Obama could still force Merrick Garland onto court during ‘intersession recess’

January 2, 2017 By Leave a Comment
Lame duck president Obama and Merrick Garland, who he is trying to sneak on the Supreme Court before he leaves office. (AP photo)

Lame duck president Obama and Merrick Garland, who he is trying to sneak on the Supreme Court before he leaves office. (AP photo)

President Obama will have one last chance to force Judge Merrick Garland onto the U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday — but it’s a legal gamble and one that has so many pitfalls that even those who say he could get away with it believe it isn’t worth the fight. Mr. Obama’s moment will come just before noon, in the five minutes that the Senate gavels the 114th Congress out of session and the time the 115th Congress begins. In those few moments the Senate will go into what’s known as an “intersession recess,” creating one golden moment when the president could test his recess-appointment powers by sending Judge Garland to the high court.   Please click on link to read the link from Stephen Dinan of the Washington Times.

Filed Under: Breaking News, National News, Slider

Christopher Bearcats sixth in ABV Jack’s new rankings

January 2, 2017 By Leave a Comment

abv-jackAfter cutting down the nets at the Sesser-Valier Holiday Tournament, Jack Bullock of abaselineview.com has the Christopher Bearcats ranked the 6th Class 1A in his rankings that came out this morning. The Bearcats improved to 7-5 on the season after making their four game run last week at S-V. They beat the Waltonville

The Bearcats team photo after winning the Sesser-Valier Holiday Tournament

The Bearcats team photo after winning the Sesser-Valier Holiday Tournament

Spartans 61-54 in the championship game. The Sesser-Valier Red Devils are honorable mention in 1A. They finished third at their own holiday tournament, by beating 1A dynasty, the Woodlawn Cardinals 51-47. The Devils improved to 5-7, after playing a very brutal schedule so far. (Look for the West Frankfort Redbirds to crack the honorable mention in 2A soon. They won the consolation championship at Eldorado, by beating Joe Hosman’s Massac County Patriots 46-33.) I am going to explain something here. I am going to be posting conference standings soon. I am going to do this in the following order. I am going to post the BDC west first because of the three county schools in the conference, Christopher, S-V, and Z-R. I will post the SIRR Ohio second, because of Benton and West Frankfort, two schools. I will post the GEC last because T’ville is the only county school in the conference. In the BDC west the Vienna Eagles (9-3) and The Chester Yellowjackets (9-4) are honorable mention in 2A. The Goreville Blackats (6-5) are honorable mention in 1A. The Eagles bowed out of the consolation semi-finals, losing to Massac 68-49 at Eldorado. Goreville and Chester faced each other in the 5th place game at Sesser, with the Blackcats coming out on top 57-51. In the GEC the Gallatin County Hawks (7-4) are ranked 8th in 1A. They had an impressive week at Eldorado, finishing fourth by playing the big boys. They had wins over Massac County and Fairfield, they gave the champions, Eldorado, all they wanted before running out of gas against Carmi. Carrier Mills (4-9) is honorable mention in 1A. They bowed out at Eldorado, losing to Union County KY 81-69. The Crab Orchard Trojans (10-4) had Christmas break off. Their last game was on December 17th, defeating a very good Webber Township team 67-58 in the fifth place game at the Conrad Allen Holiday Tournament. They cracked the 1A honorable mention too. I need to explain something here. I am going to educate you about the site as I go. If I do not use a run on paragraph, the links break. Please visit Jack Bullock’s site, abaselineview.com. It is the premiere website covering HS basketball in the 618 and a chunk of the 217.

Filed Under: Christopher High School Sports, High School Sports, Sesser-Valier High School Sports, Slider, Sports

Muir’s Motivational Minute 1/2/17

January 2, 2017 By Leave a Comment

‘It’s not what you are that is holding you back, it’s what you think you’re not.’

Today is the day for many when ‘resolutions’ turn into ‘reality.’ It’s the day when planning for life changes require us to either start a new action or end a harmful one.

jimmerThe biggest problem many people will face can be found in a familiar old saying that says: ‘The devil is in the details.’ How many times have you had a solid plan and positive thoughts about embarking on a new journey in life, a new direction and course and immediately doubt and fear took over and your ideas and dreams were tossed to the side? If you’re like most people, me included, this has happened often.

When I read today’s quote I thought of a phrase I heard recently that said: ‘Make sure your own worst enemy doesn’t live between your ears.’

Because it’s ‘that’ voice in your head that says you’re not good enough, smart enough, gifted enough, talented enough — you fill in the word in front of ‘enough’ – that keeps all of us from being the best person we can be. That voice keeps people from reaching out to God and it keeps people in dead-end jobs, harmful relationships and dozens of other life-traps. It’s the voice that has defeated countless New Year’s resolutions!

Be strong, don’t let doubt and fear set up residence between your ears … because just like today’s gem states: ‘It’s not what you are that is holding you back, it’s what you think you’re not.’

God’s blessings to you on this day and my prayer is that we stay strong, move forward and tell the voice that says ‘you can’t’ to be quiet. Have a fabulous Monday and a blessed day!

Filed Under: Faith Matters, Slider

Changes in the weather coming soon

January 2, 2017 By Leave a Comment
Please read Channel 12 meteorologist Brian Alworth's quote toward the end of the link

Please read Channel 12 meteorologist Brian Alworth’s quote toward the end of the link

When you click on this link, it will give you an updated forecast throughout the day. There is an 80% chance of rain today, a stray thunderstorm is possible with a high of 54 degrees. The latest model from the Storm Prediction Center, has the chance of severe weather south of the Ohio River now. The rain chances continue through tomorrow with falling temperatures through the afternoon. Here is the hazardous weather outlook from the National Weather Service in Paducah: DENSE FOG WILL CONTINUE TO BE AN ISSUE FOR AWHILE THIS MORNING… ESPECIALLY OVER PORTIONS OF WESTERN KENTUCKY AND SOUTHWEST INDIANA. A DENSE FOG ADVISORY REMAINS IN PLACE FOR THE ENTIRE REGION THROUGH 9 AM. PLEASE REFER TO THE FOG ADVISORY PRODUCT FOR MORE DETAILS. THERE WILL BE A SLIGHT CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS TODAY INTO EARLY TONIGHT…ESPECIALLY OVER WESTERN KENTUCKY. AN ISOLATED DAMAGING WIND GUST CANNOT BE RULED OUT…BUT WIDESPREAD ORGANIZED STORMS ARE NOT EXPECTED. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN…TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY ARCTIC AIR WILL ARRIVE WEDNESDAY. WIND CHILL VALUES DURING THE LATE NIGHT AND MORNING HOURS COULD DIP INTO THE SINGLE DIGITS TO NEAR 10 DEGREES…ESPECIALLY THURSDAY AND FRIDAY MORNINGS. There is a slight chance of snow on Thursday afternoon. Models are still all over the place for a possible snow event this weekend. This is what KFVS TV meteorologist posted on his Facebook page this morning. “Interesting scenario developing for late this week. Cold air will blow into the Heartland about midweek. At first it looks like we’ll be mainly dry (maybe a few flurries, etc.) But by Friday night into Saturday forecast models are indicating we may have a rather significant weather system moving through from west to east. Too early to get really excited (or worried) but at this point it looks like we could get some measurable snow out of this….though as usual the ‘rain/mix/snow’ zone will be somewhere in our region. Stay tuned for likely tweaks.” We will always stay on top of the weather situation here at franklincounty-news.com

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

Ten o’clock weather update

January 1, 2017 By Leave a Comment

new-years-dense-fog-advisory

 

Here is the latest hazardous weather outlook from the National Weather Service:

.DAY ONE…TODAY AND TONIGHT AREAS OF DRIZZLE AND DENSE FOG ARE FORECAST TO SPREAD NORTHWARD ACROSS THE AREA TONIGHT AND CONTINUE THROUGH MID MORNING MONDAY. THE FOG WILL REDUCE VISIBILITIES TO LESS THAN ONE QUARTER MILE IN AREAS. PLEASE REFER TO THE DENSE FOG ADVISORY FOR MORE DETAILS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN…MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY A CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS IS FORECAST…MAINLY MONDAY INTO MONDAY EVENING. AN ISOLATED STRONG OR SEVERE STORM CANNOT BE RULED OUT. DAMAGING WIND GUSTS AND LOCALLY HEAVY RAIN WILL BE THE PRIMARY THUNDERSTORM HAZARDS.

The Storm Perdiction center’s latest update shows a mariginal risk for severe weather from about I 24 south.

There is a slight chance of snow showers on Thursday.  Models are all over the place on this.

The website will always keep you informed of severe weather events in real time if possible.

sd

 

Filed Under: Breaking News, Franklin Co. News

George B. Upchurch – Orient, IL

January 1, 2017 By Leave a Comment

George B. Upchurch, 68, of Orient, IL, passed away December 30, 2016 at 9:32 a.m. in West Frankfort, IL with friends and loved ones at his bedside.

George was born in Benton, IL, on April 18, 1948, the son of Ralph and Louise Upchurch.

He is survived by two sisters, Deloris (Dewar) Burgess and friend Bill Ott, of Benton and Erma (Whaley) Herick and husband John, of Farina, IL; one brother, Marvin Upchurch, of St. Charles, MO; two children, Stephanie Pettit and husband Tom, and their daughter and Sabrina Harmon and husband Dustin and their daughters. He is also survived by several cousins, nieces and nephews that loved him dearly; close friends Raymond Clayton and wife Peggy and Chick Mohring and special girl, “Bompee” Christina.

He was preceded in death by his parents, by a son, George Allen Upchurch, by two brothers, Loren and James Richard and by a sister, Barbara Sneed.

Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. on Tuesday, January 3, 2017 at Morton & Johnston Funeral Home, in Benton, with the Rev. Donnie Colson officiating. Burial will be in the Shiloh Cemetery in Whittington, IL. Visitation will be from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. at Morton & Johnston Funeral Home, in Benton.

Filed Under: Obituaries

BREAKING: 4 dead in Johnson County plane crash

January 1, 2017 By Leave a Comment
Picture from the scene (WSIL TV photo)

Picture from the scene (WSIL TV photo)

WSIL — Four people were killed after a small plane crashed in a wooded area southeast of Vienna in Johnson County. The Johnson County coroner said the victims are two adult men and two adult women. Their identities have not been released. The Illinois state police say the victims are from Iowa. The FAA identified the plane as a Piper PA28 and say it crashed under unknown circumstances. Residents said they saw the plane crash into the wooded area near Crossroads Road around 5:45 p.m. on Saturday….Please click on this like to read and watch the video from WSIL News 3….

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

New years day forecast

January 1, 2017 By Leave a Comment

day2otlk_0700So far the anticipated snow in the weather charts earlier this weekend is forecasted to be flurries on Thursday. Cloudy and a high of 46 today before the rain settles in and a chance of thunderstorms. We are on the border for a marginal risk of severe weather on Monday. There is a graphic from the storm prediction center attached for tomorrow. This is what the hazardous weather outlook form the National Weather Service says…A CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS IS FORECAST…MAINLY MONDAY INTO MONDAY EVENING. AN ISOLATED STRONG OR SEVERE STORM CANNOT BE RULED OUT. DAMAGING WIND GUSTS AND LOCALLY HEAVY RAIN WILL BE THE PRIMARY THUNDERSTORM HAZARDS..Please click on the link for the seven day forecast from the NWS in Paducah for Franklin County

Filed Under: Breaking News, Franklin Co. News

Happy New Year!!!!!!!!

December 31, 2016 By Leave a Comment

happy-new-year

Other than the forecast, I will not post anything unless it is pertinent information for the residents of Franklin County.  Be safe tonight.  Please do not drink and drive.  I wish you all a prosperous new year in 2017.-sd

 

Filed Under: Breaking News, Franklin Co. News

Patriots Unable to Shake Off the Rust in Loss to Webster, 83-67

December 31, 2016 By Leave a Comment
Senior PG Cody Schultz from Paducah Tighlman drives around a Webster defender.

Senior PG Cody Schultz from Paducah Tighlman, drives around a Webster defender.

Christmas Break wasn’t good for the Patriot men’s basketball team. Morthland came out and shot under 40 percent as a team en route to a 83-67 defeat against Webster University. After heading into the time off by dominating back to back games, the Patriots lost their mojo and had the tables flipped on them as they played from behind all game. Just nine minutes into play the boys were already down by double-digits on a two-point basket by Webster’s Xavier Dortch that put the Gorloks ahead 19-8. Not only were the Patriots up against one of the best mascots in the collegiate realm, but they were facing a well-coached bunch under the direction of Chris Bunch. Morthland saw glimpses of dominance as nearly every other possession saw outstanding ball movement followed by an open look. The winter rust was just too much to overcome as they only shot 16 for 33 in the first half. A 14 point deficit heading into the half is one of the largest that Morthland has faced this season. Head Coach Rich Herrin and his boys looked for answers against the fast-paced offense and tough zone defense of the Gorloks. “They came out in a stretched out zone that we really struggled with,” said Aaron Rushing. “We normally play against man to man defense, so we’ll have to be more prepared for that next time.” Unfortunately, the second half picked up right where the first left off, and Morthland was quickly lost grasp of any chance at a comeback. The final buzzer rang to a disappointing final score that many Patriot fans weren’t accustomed to. Please read the following link form the Morthland College Sports Information Department.

Filed Under: College Sports, Slider, Sports
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