Learn new skills in RLC’s Handgun Training courses

INA, Ill. (March 2, 2017) – Freshen up your handgun skills with three classes at Rend Lake College this year. Learn new techniques in Basic, Advanced, and Low-Light Handgun Training courses from instructor Jeff Bullard, Detective Captain of the Mt. Vernon Police Department.

Understand the types of handguns, ammunition, and laws pertaining to civilian use of force during Basic Handgun Training. Bullard will cover proper stance, gripping, loading, unloading, clearing malfunctions, and firing a handgun before participants practice those techniques at the RLC Range.

The class costs $65 and meets from 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. on Saturday, April 8; June 10; and August 19. Participants need only attend one day of training.

After completing the Basic class, enroll in Advanced Handgun Training to improve upon and learn new skills. The classroom portion of this class includes in-depth looks at the laws of civilian use of force, weak-hand shooting, one-hand shooting, one-hand reloading, shooting on the move, and range rules. On the RLC Range, participants will be tested on their marksmanship using techniques in the class.

The class costs $65 and meets from 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. on Saturday, April 29 and July 15. Participants need only attend one day of training.

After mastering the Advanced class, register for Low Light Engagement Handgun Trainingto learn how to shoot in a low-light setting. Classes will start in the Fall 2017 semester. Contact RLC’s Community and Corporate Education Division for more information.

Participants can also register for the range-only portion of a class, if they have successfully passed the class previously. Range portions are as follows: noon – 4 p.m. for Basic Handgun ($35), 9:30 a.m. – 4 p.m. for Advanced Handgun ($40), and 6 – 10 p.m. for Low Light Engagement ($35).

All classes will be held in the Coal Mine Training Center, Room 107A, on the Ina campus. Participants should wear old clothes, and bring eye and ear protection, their own handgun, ammunition (150 rounds), and a valid FOID card.

To learn more about this class, or any others this spring, call 618-437-5321, Ext. 1714. Pre-registration may be done in person, via phone call, or by emailing commcorped@rlc.edu.

Goold: Wainwright gives prospect Sherriff a license to drive

Cardinal lefthander Ryan Sheriff who pitcher Adam Wainwright rented a vehicle for to get back and forth to the spring training complex.  (Chris Lee-  St. Louis post dispatch photo)

Cardinal lefthander Ryan Sheriff who pitcher Adam Wainwright rented a vehicle for to get back and forth to the spring training complex. (Chris Lee- St. Louis post dispatch photo)

JUPITER, FL (Derek Goold – St. Louis Post Dispatch- Click to read the full story. Here is an excerpt ) Cardinals lefty Ryan Sherriff has not had the photo on his driver’s license changed since he was 16 years old, and he adores it still because “it is probably the ugliest picture known to man.” So when a team employee came to him Wednesday and asked repeatedly for it, he immediately became suspicious. There had to be a prank afoot. He spent most of the game waiting for the picture from his license to pop up on the scoreboard, or to appear somewhere else that would get a laugh. “I’m just hanging out, didn’t know anything,” Sherriff said. “Everyone was asking me, ‘What is going on? Did you get drug-tested or something? Are you getting traded or something?’ I started putting things together.”

“She said yes!”

Taryan Ashli being proposed to by West Frankfort firefighter Matt Morthland

Taryan Ashli being proposed to by West Frankfort firefighter Matt Morthland (William McPherson – West Frankfort Gazette Photo)

WEST FRANKFORT, IL – (William McPherson – West Frankfort Gazette. Please click to read the full story. Here is an excerpt) – Sirens blazed as fire engines and other emergency vehicles descended upon West Frankfort City Hall last Friday. What was the occasion for such a grand display? A marriage proposal, of course. New West Frankfort Firefighter Matt Morthland proposed to his girlfriend, now fiancé, Taryn Ashli, who works at City Hall. “I was in shock. I had no idea,” Ashli added. “They pretended the building was on fire. I wasn’t scared. I was like, I don’t even see any flames, but they were telling me we had to leave the building.” Their response time for the call was under ten seconds, according to Mayor Tom Jordan and Chief Jody Allen.

Law enforcement officials searching Caterpillar offices

CNBC Photo

CNBC Photo

PEORIA, IL – (Click on this link to follow this and several stories from the staff of the Peoria Journal-Star. Here is an excerpt of the lead story) Federal officials seized documents and electronic records from three Caterpillar Inc. facilities, including the global headquarters Downtown, on Thursday morning as an apparent part of a criminal investigation into the company’s tax strategy. Agents from an alphabet soup of federal agencies lined up outside the main administration building, a data center in East Peoria and the logistics center in Morton. Neither federal nor company officials would confirm the substance of the investigation. “Caterpillar is cooperating,” a brief statement from the company read. The investigation appears to stem from revelations about the company’s tax strategy as outlined in a 2009 federal wrongful termination lawsuit brought by Daniel Schlicksup. The lawsuit alleged the company shifted profits overseas and to offshore shell companies to avoid paying more than $2 billion in U.S. taxes. Schlicksup settled the suit in 2012.

Mark Pierce – Sesser

thumbnail_Mark PierceMark Robert Pierce, 49, of Sesser, IL,  passed away at 7:15 a.m., on Sunday, February 26, 2017, in the Franklin Hospital ER.
  
He was born on May 25, 1967, to Harold Pierce and Betty (Chandler) Owen in Lawrenceville, IL.  Mark was the Pastor of Sesser Church of God and loved fulfilling his calling for the Lord. On August 28, 1998 he married Malinda Shelby and she survives.
  
Mark enjoyed fishing, camping, boating and mushroom hunting, as well as grilling and using his electric smoker. 
  
Mark is survived by his loving spouse of  18 years, Malinda, three daughters, Amber (Mike) Knope, Tristian (Troy) Smith and Megan (Neil) Giese; two sons, Michael Scroggins, his companion Nichole; and Jonathan Pierce; one brother, Kenny (Kelli) Pierce; two sisters, Kim (Danny) Martin and Dana (Jeff) Carter; one step-sister, Cathy (Bill) Long; three step-brothers, Kevin (Marilyn) Owen, Jeffrey (Shannon) Owen, Eric (Shelley) Owen; mother-in-law, Judy Shelby; father-in-law, James Shelby and 10 grandchildren.
  
He was preceded in death by his step-father, Brad Owen.
 
Services have been entrusted to Pate Funeral Home, 301 S. Main St., Benton, IL.
  
A Celebration of Life will be held at 2:00 p.m., Saturday, March 4, 2017, at the New Life Church of God707 N. DuQuoin St. Benton, IL with State Overseer, Rick Whitter, District Pastor Rod Joplin and Reverend Bob Wininger, officiating.
  
Per Mark’s wishes cremation was held.
  
Memorials may be made to Pate Funeral Home to assist the family with funeral expenses.
 
Online condolences can be given atwww.patefh.com.

Families rebuild as NWS tracks Franklin County tornado

One of the three destroyed homes in Franklin County from last night's tornado.  (WPSD-TV photo)

One of the three destroyed homes in Franklin County from last night’s tornado. (WPSD-TV photo)

MULKEYTOWN, IL- (Ashley Sanchez, WPSD-TV. Click to read the entire story and video. Here is an excerpt.) The National Weather Service rates the tornado that touched down in part of southern Illinois as at least an EF-3. An EF-5 is the strongest. The NWS says it was part of a storm that started in Springfield, Missouri, and ended in Indiana. A tornado touched down in Franklin County, Illinois, where It destroyed three homes. No one was injured. A NWS surveyor says the tornado touched down Tuesday night between Royalton and Mulkeyyton, Illinois. The tornado destroyed Shannon Parvin’s barn. “We heard a bunch of wind. It sounded like hail when we was in the basement. It took the barn, and it was gone,” Parvin said.

Day Tours making stops in St. Louis, St. Charles, Southern Illinois

INA, IL– Join Rend Lake College’s Community and Corporate Education Division this spring on three day tours through St. Louis, St. Charles, and Southern Illinois. Each trip offers participants the chance to see unique sides of these local sites.

In April, enjoy a Taste of St. Louis with stops at several popular restaurants and cafés. Begin at Gus’s Pretzels and Urzi’s Italian Market to pick up treats such as pretzels, cheese, and pepperoni. The tour will also stop at the Missouri Baking Company to partake of homemade cookies. Lunch will be at Pappy’s Smokehouse for a buffet of pulled pork, beef brisket, pulled chicken and much more. After lunch, enjoy dessert at the Chocolate Chocolate Chocolate Factory and Ted Drewes Frozen Custard.

The Taste of St. Louis tour costs $113, and is scheduled for Tuesday, April 18. Tour fees, samples at all locations, lunch, gratuities and charter bus transportation are included. Pre-registration is required by Monday, March 20. The bus departs from the Ina campus at 7:30 a.m. and will return by 6:30 p.m. The bus also stops at the RLC MarketPlace at 8 a.m. with a return time of 6 p.m.

Also in April, explore the wonders of Southern Illinois with a tour of the Ancient Native American World. Kick off the day with lunch at Giant City Lodge for the famous family-style dinner. After lunch, dive into the ancient Native American world with the Environmental Education staff at Southern Illinois University’s Touch of Nature Environmental Center for a presentation about the pre-Columbian occupation of Southern Illinois. Discussion of cultural periods and peoples, regional sites to visit, and connecting to ancient peoples through experimental archaeology will be covered, including a demonstration of making yucca cordage.

The Ancient Native American World tour costs $69, and is scheduled for Thursday, April 6. Lunch, gratuities, presentation fee and charter bus transportation are included. Pre-registration is required by Thursday, March 23. The bus departs from the Mt. Vernon MarketPlace at 9:45 a.m. and will return by 5:30 p.m. The bus also stops at main Ina campus at 10 a.m. with a return time of 5 p.m.

The final trip will put participants in the shoes of a famous folk hero during the Daniel Boone Home & Historic St. Charles tour. Start the day on historic Main Street in St. Charles as a costumed guide provides a tour of the cobblestone street and stops in several quaint shops along the way. Enjoy lunch at the Mother-In-Law House, featuring their famous homemade soup, salad and chicken salad bar. After lunch, journey back in time to relive the adventures of American longhunter Daniel Boone. Visit the home where he lived and learn the history of this legendary pioneer.

The Daniel Boone Home & Historic St. Charles tour costs $109, and is scheduled for Thursday, May 18. Tour fees, lunch, gratuities, and charter bus transportation are included. Pre-registration is required by Monday, April 3. The bus departs from the Ina campus at 7:30 a.m., and will return by 6:30 p.m. The bus also stops at the RLC MarketPlace at 8 a.m. with a return time of 6 p.m.

To learn more about this class, or any others this spring, call 618-437-5321, Ext. 1714. Pre-registration may be done in person, via phone call, or by emailingcommcorped@rlc.edu.

Christopher falls to Gallatin County on a Ramsey buzzer beater

NORRIS CITY – (Harrisburg Daily-Register Click on the link to read the full story. Here is an excerpt) Seth Ramsey scored 28 points including a game-winner in the final seconds of Gallatin County’s 42-40 win over Christopher at the NCOE 1A sectional semifinals Tuesday night. The win for the Hawks (21-8) means the school is into the Sweet 16 and will meet either Meridian or Woodlawn in Friday night’s sectional final. Ramsey scored the first 10 points out of the gate for his team which was deadlocked with the Bearcats (17-13) after eight minutes. After Gallatin County had built a 17-12 lead midway through the second quarter, Christopher then went on an 8-2 run before halftime to grab a 20-19 lead at the break.

Rural Crossville man killed in last night’s storms

Home where man was killed in rural White County in last night's storms.  (WFIE photo)

Home where man was killed in rural White County in last night’s storms. (WFIE photo)

CROSSVILLE, IL- (WFIE -TV Evansville, IN. Please click to read the story and the accompanying video. Here is an excerpt) There is widespread storm damage in the Tri-State. Mobile users click here to see a slideshow of damage pictures. In Crossville, Illinois, crews have found the body of a man who went missing after the storms. Deputies were looking for Tom McCord in a field off CR 1800 North. They say his house is destroyed, and his wife was taken to the hospital.

ABV Jack’s NCOE Sectional Preview…

abv-jackNORRIS CITY, IL Click to read the whole story.) NORRIS CITY – The Norris City-Omaha-Enfield 1A Sectional has three repeat entrants and one newcomer set to battle this week in hope to advance to the Carbondale Supersectional on Tuesday night, March 6. Christopher, Woodlawn and Mounds Meridian return after winning their second consecutive regional titles respectively. Gallatin County won its first regional title since 2013 on Friday night by upsetting top-seed Cairo. The winner of the NCOE Sectional will face the winner of the Nokomis Sectional at SIU Arena a week from today.

Benton, West Frankfort, Illinois News | Franklin County News