Community News
Sheriff Don Albrecht updates Area Rotary
Scammers are relentless
Macoupin County Sheriff Don Albrecht spoke to the Benld Area Rotary during a regular luncheon on Tuesday, May 29. He updated the group on scams and the sheriff department.
The agency Albrecht oversees is a county wide operation for Macoupin County which is 864 square miles they patrol. He oversees 50 employees in the 7th largest county in Illinois which includes the correctional staff, court security, detective division, patrol division, telecommunication, and office administration.
Albrecht also mentioned that the sheriff’s office took over 911 for Macoupin County last November. “When you call 911, hopefully you get a good response from our agency,” Albrecht said. “I went from 7 telecommunicaters to 12.”
The sheriff department has 15 patrol deputies while only 3 are on the road at any given point. They back up the local agencies when they need it and sometimes assist with major cases when local departments do not have investigators.
According to Albrecht, the department works with registered sex offenders and the new registered child homicide offenders. “Fortunately, we do not have any registered child homicide offenders yet,” Albrecht noted. “There are plenty of sex offenders. Get online and check them out.”
Most recently, the sheriff office received money from a grant and crime stoppers to purchase ballistic vests for sheriff officers. The grant the county obtained was for $3,000 and then with the crime stoppers $3,500 donation, the office was able to gather $6,500. The office used the other $4,000 from bond fees they collect. “We have 21 vests in use and all were purchased without tax payer money.”
Sheriff Albrecht noted that domestic problems have been a big issue for the department recently. He blames the trouble on the economy. “Everyone is happy when they are not fretting for money,” he explained. Domestic violence issues pretty much go up with the downturn in the economy as well as thefts and scrap metal theft, according to Albrecht.
Recently, the state has passed some laws that the scrappers have to identify people and keep records of who brings what in. This sometimes makes it easier for the sheriff’s office. A few years ago, Albrecht brought the initiative to the Illinois Sheriff Organization for scrappers to require a photo identification shown on any scrap over $100 and to keep a record of it. “It worked, but then they just bring it in by $50 increments,” Albrecht said. “There is a way around everything.”
“The criminal mind thinks about everything,” Albrecht explained. “If they would just go out and work, it would be a lot less trouble for them.”
Albrecht then updated the Rotary on scams that have been popular lately. “The scams work because of greed of ignorance,” Albrecht noted. “Humans are very greedy.” The scammers are relentless; they send out postcards, emails, letters, or anything that will draw attention.
Scammers are “relentless” and they tag on to anything that is popular whether it be Opera, Reader’s Digest, tsunami victims, or anything. “They can come from people in different countries,” Albrecht closed.
There is nothing out there for free, according to Albrecht. Nobody will give out anything for free that cost you money. “That is the big key, no one is giving you anything for free after you pay for it.” He went on to warn that forwarded emails can give you a big virus.
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Meet Professors and Current Students, Learn about Opportunities, Tour Campus, and Get Instant Admissions Decisions at the Events
CARLINVILLE, ILL. — Interested students and families will have two opportunities to learn more about Blackburn College this fall. The Admissions and Financial Aid teams will host Open House events on Monday, October 14, and Monday, November 11, beginning at 8:30 am. These events allow future first-time and transfer students to gather important information about the college application process.
Throughout their time on campus, prospective students and their families will explore and tour the beautiful 80-acre campus, make personal connections with current students and professors, and get to know what life is like as a Blackburn student. They will also see first-hand Blackburn’s unique approach to education—where students earn their degrees while building impactful skills and gaining real-world work experience–giving graduates a four-year head start to launch their future careers.
For Justin Norwood, Vice President for Inclusive Enrollment and a Blackburn graduate, these opportunities are valuable for prospective students and families because nothing is more important than finding a school that will be the best fit. “Finding the right college is more than just academics; it’s discovering a place where students feel supported and inspired to thrive,” Norwood said. “At Blackburn, our open house events provide an opportunity to experience what makes our community unique – the close mentoring relationships with peers and professors, the ability to build critical skills and gain real-world work experience, and a personalized financial aid approach that goes beyond affordability and is designed to meet the specific needs of every student.”
Blackburn’s Admissions and Financial Aid team will be available throughout the event to answer all your questions, including about opportunities like the Macoupin Promise – where qualified graduates of Macoupin County high schools can attend Blackburn tuition-free. For more information and to register for an event, go to blackburn.edu/visit or email admissions@blackburn.edu.
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Seven libraries in Macoupin County will welcome new visitors throughout October with a program sponsored by the region’s library system.
The 6th Annual Library Crawl invites patrons to explore new libraries throughout the Illinois Heartland Library System, which composes the southern half of the state. The Crawl also demonstrates the benefits of a library card, which allows users to check out materials from the libraries they visit.
Some 173 libraries across central and southern Illinois are taking part in the Crawl, including Gillespie, Staunton, Mount Olive, Carlinville, Brighton, Virden, and Benld. The event runs from October 1 through October 31.
The first Library Crawl was introduced in 2019 by the Bethalto Public Library, which continues to coordinate the event. The idea was designed to encourage library users to explore the resources of other libraries that are available to request and check out with a valid library card.
Twenty-eight libraries participated in that first year, a number that has now increased over six-fold.
Patrons may pick up a passport for the Crawl at any participating library, and try to visit at least five libraries during the event. A few enthusiastic individuals have actually visited every library on the Crawl in past years.
At each new library, visitors may stop at the main circulation desk to have their passports stamped. To complete the Crawl, patrons may simply return their passports to their home library.
Some libraries also offer special treats for visitors on the Crawl. After any visit to a participating library, patrons are invited to take pictures to post on social media, under the hashtag #IHLSLibraryCrawl2024.
Many libraries are closed in observance of Columbus Day on October 14, so anyone planning a visit should call ahead, to check on hours of operation.
For more information on the Crawl, visit www.illinoisheartland.org or call any of the participating libraries.
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Proceeds benefit St. Francis Cancer Center
LITCHFIELD, Ill. — The HSHS St. Francis Hospital Auxiliary will sponsor their sixth and final drive-thru dinner for 2024 on Monday, Oct. 14 from 5 to 6:30 p.m. to support the hospital’s Cancer Center expansion project.
Dinners must be ordered by noon on Monday, Oct. 7. Online ordering will not be available for this final meal, but dinner may still be ordered in the hospital gift shop or by contacting Paula Endress at 217-324-8200.
The Oct. 14 drive-thru dinner pick up will take place in front of the main hospital entrance.
The meal will feature a grilled pork chop, loaded mashed potatoes, green beans, roll and a dessert. Cost per meal is $14.
For more information about HSHS St. Francis Hospital, visit stfrancis-litchfield.org.
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Bunker Hill hosting Fall Festival this Saturday, Sept. 14
Gillespie Council votes to buy building for police department
Gillespie Council establishes penalty of late lake lot lease payments, green lights programs to display banners honoring local veterans
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Community News3 weeks agoBunker Hill hosting Fall Festival this Saturday, Sept. 14
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Community News3 weeks agoGillespie Council votes to buy building for police department
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