TORNADO WATCH #41 ISSUED FOR FRANKLIN COUNTY
TORNADO WATCH OUTLINE UPDATE FOR WT 41 NWS STORM PREDICTION CENTER NORMAN OK 215 PM CST TUE FEB 28 2017 TORNADO WATCH 41 IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 900 PM CST FOR THE FOLLOWING LOCATIONS ILC003-005-013-027-047-051-055-059-061-065-069-077-081-083-087- 117-119-121-127-133-135-145-151-153-157-163-165-181-185-189-191- 193-199-010300- /O.NEW.KWNS.TO.A.0041.170228T2015Z-170301T0300Z/ IL . ILLINOIS COUNTIES INCLUDED ARE ALEXANDER BOND CALHOUN CLINTON EDWARDS FAYETTE FRANKLIN GALLATIN GREENE HAMILTON HARDIN JACKSON JEFFERSON JERSEY JOHNSON MACOUPIN MADISON MARION MASSAC MONROE MONTGOMERY PERRY POPE PULASKI RANDOLPH SALINE ST. CLAIR UNION WABASH WASHINGTON
First Alert Action Day issued this afternoon-Wed. morning due to threat of severe weather
Keep your eye to the sky-especially during the overnight hours
This is the first of two Storm Prediction Center graphics I am sharing. This one means there is a 10% chance of having a tornado 25 miles in any point of the yellow. The hatch marks represent the potential of tornadoes being an F-2 or greater.
The threat of severe weather for tonight has been discussed for the last 48 hours or so. Most of the models that I have looked at this morning will show some cells that will from in front of the main squall line after dark. Most models show the squall line coming through around 3:00 a.m. tomorrow morning.
Those cells that form in front of the line
The TORCON values for toinght shows a 40% chance of receiving Tornadic Activity 50 miles or less from Franklin County (Dr Greg Forbes- The Weather Channel.)
have the potential to become super-cells with the greatest risk of any tornadic activity in front of the line.
The greatest threat in the squall line will bed damaging thunderstorm winds. Large hail and an inbedded Tornado can not be ruled out.
I am not saying things to alarm anyone, or scare anyone. This system really had my attention since about mid day yesterday.
The is the second graphic from the SPC. There is a 30% chance of seeing a severe wind event (60+ mph) 25 miles from Franklin County tonight. The same percentage exists for quarter size hail or greater.
The potential does not mean it is going to happen, however preparedness is vital in an actual event.
Soon, there will be a Tornado preparedness guide posted on the website produced by FEMA, that Franklin County Emergency Management Agency Director Ryan Buckingham posted through the agency’s media sources. Please review this for a refresher.
As long as there is a severe weather threat for Franklin County, I will be up all night monitoring the situation to keep you informed. Warnings from 75-100 miles out that any part of the county is potentially in the path of the storm, will be posted on the franklincounty-news.com’s Facebook page. There will be updates on the website from time to time however.
Big government sneakily gets bigger
Costello says FOID cards are an ‘extra burden’ for law-abiding Illinoisans
State Represenative Jerry Costello II (D – Smithston) files legislation to end the FOID card registration in Illinois
RLC to host first women’s Concealed Carry class
INA, Ill. (Feb. 27, 2017) – Next month, Rend Lake College is offering a new option for local women to obtain their Illinois Concealed Carry permit. On Friday, March 17 and Saturday, March 18, the first women’s only Concealed Carry class will be open to any woman over the age of 21.
Ron Meek, RLC Criminal Justice Associate Professor and instructor for the Concealed Carry class, said there are several reasons for the college to host a women-only event.
“This class has been recommended by many female RLC employees and faculty to reduce the intimidation factor and make the class one gender,” said Meek. “This setting allows us as instructors to tailor the class specifically to the audience.”
On day one, the firearms safety and marksmanship classroom portion of the course will focus on safety, principles of marksmanship, loading and unloading, cleaning, and state and federal laws relating to firearms and force. Firearms and ammunition are not to be brought to this class.
The second day will include interacting with law enforcement, recognizing risk factors and situational awareness, identifying threats, and learning about range rules and procedures. The live fire practice and qualification will also occur on the RLC Shooting Range. Students should bring their firearm with 100 rounds of unopened ammunition to be inspected by course instructors.
The class will meet 4 – 10 p.m. Friday and 8 a.m. – 6:30 p.m. Saturday. All classes will meet instructors Meek and Jeff Bullard in the Coal Mine Training Center, Room 107A, on the Ina campus.
The two-day program prepares students to apply for their permit. To qualify, students must complete 30 rounds at 5, 7, and 10 yards with at least 70 percent accuracy. A qualifying shot consists of a shot placed inside the 7 ring of a B-27 target.
Participants who complete RLC’s Concealed Carry training course are eligible to apply for Illinois and Florida Concealed Weapons licenses. A valid FOID card and a driver’s license must be brought to class. Students must attend the entire 16 hours of training, no exemptions will be given. The cost of the training is $150 for in-state residents and $250 for out-of-state residents.
Two additional Concealed Carry classes for any gender are also on the books for later this year: Saturday, May 20 – Sunday, May 21; and Friday, Aug. 4 – Saturday, Aug. 5.
To learn more or to register, contact RLC’s Community and Corporate Education Division at 618-437-5321, Ext. 1714.
Red Devils…Tigers win at the Murphysboro Sophomore Tournament
Steve Dunford – franklincounty-news.com
MURPHYSBORO – Franklin County teams were featured in three games in a row at the 40th annual Murphysboro Sophomore Tournament on Saturday.
Since the IHSA lifted the 90 quarter rule several years ago, there are a lot of players that will appear in this tournament who were varsity starters, or saw some significant varisty playing time for their teams this year.
In the first of the three games, Seth Boles had 17 points and Eli Gunter added 14 as Sesser-Valier defeated Hamilton County 52-41.
The Devils crashed the boards very hard were very good on the defensive end. Tyler Winchester did not play for Sesser-Valier that Saturday.
Shaefer led Hamilton County with twelve points on the afternoon. The Hamilton County JV team, which was made up of mainly freshmen and sophomores, were very competitive in the Christopher Turkey Tournament, setting the all time tournament record for most three pointers it by a team.
HAMILTON COUNTY SCORING: Shaefer 12, Braden 9, Webb 8, Sheldon 5, Downen 4, Weaver 2, Gray 1, Peters 0, Richards 0, Van Winkle 0
SESSER VALIER SCORING: Boles 17, E. Gunter 14, Kirk 11, Basso 5, Bates 5, G. Gunter 0, Kiselewski 0, Thery 0, Stanley 0, Newton 0
In the second game, Thompsonville defeated Trico 49-26, in a game where there was a continuous clock in the fourth quarter.
Tyson Kessler led the Tigers with 13 points and Trey Bybee, back from injury, added 10. Corbin Fitch had several steals and Anthoney Darge if not was very close to having ten plus rebounds.
THOMPSONVILLE SCORING: Kessler 13, Bybee 10 Fitch 9, Darge 5, Raubach 5, Jones 4, Beavers 3.
The West Frankfort Redbirds stormed back from a 10-0 first quarter deficit to fall to the Breese Central cougars 45-43.
The Redbirds turned in a gutsy performance, but they just fell short on the evening.
C.J Johnson led WF with 12 points. Kyle Hammers and Cole Levanti added eight in a losing cause.
WEST FRANKFORT SCORING: Johnson 12, Hammers 8, Levanti 8, King 6, Stewart 4, Rains 3, McPherson 2, Hopkins 0, Melvin 0
In the consolation bracket tonight Hamilton County will play St. Louis Confluence at 6:15p.m. and West Frankfort will play Trico at 7:30.
In the winners bracket on Thursday night, Sesser-Valier will play Marion at 6:15 p.m. and Thompsonville will play Breese Central at 7:30 p.m.
Watson continues to right the ship at Southern Indiana
50 influencers of Rend Lake College- Dr. Barbara Luchsinger – exemplification of caring
Reece Rutland – Rend Lake College Media Services
INA, Ill. (Feb. 26, 2017) – Barbara Luchsinger began teaching at Mt. Vernon Community College in 1956 and served as the Department Chair from 1965-1975. Luchsinger was one of the first educators to be granted tenure by the college. She was one of 18 that the Board of Trustees awarded with the designation during their June 18, 1968, meeting. She was also the co-founder of the RLC Writing Lab.
She received a Doctor of Philosophy degree from the University of Iowa in 1969.
Long time Rend Lake College instructor, Barbara Luchsinger
During the second year at Mt. Vernon Community College, Luchsinger sponsored the publication of the college’s first yearbook. In addition to playing a major role in the establishment of the college’s writing and reading programs, Dr. Luchsinger also served as sponsor of the student newspaper and advisor for the Rho Xi Chapter of Phi Theta Kappa, the national community college scholastic honor fraternity. She also was a patron for many years of the literary magazine published by the Arts and Communications Department. In later years, she was active with the RLC Foundation, working with and presenting special classes for the Institute for Learning in Retirement.
An excerpt from a piece to commemorate Luchsinger’s 25th anniversary with the college:
…she comes close to having helped start two different colleges.
She arrived at Mt. Vernon Community College the second year of its existence and, except for time off for good behavior (to pursue a doctorate degree from the University of Iowa), has been a mainstay ever since.
“Those first years we were determined to make the college ‘go.’ To get teaching load down, we both taught classes for nothing. Others did the same.”
“Rend Lake College did not spring full grown from an oak tree,” Dr. Luchsinger continued. “The Mt. Vernon Community College never intended to be a permanent institution. Always it was to be absorbed into an area college, although the area was not defined.”
“Since I’ve been around longer than the college, much of my life reflects the history. I won’t ‘heave my heart into my mouth’ to recap the early days. Often I was on campus from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. I’m thankful for the part I was allowed to play.”
She was a graduate of Mt. Vernon Township High School and Lindenwood College in St. Louis. Both of her graduate degrees are from Iowa, with some work at Southern Illinois University Carbondale and a workshop in Economics from Northwestern University.
When the RLC Foundation began handing out its “Faculty Excellence Award,” Dr. Luchsinger was the sixth person so honored.
It wasn’t just time that Dr. Luchsinger gave RLC and its students. She also donated her 246-acre family farm in Dix to the RLC Foundation.
In addition to her official work with the college, Luchsinger was also active in the lives of her students. In 1996, she was selected as “Humanitarian of the Year” by the Human Services Club because of her eagerness “to help any student who comes to her seeking advice – academically or otherwise. She even took time to call an ailing student at home to wish her well.”
She passed away November 17, 2005, at the age of 75. She had been involved with Mt. Vernon Community College and Rend Lake College for almost 50 years in total.
Former RLC President Mark S. Kern said of Luchsinger, “We have a lot of caring people at Rend Lake College, and if anybody exemplifies that more than Barbara Luchsinger, I don’t know who it would be. Her heart is as big as this room.”
