OFFICER INVOLVED SHOOTING IN BELLEVILLE ON SUNDAY
The Illinois State Police have released information regarding an officer involved shooting, on Sunday around 2:20PM, at the Belleville Quick Stop. According to police, the shooting occurred after officers responded to a 911 call of an armed subject, in front of the store.
Responding officer's confronted an African American male who displayed, what had appeared to be, a handgun. A Belleville Police Officer fired one shot, striking the subject. He was transported to an area hospital for treatment and is expected to recover.
The State Police will present the completed investigation to the St. Clair County State's Attorney's Office for review of the police officer's use of deadly force. No additional information will be provided until after review by the State's Attorney.
A LOOK BACK AT THE CITY OF GREENVILLE IN 2007
It was a busy year for the City of Greenville. 2007 began with a contract between the City and the Buxton Research Company to search for appropriate commercial businesses and industrial prospects for the area. City Manager Dave Willey then attended a two-day retail trade show in Chicago, in February, and Las Vegas in May, which allowed Greenville to be available to several retailers.
Early last year, the City also began getting things in order to renew the Greenville Smithboro Enterprise Zone. After attending several board meetings, the enterprise zone was renewed. Bill Grider was hired at the City's new Public Works Director and Matt Willman was hired as the new Code Enforcement Officer. In May, the old Greenville Water Reservoir on 3rd Street was taken down in order to create more space for the public works department.
Former City Councilwoman Lisa Stephens was hired in May as the first Assistant City Manager, with her focus to be on bringing more businesses to Greenville. Representatives for the Governor's Hometown Award visited the area in July. The City then received the award in November. Greenville also purchased new equipment for the water plant in hopes of producing better smelling water to customers and reducing the yearly costs of chemicals.
In September, another Ethanol Plant, Reed-Three Rivers Bio-Grain, announced interest in opening a plant in Greenville. AENS has already been trying to get a plant in the area for the past year and a half. A couple new businesses will be opening in Greenville though, a new hotel south of I-70, where the old Skelly's restaurant used to be and the Molinero Plant, in the Wolf Industrial Park.
BODY SHOP IN HILLSBORO BURNS TO THE GROUND
This past Wednesday, employees at a Hillsboro Auto Body Shop were lucky to be out to lunch when a fire broke out in the building. According to the Hillsboro Fire Department, a call came in around 12:27PM that the Dowalder Auto Body building was on fire.
Eleven firefighters were able to extinguish the fire, after being on scene for over four hours. Later that evening, around 8:45PM, firemen were called back to the auto body, due to a rekindle. It was extinguished again within a half-hour.
Firefighters believe that according to evidence at the scene, ashes that were dumped out from a wood-burning stove probably caught some dry leaves on fire and it then spread to the shop. The 60-foot by 50-foot building was a total loss, including everything inside it. The Fire Marshall's Office was not called, due to nothing being found to suspect foul play. The remaining steel frame has since been torn down.
