2 Decatur school board candidates subjects of criminal charges
DECATUR — Two of the candidates for the Decatur school board are subjects of criminal cases in Macon County Circuit Court, the Herald & Review has learned.
Ferlaxnes “Lexy” Carson is charged in connection with an incident Nov. 25 at Precision Recovery in Decatur. She faces seven misdemeanor counts, one for criminal trespass at the business, and six for battery. Her trial is set for July 12.
Krystal Johnson is charged with a Class 4 felony for retail theft under $300 alleging internal theft while an employee at a local retailer.
Johnson’s case, which was originally filed in 2019, was dismissed on July 16, 2019, as the trial was preparing to start after the presiding judge rejected the prosecution’s request for a continuance, States Attorney Scott Reuter said Friday. Reuter was not state’s attorney at the time.
The prosecution had asked for the dismissal without prejudice, meaning the case could be refiled, which it was on July 25, 2019, and a summons for Johnson’s appearance was issued. That summons wasn’t served until Feb. 3, 2021, Reuter said.
Because it is a new case, the process had to start all over again. Johnson pleaded not guilty to the charge during a court appearance Wednesday. Her case is set for a pre-trial hearing on May 19.
No additional information on either case was available on Friday. The Macon County Courthouse was closed for the Good Friday holiday.
The Herald & Review received documentation about Carson’s case late Thursday, prompting a search of all candidates’ names in court records, which turned up Johnson’s pending case.
The newspaper contacted both Carson and Johnson. Johnson said the charges against her had been dismissed previously and declined further comment.
Carson declined to comment on the advice of legal counsel.
Four seats are up for election on Tuesday and none of the incumbents are running.
Replay: Herald & Review Decatur school board debate
21 photos of Decatur high school activities through the years
HISTORY CORNER: A LOOK BACK
1984: Eisenhower High School’s girls bowling team was 11th in the state tournament after an 11-1 record during the regular season. Eisenhower won the sectional tournament with an all-time high six-game score for a Decatur team – 4,908. At top, from left, Lori Holt, Melinda Poe, Barb Wuellner, Darla Henry, Valerie Bonnell; bottom, Sharmil Ford, Linda Wuellner, Carolyn Thommas, Kim Cookson and Julie Boatz. Thommas was 17th individually in the state tournament.
HISTORY CORNER: A LOOK BACK
1975: Matt Tyner, MacArthur High School quarterback, left, gives some instructions to his starting backfield teammates in preparation for the Generals’ big game against crosstown rival Eisenhower at Matheson Field. Listening to Tyner are running backs Carl Spence, Zannie Rawls and Art Perkins.
HISTORY CORNER: A LOOK BACK
1981: Offensive and defensive backs for MacArthur High School’s football team are, from left, Danny Lee, Kyle Risby and Terry Spence.
HISTORY CORNER: A LOOK BACK
1990: Fighting for the quarterback position at Eisenhower High School are, from left, Julian Watson, Maxie Johnson and Todd Jacobs.
HISTORY CORNER: A LOOK BACK
1962: Four Eisenhower High School players named to then Herald & Review All-City Football Squad. From left, Paul Shaw, tackle; Doug Smith, halfback; Carl Hanson, tackle; and Jim Harvey, lineman.
HISTORY CORNER: A LOOK BACK
1979: St. Teresa High School cheerleaders, front row from left, Tonya Burke, Joanie Yonker and Julie Bollero. Second row: Mary Turner, Kay Turner, Peggy McCarthy and Cathy Kaelin. Not pictured is Heidi Arseneault.
HISTORY CORNER: A LOOK BACK
DATE UNKNOWN: Students work in the forge and blacksmith department at Decatur High School.
HISTORY CORNER: A LOOK BACK
1962: Students are served lunch at Eisenhower High School. Thirty-one tons of hamburger and two million half pints of milk are just part of the annual grocery order put in for Decatur public school cafeterias. Each school day, more than 4,250 meals are served by 90 women in 17 cafeterias. Helen G. Hill is the cafeteria director who is behind the entire operation.
HISTORY CORNER: A LOOK BACK
1984: Linda Kingston, 17; Mark Muschal, 16; and Amanda Harres, 17, prepare for one of the actis for Eisenhower High School’s fall talent show, ‘Sights and Sounds of ’84.’ The performance will feature all-student talent.
HISTORY CORNER: A LOOK BACK
1943: Decatur and Pana high school seniors are among those who are being trained in preparation for jobs in war industries in the new program offered at the NYA war production center. Operating lathes in the machine shop at the center are, Lorna Hemphill and Mary Eleanor Dembow, Pana High School. In the foreground, from left are Gerald Moore and Bill Medley, St. Teresa High School.
HISTORY CORNER: A LOOK BACK
1958: A class in the homemaking department at Eisenhower High School is shown taking a test, with desk chairs scattered in a large room created by opening the folding partitions which separate three classrooms.
HISTORY CORNER: A LOOK BACK
1982: Stephen Decatur High School relay runners will be featured in the girls Area Best track and field meet at Millikin University. The 400, 800 and 1,600 relay groups set school records in winning in the MacArthur district meet. The runners, from left, Susie Hunt, Beth Schumacher, Debbie Schile, Michelle Morthland, Debra Thomas and Earline Allen.
HISTORY CORNER: A LOOK BACK
1980: Eisenhower High School won the city public school volleyball championship by compiling a 3-0 record. Front row, from left, assistant Coach Rosemary Anthony, Kelly Quinlan, Amy Webb, Margie Simon, Sheri Smith, Coach Chuck Force and Manager Donna Pratt. Back row, Ann Wasilewski, Reeni McElyea, Karen Woolen, Julie DePesa and Lori Boland.
HISTORY CORNER: A LOOK BACK
1977: The Eisenhower High School Band was out in force and in full regalia during the Labor Day parade.
HISTORY CORNER: A LOOK BACK
1967: Rich Edwards, left, and John Campbell, right operate TV cameras at Lakeview High School. At the high school, television is more than just viewing educational or entertaining programs. Classes are being videotaped and played back with the aim of aiding teachers in improved teaching methods.
HISTORY CORNER: A LOOK BACK
1982: In February, the day after the Decatur Board of Education voted to close their school, a group of juniors from Lakeview High School painted the words ‘LHS lives on forever’ on the concrete abutment adjacent to Cerro Gordo Street overlooking East William Street Road. It was meant as an expression of loyalty, however, others thought it was an eyesore. So in April, students showed up to give the wall a solid coat of paint, covering the graffiti. In the foreground is Gary Weeks.
HISTORY CORNER: A LOOK BACK
1988: Former MacArthur High School band director Bob Kruzan has been a driving force behind a program of putting musical instruments in the hands of students who could not afford to buy or rent instruments. Kruzan asked the Kiwanis Club for help and with Thompson-Kramer Music Co., 22 instruments were donated and repaired. The Kiwanis Club provided $1,000 for repairs.
HISTORY CORNER: A LOOK BACK
1981: Shelbyville High School receiver Drew Woodruff was on target in the opener against Sullivan. Woodruff nabbed a 60-year touchdown pass from quarterback Trey Cox in the first quarter. It turned out to be the winning score.
HISTORY CORNER: A LOOK BACK
1983: Chris, left, and Mike Woody are identical twins who play for Stephen Decatur High School. Coach Ed Boehm said he had trouble telling them apart, “So I decided to put them both at linebacker. That way I could just yell: ‘Hey, Woody.’ ” Chris leads the team with 74 tackles. Mike is second with 65.
HISTORY CORNER: A LOOK BACK
1978: Barb Tate, 17-year-old spring graduate of MacArthur High School, continued to leave the field gasping in her wake with a final round of 79 at Scovill Golf Course to capture the championship of the 50th Decatur Herald & Review City Women’s Amateur golf tournament with a 54-hole total of 245.
HISTORY CORNER: A LOOK BACK
1974: Freshman Vince Barnett, a former Decatur MacArthur High School player, is a member of the junior varsity basketball squad at Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville.
Contact Valerie Wells at (217) 421-7982. Follow her on Twitter: @modgirlreporter
