Benton, West Frankfort, Illinois News | Franklin County News
Newspaper covering Franklin County, Illinois
by Steve Dunford
WEST CITY, IL – West City Firefighters have been called to a semi trailer fire on I 57 southbound. The call said from the 69 to 71. It sounds like it is past the bridge where the oil wells are.
The right lane of the interstate is closed. Please use an alternate route.
Franklin County Emergency Management Agency reports there are no hazardous materials on board.
I will provide further updates as they become available.
Ina Mae Heisner, a long time resident of Bisbee, AZ formerly of Buckner entered into eternal rest on October 15, 2017. She was born to Willie and Flora Overturf on March 16, 1930 in Buckner, IL.
She was a graduate of Benton High School.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Ronald Heisner, a daughter, Sandra Heisner, grandson, Zebulen Blake, son-in-law, Danny LaRue, her parents, Willie Overturf and Flora (Smith) Overturf, one sister and five brothers.
She is survived by her daughters Deborah Mesa (Rolla, MO), Pamela Blake (Bisbee, AZ), Lara (James Polm) (Bisbee, AZ) and Rhonda LaRue (Bisbee, AZ); eleven grandchildren David (Lulu) Mesa (TX), Jamie Mesa (MO), Dallas Mesa (SC), Remo (Kelly) Blake (AZ), Carlos (Melissa) Lopez (AZ), Jeremy (Yvonne) Heisner (AZ), Angel Beach (AZ), Ricky (Katlyn) Beach (NJ), Christy Cardona (AZ), Tina (Bryan) Vanonese (AZ), Danny (Cheyenne) LaRue (AZ); one sister Wanda (John) Vleminekx (PA); 24 Great Grandchildren and many nephews and nieces.
Ina was loved very much and will be greatly missed by her family and friends. Memorial services were Sunday, October 29, 2017 at 3:00p.m. at the Church of Christ in Bisbee, AZ.
Graveside services will be on Saturday November 4, 2017 at 1 pm at Knights Cemetery in Buckner, IL. Gilbert Funeral Home in Christopher is handling arrangements.
MARION, IL – The Southern Illinois Miners are proud to announce that along with the City of Marion, the PONY Baseball Colt World Series will be coming to Rent One Park in 2018 from August 3rd– 8th after a 47-year run in Lafayette, Indiana.
Now in its 65th year, the Colt World Series is PONY Baseball’s second-longest running World Series event. It is a ten-team tournament consisting of two, five-team double-elimination brackets, as well as ninth and tenth place games. The ten teams will be:
– Four (4) from the continental United States, with one each hailing from the West, East, South and North Zones
– Four (4) international teams, including one each from the Asia-Pacific, European, Mexican, and Caribbean regions
– One (1) area host team from Southern Illinois
– One (1) city host team from Marion, Illinois
The Colt World Series will have a check-in date of August 2nd. There will be four games played on Friday, August 3rd, Saturday, August 4th and Sunday, August 5th. Three games will take place on Monday, August 6th, with two games contested on Tuesday, August 7th, and one to three contests on Wednesday, August 8th. There will also be opening ceremonies, as well as a Champions League game, which is the PONY Baseball League developed for special needs children.
PONY Baseball and Softball (which stands for Protect Our Nation’s Youth) was founded in the summer of 1951 as a transition league for 13 and 14-year old players designed to take graduates of Little League baseball from that diamond to the regulation size diamond. Headquartered in Washington, Pennsylvania, PONY Baseball has developed a program that mirrors Major League Baseball rules and regulations as well as a postseason tournament system. The World Series are hosted at almost every level of PONY baseball, and held across the United States.
Over 500,000 youth participate in the PONY organization each year. There are currently over 375 Major League Baseball players who are graduates of PONY Baseball, with Mark McGwire, Alex Rodriguez, J.T. Snow and the late Tony Gwynn being just a few of the players who participated in PONY baseball. There were also six players picked in the first round of the 2017 MLB Draft who played PONY Baseball.
Be sure to follow the Miners on Facebook, Twitter (@SIMiners), Instagram and Snapchat, and also online at southernillinoisminers.com as they prepare for the 2018 season at Rent One Park.
The Southern Illinois Miners are the Frontier League’s winningest franchise since debuting in 2007, winning the 2012 Frontier League Championship as well as division titles in 2010, 2014, 2015 and 2016. They have been awarded the Frontier League Organization of the Year award three times since their inception, and also set a new Frontier League attendance record in their inaugural season. For ticket information, contact the Rent One Park box office at (618) 998-8499. For any additional information, visit our website at www.southernillinoisminers.com.
by Steve Dunford
WHITTINGTON, IL – Sesser, Benton, Franklin County Sheriff’s Department, and Abbott EMS is responding to a single vehicle accident at the intersection of Routes 154 and 37.
More information will be provided as it becomes available. Please avoid the area.
by Steve Dunford
Benton and West City firefighters were called to an apartment fire at 105 West Carlton. The fire was limited to one porch and a room.
Buckner Fire Protection District provided mutual aid for West City.
We will share any information as it becomes available.
TEL AVIV, Israel A new, first-of-its kind partnership between the University of Illinois and Tel Aviv University in Israel will advance groundbreaking engineering and technology initiatives and foster economic growth in Illinois and abroad, Gov. Bruce Rauner said today during a visit to the Middle Eastern nation.
Rauner.Netanyahu: Gov. Bruce Rauner met Prime Minister of Israel Benjamin Netanyahu Monday during his economic and educational research partnership mission to the “Start-up Nation.”
Rauner is traveling through Israel this week with Deputy Gov. Leslie Munger, U of I System President Timothy Killeen and several other U of I System officials. The delegation is in Israel to develop research partnerships between the U of I System and top Israeli universities.
The trip builds on the establishment earlier this month of the Illinois Innovation Network and the announced plans for the Discovery Partners Institute, a U of I led enterprise whose mission is to develop advances that will make Illinois the next major technological innovation center of the U.S.
“Today marks a new era of collaboration with Tel Aviv University, an institution that has developed a reputation for genius in the technology and engineering fields — key drivers of economic progress,” Rauner said Monday after an MOU signing ceremony. “Illinois, Israel and the world will benefit from the exchange of faculty and students, cooperative programs and research opportunities now on the horizon.”
Killeen said he is confident U of I’s newly established partnership with Tel Aviv will prove historic.
“Tel Aviv University is Israel’s largest and most comprehensive university, with a deep commitment to student success and research discovery that matches ours across the University of Illinois System,” Killeen said. “This agreement is an important first step to build on life-changing learning and cultural exchanges for students, and foster research collaborations to solve global challenges and drive progress and economic growth.”
Monday’s itinerary also included meetings with Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Start-Up Nation Central Chief Executive Officer Eugene Kandel, members of the Israel Innovation Authority and dinner with Israeli business people and officials
Rauner is traveling through Israel this week with Deputy Gov. Leslie Munger, U of I System President Timothy Killeen and several other U of I System officials. The delegation is in Israel to develop research partnerships between the U of I System and top Israeli universities.
Anne E. Otis, 82, of Thompsonville, IL, passed away at 4:30 p.m. on Sunday, October 29, 2017, at Franklin Hospital in Benton, IL.
She was born on March 13, 1935, to Wilford and Anne Bonebreak in Chicago, IL. In 2001, Anne married her loving husband, Bruce Otis and he survives. Anne was an avid reader, enjoyed a good movie, and loved working in her flower beds.
Anne is survived by her loving spouse, Bruce Otis; one daughter, Lisa (John) Strole and one brother, Bill Bonebreak.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Wilford and Anne Bonebreak.
Funeral Services have been entrusted to Pate Funeral Home, 301 S. Main Street, Benton, IL.
Visitation will be held on Thursday, November 2, 2017, from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. at Pate Funeral Home.
Funeral services will be held on Thursday, November 2, 2017, at 12:00 p.m. at Pate Funeral Home with Brother Howard Johnson officiating.
Burial will follow services at Brady Cemetery in Akin, IL.
Memorials may be made to Akin Baptist Church and will be accepted at the funeral home.
Online condolences can be given at www.patefh.com.
DIX, IL- Jefferson County Deputies are working an accident I 57 southbound at the Jefferson Marion County line. It’s down to one lane getting ready to be shut completely down to land a helicopter.
Avoid the area if at all possible
