State reps pitch in to up Southern Illinois school district participation in SIU recruitment day

September 13, 2018 By Leave a Comment

CARBONDALE — With just hours left to sign up Wednesday, local politicians lent a hand to help Southern Illinois University Carbondale boost attendance at its inaugural campus-wide open house.

Here’s a link to the story at the Southern Illinoisan.

Filed Under: Featured

RLC board adopts FY 2019 budget

September 13, 2018 By Leave a Comment

FY 2019 Budget approved

The board adopted the FY 2019 budget as presented at the August 7, 2018 Board of Trustees meeting. The budget was presented in tentative form at the August meeting. A public hearing was held at 6 p.m. prior to the regular board meeting this evening, September 11, 2018.

Board adopts 2018 tax levy

The board adopted the 2018 tax levy (payable 2019). The corporate and special purposes levy went from $3,547,797 in 2017 to $3,692,953 in 2018, an increase of 4.09 percent. The debt service levy went from $3,117,676 in 2017 to $3,180,426 in 2018, an increase of 2.01 percent. Because the corporate and special purposes levy is not greater than 105 percent of last year’s levy, no Truth in Taxation hearing is required.

Maxwell appointed as TRIO Director

The board appointed Christy Rose Maxwell as TRIO Program Director, effective October 4, 2018. Maxwell has an MBA from Missouri State University and has recently served as the Talent Search Outreach Specialist at Three Rivers Community College.

Nursing Program hires two instructors

The board approved two instructor positions in the Nursing program:

  • Crystal Mulvaney, effective October 16, 2018. Mulvaney has nine years of nursing experience as well as some adjunct faculty experience. She has a BSN (Bachelor of Science Nursing) with MSN (Master of Science in Nursing) Educator degree from Chamberlain College of Nursing. She was recently employed at SSM Healthcare.
  • Tracy Smith, effective October 16, 2018. Smith has 13 years of nursing experience as well as some adjunct faculty experience. She has a DNP (Doctor of Nursing Practice) from McKendree University and was recently employed at Union County Hospital.

Accreditation update

The board heard a report on the college’s reaffirmation of accreditation activities. The college is regionally accredited by the Higher Learning Commission and is due for a comprehensive evaluation visit by the HLC Sept. 24-25, 2018. The college submitted its assurance argument on Aug. 23; this is the document which lays out the college’s evidence that it meets HLC’s five criteria for accreditation. During the visit by the peer review team later this month, the reviewers will meet with various college constituencies and begin developing their own report and recommendations.

In other business, the board …

  • Ratified payment of college expenses including travel reimbursements.
  • Approved the minutes of the August 7, 2018 Board of Trustees meeting.
  • Adopted a resolution appointing President Terry Wilkerson and Vice President of Finance Angie Kistner as representatives of the RLC Board Secretary to accept candidate’s nominating petitions for the April 2019 election.
  • Approved new curriculum for an Industrial Maintenance course and requests to develop online and hybrid courses in Botany, Chemistry, and Computer Science. The board also authorized their submission to the Illinois Community College Board for action.
  • Approved permission to create RLC Board Policy & Procedure 2.1300 – Informal Complaints (first reading).
  • Approved revisions to Board Policy 3.1530 – Holidays (first reading).
  • Approved revisions to Board Policy & Procedure 3.1115 – Stipends.
  • Approved a resolution to support the Franklin County I-57 Enterprise Zone.
  • Approved Protection, Health, and Safety Projects (PHS Levy) for FY20.
  • Approved permission to advertise for bids and award for replacement of three air handler unites in the Advanced Technology Center.
  • Approved permission to advertise for bids and award for replacement of five smoke vents on the Learning Resource Center rooftop.
  • Ratified the registration of a nursing instructor, effective Sept. 21.

Mark your calendars …

  • Fun Fest, Noon – 3 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 12, Ina campus.
  • Thirty-eighth Annual Rend Lake College Foundation Golf Outing, noon shotgun start, Thursday, Sept. 13, Rend Lake Golf Course, Whittington.
  • Illinois Regional College Fair, 9:30 a.m. Tuesday, Sept. 18, Waugh Gymnasium.
  • HLC On-Site Visit, Monday, Sept. 24 – Tuesday, Sept. 25, RLC Campuses.
  • Faculty / Staff Fall In-Service, 8 a.m. – 3 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 9, RLC Theatre.
  • RLC Foundation Scholarship Dinner, 5:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 18, Benton Civic Center.
  • Criminal Justice Roundup, 6 p.m. Monday, Oct. 22, Private Dining Area, Student Center.
  • Fall Play “The Nutcracker,” 7 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 8 – Saturday, Nov. 9; 2 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 10, RLC Theatre.
  • Fall Concert, 7 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 15, RLC Theatre.
  • Glo Bingo, 5:30 p.m. Friday, Nov. 16, the Rec.
  • Spoken Word & Open Mic Night, 6:30 p.m. Monday, Nov. 19, King City Books, Mt. Vernon.
  • RLC Foundation Annual Dinner, 6 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 6, Doubletree Hotel, Mt. Vernon
Filed Under: Featured

Benton police make arrests

September 13, 2018 By Leave a Comment

On September 12, 2018 at approximately 2a.m., Benton Police were dispatched to the 400 block of South Jones Street in reference to a domestic dispute. Upon investigating, police arrested Robert L. Swanson, age 36, of Benton for domestic battery. Swanson was charged and transported to the Franklin County Jail for further processing.

On September 10, 2018 at approximately 3 a.m. Benton Police were dispatched to the 500 block of Burkett Street in reference to a theft from motor vehicle. Upon investigating, police detained a male juvenile for burglary and possession of firearm ammunition without a firearm owner’s identification card. The juvenile was transported to the Franklin County Detention Center.

On September 10, 2018 at approximately 9p.m., Benton Police arrested Kenneth A. Miner, age 51, of Benton on an active Franklin County warrant for failure to appear. Miner was transported to the Franklin County Jail for further processing.

On September 10, at approximately 12:25 a.m. Benton Police arrested Paulie J. Potts, age 36, of Benton for a retail theft that took place at Huck’s Convenience Store located at 1200 N. Main Street. Potts was charged and transported to the Franklin County Jail for further processing.

On September 8, 2018 at approximately 10:30 p.m. Benton Police were dispatched to the area of Blake and McLeansboro Street in reference to a reckless driver. Upon investigating, police arrested Dennis A. Parker, age 47, of West Frankfort for driving under the influence and leaving the scene of an accident. Parker was charged and transported to the Franklin County Jail for further processing.

On September 8, 2018 at approximately 9:30 a.m. Benton Police were dispatched to the 700 block of Election Street in reference to domestic disturbance. Upon investigating, police arrested Jeremy M. Toth, age 30 of Benton for unlawful possession of a controlled substance. Toth was charged and transported to the Franklin County Jail for further processing.

On September 7, 2018 at approximately 2:30 a.m., Benton Police were dispatched to the intersection of Bailey Lane and Industrial Park Road in reference to a suspicious male. Upon investigating, police arrested Michael T. Braden, age 32, of Benton for aggravated battery and resisting a peace officer. Braden was charged and transported to the Franklin County Jail for further processing.

On September 6, 2018 at approximately 7:40 a.m. Benton Police were dispatched to the 400 block of East Lawrence Street in reference to a domestic disturbance. Upon investigating, police arrested Terry L. Norris, age 56, of Benton for domestic battery.
Norris was charged and transported to the Franklin County Jail for further processing.

On September 4, 2018 at approximately 3:35 p.m. Benton Police were dispatched to Dollar General located at 1642 North Main Street in reference to a retail theft complaint. Upon investigating, police arrested Phillip R. Gower, age 38, of Benton for retail theft.
Gower was charged and transported to the Franklin County Jail for further processing.

On September 4th, 2018 at approximately 9:30 a.m., Benton Police conducted a traffic stop at the intersection of North Main and Reed Street.
Upon investigating, police arrested Monica J. Kelso, age 28, of West Frankfort for driving while license suspended.
Kelso was charged and transported to the Franklin County Jail for further processing.

On September 3, at approximately 9:45 p.m. Benton Police were dispatched to the Franklin County Housing located at 607 Dial Street in reference to a criminal trespass complaint. Upon investigating, police arrested Danny J. Smith, age 47, of West Frankfort for criminal trespass to state supported land. Smith was charged and transported to the Franklin County Jail for further processing.

On September 2, at approximately 1:20a.m., Benton Police were dispatched to City Limits Bar, located at 1307 East Main Street in reference to a fight in progress. Upon investigating, police arrested two suspects identified as Alec J. Patrick, age 26, of Marion and Austin L. White, age 26, of Herrin both were charged with aggravated battery and mob action. Police also arrested Marynell Smith, age 29, of Macedonia for obstructing a peace officer. Patrick, White, and Smith were charged and transported to the Franklin County Jail for further processing.

On September 2, 2018, at approximately 11:45 p.m., Benton Police conducted a traffic stop on Wastena St. Upon investigating police arrested Jarret A. Cash, age 36, of Desoto for driving while license suspended. Cash was charged and transported to the Franklin County Jail for further processing.

On September 2, 2018 at approximately 9:35 p.m., Benton Police conducted a traffic stop at the intersection of West Webster and South Main Street. Upon investigating, police arrested Zachery M. Beaumont, age 23, of Benton for unlawful possession of cannabis. Beaumont was charged and transported to the Franklin County Jail for further processing.

On September 1, at approximately 9:25 p.m., Benton Police were dispatched to the 200 block of South Main Street in reference to a suspicious person. Upon investigating, police arrested Jason S. Northrop, age 36, of Centralia for unlawful possession of methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia. Police also arrested Crystal L. Sutton, age 27, of Benton on an active Franklin County warrant for failure to appear.
Both Northrop and Sutton were transported to the Franklin County Jail for further processing.

On August 31, 2018 at approximately 9:50p.m., Benton Police conducted a traffic stop at the intersection of Route 37 and Minier Road.
Upon investigating, police arrested Jamie J. Pepple, age 39, of Bradenton, IL for driving while license suspended.
Pepple was charged and transported to the Franklin County Jail for further processing.

On August 30, 2018 at approximately 4:15 p.m., Benton Police were dispatched to the 400 block of Virginia Street in reference to a criminal trespass complaint. Upon investigating, police arrested Jennifer R. Shelton, age 29, of West City for criminal trespass to real property. Shelton was charged and transported to the Franklin County Jail for further processing.

On August 29, 2018 , at approximately 4p.m., Benton Police were dispatched to County Seat Antique Mall located at 303 Public Square in reference to a theft complaint. Upon investigating, police arrested Aaron M. Stanley, age 29, of Orient for retail theft.
Stanley was charged and transported to the Franklin County Jail for further processing.

Filed Under: Featured

Timothy Wayne Curwick – Mulkeytown, IL

September 12, 2018 By Leave a Comment

Timothy Wayne Curwick, 36, of Mulkeytown, IL passed away on Monday September 10, 2018.

He was born on November 3, 1981 to Rick Donovan and Beth (Curwick) Donovan.  He was engaged to Amy Willis and she survives of Mulkeytown.

He is survived by his parents, fiancé and his children Paula Curwick of Coello, Kayla Curwick of Royalton, Jonathon Curwick of Benton, Emma Willis, Kaitlin, and Jaxon Willis of Mulkeytown; one sister Amy Donovan of Harrisburg; two nieces Bethany and Chloe; grandmother Jo Ann Yosanovich of Buckner and many aunts, uncles and cousins.

He was preceded in death by his son Nicholas Curwick, grandmother Ilene Marie Vogler, and grandfather Donald Curwick.

He was a press operator at Nascote in Nashville, IL.

Graveside services will be on Thursday September 13, 2018 at 11:00 AM at the Mulkeytown Cemetery with Brother Harol Whitlock officiating.  Friends and family are asked to meet at the cemetery.

In lieu of flowers donations can be made to the Gilbert Funeral Home to help with funeral arrangements.

For more information go to our website www.gilbertfuneralhomes.com

Filed Under: Obituaries

Ozuna continues to shoulder a heavy load after return from DL

September 12, 2018 By Leave a Comment

The Cardinals put Marcell Ozuna on the disabled list on Aug. 22 and it’s a move that keeps paying dividends as they dive into the thick of the playoff race.

Here’s a link to the story at the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.

Filed Under: Sports

After ‘fresh’ Mikolas pitches seven strong innings, Cardinals plunder Pirates late

September 12, 2018 By Leave a Comment

As much reorganizing and retrofitting as the Cardinals have done to their rotation in the past several weeks to add a veteran or rest rookies, one motivation, subtler than the rest, has been to steal a break or two for the steadiest starter they’ve had all season.

Here’s a link to the story at the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.

Filed Under: Sports

Editorial: President Obama tries to re-write history on Benghazi

September 12, 2018 By Leave a Comment

In a brazen attempt to re-write history, President Barack Obama in a speech on Friday blamed “the politics of resentment and paranoia,” which he said had found a home in the Republican Party, for “wild conspiracy theories – like those surrounding Benghazi.”

Here’s a link to the editorial at Fox News.

Filed Under: Uncategorized

Your Daily Prayer: A Prayer for a Full Life

September 12, 2018 By Leave a Comment

Your Daily Prayer Devotional Banner

A Prayer for a Full Life
By Greg Laurie

“I will praise the Lord as long as I live; I will sing praises to my God while I have my being.” – Psalm 146:2

Jesus Christ was, according to the Bible, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. He knows and understands the pain and hurt deep inside your soul when you have lost someone you love.

John 11:35 tells us, “Jesus wept.” Tears rolled down His cheeks, tears of sympathy for Mary and Martha for all the sorrow that is caused by sin and death. And in that sense, Jesus has wept with us as well.

live-life-pleasing-to-him

Death never was God’s plan in the beginning. But now, because of the entrance of sin into the human race, all of us will die one day. Some will live longer than others, but we all will die. And we think the greatest tragedy is when someone dies young. While this is an extreme tragedy, I don’t think it is the ultimate tragedy. I think the ultimate tragedy is when a life has been lived to its entire length and has been entirely wasted and squandered on sin.

I think of the words of Jim Elliot, who was a modern-day martyr of the faith, put to death as he tried to bring the gospel to a tribe in Ecuador known at the time as the Aucas. Jim was lanced through with a spear, and wrapped around that spear was one of the gospel tracts he and missionary pilot Nate Saint had dropped over their village from the air. In his journal Jim Elliot had written, “I seek not a long life but a full one like Yours, Lord Jesus.”

We think that length of life is the ultimate goal. And yes, it’s good to live long.  But what is more important is to live right, to do what is right before God. What is more important is to live a life that is pleasing to Him.

Dear Lord, thank you for your many blessings. Thank you for the lives we have been graciously given, and help us to use our limited time for good. Help us to pursue our lives to their fullest. Remind us that living for you is the only path to true fulfillment.  

Filed Under: Columns

Pastor Rick Warren: Fill Your Mind with Biblical Truth

September 12, 2018 By Leave a Comment

By Rick Warren

12

”A wise person is hungry for knowledge, while the fool feeds on trash” (Proverbs 15:14 NLT).

If you want to become wise, the first thing you have to do is feast on God’s Word every day.Proverbs 2:6 says, “It is the Lord who gives wisdom; from him come knowledge and understanding” (GNT).

You don’t get it from television. You don’t get it from the internet. You don’t get it from magazines. Wisdom comes from God.

The Bible says in Proverbs 15:14, “A wise person is hungry for knowledge, while the fool feeds on trash” (NLT). You can either feed on truth or feed on trash. Whatever you fill your mind with is what’s going to come out—garbage in, garbage out. If you want to be wise, you’ve got to feed every day on truth, not trash.

There are three kinds of things you can fill your mind with: You can fill your mind with poison, you can fill your mind with junk food, or you can fill your mind with health food.

Poison is stuff that destroys your system. It’s bad for you. It takes you down. Pornography is poison. For instance, they may say, “I can watch that stuff. It doesn’t bother me anymore.” That’s the problem! When you can watch and read stuff that is profane, blasphemous, evil, vile, and abusive and it doesn’t bother you, you have a problem. You have become a fool.

Wise people protect their mind. They put on the helmet of salvation. They don’t just allow anything into their mind. They keep the poison out.

Junk food is neither good nor bad. It just has no nutritional value to it. Most of the stuff you see on tv is not evil. It’s just junk food. It’s what I call stuffing. But the problem with stuffing is that when you stuff yourself with stuffing, you have no hunger for truth. If you watch TV for four hours, your mind is full of empty calories that don’t help your body or your mind.

Health food is nutritional food. It helps you grow and maintain your health. It is truth, and the wise person feeds on truth. It makes you wiser—in your relationships, your time, your money, your business, your parenting, your marriage, and every other area of your life.

The first place you need to go to fill your mind with truth is God’s Word. The more you develop the habit of spending time each day reading and studying the Bible, the wiser you will become.

Talk It Over

  • What kinds of junk food do you allow to fill your mind?
  • What difference do you see in your day when you spend more time watching TV and on the internet than you do in God’s Word?
  • What practical step can you take today that will help you make your quiet time with God a priority?

Give hope, prayer, and encouragement below. Post a comment & talk about it.

Filed Under: Columns

Rend Lake College Board of Trustees – September 11, 2018, Meeting Highlights

September 12, 2018 By Leave a Comment

FY 2019 Budget approved

The board adopted the FY 2019 budget as presented at the August 7, 2018 Board of Trustees meeting. The budget was presented in tentative form at the August meeting. A public hearing was held at 6 p.m. prior to the regular board meeting this evening, September 11, 2018.

Board adopts 2018 tax levy

The board adopted the 2018 tax levy (payable 2019). The corporate and special purposes levy went from $3,547,797 in 2017 to $3,692,953 in 2018, an increase of 4.09 percent. The debt service levy went from $3,117,676 in 2017 to $3,180,426 in 2018, an increase of 2.01 percent. Because the corporate and special purposes levy is not greater than 105 percent of last year’s levy, no Truth in Taxation hearing is required.

Maxwell appointed as TRIO Director

The board appointed Christy Rose Maxwell as TRIO Program Director, effective October 4, 2018. Maxwell has an MBA from Missouri State University and has recently served as the Talent Search Outreach Specialist at Three Rivers Community College.

Nursing Program hires two instructors

The board approved two instructor positions in the Nursing program:

  • Crystal Mulvaney, effective October 16, 2018. Mulvaney has nine years of nursing experience as well as some adjunct faculty experience. She has a BSN (Bachelor of Science Nursing) with MSN (Master of Science in Nursing) Educator degree from Chamberlain College of Nursing. She was recently employed at SSM Healthcare.
  • Tracy Smith, effective October 16, 2018. Smith has 13 years of nursing experience as well as some adjunct faculty experience. She has a DNP (Doctor of Nursing Practice) from McKendree University and was recently employed at Union County Hospital.

Accreditation update

The board heard a report on the college’s reaffirmation of accreditation activities. The college is regionally accredited by the Higher Learning Commission and is due for a comprehensive evaluation visit by the HLC Sept. 24-25, 2018. The college submitted its assurance argument on Aug. 23; this is the document which lays out the college’s evidence that it meets HLC’s five criteria for accreditation. During the visit by the peer review team later this month, the reviewers will meet with various college constituencies and begin developing their own report and recommendations.

In other business, the board …

  • Ratified payment of college expenses including travel reimbursements.
  • Approved the minutes of the August 7, 2018 Board of Trustees meeting.
  • Adopted a resolution appointing President Terry Wilkerson and Vice President of Finance Angie Kistner as representatives of the RLC Board Secretary to accept candidate’s nominating petitions for the April 2019 election.
  • Approved new curriculum for an Industrial Maintenance course and requests to develop online and hybrid courses in Botany, Chemistry, and Computer Science. The board also authorized their submission to the Illinois Community College Board for action.
  • Approved permission to create RLC Board Policy & Procedure 2.1300 – Informal Complaints (first reading).
  • Approved revisions to Board Policy 3.1530 – Holidays (first reading).
  • Approved revisions to Board Policy & Procedure 3.1115 – Stipends.
  • Approved a resolution to support the Franklin County I-57 Enterprise Zone.
  • Approved Protection, Health, and Safety Projects (PHS Levy) for FY20.
  • Approved permission to advertise for bids and award for replacement of three air handler unites in the Advanced Technology Center.
  • Approved permission to advertise for bids and award for replacement of five smoke vents on the Learning Resource Center rooftop.
  • Ratified the registration of a nursing instructor, effective Sept. 21.

Mark your calendars …

  • Fun Fest, Noon – 3 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 12, Ina campus.
  • Thirty-eighth Annual Rend Lake College Foundation Golf Outing, noon shotgun start, Thursday, Sept. 13, Rend Lake Golf Course, Whittington.
  • Illinois Regional College Fair, 9:30 a.m. Tuesday, Sept. 18, Waugh Gymnasium.
  • HLC On-Site Visit, Monday, Sept. 24 – Tuesday, Sept. 25, RLC Campuses.
  • Faculty / Staff Fall In-Service, 8 a.m. – 3 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 9, RLC Theatre.
  • RLC Foundation Scholarship Dinner, 5:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 18, Benton Civic Center.
  • Criminal Justice Roundup, 6 p.m. Monday, Oct. 22, Private Dining Area, Student Center.
  • Fall Play “The Nutcracker,” 7 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 8 – Saturday, Nov. 9; 2 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 10, RLC Theatre.
  • Fall Concert, 7 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 15, RLC Theatre.
  • Glo Bingo, 5:30 p.m. Friday, Nov. 16, the Rec.
  • Spoken Word & Open Mic Night, 6:30 p.m. Monday, Nov. 19, King City Books, Mt. Vernon.
  • RLC Foundation Annual Dinner, 6 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 6, Doubletree Hotel, Mt. Vernon.
Filed Under: Featured
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