By JEFF LAMPEFor The Weekly Post FARMINGTON – Surveillance cameras are no longer just a Hollywood movie or big-city thing. As prices drop and technology improves, more and more small towns and cities are signing up to use surveillance cameras to assist law enforcement. Farmington may soon join that list. The Farmington City Council heard a presentation on FlockSafety cameras at Monday’s meeting. The presenter was Deputy Vinnie Porcaro of the Fulton County Sheriff’s Office, who said he is not paid by Flock, but is a strong believer in the company’s license plate recognition cameras. “Bad guys don’t like these,” he…

For The Prairie News TOULON – The Stark County Health Department will open its new First Choice Healthcare Clinic in Toulon on Monday, Dec. 11. The Health Department has entered into a partnership with the State Bank of Toulon, First Choice Healthcare and OneroRx Inc.-Local Health, Inc., to bring this new multi-service facility to Stark County. The clinic is located in the former Aunt Martha’s-Great River Community Health Center location at 120 E. Court St. Clinic hours will be Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. “This new healthcare center will offer Stark County and area residents public…

By JOHN A. BALLENTINEFor The Prairie News TOULON – Matthew R. Shipp faces further evaluation in his child pornography case. Shipp, 19, of Toulon, was transported from the Henry County Jail in Cambridge to the Stark County courtroom, in Toulon, for a scheduling conference hearing on Dec. 1. He appeared in Circuit Court with his Stark County Public Defender Robert M. McBride. The State’s Attorney’s Office Special Prosecutor Shanti Kulkarni was also present in the courtroom. McBride had filed a motion on Nov. 27 for “the defendant’s pre-trial release” from custody. Judge James A. Mack did not rule on this…

By JEFF LAMPEFor The Weekly Post ELMWOOD – Chad Wagner will leave his job as Superintendent of Elmwood CUSD 322 at the end of this school year. Wagner on Nov. 30 accepted a job as superintendent of Genoa-Kingston CUSD 424 in northern Illinois after approval by that district’s school board. He will start at Genoa-Kingston on July 1. “It’s exciting but bittersweet, all at the same time,” said Wagner, who spent the past 10 years leading the Elmwood district. “I’ll have 45 minutes from my office to my fiancee’s front door. It’s a good move for us. The timing is right….

By JOHN A. BALLENTINE TOULON – A 19-year-old man was arrested at his rural Toulon home and charged with five Class X felony counts of child pornography distribution. Class X felonies are punishable for 30 years maximum prison terms on each count. Matthew Shipp was taken into custody Nov. 15 by the Illinois Internet Crimes Against Children, which is made up of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies. According to Stark County Sheriff Steven Sloan the Stark County Sheriff’s Office in conjunction with the Illinois State Police, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Illinois Attorney General’s Office and Geneseo Police…

Traffic Citations &Ordinance Violations 11-22 – Ronald L. Roach – Disregard stop sign.12-2 – Jorge Luis Sosa Mora – Electronic communication device. Incidents & AccidentsStark County11-26 – A single-vehicle occurred on Route 40 at the intersection of 1150N located south of Bradford. The driver was Robert J. Forbes, 70, Bradford. The driver reportedly was traveling south on Route 40 when he went off the west shoulder of the road and crashed into the ditch. The vehicle rolled over and landed on its side. No tickets were issued but Forbes was transported by ambulance to the hospital. The vehicle sustained over…

NOTE: Charges are merely an accusation. All suspects are presumed innocent until proven guilty. Police reports• EDELSTEIN – A Eureka man reported no injuries following a single-vehicle rollover accident near Edelstein. Shortly after 5:15 p.m. Nov. 27, Nathan J. Arnold was driving a 2006 Jeep Wrangler south in the 21100 block of Illinois Route 40 when the vehicle hit black ice and slid off the roadway into a ditch, a Peoria County Sheriff’s Office report stated. The vehicle rolled onto its passenger side. Multiple people stopped to help roll the vehicle upright, according to the report. The vehicle had minor…

NOTE: Charges are merely an accusation. All suspects are presumed innocent until proven guilty. Stark County Report11-24 – A fight and battery incident was handled at the Spoon River Bowl establishment in downtown Wyoming. The incident remains under investigation. Galva ReportOfficer dispatched:11-20 – to a residence on SW 7th Street to check the welfare of a child. They were fine.11-20 – Officer met with a subject at the Galva PD to file a report involving a lost or stolen front license plate.11-20 – to the 300 block of SW 3rd Street for a fire that had been started close to…

NOTE: Charges are merely an accusation. All suspects are presumed innocent until proven guilty. Police reports• WILLIAMSFIELD – Authorities are investigating a possible burglary attempt in Williamsfield that prompted a lockdown of the school.About 7:45 a.m. Nov. 15, the Knox County Sheriff’s Office responded to a call regarding an issue at a building in the 100 block of N. Oak St. There they found a broken front window. Nobody was inside the building, which was being used for storage, according to Sgt. Brad Davis of the sheriff’s office. Deputies gathered evidence and are pursuing suspects, Davis said. A K9 officer…

NOTE: Charges are merely an accusation. All suspects are presumed innocent until proven guilty. Traffic citations andOrdinance violation 11-14 – Cody A. Reaver – Driving 15-20 mph above limit.11-15 – Brenda J. Lessman – Driving 15-20 mph above limit.11-15 – Jacob A. Thacker – Electronic communication device.11-15 – Mary L. Johnson – Electronic communication device.11-15 – Sean M. Kuberski – Electronic communication device.11-15 – Timothy J. Williams – Electronic communication device.11-15 – Matthew Donath, Jr. – Seatbelt required.11-15 – Michael J. Lucas – Uninsured vehicle, expired registartion & display plate attachment.11-16 – Kellea J. Nelson – Driving 15-20 mph above…