Community News
Macoupin County Courthouse News
Date range: April 6-13, 2016. Visit the “Court News” category under the “Community News” tab for other editions.
LAWSUITS
Susan Leopold is suing Darrell D. Ebers, Sparta, and Stock Transport, Inc., Lebanon, for $15,279.59 she claims she is owed for damages to her vehicle resulting from an April 9, 2015, crash in the northbound lanes of Interstate 55 near mile marker 42 in Macoupin County. According to the suit, Ebers, as an employee of Stock Transport, Inc., was driving a vehicle owned by the company at the time of the accident. The suit alleges Ebers was negligent in that he failed to yield the right of way to Leopold’s vehicle, failed to keep a proper lookout, failed to reduce the speed of his vehicle to avoid the accident and used the lines improperly.
CACH, LLC, is suing Dawn M Menser, Virden, for $13,099.37, plus court costs, allegedly owed on a defaulted consumer loan executed on Dec. 12, 2006.
Bart Bettorf has filed a forcible entry and detainer complaint against Lindsey Fickel and Autumn Swarrington, Brighton, seeking $1,900 in alleged back rent, plus court costs and possession of residential premises located in the 100 block of South Street in Brighton.
Heritage Manor-Gillespie, LLC, is suing Robert L. Hopper, Brighton, and Glenna Hopper, Bunker Hill, for $10,284.56, plus court costs and attorney fees, allegedly owed for nursing home services provided to Robert Hopper between Jan. 16 and Dec. 7, 2015.
LM General Insurance Co., as a suborn of Daniel J. McLaughlin and Brenda McLaughlin, Auburn, is suing Kyle C. Morenz, Virden, for $23,578.95 to recover insurance payments made to the McLaughlins following a n April 4, 2014, crash at Madison and Logan streets in Springfield in which Morenz allegedly was determined to be at fault.
SMALL CLAIMS
Scott Credit Union has filed a complaint in replevin Kerri Severs, Bunker Hill, seeking possession of a 2005 Ford Expedition Utility valued at $8,675 or the value of the property not surrendered. A second count seeks $6,804.66, plus interest, attorney fees and court costs, allegedly owed on a defaulted loan agreement executed on July 24, 2013.
Critical Care Services, PC, is suing Kristopher A. Spoon, Carlinville, for $4,719.01, plus court costs, allegedly owed for medical services provided.
Discover Bank is suing Brittany N. Sronce, Bunker Hill, for $2,983.55, plus court costs, allegedly owed on a defaulted credit card account.
CACH, LLC, is suing Gary Moore, Modesto, for $6,407.35, plus court costs, allegedly owed on a defaulted consumer loan agreement executed Sept. 18, 2014.
CACH, LLC, is suing Christopher L. Ross, Mount Olive, for $6,915.06, plus court costs, allegedly owed on a defaulted Bank of America credit card account.
CACH, LLC, is suing James P. Favre, Glllespie, for $4,213.23, plus court costs, allegedly owed on a defaulted consumer loan agreement executed May 25, 2012, through Springleaf Financial Services of Illinois, Springfield.
CACH, LLC, is suing Kristopher M. Greff, Gillespie, for $1,899.10, plus court costs, allegedly owed on a defaulted consumer loan agreement executed Aug. 29, 2013, through Springleaf Financial Services of Illinois, Springfield.
CACH, LLC, is suing Lesia L. Stone, Virden, for $1,279.02, plus court costs, allegedly owed on a defaulted consumer loan agreement executed Nov. 5, 2012, through Springfield Financial Services of Illinois.
CACH, LLC, is suing Patrick J. Bangert, Shipman, for $3,342.83, plus court costs, allegedly owed on a defaulted First National Bank of Omaha credit card account.
CACH, LLC, is suing Kenneth Harbaugh, Gillespie, for $1,911.44, plus court costs, allegedly owed on a defaulted consumer loan agreement executed April 4, 2013, through Springleaf Financial Services of Illinois, Springfield.
CACH, LLC, is suing Kerri Severs, Bunker Hill, for $6,068.09, plus court costs, allegedly owed on a defaulted consumer loan agreement executed Aug. 28, 2014, through WebBank.
CACH, LLC, is suing Jeff A. Tayeh, Mount Olive, for $2,351.74, plus court costs, allegedly owed on a defaulted First Bank credit card account.
Main Street Tire and Auto, Virden, is suing Brock Campbell, Modesto, for $1,688.68, plus court costs, allegedly owed on an unpaid bill.
Main Street Tire and Auto, Virden, is suing Melissa Mason, Virden, for $200, plus court costs, allegedly owed on an unpaid bill.
Personal Finance Co., LLC, is suing Nicole L. Pruden, Mount Olive, for $1,832.94, plus interest and court costs, allegedly owed on a defaulted promissory note executed June 25, 2015.
Midland Funding, LLC, is suing Amy Havenar, Virden, for $920.67, plus court costs, allegedly owed on a defaulted WebBank/Dell Financial Services charge account.
Midland Funding, LLC, is suing Eva Boyle, Bunker Hill, for $1,407.48, plus court costs, allegedly owed on a defaulted charge account.
Midland Funding, LLC, is suing Christopher Geisler, Gillespie, for $1,256.28, plus court costs, allegedly owed on a defaulted Citibank credit card account.
Midland Funding, LLC, is suing Simone Para, Girard, for $1,495.86, plus court costs, allegedly owed on a Synchrony Bank/Ashley Furniture credit card account.
Capital One Bank is suing Lisa E. Tweedy, Palmyra, for $1,112.88, plus court costs, allegedly owed on a defaulted credit card account.
Capital One Bank is suing Frederick A. Birdsell, Staunton, for $1,257.68, plus court costs, allegedly owed on a defaulted credit card account.
Capital One Bank is suing Marc D. Haas, Staunton, for $1,073.51, plus court costs, allegedly owed on a defaulted credit card account.
Anderson Hospital, Maryville, is suing Miranda W. Sauerwein, Gillespie, for $2,657.32, plus court costs, allegedly owed for medical services provided.
Capital One Bank is suing Rona K. Kime, Virden, for $4,597.32, plus court costs, allegedly owed on a defaulted credit card account.
Portfolio Recovery Associates, LLC, is suing Mary B. Smith, Mount Olive, for $858.66, plus court costs, allegedly owed on a defaulted WebBank/Bluestem Brands charge account.
Cavalry SPV I, LLC, is suing Jason Kyle Thilmony, Gillespie, for $4,610.31, plus court costs, allegedly owed on a Chase Bank, credit card account.
Citibank is suing David W. Mullenix, Bunker Hill, for $5,133.55, plus court costs, allegedly owed on a defaulted credit card account.
Discover Bank is suing Rodney Stoddard, Gillespie, for $6,604.14, plus court costs, allegedly owed on a defaulted credit card account.
FELONIES
Kari D. Cunningham, 26, Carlinville, is charged with possession of a controlled substance in connection with an April 6 incident in Carlinville during which she allegedly possessed less than 15 grams of a substance containing heroin.
MISDEMEANORS
Ethan A. Lee, 21, Carlinville, is charged with domestic battery in connection with an April 3 incident in Carlinville during which he allegedly grabbed his girlfriend by her neck and squeezed her neck.
Richard Overturf, 58, Egarville, is charged with battery in connection with a March 5 incident during which he allegedly struck another male in the face with his hand.
Jeremy D. Smith, 20, St. Louis, Mo., is charged with unlawful consumption of alcohol by a person under the age of 21 in connection with an April 1 incident in Carlinville.
Thomas J. McCoy, 24, Gillespie, is charged with two counts of theft in connection with a Feb. 12 incident in Gillespie during which he allegedly obtained unauthorized control over four tires and four wheels valued at less than $500 while knowing the items to be stolen and with the intent to permanently deprive the owner of the use of the property.
Wesley H. Lovelett, 52, is charged with domestic battery in connection with an April 7 incident in Carlinville during which he allegedly pushed his step-daughter to the ground.
Tyler Michael Brown, 19, is charged with unlawful consumption of alcohol by a person under the age of 21 and unlawful possession of alcohol by a person under the age of 21 in connection with an April 3 incident on Illinois Route 4 at Cemetery Road in Virden Township.
Jason L. Barber, 28, Mount Olive, is charged with aggravated assaulted in connection with an April 18 incident in Bend during which he allegedly pointed a handgun at another male, placing the victim in a reasonable apprehension of receiving a battery.
Tiffany A. Daniels, 29, Bunker Hill, is charged with domestic battery in connection with an April 7 incident in Bunker Hill during which he allegedly struck his brother in the head with a spatula.
TRAFFIC
Liberty C. Harbaugh, 19, Carlinville, is charged with driving under the influence of alcohol in connection with an April 2 incident on Illinois Route 4 at Olive Street in Virden. In addition, she faces a traffic charge for alleged operation of an uninsured motor vehicle.
Linda R. Wieseman, 36, Bunker Hill, is charged with two counts of driving under the influence of alcohol in connection with an April 2 incident on Illinois Route 159 south of Barths Lake Road. Wieseman also faces a traffic charge for alleged improper lane usage.
Richard Allen Peat, 26, Litchfield, is charged with two counts of driving under the influence of alcohol in connection with an April 2 incident in the 800 block of West Main Street in Mount Olive. Peat also was given a traffic citation for alleged improper lane usage.
DISSOLUTIONS OF MARRIAGE FILED
Janine Miller, Mount Olive, vs. Clifton Miller, Mount Olive.
Karen Nix, Carlinville, vs. Christopher Nix, Carlinville
Jody Anne Montaro, Granite City, vs. Carlos Luis Montaro, Albuquerque, New Mexico (transferred to Macoupin County after being filed March 18, 2014, and granted July 7, 2015, in Madison County).
DISSOLUTIONS OF MARRIAGE GRANTED
Janine Miller, Mount Olive, vs. Clifton Miller, Mount Olive.
MARRIAGE LICENSES
Ryan Ambrose and Lenora Schwartz, both of Carlinville.
Lonnie Barger and Sarah Lake, both of Virden.
Robert W. Cox and Meagan M. Odum, both of Mount Olive.
Brian M. Bouillon and Rachelle D. Johnson, both of Carlinville.
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A former Carlinville High School football standout has signed as an undrafted free agent with the New England Patriots.
Kyle Dixon, a record-setting receiver at Culver-Stockton, an NAIA program in Canton, Missouri, inked the deal with New England after being passed over in the NFL Draft April 23-25.
Dixon was seen as an outside shot at being selected in the draft. He reportedly had visited at least one team, including Indianapolis, and was the subject of Internet speculation from various writers on his potential.
At Culver-Stockton, Dixon named to the American Football Coaches Association – NAIA All-American team. He was also a Heart of America Athletic Conference first team pick for the second straight year.
The 6-4, 216-pound Dixon was fourth in the NAIA with 83 receptions and third with 1,282 receiving yards in 2025.
New England advanced to last February’s Super Bowl, losing to Seattle.
It was the tenth Super Bowl appearance in the last 25 seasons for the Patriots, one of the NFL’s marquee teams over the last quarter-century.
New England won six Super Bowl titles in that span. The Patriots also played in the Super Bowl after the 1985 and 1996 seasons.
Though most undrafted free agents have an outside chance of sticking on NFL rosters, some future superstars began that way. Notable UDFAs include NFL Hall of Famers Kurt Warner, Warren Moon, Antonio Gates, Adam Vinatieri, and John Randle.
In 2025, eight NFL teams had at least three starters who had been UDFAs coming out of college.
The Patriots are known for their development of UDFAs. The franchise has had sixty starting players who were undrafted free agents from 2011-25, more than any other team in the NFL.
At Carlinville High School from 2015-18, Dixon finished in the top 20 in Illinois High School Association history in single-season receiving yards and touchdowns, career touchdowns, receptions, and receiving yards, and career interceptions on defense.
An all-state selection as a defensive back, Dixon was an all-South Central Conference pick as a receiver. He was also a two-time all-SCC pick in baseball.
Prior to Culver-Stockton, Dixon played baseball at SIU-Carbondale, SIU-Edwardsville, and Georgia Gwinnett College.
Dixon will try to become just the third Carlinville product to play in the NFL.
The others were Leland “Tiny” Lewis, who appeared in 14 games over the 1930-31 seasons with Portsmouth (now the Detroit Lions) and a now-defunct Cleveland franchise, and Mike Seyfrit, who played in 13 games for now-defunct franchises in Toledo and Hammond in 1923-24.
(Tom Emery may be reached at ilcivilwar@yahoo.com or 217-710-8392).
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Community News
Illinois treasurer to help Macoupin County residents reclaim $8.6 million in unclaimed funds on May 13 at Gillespie Library
Staff from Treasurer Michael Frerichs’ office will be at the Gillespie Public Library on Wednesday, May 13, to assist residents in reclaiming money through the I-Cash program. The state estimates that about 64,700 people and businesses in Macoupin County have unclaimed cash or property totaling $8.6 million, with statewide totals reaching $5 billion dollars.
A spokesperson noted that many people may not realize they’ve overlooked an investment account or a final paycheck, and that the thousands of names in the state’s database show it happens more often than people might think. The message emphasizes that this money belongs to Illinois residents and should be in their bank accounts rather than the state’s. The planned event will run from 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at the Gillespie Public Library, located at 201 W Chestnut Street, Gillespie, IL.
Attendees can expect on-site assistance with the I-Cash process, which helps residents search for unclaimed funds and pursue claims through official channels. The I-Cash program is described as a state-level initiative designed to reunite Illinois residents and businesses with unclaimed funds such as lost wages, refunds, or insurance benefits.
Individuals can search the state’s database for their name, name of business, or nonprofit online as well: https://icash.illinoistreasurer.gov/
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The Macoupin County Historical Society will host a drive-through chicken fried chicken dinner starting at 4 p.m., Wednesday, May 13, at the MCHS grounds located at 920 W. Breckenridge, Carlinville.
Serving will continue until 7 p.m. or until food is sold out.
Meals are $12 each and include a chicken fried chicken breast, mashed potatoes and gravy, corn and a roll.
“We offered a chicken dinner last year and were sold out within a couple of hours,” said Dan Hauter, MCHS President. “My advice is to come as early as possible to make sure you can buy a meal.”
Serving will be drive-through only. No walk-up orders will be taken.
Persons who wish to dine on the grounds may park their vehicle after getting their order and dine in the pavilion adjacent to the Red Barn. Water and soda will be available for purchase or customers may bring their own non-alcoholic beverage.
Proceeds will benefit the Macoupin County Historical Society.
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