IDOT Hiring Help for Winter Operations

September 4, 2017 By Leave a Comment

Press Release from the Illinois Department of Transportation

SPRINGFIELD IL, – In preparation for winter, the Illinois Department of Transportation is filling temporary jobs to help with snow-and-ice removal throughout Illinois this winter. These seasonal employees will be hired for both full-time and on-call work schedules. The deadline to apply is Sept. 13.

The department’s annual “snowbird” program requires employees to promptly respond to weather situations, assisting in snow-and-ice control and working in emergency conditions at any time, including weekends, holidays and nights. Applicants must have a commercial driver’s license and submit to a criminal background check. A pre-employment physical, vision testing, and drug and alcohol screening also are required.

Applicants will be selected based on availability, job-related experience and qualifications. Veterans are strongly encouraged to apply. For additional information, including details on pay and the potential for benefits, please visit www.idot.illinois.gov.

 

Filed Under: Breaking News, Franklin Co. News

Labor Day feels like the 4th of July….Severe Thunderstorms…then October weather the remainder of the week.

September 4, 2017 By Leave a Comment

by Steve Dunford

There is a slight risk (level 2 of 5)  of severe weather mainly for the overnight hours for the north part of Southern Illinois, including Franklin County .  The rest of the region is under a marginal risk (level 1 of 5)

The Storm Prediction Center claims the biggest threat is from damaging winds.  There is a minor threat of large hail.  The tornado threat is near zero.

One thing I am keeping an eye on is the enhanced risk (level 3 of 5) of severe weather keeps getting closer to our region.  Two hours ago, it was just a sliver into Indiana.  Now it is from a Mattoon to Kankakee line and east.

I will be up tonight until the severe threat is over.  If a watch is issued, I will declare an emergency alert day for the website.  My main focus will be covering the severe weather event.  I will be sharing things from all three of the TV stations in this market, from the National Weather Service and Franklin County Emergency Management Agency.

Because of how fast information can come in, monitor the website’s Facebook page.  The main focus will be Franklin County in events.  There will be a significant focus on the six surrounding counties, as the page has been reaching into those markets.  There will be an eye kept though, on all the counties from I-64 south.

If you have the day off enjoy it, and take one last dip in the pool.

Here are the advisories in effect and the seven day forecast for Franklin County.

Lake Wind Advisory

…LAKE WIND ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 7 PM CDT THIS
EVENING…

* TIMING…Winds will increase this morning, peaking this
afternoon. Winds will decrease toward sunset. The strongest
winds will be over southwest Indiana and adjacent portions of
Illinois and Kentucky this afternoon.

* WINDS…Peak gusts will be 20 to 30 mph, especially over
southwest Indiana and adjacent portions of Illinois and
Kentucky this afternoon. |

* IMPACTS…Holiday recreational activities, especially boating,
will be the most impacted. Choppy and increasingly hazardous
wave conditions will develop. Long fetches of south to north
oriented lakes and rivers will be most impacted.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…

A Lake Wind Advisory indicates that winds will cause rough chop
on area lakes. Small boats will be especially prone to capsizing.

Hazardous Weather Outlook

This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for portions of southern
Illinois, southwest Indiana, western Kentucky, and southeast
Missouri.

.DAY ONE…Today and Tonight

Thunderstorms are forecast Tonight and Tuesday. There is a Slight
Risk of severe thunderstorms across northern parts of southern
Illinois and southwest Indiana. Otherwise, a few strong to severe
storms will be possible tonight. Gusty and potentially damaging winds,
frequent lightning and locally heavy rain may accompany the
stronger storms.

Minor flooding is forecast on parts of the Green River. See the
latest river flood warning products for details.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN…Tuesday through Sunday

No hazardous weather is expected at this time.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT…

Spotter activation may be requested tonight.

Seven Day Forecast

Labor Day
Sunny, with a high near 90. Southwest wind around 16 mph, with gusts as high as 23 mph.
Tonight
A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly after 8pm. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 64. South southwest wind 5 to 8 mph becoming light and variable.
Tuesday
A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms before 10am. Partly sunny, with a high near 76. Northwest wind 5 to 8 mph.
Tuesday Night
Mostly clear, with a low around 51. North northwest wind 3 to 6 mph.
Wednesday
Sunny, with a high near 72. Light northwest wind becoming north northwest 5 to 9 mph in the morning.
Wednesday Night
Mostly clear, with a low around 49. North northwest wind around 6 mph becoming calm in the evening.
Thursday
Sunny, with a high near 73. Calm wind becoming northwest 5 to 7 mph in the morning.
Thursday Night
Mostly clear, with a low around 50. North northwest wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening.
Friday
Sunny, with a high near 74. Calm wind becoming north around 5 mph in the afternoon.
Friday Night
Mostly clear, with a low around 50. Light east wind.
Saturday
Sunny, with a high near 74. East wind 3 to 6 mph.
Saturday Night
Mostly clear, with a low around 52. East northeast wind 3 to 5 mph.
Sunday
Sunny, with a high near 75. East northeast wind 5 to 7 mph.

 

 

 

Filed Under: Uncategorized

Family labor still vital to farm business

September 2, 2017 By Leave a Comment

http://www.illinoisfarmertoday.com/news/article_355b2078-8dc9-11e7-b538-af323127ed65.html

Six members of the Browning family — three brothers and their three sons — take care of most of the duties at their Franklin County farm. From left are Brad, Benny, Michael, Randy, Keith and Kendall. (Nat Williams, Illinois Farmer Today.)

WEST FRANKFORT, IL – (Nat Williams, Illinois Farmer Today.  Please click on the link above for the full article.  Here is an excerpt below.)

Chances are, when something needs to be done at the Browning farm, it will be a Browning doing it.

Six members of the family — three brothers and one son each — take care of most of the duties at the 4,500-acre grain operation in the southeastern corner of Franklin County. That’s the way it’s been since they can remember.

“Dad put me on the planter when I got out of high school,” said Randy, the eldest of the three brothers.

Randy’s two brothers — Benny and Keith — are an integral part of the operation. In addition, their sons — Michael, Brad and Kendall, respectively — are also heavily involved in the farm. Those six do most of the work, though some part-time help is contracted seasonally.

 

Filed Under: Featured, Franklin Co. News, Slider, West Frankfort News

Two car accident in the southbound lane just north of the Benton Exit

September 2, 2017 By Leave a Comment

By Steve Dunford

BENTON, IL-  There has been a two car accident involving a pickup truck and a camper just north of the 71 mile marker on I-57 southbound .  This happened just after noon today.

Reports on Social Media claim that traffic is backed up at the Sesser exit.  Please use an alternate route and be aware that Route 37 could be congested.

Benton and West City fire departments responded as well as Abbott EMS.

Information from Southern Illinois Fire Incidents and Southern Illinois Fire Dispatch provided to this story.

Filed Under: Uncategorized

50 Influencers of Rend Lake College: Rich Yunkus, an all-time great

September 2, 2017 By Leave a Comment

by Reece Rutland, Rend Lake College Public Information

At six-foot-nine, it would be pretty easy to say that Rich Yunkus is a big deal. And, while he holds the all-time scoring record with the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets at 2,232 points, it’s his “assists” that have won him the admiration and gratitude of Rend Lake College.

Yunkus has gone above and beyond to support RLC, the Rend Lake College Foundation and his community.

Rich Yunkus

The Benton native has served on the RLCF Board of Directors for almost 25 years. In 2013, he was recognized for his all efforts on behalf of the Foundation. Through his continuous work, massive strides were made in improving the lives of the district’s students.

During his stint as RLCF Director, Yunkus was credited in being one of the driving forces behind making sure the RLC Murphy-Wall Pinckneyville Campus had the ability to offer a complete degree program to eliminate the cost students take on from the trip to Ina and back.
In 2000, he became the ninth person to receive the Presidential Award from the RLC Foundation, for which he had served the previous seven years as a member of both the Finance and Nominating committees.

That year he also accepted the responsibility as money manager for the Foundation at no personal gain. Yunkus joined Edward Jones in 1996 as the Benton representative for an investment firm that has more offices nationally than any other offering financial services.
Yunkus thanked the Foundation for the award, stating, “You can’t help but see the Rend Lake College Foundation when you walk around campus. What a great group of people, and I love to work with all of them to help Rend Lake College. It’s with everyone’s help and support that we do what we can, and it’s an honor to be a part of this tremendous organization.”

Two years later, he accepted a limited partnership with the holding company for the St. Louis-based firm; approximately one-third of all associates are limited partners.

Yunkus shows off the hook shot that helped him become the all-time scoring leader for the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets. (Photo provided to Rend Lake College.)

Yunkus was enshrined into the State of Georgia Athletic Hall of Fame in January 1998, along with “classmates” Jackie Robinson, who was born in the Peach State before going on to stardom as the first black player in Major League Baseball; Morehouse College and Olympic hurdles champion Edwin Moses, NASCAR driver Bill Elliott and professional golfer Lyn Lott.

He is the first, and only, Georgia Tech student to be inducted into their Hall of Fame immediately upon graduating. A high school and college All-America pick, Yunkus is also a member of the Illinois Basketball Coaches Association.

The well-known Benton product also is active in his home community, holding memberships to the Benton Chamber of Commerce, Rotary Club and Elks Club. Yunkus and his wife, Donna, are the parents of two daughters, Alicia and Lindsay.

At the time of his Presidential Award, Yunkus had played in the RLCF Golf Outing every year since its inception in 1981. He also volunteered as an instructor for financial classes associated with the Institute for Learning in Retirement and has spoken previously at the Warrior and Lady Warrior All-Sports Banquet.

Yunkus first stepped forward with a monetary donation to the “Generations of Excellence” Capital Campaign in February 1997, then pledged $10,000 more in December of that year for the RLCF Children’s Center and was the Director most responsible for encouraging the group to build the best facility possible,” according to then Foundation Executive Director Pat Kern.

“Rich has been actively involved with the Foundation Board of Directors since 1993. Rich has been instrumental in cultivating very generous donations for Foundation capital projects and scholarships. He is also a strong advocate for promoting the college and our facilities. Rich is a go-getter and I am very grateful for his commitment to the foundation and the college,” said RLCF CEO Kay Zibby-Damron.

 

Filed Under: Benton News, Featured, Franklin Co. News

SCT Offers Free Rides for Texas Flood Donations

September 2, 2017 By Leave a Comment

West Frankfort Gazette photo

Tuesday, Sept. 5 through Friday Sept. 8 South Central Transit will be collecting goods on their transit buses to use for Texas flood relief.

“Your donated items will cover Public Demand (inside City Limits), City or County Shuttle fare,” a news release from SCT reads. SCT says the transit fee for anyone riding an SCT bus will be waved as long as they provide an approved item for donation.

For more information, call 800-660-7433 or visit southcentraltransit.org.

Filed Under: Breaking News, Franklin Co. News, Slider

Why SI

September 2, 2017 By Leave a Comment

http://whysi.org/ 

 

NOTE:  This is a link to a new website promoting Southern Illinois.  Please click on the link above to go to the site.  Below is the introduction.

Why Southern Illinois?

Southern Illinois provides a unique blend of attributes that make it an excellent place to live, work and play. We’re centrally located to the vast majority of the midwest population. Just a few short hours from Nashville, Memphis, St Louis, Indianapolis, and Louisville. Our location along with easy and available access to technology, transportation, natural resources and the great outdoors make for an excellent blend of work and life. Find your niche, explore your passions and embrace the diversity of our landscapes. You’re unique… shouldn’t your backyard be too? In Southern Illinois, we’re growing a thriving entrepreneurial spirit. Come grow with us!

Filed Under: Breaking News, Franklin Co. News

State Represenative Brandon Phelps hands in his resignation

September 2, 2017 By Leave a Comment

 

118th district State Representative Brandon Phelps initial sponsor of the Lock-box amendment

HARRISBURG, IL –  State Representative Brandon Phelps (118th District, D-Harrisburg) resigned from the General Assembly .  Here is a statement from him.

“It has been my honor to serve the people of the 118th District as their state representative. I have worked to represent Southern Illinois to the best of my ability.


“Together in bipartisan manner, we worked to pass concealed carry, protect our state’s transportation funding, support our state’s agriculture, save 9-1-1 services, and expand the use of coal, oil and gas for our region. Since day one, I’ve given it everything I have, because our communities deserve a strong voice to speak up for our values and protect our way of life. Now in the interest of my personal health, it is my intention to step down effective today, Sept. 1.


“I want to thank all of those who worked alongside me, both in our communities and in our Capitol, as well as all my friends and loved ones. It has been my privilege to serve the people of the 118th District. My heart will always reside in Southern Illinois.” 

Filed Under: Breaking News, Franklin Co. News, Slider

FRANKLIN HOSPITAL OFFERING FREE DIABETIC SCREENING DAY

September 2, 2017 By Leave a Comment

By Derek Johnson – Chief Operating Officer, Franklin Hospital 

Franklin Hospital will be offering a Diabetic Screening Day from 7 a.m. to 11 a.m. Friday, September 8, 2017 in Franklin Hospital’s First Floor Conference Room. The purpose of the screening is to promote education and care for diabetics and/or those at risk for diabetes. The screening is FREE and open to the public, no appointment necessary.

The FREE tests offered are HA1c, Creatinine/GFR, Glucose, and Microalbumin urine. The HA1c provides the average glucose levels of blood glucose over the previous three months. The Creatinine/GFR (Glomerular Filtration Rate) check how the kidneys are functioning. The Glucose test measures blood sugar levels and the Microalbumin urine test is used to detect early signs of kidney damage in people that are at high risk for developing kidney disease. All tests are FREE and do not require fasting.

If you have a glucometer and would like to get it tested, Franklin Hospital laboratory staff members will be conducting glucometer verification testing. Free blood pressure checks will also be offered, and, hospital staff will be performing home blood pressure meter verification.
Podiatrist Dr. Christopher Moore from Southern Illinois Foot and Ankle Clinic will be available at the clinic to answer questions about diabetes and how it can affect feet and lower legs. Registered Dietician, Janet Porter, will be available to discuss healthy eating habits and proper nutrition for diabetics.

Franklin-Williamson Bi-County Health Department personnel will be on-site to discuss the newly formed Franklin County Diabetic Support Group. The group will hold is initial meeting from 1:30 to 3:00 p.m. on Wednesday, September 27, 2017 in Franklin Hospital’s First Floor Conference Room.

Franklin Hospital’s FREE Diabetic Screening Day is being funded by a grant from the Illinois Critical Access Hospital Network.

For questions about the Diabetic Screening Day call Judy Courter, Laboratory Director, at 618-439-3161, Ext. 357.

Filed Under: Uncategorized

RLC calling all actors for Fall Play “The Sleeping Beauty of Loreland”

September 2, 2017 By Leave a Comment

by ReAnne Palmer – Rend Lake College Public Information

INA, IL – Transform yourself into a fairy or servant, or even a prince or princess next week during auditions for the Rend Lake College Fall Play “The Sleeping Beauty of Loreland.” Auditions will begin at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 5 in the RLC Theatre, with opening night set for Thursday, Nov. 2.

“The Sleeping Beauty of Loreland” is based off the Brother Grimms’ classic fairy tale “Briar Rose,” which involves a beautiful princess who is cursed and is woken by true love’s kiss. The earliest known version of the story was composed between 1330 and 1344, and has been adapted dozens of times, including the popular 1959 Disney film “Sleeping Beauty.”
Director Tracey Webb, RLC Theatre Professor, said the script audience members will see was written by Frances Homer in 1935.

“There are more fairies than in the Disney film, and one of them doesn’t get invited to a party. This oversight causes Sleeping Beauty to be cursed by the excluded fairy,” explained Webb. “Shortly before falling into the hundred-year sleep, she is engaged to be married to a prince with whom she isn’t in love, which adds extra conflict to the tale. The castle servants provide much of the comedy in the play. This is a funny retelling of the classic story and it is family friendly. Both adults and children should enjoy the play.”

Auditions are open to individuals age 16 and older. Webb offered some advice for students and community members interested in standing in the spotlight.
“Actors should practice reading from scripts with animated faces and voices. The more they get into it, the better I can evaluate their acting skills. I may also ask them to improvise a scene, so they should research the original fairy tale and know the main characters,” said Webb. “I would also advise they wear dance shoes and flexible clothing for the dance portion. Long hair and bangs need to be pulled off the face.”

After the cast announcement, rehearsals will be held from 6 – 9 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays. Every actor is encouraged to register for Theatre 1102, a tuition-free elective course that awards three credit hours for participation in the play.

“All cast and crew members will be expected to help build the set on certain Sunday afternoons and help find props and costumes. Theatre is a collaborative art and takes a lot of people pulling together to create a show,” said Webb. “It will be a fun experience and not all cast members will have to be at every rehearsal, until the final two weeks.”

The fall play will open on the RLC stage at 7 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 2, with additional show times at 7 p.m. Friday, Nov. 3 and Saturday, Nov. 4. A 2 p.m. showing is also scheduled for Sunday, Nov. 5. Tickets cost $12 and will be available for purchase on Monday, Oct. 16. Contact the RLC Box Office for additional information at 618-437-5321, Ext. 1467.

Filed Under: Breaking News, Franklin Co. News
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