BREAK-IN AT ETHEL'S TAVERN IN HIGHLAND OVER THE WEEKEND
Another burglary at a local tavern occurred over the weekend. According to the Highland Police Department, sometime between overnight Friday and early Saturday morning, Ethel's Tavern was entered. Several video poker machines, and the jukebox were broken into. The break-in is currently under investigation.
This is the fourth break-in to a business in the area over the last few weeks. The other three burglaries were a gas station and two taverns in Pocahontas. WGEL will have more details on the burglary at Ethels, when they become available.
STORM BRINGS RAIN TO THE AREA ON SUNDAY
The storms that rolled through the area Sunday night left behind less than an inch of rain. According to the City of Greenville rain gauges, there was .32 inches reported at the Waste Water Treatment Plant, .62 inches at 6th Street and .50 inches at Route 140 and Idler Lane.
WRONG PRESIDENT ON COUNTERFEIT BILLS LEAD TO ARRESTS
Fifty dollar counterfeit bills being passed in the Granite City area had the wrong president, and that is what helped store clerks spot them. According to Secret Service agent, Eric Pingolt, the counterfeiters had bleached five dollar bills and changed them to 50's, but because of the watermarks on the bills they could not change Abraham Lincoln's picture to that of Ulysses S. Grant's. A scratch pen, which is used by store owners to help identify counterfeit bills, did not register these bills as counterfeit. Agent Pingolt said the scratch pen did not catch the counterfeits because they were genuine five dollar bills, and scratch pens only catch counterfeit bills printed on counterfeit paper.
Four people from the Chicago area have been arrested, and the investigation still continues. So far the counterfeit money has been found only in the metro area, but according to Pingolt, towns along the interstates are attractive to counterfeiters; who can then unload their bogus bills and then be gone quickly.
