Author: princetonmays

CIProud.com
by: Gretchen Teske
GALESBURG, Ill. (WMBD) — After threatening a gas station clerk with a knife, a man has been arrested and taken into custody in Galesburg.
At approximately 10:44 p.m. Wednesday, the Galesburg Police Department responded to the Shell Express on Grand Avenue in reference to an armed robbery.
Upon arrival, they discovered a man pulled a knife on the clerk and threatened to kill her if she did not give him all the cash from the register. After receiving the cash, the suspect fled the scene.
The clerk was able to give a detailed description to the police, as the man was a regular. A short distance away, Darrin W. Riddle, 56, was arrested.
Riddle told police he robbed the gas station, “because he is a drug addict and needed money to buy more drugs.”
He was taken to the Knox County Jail and charged with armed robbery, where he will remain until a court appearance.
Copyright 2021 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
CHICAGO — Nineteen Chicago cops were stripped of their police powers Monday over their refusal to disclose their vaccination status to the city.
Most of those officers were assigned to CPD headquarters in Bronzeville, according to John Catanzara, president of the Fraternal Order of Police, the union that represents rank-and-file officers.
(NEXSTAR) – News is developing so quickly when it comes to COVID-19 booster shots, it can be hard to keep track of what’s happening. Have they been approved? Am I eligible? When can I get one? The answer to those questions depends on which vaccine you receive originally: Pfizer, Moderna or Johnson & Johnson.
Here’s the status of booster shots for each vaccine type approved in the United States, and the rules that determine who can get one.
BLOOMINGTON, Ill. (WMBD) — Closing arguments for the first of six trials have concluded for a Bloomington piano teacher accused of producing child pornography and sexually assaulting his students.
Aaron Parlier, 40, is standing trial for one of the seven victims he has been accused of molesting. The victim’s mother took the stand Monday and testified he gave her daughter piano lessons in her home from age six through eighth grade. The alleged offenses occurred between April 2012 and April 2016 when the girl was under 13.

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CIProud.com
by: Shabnam Danesh
PEORIA, Ill. (WMBD) — Lantez Carpenter said he always wanted to be a police officer. Born and raised in Peoria, he and nine fellow recruits are the newest graduates of the University of Illinois Police Training Institute.
The 14-week training academy is not the military-based program some may think it is, he said.
“You’re learning how to talk to people, you’re learning medical things, you’re learning how to interact with children, people with disabilities, so there’s a lot of training that goes in and it’s a very wide range of trainings,” he said.
The Peoria Police Department is looking for a few more good men and women to protect and serve the community, but is struggling to find new recruits, according to Captain Scott Cook.
Cook said it’s a rewarding career, but despite putting up billboards, bus ads, and radio commercials, they are having a tough time attracting talent.
“Some of the things going on in society in general, concerns about interactions with police and the community, has caused some people to hesitate,” he said.
District 2 Councilman Chuck Grayeb said the police force is getting stretched thin, and unable to handle things like speeding tickets because they are too busy responding to crime.
Grayeb said there were 250 officers back in 2010 and that he sees a “correlation between the amount of crime and the number of officers on the street.”
Cook said they have 209 officers and authorized by city council to have 222. Three new recruits were sworn in on May 3 and will head to the Police Training Institute next week.
“Right now they’re running from call to call to call because of the paucity, lack of an effective police force in terms of its numbers,” he said.
Grayeb said public safety needs to be a top priority for the city council, because it affects everything, including population growth.
“You can have the loveliest neighborhood but if the people in that neighborhood don’t feel safe, they are going to vote with their feet,” he said.
Cook said the process to become a police officer can be a lengthy one.
“[By] the time we hire someone, get them through the academy, [and] put them through field training, we’re looking at close to a year,” he said, adding that there are 20 officers currently in field training.
Cook said diversity is important, and they are “constantly working toward the goal of mirroring what the community looks like.”
Carpenter said he hopes to make being a police officer “cool again,” and it’s important for officers to be approachable.
“Be patient. The process is long, but it is worth it in the end … We have a lot of fun but we also take our job very seriously because most of the time it’s somebody’s worst day ever,” he said.
Those interested in joining can visit the official PPD recruiting page. Cook said applicants must be at least 21 years of age, have a high school diploma and no felonies. The next exam is in August.
Copyright 2021 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
BLOOMINGTON, Ill. (WMBD) — Closing arguments for the first of six trials are underway for a Bloomington piano teacher accused of producing child pornography and sexually assaulting his students.
Aaron Parlier, 40, is standing trial for one of the seven victims he has been accused of molesting. The victim’s mother took the stand Monday and testified he gave her daughter piano lessons in her home from age six through eighth grade. The alleged offenses occurred between April 2012 and April 2016 when the girl was under 13.
CHICAGO — A new ranking lists the best high schools in Illinois and the top five are all from Chicago.
According to U.S. News, the top five high schools in the state are the following Chicago Public Schools:
CHICAGO (WMBD) — Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker gave an update on how the state is handling the COVID-19 pandemic Tuesday morning.

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CIProud.com
by: Mike Smith, Brittni Clemons, Janie Bohlmann
UPDATE: 12:10 p.m., March 23 — The name of the man killed during a shooting on West Willcox Avenue Monday, March 22, has been released.
Demarcus Ferrell, 25, was pronounced dead by the Peoria County Coroner at 5:05 p.m. The autopsy revealed he suffered multiple gunshot wounds and died instantly.
The incident is still under investigation by the Peoria Police Department.
A GoFundMe fundraiser has been set up to help Ferrell’s family.
PEORIA, Ill. (WMBD) — (UPDATE: 6:30 p.m.) == Peoria police confirmed one man is dead and another one is critically injured after a shooting took place at the intersection of N. North St. and W. Willcox Ave. Monday, March 22.
Peoria Police Public Information Officer Amy Dotson said at approximately 4:39 p.m., multiple gunshots were fired off of W. Corrington Ave. with additional calls of shots fired in nearby alleys and W. Willcox Ave.
Dotson said there were two male victims involved in the shooting. She confirmed one of the victims, a 30 year-old-male, was dead at the scene.
The other victim was transported to a local hospital. He is currently in critical condition.
There is no suspect information at this time. Anyone with information is encouraged to contact Peoria Police or Peoria Crime Stoppers.
(PREVIOUS) — Peoria Police are investigating a crime scene at the intersection of N. North St. and W. Willcox Ave. Monday, March 22.
At this time, police have not confirmed anything.
WMBD sent a crew to the scene of the crime and will update this post as more information becomes available.
Copyright 2021 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
PEORIA, Ill. (WMBD) — A local boxing-mentoring program in the city is aiming to keep kids on the straight and narrow.
Knock-Out Kings Boxing Club is well into its second year at the East Bluff Community Center. The program’s founder, Robert Bell, said with learning to box comes hard work, commitment, loyalty, dedication, and discipline.
NORMAL, Ill. (WMBD) — A 20-year-old Normal park is getting a makeover and will feature equipment on its playground that allows all kids a chance to play.
Monday night, Normal town council approved unanimously a motion to spend $179,963.29 to replace the playground equipment at Carden Park. Town staff said the equipment was set to be replaced and wanted the process sped up as a way to save money.
PEORIA, Ill. (WMBD) – The Peoria Fire Department is having a busy year as fire-related incidents, calls, and arsons are increasing.
Between Saturday and Sunday, Peoria firefighters responded to four structure fires, three of them have since been ruled an arson by investigators.

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PRINCETON, Ill. (KWQC) – Caleb Conrath was just around the corner from his 18th birthday when his family and police say his life need abruptly and violently.
The Princeton Police Department, with help from the U.S. Marshal’s Service, is still searching for Davijon Robinson, 18, of Kewanee, who is wanted in Conrath’s death.
“I think people in Kewanee know where he’s at, and people in Chicago know where he’s at,” Police chief Thomas Krammer told TV6 Investigates this week.
Conrath was someone with big dreams and a lot of energy, his mother, Tasha Hilmes, said.
“I have to get up to go to work about 5 a.m., and he’s usually still up,” she said. “I’d tell him ‘I love you, go to bed.’”
He wanted to be a professional skateboarder, Hilmes said.
“Skateboarding was his life,” she said.
To Alex Taylor-Marandola, Conrath was a positive, upbeat person with a lot of friends.
“He was just a people person,” Marandola said. “He liked being around people, liked making everybody happy, liked seeing people smile.”
People liked being around him, too, Hilmes said. She said she allowed her son to bring his friends over to the house whenever he wanted.
“I do have an open-door policy,” Hilmes said. “I do let people come in and out.”
Her open-door policy would usually provide him and his friends a safe space to hang out in. In this case, however, the policy allowed danger to come inside.
Robison was a familiar face to Hilmes and had been over to the house before.
However, when he came over on July 1, Hilmes said she felt suspicious.
“Every time someone comes in, they always say ‘hi’ to me and everything,” she said. “That day, he didn’t, and I knew something was up.”
A juvenile, who has not been identified, drove Robinson to Conrath’s house in a
dark Nissan Altima and parked outside. Police say the juvenile was waiting in the car while Robinson went inside.
Hilmes said she didn’t think anything of her suspicion until she started to hear a fight.
“Next thing I know, I heard ‘stop it, stop it,’ and then I heard a gunshot,” Hilmes said. “Then I heard another gunshot, and that’s when I got up, and that’s when I got shot when I went to the back bedroom.”
Conrath was shot three times, and Hilmes was struck once in the right shoulder.
“The one that killed him was the one after I got shot,” she said. “He jumped over me to go get [Robinson], and he got shot again, and that’s the one that killed him.”
According to Hilmes, Robinson was in the house for 13 minutes before fleeing away in the Nissan with the unknown minor.
Princeton police say they learned Robinson and his accomplice were headed towards Kewanee, and it wasn’t long before the car was located by Kewanee police.
“They were able to spot it coming into town, and when they tried to effect the traffic stop on it, they fled,” Krammer said. “They then drove the car into a wooded area, where they bailed out and ran. The juvenile later turned himself in, and Davijon has not been seen since.”
Gone just as quickly as he came, Conrath’s family said Robinson is still out there living his life somewhere while they are left blindsided and waiting for answers.
“What possessed him to do that? I mean, for what reason,” Taylor-Mandola said.
Police are just as baffled by the brutality of the situation over a young boy who they claim had little history or trouble with the law.
“He shot and killed this kid,” Krammer said. “He shot him three times, then he shot his mother.”
This is why Princeton police believe Robinson is armed, dangerous, and a threat to have on the streets.
Hilmes said she is left without a sense of closure to fully grieve the loss of her son.
“I now realize when I see this on the news how other parents feel,” she said. “I never thought it would happen to me until that day. So [Robinson] needs to be caught. He needs to get off the streets before it happens to somebody else.”
“He just gets to live his normal life and run around, do what he wants, and we are stuck here still grieving over it,” Taylor-Marandola said.
Police believe Robinson is somewhere in Kewanee, Chicago, or Georgia.
Princeton police ask anyone who knows of Robinson’s whereabouts to call them or the U.S. Marshals Service at 563-289-3454 or 1-800-336-0102.
Copyright 2021 KWQC. All rights reserved.

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White House Appoints 2021-2022 Class of White House Fellows  Whitehouse.gov
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PRINCETON, Ill. (KWQC) – Police in Princeton announced they will be holding a Lunch in the Park to raise money for the Special Olympics Illinois.
On Friday, July 16, community members can enjoy pulled pork sandwiches, snacks and drinks. The Frozen Chickens Polar Plunge team will be supporting Special Olympics with a bake sale as well. It will begin at 11 a.m. and go until 1 p.m.
“We will have a limited amount of Special Olympics merchandise for sale at the event,” officials said in a Facebook post. “If you would like to phone in an order for pickup or delivery please call 815-875-2631 ext. 1402.”
If you have any questions please email Tom Kammerer at tkammerer@princeton-il.com
Copyright 2021 KWQC. All rights reserved.

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CIProud.com
by: Austin Schick
BLOOMINGTON, Ill. (WMBD) — The City of Bloomington is looking to find a solution for a local homeless population as the lot they’re occupying will soon be developed.
The encampment is located off of Market Street and Interstate 55 in the westside of Bloomington. Formerly at the site was a gas station.
What might be an empty lot to some, is a place to call home for others, but plans to develop the lot into a fast food restaurant are leaving the community of homeless people concerned about what lies ahead.
The lot is currently home to tents, cars, and about 20 people with nowhere else to go. The group’s leader, Ronny Morris, said he’s lived on the lot in a tent since the winter of last year.
“We’re just trying to live like any other American. For me, I go to work every day [and] they make sure their families are safe,” Morris said.
But according to the city, there are plans to build a Panda Express on the lot, leaving Morris and the others questioning where they’re supposed to go.
“We have the right to live, and whether it be on another land, I just want to make sure they have a place where they can feel safe and feel like it’s a home to them. Even if it is another lot and living in a tent, [it’s] just [about] giving them a place to be able to live,” Morris said.
Public Information Officer with the Bloomington Police Department, John Fermon, said they’ve received many calls lately, checking on the camp’s well-being.
“A lot of people are starting to recognize that this is sort of an issue that’s becoming prevalent to them, even though we’ve known about it for a while,” Fermon said.
Fermon said when officers respond, there isn’t much that can be done because being homeless isn’t a crime.
“Our city is going to take it up with the property owners, especially with getting things cleaned up, but it’s not trespassing unless the owner actually calls and says they’d like somebody removed,” Fermon said.
Fermon said help has been offered, but many enjoy living by their own set of rules. Morris said the pandemic affected what help they can receive.
“These buildings have a capacity, and can only take in so much. Mathematically, you can only help so many people, so what happens to the rest of us that don’t get help?” Morris said.
Fermon said as for officers responding, there isn’t much crime to break up besides an occasional disagreement.
“Usually if we come out here, we come out with a smile, ask if everything’s okay,” Fermon said. “Most of the time people call and just want them checked on.”
Fermon said if construction starts on the Panda Express, officers will then remove people from the lot and offer to get them access to services or help relocated them. He said the last thing they want to do is arrest someone for trespassing.
Copyright 2021 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
PEORIA, Ill. (WMBD) — A local boxing-mentoring program in Peoria’s East Bluff community is aiming to keep kids on the straight and narrow.
Knock-Out Kings Boxing is well into its second year at the East Bluff Community Center. The program’s founder, Robert Bell, said with learning to box comes hard work, dedication, and discipline. All things he wants to teach the next generation.
NORMAL, Ill. (WMBD) — A 20-year-old Normal park is getting a makeover and will feature equipment on its playground that allows all kids a chance to play.
Monday night, Normal town council approved unanimously a motion to spend $179,963.29 to replace the playground equipment at Carden Park. Town staff said the equipment was set to be replaced and wanted the process sped up as a way to save money.
PEORIA, Ill. (WMBD) – The Peoria Fire Department is having a busy year as fire-related incidents, calls, and arsons are increasing.
Between Saturday and Sunday, Peoria firefighters responded to four structure fires, three of them have since been ruled an arson by investigators.

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PRINCETON – The COVID-19 pandemic led to lockdowns in the U.S. and people all across the country stayed cooped up at home. According to a study by the American Psychology Association (APA), 61% of Americans experienced undesired weight changes during the pandemic. This has resulted in a plethora of diet trends as people try to get their “pre-pandemic bodies” back. These include some fad diets such as juice cleanses, liquid diets, and the ever-so-popular ketogenic or “keto” diet.
Dr. Shitaldas Pamnani, an OSF HealthCare internal medicine physician at OSF HealthCare Saint Clare Medical Center in Princeton, Illinois, warns that these types of trends are not without risk – and offers tips for sustainable, long-term healthy eating.
“We are seeing more young people get prediabetes, which is basically an early stage of diabetes. All of the sugary drinks, Gatorade, even fruit juices – which is something I want to address. If you go to your grocery store or other stores where you buy your juice, look at the glucose or sugar content and how much added sugars they have added to the juice. You will be surprised. Even the orange juice or other natural juice that are promoted as healthy are not really healthy,” explains Dr. Pamnani.
In addition to prediabetes or type two diabetes, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) warns that people who often drink sugary drinks are more likely to face health problems such as weight gain, obesity, heart disease, kidney diseases, non-alcoholic liver disease, cavities, and gout.
“The best option? Water. Plain water. Natural, no calories, no excess sodium or potassium – so that is the best thing for you. Sometimes people think that Gatorade is giving them more energy but it is more of a placebo effect because you see it on TV or your favorite athlete or someone is promoting it – but plain water is as good for hydration as anything,” Dr. Pamnani says.
If you or members of your family, especially children, are not a fan of plain water, you can add sugar-free flavor to it with fresh fruits such as berries, lemons, or limes. And when it comes to getting in healthy nutrients, whole and natural foods are where you should get your calories from – not from juices. Not only is it the healthier route, but you actually consume more calories than you realize when on a so-called “liquid diet.”
In addition to reducing the intake of sugar-filled drinks, Dr. Pamnani warns that you should also be careful with smoothies. Many people use smoothies as a meal replacement or for a quick, on-the-go healthy breakfast. However, the ingredients you may add can actually make your seemingly healthy smoothie not-so-healthy, so it is important to stick to whole fruits and 100% fruit juices. Dr. Pamnani also recommends adding some veggies.
According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s most recent Dietary Guidelines for Americans, almost 90% of the U.S. population does not meet the daily recommendation for vegetables, which is where we get so many of our nutrients needed to nourish our body and increase our energy.

“We definitely need more greens. Strawberries taste good, bananas taste good, but they also have a high amount of sugar which is the reason they taste good. They are more fructose-based, so they are not in the processed sugar category and they are still much healthier than processed orange juice. But definitely greens and vegetables, fiber is a big component, zinc, selenium, magnesium – all of the good nutrients that are sometimes lacking are easily available through foods like spinach, avocado, broccoli,” explains Dr. Pamnani.
Another fad diet that Dr. Pamnani cautions people about is the keto diet that has been a big trend in recent years. While it may result in some form of weight loss, it greatly increases the risk of other health issues in individuals.
“It works dramatically. Within one month you can lose ten pounds and might feel amazing, but down the road – they just recently came out with a study – and they are finding more heart attacks, stroke, higher risk of death. It’s simple – your cholesterol will go high and that is linked to cardiovascular disease,” Dr. Pamnani warns.
The keto diet consists of about 60 to 80% of calories coming from fat. Dr. Pamnani warns that this extremely high percentage of fat intake is not sustainable for a long-term healthy lifestyle.
“Yes, the keto diet can help with rapid weight loss but any shortcut has side effects. The big ones I want to point out are fatty liver and high cholesterol. If you want to lose weight and want to follow something similar, I would lay out a plan like 30/30/30 percent of everything – carbs, protein, and fruits and veggies – and then five to ten percent fats. Don’t overeat on the fat,” advises Dr. Pamnani.
He adds that your intake of meats and poultry should be fresh and in lean forms versus processed or red meats.
Overall, the key to healthy weight loss includes fresh whole fruits and veggies, whole foods (including healthy whole grains), increasing your water intake, and limiting your processed foods and red meat intake.
Finally, kicking old habits is a big first step. According to the CDC, common eating habits that can lead to weight gain include eating too fast, always cleaning your plate, eating when not hungry, always eating dessert, or skipping meals. Some tips to change these habits include paying attention to these bad habits and replacing them with good ones: eating more slowly, eating only when you are truly hungry, and planning meals ahead of time.
To learn more about weight loss and proper nutrition, go to http://healthlibrary.osfhealthcare.org/Library/NutritionFacts/.
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Police and firefighters are on the scene of a fire at a pet store in Princeton.
TV6 crews spoke to the owner of Tanks Pet Supply located on South Main Street. She says some of the birds inside the shop died, but all the other animals got out safely.
The Princeton fire chief tells us the fire was contained to the pet store, but a business next door has some smoke damage. However, no other business was impacted. The fire chief also says no one was injured.
TV6 is working to gather more information and work with officials.

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The Fairfield Police Department says two people were found dead in a home on Tuesday.
Two people were found dead in a Fairfield, Illinois home on Tuesday, according to local police.
The Fairfield Police Department says Wayne County 911 received a call around 3:00 p.m. on Tuesday afternoon about two people in a home who weren’t responsive.
Officers arrived at the home on Mt. Vernon Road, where they found two people who had died.
The deceased were identified as 36-year-old Cory A. Baker and 41-year-old Amanda M. Tucker, both of Fairfield.
FPD says the reporter was a third party who called 911 after finding the two in the home.
The police department says that the Wayne County Questionable Death Protocol is being followed, which is standard for unattended deaths, and that the incident remains under investigation at this time.

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