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Protestor takes aim at Gillespie Police, City Council
Mark Pullen talks to a Gillespie police officer while protesting outside Gillespie Police Department. (Contributed photo)
A Gillespie resident is attracting lots of attention on social media by taking aim at the Gillespie Police Department and Gillespie City Council after he claims the city and its police force are violating residents’ constitutional rights, property rights, and the fourth amendment.
Mark Pullen, who says he lives in the southeast part of Gillespie, started protesting outside the Gillespie Police Department Monday afternoon after police visited his residence Monday morning. Pullen said a Gillespie police officer came on his property regarding “a camper and extortion fees” and that, he said, “crossed the line because [the police] have no reason in the world to come to my house”. Without hesitating, Pullen continued by saying his belief is Gillespie Police don’t have rights to come on his property because he lives in Cahokia Township and not within city limits.
Gillespie Police Chief Jared DePoppe said otherwise telling The BenGil Post that a Gillespie police officer was at Pullen’s residence earlier in the day on Monday regarding a city ordinance issue and he was only issued a warning.
“Police have been to his house twice in the last year,” DePoppe elaborated. “And he has received warnings for ordinance issues, no citations.”
Pullen said his mission by protesting outside the police department is to make people aware that Gillespie residents don’t approve of the city council and don’t approve of the police department, saying “Gillespie is the most unorganized, big-government corruption that there is. These are not even real cops. I’m making everyone aware of that.”
Chief DePoppe said he has directed his department to take no action that will violate Pullen’s right to peacefully protest explaining that he will be allowed to stay if he stays on the sidewalk, does not interfere with traffic, or bars anyone from entering the police department.
“I’m not no criminal,” Pullen told The BenGil Post. “I’m not anti-government and not anti-cop. I’m anti-tyrant politicians.” Despite claiming he’s not anti-police, Pullen was holding a large handcrafted sign reading “#fuk the police” with a pig illustration.
Although Chief DePoppe said he disagrees with the choice of words Pullen used on his sign, he said: “people have the right to peacefully protest, it is his right to voice them.”
“Not everyone is going to be happy all the time, but my job as an officer is to protect the city, and their rights, even if I disagree with them,” DePoppe concluded. “If police don’t follow the laws, how can we expect others to?”
Pullen was the only protestor taking aim at the police department on Monday although other people stood in his vicinity at times with signage in support of the police or against Pullen individually. It didn’t affect Pullen though, he said, notifying The BenGil Post he took off work all week to protest.
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Another major winter storm is forecasted to blanket the BenGil area in heavy rains, flooding and snowfall starting Wednesday night through Thursday.
The mixture of precipitation and rapidly changing weather likely will produce the potential for sudden icing on roads, with high winds leading to blowing snow and reduced visibility.
“The Illinois Department of Transportation’s snow-and-ice teams will be prepared and out in force, but the public needs to be ready for conditions to change quickly and worsen if they are out on the roads,” said Illinois Transportation Secretary Omer Osman. “As always during periods of extreme weather, the safest option is to postpone any unnecessary trips and stay home. If you must travel, prepare for very slow and potentially hazardous conditions. And please slow down around our plows and other emergency vehicles, giving them plenty of room to do their jobs.”
The National Weather Service is predicting a wintry mix of precipitation to start with thunderstorms and heavy rain in much of the state this evening, converting to freezing rain overnight before turning to snow Thursday morning. In addition to localized flooding, ice and sleet accumulations are likely, creating extremely slippery surfaces and slick conditions.
Due to the rainy conditions ahead of temperatures falling overnight, the effectiveness of pretreating and salting surfaces in advance of significant snowfall will be limited. The public should anticipate icy conditions even when roads appear clear and greatly reduce speeds.
“As the Illinois State Police plans to take on the unpredictable Illinois weather, we would like to remind motorists to do their part in keeping the roads a safe place,” said Illinois State Police Director Brendan F. Kelly. “ISP, alongside IDOT and other agencies, will be working in hazardous weather conditions. Please remember to slow down, stay vigilant and move over for ANY vehicle on the side of the road.”
Statewide, IDOT has available more than 1,800 trucks and equipment to plow, treat roads and respond to weather emergencies. If you encounter a plow or any maintenance vehicle during your travels, please slow down, increase your following distance and remain patient. Do not attempt to pass – conditions in front of the plow will be worse than behind it.
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Police are investigating the death of a Bunker Hill woman who was found dead at the end of her driveway near the roadway on Monday morning, January 31.
Nancy Blycker, 91, had multiple injuries and was pronounced dead at the scene, according to police. The Macoupin County Sheriff’s Office received a 911 call to the 2900 block of Wood Hill Lane around 7:40 a.m. on Monday.
The initial suspicion was homicide, according to a release by the Major Case Squad of Greater St. Louis who said approximately 20 investigators were working the investigation, but the autopsy contradicted that suspicion.
The Major Case Squad said on Tuesday it is “highly unlikely” Blycker’s death was the “result of homicidal means.”
The Major Case Squad turned the case back over to the Macoupin County Sheriff’s Department. The official cause of death is pending further lab analysis.
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The National Weather Service has issued a Winter Storm Warning for the BenGil area, southwestern Illinois, and the St. Louis area.
The warning was issued early Tuesday taking effect at midnight tonight until noon on Thursday, February 3 calling for a “wet, heavy” snow. The forecast also calls for ice prompting a warning about possible power outages.
“All indications continue to point to a disruptive, impactful, and dangerous winter storm impacting the region starting late tonight and lasting through Thursday night,” the National Weather Service said in its Area Forecast Discussion.
The BenGil area is expected to receive heavy mixed precipitation including snow accumulations between 6 and 10 inches, sleet accumulations around three-quarters of an inch, and ice accumulations around two-tenths of an inch. Wind gusts will be as high as 35 mph on Thursday.
The storm is expected to start with rain most of the day today before transitioning into a mixture of freezing rain and/or sleet Tuesday night, then all snow Wednesday morning or as late as Wednesday afternoon continuing until about noon on Thursday.
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