Benton, West Frankfort, Illinois News | Franklin County News
Newspaper covering Franklin County, Illinois
Moody’s weighed in on a decision by Illinois lawmakers to punt on extending the state’s income tax hike, saying revenues will plummet by an estimated $1.8 billion, forcing it to rely on “credit negative” practices.
Here’s the link to the story in the Chicago Tribune.
INA – The strong partnership between Continental Tire the Americas, LLC (CTA) and Rend Lake College is getting stronger still. CTA is stepping up as the lead donor in the “Pathway to Success” campaign, hosted by the RLC Foundation.
CTA has pledged a $25,000 donation toward the project, and the company will be highlighted on 24-inch by 24-inch pavers laid on the pathway to success walkway leading to the Dr. Allen Y. Baker Administration Building.
The campaign will focus on renovating and upgrading the walkways and front façade of the Administration Building, a location visited by nearly every student for needs such as admission, advisement, financial aid, student records, and more. The renovations will help students identify the building, and will stand as a testament to the commitment of supporters such as CTA in the college and its students. The estimated date of completion for the campaign is August 1.
RLCF CEO Shawna Manion said she and the RLCF Board of Directors hope the engraved bricks will remind the students of the generosity of local businesses and individuals who supported the campaign, and will motivate them to work harder and give back to the community in the future.
“CTA will be highlighted in our campaign, and that is very fitting as CTA plays such a vital role in the families of Southern Illinois,” Manion said. “We would be hard-pressed to find any of our students, board members, faculty or staff members that don’t have a friend or relative employed by CTA, and I know they will appreciate seeing CTA’s investment in the college and our students on the pathway to success.”
Manion added CTA’s investment in the “Pathway to Success” campaign is just another way the business and its officials are showing continued interest in growing and educating the future workforce. CTA is already a Platinum Major Gift Donor, having donated more than $100,000 to RLC.
“There has been a strong partnership between RLC and CTA for decades,” said Manion. “CTA has invested in our mission through endowments, sponsorships, internship programs, and on-site education, in addition to allowing Plant Manager Benny Harmse to serve as our direct line of communication between the two entities as a Foundation Director. Benny and his team went above and beyond with this project and were great to work with through the proposal, proofs, and approval process.”
Benny Harmse, CTA Mt. Vernon plant manager, added it is part of CTA’s corporate social responsibility to give back to the community in which most of its employees live and learn.
“We have a very good partnership with the Rend Lake College Foundation. Through our corporate social responsibility, we are excited to make this $25,000 contribution to the Foundation toward their Pathway to Success campaign,” said Harmse.
He also stressed the importance of the partnership for both the community and CTA.
“Many of our employees have been or are current students at RLC. It is important for our organization to have a long-lasting relationship with the Foundation in order for us to receive well-educated employees,” said Harmse. “Through this contribution, we will supply RLC students with scholarships and give them opportunities to transfer their knowledge into our facility one day. We are happy to have this relationship with the RLC Foundation and we are excited to see what the future holds.”
For the “Pathway to Success” campaign, the RLCF has also guaranteed to match every dollar raised to establish a scholarship for future RLC students.
“The campaign includes a one-to-one match approved by the Foundation Board to create an endowment. CTA’s donation alone will generate $1,250 in scholarships each year for perpetuity,” said Manion. “Student lives will be changed as they receive the gift of education from a company that has such strong roots in Southern Illinois. Education is so incredibly important to our future workforce, communities, and citizens.”
Brad Gesell, Chair of the RLCF Board of Directors, said he hopes to keep the partnership between RLC and CTA strong for many decades to come because the collaboration helps both the industry and the students seeking higher education.
“With the help of Benny serving on the RLC Foundation Board of Directors, we aspire to keep the lines of communication open between industry and education,” Gesell said. “CTA’s sponsorship of this campaign proves they are not only investing in their community and their current and future employees, but they’re also confirming that Rend Lake College listens and applies what CTA needs in their industry. They’re letting us know we’re keeping up our end of the deal, and in a major way.”
Hunt Bonan, long-standing RLCF Director, added, “Continental’s lead gift in the ‘Pathway to Success’ campaign shows their commitment and enthusiastic support towards the students at Rend Lake College that are essentially their future workforce. Benny and his team are investing in RLC and we are very grateful for their financial support.”
Manion also said the benefit will be for the students who will be able to walk down the pathway to success walkway this fall and know that their education is important, not only to them, but also to a community of others looking to improve Southern Illinois.
“We hope that our students make the connection between the pavers and their scholarships; the words etched in stone and the fact that people that they may never meet have invested in their future,” said Manion. “We hope that they understand there are companies and individuals that care about their education, and through that, we hope that they are encouraged in their schooling.”
For more information about the “Pathway to Success” campaign, contact the Rend Lake College Foundation at 618-437-5321, Ext. 1214, or foundation@rlc.edu.
BY JOHN D. HOMAN
Logan Media Services
CARTERVILLE – The John A. Logan College women’s basketball team added depth to the post with the addition this week of 5-foot-8 forward Shelby Breussink of Notre Dame High School in Cape Girardeau, Mo.
“I had a chance to visit the Logan campus last summer and really loved the school and the people there I met, so I’m glad to be going there,” Breussink said.
A two-sport standout (soccer is the other), Breussink said she chose basketball because it is the sport she enjoys playing the most.
“I love the physical aspect of the game, which is why I work so hard at rebounding. Most of the time, I’m not the tallest player, but I find a way to get the job done. I use my strength, quickness and determination to be successful.”
Breussink, who hopes to later take dental hygiene classes, said she believes she will become an even better basketball player at Logan than what she was at Cape Notre Dame because she will be able to focus on just the one sport.
“I think so,” she said. “I can’t wait to get started. I’m going to be working hard this summer on this training program Coach Amanda (Shelby) gave me. I want to take my game to the next level. I think I look forward to the challenge.”
Logan head coach Marty Hawkins said he couldn’t be happier when learning that Breussink had committed to the Vols.
“First of all, I’m glad that she chose basketball over soccer. Second, I’m glad she chose us,” he said. “I’m looking forward to getting to know Shelby. She is a very good all-around player, a highly motivated athlete, who comes from a good family, good high school, and is very well coached.”
Hawkins added that Breussink should contend for playing time right away.
“There’s nothing she can’t do on the floor,” he said. “Shelby was forced to play inside in high school, but she can also shoot it from the perimeter.”
Breussink’s high school coach, Renee Peters, praised her former standout.
“Shelby was an impact player for us and our team because she did so many things well. She was a scoring threat, a leader in rebounding, and a great teammate. She was also able to handle the ball well and run the floor in transition.”
Peters said Breussink was an “instinctive” player, who did a lot of little things during the course of a game that don’t always show up on the stat sheet.
“What also impressed me about Shelby is that she is extremely tough and resilient. I believe she will use her knowledge of the game and her love of the game to contribute at the next level. She will work hard and strive to become an even better player.”
Breussink averaged 10 points and six rebounds per game as a senior. She shot 53 percent from the field and 50 percent from long range. Moreover, she was selected All-District, All-Conference, All-Tournament at the Queen of Hearts Holiday Tournament in St. Louis; and helped lead her team to a 21-3 overall record, including two tournament titles.
INA, Ill. (May 21, 2014) – Students enrolled in Rend Lake College’s engineering program will have a new opportunity to continue their higher education at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville (SIUE) starting this fall. A new inter-district 2+2 agreement will allow students to transfer to SIUE as juniors after completing all required prerequisites at RLC.
Dr. Linda Denton, RLC Physics and Physical Science Professor, said the agreement will reduce the amount of time RLC students spend between receiving their Associate of Engineering Science Degree and SIUE’s Bachelor of Science Degree.
“Typically, when you go into a bachelor’s program in engineering, it takes between four and a half to five years, but this new agreement will cut down the undergraduate school by one semester, at least,” she said. “We’re able to do this because we’ve coordinated our courses with SIU Edwardsville’s upper-level courses and streamlined the process.”
To take full advantage of the 2+2 agreement, students will have to enroll in a specific field of interest for the program, focusing in civil, computer, electrical, industrial, or mechanical engineering. Denton said students will have to follow the RLC curriculum designed explicitly for SIUE. Other articulation agreements have been made with the University of Illinois, University of Missouri at Rolla, and Southern Illinois University Carbondale as well.
“The counselors at SIU Edwardsville have coordinated with our counselors to make this process smooth and easy for the student,” said Denton. “We’ve worked on this project for approximately one year and, together, both schools are now on the same page. I’ll be excited to see our students take advantage of an opportunity like this to continue their education.”
Dr. S. Cem Karacal, associate dean of the SIUE School of Engineering, said the agreement will also give RLC students assurance that they have a place to go once they graduate.
“The 2+2 is a great way for people to enter the SIUE School of Engineering,” Karacal said. “Completing their preliminary engineering education at the community college saves them money and keeps them moving toward their ultimate goal of a bachelor of science degree. Students participating in the 2+2 program are able to show demonstrated success during the first two years knowing that we’re saving a spot for them in the School of Engineering in year three. Thanks to the 2+2 agreement, everything administratively is taken care of beforehand. Students have the confidence that both schools are monitoring their completion of the prescribed courses.”
Students can enroll now for the fall semester, which starts August 18. The Associate in Engineering Science Degree focuses on the application of scientific principles to practical problems. Engineering spans more than 25 major specialties with employment options through the entire spectrum of the workforce. The RLC degree requires a total of 65 credit hours.
The SIUE School of Engineering offers eight undergraduate degrees, five master’s degrees, and a doctoral program. Companies in the area also provide students with challenging internships and co-op opportunities.
To set up a registration appointment or for more information, contact the Rend Lake College Academic Advisement Center at 618-437-5321, Ext. 1266, or at advising@rlc.edu. For more information about RLC, visit www.rlc.edu/journey.
BELLEVILLE — A disgraced former Illinois drug court judge at the center of a courthouse drug scandal is scheduled to begin serving a two-year sentence on heroin and gun convictions.
MARION — Gov. Pat Quinn says he supports a plan to let voters decide if they should limit the terms of state constitutional officers.
Republican leaders from the state House and Senate have proposed an amendment to the state’s Constitution that would limit the officers to two, four-year terms. To get the measure on the ballot, it needs a three-fifths vote in the Legislature. The state’s six constitutional officers include the governor, treasurer and comptroller.
In a Thursday statement, Quinn says he’s backed term limits for years. However, when asked about the issue last year, Quinn wouldn’t commit to a term limit for himself.
He’s seeking a second full term in November.
His Republican gubernatorial challenger, Bruce Rauner is pushing for a term limits measure for lawmakers.
The Illinois High School Association (IHSA) Board of Directors announced the results of a special legislative session vote by the IHSA membership on a by-law modifying allowable summer football activities at their regularly scheduled meeting on Tuesday, April 22, 2014.
The revised version of By-law 3.157, which eliminates full pad football activities in the summer and defines allowable practice activities, passed by a vote of 170-87.
“The vote reflects much of what we have heard from coaches on this issue,” said IHSA Executive Director Marty Hickman. “We had some individuals who opposed eliminating full contact from summer football activities, but the majority of the people we talked to said this change would not affect them. Given that about half of our football playing schools voted, we believe that many abstained knowing their summer practice plans would not be altered regardless of the result of the voting.”
A full text of By-law 3.157 with the newly revised language and rationale from the submitting committees, the Football Advisory Committee and Sports Medicine Advisory Committee, can be found by clicking here.
“We believe this revision minimizes risk to football student-athletes, while allowing for the teaching of appropriate fundamentals,” said Hickman. “This is another important step in making high school football as safe as possible, while putting all of our schools on an even playing field regarding football activities during the summer.”
At its February (18) meeting, the IHSA Board authorized a special meeting of the Legislative Commission to consider this by-law proposal.
The Legislative Commission met in a special session on March 18 (click for release), where they approved moving the by-law forward to an all-school ballot vote by the IHSA membership between March 19 and April 21.
The IHSA will hold educational webinars for coaches and administrators to clarify the new by-law and answer questions on it. Coaches and administrators will be contacted with more information on the webinars in the coming days.
INA, Ill. – Though the path was winding, 2002 Rend Lake College graduate Skyler Taylor has used his graphic design degree to find the perfect fit for himself and his family: Vine Church in Carbondale. Taylor said he loves what he does; working for a non-profit in design that allows his creativity to flourish, but it also gives him time to set aside for his family. For him, it’s not going to work every day, it’s living the life he was born for.
Originally from Wayne City, Taylor attended Rend Lake College from 2000-2002 when he received an Associate of Arts Degree with emphasis in art and design. He took that degree to Southern Illinois University Carbondale (SIUC) where he earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Graphic Design.
Skyler Taylor, SECOND FROM LEFT, said starting his education at RLC led him down the path to his current job at Vine Church in Carbondale.
“Being from Wayne City, a small rural town with a graduating class of 50 students, SIUC seemed like a metropolis. It sounds funny to say now, but the first time I was on SIUC’s campus, I was almost sick to my stomach because of how large it was,” said Taylor. “RLC was a great transition for me, because I learned a lot of life lessons. I think I would have had a lot further to fall if I went all in at a university.”
At RLC, Taylor said he remembers several staff members who stood out and pushed him the most toward getting an education, including Dorothy DeAngelo, Steve Kennett and Tracey Webb.
Though not technically an instructor, Taylor said DeAngelo taught him several important lessons, including one that he’s not likely to repeat any time soon.
“She hired me to work at the bookstore stocking shelves, but, good-intentioned as I was, I couldn’t seem to get to work on time. Once, she asked me to open the store while she was on vacation, and I was 30 minutes late,” he said. “When she returned, she quietly fired me. Luckily, I learned my lesson, and that job remains the only one I’ve been fired from.”
When it came to instructors, Taylor said Kennett was the one who pushed him the most academically.
“His philosophy class usually filled up very quickly, and when I finally got in, I understood why. No one had challenged me intellectually the way he did,” he said. “Many of my assumptions of who I was to ‘be’ were never the same after his class. Plato’s Allegory of the Cave, for instance, still sticks with me, and started the long journey that eventually led me to give up commercial work and go full-time at a non-profit church.”
“Being involved in the theatre productions with Tracey are among my fondest memories at RLC. I loved every moment of it, even when she was frustrated with us for barely trying. Our improv troupe was also incredibly fun.”
After graduating from RLC and SIUC, Taylor started getting serious about his graphic design career.
“I have been fortunate in that I was able to get a job in my major almost immediately after graduating SIUC,” he said. “I started doing graphic design at a T-shirt shop. While I was there, I did illustration and layout for silk-screened shirts.”
About one year later, Taylor took a job with Arthur Agency, a small start-up advertising agency, where he kick-started a career with big projects, such as one for the Southern Illinois Miners baseball team. Together with the Arthur Agency team, Taylor created a logo, the mascots, team uniforms, and other elements found in the stadium today.
“They were small, but they had big dreams and were willing to take a lot of risk,” said Taylor. “I had a lot of fun and gained valuable experience working with clients, managing projects, getting files ready to print, and developing brand strategy for a variety of companies.”
Currently, Taylor is the Art Director and Lead Designer at Vine Church in Carbondale, where he gets to balance his personal values with his love of design. On the side, Taylor does freelance work that varies from branding local businesses to developing websites to planning technology conferences. His website, www.skylerraytaylor.com, showcases all of his work.
“Of course, with all the opportunities I’ve been afforded, I do make sure that my family gets the priority they deserve. Part of my decision to work at a non-profit in a place as small as Carbondale is too allow for my attention to not get diverted too easily from what I feel matters the most in my life,” Taylor added.
As for the future, Taylor said he isn’t planning on any big career moves, but leisure travel may be in the works.
“As much as I’d like to set out on another adventure and embark on something new, I know Carbondale is a good fit for my family right now. I feel like the work I’m doing in Carbondale at Vine Church is meaningful work, and I count myself fortunate to be a part of it,” he said. “At the same time, I’m allowing room for the possibility of travel, and even international travel, if the opportunity arises. At this point, I have friends in Switzerland, India, Scotland, and on both U.S. coasts, so there are a lot of avenues open.”
Illinois residents think they live in the worst state in the country, according to a recent poll from Gallup.
CHICAGO — Some of Illinois’ highest-profile Republicans voiced support Tuesday for an immigration overhaul that’s stalled in the U.S. House as a “morally right” and business-minded decision, an election-year move they hoped would help break the stalemate.
