New state troopers take to the highways

January 2, 2018 By Leave a Comment

 

Trooper Richard Stanley

DU QUOIN – The Illinois State Police District 13 wishes to welcome Trooper Richard Stanley. Trooper Stanley is a 5 year veteran of Mount Vernon Police Department. He recently graduated the Illinois State Police Academy from Cadet Class 126 where he served as class president. After completing the 25 weeks of training at the Academy, he has now begun a 14 week Field Training Program in District 13.

We also wish to congratulate Troopers Ronald Brooks and Zachary Brooks for their placement in Illinois State Police District 21 Ashkum upon graduation from Cadet Class 126. Trooper Ronald Brooks received a Bachelor’s Degree in Criminal Justice from Southern Illinois University, and served three years as a police officer/detective for the Murphysboro Police Department. (Pictured second.) Trooper Zachary Brooks received a Bachelor’s Degree in Administration of Justice from Southern Illinois University, served three years as a police officer for the Murphysboro Police Department, and also served two years as a conservation officer for the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources. (Pictured third.)

Cadet Class 126 graduated December 22, 2017. Please join us in welcoming these Troopers to their new assignments and in wishing them a safe career in public service!!

Filed Under: Breaking News, Franklin Co. News

State Fire Marshal Launches “Be Alarmed!” Program

January 2, 2018 By Leave a Comment

The OSFM will work jointly with the Illinois Fire Safety Alliance to provide smoke alarms and fire prevention education across Illinois

 

SPRINGFIELD – The Office of the State Fire Marshal (OSFM) and the Illinois Fire Safety Alliance (IFSA) today launched ‘Be Alarmed!’ – a joint smoke alarm installation program that provides smoke alarms to Illinoisans through their local fire departments. The OFSM will distribute smoke alarms with 10-year sealed batteries and fire safety educational materials to participating fire departments, at no-cost to residents. The OSFM requires participating fire departments to personally install each smoke alarm, educate the community on fire prevention and safety, and provide installation survey data to the IFSA.

‘Working smoke alarms provide crucial advance warning and can potentially save lives,’ said State Fire Marshal Matt Perez.  ‘The ‘Be Alarmed!’ program will help ensure that Illinoisans have the tools and know-how to prevent and escape a fire should one occur. We encourage everyone to be alarmed in the new year and make sure your home is equipped with working smoke alarms.’

‘Six out of ten residential fire deaths occur in homes with no smoke alarms or no working smoke alarms,’ said Illinois Fire Safety Alliance Executive Director, Philip Zaleski. ‘The Illinois Fire Safety Alliance is excited to have developed this program in cooperation with the State Fire Marshal’s Office to provide smoke alarms to Illinois residents and help reduce the number of fire related injuries and deaths across the state.’

‘Be Alarmed!’ is a fire safety educational program developed to educate Illinoisans and to ensure that properly installed and working smoke alarms are in homes across Illinois.

The program seeks to:

  1. Educate Illinois residents, young and old, on home fire safety and prevention methods,
  2. Reduce the number of fire-related injuries in Illinois,
  3. Reduce the number of fire-related deaths in Illinois, and
  4. Identify the reason for non-working smoke alarms in Illinois homes.

All fire alarms and educational materials will be provided at no-cost to eligible fire departments from OSFM and IFSA with additional assistance from corporate partners including Kidde and Menards.

Interested fire departments should go to www.IFSA.org/programs/alarms for eligibility requirements and the request form.

Filed Under: Breaking News, State News

Fire at Calvert City, KY McDonalds

January 2, 2018 By Leave a Comment

 

WPSD photo

CALVERT CITY, KY –  Since this is a destination stop for a lot of people heading south out of Franklin County, I decided to go ahead and share this.  Here is a link to follow this story from WPSD-TV.

Fire crews battling large blaze at Calvert City McDonald’s

Filed Under: Breaking News

Unemployment Rate Drops in All Metro Areas for Sixth Consecutive Month

January 1, 2018 By Leave a Comment

CHICAGO-Unemployment rates decreased over-the-year in November in all of Illinois’s metropolitan areas, according to preliminary data released today by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) and the Illinois Department of Employment Security (IDES). Data also show nonfarm jobs increased in ten of the metropolitan areas and decreased in four.

“It is encouraging that job growth was reported in ten of the fourteen metro areas,” said IDES Director Jeff Mays. “More than 30,000 of those jobs were created in the Chicago Metro area, so we need continued stronger growth statewide.”

Illinois businesses added jobs in ten metro areas, with the largest increases in: Kankakee (+2.6 percent, +1,200), Lake/Kenosha (+2.4 percent, +9,800), and the Quad Cities (+1.6 percent, +3,000). Total nonfarm jobs in the Chicago-Naperville-Arlington Heights Metro Division increased (+0.6 percent or +20,900). Illinois businesses lost jobs in four metro areas, with the largest losses in: Danville (-1.7 percent, -500), Champaign (-0.6 percent, -700), and Decatur (-0.6 percent, -300).

Please click on the link for the full article and statitstics from the Illinois Department of Employment Security

https://www2.illinois.gov/Pages/news-item.aspx?ReleaseID=15216

 

Filed Under: Breaking News, Franklin Co. News

Wind Chill advisory until noon on Tuesday

December 30, 2017 By Leave a Comment

Dangerously cold wind chill temperatures will occur overnight on New Year’s Eve. If you have to be outside, remember to dress WARM and limit your exposure to the colder air! (NWS-Paducah)

…WIND CHILL ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL NOON CST TUESDAY…

a Wind Chill Advisory REMAINS IN EFFECT until noon CST Tuesday.

* WHERE…All of far southern Illinois, southwest Indiana, western
Kentucky, and southeast Missouri.

* WHEN…6 PM this evening to noon Tuesday.

* ADDITIONAL DETAILS…Wind chills will fall between 4 below and
12 below zero tonight. Wind chills will then drop to between 10
below and 20 below zero New Years Eve night into early New
Years Day. The cold wind chills will cause frostbite to exposed
skin in as little as 30 minutes.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…

A Wind Chill Advisory means that cold air and the wind will
combine to create low wind chills. Frost bite and hypothermia can
occur if precautions are not taken. Make sure to protect your
head, feet and hands.

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

.DAY ONE…Tonight

A wind chill advisory is in effect tonight for wind chills between
-4 and -12. Please see the advisory product for more details.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN…Sunday through Friday

A wind chill advisory will remain in effect for Sunday through
Tuesday. Wind chills are expected to fall to between -10 and -20
Sunday night. Please see the advisory product for more details.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT…

Spotter activation will not be needed.

Seven Day Forecast

Tonight
Partly cloudy, with a low around 4. Wind chill values as low as -10. North northeast wind around 9 mph.
Sunday
Partly sunny, with a high near 17. Wind chill values as low as -9. North wind 8 to 13 mph.
Sunday Night
Partly cloudy, with a low around 0. Wind chill values as low as -14. North northwest wind 10 to 13 mph.
New Year’s Day
Sunny and cold, with a high near 10. Wind chill values as low as -16. North northwest wind around 10 mph.
Monday Night
Clear, with a low around -1. North northwest wind 5 to 9 mph.
Tuesday
Sunny, with a high near 16. North northwest wind around 6 mph becoming west southwest in the afternoon.
Tuesday Night
Mostly clear, with a low around 7. Calm wind becoming south southwest 5 to 7 mph in the evening.
Wednesday
Mostly sunny, with a high near 27. Southwest wind 7 to 10 mph becoming northwest in the afternoon.
Wednesday Night
Partly cloudy, with a low around 7. North northwest wind 7 to 9 mph.
Thursday
Sunny, with a high near 19. North northwest wind around 7 mph.
Thursday Night
Partly cloudy, with a low around 8. North northwest wind around 6 mph becoming light and variable.
Friday
Mostly sunny, with a high near 21. West wind around 7 mph becoming north northwest in the afternoon.
Friday Night
Partly cloudy, with a low around 10. North wind around 6 mph becoming light and variable in the evening.
Saturday
Mostly sunny, with a high near 29. Light and variable wind becoming south 5 to 7 mph in the morning.

 

Filed Under: Breaking News, Franklin Co. News

Ring in the New Year Safely: Keep the Celebration off the Road

December 29, 2017 By Leave a Comment

Impaired driving and seat belt patrols planned for New Year’s weekend

SPRINGFIELD –   The Illinois Department of Transportation, along with state and local law enforcement, wants to ring in 2018 with zero alcohol- and drug-related crashes on Illinois roads. As part of the annual Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over holiday enforcement period – Dec. 18 through Jan. 2 – Illinois State Police and more than 150 law enforcement agencies across the state are conducting increased DUI, speeding and distracted driving patrols, as well as roadside safety checks and seat belt enforcement zones.

“While New Year’s Eve is a time for celebration, it’s vital that we keep that celebration off our roads,” said Priscilla Tobias, Director of IDOT’s Office of Program Development. “Roadway safety is everyone’s responsibility. By making a resolution to drive sober and buckle up, we can all help to make zero fatalities a reality in Illinois.”

As 2017 comes to an end, Illinois is experiencing a second consecutive year of more than 1,000 motor vehicle crash fatalities. In 2016, there were 1,078 fatalities. The current pace may match or surpass that. During New Year’s weekend over the past five years, there have been 46 fatalities on Illinois roadways, 41 percent of which involved alcohol.

“Celebrate smart this New Year’s Eve by planning ahead,” said ISP Director Leo P. Schmitz. “Designate a driver before consuming alcohol. Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over.”

If you are celebrating over the holidays, follow these life-saving tips:

• Designate a sober driver ahead of time or plan to use your community’s sober ride program, call a cab, or use your favorite ride-sharing app.
• Don’t let friends and family members drive impaired. Help them get home safely.
• Wear your seat belt and make sure all your passengers do the same.
• Promptly report drunk drivers to law enforcement.

The Illinois Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over and Click It or Ticket programs are funded with federal highway safety dollars administered by IDOT.

 

 

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

Bitter cold temperatures expected over the next several days

December 29, 2017 By Leave a Comment

Seven Day Forecast

Today
Mostly cloudy, with a high near 33. Calm wind becoming south around 6 mph in the afternoon.
Tonight
Cloudy, with a low around 22. Light and variable wind becoming north northwest 5 to 9 mph after midnight.
Saturday
Mostly cloudy, with a temperature falling to around 15 by 5pm. North northwest wind 8 to 13 mph.
Saturday Night
Mostly cloudy, with a low around 6. Wind chill values as low as -6. North wind 7 to 9 mph.
Sunday
Partly sunny, with a high near 16. North wind 7 to 9 mph.
Sunday Night
Partly cloudy, with a low around 3. North northwest wind around 9 mph.
New Year’s Day
Sunny, with a high near 13. North northwest wind around 8 mph.
Monday Night
Mostly clear, with a low around 0. North northwest wind 5 to 7 mph becoming calm in the evening.
Tuesday
Sunny, with a high near 17. Calm wind becoming northwest around 5 mph.
Tuesday Night
Partly cloudy, with a low around 11. South southwest wind 3 to 7 mph.
Wednesday
Partly sunny, with a high near 24. Southwest wind 7 to 13 mph becoming north northwest in the afternoon. Winds could gust as high as 22 mph.
Wednesday Night
Partly cloudy, with a low around 8. North northwest wind 8 to 10 mph.
Thursday
Mostly sunny, with a high near 19. Northwest wind 6 to 8 mph.
Filed Under: Breaking News, Franklin Co. News

Fund started for employees of restaurant destroyed by fire

December 28, 2017 By Leave a Comment

PINCKNEYVILLE — The community is coming together to support the employees of a popular restaurant that was destroyed in a fire last weekend.

Southern Illinois Fire Incidents photo.

The fire that ripped through the Grecian Steak House in Pinckneyville didn’t just leave a building in ruins, it left a community devastated.

“Not only was it a tragic thing that happened, it was a tragic thing that happened at Christmas,” said Peggy Sims, with the Pinckneyville Chamber of Commerce.

Please click on the link for the full story and video from Brandon Richard of WSIL-TV

https://www.franklincounty-news.com/wp-admin/post-new.php

Filed Under: Breaking News, Franklin Co. News

Human remains discovered at Wayne County farm

December 27, 2017 By Leave a Comment

FAIRFIELD –  Authorities are investigating the discovery of human remains found on a farm south of Boyleston, Illinois, in rural Wayne County.

A local landowner came across the remains Tuesday afternoon and alerted authorities.

Boyleston is located southwest of Fairfield.

Please click on the link below for the full story from  Len Wells of the Evansville Courier and Press.

http://www.courierpress.com/story/news/2017/12/27/human-remains-discovered-s-illinois-farm/984844001/

Filed Under: Breaking News, State News

Lawsuit attempting to block taxpayer funded elective abortions in Illinois to be heard this week

December 27, 2017 By Leave a Comment

SPRINGFIELD – Illinois will be the first state in the nation to allow tax dollars for elective abortions after the first of the year, but an expedited lawsuit in Sangamon County circuit court Thursday seeks to block implementation.

Federal Medicaid dollars can cover abortions for rape, insest or if the mother’s life is in jeopardy, but Gov. Bruce Rauner signed House Bill 40 this summer that allows state tax dollars for elective abortions, shocking his Republican base.

State Sen. Dan McConchie, R-Hawthorn Woods, said Rauner promised Republicans he would veto or amend the measure.

Please click to read the full article from Greg Bishop of Illinois News Radio Network

https://www.ilnews.org/news/justice/lawsuit-attempting-to-block-taxpayer-funded-elective-abortions-in-illinois/article_46081f40-eb23-11e7-85fa-a307178c41ba.html

 

Filed Under: Breaking News, State News
« Previous Page
Next Page »
Benton, West Frankfort, Illinois News | Franklin County News