Benton, West Frankfort, Illinois News | Franklin County News
Newspaper covering Franklin County, Illinois
Gov. J.B. Pritzker is expected to sign a measure to consolidate the state’s 649 suburban and downstate police and fire pension funds into two funds to maximize investment returns after the legislation passed the Senate on the final day of the fall veto session.
Here’s a link to the story at Illinois News Network.
Make Every Step Count
By Rick Warren
“All athletes are disciplined in their training. They do it to win a prize that will fade away, but we do it for an eternal prize. So I run with purpose in every step. I am not just shadowboxing” (1 Corinthians 9:25-26 NLT).
Spiritual growth must be purposeful.
We don’t know how many days we have left. Our next breath may be our last. So every step in our journey with Jesus should be taken on purpose.
We must be disciplined.
To become the person God wants you to be, you must deny yourself. I’ll be honest with you: You won’t get to do everything that other people do. You can’t follow everyone else’s plan and follow God’s plan at the same time. Being a disciplined disciple of Jesus means sometimes taking the more difficult path.
Olympic runners must give up all kinds of stuff that other people do in order to go for the gold. They must go to bed at a certain time. They must eat a certain way. They must train in a certain setting. They must deny themselves. They must count the cost.
Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 9:25-26, “All athletes are disciplined in their training. They do it to win a prize that will fade away, but we do it for an eternal prize. So I run with purpose in every step. I am not just shadowboxing” (NLT).
Every step, Paul says, must be purposeful. That’s how you finish the race God has marked out for you.
Don’t be tempted by shortcuts. Stay on the straight and narrow path, and keep pressing forward toward your goal. Remember the purpose God has called you to. Remember the example of Jesus, who used his time on earth for God’s glory and was not distracted by the things of this world.
Make every step count.
Two ideological heavyweights sparred Wednesday in Chicago not only about Illinois’ proposed progressive income tax change, but about whether high taxes cause people to leave.
Here’s the link to the story at Illinois News Network.
Illinois’ fiscal stability was recently ranked by U.S. News and World as the worst of all states in the nation, but Gov. J.B. Pritzker wants to change the narrative about the state.
Here’s a link to the story at Illinois News Network.
Lawyers for a former Illinois state employee are asking an appellate court for all of its judges to hear a case on a demand for a refund of union fees the U.S. Supreme Court said the employee was unconstitutionally forced to pay.
Here’s a link to the story at Illinois News Network.
Illinois farmers are still trying to fight the weather to get their crops out of the ground in what’s looking to be one of the most challenging years in recent memory.
Here’s the link to the story at Illinois News Network.
James Lee Hart, age 65, of Benton, passed away at 10:35 p.m. Tuesday, November 19, 2019 at the Helia Healthcare of Benton.
A Memorial Celebration of Life Service will be planned for a future date.
Arrangements are with the Leffler Funeral Home of Benton.
James Lee Hart was born on June 10, 1954 in Christopher, the son of James O. Hart and Loudene (Summers) Hart. He married the former Jayna De Sett on June 25, 1983, and she survives.
Jim was a retired coal miner, a member of the U.M.W.A., and a member of the SIU Alumni Association. He received a Bachelor of Science degree in Forestry in 1977, from SIU Carbondale.
He formerly attended the First Christian Church in Benton.
Jim loved to watch football. He was a St. Louis Cardinal football fan and when the Cardinals left St. Louis, he became a St. Louis Rams fan. He enjoyed going to air shows at Scott Air Force Base; but most of all he enjoyed spending time with his three grand kids.
He is survived by his loving wife of 36 years, Jayna Hart of Benton; his two children Jenna Kirkpatrick and husband Ben of Benton, Jonathan Hart of Benton; his three grandchildren: Kaylee, Max and Elijah; a sister Janice Legendre and husband Roger of Johnston City; a niece Tina Miller and husband Kevin of Johnston City; and a nephew Mathew Legendre of Johnston City.
Jim was preceded in death by his parents; maternal and paternal grandparents.
Memorial contributions may be made in memory of James Lee Hart, to the family or to Second Chance Rescue, and may be mailed to the Leffler Funeral Home, 401 East Main Street, Benton, IL 62812.
To leave online condolences to the family or to share memories of Jim, visit www.lpfuneralhome.com
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — When it comes to the Cardinals’ description of an early-offseason approach that is not as singularly focused as previous winters — straight talk, no chaser — the annual General Manager Meetings offered a chance to do some comparative shopping because of the one thing agents and teams all shared for a few days.
Here’s a link to the story at the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.
A Benton man was arrested Friday after he allegedly fled police in a stolen car.
Here’s a link to the story at the Southern Illinoisan.
I still remember watching Colin Kaepernick play in the Kraft Bowl which solidified him as the greatest player in the history of the University of Nevada football. His playing style was captivating, as he became the only player in NCAA history to pass for over 10,000 yards and rush for over 4,000 yards in their college career
Here’s a link to the column at Fox News.
