12-18-2009

 

ARMED STAND-OFF IN NOKOMIS

 

A domestic disturbance resulted in a five hour armed stand-off in Nokomis Wednesday afternoon and early evening.  According to Montgomery County Public Information Officer and County Clerk Sandy Leitheiser, 60 year-old Xhesko Sadiku was apprehended in his vehicle near Spruce and State Streets, in downtown Nokomis, around 6:05 p.m.  When Sadiku was arrested, two firearms were allegedly found and seized by police.  The stand-off started around 1:00 p.m. when Sadiku allegedly threatened to kill himself in front of other family members.  Sadiku was transferred to Hillsboro Area Hospital.  The Illinois Law Enforcment Alarm System Special Response Team along with Nokomis, Litchfield, Coffeen, and Irving Police and the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Department all assisted in the stand-off, as did the Nokomis Fire Protection District.  Some of the downtown area of Nokomis was blocked off and evacuated during the stand-off. It’s not been announced if any charges will be brought against Sadiku at this time. 

 

KASKASKIA COLLEGE COAL MINING CLASSES

 

Kaskaskia College will be hosting Coal Mining New Hire Classes at the Nashville Education Center starting Saturday, January 23 continuing through the 31st. This is the Federal Mine Safety and Health Administration requirement for a person to work in an underground or surface mine. These classes will be held from 8:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. for two consecutive weekends and the cost will be $110 per student. For more information, please call 618-327-9136.

STATE URGES APPLICATIONS FOR FEDERAL GRANTS

 

Officials from the Illinois Terrorism Task Force and the Illinois Emergency Management Agency are encouraging local emergency operation center managers to submit an application for funding. The grants are to help local emergency management agencies build new operation centers or renovate existing centers. FEMA recently announced that more than $10 million in EOC grants will be available nationwide in 2010.

NEW ILLINOIS DRIVING LAWS STARTING JANUARY 1ST

 

New driving laws, targeting distracted driving, will take effect January 1 in Illinois. In August, Governor Pat Quinn signed a law that bans motorists from sending text messages while driving in Illinois and making it illegal to talk on a cell phone while driving through a highway construction zone or school zone. The law bans composing or reading text messages and instant messages, emailing or surfing the internet, on a cell phone, while driving. Using personal digital assistants and portable or mobile computers while driving are also included in the ban. Research has shown that using a cell phone while driving poses a serious distraction and reduces driver performance. The National Highway and Traffic Safety Administration estimates that driver distraction contributes to one-fourth of all police reported accidents.