Working the overnight shift can be slow for local law enforcement.....until it isn’t.  Yesterday (Jan 29) would not be among those slow days for Sheriffs deputies passing through Witt.  A deputy noticed a growing cloud of smoke just before 3am streaming out of a residence at 213 North First Street.   The Deputy searched the area to find the source of the smoke and located a residence which was on fire. The Deputy advised Montgomery County Telecommunications of the fire resulting in the Witt Fire Department being dispatched to the scene. The Deputy then began making attempts to alert the occupants of the residence and was quickly assisted by a second Montgomery County Deputy. The Deputies were able to make contact with the occupants of the residence who had been asleep and were unaware of the fire. A male and female resident along with a 4 year old child and pet were safely evacuated from the residence without injury. “The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office is extremely grateful for the alertness and quick actions of the Deputies. It is unknown what theoutcome may have been had the fire not been observed until later but we believe the residents and their pet are safe today due to the actions of the Deputies, Telecommunicators, and other first responders” stated Sheriff Holshouser. The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office would like to extend its appreciation to the following first responder agencies that responded to the scene and provided support: Witt Fire Department, Nokomis Fire Department, Fillmore Fire Department, Coffeen Fire Department, Litchfield Fire Department, Nokomis/Witt Area Ambulance, Montgomery County EMA, and Red Cross. 

So far, the National Weather Service reports a range of 6 to 8 inches of snow (as of 11 a.m.) has fallen along Macoupin and Montgomery Counties.  It's said to be light and fluffy, making it easier to shovel as Mid Illinois digs out of the mess.  Another 1 to 2 inches of snow is expected to fall across the region.

The Litchfield based SCI career and technical education center is in the market for a new leader.  Juletta Ellis has resigned from the post, effective this summer.   The resignation came after Ellis was picked to serve as Superintendent in Nokomis Schools.   She will spend on year as the District Administrator as current Superintendent Dr Scott Doerr will take part in a one year transition process as he approaches retirement.

 

The administrative post will offer important work as  she will have many roles in her preparation to become the next Superintendent of Nokomis, including, conducting the day-to-day business of the district under Dr Doerr's direct supervision.  

Montgomery County Emergency Management Agency is providing information regarding a magnitude 3.5 earthquake that occurred at 1:27 a.m. on January 20.
According to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), the earthquake was located 1.8 Miles Northwest of Ohlman and about 5 miles Northeast of Nokomis, Illinois. The event occurred at a depth of approximately 8.8 kilometers (5.5 miles). The center of the earthquake occurred in Christian County but was felt by several residents throughout Montgomery County.
Shortly after 1:27 am Montgomery County 911 began to receive a number of calls from individuals who reported the incident but none indicated any injury or damage. By mid-morning several individuals had reported feeling the earthquake via social media and nearly 2000 people had made a report through the USGS “Did You Feel It?” reporting system.
At the end of the day, no damage or injuries have been reported in Montgomery County.
Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office and Montgomery County EMA will continue to monitor information from the USGS and other partners and will provide updates if additional information becomes available.
Residents who felt the earthquake are encouraged to submit a report at earthquake.usgs.gov, as public reports help scientists better understand seismic activity.For earthquake preparedness information or questions, county residents may contact Montgomery County EMA. At danh@montgomerycountyil.gov or 217-313-4153

UNIT: Illinois State Police (ISP) Troop 8

LOCATION:  I-55 northbound at milepost 52, Litchfield, Montgomery County

DATE and TIME: January 14, 2026, at approximately 1:47 p.m.

BRIEF SYNOPSIS: A preliminary investigation indicates the following occurred: ISP Troop 8 responded to the location above for a deceased pedestrian in the roadway.  The right lane of I-55 is currently shut down.  No further information is available. 

The excitement is already building for a major festival in Carlinville this June that will celebrate the 100th anniversary of Route 66.

            

The Route 66 Jubilee, which will feature old-fashioned cars, games, costumes, and storytelling, is scheduled for June 26 on the lawn of the Macoupin County courthouse. Planning for the event, one of the more significant small-town Route 66 events during the anniversary, has been going on for two years.

            

Even the date of the event – June 26, 2026 -- is significant. Spelled out numerically, the day is 6-26-26 – similar to the Carlinville ZIP code of 62626.

            

“When highway and hometown align only once, we celebrate!” laughed Mary Tinder, a member of the Jubilee Steering Committee that is organizing the event. “We expect this to be a really big deal, with something unique for everyone.”

            

The Jubilee will harken back to the days of Route 66, which rolled through Carlinville from 1926-30 during its original alignment, with old-time games like sack races and kick the can. Storytelling and historical presentations, including local authors, songwriters, and musicians, will add to the flavor of the event.

            

One of the top attractions of the Jubilee will be a display of classic Ford Model A automobiles, which were one of the few cars on Route 66 when it passed through Carlinville. The Model A, which replaced the iconic Model T in Ford Motor Company production, was one of the top-selling cars in the United States during its production from 1927-31, though they are increasingly rare today.

            

A group of collectors from the Missouri Valley Region of the Model A Restorers Club (MRV-MARC) from the St. Louis area will be on hand with their cars at the Jubilee to show off their beautifully restored vehicles.  Talks are being scheduled for the public to learn more about automotive and transportation history.

 

“That is really going to be something to see,” said Tinder. “We’re just thrilled that this group wanted to be here, and bring their classic cars.”

            

Presentations and conversations about the role of the car both on Route 66 and in American daily life, along with Route 66 travelers, moonshiners, gangsters, and flappers will educate and inspire people of all ages at the Jubilee. Many individuals, including local and county officials, will be in period costume during the day.

           

Another feature will be the “First Time Up” mini stage, where youngsters age 4-12 can take the microphone to sing a short song, read a few lines from a favorite book, or share their favorite poem. The stage reflects the conversations and participation that welcomes people of all ages to the Jubilee.

           

“We want to bring history alive for everyone through storytelling and music from the ‘Mother Road,’” remarked Tinder. “This event will be family-friendly with music, art, games, and, of course, food.”

            

The Route 66 Jubilee stems from ideas that Macoupin County Sheriff Shawn Kahl, along with Macoupin County Board members Harry Starr IV and Tony Wiggins, have envisioned for a vintage festival on the courthouse lawn.

 

“They’ve wanted to see this happen for several years,” said Andrea Duncan, another member of the Steering Committee. “They saw how important, and how much fun, it could be.”

            

Similarly, Carlinville Winning Communities and the Carlinville City Tourism Committee were challenged in 2023 by Great Rivers and Routes to become a part of the “Last 100 Miles” celebrations in Illinois along Route 66. Planning for the Jubilee has been underway in the two years since that invitation.

            

The Jubilee Steering Committee includes Tinder and Duncan, along with Bobbi Bates, the Economic Development and Zoning Coordinator for the city of Carlinville, and Chad Strubbe, the general manager of Ace Hardware in Carlinville and board member of the Carlinville Community Chamber of Commerce.

            

The committee is continuing to plan with the community for the Jubilee, and welcomes all input and participation in the event.

            

Any local civic groups who would like to be a part of the Jubilee activities may contact Tinder (217-825-9699) or Duncan (217-204-1446). Local businesses, churches, or schools that want to be involved may contact Bates (217-854-4908) or Strubbe (217-891-1432). 

 At approximately 7:00 p.m. last night (Thursday 1/8), Montgomery County was impacted by a line of severe thunderstorms that produced heavy rain and high winds. Several areas of the county, including Hillsboro, Irving, and Witt, received the majority of storm-related calls, primarily involving downed trees and limbs in yards and roadways.

The storm caused widespread power disruptions, with multiple reports of downed lines leaving a number of residents without electricity.

At approximately 7:39 pm as a result of the storm, the Montgomery County 911 radio system experienced an outage for nearly an hour. During this time, emergency communications were handled using the county’s backup system while county IT personnel worked to restore full service.

At 8:49 p.m., Union Pacific railroad officials notified Montgomery County 911 that a southbound train may have made contact with a low-hanging line near McCord’s Trail near Irving, Illinois. The Witt Fire Department was dispatched to the scene. Upon further investigation, responders determined that a communication line and pole had been snapped off.

Fire personnel notified railroad officials, and all train traffic was temporarily halted while the track area was cleared. Rail service was safely restored approximately 30 minutes later and no injuries were reported.

In addition to utility and rail disruptions, there were reports of a few minor traffic accidents and multiple locations on city streets, secondary roads and state routes  experiencing roadway flooding.

County officials continue to monitor conditions and encourage residents to use caution when traveling and to report any storm-related hazards to local authorities.

Macoupin State's Attorney Jordan Garrison announced today an Alton man has been sentenced to ten years in the Illinois Department of Corrections - the maximum sentence allowed for reckless homicide. Anthony G. Ford, Jr. (4/8/1980) appeared in Court this morning where he entered a plea of guilty to one count of Reckless Homicide. On August 12, 2025, Ford appeared in Court for a detention hearing where the Court granted the State's motion to deny pre-trial release. He has been held in the Macoupin County Jail since that time. 

On July 7, 2025, the Illinois State Police and Macoupin County Sheriff's Department responded to a traffic crash on Illinois Route 267 near FS Road in Macoupin County. Surveillance video was obtained from a nearby business. After reviewing the surveillance video it was determined that Ford was driving a box truck when he crossed the center line and struck head on a vehicle being driven by Taylor Cummines of Medora. Cummines was pronounced dead at the scene from injuries sustained in the crash. Toxicology results indicated that Ford had consumed cocaine sometime prior to the crash. 

"Ford had no business whatsoever being behind the wheel that day," Garrison said. "His reckless actions cause the lost of a mother, daughter, granddaughter and sibling. I offer my sincerest sympathies to Taylor's entire family. I thank the Illinois State Police, specifically Tpr. Matt Storey and Special Agent Josh Bruhn of Zone 6 Major Crimes, for their amazing work in obtaining justice for her family." 

As charged, Reckless Homicide is a class 3 felony with a maximum sentence of 2-10 years in the Illinois Department of Corrections.

Local Restaurant owner Ismael Sandoval of Staunton is spending the New Year back in Mexico.  He was deported on Christmas Eve.  Sandoval’s attorney maintained sending him back to Mexico not only would bring an end to his time operating a restaurant in Staunton, it also was a threat to his life, claiming individuals who spent considerable time in the United States were targeted by cartels after their return.   Sandoval’s cousin was reportedly murdered by a cartel or narcotics operation. ICE rejected claims about his safety being endangered.  They described him as a serial immigration offender who crossed the border four times between 2003 and 2005.