Jackson County storm victims need totes-monetary donations

Steve Dunford-  franklincounty-news.com

Rubbermaid totesI spoke a few minutes ago with Scott Slone, the pastor of the First Baptist Church in Elkville. They are good on non perishable food items.  In fact, they are discussing sending some resources to the Ottawa/LaSalle area that also received considerable damage Tuesday night as well.   Their two biggest needs are rubber totes and monetary donations.

With help they have on the ground, and possible help on the way, they are getting close to having the maximum amount of resources needed.

Any Rubbermaid totes can be dropped off at the First Baptist Church, which is located on the north end of the village on US 51 on the S curve.

First Baptist Church of Elkville along US 51

First Baptist Church of Elkville along US 51

Monetary donations can be dropped off there or mailed to the Nine Mile Baptist association, P.O Box 256 Pinckneyville, IL  62274.  Checks can be made to the Elkville Baptist Church disaster relief fund.  A trust fund will soon be set up at Murphy-Wall State Bank.

The Villiage of Elkville requested the church handle the disaster relief effort.

 

 

 

 

Franklin County Sheriff’s office recent arrest record

On 2-23-2017 at 9:01 p.m., Deputies responded to a crash on State Hwy. 154 one mile East of North Rend City Road. A 2010 Chevrolet driven by Asia B.J. Sanders Age 19 of West Frankfort went out of control and struck a guardrail. There were no injuries; however the driver was cited for zero-tolerance D.U.I. and unlawful consumption of alcohol.

On 2-25-17 at 2:15 p.m., a traffic stop in West Frankfort led to the arrest of Richard K. Fitts Age 50 of West Frankfort for driving while license revoked.

On 2-26-17 at 3:00 p.m., Deputies responded to a burglary and theft that occurred at the Ezra Church of God in Pershing. The investigation resulted in the arrest of four (4) rural West Frankfort male juveniles. One 17 year old, a 15 year old, and two 14 year olds. All are being held in the Franklin County Juvenile Detention Center. They are charged with burglary of a place of worship, felony theft, criminal trespass and criminal defacement of a place of worship. Items taken were tools, video and sound equipment, and household items. Most of the items were recovered.

On 2-26-17 at 3:09 p.m., a traffic stop in West Frankfort led to the arrest of Jonathan D. Pendall Age27 of West Frankfort for driving while license suspended and an outstanding warrant for failure to appear on a traffic charge.

On 2-26-17 at 11:30 a.m., a traffic stop in West Frankfort resulted in the arrest of Kevin W. Shuman Age 40 of Benton for unlawful possession of an open title of a motor vehicle and for failure to appear on a felony charge of unlawfully damaging government property.

On 3-1-17 at 12: 17 p.m., Deputies responded to a traffic crash on Hwy.37 ¼ mile north of Barton Lane. A 2002 Mercury was north bound driven by Cady R. Holman Age 25 of West Frankfort rear ended a 2006 Chevrolet Impala driven by Joshua Slack Age 26 of West Frankfort. Holman was not injured and was cited for failure to reduce speed to avoid a crash. Slack received minor injuries as did a passenger in his vehicle, Caitlyn Parkhill Age 20 of West Frankfort. Both refused medical treatment.

Warrant Arrests

2-25-17 Cathy L. Williams Age 53 of Mulkeytown on a battery charge.

2-27-17 Joshua L. Hazel Age 24 of Benton for failure to appear on a possession of controlled substance charge.

2-27-17 Lauren K. Amberger Age 26 of Benton for failure to appear on an forgery charge.

3-1-17 Gregory W. Key Age 24 of DuQuoin for failure to appear on a unlawful consumption charge.

3-1-17 Kristen M. Asbury Age 28 of Murphysboro for failure to appear on a retail theft charge.

  • Sheriff Don Jones

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.

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.

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.

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.

Severe Weather Preparedness- IEMA brochure

IEMA LOGOPlease view this pamphlet from Illinois Emergency Management Agency to go over as a severe weather checklist.  It is 15 pages long.  We have the potential to experience hail, high winds, and tornadoes tonight.  

 

TORNADO WATCH #41 ISSUED FOR FRANKLIN COUNTY

Tornado watch 41TORNADO 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

First Alert(KFVS- TV Cape Girardeau, MO) NOTE-The potential for severe weather has taken a turn for the worse. This is a situation to be very concerned with. The hail and tornado threat has increased from the previous post that I shared about four hours ago. This is a situation that needs to be taken serious. Please check the website’s Facebook page for frequent updates of watches and warnings and other information leading to this event.

Benton, West Frankfort, Illinois News | Franklin County News