Archives for 2013

 By Bruce A. Fasol

On the television game show ‘Who Wants to be a Millionaire?’ players could use what was termed a life-line.

That allowed unsure contestants to call a friend for advice. Tuesday night the Zeigler City Council used their own expert telephone call and came away with some money. The council approved ordinances dealing with electric aggregation. They will join with other communities in participating in a pool that will purchase electricity for the city-owned properties.

Zeigler has some 23 different electric accounts. A question arose regarding Ameren and the services that they provide to the city at no charge. That is referred to as a franchise agreement. City officials wanted to know if this would be lost, when the city transferred their account over to Select Energy. At that point of the meeting, Mayor Dennis Mitchell reached for the cell phone in his shirt pocket and called Nick Hill, the representative of Select Energy for an answer.

Hill reassured Zeigler officials that their continued payments for such an agreement would continue in the form of a monetary payment in lieu of service and rate considerations. That amount, according to Mayor Mitchell, was $4,200. The council decided to accept the recommendation of Select Energy – as the city broker for kilowatt hour electric purchase – and awarded their contract to AEM. This company is actually an AMEREN subsidiary. Savings to the city is estimated at $3,208 per year. All the ordinances approved Tuesday are subject to review by the city attorney Rebecca Whittington.

Mayor Mitchell reported to the Council that he has had talks with a land developer that the city is working with to bring a third party to Zeigler. The land in question is at the north edge of the city. It is the former high school football field that is used as a walking path now. Developers are considering a counter offer from the city for the sale of the 2.1 acres. While nothing has been announced formally, city officials have openly said that Dollar General Stores is looking to build on that site. However, Mayor Mitchell seemed frustrated at the pace of the negotiations with the counter offer having been made at the first of the calendar year.

Two matters from the agenda were tabled: the police department contract negotiations, and the tax anticipation warrant. A tax anticipation warrant is sought by governmental taxing bodies as a short term loan. The money is borrowed until the county reimburses tax monies owed. The borrowed money is used to meet daily expenses, many times being payroll and benefit payments.

The council set June 20th as a citywide clean up day, with details to follow.

A 54-year-old Buckner man has been arrested for failing to register as a sex offender.

Richard Faling

Richard L. Faling, was arrested by Franklin County Sheriff’s deputies and is facing three counts of unlawful failure to register as a sex offender and one count of child pornography.

Detectives with the sheriff’s department received a tip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children concerning certain activities by Faling on the internet.

An investigation by authorities revealed that Faling was not in compliance with his sex offender registration. An arrest warrant was obtained for the sex offender violation as well as a search warrant for Faling’s residence.  The search warrant was executed and child pornography was located.  Faling was not at home at the time of the search but was later taken into custody by the U.S. Marshal’s Department when he returned.  He is being held in the Franklin County Jail.

U.S. Secret Service Cybercrime Unit members from Franklin County Sheriff’s Department, Benton Police Department, Illinois State Police along with Secret Service agents and deputies from the U.S. Marshal’s Department assisted with the investigation.

Harrisburg — Dr. Toby Brooks, assistant professor at the Texas Tech University Health Science Center in Lubbock, has been chosen by members of the Southeastern Illinois College Mu Psi Chapter of the Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society to join Southeastern’s Distinguished Alumni roster of 32 outstanding graduates.

Toby Brooks named Distinguished Alumnus at SIC

A Golconda native, Brooks attended Southeastern from 1994-96, where he majored in math and science. He graduated with academic honors from the college, receiving his associate in science degree with a focus on physical education and athletic training.

Dr. Jonah Rice, president of SIC, remembers Brooks well. “Dr. Brooks was one of those outstanding students you just knew was going to do well in life,” said Rice.

“I was fortunate enough to have taught Toby when I was a member of the faculty at SIC,” continued Rice. “He demonstrated so many qualities for guaranteed success–intellect, work ethic, humor, and appreciation of his roots. His work outside of his profession demonstrates that love for the region. I’m delighted the committee chose Toby for this prestigious award.”

From SIC, Brooks transferred to Southern Illinois University at Carbondale (SIU-C), where he received his bachelor of science degree in physical education and athletic training in 1998 and was named one of the university’s top 25 graduating seniors. He continued his education at the University of Arizona at Tucson, where he earned a master’s degree and doctor of philosophy degree in teaching and teacher education/physical education in 2000 and 2002, respectively.

Brooks is a licensed, board certified athletic trainer, strength and conditioning specialist, performance enhancement specialist, and youth fitness specialist level two. He also serves as the director of research and education for the International Youth Conditioning Association (IYCA).

Brooks’ professional associations in athletic training and strength conditioning include such notables as the University of Arizona; University of Texas at El Paso; Southern Illinois University; USA National Baseball; Florida Firecats AF2 franchise (arena football developmental league); Southern Illinois Miners; and the NFL Oakland Raiders.

He has authored and co-authored numerous scholarly works related to fitness, performance, and strength conditioning. He is also the author of two historical non-fiction books of interest to Southern Illinois: Season of Change, published in November 2013, about the 1948 West Frankfort Cardinals minor league baseball team, and Sensory Overload, to be released in June 2013, about the DuQuoin Street Machine Nationals (1986-1998).

Brooks was surprised when notified of the honor. “Frankly, I was stunned when Dr. Rice called. He taught my very first ever college course at 9:00 a.m. on my first Monday as a college student. What a wonderful way to begin my studies! I owe a great deal of my love for writing to that English 101 course he taught.”

Having attended a small high school, Brooks was intimidated by the thought of going away to a large college. “SIC afforded me the chance to ease into college life with most of my support structure (family, friends, home) still fully intact. I still had to grow up in a lot of ways. Southeastern provided me the extra time I needed to mature and to prepare for the next step in my life,” said Brooks.

Brooks remembers with clarity the instructors at SIC who helped change his life. “I am 100% confident that my friends who attended four-year schools couldn’t tell you their professors’ names from the first semester of college. Not only do I remember most of mine (Dr. Rice, Gene Forster, Al Morgan, and Dr. Mila Maring-Sims), but I can pick up the phone right now and talk to any of them. I count them as friends.”

Now, nearly 20 years later, Brooks has published seven books, with several others in the works. He writes numerous magazine articles every month, and he has published more than a dozen journal articles.

“I’m blessed to have had Dr. Rice and so many others at SIC as teachers. I am deeply honored to receive this award. The fact that Dr. Rice is now the president of the institution and made the call himself makes the whole experience that much sweeter,” Brooks stated.