Florida man sentenced for making bomb threats to S-V school district

March 17, 2018 By Leave a Comment

Gabrielle Estrada, a 20-year-old Florida man, has been sentenced to nearly 20 years in prison after being found guilty of disseminating child pornography and also making bomb threats to the Sesser-Valier School District.

Estrada, who lived in Fort Walton Beach, was convicted of falsely making a terrorist threat, two counts of child pornography and one count of harassment by electronic communication, according to a news release from Franklin County State’s Attorney Evan Owen’s office.

Estrada was sentenced on March 13 to three five-year terms and one three-year term in the Illinois Department of Corrections, as well as to a three years to natural life of mandatory supervised release. He was also ordered to pay $10,000 in fines and will be registered as a sex offender for the rest of his life, the release states.

Estrada made a bomb threat to Sesser-Valier schools on Feb. 21, 2016, and made another threat Jan. 17, 2017 — both were made via 911. Estrada, who was then 18, gained access to Franklin County students using the online Xbox gaming system. The release also states he used the game system to “communicate with children, make specific threats of harm, and to disseminate child pornography.”

Filed Under: Featured

Martha Frances Purcell – Benton, IL

March 17, 2018 By Leave a Comment

Martha Frances Purcell, age 99, of Benton; passed away at 4:40 p.m. Thursday, March 8, 2018 at Helia Healthcare Center of Benton.

Mrs. Purcell’s wishes were to be cremated.

Graveside services will be at 11 a.m. Tuesday, March 20, 2018 at the Oak Hill Cemetery in Taylorville, with Pastor Steve Smith officiating.

Leffler Funeral Home of Benton, is in charge of the arrangements.

Martha was born on June 7, 1918 in Logan, Illinois, the daughter of Cordis Cairel and Girtie (Fox) Cairel.  She married Eulas “Junior” Purcell, and he preceded her in death on May 25, 2006.

Mrs. Purcell was a member of the Midland Methodist Church in Kincaid, IL.

She was a housewife and enjoyed fishing, playing cards (pinochle) with friends.  She and her late husband Junior traveled when they were younger and were active with the Shriners and Eastern Star. After retirement they spent their winters in Texas.

Patricia is survived by, a nephew Jack Cairel and wife Janice of Stark, FL; four nieces: Janice Williams and husband Sam of Johnston City, IL, Elaine Harris and husband Guy of Tupelo, MS, Romain Short of Harrisburg, IL, and Barbara Cairel of Bento.

She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband; three brothers: Raleigh Cairel, Frank Cairel, and Jack Cairel; one sister: Bonnie Neal; and a nephew Cordell Cairel.

To leave online condolences to the family, or to share memories of Martha, visit www.lpfuneralhome.com

Filed Under: Obituaries

Benton police make arrest

March 17, 2018 By Leave a Comment

On March 15, 2018 Benton Police were dispatched to the Dollar General Store on East Main Street in reference to a retail theft.  Upon investigating, police arrested Nathaniel S. Casey, age 29, of Benton for felony retail theft and unlawful possession of drug paraphernalia.  Casey was charged and transported to the Franklin County Jail for further processing.

Filed Under: Breaking News

Benton man arrested on theft, drug paraphernalia charges

March 17, 2018 By Leave a Comment

On March 15, 2018 Benton Police were dispatched to the Dollar General Store on East Main Street in reference to a retail theft.  Upon investigating, police arrested Nathaniel S. Casey, age 29, of Benton for felony retail theft and unlawful possession of drug paraphernalia.  Casey was charged and transported to the Franklin County Jail for further processing.

Filed Under: Featured

Fourteen at NCOE commit to RLC on college signing day

March 16, 2018 By Leave a Comment

INA, Ill. – Fourteen Norris City-Omaha-Enfield (NCOE) seniors officially became Rend Lake College students today during College Signing Days. RLC Advisors met with the students to pass along important information, answer questions, and enroll students into summer and fall classes.

Registration for Summer and Fall 2018 classes at RLC is going on now. Classes start the week of June 4-8 for the summer semester and during the week of August 20-24 for the fall semester. Contact RLC’s Academic Advisement Center at 618-437-5321, Ext. 1266 to schedule an appointment for summer or fall registration.

NCOE CSD2018WPictured is, FRONT ROW, FROM LEFT, Riley Price, Ally Black, Ashton Healy, Alli Blair, and Alexis Jones; BACK ROW, Evan Healy, Jeb Baumgart, Treylen Veach, Dustin Niehaus, Mike Brown, Noah Floyd, and Alex Mendoza. Not pictured is Wyatt Dillinger and Tiffany Smith. Click on the image for a larger view.
(ReAnne Palmer / RLC Public Information)

In April, Academic Advisors will visit Christopher, Mt. Vernon, Pinckneyville, Waltonville, Wayne City, and Zeigler-Royalton high schools to speak with students. In total, Advisors will travel to all 13 in-district high school campuses this spring to meet one-on-one with students and help them prepare for their first semester of college life.

According to the U. S. Department of Education, college graduates typically earn more and are less likely to face unemployment than those with a high school diploma. Over the course of a lifetime, the average worker with a postsecondary degree will earn approximately $1 million more than a worker without a postsecondary education. In fact, by 2020, an estimated two-thirds of job openings will require college education or training.

RLC is a comprehensive community college located in Ina in Southern Illinois. Rend Lake College offers more than 100 associate degree and occupational certificate programs, preparing students for transfer to a four-year university or direct entry into the workforce. To learn more about RLC, visit www.rlc.edu/journey.

Filed Under: Breaking News

Beach Boys coming to HerrinFesta on May 26

March 16, 2018 By Leave a Comment

Legendary surf rock band The Beach Boys will be the featured entertainers for the 2018 edition of HerrinFesta Italiana.

The Beach Boys are members of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. A small sample of their massive greatest hits list includes “God Only Knows,” “Help Me Rhonda,” “Barbara Anna,” “Good Vibrations,” “Kokomo” and “Surfin’ U.S.A.” Formed in 1961, the band is still fronted my founding member Mike Love.

The Beach Boys will perform on May 26 at 8 p.m.

 

 

Filed Under: Featured

Pastor Rick Warren: ‘Do You Have a Safety Net?’

March 16, 2018 By Leave a Comment
Do You Have a Safety Net?
By Rick Warren — Mar 16, 2018
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Devotional image from Rick Warren

“Finally, all of you, be like-minded, be sympathetic, love one another, be compassionate and humble” (1 Peter 3:8 NIV).

As a pastor, I see situations daily that nobody should ever have to go through alone. Nobody should ever have to wait in the hospital while a loved one is in life-or-death surgery. No woman should ever have to wait alone for the lab report on a problem pregnancy. Nobody should ever have to wait for news from a battlefield alone. Nobody should ever have to stand at the edge of an open grave alone. Nobody should ever have to spend the first night alone when his or her spouse has just walked out.

Life’s tough times and tragedies are inevitable. Each of us will face our share of them. But we don’t need to go through them alone. We need God’s safety net to help hold us up through these difficult times.

What is God’s safety net? It is a group of other believers — a handful of people who are really committed to you. We call this kind of group a community. Here’s God’s plan for community: “If one part suffers, every part suffers with it” (1 Corinthians 12:26 NIV). Community is God’s answer to despair.

Romans 12:15 expresses a similar idea: “Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn” (NIV).

The first part of that verse is easy. When something good happens to someone, it’s often natural to join in on the party.

But when someone is experiencing a tough time, it can seem more difficult. But, really, it’s simple. When you’re going through a crisis, you don’t want advice; you just want somebody to be there to sit with you, hold your hand, put an arm around your shoulder, or cry with you.

As Paul tells us, “Therefore encourage one another and build each other up” (1 Thessalonians 5:11 NIV). Encouraging someone else doesn’t always mean giving a pep talk or offering words of wisdom. Sometimes the best kind of encouragement is just sitting in silence, and then waiting and weeping with a friend.

Do you have a safety net — a group of fellow Christians you know you can count on in life’s toughest times? If not, go out today and begin building those friendships. The hard times in life are inevitable, and it’s unwise to go into them unprepared.

PLAY today’s audio teaching from Pastor Rick >>

Talk It Over

  • Who is part of your safety net? How do you build community with people and reach that level of commitment?
  • What are some practical ways you can provide someone with a safety net?
  • What is the difference between being part of a Bible study and being part of a community?
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Filed Under: Columns, Opinion

RLC Culinary cooks up something special for Showcase

March 16, 2018 By Leave a Comment
INA, Ill.- An extensive menu has been announced for the upcoming Rend Lake College Culinary Arts Showcase, the annual student-run restaurant that has met with rave reviews. The theme of the menu is “the new twist on old classics,” an attempt to look at traditional dishes and ingredients in a new and experimental light.

The Culinary Arts Showcase is an event that resembles a fine dining restaurant run by RLC Culinary Arts students enrolled in the Restaurant Management course. Using the bi-level kitchen and dining area in the Student Center on the Ina campus, students work in a variety of roles, ranging from executive chef, sous chef, server, runner, Maitre D’, and many more to get hands-on experience in all aspects of the restaurant business.

The Showcase will be open and taking reservations for 5, 5:30, 6 and 6:30 p.m., on Thursdays and Fridays between March 23 and May 4, with the exception of Good Friday, March 30.

Guests can begin making reservations now for up to six diners for dates two weeks in advance of the date they wish to attend. In addition to this pre-registration, guests will also be required to pre-pay for their reservation at $25 per ticket.

To do so, contact or visit RLC’s Community and Corporate Education Division at 618-437-5321, Ext. 1714. Their office is located upstairs in the Student Center, Ina campus.

Guests will have a choice of:

Appetizers

Kentucky Hot Brown Bruschetta: Bacon and roast turkey on lightly toasted French bread and covered in cheese sauce.

Chicken Cordon Bleu Meatball: Chicken meatball stuffed with Swiss cheese and ham.

Stuffed Mushrooms: Stuffed mushrooms topped with parmesan cheese.

Soup or Salad

Turkey Potpie: Creamy chicken soup with peas and carrots.

Soup du Jour: See the server for the soup of the day.

Wilted Spinach Salad: Baby spinach with eggs, mushroom, red onions topped with warm bacon vinaigrette and croutons.

Cobb Salad: Fresh romaine lettuce with tomatoes, avocado and green onion topped with blue cheese dressing.

(Ranch dressing or vinegar and oil available upon request)

Entrees

Osso Buco: Braised veal shank in espagnole sauce. Served with a loaded baked potato and green bean bundles.

Bourbon pecan chicken: Pan fried chicken breast crusted in pecans served with a bourbon beurre blanc sauce. Served with a baked sweet potato and green bean bundles.

Orange glazed ribs: Pork ribs glazed in an orange sauce. Served with Slaw and baked beans.

Pork tenderloin: Gently roasted loin with a lemon basil cream sauce. Served with Buffalo cauliflower and herb mashed potatoes.

Chicken and Veggie Alfredo: Fettuccine noodles with Alfredo sauce topped with sliced deep fried chicken breast or deep fried vegetables your choice.

Salmon Cakes: Lightly seasoned salmon patty served with Duck fat fried potatoes and glazed carrots.

Desserts

See the server for available desserts

Filed Under: Breaking News

Salukis softball downs Skyhawks in Blaylock’s 1,000th game

March 16, 2018 By Leave a Comment

Salukis down UT Martin in Blaylock’s 1,000th game

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Next Game:
Loyola University Chicago
3/17/2018 | 12:00 p.m.

A good pitching performance from senior Savanna Dover bolstered the Salukis to a victory over UT-Martin in the first mid-week game of the season.
 
“We played pretty well today apart from a little mix-up in the first inning,” head coach Kerri Blaylock said. “I thought Savanna Dover settled down and threw a really good ball game. I thought we hit the ball hard all day. The wind was blowing in a little bit so we couldn’t get anything to go out. We just hung in there until the end.”
 
The Salukis opened the scoring in the top of the first when sophomore Katelyn Massa singled up the middle to score fellow sophomore Maddy Vermejan from second.
 
The Skyhawks answered in the bottom of the first when Dover committed her one glaring mistake of the game when she threw the ball into right field while trying to throw out a runner at first. Another throwing error on the play allowed UT-Martin’s leadoff hitter to score and tie the game at 1-1.
 
Dover settled down after the rocky first inning. She allowed just two hits and a walk until being taken out of the game in the sixth inning.
 
For as good as Dover was, Martin’s starter Caitlin Karo matched her. Karo threw five-straight shutout innings and kept her team in the game until the top of the seventh when Massa struck again to score Vermejan from second for the go-ahead run.
 
“Coming in [Karo] had below a 2.00 ERA,” Blaylock said. “I felt really good getting a couple of earned runs off of her. We finished it off.”
 
Junior Brianna Jones earned the win to improve to 12-1 on the season. Jones struck out two in 1.1 innings pitched.
 
Massa generated all of the Salukis runs in the game by bookending the game with RBI hits to score Vermejan. Massa was 4-4 on the day with 2 RBI. Vermejan was 1-3 with two runs scored.
 
“Kate and Maddy had a great day today along with our pitching,” Blaylock said. “Massa was really, really good today and I’m really proud of her.”
 
The win came in Blaylock’s 1,000th game of her career. She is Southern’s all-time leader in wins with 642 and one of two coaches in the program’s history.
 
With the win, the Salukis improved to 14-9 on the season. It was Southern’s seventh win in 10 games and the fourth out of its last five games. Looking forward, the Salukis take their momentum into the start of the MVC season when they hosts Loyola for three games at Charlotte West Stadium.
 
“If we continue to clean up our defensive mistakes, I feel like we’re in pretty good shape,” Blaylock said.
 
The Salukis play Loyola in a doubleheader on Saturday starting at noon.

Filed Under: Sports

Benton police make two arrests

March 16, 2018 By Leave a Comment

On March 13, 2018 Benton Police arrested Charles L. Barnfield, age 40, of Benton on an active Franklin County warrant for domestic battery. Barnfield was transported to the Franklin County Jail for further processing.

On March 15, 2018 at approximately 1 a.m. Benton Police conducted a traffic stop near the 900 block of Fairland Street for a traffic infraction.  Police arrested 46-year-old Steven W. Wright of Christopher, IL for unlawful possession of methamphetamine subsequent to a vehicle search after Benton Police K9 “Ranger” alerted to the odor of illegal narcotics in the car.  Wright was transported to the Franklin County Jail for further processing.

Filed Under: Featured
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