On March 21, 2018 at approximately 4:30 p.m. the Benton Police Department received a report of a missing 15 year old female juvenile.  Concerns for the child’s health at the time of her disappearance were expressed to the police.  The juvenile was safely located the following day at approximately 9:45 a.m.

State Rep. Terri Bryant held onto GOP support in the primary race Tuesday for the 115th House seat.

Here’s a link to the story in the Southern Illinoisan.

Victories in Tuesday’s primary election by Republican incumbent Gov. Bruce Rauner and Democrat J.B Pritzker sets the stage for a November showdown of two billionaires and what could be the most expensive gubernatorial campaign in history.

Here’s the link at the Chicago Sun-Times.

SPRINGFIELD — Gov. Bruce Rauner proclaimed today National Agriculture Day in Illinois and encouraged Illinoisans to celebrate the rich agricultural heritage of the state. This is the 45^th anniversary of National Ag Day and this year’s theme is “Agriculture: Food for Life.”

“As one of our largest industries, a thriving agricultural sector is crucial for the future viability and prosperity of Illinois,” Gov. Rauner said. “The billions of dollars generated from agricultural production, processing, and manufacturing in Illinois strengthen our rural and urban economies, providing quality jobs across the state. I hope that young Illinoisans recognize the variety of significant roles in agriculture and take advantage of those opportunities.”

Career paths in agriculture have greatly expanded from traditional farm roles to also include agribusiness management, sales and accounting, agronomy, pest control, and a wealth of technical roles. USDA projections show that job opportunities in the agricultural and environmental industries are expected to grow through the year 2020. However, colleges and universities currently train only enough students to fill 61% of the expected 57,900 average annual job openings in those industries. These figures highlight the importance of encouraging young Illinoisans to join and advance the state’s agriculture sector.  

“The world-class caliber of our farmers, the richness of our land, and the convenience of our quality transportation network gives Illinois deep roots as a national leader in agriculture,” Gov. Rauner said.

In 2017, Illinois had a record high corn yield and a three percent increase in soybean production from the previous year. Home to more than 72,000 farms, Illinois ranks first in soybean and pumpkin production, second in corn production, and fourth in pork production. Additionally, the state leads the nation in food processing sales.

The Rauner administration has worked to ease various burdens on the agricultural industry. In November, Rauner declared the state’s first harvest emergency in response to rain-related delays in getting products to market. From a regulatory standpoint, the Department of Agriculture has focused on a legislative agenda that reduces regulatory burden and modernizes the Department’s interaction with Illinois’ food and agriculture community.

 “Agriculture is the foundation for a healthy and prosperous nation which is made possible by the hard work of Illinois’ farm families,” said Raymond Poe, director of the Dept. of Ag. “Today we celebrate the nutritious and plentiful contributions of our state’s farmers, ranchers and producers.”

 According to the Agriculture Council of America, the amount of people each American farmer feeds has increased from 25 in the 1960s, to more than 165 people today.

Here’s everything you need to know from Tuesday’s primary election.

Here’s the link at the Southern Illinoisan.

INA, Ill.  – When it comes to navigating any number of technical or health care industries, Rend Lake College is here to help. This year, RLC is combining the popular Discovery Camp with new Career Technical Exploration (CTE) camps to offer more chances for middle and high school students to learn more about their future in these careers.

Students, specifically those between seventh and twelfth grades, are invited to attend one, two or three different camps on June 19-21 to learn more about the agriculture, computer science, health care, manufacturing, unmanned aircraft or drone, and welding industries. All of the camps are free to attendees and include a camp T-shirt.

Students enrolled in Agriculture Camp will experience being in the driver’s seat of a growing industry, featuring crops, soils, tractors, heavy equipment, and much more. This camp will address the many different career opportunities in agriculture while offering fun hands-on activities. The camp meets from 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. Tuesday, June 19 at the RLC Student Center on the Ina campus.

The multi-day Health Care Camp, also known as Discovery Camp, will immerse students in the world of health care. On day one, campers will learn about many health care fields, such as Emergency Medical Services, Radiology, Nursing, Medical Coding, Health Information Technology, Phlebotomy, and Medical Assisting. The second day of camp will be held at a local hospital for campers to interact with health care professionals and equipment.

The camp meets from 8:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. Wednesday, June 20 at the RLC Student Center on the Ina campus, and from 8:30 a.m. – noon, Thursday, June 21 at a local hospital. Additional details will be provided following receipt of registration.

Transportation will be provided to Health Care camp both days by establishing some pick-up and drop-off points throughout the area. Pick-up and drop-off points will be in McLeansboro, Mt. Vernon, Pinckneyville and the RLC Ina campus.

Students will learn about the viability of two popular production industries during Manufacturing and Welding Camp. The camp meets from 9 – 11:30 a.m. Thursday, June 21 at the RLC Student Center on the Ina campus.

Campers will get answers and help with two unique industries during Computer Science and Drones Camp. Get hands-on with state-of-the-art computer equipment and learn how to fly a drone while taking photos and film footage. The camp meets from 12:30 – 3 p.m. Thursday, June 21 at the RLC Student Center on the Ina campus.

Lunch will be provided during Agriculture and Health Care camps, and for those who attend both camps on June 21: Manufacturing and Welding camp in the morning and Computer Science and Drones camp in the afternoon. Parents and guardians are invited to attend with their student.

Applications are available by contacting RLC’s Community and Corporate Education Division at 618-437-5321, Ext. 1714 or commcorped@rlc.edu. Submit all completed applications to the division at 468 N. Ken Gray Pkwy, Ina, IL 62846. These camps are provided for free to local students, thanks to sponsorships.

INA, Ill. – Chances are you have a connection to Rend Lake College. You came to us for an associate degree or certificate. You participated in one of our Community Education courses. You sent your children to campus for our Summer Kids Camps. You visited campus for one of our countless community activities. Now, we want to hear from you.

RLC is looking for community members to offer comments on our activities and services as part of the Higher Learning Commission (HLC) accreditation process. Comments from current and prospective students, interested parents, and in-district taxpayers are welcomed.

In September, RLC will receive a visit from HLC as a part of the Open Pathway to accreditation. As part of the Federal Compliance process, one piece in the accreditation puzzle, HLC requires institutions to undergo a comprehensive evaluation, which includes an invitation to the public to provide written comments to HLC.

Three weeks before the visit to campus, HLC reviews and forwards these comments to the evaluation team members and the institution. The evaluation team will then visit campus Sept. 24-25.

RLC President Terry Wilkerson said third-party comments are extremely valuable tools the college and HLC consult during accreditation evaluations.

“We always want to hear from you, but in this case, it is essential to hear from our constituents about both our successes and challenges so we can work to better serve you,” said Wilkerson.

These third-party comments can be submitted online to HLC at www.hlcommission.org/comment or can be mailed to HLC at the address below. Comments are due Aug. 27, and HLC cannot guarantee that comments after the due date will be considered.

Third-Party Comment on Rend Lake College
Higher Learning Commission
230 South LaSalle Street, Suite 7-500
Chicago, IL 60604-1411

RLC has been accredited by HLC since 1969 and it is vital to what we do. Accreditation serves as a measure of quality, allows us to access and distribute federal student aid, facilitates the transfer of classes between institutions, and much more. HLC is one of six regional accreditors in the country and is recognized by the U. S. Department of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation.

More information about the Higher Learning Commission can be obtained through its website at www.hlcommission.org. To learn more about RLC’s road to accreditation, visit www.rlc.edu/hlc.

SPRINGFIELD – The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is joining state officials to conduct damage assessments in Iroquois, Kankakee and Vermilion counties next week.

Governor Bruce Rauner and his team at the Illinois Emergency Management Agency (IEMA) submitted the request for federal support after the three counties experienced severe flooding in February. County officials conducted initial damage assessments and found that 126 homes were destroyed or suffered major damage. Another 850 homes were also impacted by flood waters.

“Many people in these counties are struggling to recover from this flood and we want to do everything possible to help them,” Gov. Rauner said. “These damage assessments will provide a clearer picture of the damage and insight on what people need in order to fully get back on their feet.”

Personnel from FEMA, IEMA, the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) and local emergency management agencies are expected to begin assessing damage to homes and businesses on Monday afternoon. The assessments will continue until complete.

Gov. Rauner issued a disaster proclamation for the three counties on Feb. 23 to ensure state support as communities in these counties battled flood waters.

The State Emergency Operations Center in Springfield was activated to coordinate state assistance to several counties affected by flooding. The assistance included 50,000 sandbags, 18 pumps with hoses, nine Illinois Department of Corrections work crews and two Emergency Management Assistance Teams.