Letters & Columns

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

Posted June 18, 2013

The recent events leading up to the firing of long time public defender, Lupita Thompson, is nothing more than , in our opinion, a personal vendetta against her by the Resident Judge of Effingham County.

Here is a list of concerns as a taxpaying citizen of Effingham County:

If this is an annually appointed position, why is this the first time in almost 16 years that it has been open for application?

If Lupita Thompson has been qualified all of these years, why now is she not qualified?

If she did something wrong, why has the Resident Judge not followed procedures set forth by Effingham County for Discipline and Discharge?

Why did the resident Judge wait until just after the election to retain her as judge to fire Thompson?

Where is the county board in this process? Despite claims that they have no role in the decision, they sign the public defender’s contract as well as pay her vacation, insurance and office expense.

Illinois Law requires the circuit-wide judges to appoint each public defender by a majority vote. Judges are elected officials that take an oath to follow the law and to be fair and just.

These judges are: Clay County – Robin Todd, Christian County – Ron Spears, Clinton County – Dennis Midendorf, Effingham County – Kim Koester, Fayette County – S. Gene Schwarm, Jasper County – Dan Hartigan, Marion County – Mike McHaney and Mark Stedlin, Montgomery County – Doug Jarmon and Kelly Long and Shelby County – Allen Bennett. These judges have not yet voted for the public defender as of the time this letter was written.

Thompson was only interviewed by the Resident Judge of Effingham County, who was the only Judge to interview applicants for the position. How can the other judges in the circuit make an intelligent and fair decision on the appointment of the public defender if they were not a part of the interview process?

The Resident Judge of Effingham County, the current Public Defender and we are all Rotarians. We take an oath as a Rotarian to abide by the 4-Way Test:

Is it the TRUTH?

Is it FAIR to all concerned?

Will it BUILD GOODWILL and BETTER FRIENDSHIPS?

Will it be BENEFICIAL to all concerned?

The Resident Judge apparently does not take this oath seriously either.

This morning’s paper has the Resident Judge of Effingham County stating that, “No replacement had been named, nor could it be until the other circuit judges agree to her decision”. Several people who work in the County Courts building have already been told by the Resident Judge that she had chosen a new public defender and this person’s name was told also. Is it the TRUTH? Hopefully the other judges in the circuit will take their oath seriously and decide to do the right thing and vote to retain the current Public Defender based on her qualifications.

Julie Pruemer, Effingham

Bev Soltwedel, Shumway

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

Posted March 11, 2013

I would like to personally recognize Rhonda Baker, the Administrator of Taylorville Care Center for providing compassionate and skilled care for her residents.

Rhonda is dedicated to enriching the daily lives of residents at Taylorville Care Center by providing leadership and guidance for staff of many disciplines.I, and all of the staff of Passages Hospice, am proud to work with Rhonda to bring dignity and comfort to Taylorville Care Center residents at the end of life. I have seen Rhonda’s dedication to our patients, and applaud her for her commitment to the hospice philosophy.

Rhonda understands that hospice care provides specialized care for her residents at the end of life, and is a valuable resource to help families at Taylorville Care Center receive the care they need and deserve.

March 10th-16th is Long Term Care Administrator’s Week, sponsored by the American College of Healthcare Administrators. I encourage everyone to recognize Rhonda for her valuable work at Taylorville Care Center and in our community.

Christy Cooper

Passages Hospice

Bloomington, IL 61704

STATION EDITORIAL

Posted December 23, 2012

This is a station editorial, I'm Randal J. Miller, station president. Well, the United States is about to fall off a fiscal cliff, and while it isn't the same as the Mayan calendar telling us the world is coming to an end, the country won't disintegrate come January 1.

This is a direct result of the government that was elected on November 6th. The country voted to keep the same president, the same U-S Senate, and the same U-S House of Representatives, or put another way, deadlocked government.

So, as a result of re-electing the same people, we are getting the same result. Those on both ends of the political spectrum argue that any compromise is seen as weakness, so there is NO compromise and nothing gets done.

On the fiscal cliff issue, the President gets what he's wanted all along—more taxes and defense cuts without controlling spending anywhere else--by doing nothing, the Republican House can't get enough votes to vote for any compromise proposal, and to politicians in both parties, all is as it should be because they'll have about $3300 more of our money per family each year to spend, and they can blame the other party.

Plus, the President can continue his campaign to split the country down the middle with his class-warfare “rich against the middle class” rhetoric preparing for the 2014 elections. Ah, isn't it fun to be in campaign mode 24/7, much to the delight of those on the left, not to mention the media.

No, the country won't end on January First, 2013...but our pocketbooks will be a lot lighter.

That's our opinion...we welcome yours. Our e-mail address is editorial@randyradio.com.

STATION EDITORIAL

Posted November 7, 2012

This is a station editorial, I'm Randal J. Miller, station president. The November 6th election showed that the electorate didn't want any change in Washington or Springfield. They want more of the same.

Just over 50 years ago, when Democratic presidential candidate John F. Kennedy was sworn in, he said this in his inaugural address:

Ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country.

20 years later, in 1981, Republican president Ronald Reagan said this:

Government is not the solution to our problem, government is the problem.

I'm not a big Bill O'Reilly fan, but something he said on Fox News on Election Night seemed correct to me. And that is this:

Our country has changed demographically in the last 50 years. Instead of having the idea that the government is governed by the people, and that less government is good government, the electorate now has the idea that since many can't get work, it's what government can do for them. 99 weeks of unemployment, free cell phones for family members, and soon free health care.

If you want government to do something for you, well, that's what you've got. But remember this: Once you give up control of your life to government, government won't give you control back when there's something you don't like.

And, just who is going to pay for all this? Washington and Springfield are both broke. I think you know the answer.

That's our opinion, we welcome yours. Our e-mail address is:

editorial@randyradio.com.

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

Posted October 3, 2012

To the Editor,

The new gym floor’s shine was spectacular, surprisingly so as the night before it doubled as the dance floor for Taylorville High’s Homecoming. Dad (Joe McAdam) spotted some of his classmates, his grin almost as bright as the glossy hardwood. His best friends, he confided to me were from his high school days.

My dad was on that undefeated team from 1944. That was an amazing year for our country, Taylorville, and a group of kids coached by one of the greatest leaders in Illinois high school basketball history, Dolph Stanley.

We really appreciated all the efforts of the staff, administrators and students for providing this opportunity to honor Coach Stanley. My dad loves Taylorville and it’s clear to me as to why. Your town is chock full of vibrant, talented and giving people.

Take care,

Don McAdam

6422 Vernon Woods Dr.

Sandy Springs, GA 30328

770-335-9587

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

August 20, 2012

Dear Editor:

Thumbs-up to our media, for reporting on the Olympic uniforms made in China.  During the 1980's and 1990's, thousands of unionists, including myself promoted, "Buy American Made-Buy Union Made."

Today, the World Trade Agreement has benefited communist countries more than any Bolshevik revolution or communist insurrection.  Let us hope, if an MIA (missing in action) is found alive the MIA will be issued new clothes and shoes made in the USA.

Therefore, our media should be honorary Grand Marshal at every Labor Day Parade from the Atlantic to the Pacific.

In closing, they cannot fool this citizen, because politicians of both parties supported the World Trade Agreement.  I still fly the POW-MIA flag.  Thank you to the media.  America needs whistle-blowers seven days a week.

In appreciation,
Thomas P. Strawn
Taylorville

EDITIORIAL

July 28, 2012

BEER AT CHILLIFEST

This is a station editorial, I'm Randal J. Miller, station president. The issue of beer at the Greater Taylorville Chamber of Commerce Chillifest, has surfaced once again.

First, a point of clarification: I am a member of the Chamber's Chillifest Committee. That commitee went on record at their May meeting, after discussion, to not tackle the beer issue this year because of all the changes in both the Chamber leadership, and Chillifest committee members.

The issue was then brought up by the Taylorville City Council's Street and Sewer Committee, that recommends to the full City Council whether to allow beer to be served at the event or not, during their late June meeting.

It was then brought to the Chamber's Board, then the Chillifest committee at their July 16^th meeting. The Chillifest committee, again after extensive discussion, suggested to Chamber C-E-O Patty Hornbuckle, that the Chamber board pursue a stance that if Bailey's Pub, a tavern on the square that does have a City of Taylorville liquor license, wants to serve beer at Chillifest, that they take the lead and be the requesting party, NOT the Chamber, and that the Chamber simply act to approve or disappove a vendor permit the same as they do other food vendors that serve at the event.

Chamber representatives attended the late July meeting of the Taylorville City Council Street and Sewer Committee, and apparently the idea of Bailey's Pub asking the city to establish their own beer tent adjacent to their business, during Chillifest, wasn't the approach the Chamber used. Instead, it was again the responsibility of the Chamber to man, oversee and provide security.

And, in that same late July Taylorville City Concil Street and Sewer Committee meeting, the push back against beer at Chillifest began.

My stance on this issue is the same as I expressed it in the May Chillifest meeting. Why put a new Chamber president and CEO, as well as the Chillifest committee that contains several new members, thru the controversy of whether or not to serve beer at Chillifest, when the Chamber could simply either approve or disappove a vendor permit for Bailey's Pub to basically carry the ball.

As I see it, the track the Taylorville Chamber is going down, is the wrong one, that will cause friction, controversy, and not the outcome the Chamber is wanting. The Chamber doesn't need it.

My first Taylorville City Council meeting that I covered for our radio stations, was 20 years ago, the Tuesday after Labor Day 1992, when the issue of beer at Chillifest became a very emotional one for the community. The Chamber carried the ball at that time as well, and ended up with a lot of egg on its face as a result. It was standing room only in the Council chambers that night, and it wasn't pretty.

With all the changes in Chamber leadership and on the Chillifest commitee this year, I don't want to see its president and CEO, nor the Chillifest committee I serve on, being dragged thru controversy. Let Bailey's Pub make the request to the city for beer at Chillifest and let the Chamber either approve or disappove a vendor permit to them for their own beer tent. Otherwise, it's going to be 1992 all over again.

That's our opinion, we welcome yours. Our e-mail address is: editorial@randyradio.com.

EDITORIAL 

June 23, 2012

WOLVES IN SHEEP'S CLOTHING

This is a station editorial, I'm Randal J. Miller, station president. Well, the politicians have already begun promising that they won't cut this, they won't cut that, they'll leave all the federal programs that buy votes in place like Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security.

And, so as to not ignore those seeking re-election for Illinois state rep or state senate, don't forget the 400-million dollars in NEW spending that was included in this year's Illinois State Budget, either, while the state is broke and still has a backlog of billions of dollars in bills.

Don't be fooled by wolves in sheep's clothing. Washington doesn't have the money, and neither does Springfield. Anybody that promises they won't cut a federal or state program is lying thru their teeth, because neither Washington nor Springfield have the money to pay for all those domestic programs they've passed over the many decades to buy votes.

If you want to see the country or state go bankrupt, go ahead, vote for any candidate that promises you a chicken in every pot. But, be prepared for an empty pot after the election.

That's our opinion...we welcome yours. Our e-mail address is:

editorial@randyradio.com.

LETTER TO THE EDITOR on Christian County Clerk Web Site

June 14, 2012

STATION EDITORIAL written February 21, 2012

This is a station editorial, I’m Randal J. Miller, station president. The Taylorville community lost one of its best ambassadors on February 17th in the passing of Chamber of Commerce president and C-E-O Fred Ronnow.

Fred came to Taylorville in the mid 90’s, and for the past 10 plus years, he headed the Greater Taylorville Chamber of Commerce. Fred was instrumental in the continued growth of the chamber and the chamber’s signature event, Chillifest.

Fred’s legacy is all over the Chamber and its service to the Greater Taylorville community, and his loss will be felt for a long time.

We extend our sincere condolences to Fred’s daughter and family, as well as those in the Greater Taylorville Chamber that worked with Fred each day.

Taylorville has lost an ambassador, the Chamber has lost its leader, and I have lost a personal friend. He will be missed.

FROM THE SHERIFF’S DESK – VOLUME 1, #8

By Sheriff Bruce Kettelkamp

WHAT IS THE MOST DANGEROUS DRUG TODAY?

For years, the answer to this question was such things as “heroin” or “cocaine.”

But in many ways, the correct answer is actually marijuana.

I say this for several reasons. 

According to US Government estimates, domestic marijuana production has increased more that tenfold over the past 25 years. 

Since 2006 marijuana has become the largest cash crop in the United States.    Its value, estimated at more than $35.8 billion, is higher than America’s total corn and wheat crops combined. 

What changes have occurred to make this incredible transformation?  For one thing, marijuana used to be grown in outdoor areas.  But changes began to occur in the 1970s and 1980s.  Marijuana growers, particularly those in Canada, began to experiment with bringing the crop into indoor production.  They developed new techniques and processes.  Indoor locations were extremely difficult for law enforcement to find.  They were easily concealed.

Furthermore, the new growth methods increased both the quantity of the crops and their potency as well.  One result was for the key ingredient, THC, to reach the highest levels that any production had ever achieved.

The change was so dramatic that Canada, up to then an importer of most of the marijuana consumed, produced so much that they no longer needed any imports of the drug.

They also discovered at that time, that they could service a growing portion of the crop consumed in America.   And of course since these sales were not likely to ever be reported on a tax return, the resulting huge profits attracted organized crime which rapidly took over the basic production.

Those changes soon led to the adoption of the same techniques in the United States.  The growers added more improvements to the systems helping to expand the total production. 

And that, of course, quickly led to a large growth of customers.  It helps explain why marijuana is estimated to be the top cash crop in 12 American states. 

And how big is the audience for it?  We estimate that 95 million people have used it at least once.  Furthermore, 14,600,000 use it every month, with about 5,000,000 using it daily.

It accounts for 81% of the USA drug use

And the average age of the youthful beginner is only 13.  About 40% of those 12 or older have smoked cannabis.  And each new year produces another 2.6 million new users.

Of course, there are those who defend marijuana, saying that it is too weak to cause any meaningful damage to users.  So the question is, is marijuana a Gateway drug?

Consider these facts Very few young people use other illegal drugs without trying marijuana first.   60% of teens admitted to drug treatment said marijuana was their main drug.  Adults who use marijuana before age 15 are 6 times more likely to become dependent on illegal drugs, especially cocaine and heroin. 

It is very frequently the primary factor in impaired driving.

Marijuana, even low dosages, affects concentration and perception, delaying coordination and reaction time.  After alcohol, marijuana is the most frequently found substance in car crash investigations.  About 33% of DUI drivers are high on marijuana.

Marijuana and alcohol combined can triple your Blood Alcohol Content level, dangerously affecting your driving ability.

So does marijuana do any good?  About the only thing it does is teach kids how to find a dealer, how to do a dope deal, and how to stash it.  It will introduce them to the drug subculture.  These are all reasons why we have to stop it.

The challenge of finding and destroying indoor marijuana has been a major law enforcement goal for some years.  We have special training courses which deal with every aspect of the challenge of locating these places and building the proper cases which will lead to convictions.   The courses even deal with the many types of booby traps used by the growers and what officers must do to protect themselves.

Canadian police for years dealt with this question before the crops became so large in the United States.  It is not unusual to have a course designed and taught by a Canadian who battled these elements for years.

American law enforcement has achieved some excellent results, but the challenge is still there and we must continue to deal with it. 

A SPECIAL NOTE ON ANOTHER TOPIC:  We had a report of the barricades and flashing lights of a road/highway warning sign being stolen.  This was in a rural area where the work was underway to correct a potentially dangerous road surface situation.

The theft meant that a driver coming along this road had no real warning of the hazard which could have led to a serious accident.  There is no excuse for such an action.

Anyone with information about this matter should call the Sheriff’s office or Crime Stoppers.

Department Activity for the last 5 months:

Correctional Center

EDITORIAL written July 16, 2011

This is a station editorial, I'm Randal J. Miller, station president. The ongoing talks in Washington to raise the debt limit absolutely make my blood boil. Politicans have continued to tax and spend OUR money, then want to tax us some more in order to supposedly bring down the deficit that THEY caused.

You know, in my business, and in my family, we don't spend more money than we take in. Washington should take a lesson from the rest of us.

I don't trust Washington with any more of MY money; they have a LOUSY track record in the decades we've watched them already.

If the debt limit needs raised, it should be accompanied by deep spending cuts because the long-term alternatives include higher interest rates, higher inflation, and a dollar being worth even less than it is now.

Washington needs to take a lesson from you and me. DON'T spend more than you take in, and DON'T ask for any more of our money. You've got too much of it already.

That's our opinion. We welcome yours. Our e-mail address is:

editorial@randyradio.com.

FROM THE SHERIFF’S DESK – VOLUME 1, #7

By Sheriff Bruce Kettelkamp

I want to share with you two developments which I believe are very important to all of us in Christian County:

1. Teen-age drug use and drinking throughout the country have been increasing over the last year or so according to a recent study.  This represents a reversal from the results of the 3 previous years.

2.  A new bill presented by the Illinois House of Representatives offers a rare chance to help prevent the drug consumption figures from worsening.  It provides us the tools we need to fight the newest threat on the market, especially if consumption is truly rising.

Let’s first check the data from a National Study, released a few weeks ago by The Partnership at Drugfree.org and the MetLife Foundation.  The study included the results from the 22d annual Partnership Attitude Tracking Study (PATS), revealing attitudes from a large number of participants and many parents.

SOME KEY FINDINGS  - DRUG USE

(The study deals with the 3-year period 2008 to 2010)

The results reported an increase in the use of Ecstasy from 6% to 10% in that time.  This amounts to an increase of 67%.

Marijuana use during this time is also up strongly, from 32 % in 2008 to 39% in 2010, or a 22% increase overall.

Prescription drugs (not prescribed by a doctor) were taken by 25 % of teens at least once in their lives.

Many teens tend to consider the recreational use of drugs less risky than smoking. 

Among teens, past-year methamphetamine use is unchanged at 5%, cocaine/crack is at 9%.  Heroin is at 4%.

But as you will see, our next section deals with a very important change that will, when processed, help minimize a new threat to drug users, especially teens, and reduce what is fast becoming a major factor in drug activity.

TODAY’S NEW THREAT – BATH SALTS

And just what are bath salts?  Actually, these materials have nothing to do with baths or bath-water.  They are manufactured to be the latest in what has become known as the Designer Drug market.  These are mostly substances specifically manufactured or processed to be legal, but still possessing the impact and effects of drugs which are now generally illegal.

The name Bath Salts is used because it provides an apparent functional use.  It is then labeled as Bath Salts (or in some cases, Plant Food) and carries a simple warning, which says “Not for human consumption.”

The manufacturers of these goods consider them perfectly legal.  None of the drugs declared illegal (meaning they are listed in section 1 of the Federal Law regulating them by the Drug Enforcement Agency) are involved.

A few of these Bath Salts first appeared in the last year or two.  They are typically found in a wide range of retail outlets such as convenience stores, head shops, mini-marts, truck stops and are also available on the internet.  They are not particularly expensive, and serve no useful purpose except to provide customers with substances that can supply them with the same kind of physical and mental reactions that current illegal drugs provide to their consumers.

Sold under such names as Ivory Wave, Bliss, White Lightning and Hurricane Charlie, the chemicals can cause hallucinations, paranoia, and even suicidal thoughts.  The drugs may cause intense cravings.  Poison Centers around the country report steady increases in the number of cases involving Bath Salts being brought to them.

Now the real danger of these preparations is that anyone, including any teen who finds them, can walk in, pay the price, and leave with a container that can produce the same reactions that are regularly sought with drugs on the illegal list.

Because of the relatively short time these products have been on the market, we can’t be sure what other consequences there may be for using them.  But some things are turning up in emergency rooms and drug treatment facilities.  For example, there have been cases of highly agitated users in an emergency room seeking treatment, but who are so uncontrollable, normal sedatives such as valium, even at high doses, can’t bring them under control.  Investigators in Mississippi have confirmed that a man who killed a sheriff’s deputy had Bath Salt drugs in his blood.

Such events have motivated legislatures in 10 states to list the drugs in Bath Salts, especially MDPV, as illegal.

The good news is that Illinois is about to join this group and become number 11.  An Illinois House Bill, HB2089, sponsored by our representative in District 19, Wayne Rosenthal, passed the House by the vote of 112-0.   It passed the Senate and now awaits Governor Quinn’s signature.

As explained by supporters of the legislation, Illinois is taking this step because the alternative, waiting for the Drug Enforcement Agency to conduct its studies to declare the substances illegal is likely to take a year or so, and may even require 2 years.  We simply cannot afford to let this opportunity get away.   We want the same power that New York State just showed after their law became effective in May.  They just announced a raid of a major distributor of Bath Salts, leading to the arrest of 10 people and the confiscation of more than 40 kilograms with a street value of $2 million.

That’s the type of activity we are anxious to be able to duplicate.

Department Activity for the last 5 months:

Correctional Center

Letters From Sheriff's Desk

06/10/2011

FROM THE SHERIFF’S DESK VOL 1, NUMBER 6
By Sheriff Bruce Kettelkamp

FIRST, AN IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT

This is wonderful news! The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) announced that the April 30th National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day brought in 188 TONS of these unwanted or expired medications. That’s 376,593 pounds, which were collected in the 5,361 Take-Back sites in the country. Christian County participants brought in 57.5 pounds of these drugs. The national total for the first 2 Take-Back Days, this April and last September, has now reached 309 tons. Thanks to all of you for your participation.

SOME IMPORTANT POINTS ABOUT ONE OF OUR MOST IMPORTANT FUNCTIONS:

The subject I refer to is the 9-1-1 Emergency call. The idea has been extremely effective. If you need emergency help, just dial 9-1-1, and help will soon be on the way. Your call goes to a Public Safety Answering Point, or PSAP. This is where the dispatcher picks up your call and determines what needs to be done. In our area, the PSAP is our County Sheriff’s office.

The volume of 9-1-1 calls is extremely high. Our office received a grand total of all calls totaling 19,003 in the year of 2010. Of these, 57%, or 10,884, are 9-1-1 calls that’s almost 1,000 per month that our dispatchers process and handle.

The availability of the 9-1-1 program covers the whole country. In fact, over 98% of America’s 308 million people have some version of 9-1-1 available to them. We make more than 240 million of these calls per year.

These are emergency calls, intended to obtain police, fire, or medical help. There are some surprises however. A couple of weeks ago, a most unusual 9-1-1 call happened in Georgia.

Someone unknowingly “pocket dialed” 9-1-1 on his cell phone, and when the dispatcher answered, he realized the caller was not there. But the dispatcher was able to hear conversation going on. As he listened, he realized the conversation was about a drug deal. A sheriff’s deputy was dispatched to the place the 9-1-1 system identified as the source of the call. The Deputy soon tracked down the “caller” and found illegal drugs in his possession and arrested him. So 9-1-1 calls can even fight crime!

The rules for making a 9-1-1 call are simple.
9-1-1 should ONLY be used in emergency situations. Emergency is the key word here. It means any situation that calls for immediate emergency assistance from police/sheriff, the fire department, or emergency medical help. If you see a very bad auto accident, that would qualify. A fender-bender doesn’t. For the fender-bender, just call the local Sheriff’s office or police department to report it.

But what if you’re not sure whether you should make a 9-1-1 call? Then go ahead and make it and explain the situation. The dispatcher will evaluate the facts with your help and decide what course of action should be taken.

If you should happen to call 9-1-1 by mistake, DON’T HANG UP. The PSAP where your call surfaces assumes any call is an emergency or potential emergency. If you hang up, they will try to reconnect with you, since they don’t know if the call was actually hung up, or the caller had some difficulty in continuing the call.

Stay on the line and explain the situation, so they won’t continue trying to reestablish the call. During a 9-1-1 call, do not hang up when you think the dispatcher is through. When they have the information they need, they will tell you to hang up.

Give the dispatcher as much information as possible. If you are calling about something that has occurred out in the area, note whatever street names or buildings are prominent. This is especially important since your call may be being handled by a call center that is not the one that services the area you’re in.

Make sure you talk to your family members about the points listed above. There’s really nothing difficult about making a 9-1-1 call, but everyone should review the procedure at least once a year to know what they should and should not do.
Be sure you teach any children of appropriate age in your family how to make the calls. There are a large number of calls every year made by alert youngsters with surprisingly happy conclusions.

The 9-1-1 system is built to work with a high degree of accuracy. And that is true when the calls are made on a house phone. Cell phones and the relatively new Voice over Internet systems have different operating systems, which result in changes from the normal response. The calls will go through, but the dispatcher may not have the usual information available on his screen.

To learn what differences to expect with cell phones or Voice on Internet phones and how to deal with them, consult your owner manual or contact the manufacturer’s customer service people.

Calls for Service – Year To Date: 373

Department Activity for the first 5 months of the year:
Jan Feb Mar Apr May
Processes served 194 135 142 147 124
Warrants 9 30 41 21 17
Criminal Arrests 12 18 7 14 19
Citations 156 231 215 212 134
Crashes 50 34 24 24 25
DUI’s 6 3 5 6 8

Correctional Center
Prisoners Processed 85 81 106 124 102
 

Letter From The Sheriff's Desk

05/10/2011

FROM THE SHERIFF’S DESK VOL. 1 #5
By Sheriff Bruce Kettelkamp

I want to talk about two topics which have grown each year to new and higher levels. They each exert powerful influences on individuals and their families. As time goes on, the needs become more and more critical.
What subjects are these? One is Domestic Violence. The other is Attempted Suicide.
In both cases, the number of such incidents the Sheriff’s Department actually deals with continues to increase. Although we have only completed the first four months of 2011, the number of 911 calls made for each of these is higher than most would expect.
From January 1 to April 30, we have had 203 911 calls regarding Domestic Violence. In this same time frame, 34 such calls have been made regarding attempted suicide. And when we check the statistics throughout the nation, we find that the numbers are consistent with many other geographic areas. That suggests that the motivational factors for these activities and actions are responding to behavior and acceptance of principles that have reached a widespread level throughout our society.
As a result, we recognize that our department will continue to be dealing with both of these situations, and possibly with growing numbers of each. The question arises, how can we improve our ability to deal with victims and participants in these acts? How can we help the victims find the necessary assistance to free themselves from the factors that caused them?
The main answer is to provide thorough and proven techniques to our staff through effective training programs.
Here are some of the objectives we have defined as desirable goals for these programs.
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE: The abuse in these cases generally is one of these three categories: physical battering, sexual assault, or emotional and psychological abuse. They all bear one common characteristic. They generally escalate over a period of time. Many law enforcement agencies consider domestic violence to be their number one problem. We are in that group.
In virtually all cultures, the batterers are generally males. Even if a family member is not the object of the violence, psychological damage can and often will occur to others involved.
But the situation is complicated by the fact that domestic violence, which we usually think of as being physical, can and often is sexual, emotional, and even economic. The common characteristic is that the behavior is a response to a need to control the victim and to gain and maintain power over that person.
In such cases, it is often difficult to obtain convictions because of the reluctance of the victim to turn against the abuser.
But there are factors which, when handled successfully, can lead to reductions in the occurrence of these activities plus improve conviction rates. Coupled with public awareness of the true nature of the actions, public recognition and response can be substantially increased so that the situations can more easily be recognized and minimized.
SUICIDE PREVENTION: The scale of these attempts has been increasing. In 2009, suicide was the 11th leading cause of death for all ages in the United States. Among the younger generation, suicide has become known as the “Silent Epidemic” with almost one out of ever 15 young people attempting it in the previous 12 months. In the state of Illinois, almost 13% of our young people admitted they had seriously considered suicide in the past 12 months.
Overcoming these situations will require recognition and awareness of the motivating factors at many levels. The Jason Flatt Act provides that school guidance counselors, teachers, and other school personnel receive training identifying the warning signs of such behavior. I believe this strategy will prove to be a vital step in working to solve the problem of the Silent Epidemic. It will help to unite the entire community.
Those who contemplate this action, or someone close to them, are often the ones making 911 calls for help. This is a situation in which law enforcement contact may be a key ingredient in helping the person to reject the final determination.

That is why I believe the training program we use will allow our deputies to recognize and react to the full range of these situations. I believe this training will improve our capacity to extend much needed assistance in many ways during our response phases at any level from dealing with 911 calls to establishing close personal contact. It is my opinion that this training, combined with the related school programs, can lead to substantial progress in dealing with this issue.

Department Activity for the first 4 months of the year:
Jan Feb Mar Apr
Processes served 194 135 142 147
Warrants 9 30 41 21
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IT’S TAX TIME – AND THAT MEANS TIME FOR TAX-RELATED SCAMS

03/24/2011

YOUR FRAUD SQUAD REPORT
By

S.H. (Mac) McGuire, Chief Reporter
 

IT’S TAX TIME – AND THAT MEANS TIME FOR TAX-RELATED SCAMS

In fact, frauds and scams involving our tax returns have gone on for years. And there is no reason to believe they will be any fewer this year. If the IRS-theme scams follow the average of the other groups, they are likely to increase.

It is too early to have many new examples on hand, but the situation usually sees those time-tested tax-time methods from previous years back in action.

What’s the most expected tax scam? It’s phishing. Phishing is generally described as being a scam that seeks to “fish” for data, information, customer numbers, credit cards, customer ID’s, passwords and any number of other things. Such information is then used in a wide range of scams, and may be sold to other groups to use as well.

Generally the caller or the web-site on the email you receive is presented as part of a government or well-known business organization.. It’s likely to be from a government organization, a bank, a charitable organization, a company you are likely to have done business with, or any other place which could have a legitimate reason for having your data.

Their strategy is simple. Insist that certain data are needed. Telephone callers may intimidate, threaten, or demand that you comply. Emails are designed to look official, and make it clear that they have every right to the information they tell you to enter or you could be facing severe problems.

The results of these scams, if you supply the information asked for, range from identify theft, withdrawals from your bank account, illegal billings, and many others, generally equally undesirable.

So here are some of the IRS-tax themed frauds that are emerging.

A NEW TAX SCAM -- YOUR W-2 IS MISSING: You receive an email supposedly from the IRS informing you that you have not yet submitted your W-2 information. It says that this must be corrected before your return can be processed. It tells you to click on a link to the W-2 Form Update area and fill in the correct information. The form is a fraud and your data doesn’t go to the IRS. It goes to a scamster, who will quickly profit from whatever facts you gave him.

REFUND SCAM: Another example has the scamster or email informing you that you are entitled to a refund, but you have to first supply some needed information to insure receiving it. “So click on this link, and tell us what we want to know so we can forward YOUR REFUND to you.” (Professional Advice: Don’t expect to ever see the refund. And watch you bank balance and credit card statements. They may be in for substantial change.)

SATISFACTION SURVEY: You receive an email that explains that the IRS has selected you to take a Satisfaction Survey. All you have to do is complete the form, supplying the information and data as indicated, and you will receive an $80 award. Data requested covers your bank account and credit card information. As you should guess, if you participate in this “Satisfaction Survey” you won’t be satisfied for long.

CHECK ON STATUS OF YOUR RETURN/REFUND: Sounds easy. Got a Question? Just click here and supply the needed information and we’ll get back to you with all the answers. Except how you could be dumb enough to answer this fraud.

SOUNDS IMPOSSIBLE, BUT IT’S ACTUALLY WORKED: The intended victim is told that he or she is eligible for a tax refund for a stated amount. “Click here to access the Refund Claim Form.&rd