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Couple alleges motorist caused collision that led to injuries

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EDWARDSVILLE – An O'Fallon couple is suing a Troy motorist, alleging the defendant drove her vehicle into theirs, causing injuries.

Forrest S. Creson and Jo Ann Creson filed a lawsuit Dec. 22 in Madison County Circuit Court against Mary L. Vanecek of Troy, alleging negligence.

According to the complaint, on May 17, 2014, the Cresons were traveling in their vehicle southbound on South Lincoln Avenue in Madison County when Vanecek drover her vehicle into the side of the plaintiffs' vehicle, causing damage. 

The suit says the defendant's operation of the vehicle was negligent, including failing to keep her vehicle under control, failure to keep a proper lookout and failure to yield to the right of way.

As a result of the collision, the lawsuit states, the plaintiffs have expended money for medical bills and have sustained additional damages, including loss of enjoyment of life.

The Cresons each seek at least $50,000 plus court costs and attorney fees. They are represented by attorneys Bill T. Walker of Granite City and Dale M. Funk of O'Fallon.

Madison County Circuit Court case number 15-L-1656


Madison County real estate Dec. 28-31

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Madison County Real Estate :




December 28, 2015




Alhambra



•$460,000- State Route 4- Lynn M. Barnes to Marcella Jean Tiemann
•$1,025,000- State Route 4 - Lynn M. Barnes to Russell W. and Don L. Becker




Alton



•$15,726- 3313 Leo St. - Judicial Sales Corp. to JSC Acquisitions
•$359,632- 2832 Harris Ln. - Cyril Nicholas Kocj Trust to Equity Trust Co.
•$144,150- 11 Hebner Dr. - Lance A. Demond to Gayvonna F. Julian




Bethalto



•$21,714- 327 W. Corbin St. - Wells Fargo Bank to Matthew Cyril Fingerhut and Caleb Alexander Davis




Collinsville



•$140,000- 143 Rolling Oaks Dr. - Kristyn Valleroy to Donna Brown
•$5,000- Elm St. - Thomas W. Kniest and Charles Dufour to CM Jones Properties




Cottage Hills



•$15,000- 1313 9th St. - US Bank to RIchard Alan James




E. Alton



•$36,500- 717 E. Woodland Dr. - Estate of Edward E. Schmidt to Sally Smith




Edwardsville



•$75,200- 1039 Grand Ave. - Mary A. Schuh to Mary Pearson
•$333,900- 7606 Eaton Tr. - Mike and Valeria Smith to Scott and Elizabeth Onken
•$250,000- 2306 Little Round Top Dr. - Kim M. Bridges to Jeffrey Swiatek
•$53,550- 1800 Hunicke St. - Federal Home Loan Mortgage to Hung Q. Ung and Rose K. Bui
•$194,350- 4202 Wanda Rd. - Keller Construction to Bros LLC
•$260,000- 1720 N. Main St. - TRC Rentals to Main St. Investing
•$165,000- 5400 State Route 157 - Harold H. Rapp to Gregory M. Rapp




Glen Carbon



•$370,500- 6 Wolfe Creek Ct. - David and Janet L. Warta to National Residential Nominee Services
•$340,000- 6 Wolfe Creek Ct - National Residential Nominee Services to Jared Durer and Kristy Wrigley -Durer




Godfrey



•$239,000- 5204 Foxglove Ln.- Matthew W. and Karen A. Ebbeler to Ronald W. Jacobson and Jo Ann Spudich - Jacobson




Granite City



•$26,000- 2800 Denver St. - Federal National Mortgage to Mizraim Romero
•$17,500- 2364 Miracle Ave. - Federal National Mortgage to Junior Rock Investments
•$347,805- Bruns Rd. - Uram Granite City to Rapp Family Joint Trust




Highland


•$113,000- 1911 Lakeshore Dr. - Brad Korte and Jean Mary Korte to George A. and Gwen M. McKinnon
•$58,000- 85 Liberty Ln., Lot 65- Wellen Homes to David Arthur and Wander M. Dean




Marine



•$650,000- Goodall Rd. - Lynn M. Barnes to Ulrich Family Farms
•$209,598- Goodall Rd. - Ulrich Family Farms to Russell W. and Don L. Becker




New Douglas



•$185,005- County Hwy 27- Mary A Stanley to M B Oil Production
•$110,000- 607 W. Deck St. - Shannon Holdahl to Tim W. Zigler




S. Roxana



•$96,500- 305 Michigan Ave. - Michael C. Napp to Brianna K. Hanks




Troy



•$915,936- Staunton Rd. - Dutch Taylor to Retail Place
•$155,000- 344B Jarvis Ct. - J. Borowy Enterprises to Dale J. Nemeth




Wood River



•$87,900- 621 N. 3rd St. - Ellen Connoyer Case to Lynne Mank




Worden



•$172,000- 8640 Wieseman Rd. - Mark S. O'Dell and Darlene M. O'Dell to Todd Schlemer




December 29, 2015




Alhambra



•$180,000- 10668 Niggli Rd. - Brian P. Buske to Anastasia Bodenbach
•$245,000- 4525 State Route 4 - Lynn M. Barnes to Leitshuh AG Services




Alton



•$85,900- 2506 Sanford Ave. - Mark C. and Hope N. Zigrang to Timothy L. Robertson and Miranda K. Harmon
•$27,000- 3105 Fernwood Dr. - Secretary of HUD to Johniquia Chatman




Bethalto



•$250,000- 21 Bethalto Lakes DR. - Denny L. Jr. and Kimberly A. Doerr to Mark C. and Hope N. Zigrang
•$227,500- 164 Patriots - James M. and Sarah A. Irvin to William T. Jr. and Heather L. Norman
•$70,000- 132 Mill st. - Janet L. Wicker to Keith A. and Iva K. Glunt




Collinsville



•$38,500- 779 Timberlane Dr. - Wells Fargo Bank to Harold Parker
•$26,000- 1702B Ramada Blvd. - Julia A. Church to Donald and Stacey O'Brien
•$126,000 - 117 Linda Dr. - Junior Ray Kemp to Benjamin T. Narup




Edwardsville



•$1,875,000- Enterprise DR. - Gateway Commerce Center to Atlas of Minnesota
•$45,000- 1427 Eberhart Ave. - Jeanette A. Cates to Mary A. Taylor




Glen Carbon



•$170,000- 101 Northlane Dr. - Christopher C. and Jennifer P. Bosworth to Charles H. and Connie J. Bosworth




Godfrey



•$170,000- 6406 Humbert Rd. - Frederick and Patricia Smith to Andrew and Suenell Barnes




Marine



•$1,220,000- State Route 4 - Lynn M. Barnes to David L. Bertels
•$15,000- Goodall Rd. - Lynn M. Barnes to Kent R. Bohnenstiehl




Troy



•$332,303- 621 Briar Meadow Ct. - Lerch Homes to Travis and Jennifer Pfaff
•$238,650- 1400 Bridgehampton - Penn Builders to Brett and Courtney Wehking
•$192,900- 38 Cedarbrooke - Troy Real Estate to Joseph M. Jones

Wood River



•$95,000- 564 Park Ln. - Kathryn Bucher to Thomas W. and Noemi Salinas- Forsythe
•$13,125- 34 E. Lorena Ave. - SM Commercial LLC to Laborers International Union Local 338




Worden



•$77,950- 137 Fillmore - Citifinancial Servicing to Chief Home Buyers







December 30, 2015




Alton


•$19,000- 3414 Fullerton Ave. - The Judicial Sales Corp. to Chris Kiser
•$22,055- 941 Riley Ave. - JPMorgan Chase Bank to Alan Investment III
•$250,000- 2865 Home Adams Pkwy- Pennington Holdings to BP Professional Building




Bethalto


•$235,000- 133 Gabrielle Cr. - CA Jones Inc to John and Nancy Bishop




Collinsville



•$182,000- 1303 Waverly Dr. - Stacy J. and Alicia McElroy to Chad and Christina Pacewic




Edwardsville



•$319,662- 305 Shea Ct. - Construction Solutions 4 U to Jeffrey D. Worman
•$120,000- 415 Sanner St. - Sanner Management to Luis A. Michel




Glen Carbon



•$165,000- 71 S. Meadow Ln. - Ronald J. Lavingne to Dawn Voss and Jason Swisher
•$334,824- 612 Briarstone DR. - Remington Properties to Timothy P. and Julie M. Rusk-Root
•$132,500- 15 Grainey Dr - Thomas R. Eilers to Dennis M. and Lorina G. Boomhower




Godfrey



•$5,000- 6420 Humbert Rd. - Keller Construction to Union Pacific Railroad Co.




Granite City



•$22,500- 2933 Fortune DR. - Linda K. Slavings to Wise Choice Properties
•$75,000- 3001 Fehling Rd. - Pamela Docter and Eric A. Peters to Tamara L. Beard
•$48,000- 2806 Iowa St. - William F. Campbell to Wayne A. Wasson
•$80,000- 2713 Grand Ave. - Sophia R. Cluck to Connie S. and Annabelle M. Adams
•$77,500- 4337 State Route 162- Richard D. Rebstock to Brian S. and Jennifer E. Potts
•$70,000- 3015 Buxton Ave. - Tim Mayfield to David D. and Jessica J. Allen
•$53,900- 2917 Grand Ave. - George B. Yevin to Birkenmeyer Properties




Hamel



•$209,000- 237 Hamel Ave. - Julie M. Root to Richard M. and Marcia K. Gregor




Marine



•$60,900- 636 West Division St. - The Judicial Sales Corp. to Secretary of HUD




Maryville



•$300,000- 10 Ashford Oaks Ct. - Steven and Kimberly Evans to Andrew and Tina Rakers




Roxana



•$29,900- 319 N. Central Ave. - Raymond E. Meuret to Tom Gajewski




Troy



•$320,500- 433 Briar Creek Rd. - Lindow Contracting to Robert M. and Erin E. Szegedy




Wood River



•$59,000- 1480 William St. - 3 Rivers Group to William and Kimberly Ury
•$20,000- 5600 Cedar Bend Dr. - First Clover Leaf Bank to Fulford Homes FHT
•$20,000- 3419 Maple Ridge Dr. - First Clover Leaf Bank to Fulford Homes FHT
•$20,000- 5607 Coneflower Ct. - First Clover Leaf Bank to Fulford Homes FHT




Worden



•$125,000 - 1854 Brigantine Cr. - Mary M. Barr to Dustin R. Berry
•$115,000- 1977 Captains Dr. - Secretary of HUD to Artur and Christina Segieda







December 31, 2015




Alton



•$50,000- 2119 Washington Ave. - Barry H. Walker to Jeremy Vacca
•$159,570- 3403 E. Broadway - Nichol R. Fenarl to Global Tower Assets III
•$159,570- 3403 E. Broadway - Nichol R. Fenarl to Global Tower Assets III
•$35,000- 2317 State St. - Stephen J. Voss to M. Goode Construction Co. Inc
•$32,000- 332 Lindenwood Blvd. - Jerry and Diana Shobe to Aaron Agne
•$125,000- 1901 Seminary St. - Louis A. Vlasaty to Sara E. Cooke




Bethalto



•$50,000- 219 Sunset Dr. - Secretary of HUD to Kassandra L. Evans
•$68,000- 306 Silver St. - Paula Johnson and Aminda Mindrup to Brian and Tina Davis




Collinsville



•$129,000- 215 Windridge Dr. - Patsy M. Franz to Maria E. Labrador
•$150,000- 1025 Notting Hill Ct. - Mary Fox to Patsy M. Franz
•$109,300- 1107 Olive St. - Horstmann Family Trust to Alvin Brooks
•$142,500- 403 South St. - Cochran Homes to Brian Reeves
•$90,000- 204 & 206 N. Bluff Rd. - Midland States Bank to Jay Dashama LLC




Cottage Hills



•$2,000- 1314 1st St. - Dean Ecker to Kenneth R. Edwards




E. Alton



•$84,900- 101 S. Center St. - Russell and Lynda Wheat to Diane Wilburn




Edwardsville



•$176,501- 2704 Hunters Crossing Dr. - Secretary of HUD to FFO Investments
•$8,730,000- 1 Mutual Ct. - Madison Mutual Insurance Co. to Edwardsville Town Center
•$133,000- 1175 San Juan Dr. - L. Leo George to David Scott III and Lauren Scott




Glen Carbon



•$155,000- 327 Meridian Rd. - Kristin and Andrew Kuhnke to Shawn Brown
•$132,000- 31 North - Edward P. and Sarah C. Corbin to Jason Murray and Andrew Marie Hohman




Godfrey



•$115,000- 1122 Juniper Ave. - Sara Cooke to Nathan A. and Kelsey N. Schulz
•$127,500- 1360 Normandy Dr. - Loretta Jean Ramsey to Phyllis C. Schnelten Trust
•$59,900- 4817 Longview Ave. - Larry E. Stark to Richard A. Wiley




Hamel



•$51,200- 201 Meyer Ave. - US Bank to Craig and Carrie Holt




Hartford



•$34,500- 102 E. Watkins St. - Thomas L. and Jennifer L. Abert to Jacqueline Swiecicki




Highland



•$76,000- 1412 6th St. - Wilfred A. and Jean S. Holzinger to House Turners
•$64,000- 1401 Poplar St. - Earl C. Gillomen to Keith, Janet, and Hershell McDowell
•$295,000- 255 Canterbury Ln. - Dennis J. and Terri L. Komeshak to Michael R. and Heather L. Chapman
•$78,000- 2551 Becker Rd. - Green Leaf Management Group to Brian Thomas and Nicole Drazen




Madison



•$1,455,426- 2000 Access Blvd. - SLSB LLC to 2000 Access LLC




Marine



•$176,000- 616 E. Division St. - Shaun R. and Heather Bales and Russell D. Bales and Mary Jo Bales to Thomas Albert Jr. and Tiffany M. Vogler




St. Jacob



•$380,000- 2017 Richview Dr. - Thomas and Mary Paoli to Roy W. and Kimberly B. Wells
•$72,000- 8928 Indian Creek - Wendell Creek Estates to Robert L. Jr. and Donna L. Fulkerson
•$82,00- 406 Napoleon St. - Andrew F. and Mary Jane E. McFadden to Nash R. Frey




Troy



•$209,000- 1412 Dale Dr. - Sarah B. Palau and James S. Gray to Joseph T. and Ashley M. Benker
•$167,700- 401 Creekside Dr. - Dale G. and Charlotte C. Hassebrock to David Justice
•$71,000- 207 Avalon Dr. - Joshua Jourdan and Jessa Maier to Mike and Jennifer Maier
•$238,000- 120 Norwood Ct. - Amanda K. and Ronald V. Hidalgo to Sarah B. Palau




Wood River



•$26,050- 277 S. 7th St. - Secretary of HUD to Mark Janes Jr.

Today's chuckle: union spokesman worried about cronyism

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Remember the federal government shutdown in 2013? It didn't last long enough, did it? But at least we learned how many federal workers were “non-essential.”

That's 85 percent of Department of Commerce employees, 90 percent or more of the personnel at EPA, SEC, HUD, and Treasury, and 95 percent of the man- and woman-power at the Department of Education.

Perhaps it depends on what the meaning of “non-essential” is, but, still, we have to wonder why a government so deep in debt and perpetually running deficits insists on retaining hordes of not-altogether-necessary workers.

Exactly how many people are working for the federal government? About half.

It's an old joke, and pretty corny, but there's more than a kernel of truth to it – even on the state level. Some are working hard, some hardly working, and some not working at all.

Illinois has more than its share of non-essential public employees, many of whom enjoy compensation and benefits far exceeding what they could command in the private sector.

Our state can no longer afford to bankroll this boondoggle, and additional tax increases will only exacerbate the ongoing exodus of productive businesses and citizens, leading to further declines in revenue.

The only alternative is to face reality and cut costs, which is what Gov. Bruce Rauner is trying to do.

Rauner has implemented a merit-raise system for non-union employees and a few thousand workers represented by smaller state-government unions. What he'd like to do is extend this merit system to the state’s largest employee union, the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Council 31.

Unfortunately, Council 31 members have very low self-esteem. Uncertain of their worth, they prefer to stick with a system in which their merit is assumed and not measured.

Council 31 spokesman Anders Lindall feigns concern that the governor's plan would “open the door to cronyism and favoritism,” as if those weren't the very things that got us into this mess.

St. Clair County real estate Dec. 29-Jan. 7

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St. Clair County Real Estate:




December 29, 2015




Belleville



•$38,000- 27 Creston Dr. - Centrue Bank v. James R. and Debra L. Berkel
•$30,000- 3809 S. Park Dr. - Paul Gilbert v. Brian Rauk
•$38,800- 6919 W. A St. - Kim L. Yocks to CDF Holdings
•$72,500- 39 Chadwick Dr. - Dolores M. Cange to Barbara L. Queen




Cahokia



•$34,400- 1728 Harvest Ave. - EZ Street Properties to Springday Properties




Centreville



•$8,000- 201 N. 73rd St. - Federal National Mortgage to Cheryl D. Bell




Dupo



•$108,000- 608 N. 3rd St. - Courtney Thompson and Thomas M. Belcher Jr. to Andrew Maynard




Freeburg



•$85,000- 3449 Arbor View Ct. - Arbor View Acres to Jason and Angie Huelsmann




Mascoutah



•$42,000- 322 N. Jefferson St.- Fannie Mae to David and Kristen Schramke




Millstadt



•$164,000- 610 E. Washington St. - Paul J. Flint and Susan C. Wulf to Joan L. Barfield




OFallon



•$345,000- 1833 Riviera Ln. - Charles R. and Diane M. Hawkins to Courtney Jones







December 30, 2015




Belleville



•$26,000- 11 W. C St. - Michael Schweickert to Thomas Pavlak
•$50,150- 213 Lincolnshire Blvd. - Secretary of HUD to Casey Pavlak
•$91,000- 2153 Muren Blvd. - Excel Land Development to Darryl E. Godfrey
•$76,260- 1309 Express Dr. - Fannie Mae to Ramone L. Collins
•$30,000- 16 S. Church St. - Regions Bank to NEX Homes
•$100,000- 127 N. 75th St. - Martin S. Mora to Jared Amann - Stewart
•$72,425- 3261 Tanglebrook Dr. - Danielle Addvci to Champaign Investment




Cahokia



•$1,000- 711 Sparks Ave. - Bank of America to Stephen Lancaster




Caseyville



•$14,900- 2424 N. 89th St. - Fannie Mae to Young Rich LLC




E. St. Louis



•$1,000- 519-521 N. 27th St. - Kenthan Martin to Timothy Macon




Fairview Heights



•$66,200- 408 Anita Dr. - Jennifer L. Smith - Carlson to Ronald T. Althardt
•$110,861- 72 Bayberry- The Judicial Sales to Champaign Investment




Mascoutah



•$255,573- 905 Beretta St. - Kappert Construction Co. to Kevin L. Elbe




MIllstadt



•$121,500- 19 E. White St. - Darryl Dewayne Hebel to Roger K. Hill Jr.
•$170,000- 54 Liederkranz Ln. - Laurie Molle to Linda Stuhlsatz
•$193,000- 9 Algonquin Dr. - Linda Stuhlsatz Trust to Jason Diekemper




OFallon



•$218,500- 156 Liberty Crossing - Angela M. and Michael T. Dahm to Christopher and April Lapetoda
•$38,500- 5111 Wesleyan DR. - Southern IL Land Investment to D&F Contracting
•$215,000- 7021 Millbrook Ln. - Gavin and Mallory Bundt to Angie White
•$80,080- 753 Forest Green Dr. - Danielle Addvci to Champaign Investment




St. Libory



•$98,500- 657 Rutter St. - New York Community Bank to John and Kristen Engel




Shiloh



•$198,000- 3586 Sky Hawk Dr. - Brandon and Pilar Roberts-Woodland to Scott D. and Marie A. Roehl
•$213,000- 3745 Rhetts Landing - Paul Mueth to Karen L. Brower




Smithton



•$39,900- 4948 Wilderness Pointe - Coy Mullenix Declaration of Trust to Jens A. John




Swansea



•$114,000- 17 Meta Dr. - John R. Roustio to Kyle Heinzl
•$265,000- 43 Ednick Dr. - Todd A. Altepeter to Charles R. and Dana L. Doan







December 31, 2015




Belleville


•$70,500- 500 Vicksburg Dr. - Kim Bergheger to Bertha Scott
•$129,000- 811 Troon Cr., Lot 11A Eiler Rd. - Southside Development to Dylan T. and Samantha E. Mueller
•$233,000- 811 Troon Circle Dr.- Southside Development to Steven M. and Astrid G. Wake
•$25,000- 107 S. 13th St. - Alice Lunk to John Dietrich
•$60,000- 117 Aaron DR. - Jonathan A. and Jennifer D. Jacoby to Timothy D. Hayden
•$291,957- 7207 W. Main St., 7301 W. Main, 7427 W. Main- John T. McDermott and DeborahK. McDermott to Grace Investment Properties
•$61,000- 7623 W. Main St. - Bank of Springfield to Levi R. King Sr.
•$198,000- 44 Pebble Hill Dr. - Barbara Feiner to Hsueh-Fang Ma and Tai-Yuan Sun
•$41,050- 218 N. 44th St. - Federal Home Loan Mortgage to RDS Development Corp.
•$127,500- 2679 Brookmeadow Dr. - Secretary of HUD to Carlos Glenn
•$21,000- 13/15 N. 12th St. - Damon Justin Taylor to Bryce R. Lickfield
•$28,620- 10 Kingsway Dr. - Frei Development to Jerry J. Trent Jr.
•$32,860- 3 Rusty Wil Dr. - Frei Development to Jerry J. Trent Jr.
•$124,900- 1540 Westhampton Trace - Edwin V. and Lynn Shuman to Michael and Amber J. Kaemmerer
•$30,000- 120 N. 3rd St. - 623 Alano Club to Deuce Properties
•$79,000- 2124 Caseyville Ave. - Kissler Properties to Jason Hayden
•$189,000- 233 Clearwater Daniel Buerke to Chad Schwab
•$480,000- 704 E. Main St. - Williams Family Trust to Robert E. Rowan Jr.




Cahokia



•$3,500- 3618 Falling Springs Rd. - Bank of Springfield to JMR Holdings




Caseyville



•$409,000- 1107 Far Oaks Dr. - Anthony G. Schneider to Anthony L. Truong




Fairview Heights



•$215,000- 664 Wild Horse Creek Dr. - Secretary of VA to Tommy Wallace
•$45,000- 29 Fairview Dr. - Federal National Mortgage to Joel and Shawna Holtman
•$115,000- 218 Merriweather Ln. - Robin A. Wholrab to David L. Watts
•$78,000- 9117 Summit DR. - Kathleen B. Swain to Christopher A. Jolliff
•$194,000- 6808 Tara Manor Dr. - Ronald Day and Mia C. Day to Leonard and Melissa Volturo




Lebanon



•$5,003- 201 N. Herman - City of Lebanon to Ronald L. and Debra A. Trame




Lenzburg



•$45,000- 10101 Marissa Township Line Rd. - Edward J. and Barbara Heet to David Julius




Mascoutah



•$106,000- 459 Falling Leaf Way- Secretary of VA to Shaun W. Downs and Ruben M. Steward




Millstadt



•$450,000- 1475 B and H Industrial Ct. - B&H Ind. to New Era Ventures




OFallon



•$32,000- 617 Laurelwood Ct. - Milburn Road LLC to PBBF LLC
•$625,000- North Lincoln Ave. - Presbytery of Gidding-Lovejoy to Fulford Homes
•$102,750- 306 S. Hilgard St. - James V. Vest to Nathan Quellmalz and Phil and Marcia Kammann
•$282,511- 705 Merrifields Dr. - H&L Land Trust to Kiet Dinh
•$219,950- 70 Lonnie Ct. - Mark Vanbibber II to Marcas and Virginia Maltby




Shiloh



•$75,000- 5 Archview DR. - Richard Sotiropoulos and Lisa Ramage to Andrew Sotiropoulos
•$32,000- 801 Bluff Ridge Ln. - SD2 LLC to Fulford Homes




Smithton



•$235,000- 5641 Stone Villa Dr. - David B. and Sandra K. Patrico to Michael and Angela Dahm




Swansea



•$37,500- 610 Gilbert St. - Norman Becker to Keck Dynasty Trust
•$188,000- 112 Gilbert St. - Main St. Redevelopers Darren L. Reifscneider
•$68,000- 301 Marla Kay Dr. - Robert Leonard to Courtney and Shannon Krus
•$71,500- 308 Fieldcrest DR. - Secretary of HUD to Donald Reed








January 4, 2016




Belleville



•$281,000- 8432 Dupont Ln. - Fannie Mae to Joshua Davis
•$107,000- 1521 N. Charles St. - Jacob Kopriva to Jeffrey Conroy
•$257,000- 3445 Langford Ln. - Sanman Property LTD to Jonathan L. and Ann M. Birdsong
•$18,500- 301 N. High St. - Bobby Dee McDonald to Main Street Redevelopers
•$2,218,407- #2 Caryle Plaza - BMO Harris Bank to CP MAPLE LEAF 3 LLC
•$146,000- 2625 Lebanon Ave. - David and Elizabeth Jenner to Kollin Bertke
•$324,500- 25 Lake Inez Dr. - Jeffrey Dean Ortega to Jean -Paul D. and Summer H. Penet




Caseyville



•$110,000- 14 Maple Dr. - Todd A. Schack to Katherine Annis
•$265,000- 345 Old Collinsville Rd. - Lerch Homes to Coveland Properties
•$69,900- 447 S. 4th St. - William T. and Robert S. Warhoover to Andrea D. and Sharon Sullivan




Collinsville



•$5,000- 317 Clarence St. - Allan Kelly to Jeanette Valenzuela
•$7,000- 2907 Harvard - Allan Kelly to Jeanette Valenzuela




Fairview Heights



•$49,900- 16 Baldus Dr. - The Secretary of HUD to Chief Home Buyers




Lebanon



•$76,900- 227 N. Meyer St. - Alice C. McAllister to Natasha L. Payne
•$15,000- 327 E. Schauetz St. - Federal Home Loan Mortgage v. S&A Enterprises




OFallon



•$65,000- 222 Shoreline Dr. - Truman Properties to Christy Budt
•$126,000- 103 Countryside Ln. - Sean Turner to James A. and Jennifer L. Horn
•$185,000- 330 Dewitt Ct. - David and Nanette Pazdernik to Stone Financing
•$185,000- 330 Dewitt Ct. - David and Nanette Pazdernik to Stone Financing




Swansea



•$119,250- 3863 Tanbark Dr. - Phyllis J. Buehler to Sally Elizabeth Scannell







January 5, 2016




Caseyville


•$37,000- 25 Weinel Ct. - Deborah J. Pratt to Michael T. Fitzpartrick




Collinsville



•$23,500- 401 Clarence St. - John D. Easley to Brian and Brittani Niebruegge




E. St. Louis



•$24,900- 1827 Lawrence Ave. - Wilmington Savings Fund Society to Marquis D. Wren




Fairview Heights



•$13,500- 9430 Marbarry Dr. - First Clover Leaf Bank to McBride Summit Springs




Lebanon



•$126,000- 9446 Old Lebanon Troy Rd. - Community Bank of Trenton to Kevin A. Bair




Mascoutah



•$136,000- 0 Englemann Rd. - Gene L. Mattern, Carol L. Mattern, Virgil J. Mattern, James Mattern, Thomas Mattern, Gary Mattern, Barbara Klearman, Alvis E. Mattern, Keith J. Mattern to Aaron Lands




Millstadt



•$129,900- 505 S. Tyler St. - Bradley and Erin Conrad to Kaitlyn Hemmer and Kenton Parkman




OFallon



•$71,500- 1003 W. Madison Dr. - Linda and Lawrence O'Dell to Keith Kehrer




St. Libory



•$50,000- 1020 Lincoln St. - Daniel Thomas Otten to TOP Ag Cooperative
•$165,000- 1016 Lincoln St. - Taylor Wagner to TOP Ag Cooperative




Shiloh



•$256,000- 3514 Ashford Ridge Ct. - Julie M. Bream to Darryl Shawn and Stephanie Faye Dace







January 6, 2016




Belleville



•$15,000- 4107 W. Main St. - HSBC Bank to John Demos
•$10,000- 1731 N. Church - Raven Securities to Illinois Investment Properties
•$76,000- 35 Winchester Dr. - Estate of Inez Bratton to Lester W. Schweppe
•$244,500- 320 Pecan Ln. - Gregory S. Pearson to Richard and Tammy Lewallen
•$78,000- 4 Carson Dr. - Martha Stankus Lewis to Abigail kerkhoff




Cahokia



•$8,000- 32 School St. - Raven Properties to Illinois Investment Properties
•$9,000- 228 Judith Ln. - Raven Properties to Illinois Investment Properties




Dupo



•$21,000- 104 S. 3rd St. - HSBC Bank to Johnnie Hearty




Fairview Heights



•$188,500- 9409 Marbarry Dr. - McBride Summit Springs to Brandy N. McDowell and Keith A. McDowell
•$142,884- 801 Holliday Dr. - Private Sales Corp . to Secretary of VA
•$140,000- 15 Marilyn Cr. - Deborah Sinn to Heather D. Clarry

OFallon•$3,700,000- 251 Regency Park Dr. - Sunrise Counties to Enjoy Church
•$329,998- 968 Carnegie Knolls Dr. - Huntington Chase Homes to Nashae J. and Jose M. Perez
•$215,000- 7053 Millbrook Ln. - James W. and Angela M. White to Ronald L. Schaefer




Shiloh



•$172,500- 3227 Cloverridge Dr. - Michele Wedeking to Matthew Lossos




Summerfield



•$9,000- 303 E. Ellis St. - Wells Fargo Bank to Larry F. and Marlene M. Robison




Swansea



•$90,000- 1932 & 1934 Moselle Dr. - B&D Ravendel LLC to Homes by Deesign
•$139,900- 613 Leighigh Dr. - Darlene Caviness to Adam and Anna Peters







January 7, 2016




Belleville



•$12,000- 4 North 42nd St. - US Bank to Wesley Reed
•$85,000- 2041 Celebration Park Cr. - Michael E. Treece and Jessica Honness to Angela Wieland
•$45,000- 420 San Mateo Dr. - Wells Fargo Bank to Kerley Properties
•$8,755- 401 Polk St. - US Bank to RVFM 13 Series
•$87,500- 2000 N. Belt West - Beverly A. Juenger to James Joseph Huynh and Thoa Nguyen




Dupo



•$25,000- 532 McBride Ave. - Dupo Property to SD Tavern




Fairview Heights



•$44,000- 14 Hyde Park Rd. - John K. Rose to Betty L. Martz and Ann M. Barnum
•$20,100- 30 Potomac Dr. - V Mortgage REO 1 to BVGM LLC




Freeburg



•$34,500- 5 S. Edison St. - Estate of Russel Koesterer to Barry and Linda Billings




OFallon



•$215,000- 523 Glen Oak Dr. - Robert and Amy Eisenhardt to Eric Andrew Daugherty
•$145,000- 624 Titan Dr. - Jill M. Hibbert and Garth A. Hibbert to Anthony S. Jones and Jill M. Jones and Jordan Schwankhaus
•$192,000- 718 Highcliff Dr. - Michael D. and Kathryn L. Anderson to Todd C. and Elisabeth C. Osborne




Shiloh



•$58,500- 33 Christine DR. - Audrey J. Sudholt to Petra Investments I




Smithton



•$70,000- 5434 W. Fork Club Rd. - West Fork Club to David and Michele Sheets




Swansea



•$385,189- 3412 Piney Ct. - Homes by Deesign to Terrence and Laneta Kelly

St. Clair County foreclosures Dec. 22-Jan. 4

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St. Clair County Foreclosures:




December 22, 2015




PHH Mortgage v. Kirk A. and Jennifer R. Schilling, $177,400.47, 324 Harvest St., Millstadt. 15-CH-860




December 23, 2015




Lakeview Loan Servicing v. Shane T. ad Jamie L. Harmon, $162,744.19, 120 Pierce Blvd., OFallon. 15-CH-857

Regions Bank v. Delbert Q. and Catrina E. Cotton, $61,840.62, 129 S. 4th St., Dupo. 15-CH-858

Wells Fargo Bank v. Delores R. Heard, $40,393.57, 661 N. 62nd St., E. St. Louis. 15-CH-859

PHH Mortgage v. Norma Jean Burnett, $51,177.49, 3249 Colby Ct., Swansea. 15-CH-867

US Bank v. Tamara R. Nimmer, $153,168.61, 145 Rivermeade Ln., Belleville. 15-CH-872




December 28, 2015




JPMorgan Chase Bank v. Valerie A. Roberts and Pamela Schaeferle, $91,716.38, 21 Lakeview Dr., Belleville. 15-CH-861

Pingora Loan Servicing v. Toni and Jacob Howes, $138,041.86, 8 S. State St., Freeburg. 15-CH-862

US Bank v. Amanda Y. Nagel, $56,780.58, 502 W. Schuetz St., Lebanon. 15-CH-863

Ocwen Loan Servicing v. Stacy L. Dixon, $31,880.36, 1415 Richard Dr., Cahokia. 15-CH-864

Delmar Financial v. William and Christy Zimmerman, $110,036.75, 613 Sycamore St., Belleville. 15-CH-865

Nationstar Mortgage v. Marilyn Hollis, $74,409.98, 819 Birch Dr., Collinsville. 15-CH-866

Deutsche Bank v. Scott A. ad Denise L. Zitnik, $84,700.62, 710 Linden Ct., OFallon. 15-CH-868

Bank of America v. Kerry J. and Katrina Olden, $89,083.03, 533 Joseph Dr., Fairview Heights. 15-CH-869




December 29, 2015




PNC Bank v. Helmut Woodberry, $77,560.34, 4824 Walter St., Belleville. 15-CH-870

Fifth Third Mortgage v. Steve P and Sonia O. Milligan, $149,046.80, 6 Berrywood Dr., Belleville. 15-CH-871




December 31, 2015




US Bank v. Kenneth L. Jasper Jr., $111,576.22, 1415 Vicksburg Dr., Belleville. 15-CH-875

Ocwen Loan Servicing v. Patrick S. and Barbara F. Masar, $315,912.07, 3406 Chippewa Dr., Belleville. 15-CH-876

Federal National Mortgage v. David and Sara Miller, $25,736.02, 64 N. 98th St.,Belleville. 15-CH-877

Ditech Financial v. Heirs of Claude A. Robinson Jr., $122,048.97, 1060 E. OFallon Dr., Caseyville. 15-CH-878

Midfirst Bank v. Todd A. and Kristina L. Harris, $47,353.64, 514 S. 6th St., Belleville. 15-CH-879




January 4, 2016




Bank of America v. Roshonda R. Thornton, $73,405.18, 324 N. 43rd St., Belleville. 16-CH-1

US Bank v. Rafael and Amparo Sanchez, $65,656.51, 1749 Alexander St., Belleville. 16-CH-2

Regions Bank v. Suzanne C. Santos, $66,695.73, 218 Persimmon Dr., Belleville. 16-CH-3

The time for merit pay has come

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Some days I’m flummoxed by how the most commonsense proposals in Springfield are blocked by entrenched special interests.

Take, for example, Gov. Bruce Rauner’s latest proposal that calls for rewarding state workers who show up for work and excel.

The largest union that represents state government workers is squealing about that one louder than a pig caught in a gate.

You’d think the apocalypse is upon us rather than a chance for workers to earn more.

But the proposal is threatening to one of the most powerful players in Springfield: the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees.

For decades governors – Republican and Democrat alike – have kowtowed to this union, which has more than 30,000 members working in state government.

The union has stuffed politicians’ campaign coffers with cash. And the politicians in turn have stuffed our tax dollars into costly benefits for the AFSCME workers.

The union bosses’ clout has grown while the authority of leaders in state government has atrophied.

Rank-and-file state workers have taken to looking to their union, not their managers, if they want a pay raise.

Workplace performance is secondary to union fidelity, and union bosses liked it that way.

Rauner’s merit pay proposal is modest, but it gives front-line managers a tool to reward workers who do a good job.

That’s how it how works for most of us already.

But AFSCME has said this isn’t “merit pay” but is “political pay” that allows “cronies” to get paid more.

Baloney.

Other unions representing state workers have already agreed to the merit-pay proposal. And we are talking about groups like the Teamsters. They are hardly wusses at the bargaining table.

But not the AFSCME bosses.

They’ve stomped their feet, held their breath and said nothing doing.

One can almost hear the organized labor bigwigs whisper: “Raises should come from union’s efforts – not the workers’.”

AFSCME honchos took an even dimmer view of a Rauner proposal to give bonuses to state workers who use fewer than seven sick days a year.

“The Rauner Administration plan’s new twist is downright discriminatory toward working parents and anyone who gets sick or injured,” AFSCME spokesman Anders Lindall said in a published account in a political blog.

Of course it’s discriminatory. The idea is that those who actually show up for work ought to earn more than those who don’t.

And the Rauner administration says scheduled time off for surgeries, major illnesses and caring for family members wouldn’t count toward those seven days.

It would just be unscheduled time off.

Anyone who has ever worked in any workplace knows some people abuse sick time, leaving co-workers doing their own jobs and somebody else’s.

Why not reward those doing the work?

To quote Woody Allen, “80 percent of success is showing up.”

Madison County foreclosures Jan. 4-8

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Madison County Foreclosures:




January 4, 2016

Bank of America v. Teresa I. Blackmon, $46,133.36, 1033 College Ave., Alton. 16-CH-1



January 6, 2016



JPMorgan Chase Bank v. Michael and Michelle Haynes, $102,131.30, 307 Mine St., Bethalto. 16-CH-3

Fifth Third Mortgage v. Shannon M. and Edward F. Hennessey, $124,220.48, 1012 Vermont Ave., Collinsville. 16-CH-4

Nationstar Mortgage v. Dorothy D. Brown, $55,076.19, 3604 Horn Ave., Alton. 16-CH-5

JPMorgan Chase Bank v. Kyle and Hailee Watson, $104,413.02, 8424 S. Schiller St., Dorsey. 16-CH-6

JPMorgan Chase Bank v. Kenneth L. R. Tucker, $27,938.43, 2533 E. 24th St., Granite City. 16-CH-8




January 7, 2016




M&T Bank v. Chelsey M. and Charles A. Johnson, $224,485.71, 124 Oak Hill Dr., Maryville. 16-CH-10

Ditech Financial v. Julianna B. Burris, $57,072.53, 2124 Edison Ave., Granite City. 16-CH-11




January 8, 2016




Wells Fargo Bank v. James M. Edwards Jr., $38,409.83, 634 Broadway St., Venice. 16-CH-12

The Bank of New York Mellon v. Marjorie A. Schmidt, $40,948.15, 116 W. Sixth St., Hartford. 16-CH-13

Madison County asbestos motion docket Jan. 19-20

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Madison County Asbestos Motion Docket




Tuesday, January 19




9 a.m.




ALFORD JOHN INDIVIDUALLY V. ALFA LAVAL INC SUCC TO SHARPLE

14-L-001622, ASBESTOS J 327




MORRISON CHERYL INDIVIDUALLY V. A O SMITH CORPORATION

13-L-001030, ASBESTOS J 327




IVICIC MATTHEW V. A W CHESTERTON COMPANY

15-L-000471, ASBESTOS J 327




SIMMONDS EDWARD V. BORGWARNER MORSE TEC INC AS SU

14-L-000359, ASBESTOS J 327




SCOVILLE PATRICIA V. A W CHESTERTON COMPANY

14-L-000728, ASBESTOS J 327




MEYER DOROTHY INDIVIDUALLY V. A W CHESTERTON COMPANY

14-L-001218, ASBESTOS J 327




ELLZEY JIMMY V. AW CHESTERTON COMPANY

14-L-001530, ASBESTOS J 327




LAMBERT KATHERINE V. AW CHESTERTON COMPANY

14-L-001660, ASBESTOS J 327




LINDBLOOM WAYNE V. AH BENNETT COMPANY

14-L-001759, ASBESTOS J 327







Tuesday, January 20




9 a.m.




LATRONICA VINCENT V. AIR AND LIQUID SYSTEMS CORP AS

15-L-001189, ASBESTOS J 327




MCCLINTOCK WILLIAM C V. ABB INC SUCC TO ITE ELECTRICAL

15-L-000019, ASBESTOS J 327




MCCORMICK MARCUS R V. AIR AND LIQUID SYSTEMS CORPORA

15-L-000060, ASBESTOS J 327




COHAN RICHARD V. A W CHESTERTON COMPANY

15-L-000834, ASBESTOS J 327




AMOS CLINTON E INDIVIDUALLY V. AMERICAN OPTICAL CORP

15-L-000254, ASBESTOS J 327




BENN ERAS ELIZABETH INDIVIDUAL V. AIR & LIQUID SYTEMS CORPORATIO

14-L-000592, ASBESTOS J 327




O'NEAL MARY S V. BORGWARNER MORSE TEC INC AS SU

15-L-000165, ASBESTOS J 327




ZIMMERMAN BONNIE INDIVIDUALLY V. AW CHESTERTON COMPANY

14-L-001047, ASBESTOS J 327




MEACHAM MISTY INDIVIDUALLY V. AW CHESTERTON COMPANY

14-L-001048, ASBESTOS J 327




HANSEN HOWARD V. AW CHESTERTON COMPANY

15-L-000389, ASBESTOS J 327


Madison County asbestos jury docket Jan. 19

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Madison County Asbestos Jury Docket: 1/18 - 1/22/2016




Tuesday, January 19




9 a.m.




KREIFELS CARL V. A H BENNETT COMPANY

14-L-001216, ASBESTOS J 327




BALE ROY V. A W CHESTERTON COMPANY

15-L-000303, ASBESTOS J 327




COOPER WAYNE V. AW CHESTERTON COMPANY

15-L-000727, ASBESTOS J 327




BLAN DONALD V. A W CHESTERTON COMPANY

14-L-001121, ASBESTOS J 327




MORRISON CHERYL INDIVIDUALLY V. A O SMITH CORPORATION

13-L-001030, ASBESTOS J 327




ORME GERTRUDE V. AW CHESTERTON COMPANY

14-L-000247, ASBESTOS J 327




MCINERNEY ROBERT V. A W CHESTERTON COMPANY

14-L-001151, ASBESTOS J 327




WOKAS DOROTHEA L V. A SCHULMAN INC

14-L-001454, ASBESTOS J 327




MASCARENAS ESQUIPULA M V. AW CHESTERTON COMPANY

14-L-001586, ASBESTOS J 327




FRANDSEN ALLEN K V. AW CHESTERTON COMPANY

15-L-000033, ASBESTOS J 327




MYERS GARY V. AW CHESTERTON COMPANY

15-L-000425, ASBESTOS J 327




BROWN CLAIRE L V. A O SMITH CORPORATION

12-L-001035, ASBESTOS J 327




KELLER MARGIE INDIVIDUALLY V. A W CHESTERTON COMPANY

12-L-001321, ASBESTOS J 327




CROUCH JAMES V. A O SMITH CORPORATION

13-L-001794, ASBESTOS J 327




REHAK EDNA INDIVIDUALLY V. AO SMITH CORPORATION

14-L-000513, ASBESTOS J 327




WALLACE BOBBY V. AO SMITH CORPORATION

14-L-000643, ASBESTOS J 327




KENNEDY HAROLD INDIVIDUALLY V. AW CHESTERTON COMPANY

14-L-000845, ASBESTOS J 327




MICKELSON JENEDA INDIVIDUALLY V. A W CHESTERTON COMPANY

14-L-001268, ASBESTOS J 327




IVICIC MATTHEW V. A W CHESTERTON COMPANY

15-L-000471, ASBESTOS J 327




COSTELLO WILLIAM V. A W CHESTERTON COMPANY

12-L-001840, ASBESTOS J 327




CHAPMAN REX V. A W CHESTERTON COMPANY

12-L-001925, ASBESTOS J 327




MADORE KAREN INDIVIDUALLY V. AW CHESTERTON COMPANY

13-L-000330, ASBESTOS J 327




WHITNEY MICHAEL V. A W CHESTERTON COMPANY

13-L-000552, ASBESTOS J 327




ANDERSON AMOS V. A W CHESTERTON COMPANY

13-L-000925, ASBESTOS J 327




SHEIL JOSEPH V. A O SMITH CORPORATION

13-L-001107, ASBESTOS J 327




POTEET DONNIE J V. 3M COMPANY

13-L-001267, ASBESTOS J 327




EDWARDS FREDERICK V. A O SMITH CORPORATION

13-L-001617, ASBESTOS J 327




GARCIA MARIA DEL CARMEN INDIVI V. A W CHESTERTON COMPANY

13-L-001732, ASBESTOS J 327




GRAY THOMAS V. AW CHESTERTON COMPANY

13-L-002081, ASBESTOS J 327




HAMMER KEVIN INDIVIDUALLY V. A W CHESTERTON COMPANY

13-L-002142, ASBESTOS J 327




REGALADO EDUARDO V. A.W. CHESTERTON COMPANY

14-L-000071, ASBESTOS J 327




GREENHILL WILLIAM V. AW CHESTERTON COMPANY

14-L-000196, ASBESTOS J 327




DETTERMAN MABLE INDIVIDUALLY V. AW CHESTERTON COMPANY

14-L-000204, ASBESTOS J 327




ORME GERTRUDE V. AW CHESTERTON COMPANY

14-L-000247, ASBESTOS J 327




LITTRELL RUBY INDIVIDUALLY V

14-L-000346, ASBESTOS J 327




COPELAND GINGER D V. A O SMITH CORPORATION

14-L-000371, ASBESTOS J 327




KNAPP ANDREW V. AW CHESTERTON COMPANY

14-L-000373, ASBESTOS J 327




FEDRICK CHARLES V. AW CHESTERTON COMPANY

14-L-000446, ASBESTOS J 327




NELSON TRACY V. A W CHESTERTON COMPANY

14-L-000470, ASBESTOS J 327




SCOVILLE PATRICIA V. A W CHESTERTON COMPANY

14-L-000728, ASBESTOS J 327




BOUNDS JAMES V. AH BENNETT COMPANY

14-L-000738, ASBESTOS J 327




CARDEN THOMAS A V. AW CHESTERTON COMPANY

14-L-000813, ASBESTOS J 327




PETERSON MARVIN V. AH BENNETT COMPANY

14-L-000832, ASBESTOS J 327




DE LA ROSA TOMAS V. A W CHESTERTON COMPANY

14-L-000855, ASBESTOS J 327




LOPAS CHARLES V. A W CHESTERTON COMPANY

14-L-000927, ASBESTOS J 327




DOE VIRGINIA G INDVIDUALLY V. 3M COMPANY

14-L-000957, ASBESTOS J 327




POPE FRANK V. AW CHESTERTON COMPANY

14-L-001108, ASBESTOS J 327




WESTRICK FERNE INDIVIDUALLY V. A W CHESTERTON COMPANY

14-L-001291, ASBESTOS J 327




SCHUTTE SANDY INDIVIDUALLY V. AW CHESTERTON COMPANY

14-L-001363, ASBESTOS J 327




CHON KWANG C V. A W CHESTERTON COMPANY

14-L-001489, ASBESTOS J 327




ELLZEY JIMMY V. AW CHESTERTON COMPANY

14-L-001530, ASBESTOS J 327




GRIEN CHRISTIE V. AW CHESTERTON COMPANY

14-L-001556, ASBESTOS J 327




MILLER STEVE V. AW CHESTERTON COMPANY

14-L-001582, ASBESTOS J 327




FRANKS DAVID JR V. AW CHESTERTON COMPANY

14-L-001584, ASBESTOS J 327




MILES SAM JR V. A W CHESTERTON COMPANY

14-L-001590, ASBESTOS J 327




DONOVAN RICHARD V. AW CHESTERTON COMPANY

14-L-001629, ASBESTOS J 327




WYRWICZ PETER V. 3M COMPANY

14-L-001659, ASBESTOS J 327




LAMBERT KATHERINE V. AW CHESTERTON COMPANY

14-L-001660, ASBESTOS J 327




KEARNEY FAYE V. AW CHESTERTON COMPANY

14-L-001674, ASBESTOS J 327




RUSSELL ROBERT V. A W CHESTERTON COMPANY

14-L-001719, ASBESTOS J 327




FLYNN DAVID V. A W CHESTERTON COMPANY

14-L-001737, ASBESTOS J 327




LINDBLOOM WAYNE V. AH BENNETT COMPANY

14-L-001759, ASBESTOS J 327




FROST GLENDA V. A W CHESTERTON COMPANY

15-L-000003, ASBESTOS J 327




DECESCO ANTHONY V. AW CHESTERTON COMPANY

15-L-000041, ASBESTOS J 327




PATTERSON TEDDY V. AW CHESTERTON COMPANY

15-L-000427, ASBESTOS J 327




SCHMITZ BRENDA V. AW CHESTERTON COMPANY

15-L-000446, ASBESTOS J 327




DALE HARRIETT J V. A W CHESTERTON COMPANY

15-L-000456, ASBESTOS J 327




STEELE MARILOU V. A W CHESTERTON COMPANY

15-L-000460, ASBESTOS J 327




NELMS THOMAS V. AW CHESTERTON COMPANY

15-L-000605, ASBESTOS J 327




BOLLINGER STEPHEN V. A W CHESTERTON COMPANY

15-L-000638, ASBESTOS J 327




RICHMOND EDWINA INDIVIDUALLY V. AW CHESTERTON COMPANY

14-L-000596, ASBESTOS J 327




JAMPO JOHN V. A W CHESTERTON COMPANY

11-L-001301, ASBESTOS J 327

Madison County civil docket Jan. 19

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Madison County Civil Docket: 1/18 -1/22/2016




Tuesday, January 19




9 a.m.




WALLACE GREGORY V. BOSTON TAMMI L

13-L-001845, CROWDER 320




SIPES KATHRYN V. LEFFERT FRANK

14-L-000476, CROWDER 320




BILLHARTZ KEITH V. COUNTRY FINANCIAL

11-L-000555, CROWDER 320




DANHEISER RHONDA V. LEFFERT FRANK

14-L-000455, MATOESIAN 351




KENNEDY MARCUS A V. DALE WILLIAMS TRUCKING INC

13-L-001919, RUTH 311




1 p.m.




VILLARREAL RUBEN R V. GLEN WEST ENTERPRISES INC DBA

14-L-000898, MUDGE 302

Price v. Philip Morris: What could possibly happen next?

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SPRINGFIELD – Last time the Illinois Supreme Court rejected Stephen Tillery’s $10.1 billion judgment against Philip Morris - 10 years ago - he petitioned the U.S. Supreme Court for review.

He didn’t get it then, but he could ask again.

On Monday, the Illinois Supreme Court denied Tillery's request to recall a mandate the Court issued in 2006 after it struck down the judgment involving the marketing of "light" cigarettes.

Rule 13 of the U.S. Supreme Court allows 90 days to petition for a writ of certiorari, starting from entry of a state court order denying review. Writ of certiorari asks a higher court to review actions of a lower court.

That clock might not have started running, because Tillery could petition for another hearing in Springfield as he did 10 years ago.

On that occasion, the Illinois Supreme Court reversed the original Madison County judgment on Dec. 15, 2005.

Tillery petitioned the Illinois Supreme Court for rehearing on Jan. 10, 2006, and the Justices denied it on May 5, 2006.

On July 21, Tillery sought from the U.S. Supreme Court an extension to petition the court from Aug. 3 to Sept. 5.

Though Rule 13 did not favor extensions, Justice John Stevens granted one on July 25, and another on Aug. 24.

Tillery filed the petition on Oct. 2; Philip Morris responded on Oct. 13; and Tillery replied on Oct. 25.

Friends of the Court filed briefs on Oct. 31 and Nov. 1.

The Justices took it up at a conference on Nov. 21, and denied it on Nov. 27.

The Court does not issue opinions explaining denials of certiorari, though Justices occasionally file dissents.

If Tillery petitions the Court for review, he won’t need a majority to win it.

The Court only requires approval by four of the nine Justices.

ISEIF administers utility-funded grant program to educate consumers about smart grid technology

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The Illinois Science and Energy Innovation Foundation (ISEIF) announced last week the names of organizations that will be receiving approximately $5 million in grants to promote smart grid technology across the state.

Recipients include the City of Chicago, Cook County Department of Environmental Control, Citizens Utility Board, Elevate Energy, Faith in Place, Foresight Design Initiative, Institute of Cultural Affairs USA, Illinois Green Economy Network, Illinois State University, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and the University of Illinois at Chicago. 

The United States Green Building Council’s Illinois chapter also will receive funds as part of ISEIF’s small grants program.

ISEIF was established through Illinois' Energy Infrastructure Modernization Act of 2011 (EIMA) which state lawmakers enacted for the purpose of educating consumers on the benefits of the new smart grid electrical systems. 

The Illinois Public Utilities Act directs how much money utilities Ameren and ComEd collect from their customers and contribute to ISEIF. 

ISEIF gives grants to clean energy proponents such as the Citizens Utility Board (CUB), which lobbies legislators and litigates against utility companies. In 2013, ISEIF gave CUB $727,320; in 2014, ISEIF gave CUB an undetermined amount of money. 

ISEIF Program Director Clare Butterfield pointed out that ISEIF funds organizations for educational work. 

"We do not fund lobbying or litigation," she said. "ISEIF grantees that also provide lobbying or litigation efforts do so out of funding obtained from other sources for those purposes."

It will spend about $50 million over 10 years to promote smart grid energy concepts and consumer education regarding smart meters.

"Smart grid" is generally described by proponents as the modernization of the state's electricity infrastructure with new technology designed to enhance communication between utilities and consumers, to improve the reliability of electricity delivery, and to decrease greenhouse gases and the number of blackouts, thereby saving consumers billions of dollars.

The grant program was set up under the same statute that established ISEIF. 

“ComEd and Ameren provide $5 million annually in proportion to the sizes of their smart meter roll-outs,” said Butterfield. 

She said that ISEIF receives no state funds of any kind. 

“Our grant program is designed to support the consumer education that equips Illinois consumers, particularly low-income and low-income senior consumers, to take advantage of new smart grid technology to manage their energy use and expenses,” said Butterfield.

The multi-million dollar grant program is designed to reach consumers across Illinois.

“ISEIF expends approximately $4.5 million annually on grants to all grantees, and individual grant sizes range vary widely, depending on what types of applications ISEIF has received and its board has approved in the applicable cycle,” Butterfield said. “All grant applications are peer reviewed in advance for merit by an independent peer review committee. Grants are made to inform both ComEd and Ameren customers, and therefore reach most of the state.”

In addition to teaching consumers about the nuts and bolts of new smart grid technology, ISEIF grants are designed to encourage consumers to reduce their energy usage. The grant programs will roll out via varying channels and in multiple languages to ensure farthest reach. Outlets include public and private schools and universities, community organizations, local governments and public housing authorities.

Lawyers in Hale v. State Farm reduce status of key investigator; Sides attack each others' experts

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Investigator Doug Wojcieszak, whose reports form the basis of corruption claims against Illinois Supreme Court Justice Lloyd Karmeier, might not take the stand at trial on that subject.

Lawyers who paid him for evidence that State Farm secretly financed Karmeier’s campaign in 2004 have abruptly reduced his status to potential witness.

On Jan. 8, they discredited research that he provided to lawyer Stephen Tillery in a separate case, tracing the same secret dollars to Philip Morris.

Elizabeth Cabraser of San Francisco wrote that, “his initial attribution of some of the Karmeier campaign money to Philip Morris was based on speculation and was later contradicted by the hard evidence he and others subsequently uncovered.”

Wojcieszak’s work on the State Farm and Philip Morris cases began to merge in 2014, when State Farm served a subpoena for his records.

He didn’t object but Tillery did, for himself and for Madison County lawyers Brad Lakin, John Simmons, Jeffrey Cooper, and Randall Bono.

The other four - Lakin, Simmons, Cooper and Bono - had not previously associated themselves with Tillery in the public record of the Philip Morris action, which started in 2000.

U.S. Magistrate Judge Stephen Williams granted them privilege on some records but overruled it on many that he classified as public relations or lobbying.

Last year, Williams ordered a deposition of Wojcieszak in early October.

At a hearing on Oct. 20, he learned that State Farm set a deposition for Oct. 7, and Wojcieszak canceled it on Oct. 2.

State Farm counsel Joseph Cancila of Chicago told Williams that Wojcieszak was in an automobile accident.

Steven Blonder of Chicago, representing lead plaintiff Hale, said David Cates represented Wojcieszak.

Cancila handed Williams a letter from Wojcieszak’s doctor and said, “The accident occurred on July 25.”

State Farm counted on the deposition for a brief due on Nov. 18, Cancila told Williams.

Williams read the letter and said, “If he wants to delay on that basis, Mr. Cates has to come in here and ask.”

He said pushing it to December didn’t make sense.

“We need to get him in here because he is under subpoena,” Williams said.

Blonder asked him to file the letter under seal, and Williams said he would hold it.

Williams set a hearing on Oct. 29, for Cates to show why State Farm should not depose Wojcieszak before Nov. 13.

On Oct. 28, Williams canceled the hearing.

State Farm had not deposed Wojcieszak as of Jan. 8, according to a motion Blonder filed on that date to exclude testimony of State Farm expert Richard Painter.

Blonder wrote that Painter cited no authority requiring class counsel “to disclose purportedly contradictory information provided by their investigator, who has not testified in this case, to counsel in another matter.”

He wrote that Painter accused plaintiffs of failing to correct false statements by a fact witness, and in response he backed away from designating Wojcieszak as one.

He wrote that Painter premised his opinion on the fact that Wojcieszak might be a witness, and he referred to him throughout the motion as a potential witness.

Lead plaintiff Hale belonged to a class of policyholders that won a $1 billion judgment in Williamson County in 1999.

Jurors returned a verdict for class representative Michael Avery, finding State Farm installed or specified inferior parts for crash repairs.

Fifth District appellate judges affirmed the judgment in 2001, with Justice Gordon Maag writing the opinion.

In 2004, when Karmeier ran against Maag for the Supreme Court, State Farm’s appeal of Maag’s opinion awaited decision at the Supreme Court.

Karmeier won, and the Supreme Court reversed the judgment in 2005.

Avery petitioned the Justices to recall the mandate in 2011, claiming new evidence would show that Karmeier should have recused himself.

The Justices denied the petition, just as they denied a petition to recall their mandate in favor of Philip Morris this Jan. 11.

Hale sued State Farm in 2012, seeking civil penalties under the Racketeering Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act.

He claimed State Farm concealed its support for Karmeier from the Supreme Court in 2005 and 2011.

State Farm employee William Shepherd and Ed Murnane of Illinois Civil Justice League also were sued. So was Karmeier’s campaign, but it was quickly dismissed.

Hale sought to recover the judgment with interest and triple damages, for a total now approaching $8 billion.

U.S. District Judge David Herndon has set trial for October.

Last year he ruled that Hale could depose Karmeier within narrow limits.

The deposition has not taken place.

Motions challenging experts on both sides offer glimpses into strategy.

On Jan. 8, Blonder moved to exclude former Illinois State Board of Elections executive director Ronald Michaelson.

Blonder wrote that Michaelson’s opinions “encourage the jury to frame and consider the case on grounds other than those alleged in the complaint.”

He quoted from Michaelson’s report that the state’s political parties contributed almost $4.75 million to the contest, directly or in kind.

He quoted from the report that two political action committees combined for about $2.5 million.

“For the Maag campaign, the trial bar firms and its attorneys were very significant contributors,” Blonder quoted from the report.

“As compared to Maag, the Karmeier campaign had a much broader contribution base.”

In 2014, 111 contributors gave Karmeier $309,000, and 16 trial bar lawyers gave $2.7 million to a campaign against his retention, Blonder quoted from the report.

Disclosure filings showed no contributions to Karmeier from State Farm in 2004, and just $5,700 from State Farm employees, it showed.

“Dr. Michaelson’s observations are not only irrelevant to this case, but he fails to provide any support for their significance,” Blonder wrote.

He wrote that Michaelson would focus on State Board of Election reports rather than on whether State Farm was the source of unreported sums.

Blonder also moved to exclude State Farm expert Lauren Stiroh, who concluded that Karmeier’s participation in Avery did not matter.

He quoted from her report that others on the Court would have found in favor of State Farm on a number of issues.

“The decision of a multi-member court is entirely tainted whenever a participating member is disqualified due to lack of impartiality, even if that member did not cast the deciding vote,” Blonder wrote.

In December, State Farm counsel Patrick Cloud of Edwardsville moved to exclude plaintiff expert Charles Geyh.

Cloud quoted Geyh’s opinion that State Farm’s conduct required that Karmeier recuse himself.

He quoted Geyh’s opinion that State Farm violated plaintiffs’ due process rights.

“Plaintiffs fed Geyh all of the factual allegations he relied upon to reach his opinions about State Farm, which Geyh adopted in wholesale fashion without performing any of the requisite due diligence,” Cloud wrote.

He wrote that Geyh admitted he didn’t know that the Avery court was unanimous in key respects.

Cloud also moved to exclude Thomas Myers, who offered an opinion that State Farm funneled money to Karmeier through various organizations.

Cloud wrote that Myers provided speculation, not evidence, that the money State Farm contributed to organizations was the money that went to other organizations and ultimately the Karmeier campaign.

“There is no evidence that State Farm could or did direct that its contributions to these organizations be used for the Karmeier campaign,” Cloud wrote.

“The vast majority of the money cited by Myers was dues State Farm paid to these organizations for years before and after the Karmeier campaign.”

Yahoo TCPA ruling in NDIL sets 'disturbing' precedent, critic says; Former judge Callis represent plaintiffs in similar SDIL case

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Illinois Lawsuit Abuse Watch contends that a federal court ruling allowing a group of Sprint customers to proceed with a class action lawsuit against Yahoo sets a disturbing precedent. 

The suit, which claims that Yahoo violated the federal Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA) by sending Sprint cellphone users unsolicited text messages, could potentially involve more than 500,000 customers.

Illinois resident and Sprint customer Rachel Johnson brought the case, claiming that in March 2013 she received a welcome message from Yahoo after receiving a spam text from another user. 

The suit claims that the Yahoo message violated the TCPA, which protects cellphone customers from receiving unsolicited advertising. 

In a ruling earlier this month in the U.S. District Court, Northern District of Illinois, Judge Manish Shah said that the claims of Sprint users who received Yahoo texts in March 2013 have enough in common to warrant a class action suit. Shah rejected the separate claims of a group of T-Mobile users over Yahoo messages sent in April 2014, stating that their user agreements authorized delivery of such messages.

If found that it engaged in willful violation of the TCPA, Yahoo could face up to $1,500 in damages per message sent.

Travis Akin, executive director of I-LAW, said the ruling is troubling, as it shows a significant lowering of the threshold of harm plaintiffs in a class action lawsuit need to show to bring a case for damages. Akin also said the suit is less about protecting consumers than creating a big payoff for attorneys.

“The ruling to allow a class action to move forward is indicative of a shift in how we view damages in civil cases. No longer is it necessary for plaintiffs to demonstrate actual harm,” said Akin. “Here, some individuals received a welcome text message. Most people have unlimited texting with the cell phone plans. So how do you calculate damages? Make no mistake about it — this case is about creating a huge payday for the plaintiffs’ attorneys. It is about greed – not consumer protection.”

Akin agreed with Yahoo's argument that a class action lawsuit could subject the company to damages disproportionate to any actual harm suffered by the plaintiffs.

“It is a text message. How is this harmful?” Akin said. “Most people have unlimited text messages in their cell phone plans. So, they are not being harmed financially, and even if there are people who got the message and who do not have an unlimited plan — the monetary loss is only a few cents.”

Whatever damages are assessed in suits such as this, Akin said, usually end up in the pockets of lawyers rather than the consumers affected.

“Cases like this usually end up with the lawyers pocketing millions while consumers end up with pennies. These cases are not about righting a wrong — they are about lining the pockets of personal injury lawyers,” Akin said.

The Northern District of Illinois has a long history of plaintiff-friendly rulings in this type of litigation, Akin said, and it is likely the court was chosen by the plaintiffs' attorneys for this reason.

“It is no accident that this case is filed in a court jurisdiction known for these types of cases,” Akin said. “This is how personal injury lawyers continue to find ways to game the system. They intentionally look for the friendly court jurisdictions to file their cases.”

In its case, Yahoo also argued that allowing the Sprint users to file a class action lawsuit would promote future “piecemeal” litigation. 

Akin agreed, adding that even if Yahoo settles out of court, the company may be in jeopardy of future suits. 

“This case only involves one cell phone carrier, so if Yahoo settles this case, they likely would be sued by other carriers as well.”

Akin said that this lawsuit and many others like it generally end up bringing little benefit to the actual consumers that laws are intended to protect.

"These cases are not about righting a wrong — they are about lining the pockets of personal injury lawyers,” he said.

A similar case against Yahoo is playing out in federal court in East St. Louis. Plaintiffs in that case are represented by former Madison County judge Ann Callis, who works at the Goldenberg firm in Edwardsville. 

Lead plaintiff  Kaylynn Rehberger of Highland voluntarily dismissed her claims on Nov. 2. Carol Sparks of St. Jacob replaced her as sole lead plaintiff on Nov. 23.

Attorneys Peter W. Herzog, III  and Thomas J. Palazzolo of St. Louis represent Yahoo. 

Magistrate Donald Wilkerson presides over pre-trial discovery. 

Rest in peace, champion of the forgotten

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With the Oscar nominations being announced today, it seems only fitting that the first column of 2016 deals with subject matter that gave rise to an award winning performance. “Still Alice” was the vehicle to provide Julianne Moore with her long overdue Oscar. It deals with the decline of a linguistics professor, fighting a losing battle with Alzheimer’s disease. It is a touching portrayal, and so appropriate to the tribute to a warrior whose shield is now down.

Many times the mind and body are in sync. Cruelly though, the mind may be sharp, but the body failing or vice versa. In some instances, the mind is ravaged by disease, losing memory and cognition, even though the body hangs tough. It is the wonder of science the depth of how much such a victim remains in touch with reality. I for one believe that good news can and does penetrate even the darkest shroud of fog.

After a long battle with dementia, Violent King passed away on the 4th of January 2016. The date is not inconsequential, as only 3 days prior – on January the 1st – a law in Illinois regarding cameras in Nursing Homes finally went into effect, an achievement she worked to accomplish for decades. Why no one can be sure, I do sincerely believe that before she went to her reward, she knew that the goal line had finally been crossed.

Like so many others in the Riverbend area, I considered Violet to be my friend – not a dear friend, but more of a respected business colleague. When I went to the funeral home in Godfrey for the wake, I spoke to the family, and in particular to her daughter Catherine. I told her that I always remembered her mother to be feisty, opinionated, and stubborn and dedicated… a true believer in every sense of the word. We hugged...and teared a bit, the bonding of former strangers brought together by the power of one exceptionally strong lady.

Her bio was most certainly a clue to her personality and toughness, having escaped in 1945 with her mother and brother from the closed Communist controlled border of Albania to Greece, joining up with her father. She went on to achieve academic and scientific recognition in the field of Cytology, authoring several publications in the field and in 1974, she was honored by the St Louis Society of Cytology for her body of work. She remained active in the field for several years thereafter.

I first met Violet in the mid ‘90s, shortly after she had founded “Nursing Home Monitors.” Driven by the bitter experiences of her own mother’s residence in a nursing home, Violet was determined to bring accountability to this part of the health care picture. In her zeal for change, she could be relentless, stubborn, and single minded of purpose. Compromise, the DNA of the political process, was difficult for her, as on so many issues, she saw the world in terms of black and white, good and evil, with herself correctly on the side of morality. She was the scourge of the less fully compliant Nursing Home, the tireless Champion of the residents so oft times neglected, so frequently forgotten. She gave a voice to those suffering in silence and helped bring about true changes to the Long Term Care industry. I was proud to say I worked with her.

In 2004, I was the Chairman of the Madison County Bar Association LIBERTY BELL award committee. It is an annual award given by the lawyers in the area to a citizen without a legal background who has work to promote the interests of Justice. I nominated Violet and she was selected. I can still vividly remember her acceptance speech at the luncheon. I only wish we had recorded it for posterity. While humbly grateful, she was her typical defiant self, blasting away at corporate greed and indifferences, ending with the politically incorrect praising of tort lawyers and the good they do in rectifying the bad, restoring dignity and bringing relief to the victimized. She ended with saying Madison County needs MORE not fewer lawsuits. It was classic.

Her heart now lies still, her time on earth over. But the effect of her work lives on, carrying forth in the increased supervision and accountability that now is the law. I wish her family Peace, secure in the knowledge that her time was not wasted nor selfish. The measure of a life well and truly lived is the impact it has on others, lives changed, times made better by the good steward. Violet King made our area safer and more just through her tireless work. It is a fine and fitting legacy. Rest in Peace, my friend.

With the Oscar nominations being announced today, it seems only fitting that the first column of 2016 deals with subject matter that gave rise to an award winning performance. “Still Alice” was the vehicle to provide Julianne Moore with her long overdue Oscar. It deals with the decline of a linguistics professor, fighting a losing battle with Alzheimer’s disease. It is a touching portrayal, and so appropriate to the tribute to a warrior whose shield is now down.

Many times the mind and body are in sync. Cruelly though, the mind may be sharp, but the body failing or vice versa. In some instances, the mind is ravaged by disease, losing memory and cognition, even though the body hangs tough. It is the wonder of science the depth of how much such a victim remains in touch with reality. I for one believe that good news can and does penetrate even the darkest shroud of fog.

After a long battle with dementia, Violent King passed away on the 4th of January 2016. The date is not inconsequential, as only 3 days prior – on January the 1st – a law in Illinois regarding cameras in Nursing Homes finally went into effect, an achievement she worked to accomplish for decades. Why no one can be sure, I do sincerely believe that before she went to her reward, she knew that the goal line had finally been crossed.

Like so many others in the Riverbend area, I considered Violet to be my friend – not a dear friend, but more of a respected business colleague. When I went to the funeral home in Godfrey for the wake, I spoke to the family, and in particular to her daughter Catherine. I told her that I always remembered her mother to be feisty, opinionated, and stubborn and dedicated… a true believer in every sense of the word. We hugged...and teared a bit, the bonding of former strangers brought together by the power of one exceptionally strong lady.

Her bio was most certainly a clue to her personality and toughness, having escaped in 1945 with her mother and brother from the closed Communist controlled border of Albania to Greece, joining up with her father. She went on to achieve academic and scientific recognition in the field of Cytology, authoring several publications in the field and in 1974, she was honored by the St Louis Society of Cytology for her body of work. She remained active in the field for several years thereafter.

I first met Violet in the mid ‘90s, shortly after she had founded “Nursing Home Monitors.” Driven by the bitter experiences of her own mother’s residence in a nursing home, Violet was determined to bring accountability to this part of the health care picture. In her zeal for change, she could be relentless, stubborn, and single minded of purpose. Compromise, the DNA of the political process, was difficult for her, as on so many issues, she saw the world in terms of black and white, good and evil, with herself correctly on the side of morality. She was the scourge of the less fully compliant Nursing Home, the tireless Champion of the residents so oft times neglected, so frequently forgotten. She gave a voice to those suffering in silence and helped bring about true changes to the Long Term Care industry. I was proud to say I worked with her.

In 2004, I was the Chairman of the Madison County Bar Association LIBERTY BELL award committee. It is an annual award given by the lawyers in the area to a citizen without a legal background who has work to promote the interests of Justice. I nominated Violet and she was selected. I can still vividly remember her acceptance speech at the luncheon. I only wish we had recorded it for posterity. While humbly grateful, she was her typical defiant self, blasting away at corporate greed and indifferences, ending with the politically incorrect praising of tort lawyers and the good they do in rectifying the bad, restoring dignity and bringing relief to the victimized. She ended with saying Madison County needs MORE not fewer lawsuits. It was classic.

Her heart now lies still, her time on earth over. But the effect of her work lives on, carrying forth in the increased supervision and accountability that now is the law. I wish her family Peace, secure in the knowledge that her time was not wasted nor selfish. The measure of a life well and truly lived is the impact it has on others, lives changed, times made better by the good steward. Violet King made our area safer and more just through her tireless work. It is a fine and fitting legacy. Rest in Peace, my friend.

State Board of Elections set to hear objections to St. Clair County judges' candidacies Jan. 20

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The Illinois State Board of Elections will meet next week to hear challenges to the candidacies of three sitting circuit judges who have chosen unusual paths toward keeping their positions.

Twentieth Judicial Circuit Chief Judge John Baricevic and Circuit Judges Robert LeChien and Robert Haida submitted letters of resignation to Illinois Supreme Court Chief Justice Rita Garman both on Aug. 3 and Aug. 14, 2015, writing that they intended to seek election to their seats rather than to seek retention.

To Belleville City Clerk Dallas Cook's way of thinking, the judges' candidacies are not only unusual, they violate the state constitution.

Cook seeks to have the judges' names removed from the March 15 Democratic primary ballot, arguing their candidacies are not valid because they are required by statute to run on their records on a non-partisan ballot in the general election, not for re-election to seats they are vacating by way of resignation.

A retention vote requires a higher standard at three-fifths voter approval, or 60 percent, whereas an election vote requires just a simple majority vote to win.

Cook is a Republican seeking election to St. Clair County Circuit Clerk in next year's general election.

In early December, he filed objections to the judges' nomination papers with the State Board of Elections and hired St. Louis attorney Aaron Weishaar to represent him.

Baricevic, LeChien and Haida later hired Chicago election law attorney Michael Kasper, who has in the past successfully represented big name politicians such as Barack Obama, Bill Clinton and Rahm Emanuel.

On Jan. 4, Kasper argued before an elections board hearing officer that the State Board of Elections is only authorized to decide whether the candidates meet qualifications of office, according to a report in the Belleville News Democrat.

Kasper's motion to dismiss says that Cook fails to allege the judges don't meet the eligibility criteria of citizenship, licensure and residency.

He also argues that Cook's constitutional arguments against the judges' nominations "fly in the face of a plain reading" of statute.

The main battle between Cook and the judges lies in subsections of Article 6, Section 12 of the state constitution.

Kasper focuses on the use of the term "may" in Section 12(d) that outlines how and when judges should file notice with the state on their intention to seek retention. "May" connotes permissiveness and denotes discretion, he says.

He argues that if Cook's position were correct, the statute would have to state "may only" file.

For Cook, Weishaar argued in a brief, among other things, that a dangerous precedent would be set if the judges were allowed to run for re-election to vacancies they created and "clearly would not be the intent of the Illinois Constitution."

If allowed, any sitting judge could unfairly control the electoral process by stifling competition, Weishaar wrote.

A judge could "quietly circulate petitions for nomination without any announcement of any kind, and then on the very last possible day resign from his office (effective the last day of his judicial term) and at the same time file his own nomination papers with the board of elections," Weishaar wrote.

"Meanwhile, there is no time for any opposition to circulate petitions. Even if there should be an opponent, the sitting judge would only have to win the election by a simple majority instead of by the 60% margin when running on his/her own record. The sitting judge could therefore conceivably control the entire situation, including the timing of his resignation and effectively conceal it until he files his resignation. From a simple policy perspective, this should not be permitted."

Only one other time in state history has a sitting judge seeking a successive term sought to file resignation papers, and subsequently seek election to the same seat being vacated. It occurred in the same court in 2006 when St. Clair County Circuit Judge Lloyd Cueto tested the maneuver.

His nomination petition to run on the Democratic ticket was not challenged with the State Board of Elections, although some legal observers opined that it was unconstitutional.

Cueto, however, was challenged in the general election by O'Fallon attorney Paul Evans, who ran on the Republican ticket. Cueto won the race by a margin of 53.6 percent to 46.4 percent.

Letters of resignation

With the exception of the use of the word "on," in one of them, the judges' six resignation letters with two different dates were identical.

Letters written Aug. 3 indicated the judges would resign effective the last day of their current terms which they believed at the time to be Dec. 5, 2016, a Monday.

On Aug. 14, they wrote in separate letters essentially the same message, except for a different effective date of resignation: "I wish this resignation to take effect on the last day of my current term on December 4, 2016," letters say.

The State Board of Elections will take up Cook's objections at a regular meeting on Jan. 20.

It the Board finds that it does not have the authority to decide the matter, as argued by Kasper, suit would likely follow pressing the constitutional challenge, according to persons familiar with the matter.

Likewise, if the judges were to get unfavorable rulings by the Board, litigation challenging those rulings would likely follow. The case could continue upward until the Illinois Supreme Court resolves the questions.

HICA student loan corporation goes after alleged unpaid notes

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GREENVILLE–A student loan administrator is suing over the alleged failure of the defendant to repay four different student loans.

HICA Education Loan Corporation filed the suit on Jan. 7 in U.S. District Court of the Third District of Illinois against Armand A. Kachigian, a resident of Madison County.

According to the suit, the defendant signed promissory notes on higher education student loans on Sept. 8, 1986, Oct. 5, 1987, Sept. 16, 1988 and Jan. 3, 1990, totaling more than $62,000, including unpaid late charges, accruing interest and other fees. 

According to the suit, the plaintiff has made demand of the defendant to pay the loans, but the defendant allegedly continues to refuse to pay the debt.

The plaintiff seeks repayment of $62,248 from the defendant as well as post-judgment interest, and a separate judgment for attorney fees, court costs and any other relief that court may deem appropriate. HICA is represented by Casey B. Hicks of Weltman, Weinberg & Reis Co., LPA of Chicago.

U.S. District Court of the Third District of Illinois case number 16-L-12

Worker alleges Stein Steel Mill and employee negligent in loader accident

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EDWARDSVILLE – An Illinois man is suing over injuries he allegedly received while on the job, citing negligence.

Blake Bohnensteihl filed the suit on Jan. 6 in Madison County Circuit Court against Stein Steel Mill Services Inc. in Granite City; and Steve Belvolot, an employee of Stein Steel.

The plaintiff was working at the Granite City facility on Nov. 19, 2015 when he allegedly was struck by a loader operated by Belvolot. The suit alleges that Belvolot failed to keep a careful lookout, operated the equipment at an unsafe speed and allowed the equipment to strike the plaintiff.

The plaintiff alleges his injuries will result in additional medical bills, loss of earnings, pain and suffering, as well as a reduced ability to work and enjoy life.

The plaintiff seeks at least $50,000 from each defendant plus court costs and any further relief the court deems proper. He is represented by Thomas E. Schwartz of Holloran, Schwartz & Gaertner LLP of St. Louis.

Madison County Circuit Court case number 16-L-013

Alleged dog attack results in neighbor-vs.-neighbor suit

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BELLEVILLE – An East St. Louis woman is suing after a neighbor's dog allegedly attacked her. 

Pamela Mobley filed the suit on Dec. 28 in St. Clair County Circuit Court against Adrius Coleman, the dog's owner; and Parsons Place LP, where the dog lives with its owner. The suit alleges violation of the Illinois Animal Control Act, as well as negligence on behalf of Coleman and Parsons Place. The latter is included because the suit alleges the defendant did not monitor the property sufficiently to become aware of the dog's behavior and it allegedly should have known the dog is a pit bull.

The plaintiff was walking to her vehicle near the defendant's residence on Jan. 14, 2014 when the dog allegedly charged at her, causing her to injure her left knee.

The suit claims that Mobley's injuries are permanent and continuing, and have resulted in surgery and scarring. She allegedly also has experienced mental anguish, pain and suffering, and medical expenses.

Mobley seeks at least $50,000 from each of the defendants, as well as court costs. She is represented by Ashley Vaughan and Amanda J. Sextro of Brown & Crouppen PC of St. Louis. 

St. Clair County Circuit Court case number 15-L-729

Ex-employee alleges HAL Group fired her over sexual orientation

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BELLEVILLE – A Missouri woman is filing suit in the wake of her employment termination, alleging retaliation and violation of the Illinois Human Rights Act because of her sexual orientation.

Tracy Fortenberry filed the suit on Dec. 29  in St. Clair County Circuit Court against HAL Group, formerly known as S&H Medical Management Services Inc., of Illinois, claiming unlawful discrimination

On March 23, 2010, the plaintiff was hired by the defendant as a vocational consultant. Part of her work included providing medical case management for those with workers compensation claims filed in St. Clair County. 

Shortly after her hire date, the plaintiff disclosed to her supervisor and to the president of HAL Group that she is gay. The suit alleges the plaintiff then was subjected to discrimination and derogatory comments directed toward her based on her sexual orientation. 

On May 29, 2014, Fortenberry was terminated, with the reason allegedly given as market conditions and ongoing concerns regarding the plaintiff's work performance. The suit alleges, however, that until she complained about the derogatory remarks, all her work performance evaluations were positive. Fortenberry also alleges the termination is a result of retaliation for her opposing the unlawful discrimination.

The plaintiff allegedly has lost wages, benefits and the enjoyment of a normal life; experienced emotional distress, severe mental anguish and depression; and no longer engages in normal activities. She seeks damages in excess of $50,000, plus court costs and attorney fees. She is represented by Ryan J. Mahoney of Cates Mahoney LLC in Swansea.

St. Clair County Circuit Court case number 15-L-730

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