BENTON – On February 27th, 2018 Benton Police arrested Christopher R. Braden, age 34, of Benton on an active Franklin County warrant for failure to appear. Braden was transported to the Franklin County Jail for further processing.
Illinois Governor’s Mansion Association announces re-opening date
February 28, 2018 By Leave a Comment
102 works of ‘Art in Illinois’ highlight renovated Mansion’s mission of history and education
KMOX – St. Louis image
CHICAGO – After two years of an extensive privately-funded renovation, the Illinois Governor’s Mansion will reopen to the public on July 14, 2018, Illinois’ First Lady Diana Rauner announced today at the annual Illinois Governor’s Conference on Travel & Tourism.
“Bruce and I made a promise to the people of Illinois to renovate the Governor’s Mansion to restore the pride in this historic building,” said First Lady Diana Rauner, chair of the Illinois Governor’s Mansion Association. “With an all new visitor experience, expanded accessibility, and updated programming, we know the Governor’s Mansion will be a must-see destination for tourists and Illinois residents to visit again and again.”
The renovation, funded entirely with private dollars, makes the Mansion a usable residence for Illinois Governors. When it reopens this summer, the Mansion will also offer visitors a completely reimagined experience. It has a new look that is both stately and richly inviting in keeping with the Midwest hospitality of Illinois people.
The Mansion’s new mission is focused on history education and appreciation and that is reflected in the newly renovated space. Visitors will be able to gather and learn from period art and exhibits featuring the 1893 Columbian Exposition. There is space to showcase Illinois fine and decorative arts. There a visitor’s center and trained docents will lead tours 7 days a week. For the first time, the Mansion is ADA accessible.
“Our work to renovate the mansion focuses on so much more than just an updated façade and interior design,” said John Bryan, Illinois Governor’s Mansion Association board member. “I am very pleased to be part of a project that highlights the rich history of Illinois and brings art by local artists to the forefront of our state’s capitol.”
The Illinois Governor’s Mansion Association received a grant from the Terra Foundation of American Art to support the inaugural art exhibit, ‘Art in Illinois.’ The exhibition brings together fine and decorative art from Illinois artists and features 102 works from mid-nineteenth century to present day. Twenty of the pieces have never been seen before and are on loan from private collections. ‘Art in Illinois’ will run through January 2019.
About the Governor’s Mansion Association
Built in 1855, the Illinois Governor’s Mansion is one of the oldest and most historic governor’s mansions in the United States. The Mansion serves as the official residence of the Governor of Illinois and as a symbol of the executive branch of state government. The Illinois Governor’s Mansion Association (previously known as the Illinois Executive Mansion Association) is a non-profit organization created in 1972 to preserve and oversee the restoration of the People’s House. In 2015, the Association began an extensive renovation process that will open to the public in July 2018.
Benton finishes their season 25-6 falling to Marion in the Carbondale Class 3A regional
February 28, 2018 By Leave a Comment
CARBONDALE — It’s probably only fitting that longtime South Seven Conference rivals from Marion and Carbondale will meet up for a regional championship on Friday.
Marion defeated Benton, 77-53, in the nightcap. Carbondale held off Massac County for a 54-47 win in the early game.
“I thought our seniors were really locked in and ready to play,” said Marion coach Gus Gillespie. “(Saddoris) had a big night. He was ready to play and distribute the basketball. Benton is awfully hard to guard. They can spread you out, and they can all shoot it. Our kids had to guard as hard as they’ve had to because I was very concerned about Benton’s kids.”
Benton was led by Gehrig Wynn with 20, and Parker Williams had 17 on the night. They end the season with a 25-6 record and capturing back-to-back SIRR Ohio crowns.
Here is a link to the story from Scott Mees of the The Southern Illinoisan.
http://thesouthern.com/sports/high-school/basketball/boys/boys-basketball-carbondale-marion-advance-to-regional-championship/article_460cdc78-f13f-5c8b-bf05-6e5d4df64e11.html#tracking-source=home-top-stories
Jeffery Braden – Marlow OK, formerly of Benton
February 28, 2018 By Leave a Comment
Jeffrey Alan “Hump” Braden, 58, of Marlow, OK, formerly of Benton, IL, passed away on Wednesday, February 21, 2018, while visiting his hometown.
He was born on July 27, 1959, to Robert and Betty Braden. Jeff was a loving father who enjoyed fishing, traveling, and making people laugh.
Mr. Braden is survived by two daughters, Ashley (Randy) Briant of Mayfield, KY, Brooklyn (Dylan G.) Almyra Marie Pierce of Mayfield, KY; one son, Luke Haas Holiday Braden of Barlow, KY; four brothers, William (Charlene) Braden of Benton, IL, Ernie (Lori) Demko of Manchester, CT, Nick Braden of Benton, IL, Clarence Braden of Benton, IL; two sisters, Roberta (Ken) Sentel of Benton, IL, Jeanie (Ken) Hoyle of West Palm Beach, FL; three grandchildren, Megan Briant, MaKylie Briant, Malachi Briant; ex-wife, Juley (Donnie) Tipton of Farmington, KY; and many nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Robert and Betty Braden, brother, Scott Braden, and sister, Tanya Mariano.
Services have been entrusted to Pate Funeral Home, 301 S. Main St, Benton, IL.
Visitation was held on Tuesday, February 27, 2018, from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., at Pate Funeral Home, Benton, IL.
Funeral services were held on Tuesday, February 27, 2018, at 8:00 p.m., at Pate Funeral Home, Benton, IL, with Pastor Jim Hughes, officiating.
Memorial contributions may be made to Pate Funeral Home to assist with Funeral Expenses and will be accepted at the funeral home.
Condolences may be expressed online at www.patefh.com.
Route 1 closed in spots between Junction and Cave-in-Rock
February 28, 2018 By Leave a Comment
ELIZABETHTOWN – I just spoke with the Hardin County Sheriff’s office, and Route 1 is still closed in places between Junction and Cave in Rock. IDOT is not showing it on their website at this time.
I know some will take that route heading to the sectional tonight. Use Route 34 as an alternate route. -sd
CASA groups in Franklin and Williamson Counties receive grant money
February 27, 2018 By Leave a Comment
CHICAGO—February 27, 2018: Seventeen counties in Illinois are getting a share of $2.7 million to serve children who are victims of violence.
Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority (ICJIA) Executive Director John Maki announced the grant awards today. The money will help fund organizations whose advocates are trained in trauma-informed practices and offer emotional support to those who have been victimized.
“We know that less than 10-percent of children who are victims of violent crimes, such as rape, robbery, or aggravated assault, get the emotional support they need,” Maki said. “These awards will help us engage them more quickly, get them connected with someone who will help them navigate through the court process, and pave the way to more positive outcomes.”
The grants are funded with federal fiscal year 2016 Victim of Crime Act funds and were awarded through a competitive process. Franklin County CASA was awarded $41,396, and Williamson County CASA was awarded $54,187.
ICJIA is dedicated to improving the administration of criminal justice through work in the areas of grants administration, research and analysis, policy and planning, and information systems and technology. Visit www.icjia.state.il.us.
IDOT worker was hit while pothole patching in Jacksonville Monday
February 27, 2018 By Leave a Comment
From the Illinois Department of Transportation
JACKSONVILLE – The Illinois Department of Transportation employee who was part of a crew patching potholes on Morton Avenue in Jacksonville when he was struck by another vehicle is in critical condition at a local hospital.
We continue to cooperate with Illinois State Police in their investigation.
Yesterday’s tragic incident is yet another sad, unfortunate reminder of the dangers of working and traveling in work zones. We strongly urge the public to remain alert at all times, avoid distractions, slow down and proceed with extreme caution when approaching workers out in the field. In Illinois, motorists are required to change lanes, if possible, and provide extra distance between them and workers, first responders and disabled vehicles. It’s the law.
Tyler Smithpeters voted as the sixth man of the year in the Missouri Valley
February 27, 2018 By Leave a Comment
Clayton Custer of Loyola Earns 2018 Larry Bird MVC Player of the Year Honor
From the Missouri Valley Conference
ST. LOUIS — The 2018 MVC Larry Bird Player of the Year is junior Clayton Custer of Loyola. Custer has engineered the Ramblers to one of the most historic seasons in school history, which includes a 25-5 overall mark and 15-3 MVC record. Loyola became just the 11th MVC school since World War II to win the league title with a four-game advantage over the second-place team, and the Ramblers have earned their most wins since the 1984-85 squad reached the Sweet 16 and went 27-6.
Custer received 125 total points to outdistance Alize Johnson of Missouri State (55 points) and Drake’s Reed Timmer (52 points). Four different student-athletes received first-place tallies, including Custer, Johnson, Timmer, and Milik Yarbrough of Illinois State. Voting was conducted by coaches, sports information directors and a media panel (voters could not vote for their own student-athlete.) Including this year, 0 freshmen, 2 sophomores, 17 juniors (seven of whom repeated) and 31 seniors have won the award (spanning 1969-2018).
The junior guard from Overland Park (Kan.) Blue Valley Northwest High leads the Ramblers in a host of categories, including scoring (14.2 ppg), three-point percentage (.462), assists (106) and steals (42). He ranks among the league’s Top 10 in those four categories as well as field goal percentage (.544), free throw percentage (.806) and three-point field goals made per game (1.9). After missing five games due to an ankle injury, Custer returned to action at UNI on Jan. 7 and the team has lost just once since. Notably, Loyola has gone 23-2 when Custer has played this season, compared to 2-3 when he was sidelined. The regular-season title is the first for Loyola as an MVC member (joined the Conference for the 2013-14 season), and Custer is the first Rambler to earn the league’s top player honor.
Custer and Ben Richardson were high school teammates at Blue Valley Northwest High School in Overland Park and helped the program to back-to-back state titles and a remarkable 94-6 record during their four-year careers. They have competed on the same team since the third grade. Richardson joins Custer as a top award winner, too, as he is the league’s Defensive Player of the Year. Richardson also missed significant playing time this year (10 games with a broken hand). A top perimeter defender, Richardson typically garners the toughest assignment on defense for the Ramblers. For the season, Richardson recorded 22 steals and eight blocked shots while helping the Ramblers to the best scoring defense in MVC games (61.6 points per game allowed). Loyola also ranked among the MVC Top 5 in field goal percentage defense and in three-point percentage defense. He’s the first Loyola player to earn MVC Defensive Player of the Year honors. The league began selecting a Defensive Player of the Year in 1989, and this marks Loyola’s fifth year in the Conference.
The league’s Freshman of the Year is another Rambler — Cameron Krutwig. A native of Algonquin (Ill.) Jacobs High, he becomes the second Rambler to earn the league’s top rookie honor (Milton Doyle in 2014). The MVC began selecting a Freshman of the Year award in 1986. Krutwig has scored in double digits in 12 of the last 13 outings and is the first Loyola freshman to score in double figures in 10 straight games since Doyle (11 games) in 2013-14. He leads the MVC in field goal percentage (.603) and is sixth in rebounding average (6.3). For the season he is averaging 10.8 points and has added 56 assists.
Illinois State’s Milik Yarbrough is the MVC Newcomer of the Year. The native of Zion (Ill.) Zion-Benton Township High is a transfer from Saint Louis University. He is averaging 16.7 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 4.8 assists per game, and is the only active player in the country to average such numbers. If he continues those stats through the end of the season, he will be the 11th such player since 1992-93 to average those numbers or better. He earned the league’s Newcomer of the Week award five times this season, more than any other player. The MVC began its Newcomer of the Year program in 1969, and he joins Reggie Wilson (1991), Tarise Bryson (1999), Lorenzo Gordon (2005), Chamberlain Oguchi (2009) and DeVaughn Akoon-Purcell (2015) as ISU players to earn the honor.
The MVC also selects a “Sixth Man Award” reipient, and this season’s honor goes to Southern Illinois’ Tyler Smithpeters. The honor is presented to the league’s top reserve player (one who has started fewer than 25 percent of his team’s games). Smithpeters, a senior guard from Harrisburg (Ill.) High, is the fourth SIU player (Joshua Cross, 2000; LaMar Owen, 2004; Tony Young, 2005) to earn the award, first chosen in 1997. While making just five starts in 31 SIU games, Smithpeters contributed 7.5 points per game and was second for SIU with 72 assists. He’s hit a team best 45 three-point field goals.
In addition to the specialty awards, the conference announced its all-conference units (first-team, second-team, and third-team), all-newcomer team, all-freshman team, and all-defense team. The all-bench and most-improved units have been selected by the league’s beat writers and will be announced Wednesday (February 28). A complete listing of all-conference honorees and previous season specialty award winners is attached.
Mechelle Brewer – Scottsdale AZ, formerly of Franklin County
February 27, 2018 By Leave a Comment
Mechelle Janine Brewer, 51, of Scottsdale, Az. and formerly of Franklin County, passed away on February 1, 2018 at Hospice of the Valley Eckerstein House, in Scottsdale, AZ.
Mechelle was born in Sikeston, MO, on May 1, 1966, to Charles and Carol (Barbre) Brewer. She grew up in the Sesser and Benton Illinois areas and attended Sesser-Valier High School and John A. Logan College. Mechelle worked as an Account Manager at Revana for Facebook Program in Phoenix, AZ.
Mechelle was preceded in death by both of her parents and grandparents. She is survived by a daughter Jessica Colbert, of Salt Lake City UT, one sister, Goldie (Craig) Villa, and one brother, Charles (Debra) Brewer, Jr., all of Arizona. She is also survived by her stepfather, Billy (Roberta) Muir of Nashville, Illinois, special friend Chris Robbins and dear friend and caregiver Karen McDermott of Arizona. Mechelle is also survived by many nieces, nephews, aunts, uncles, cousins and an array of close friends and co-workers in Arizona and Southern Illinois.
Per Mechelle’s wishes her body was cremated. A celebration of Mechelle’s life was held at the Allison Club House, on February 4, 2018. A private family visitation was held on Monday February 5, 2018 at the Abel Funeral home of Phoenix AZ.
ROAD CLOSURE: State Route 142 on the east end of Mt. Vernon
February 27, 2018 By Leave a Comment
From the Jefferson County EMA
Mt. Vernon – PAY CLOSE ATTENTION TO THIS IF YOU WORK AT CONTINENTAL TIRE.
Be advised that State Route 142 is currently closed at the railroad tracks on the east side of Mt. Vernon for railroad crossing construction. Please allow extra travel time and use marked detours.
