Benton, West Frankfort, Illinois News | Franklin County News
Newspaper covering Franklin County, Illinois
CHICAGO — Some of Illinois’ highest-profile Republicans voiced support Tuesday for an immigration overhaul that’s stalled in the U.S. House as a “morally right” and business-minded decision, an election-year move they hoped would help break the stalemate.
Rap star Pitbull is among the notable recording artists scheduled to perform at the 2014 Illinois State Fair Grandstand.
State fair officials announced most of the Grandstand lineup during a news conference Tuesday at the Grandstand stage. Two nights of Grandstand shows remain unconfirmed
Here’s the link to the story in the Springfield State-Journal Register.
SPRINGFIELD — As the General Assembly heads into its final month of session, House Speaker Michael Madigan said Tuesday that he doesn’t have enough votes lined up yet to extend the state’s income tax increase or raise the minimum wage.
Hee’s the link to the story in the Chicago Tribune.
CHAMPAIGN – With the season over and off-season workouts just starting, this is supposed to be a slow news cycle in the world of college basketball.
Here’s the link to the story in the Decatur Herald-Review.
SPRINGFIELD — The state’s biggest supplier of police cars wants to put the brakes on a proposal requiring Illinois to buy only cars assembled in the United States.
A Chicago attorney who has long crusaded against patronage is asking a federal judge to investigate hiring under Gov. Pat Quinn, alleging the Democratic governor has continued to stack the Illinois Department of Transportation with political hires.
Here’s the link at the Chicago Tribune.
By Jim Muir
Mt. Vernon native Mike McKee has been named as the new head football coach of the Sesser-Valier-Waltonville-Woodlawn Red Devils.
During action at Tuesday night’s board meeting the S-V school board voted unanimously to hire McKee, who is a 1996 graduate of Mt. Vernon Township High School, to replace Johnny Hollis, who resigned last year.
The Red Devils finished 2-7 last year, breaking a four-year run in the IHSA playoffs.
S-V athletic director Chip Basso said McKee brings all the intangibles that will lead to continued success on the gridiron for the Red Devils.
“We are excited to add Mike to the Red Devil Family,” Basso said. “He brings positive energy and a tremendous work ethic to this important position in our athletic program. We look forward to the impact he will have on our student athletes.”
McKee, who has served as an assistant at S-V for the past two years, brings an impressive resume to his first role as head coach. McKee was a standout football player and garnered All-State honors in track and field at Mt. Vernon High School and then went on to compete in track and field and football at Murray State and Eastern Illinois University.
“I am just very excited to have this opportunity,” McKee said. “I am excited to be the head coach but also very excited to help serve the community. I hope to build on what Coach Hollis put in place. He (Hollis) put a lot of emphasis on caring for each other and trusting each other, a real attitude of service, and I want to keep that going.”
After completing eligibility at EIU, McKee continued to pursue his NFL dream by playing three years in the Arena Football League under the first All-American in Florida state football history Gene McDowell.
Following his playing career, forgoing opportunities to stay in professional football in coaching, McKee moved back to Southern Illinois and entered the coaching ranks in collegiate track and field at Rend Lake College where he was named NJCAA Outdoor assistant coach of the year in 2007.
During his time at Rend Lake, McKee coached multiple individual All-Americans and National Champions, as well as helping guide a member of the current junior world record holding 4 X 400 team USA that was earned in Grosetto, Italy in 2004.
McKee said he hopes to reach out to all the prospective athletes at all three schools involved in the co-op and joked that he would particularly feel “right at home” visiting Woodlawn High School where his mother taught for 35 years.
“I’ve probably been to more school dances at Woodlawn than any person in the history of the school,” he said. “I know the second and third generation of a lot of the families involved from there so that is a bonus for me.”
McKee said he has learned during his two years as an assistant that S-V is a sport’s town but also learned something even more important about the community when his son Cannon (now 8 years old) was diagnosed with cancer in 2011.
“The entire community just wrapped their arms around us and loved us and prayed for us,” said McKee. “Cannon has gone 18 months with clean scans and he wants to be a NASCAR driver, so the Lord has really blessed us.”
McKee is married to the former Shannon Mumbower, of West Frankfort, and they have one other child, a 10-year-old daughter, Brooklyn.
McKee said he hopes to complete his staff in the coming week in preparation for summer workouts and camps.
Mollie was an LPN at miners hospital in Christopher and was a member of First Baptist Church in Sesser.
She was born to Hop and Rosie (Pippin) Grogan in Adams, Tenn.
Mollie married Roy Prater on Jan.24, 1933, and he preceded her in death June 12, 1960. She then married Paul Atchison on Dec. 8, 1963. He died April 1, 1976.
Survivors include children, a daughter, Judy and husband, Maurice Kunkel of Palmdale, Calif., two stepdaughters, Sheila and Norman Brown of Marion, and Sharon Atchison of Arlington, Texas. Also surviving is 13 grandchildren, 25 great-grandchildren, 18 great-great-granchildren, a daughter-in-law, Joann Prater Saunders of Noblesville, Ind. and brother Lester and Donna Grogan of Valier.
Mollie was preceded in death by her parents, by a daughter, Shirley Beskidniak, her son, Ronald Dean Prater, stepdaughter, Sandra Shumate, three sisters, Mary Palmer, Margie Maceri and Joyce Ann Grogan and three brothers, John, Eugene and Billy Grogan.
Mollie was very active with her garden club the Seeders and Weeders and in her younger years a motorcycle club. She was very dedicated to her church helping with many projects for the Lord.
She could usually be seen working in her yard which gave her much pleasure. Mollie will be sadly missed be many.
Mollie is now the overseer of the beautiful gardens in heaven for all those who have faith.
Funeral services will be at 1 p.m. Saturday, April 19, in Brayfield-Gilbert Funeral Home, Pastor Tom DeWitt officiating. Interment will be in Maple Hill Cemetery. Visitation will be from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday at the funeral home.
Memorials may be made to First Baptist Church in Sesser and will be accepted at the funeral home.
For more information, visit gilbertfuneralhomes.com.
Billiejean (Reed) Kearney Jamerson, 61, of Benton, passed away Saturday, April 12, 2014 in Benton.
She was born in Christopher, IL on September 11, 1952, the daughter of Billie F. Reed and Clara Pauline (Hill).
She was a Sunday School teacher and a former member of Forrest Baptist Church and later in life became a member of South Point Church of God, in West Frankfort.
Billiejean was a dedicated licensed Registered Nurse. She was a wonderful musician and an excellent piano player, playing with several area bands from her high school days on up. She was a faithful supporter of St. Joseph Indian School.
She is survived by three children, Tara Margaret Kearney and fiance Daniel Sronce, of Giant City, Billie Dale Jamerson, of Benton and Bonnie Elizabeth House and husband Preston, of Benton. She is also survived by grandchildren, Michael Alan Jamerson, Alyssa Alan Jamerson, Jace Aaron House, Tristan Patrick House, Julian Paul House and Keaton Elisha House. Also surviving is her mother, Clara Shawmeker, of Benton, two sisters, JennaBev Purkaple and husband David of Benton and Lana Garland, of West Frankfort; nieces and nephews Christopher Sutherland, Lindsey Strobel, Brandy LeVine and Athena Garland and by her special dog “Snowie.”
She was a wonderful mother and was adored by her grandchildren.
Billiejean was preceded in death by her father and by a special niece, Chastity Fields.
Funeral services will be held at 8 p.m. Wednesday, April 16 at Morton & Johnston Funeral Home in Benton with the Rev. Todd Parchman officiating. Visitation will be from 5 to 8 p.m. Wednesday at Morton & Johnston Funeral Home in Benton. Private graveside services will be held on Thursday at Masonic & Oddfellows Cemetery in Benton.
A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey of Likely Illinois Voters shows Republican businessman Bruce Rauner picking up 43% of the vote to Quinn’s 40%. Six percent (6%) prefer some other candidate in the race, while 10% are undecided.
Here’s the link at Illinois Review.
