Benton, West Frankfort, Illinois News | Franklin County News
Newspaper covering Franklin County, Illinois
Today we will have gradual clearing and maybe some peaks of the sun. The high today will be in the mid 50’s. The low tonight will be in the mid 40’s. It will be sunny tomorrow with the high around 60, and the lows in the 40’s Wednesday night.
There will be a cooling trend for the rest of the week with highs in the upper 30’s and lows in the mid 20’s.
There is a chance of rain or snow in the forecast for Sunday.
President Trump signing and executive order ending the Trans Pacific Partership (Fox News Photo)
A view of once where a mobile home once stood in Albany GA, in a storm system that left several dead in the Southeast.
The GEC tournament opens tonight at Southeastern Illinois College at Deaton Gym. The schools in the conference take turns being the host school. The tournament is hosted by Gallatin County.
If you want to see some great 1A basketball, make the trip to Harrisburg some time this week. On semi final week the house is packed.
All games on the tournament will be broadcast on WEBQ-FM 102.3
The schedule is the following
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Steve Dunford – franklincounty-news.com
WEST FRANKFORT IL- I watched the first quarter of this one. I apologize for having to leave due to illness after the first quarter. The Redbirds just looked wore out Saturday night to me, after giving the number five team in the state in the latest AP poll that came out today, the Eldorado (20-2) all they wanted Friday.
The Redbirds were defeated by the Herrin Tigers 54-35 on Saturday night in the third place game of the Midwinter Classic.
Jack Bullock (ABV Jack) of abaselineview.com had the Eagles moving up to number three in his poll that covers all of the 618 and half of the 217. He needs to give the Redbirds a little love. He does not have them cracking the honorable mention this week after having a very good tournament. Carterville was a signature win for WF.
When I got home, I turned Mike Murphy on. Rick Westemeyer is one of my favorite people in the world. I just hadn’t heard Murph call a ball game in the while. I enjoyed listening to him.
Everyone received some playing time in the game. Ten players were in the scoring column for the Redbirds, eleven for the Tigers.
There was no one in double figures in the game, which was unusual. For West Frankfort, Lucas Wolfe led the Redbirds with six on the night. DiAngelo Russell and Kyle Hammers added five. It is noteworthy the Herrin Defense held Noah Allen to two points, and Austin Glodich scoreless.
For Herrin, DJ Spell led all scorers with nine points on the night. Bronson Nessler, Drew Ringel, and Ty Downen added eight.
The Redbirds (8-10) turn to River-to-River Ohio play traveling to Davenport Gym (The Airport Hanger) on Friday to face Randy Smithpeters’ and the Harrisburg Bulldogs. They are at Max Morris Gym on Saturday to face the Anna-Jonesboro Wildcats.
Herrin (13-5) has a big weekend, as they travel to Rich Herrin gym to face the Benton Rangers. The Rangers are the number six team in the state in Class 3A in the new Associated Press poll that came out today. They travel to Mt. Vernon on Saturday Night to face Doug Creel’s Mt.Vernon Rams.
BOX SCORE:
HERRIN (54) Spell 4 0 1-2 9; Nessler 1 2 0-0 8; Ringel 1 2 0-0 8; T. Downen 3 0 2-2 8; Bush 0 2 0-0 6; McCormick 2 0 0-0 4; J. Downen 1 0 1-2 3; Cagle 0 0 2-2 2; Stucker 0 0 2-4 2; Stucker 0 0 2-4 2; Johnson 0 02-4 2; J. Vaughn 0 0 2-4 2; Hartline 0 0 0-0 2; Holloway 0 0 0-0 0; C. Vaughn 0 0 0-0 0; Rivera 0 0 0-0 0;
WEST FRANKFORT (35) Wolfe 2 2 2-2 6; D. Russell 1 1 0-0 5; Hammers 1 1 0-0 5; Thrash 0 1 1-2 4; Johnson 0 0 4-6 4; House 0 1 0-0 3; Clinton 1 0 0-0 2; Clark 1 00-0 2; Allen 1 0 0-0 2; Levanti 0 0 0-0 0; B. Russell 0 0 0-0 0; Glodich 0 0 0-0 0; Powell 0 0 0-0 0; Riddle 0 0 0-0 0; Davis 0 0 0-0 0; Sturgill 0 0 0-0 0
SCORE BY QUARTERS:
HERRIN 12 15 17 11 -54
WEST FRANKFORT 3 8 11 13 – 35
Jersalem Mayor…Nir Barkat
JERUSALEM -(Please click on link to read the story from the Jerusalem post) I will share things from the events in the Middle East from the Jerusalem post. In my opinion, the United States relationship with Israel, who has a biblical world view. He made a promise to Abraham, I will bless thee and I will curse them that curseth thee (Gen 12:3 KJV). I believe how we treat that little strip country in the middle east, that is not even the size of Southern Illinois, will determine the blessings for the US. Here is an excerpt from \the article. I am holding talks with government officials in the US and I know that they are serious about their intention,” he said. “They have various properties in Jerusalem that could serve as a solution.” While Barkat, who is friendly with Trump’s son-in-law and senior adviser Jared Kushner, conceded that such a major move will take time to organize, he nonetheless asserted that he is confident it will be carried out…..
Steve Dunford – franklincounty-news.com
WEST FRANKFORT IL – The Christopher Bearcats dropped the seventh place game of the West Frankfort Mid Winter Classic, to the Anna Jonesboro Wildcats 53-48.
The Bearcats roared out to an 11-6 lead at the 3:30 mark of the first quarter before Anna-Jonesboro coach Mike Chamness calls a time out. The Wildcats change from going to playing a 2-3 zone from playing man to man. A-J began to kill Christopher on the boards, and out rebounded them for the game 29-18. The differential was 13-5 at half-time.
Anna-Jonesboro scores the last five points of the quarter and both teams were tied at 11. The Wildcats came out and Logan Sawyer hit a 15 foot Jumper out of the huddle to go up 13-11 and they never relinquished the lead. Sawyer had twelve points and seven rebounds on the afternoon.
Jake Parr dominated the game on both ends of the floor in the second quarter as he had a game high 19 points and tied for the game high lead of nine rebounds. The Wildcats had the lead at halftime 29-25.
The teams trade baskets for a while and Jordan Zimmerman hits a big three to put Anna-Jonesboro up 38-27 to cap off a big rally by them just over the four minute mark.
Christopher coach Eric Stallman calls a time out and goes to a 3/4 court press. A-J struggles with it. Zack Snell buries a 22 foot baseline jumper at the close of the quarter to cut the Bearcat deficit to six, 40-34 after three.
Jared Curry has three big coast to coast drives in the fourth and the Bearcats keep hanging around. Curry had a game high 14 points on the afternoon, eight in the fourth quarter. He also had nine rebounds. He found Gabe Schimpf twice as well, on a couple run outs. Schimpf led the way with four assists and had 11 points. Kaeleb Pedigo was the third Bearcat in double figures with 10 points.
The Bearcats cut it to a one possession game on a few occasions down the stretch. A-J hit their free throws down the stretch, to ice the victory away.
The Bearcats (11-8) have two tough BDC West road tests in front of them this week, as they go to Chester on Tuesday and down to the Eagles Nest in Vienna on Friday.
Anna Jonesboro (7-13) makes the long trip up Route 127 Friday night to play the Nashville Hornets, and will make the return trip to Max Morris Gym on Saturday night to face the Redbirds.
I would like to give a shout out to a couple people from Anna. Coach Mike Chamness has always been very accessible and just a good guy to talk HS basketball with. Moury Bass, owner of WIBH-AM 1440. of Anna, always has kind and encouraging words to pass along to me. One of my highlights of the Midwinter Classic is being around these two men.
BOX SCORE:
ANNA-JONESBORO (53) Parr 7 0 5-7 19; Sawyer 6 0 0-0 12; Zimmerman 6 0 0-0 12; McGrath 0 0 4-6 4; Renyolds 0 1 0-1 3; Pinnon 0 0 2-2 2; Pena 0 0 1-2 1; Gillis 0 0 0-0 0; McFarland 0 0 0-0 0
CHRISTOHPER (49) Curry 5 0 4-4 14; Schimpf 3 1 2-2 11; Pedigo 2 2 0-2 10; Young 4 0 0-0 8; Snell 1 0 0-0 3; Pratt 1 0 0-0 2; Motsinger 0 0 0-0 0
SCORE BY QUARTERS:
ANNA-JONESBORO 11 18 11 13 – 53
CHRISTOPHER 11 18 9 14 – 48
San Antonio police at the crime scene….(Express-News photo)
Wes Henson a long time pastor, who explains his support of Trump even though he was not to warm about him at first. (Byron Hetzler – Southern Illinoisan photo)
Shirley Ann (Ryan) McCann, 87, 1201 South Main, Benton, IL, passed away at 9:30 p.m. on January 19, 2017, at Kirkwood Corners in Lee, New Hampshire.
Mrs. McCann was born January 13, 1930 in Benton, IL the only child of Robert Percy and Leota (Doty) Ryan. She married Charles E. McCann on October 2, 1948. Both of Mrs. McCann’s parents and her 
husband preceded her in death.
Mrs. McCann graduated from Benton High School in 1947 and attended Southern Illinois University, Carbondale. She and Charles, a pharmacist, owned and operated McCann Drug on the public square in Benton for many years.
Mrs. McCann was the first woman elected to Benton City Council. As a member of the city council, she acted as the liaison between the city and Benton Neighborhood Program for the Elderly and in 1979 became Director of Franklin County Senior Services (Wit and Wisdom) in West Frankfort, IL. She served the senior citizens of the county in that capacity for 20 years, retiring in 1999.
She was a board member of the South Central Regional Transit Board (SCT) centered in Centralia, IL but serving southern Illinois. After her retirement, she continued to serve on the Volunteer Services for seniors and the transit boards. She was also a member of the Rotary Club and the Benton Elks where she served as a board member.
Surviving Mrs. McCann are three children: Lorrie McCann, Winchester, VA; Holly McCann, Kensington, NH; and Christopher McCann, Coulterville, IL. She also leaves behind 11 grandchildren, 16 great grandchildren, and 1 great-great grandchild.. Two sons, Charles Ryan McCann and Jon David McCann preceded her in death.
Visitation will be held from 5:00 to 8:00 p.m. Friday, January 27, 2017 at the Pate Funeral Home, 301 S. Main St., Benton, IL. A private graveside service will be held at Masonic and Odd Fellow Cemetery, Benton, IL.
Memorial contributions may be made in Mrs. McCann’s honor to the Franklin County Senior Services or Meals on Wheels program and will be accepted at the funeral home.
Online condolences may be expressed at www.patefh.com.
