Benton, West Frankfort, Illinois News | Franklin County News
Newspaper covering Franklin County, Illinois
The debate over how Illinois should tax income is getting heated amid reports that the Democrats, who control both chambers of the state legislature with supermajorities, may not have enough support to pass the graduated tax plan that Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s is counting on to stabilize the state’s finances and pay for the promises he made on the campaign trail.
Here’s a link to the story at Illinois News Network.
Only a few days after being sworn in as a member of Congress, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y. summarized a 2018 U.N. report on climate change with a dire prediction. The frequently repeated line “we have only 12 years left” is now in the lexicon of almost every Democratic presidential candidate and environmental activist nationwide.
Here’s a link to the story at Fox News.
Batavia High School was placed on lockdown early today, preventing students from entering the building, as police investigated a report of a person with a rifle.
Officers were sent to the school around 6 a.m. after getting a report of the person entering the school. As of 7 a.m., nothing was found, according to Batavia police. The school remained on lockdown.
3-31-19 Ryan D. Wallace age 38 of Benton was arrested and charged with driving while license suspended, methamphetamine delivery and possession of drug paraphernalia. He is being held in the Franklin County Jail.
4-2-19 Jovan D. Bardle age 31 of West Frankfort was ticketed for failure to wear a seatbelt.
4-2-19 Daryl D. Gostowski age 54 of Thompsonville was ticketed for failure to wear a seatbelt and operating an uninsured vehicle.
4-2-19 Harley E. West age 20 of Benton was ticketed for operating an uninsured vehicle.
4-3-19 Jenna E. Herbst age 28 of Marion was ticketed for failure to reduce speed to avoid an accident.
4-3-19 Rebecca L. Braddy age 43 of West Frankfort was ticketed for a Scott’s Law violation, use of cell phone while driving and operating an uninsured vehicle.
4-4-19 Samuel A. Miller age 30 of Benton was arrested for domestic battery. He was transported to the Franklin County Jail where he later posted bond.
4-4-19 Justin L. Barnhart was arrested and charged with driving while license revoked. He was transported to the Franklin County Jail where he later posted bond.
4-4-19 Christine M. Lake age 36 of Wentzville, MO was ticketed for using a cell phone while driving.
4-4-19 Tamara D. Smith age 48 of Benton was ticketed for using a cell phone while driving.
4-4-19 Richard J. James age 23 of West Frankfort was ticketed for using a cell phone while driving.
4-4-19 Megan A. Whiting age 37 of Elburn, IL was ticketed for using a cell phone while driving.
4-4-19 April D. Miles age 47 of Benton was ticketed for using a cell phone while driving.
WARRANT ARRESTS
3-25-19 Larry E. Levault age 35 of Benton. Failure to appear for driving under the influence.
3-27-19 Jeremy M. Toth age 31 of Benton. Failure to appear for driving while license suspended.
3-27-19 Nicole J. Brown age 40 of Wadesville, IN. Failure to appear for permitting truancy.
3-29-19 Michael L. Moulton age 43 of Benton. Failure to appear for theft.
3-29-19 Briesha L. Rush age 20 of Mt. Vernon. Failure to appear for speeding.
3-29-19 Brian K. Caraker age 21 of Benton. Failure to appear for retail theft.
3-29-19 Amy M. Ward age 45 of Benton. Failure to appear for retail theft.
3-31-19 Darrian N. Willis age 23 of West Frankfort. Warrant for unlawful delivery of methamphetamine.
4-1-19 Michael S. Ellis age 38 of Mt. Vernon. Failure to appear for domestic battery.
4-1-19 Chalieah E. Butler age 23 of Logan. Failure to appear warrant for speeding.
4-1-19 Antwon M. Brown age 30 of Marion. Failure to appear warrant for retail theft.
4-2-19 Zachary L. Conaway age 29 of West Frankfort. Failure to appear driving on revoked license.
On April 2nd, 2019 at approximately 6p.m., Benton Police conducted a traffic stop at the intersection of Espy and Studell Street.
Upon investigating, police arrested Shaina A. Tucker, age 30, of West Frankfort on an active Franklin County warrant for petition to revoke.
Tucker was charged and transported to the Franklin County Jail for further processing.
According to the mainstream media narrative, former Vice President Joe Biden’s touchy, feely, creepy hair-smelling fetishes are simply learned behavior from a sexist epoch in American politics and culture that was finally exposed by #MeToo.
Here’s a link to the editorial at Fox News.
A Prayer for Hard Days
By Christina Fox
“Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you.” James 4:8
We all have hard days. Challenging days. Days that stretch us, sometimes beyond what we can bear. Sometimes these days appear as a series of little irritating events that build up to one terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day. Other days we wake up to find one huge unexpected event that lands like a bomb in our life.
Sometimes those hard days find us busy and distracted as we try to fix everything that has gone wrong. Or we get so caught up in our thoughts and feelings about our circumstances that it consumes us. Or perhaps we attempt to hide away from struggle of the day in the hopes that if we don’t think about it, maybe it will all go just away.
Instead of such responses, hard days are opportunities for us to draw near to God. They are opportunities for us to rely on him, depend on him, and receive more of his grace. Such days remind us how desperate we are and how much we need our Savior.
A Prayer for Hard Days
Father in Heaven,
Help me! I am so weary and worn down by this day. So many things are happening all at once and I don’t know what to do. I am overwhelmed. It feels like I am standing in a fierce wind that is whipping and swirling around me. I can’t move; the force is so strong. It may just knock me down flat. And worse of all, what if I can’t get back up again?
Father, I can barely lift my eyes to you. It’s all I can do to cry out for help. Please extend your grace to me this day. Help me to see that you are in this and that you are with me. Help me to remember that you are not surprised or taken off guard by the events of this day.
As I dwell and meditate on who you are, I am amazed and filled with wonder that you would love and care for me. No other religion in all the world has a God that loves his people. No other religion has a God that listens and cares about the cries of the human heart. No other religion has a God that would humble himself and take on frail human flesh and live in this sin-stained world. No other religion has a God that would lay down his life for his people.
But you are that God. You are God alone. Your word tells me that before time began you chose me to be yours through your Son, Jesus Christ (Ephesians 1:4). You set your love on me and made me yours. Ephesians also says that through Christ, I have “redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace” (1:7).
Forgive me for my fears about this day. Forgive me for how I have complained and muttered about how hard this day has been. Forgive me for forgetting that you are with me. Forgive me for forgetting who I am because of what your Son, Jesus Christ, has done. Forgive me for failing to remember the glorious truths and riches I have because of the gospel.
It is these truths that I am focusing my heart on in the midst of this hard day. I pray the words of Paul and claim them as my own that “the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give me the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him, having the eyes of my hearts enlightened, that I may know what is the hope to which he has called me, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe” (Ephesians 1:17-19).
Father, hear my prayer. Grant me gospel hope in the midst of this hard day. Help me to cling to your grace, your wisdom, and your strength.
Through Jesus and because of Jesus and in his name I pray, Amen.
Marie Clapp, 98, of Christopher, passed away on April 5, 2019.
Marie was born on March 3, 1921 in Rend City, IL the youngest of eight children born to Elza and Martha (Quillman) Sample. She married Byrl Clapp on March 15, 1941 and he preceded her in death.
She is survived by her daughter Lene Berglund of Christopher; grandchildren Danny (Shari) Berglund of New Jersey and Lauri (Zach) Cowart of Chattanooga, TN; three great granddaughters Victoria, Harper and Ella; one step-great grandson Vincent and also survived by several nieces and nephews.
She had worked at the Silver Dollar City Theme Park in Branson, MO, designing and making costumes. She was a member of the Bear Point Free Will Baptist Church in Sesser.
She was preceded in death by her parents, husband, beloved son Leslie, two brothers and five sisters.
Funeral services will be on Friday April 12, 2019 at 1:00 PM at the Brayfield-Gilbert Funeral Home in Sesser with Brother Larry Cook officiating. Visitation will be on Friday from 11:00 AM until the time of the service at 1:00 PM. Burial will be at Horse Prairie Cemetery in Sesser.
In lieu of flowers donations can be made to the Shriner’s Hospital for Children and will be accepted at the funeral home.
For more information go to our website www.gilbertfuneralhomes.com
Diana E. Malkovich, age 67, of Benton, passed away at 9:33 p.m. Saturday, April 6, 2019 at the SSM Good Samaritan Hospital in Mt. Vernon.
Private family funeral services will be held Wednesday at the Leffler Funeral Home of Benton, with Rev. Marty Shadowen officiating. Private family burial services will be at the Masonic and Odd Fellows Cemetery of Benton.
Diana was born on April 23, 1951 in Benton, the daughter of Fred Pierson and Pauline (Sanders) Pierson. She was married to Anthony E. Malkovich of Benton.
She was a homemaker, and previously worked in the dietary department at Heritage Woods of Benton and was also formerly a waitress and bartender for many years at the Benton V.F.W.
Diana enjoyed cooking, canning, playing BINGO, loved being outdoors, and enjoyed spending time with her family, especially her grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
Surviving is her loving husband Tony Malkovich of Benton; three children: Steve Spani, Michelle Spani and Joe Spani; several grandchildren and great-grandchildren; a brother Rick Pierson and wife Wilma of Benton; and a sister Gayla Bradshaw and husband Gary of Mt. Vernon, IL.
She was preceded in death by her parents; and a daughter Diane Reginato.
The family wishes memorial contributions to be made, in memory of Diana, to the Benton City Park or City of Benton, for beautification projects.
To leave online condolences to the family or to share memories of Diana, visit www.lpfuneralhome.com
Franklin County Sheriff’s deputies will be outfitted with life jackets, thanks to an in-kind donation from a Minnesota-based company.
Here’s a link to the story at the Southern Illinoisan.
