Lovato motion for new trial denied
A judge dismissed a motion for a new trial for Dylan Lovato.
Defense attorney Andrew Stuckart argued some of the evidence presented to jurors during last summer’s trial should not have been allowed.
But Circuit Judge Heidi Benson ruled all of the evidence was admitted properly, and denied the motion in toto.
A McDonough County jury found Lovato, now 25, guilty of first-degree murder in the shooting death of Ivan Almanza, 23, in March 2022.
Benson must still rule on Stuckart’s objection to a firearm enhancement on the murder charge. It would add 25 years to the sentence.
Attorneys on both sides are still working on their written closing arguments on that issue.
After that, a sentencing date will be scheduled.
Record-setting Giving Tuesday for WIU, Sandburg
Western Illinois University enjoyed a record-setting Giving Tuesday.
The university raised nearly $96,000 on the Tuesday after Thanksgiving. That shattered the record set last year, when Western raised $61,000. Gifts came from more than 350 donors.
It was also a good Giving Tuesday for Sandburg. The college raised more $87,000. That included gifts from 93 donors in six states. And it was a large increase from last year’s total of $50,000.
Second arrest in Burlington homicide
Burlington police have made a second arrest in a fatal shooting last month.
Kathryn F. Cable, 27, is charged with accessory after the fact to first degree murder.
Her arrest follows that of Shermando Harper, 18, on murder charges last week.
They’re accused in the shooting death of Alondro Pratt, 28, of Racine, Wisc., on Nov. 24 in the 500 block of South Seventh Street.
OSLAD grants awarded in western Illinois
Several small towns in western Illinois have been awarded significant state grants to improve local parks.
The grants are from the Open Space Land Acquisition and Development (OSLAD) program.
In McDonough County, the Blandinsville-Hire Park District is getting $600,000. So is London Mills in Fulton County. Maquon in Knox County is getting $587,553.
Established by the Illinois General Assembly in 1986, OSLAD is a cost-sharing program between state and local governments that helps communities fund land acquisition and development for parks and outdoor recreation projects. Communities are required to match the grant amount.
Gov. JB Pritzker said funding has been set aside for economically distressed communities for three years in a row.
Garrison murder trial rescheduled
A McDonough County murder trial is being rescheduled.
Portia Garrison, now 30, was scheduled to stand trial the week of Jan. 6. But an expert witness for the defense won’t be available at that time.
The trial is now scheduled to begin the week of March 24. A pretrial hearing is scheduled for Jan. 21.
Garrison is accused of stabbing to death her husband, Ricky Haymer, in February 2023 at their home in Macomb.
Judge Nigel Graham has denied Garrison pretrial release. She remains in custody in the McDonough County jail.