Xandria Harris Trial Enters Week Two, Manteno Board Lacks Quorum, and New Kankakee Development Approved - Tuesday, August 18th, 2026

This episode of the WVLI News Update with Rob West covers critical legal, civic, and community developments across Kankakee County and Northwest Indiana.

Coverage opens with week two of testimony in the Xandria Harris murder trial, detailing defense motions, witness testimonies from dispatchers and family members, and key proceedings surrounding the December 2021 shooting of Bradley police officers.

In local government news, the Bourbonnais Police Department moves within one officer of full staffing following the swearing-in of Patrolman Joshua Reel, while a lack of quorum completely halts the Manteno Village Board meeting. Additionally, the Kankakee City Council advances an ordinance regarding conditional use for transitional housing and approves a liquor license for a new banquet hall located at the former Sully's Restaurant site.

Further reporting includes NIPSCO's power restoration challenges in Northwest Indiana following a gunfire incident in Gary, a weapon-related arrest outside a Bourbonnais bar, and a special tribute by the Bourbonnais Village Board honoring the late K9 Officer Knight. The episode concludes with a roundup of local sports results and upcoming game schedules.

Listen to the full episode for complete coverage and in-depth details on all of these stories.

Episode artwork photo by: Shaw Media/Tiffany Blanchette. 

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This One Time in Kankakee  (Narrative Storytelling)

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Transcript

SPEAKER_02 0:42

Second week of testimony started yesterday in the Xandria Harris murder trial. Jake Lamore has some details for us.

SPEAKER_04 0:48

Rob Harris faces charges of first-degree murder, attempted murder, and child endangerment for allegedly helping her then-boyfriend Darius Sullivan in the December 2021 shooting that killed Bradley police sergeant Marlene Ritmanick and wounding of Officer Tyler Bailey. Defense attorney Sierra Norris moved for a directed verdict, arguing the state lacked sufficient evidence, but Judge Kathy Bradshaw Elliott denied the motion. The defense then called Cancom dispatcher Kyle Beunty, who testified Officer Bailey requested background checks on Harris and Sullivan shortly before the shooting, revealing active warrants for Sullivan. Harris's brother Xavier also testified that he picked up his crying sister and drove her to Indiana. On cross-examination, he admitted pleading guilty to obstruction of justice after lying about her whereabouts, telling police he dropped her off in Bradley or Kank Key. Police also found a gun in a bag inside his car, and he told officers he didn't know where it came from. With three jurors dismissed so far, three alternates remain. The trial is expected to wrap up Friday. I'm Jake Clamore.

SPEAKER_05 2:11

He comes to us from the Kinkey County Sheriff's Office. I believe he was there for seven years. He has uh over ten years' experience in law enforcement in the in Kinkey County. And he's a Bourbon A resident, so we're happy to have him.

SPEAKER_02 2:23

With the addition of Patrolman Real, the Bourbon A Police Department, now just one officer away from being fully staffed. Deputy Chief Stuba says the hope is to have that remaining position filled by the end of the year. Also during last night's meeting, the board okay to bid from low voltage solutions incorporated for new security cameras in Village Hall, the police department, inside the board meeting room, and in the grove. Mantino Village Board meeting last night couldn't happen for lack of a quorum. Absences included trustees C.J. Boudreaux, Joel Gesky, Todd Crockett, and Annette Zimbleman. Mayor Nett Lamore talked about the whereabouts of each of the trustees.

SPEAKER_00 2:59

When I came tonight, the only trustee that had contacted me was C.J. Boudreaux, and he told me that he had open house at a school and he had to be present for that. So he was sorry he would not be here. I didn't hear from anybody else. Peggy said she got a text at the last minute from Todd Crackett, but he couldn't make it. And I believe that um Crystal Rock heard from Joel Geske.

SPEAKER_02 3:27

Lamore said trustee Zimbleman was the only one she hadn't heard anything from. Mayor Lamore tried to use a Mantino code that lets the attending officer notify of absent members who can be found within the village. After notice and request, if the member still refuses to attend, the officer can have them arrested and brought to the meeting. Mantino Police Chief Al Sword was sent to notify Zimbleman at her residence but was unable to locate her. Items on the agenda included appointing a new village clerk, a FOIA officer, a code enforcement officer, and payment of bills of just under $124,000. Bourbon A police report the arrest of a Kankakiman Saturday after he was allegedly found parked outside a bar with a gun. Bourbon A police say it was just before midnight Saturday night. Officers spotted a car parked headed in the wrong direction in a no parking zone in front of a bar in the village. As the officers approached the car, they allegedly saw open alcohol inside the car and what appeared to be an AR-15 style rifle. Police say that four people inside the car were told to get out. The rifle turned out to be a BB gun. Search of the car, though, did turn up a loaded handgun. Bourbon A police arrested 26-year-old Corey Tharp Jr. for aggravated unlawful use of a weapon. At Monday night's Kankakee City Council meeting, Alderman voted to untable an ordinance that was tabled at the last meeting two weeks ago. Mayor Chris Curtis says that the ordinance had to do with the Gift of God Street Church on North Fifth Avenue.

SPEAKER_01 4:52

And the council wanted to send that back to committee for further discussion with the uh council members. Uh so we had to untable it tonight. Uh they'll then be able to uh make a motion to send it back to the ordinance committee for review, which will be in two weeks. And then we do expect a action resulting out of committee back to city council at some point from that meeting.

SPEAKER_02 5:10

If the ordinance comes back to full city council and passes, it would allow Gift of God to have a conditional use permit to operate transitional housing for the homeless. Struggle to return power to residents of Northwest Indiana continues. NIPSCO says over a hundred thousand customers still don't have power in Northwest Indiana. Perry Williams has more.

SPEAKER_06 5:30

The utility had to pause restoration efforts after one of their vehicles was hit by gunfire on Friday. Gary Mayor Eddie Melton said no one was hurt, and NIPSCO crews were back out with beefed up security.

SPEAKER_07 5:41

And I don't want residents to think because of this one isolated incident that the work has stopped.

SPEAKER_06 5:47

Despite the mayor's claims, residents are frustrated.

SPEAKER_08 5:49

But they ain't pausing when they take our money. They're the first we're the first to get cut off when anything happened. NIPSCO.

SPEAKER_06 5:56

Some people in Northwest Indiana have been without power since last Tuesday. I'm Perry Williams.

SPEAKER_02 6:03

NIPSCO says there's still power out to more than a hundred customers in DeMott, a handful of residents in Couchs, nearly 40 residents of Lake Village, and nearly 20 in Samava Resorts. No word yet on when the power might be restored. The shuttered building that once housed Sully's restaurant on Southwest Avenue in Kankakee will soon be home to a new banquet hall. Kankakee City Council approved a liquor license for the new place on Monday at the City Council meeting. Mayor Chris Curtis tells us more.

SPEAKER_01 6:31

We have a local individual that has acquired the former Sullies in Kankakee, which was a fixture for many, many years, not only as a banquet facility but as a restaurant. They're currently going through the renovations of that property, and they had applied for a Class E uh liquor license is what is itemized for banquet halls. Uh it'll be Palazzo banquets that'll be opening up uh once the renovations are done, and they'll have uh the space available for events and uh entertainment.

SPEAKER_02 6:57

Mayor Curtis says the business owner's goal is to have the renovations done by the end of the year. It was an evening of resolutions at last night's Bourbon A Village Board meeting. Among those resolutions, one honoring Bourbon A canine officer Knight, who recently passed away. Sergeant Tim Banks was Knight's human partner, and said that he was touched by the Village Board taking time out to honor Knight.

SPEAKER_03 7:19

For everyone to know and acknowledge and and commemorate what he was to the community and the region as a whole, um, it means a lot to me and my family. I can't thank everyone enough for for thinking of him and and uh commemorating uh his sacrifices through his life.

SPEAKER_02 7:37

Knight was the village's first ever canine officer when he joined the department in 2024. Knight died July 11th following a battle with cancer. In sports, Cubs won yesterday while the Sox lost. The Cards split a doubleheader. Cubs took 10 innings to beat the White Sox yesterday, 7-5 at Wrigley Field, that series continues tonight. Cards split a doubleheader with the Reds in Cincinnati, winning the first game 2-1, losing the second 6-5 and ten innings, that series also continues tonight. Chicago Sky hosts the Liberty tonight. Chicago Fire FC take on Orlando City on Wednesday, and Bears training camp continues in open practice today. The Bears are at the Bengals this Saturday. That is a check of news and sports here on this Tuesday. Have a good rest of your day. Be safe, everybody. I'm Rob West.