The Hancock-Henderson Quill, Inc.
by db Conard, The Quill
Oquawka:Henderson County Sheriff Mark Lumbeck says as of next November there will be a new sheriff in town. "Thirty-five years is enough, and that it was time for someone else to do the job," Lumbeck said.
Although earlier this fall, Mark threw his hat in the ring for re-election next year, he has changed his mind after evaluating the financial considerations of retirement versus his salary.
"I realized I would be literally working for nothing," he said, "so I decided it was time to move on."
The Sheriff, a Democrat, is supporting as his replacement, his Chief Deputy Steve Haynes, a Democrat from Stronghurst.
"I am behind Steve 100%," Lumbeck said, with no comment about his Republican opponent, a retired Illinois State Trooper, Todd Miller from Oquawka.
Miller has been criticizing the amount of break-ins around the county, which he points to the abundance of illegal drugs and drug users in the county.
Miller said in a recent public meeting, that if they would get rid of the drugs the thefts would decline.
Petty crime was the rule of thumb over the last week. There were two complaints that had residents shaking their heads and recalling "the old days of tar and feathering."
The saddest was that someone felt the need to steal the memorial contributions at the Stronghurst Christian Church from the Lucille Hustead funeral service.
The money was stolen right out of church (not at the Banks & Beals Funeral Home which is secure). This makes it now three violations of churches, two in Lomax and one in Stronghurst.
The next incident that makes one wonder was the theft of a yellow caution sign warning, of a deaf child playing. The sign was near the Tate place north of Dallas City. Aaron Tate reported the theft.
The only other crime that the Sheriff had to report this week was a burglary of Peterson's Garage in Stronghurst where the Sheriff said there were some leads that were being worked on.
Someone is gambling a lifetime of shame against a measly $40.00 and it is probable that this kind of stupid has to get caught eventually.
Other than that, the Sheriff said that next week we would start on a regular Crime Stoppers program in the Quill. Does anyone know something that the Sheriff department should??? It is pretty hard to hide a yellow sign attached to a big metal pole.
Please Call, 309-867-4291. It's the right thing to do.