Archives for 2013

Obituary – Lauretta Irene Chwarczinski – Christopher

CHRISTOPHER — Lauretta I. Chwarczinski, 60, died on Friday, Dec. 27, 2013, in Herrin Hospital.

She was born Jan. 24, 1953, in Mount Vernon, to Dale and Nettie (Cook) Wooters of Odin.

She married Leonard Chwarczinski and he survives of Christopher.

Lauretta was a homemaker.

Survivors include her husband, children, George and Casondra Chwarczinski of Kell, Joseph and Jeanine Chwarczinski of Boonville, Ind. and Amanda Fraley of Herrin.  She is also survived by grandchildren, Mikayla Chwarczinski, Aaron Chwarczinski, Ava Chwarczinski, Jonathon Chwarczinski, Izaiah Fraley, Jolene Fraley and Harley Hardin and brothers, Stuart Wooters of Louisiana and Brian Wooters of Odin.  Also surviving are sisters, Jaclyn Capps of Belle Rive, Dalane Terrell of Land-O-Lakes, Fla., Joyce Daniel of Alabama, Elvina Wiley of Alabama, , Karen Sharon of Wilmington and Diana Lacey of Wilmington.

Lauretta was preceded in death by her mother; one sister, Gretta Roseanne Casillas; and stepmother, Gretta Wooters.

Funeral services will be at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 31 in Gilbert Funeral Home in Christopher, with Brother Larry Cook officiating. Visitation will be from 5 to 7 p.m. Tuesday at the funeral home

Obituary – Jessie E. Bowlin – Benton

BENTON – Jessie E. Bowlin, 86, died Sunday, Dec. 22, 2013, in Helia Healthcare in Benton.

Mrs. Bowlin was a homemaker and member of First Baptist Church in Benton.

She also was a member of Eastern Star in Benton for more than 60 years, former Grand Adah of Illinois, Grand Representative of Louisiana in Illinois, and Past Worthy Matron, Grand Lectures, White Shrine.

She was born April 21, 1927, in Buckner to James Oscar and Flora Bell (Allen) Lunsford. She married Alva “Bud” Bowlin on Aug.10, 1946, and he survives in Benton.

Other survivors include her children, Christi Kirkman and husband, Dwayne, of Benton; grandchildren, Jonathon and Korby Kirkman and Adena Bowlin; great-grandchildren, Kailey McCain and husband, Dave, and Zack Kirkman; great-great-grandchildren, David McCain, Keegan McCain, Zaedyn McCain and Roxzyn McCain; and daughter-in-law, Gay Bowlin of Benton.

She was preceded in death by her parents; son, Cyril Bowlin; five sisters, Effie Furlow, Bessie Hicks, Essie Utley, Eva Lunsford and Geneva Lunsford; and four brothers, Bill, Roy, Alfred and Hubert Lunsford.

Funeral services will be at 1 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 26, in Gilbert Funeral Home in Christopher with Brother Rob Joplin officiating. Interment will be in Harrison Cemetery in Buckner. Visitation will be from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Thursday at the funeral home.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to First Baptist Church in Benton, or the charity of the donor’s choice , and will be accepted at the funeral home.

For more information, visit gilbertfuneralhomes.com

Obituary – Nancy C. Sample – Formerly of Sesser

SESSER – Nancy C. Sample, 68, of Mundelein, died Wednesday, Dec. 25, 2013, in Advocate Condell Medical Center in Libertyville.She was born Jan. 31, 1945, in Baldwyn, Miss., to Norris and Hattie (Scott) Burns and she survives.

Survivors include children, David Clinton and Marina Sample, Matt and Tricia Sample; grandchildren, Taylor, Karsen, Payton, Chase, Bradley, Savanah and Spencer; great-grandchild, Bentley; and brothers and sisters, Clara Maland, Richard and Diane Burns, Sue Fitzgerald, Mickey and Ann Burns and Kathy Brown.

She was preceded in death by her father; husband, David Caroll Sample and her brother, Donnie Burns.

Funeral services will be at 11 a.m. Monday, Dec. 30, at Brayfield-Gilbert Funeral Home in Sesser, with Brother Mark Miller officiating. Interment will be in Horse Prairie Cemetery in Sesser. Visitation will be from 9 to 11 a.m. Monday, Dec. 30.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the American Cancer Society , 100 Tri-State International Parkway, Lincolnshire, IL 60069 or the ALS Association, 1275 K Street NW Suite 250, Washington DC 20005

Brayfield-Gilbert Funeral Home in Sesser is in charge of arrangements.

For more information, visit www.gilbertfuneralhomes.com.

Obituary – George O. Smith – Benton

George O. Smith, 90, of Benton passed away Thursday evening, Dec. 19, 2013 at Nature Trail Health Care Center in Mt. Vernon.

Graveside funeral services will be held at 1 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 22, 2013 at the Franklin Cemetery in Whittington.  Military rites will be conducted by the Benton American Legion and VFW Honor Squad.  Visitation will be after 11 a.m. on Sunday at Morton & Johnston Funeral Home in Benton.

New roof for Menard Correctional Center will cost $812,000

The Associated Press

CHESTER — Illinois taxpayers will spend $812,000 on a roof-replacement project at a 135-year-old southern Illinois prison.

Gov. Pat Quinn says Joiner Sheet Metal and Roofing of Greenville was the lowest of two bidders. The project will replace roughly 40,000 square feet of the roof at the maximum-security Menard Correctional Center near Chester, southeast of St. Louis.

The Illinois Capital Development Board will oversee the project involving the 1920s-era North and South cell houses.

Republican state Sen. David Luechtefeld of Okawville calls the work a much-needed upgrade that will add some safety improvements for the prison’s roughly 3,700 inmates

Buckner man sentenced to 210 months on child pornography charge

 

BENTON –  A 55-year-old Buckner man was handed a hefty sentence in U.S. District Court for accessing child pornography images online, according to U.S. Attorney Stephen R. Wigginton.

Richard Faling, 55, of Buckner, pleaded guilty to the charges Aug. 14 and he was sentenced to 210 months in prison, given a $500 fine and a lifetime of supervised release.

According to the evidence presented at sentencing Faling had previously been convicted in Illinois for sex offenses involving children. After his release from prison for that offense, authorities discovered that Faling had been accessing child pornography from his computer at his Buckner residence.

Chamness family establishes endowment with RLC Foundation in honor of son

 

INA– After tragedy struck in Royalton earlier this year, one local family is turning their grief into generosity by creating an endowment in honor of a son and brother who was killed in a mine accident.

The Timothy Keith Chamness Memorial Scholarship was created with the Rend Lake College Foundation by Tim’s family and the help of Knight Hawk Coal LLC. The $60,000 endowment will provide funds for six students annually who are enrolled in the Mining Technology program at RLC, starting in the fall of 2014. The announcement was made last week during the RLC Foundation Annual Dinner.

Honoring a legacy Jim Chamness, STANDING, father of Tim Chamness, spoke during the Rend Lake College Foundation Annual Dinner last week about the Timothy Keith Chamness Memorial Scholarship; an endowment that will honor the legacy of a young man who died in a mine accident in February. The scholarship will provide funds for students in Rend Lake College's Mining Technology program. (ReAnne Palmer / RLC Public Information)

Honoring a legacy
Jim Chamness, STANDING, father of Tim Chamness, spoke during the Rend Lake College Foundation Annual Dinner last week about the Timothy Keith Chamness Memorial Scholarship; an endowment that will honor the legacy of a young man who died in a mine accident in February. The scholarship will provide funds for students in Rend Lake College’s Mining Technology program.
(ReAnne Palmer / RLC Public Information)

During the event, Tim’s father Jim Chamness spoke on behalf of the family and the scholarship by addressing the need he sees in the area as a guidance counselor at Zeigler-Royalton High School.

“We decided that we want to keep Tim’s name and memory alive in the form of a scholarship,” he said. “We want to help the children of the Rend Lake College district and many more students in the future.”

Chamness added that the endowment would not have been possible without the help of Knight Hawk Coal LLC and the employees of the Prairie Eagle South Mine.

“There are many generous people out there, including Steve Carter, the president of Knight Hawk Coal Company, and the employees of Tim’s mine,” said Chamness. “Carter and the employees of the mine donated their $500 safety bonus for the quarter to the scholarship fund. They allowed us the opportunity to turn that $60,000 into an endowment with the Rend Lake College Foundation, and hopefully, it will help other students.”

Tim Chamness was a 28-year-old graduate of Zeigler-Royalton High School where he was an outstanding athlete.

“The Chamness Family shows by example what it means to turn one family’s tragedy into another person’s saving grace,” said RLC Foundation CEO Shawna Manion. “By establishing this endowment, they have insured that Tim’s name, and his legacy, will live on through the form of a financial ‘helping hand’ for people trying to better their own lives, their futures, and the future of their families. I never had the opportunity to meet Tim, but I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that he is looking down on his family with his famous smile, and is proud of them for their selfless generosity during such a time of grief.”

For more information about this endowment, or other opportunities through the RLC Foundation, call 618-437-5321, Ext. 1214.

Harrisburg High harrier Elders inks scholarship to RLC

HARRISBURG, Ill. (Dec. 16, 2013) – Harrisburg High School cross country runner Miranda Elders has signed a national letter of intent to run at Rend Lake College in the fall 2014 semester.

RLC Head Coach James Wooldridge joined Elders’ mother, Cassie Seagle, and Harrisburg coach Chuck Ingram at the signing engagement held in the high school’s Media Center. Elders told the Harrisburg Daily Register’s Michael Dann that she is surprised and overjoyed by the opportunity.

 

Miranda Elders was joined by her mother, Cassie Seagle, RLC Head Coach James Wooldridge and Harrisburg High School coach Chuck Ingram as she signed her national letter of intent to run cross country at The Lake next fall. (Photo by Michael Dann - Harrisburg Daily Register)

Miranda Elders was joined by her mother, Cassie Seagle, RLC Head Coach James Wooldridge and Harrisburg High School coach Chuck Ingram as she signed her national letter of intent to run cross country at The Lake next fall. (Photo by Michael Dann – Harrisburg Daily Register)

 

“I’ve always really, really wanted to run and when I got into this, I never really imagined I would amount to anything, but this is really exciting,” she told him. “It’s something I never thought I would have the opportunity to do and now I can’t wait to get started, again.”

Wooldridge said he likes the way Ingram structures the Bulldog program where Elders has helped lead the pack for the past three seasons.

“I’ve been watching Miranda since she was a sophomore,” Wooldridge told Dann. “Coach Ingram has a good program going. … He doesn’t overtrain them or kill them. A lot of kids that are good in high school have been through the gamut and worked so hard that by the time they get to college, they are just worn out with it.”

“I have friends here and I like that I can be here and continue to do what I want to do and what I need to do,” she told the newspaper. “I know I need to get my times better. That’s for sure. And I think these girls that I’m running with will help me get there.”

“We’ll travel to different states. It’s a great learning experience,” said Wooldridge. “She’ll get around some faster girls, but for me, when I look at distance runners, I look at build, desire and the baking [SIC] of her coach.”

Obituary – Walter Vandekerhove – Sesser

Walter Vandekerkhove, 97, passed away at 3:30 a.m. on Thursday December 19, 2013, with his loving family by his side.

vanderWalter, better known as Jeff Vander, was born January 26, 1916, in Skidmore, Kansas.  He was the last of seven children born to Gus and Marie (Menu) Vandekerkhove.

He married Madeline OpdeBeeck in Skiplaken, Belgium, on January 10, 1946, and she preceded him in death in June, 1991.

Walter is survived by daughters Pat (Bob) Boles, Irma (Darrell) Kimmel, Trudy Irvin, and Connie (Danny) Flowers, and one son Walter Jr.  Papa Jeff leaves behind 9 grandchildren, 29 great-grandchildren, and 10 great-great-grandchildren.

Walter was preceded in death by his parents, wife, and brothers, Gustave Jr., John and Louis, and sisters Julia, Susan and Garman.

Walter was a WWII Army veteran serving in Belgium as a Jeep mechanic and driver where he met Madeline.  He returned to Illinois with his new bride and began working second shift in the coal mines and opened his life-long business, Vander’s Gas & Appliance.  Jeff and Madeline sold their business in 1975 and retired to Tarpon Springs, FL.

Walter was a member and past-commander of both the American Legion Post 560 and VFW Cox Post 4753 in Sesser, member of the Sesser- Goode Masonic Lodge #744, and lifetime member of the Fraternal Order of the Eagles.

Funeral services will be on Monday December 23, 2013 at 11:00 A.M. at the Brayfield-Gilbert Funeral Home in Sesser.  Interment will be in Maple Hill Cemetery with military graveside rites courtesy of the Sesser American Legion and VFW Post.  Visitation will be from 6:00 P.M. until 8:00 P.M. on Sunday December 22, 2013 at the funeral home.

In lieu of flowers donations can be made to Hospice of Southern Illinois or to the American Cancer Association and will be accepted at the funeral home.

Salukis look for second straight home win against Chicago State on Friday

Southern Illinois (2-6) vs. Chicago State (1-8)
 Date Friday, Dec. 20, 2013
 Time 6:05 p.m. CT
 Location Carbondale, Ill. – SIU Arena (8,339)
 Video Saluki All-Access
 Radio Saluki Sports Network
 Notes Southern Illinois Get Acrobat Reader | Chicago State Get Acrobat Reader
 Season Stats Southern Illinois | Chicago State
 Live Stats Gametracker | Valley Scoreboard
 Social Media @SIU_WBasketball

By Tyler Wooten
SIUSalukis.com

CARBONDALE, Ill. — Saluki women’s basketball will look for its second straight victory against Chicago State at the SIU Arena on Friday night, with tipoff scheduled for 6:05 p.m. at the SIU Arena.

Southern Illinois Salukis (2-6)
Head Coach:
 Cindy Stein • First Season • 284-212 overall (17th season) • 2-6 at SIU

Chicago State Cougars (1-8)
Head Coach: 
Angela Jackson • 11th Season • 127-204 overall (12th season) • 121-184 at CSU

RADIO INFORMATION
Play-By-Play:
 Bryce Williams (second season)
Color Commentary: Logan Lee (first season)
Station: WVZA 105.1 FM (audio also available on Saluki All-Access)

SIU VS. CHICAGO STATE
Southern leads the all-time series versus the Cougars 5-1, dating back to the first matchup in 1976. SIU is a perfect 3-0 against Chicago State in Carbondale, 1-1 in Chicago, and 1-0 in neutral site games. The Cougars’ lone win over SIU came Dec. 14, 2008, when CSU outlasted Southern in overtime, 71-68, in Chicago. The series began in 1976 with a regular season matchup in Carbondale on Feb. 21, 1976 (W, 79-50), and a postseason duel at the IAIAW State Tournament on Mar. 4, where Southern won 80-39 in Macomb, Ill.

SOUTHERN VS. WAC SCHOOLS
SIU is 6-1 all-time against schools from the Western Athletic Conference. The Salukis are a combined 5-0 against San Diego State (3-0), Hawaii (1-0), New Mexico (1-0) and San Jose State (1-0), with SIU’s only loss coming against Southern Methodist on Dec. 1, 2000, when the Mustangs topped SIU, 86-80, at the SMU Hoops for Cure Classic in Dallas. This will be the first time Southern will face Chicago State as a member of the WAC — which CSU joined in 2013.

SIU 69, CSU 66 — DEC. 29, 2012
The Salukis had to hold off a late charge by Chicago State to secure a 69-66 victory over the Cougars on Dec. 29, 2012, in Chicago. Southern built up to a 19-point advantage with 10 minutes to play, but the Cougars came charging back by taking advantage of Saluki miscues and putting Southern on the foul line — where it went 12-24 in the second half. CSU cut the lead to 68-66 with four seconds remaining when it fouled Cartaesha Macklin for two shots. Macklin kept it a ball game by only sinking one free throw, but it proved to be enough. Macklin had a double-double with 19 points and a career-high 10 assists, as did Azia Washington with career-high totals of 17 points and 17 rebounds.

DETROIT 85, CHICAGO STATE 64
The Cougars had three players in double figures — which included a double-double from Chanel Wilson-Stewart (14 points, 11 rebounds) and 21 points from Paris Williams — but they couldn’t keep up with a hot-shooting Detroit team that sank 11-of-28 from beyond the arc in an 86-64 loss at the Toledo Invite. The Titans opened the game on a 10-0 run and, despite CSU making a few small runs of their own, were able to keep the Cougars at bay by at least nine points the rest of the way. Detroit had three scorers over 20 points that combined to shoot 11-of-27 from three, and the Titans outrebounded the Cougars 43-32.

SALUKIS OUTSHOOT EIU, 66-60
Southern rode its best shooting performance and its best overall team performance of the season to a 66-60 victory over Eastern Illinois on Dec. 16 at the SIU Arena. The Salukis shot 47.1 percent from the field, which included its best mark from beyond the arc this season of 33.3 percent (7-of-21). Dyana Pierre was a star for SIU on Monday with her 20 point, 10 rebound performance — her 13th career double-double and her fourth this season in eight games. However, SIU had three other scorers in double figures — Sidney Goins (12 points, 4-of-12 3FG), Ariel Haynes (12 points, 5-of-10 FG) and Azia Washington (11 points, 5-of-10 FG) — to ease the load off Pierre. Scoring was only part of the story Monday night, however. SIU’s work on the offensive glass in the second half and its defensive stymying of EIU’s Sabina Oroszova sealed victory for SIU.

HOME SWEET HOME
After a 1-4 road swing throughout November and the early part of December, the Salukis returned home in high fashion with a 66-60 victory over an offensively potent Eastern Illinois squad. Southern was impressive in every facet of the victory, head coach Cindy Stein’s first at the SIU Arena. The Salukis posted their best totals of the season in shooting percentage (.471), three-point percentage (.333) and three-point field goals (seven) — all while holding EIU leading scorer Sabina Oroszova seven points under her season average. In all three of SIU’s home games, the Salukis are shooting 40 percent or better from the field — as opposed to only two of SIU’s five road games where they’ve broken the 40-percent plane. Southern’s scoring margin at home against its mark on the road is just as stark. At home, SIU is at +0.3, but on the road the Salukis are -19.0.

PUTTING THE TEAM ON HER BACK
Sophomore Dyana Pierre has been consistently remarkable for SIU all season, but her performance Monday night in SIU’s victory over Eastern Illinois was her most impressive thus far. Pierre recorded her 13th career double-double and her fourth this season in eight games with a 20 point, 10 rebound performance. The 20-point plateau is a career-high for Pierre, who also recorded two blocks to put her at 51 in her two year career — three shy of cracking the top-ten all-time at SIU. Pierre currently leads the conference in blocked shots (1.9 per game) and ranks second in both rebounding (9.4) and field goal percentage (.524).

TEAM EFFORT
While Pierre’s effort put SIU over the top, the consistent production from the rest of Southern’s roster was the true key to victory over EIU. Four players scored in double figures for only the second time this season and only the eighth time in the last two seasons. Sidney Goins (12 points, 4-of-12 3FG), Ariel Haynes (12 points, 5-of-10 FG) and Azia Washington (11 points, 5-of-10 FG) each contributed to the winning effort. Goins especially got the Salukis off to a hot start with two consecutive three-pointers to open the game. Walk-on sophomore Hannah Shores did her part as well as SIU’s starting point guard, dishing out a career-high seven assists and sinking six of her eight free throw attempts — all while not attempting a field goal. Before her turn as SIU’s starting point guard Monday night, Shores had attempted 5.7 field goals per game.

DOMINANT DUO
Southern’s inside sophomore duo of forward Azia Washington and center Dyana Pierre have been dominant in the post for the Salukis this season. Pierre, SIU’s leading scorer at 13.5 points per game, currently leads the MVC in blocks (1.9 per game) and ranks second in rebounding (9.4) and fourth in field goal percentage (.524). Washington, who has scored in double-digits each of her last three games, ranks eighth in field goal percentage (.468) and ninth in rebounding (6.6). In her last five games, Washington has shot 50.0 percent or better, and is 23-of-41 (.561) from the field.

BLOCK PARTY
Sophomore center Dyana Pierre is already within striking distance of the top-ten all-time at SIU in career blocks. After posting the fourth-most blocks in a single-season in school history in 2012-13 (36), Pierre stands within five blocks of the top-ten with 51 career blocks. Pierre currently has 15 in 2013-14 and averages 1.9 per game, right now the most in the MVC. At this pace, Pierre will record the third-most blocks in a single-season for SIU in 2013-14 and climb up to second all-time in career blocks.

STOUT DEFENSE
Southern, which came off of consecutive games of giving up more than 75 points, allowed only 37 points in a victory over the Central Arkansas Sugar Bears on Dec. 2. UCA, which was averaging 67.0 points per game entering the contest, shot 25.9 percent from the field and their best player — Courtney Deuver (13.1 PPG) — was held to three points, thanks in large part to the superb defense of Dyana Pierre (11 rebounds, six points, three blocks, three steals). The 18 points UCA scored in the second half are the fewest allowed by the Salukis since Jan. 29, 2011, when Southern allowed only 14 to Indiana State in the first half, and 37 points are the fewest given up by SIU in a single game since Dec. 10, 1988 when the Salukis held Central Michigan to 32.

The Salukis also showed their defensive prowess on Dec. 16 versus Eastern Illinois when it shut down EIU’s leading scorer Sabina Oroszova. Entering the game, Oroszova averaged 18.3 points per game, but the Salukis were able to hold her to 11 points — which included starting the game 1-of-8 from the field and four points in the first half.

SHORE-ING UP
Walk-on sophomore Hannah Shores has made her presence known. Shores, a native of nearby Centralia, Ill., has scored 5.4 points and 2.4 assists in 24.5 minutes per game in eight games played and three starts. Shores earned her first career start at IPFW on Nov. 18, where she played 23 minutes and scored a career-high nine points. On Dec. 16 versus Eastern Illinois, Shores got her first start at point guard where she was efficient at running Coach Stein’s offense. Shores played a career-high 34 minutes, in which she dished out a career-high seven assists and scored six points all on free throws. Of Southern’s 51 attempts from the field, Shores did not take a single shot. Entering the game, Shores was attempting 5.7 shots per game.

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