, 2022 at 7:00 p.m.

Our 50th Talent Show will have contestant in two levels. Junior Division contestants are Abby Tindle, Gilman singing I’ll Fly Away along with the dance group Elite Energy with dancers Libby Hamilton, Dahlia Johnson, Amelia Marcier, Addison McTaggart, Kate Sabol and London Starkey all of Watseka; Tessa Pankey and Harley Valentine from Onarga; Avery Schroeder, Wellington and Melody Vice, Thawville with a jazz dance to On The Floor.

Senior Division includes 7 entries. Addison Lewis, Hoopeston singing Good Girl, a piano solo, Entry of the Gladiators by Joel Yergler, Cissna Park; vocal solo Taylor the Latte Boy by Julia Hilgermann of Chebanse; Max Gooding, Watseka will be performing a Saxophone solo that he wrote called Jazz Pop Medley #1, Rachael Dexter of Danforth will be performing a vocal solo, Somewhere Over the Rainbow, Madison McTaggart, Gilman will sing, When He Sees Me and Megan Schippert from Watseka singing, One Perfect Moment.

Performing as exhibition, as they are the 1st place winners at the Ford County Fair Talent show will be the Dance Group, Main Attraction doing a musical theatre dance to Thoroughly Modern Millie. Members of Main Attraction include, London Clark, Milford, Lillian Eheart, Vanysah Hickman and Sarah Parsons of Watseka and Rae Stucki, Donovan.

The division winners will be performing in January 2023 during the annual IAAF convention at the annual IAAF State Talent Contest.

Trophies are sponsored by Country Theatre Workshop, Cissna Park. Monetary awards and entry fees to the state contest are sponsored by the Iroquois County Fair.

Talent Show Committee consists of Pat Ward, 815-383-1269, Pam Hibbert, 815-383-2965, Gary Cahoe, 815-471-4870, and Jordyn Ward 815-383-127

Two businesses and seven people in three apartments were displaced by an early morning fire in downtown Watseka July 5.

Watseka Deputy Fire Chief Nick Peters said firefighters were dispatched at 5:33 a.m. The fire was at Fourth and Walnut.

“The first units on the scene found a second floor apartment with fire showing out two of the windows,” he said. “Initial reports were that the occupants had got out of all three apartments. It took some time to confirm that and we did confirm that everybody had been evacuated by themselves. There were seven people total who got displaced out of those three apartments.

“The interior crews worked on trying to get the fire out and then due to conditions inside the building we ended up having to back out and went to a defensive operation.

“We have kept it to the main fire building,” he said. The fire did not extend into the Edward Jones building, he said, though there was some smoke damage caused by the the fire department “just making sure no fire extended through the walls.” Gary’s Barber Shop and Travel Discoveries, which were in the building where the fire occurred, got heavy smoke and water damage.

Peters said the second floor has extensive damage. “The roof has come down in the middle part off this building, so the roof is compromised,” he said. He could not say if the building would be considered a total loss as of prestige.

Ameren was called to cut the power, he said. “We had to have Ameren cut the power due to the closeness that our tower ladders were operating to the high tension power lines here,” he said. For most of the morning several businesses in the downtown area were closed because of that.

In all, 17 fire departments responded, coming from as far away as Kankakee City, Aroma Park and Hoopeston. “Kankakee came with a tower ladder,” he said. “We went to a third box alarm with our MABAS box alarms, so that brought in all the help we needed,” he said.

“We did have one firefighter who was transported to IMH for heat-related issues. That was really the only injury we had here. There were no civilian injuries.”

By mid-morning the fire was contained. Firefighters were able to help business owners get in to help them get crucial items out of their buildings. Crews were then upstairs checking for hotspots to make sure everything was under control, he said. Also by mid-morning fire departments were being released to go back to their home stations as the situation was contained.