BENTON, Ill. (AP) — A southern Illinois judge on Tuesday convicted a West Frankfort man of setting his girlfriend on fire.

Christopher Rollins, 30, was accused of dousing Tessa Leech with cleaning solvent and setting her ablaze after Rollins said she was being unfaithful. Leech survived but sustained burns over much of her body.

“God have mercy on your soul because the devil sure won’t,” Leech said Tuesday. “That’s what I would like to say to him.”

Rollins waived his right to trial by jury and had a one-day bench trial earlier this month. His sentencing is scheduled for Nov. 18. He has been in custody at the Franklin County jail since he was arrested in August 2012

CHICAGO (AP) — Some members of Illinois’ congressional delegation appear to be somewhat behind President Obama’s plan for a military campaign to “degrade and ultimately destroy” Islamic State militants in two Middle East nations.

In an address to the nation Wednesday, Obama announced he was dispatching nearly 500 more U.S. troops to Iraq to assist that country’s besieged security forces.

Congressman Adam Kinzinger, a Republican from Channahon, said the nation must be focused on eradicating the threat of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, and “strong leadership from President Obama will be key in the coming weeks and months.”

In his statement after Obama’s speech, Kinzinger said no options should be off the table in the destruction of ISIS.

US. Sen. Dick Durbin said although he remains resolute no ground troops be used, it is critical the U.S. work jointly with international partners to contain and eliminate ISIS.

Echoing Durbin, 10th District Democratic Congressman Brad Schneider also said he is opposed to the use of U.S. ground troops against ISIS. He added the battle against ISIS must be thoughtful and sustained.

INA – Four students got up close and personal with their chosen health profession, thanks to the Rural Health Experience program, sponsored by the South Central Illinois Area Health Education Center (SCI-AHEC) and hosted at four local hospitals.

The Rural Health Experience program is a three- to five-day immersion program wherein students shadow health professionals and others in a rural area. It is intended for college, graduate, or professional-level students in their first or second year in a health profession program to learn about the health care system in a rural community. The local hospitals serve as host sites for the students, connecting them to various health care organizations during their study.

Washington County Hospital in Nashville hosted Mariah Sisson of Virden. Sisson is currently enrolled in the RMED (Rural Medical Education) program at the University of Illinois, College of Medicine. Also enrolled in U of I, College of Medicine’s RMED program is Cameron Overcash of Ottawa. Overcash attended the Rural Health Experience program at Pana Community Hospital in Pana.

“Although I myself might not be making home care visits in the future, I now have a newfound respect for these dedicated nurses who do make these visits,” said Overcash of his time at Pana Community Hospital. “I don’t think I would have ever known exactly what these nurses do if it wasn’t for this opportunity.”

Crawford Memorial Hospital in Robinson hosted Linda Nystrom of Western Springs. Nystrom is currently enrolled in the Family Nurse Practitioner program at North Park University in Chicago.

Kelly Kyle of Crawfordsville, Ind., attended the Rural Health Experience program at St. Mary’s Hospital in Centralia. Kyle is currently enrolled in the PA (Physician’s Assistant) program at Butler University in Indianapolis, Ind.

Of her experience, Kyle said, “I not only got to experience the overall ideal of what it took for the hospital to run, but I also began to complete the puzzle of the many roles and responsibilities of each health care team member who I had the privilege of shadowing.”

For more information about SCI-AHEC or the Rural Health Experience program, contact Kelli Stover at 618-437-5321, Ext. 1280 or stoverk@rlc.edu.

Illinois voters will get a chance in November to weigh in on whether millionaires should pay an additional income tax to help fund schools after Gov. Pat Quinn signed legislation Tuesday adding a nonbinding resolution to the ballot.

Here’s the link at Fox Business News.

Here’s the story in the Chicago Tribune.

INA, Ill. – Though summer just started, it’s already time to start thinking about the fall and where to go with your education. For those interested in the health care field, the tuition-free Certified Nurse Assistant (CNA) program is a great place to start.

The CNA program is designed to provide a number of health care needs under the supervision of a Registered Nurse or other nursing professional in a variety of settings. Upon completion of the seven credit hour course, students will be eligible to apply for the state CNA registry examination.

In-district students pay only lab and supply fees for the classes. To enroll in the CNA program, students are required to take a reading placement test and submit to a background check beforehand as mandated by the Illinois Department of Public Health. The CNA program also acts as a prerequisite for RLC’s Nursing degree program.

Each CNA program lasts between eight and 16 weeks, depending on the format of the class, including some with night class options. There is one section of the CNA class on the Ina campus this fall, starting Aug. 19 and lasting through Dec. 23. This section meets from 4 – 8:30 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays in the Learning Resource Center, Room 205.

There are also four sections of the class located at the RLC MarketPlace in Mt. Vernon. The start dates are July 29, Aug. 18, Oct. 3, and Oct. 20. Students starting July 29 will go through Oct. 2 from 8:30 a.m. – 3 p.m. Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays at the MarketPlace, Room 210. The following section beginning on Oct. 3 will meet from the same times Tuesdays through Fridays in Room 210 through Dec. 5.

For students starting Aug. 18, classes will run through Oct. 14 from 8:30 a.m. – 3 p.m. Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays in Room 241. The following section lasts from Oct. 20 through Dec. 22 at the same times and days in Room 241.

Finally, one course will be offered at the Pinckneyville Murphy-Wall campus starting Aug. 4 and going through Dec. 20. The class meets from 5 – 9:15 p.m. Mondays and Wednesdays on campus, Room 102.

Kim Robert, RLC Dean of the Allied Health Division, said the program is an excellent way to get a start in an industry with endless possibilities.

“The Certified Nurse Assistant program teaches the basics that students will be required to know when they continue into an Associate Degree or certificate program,” said Robert. “With an aging population, the need for CNAs and nurses will only continue to grow in the next few decades, and at Rend Lake College, we’re preparing our students to fit the needs that our communities are going to see.”

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the CNA and nursing aides field is expected to grow by 20 percent between 2010 and 2020, adding more than 300,000 new jobs.

To sign up for CNA classes or for more information about Allied Health programming at RLC, call the college’s Allied Health Division at 618-437-5321, Ext. 1251, or send an e-mail to AlliedHealth@rlc.edu.

State Rep. Derrick Smith was found guilty Tuesday of bribery and attempted extortion by a federal jury.

The West Side Democrat became the latest in a depressingly long line of Chicago politicians to be convicted of public corruption.

Here’s a link to the story in the Chicago Sun-Times.

Here’s the link to the story in the Mt. Vernon Register-News.