Benton, West Frankfort, Illinois News | Franklin County News
Newspaper covering Franklin County, Illinois
Illinois lawmakers will return to Springfield Wednesday amid low expectations they will agree to a solution for the state’s pension problems that has eluded them for more than two years.
By Jim Muir
SESSER — Sweet corn, barbecues and plenty of smiles will take center stage in Sesser this Wednesday for the four-day run of the 58th Annual Rend Lake Days.
The popular yearly event is held at the spacious Sesser City Park and is one of Southern Illinois’ longest running festivals.
The Sesser Homecoming is completed each year with 100 percent volunteer help. Randall Crocker, a Sesser businessman and longtime member of the Sesser Homecoming Association, said volunteers continue to show up every year without being solicited.
“I think it’s just an amazing group of people that volunteer year after year,” said Crocker. “Everybody shows up and does their part and it really makes it pretty simple. It’s unbelievable the way everybody jumps in and does their part and makes it happen every year. There are just a lot of good people that have all pulled together throughout the years to help make the homecoming a success.”
Crocker said generation after generation has attended the longstanding event and said he still fondly recalls attending the homecoming as a child growing up in Sesser.
“I’ll never forget the excitement when the rides started going up and we were all hanging around the park waiting for it start,” said Crocker. “I’ve been at the park working the past few days and kids are still hanging around waiting for things to get going.”
Keith Ward has been involved in the annual event for 53 years and has served as the master of ceremonies during night activity for 43 of those years. He said the homecoming was initiated as a way to draw residents back to the Franklin County community.
“It was designed initially to promote the city of Sesser and have a coming home for residents and I think the success shows that people love to come here every year,” said Ward.
Ward gave high marks to the Sesser Homecoming Association saying that for decades the group has done a “remarkable job” channeling revenue from the event back into the community.
“Every bit of the money goes right back into the community,” said Ward. “The stage here in the park, the pavilion and the lights in the park was all built with money from the homecoming. It’s an event that people from all over the area looks forward to each year and we’re proud of that. It’s something that the entire community takes a lot of pride in and it just continues to grow each year.”
When addressing the popularity of the homecoming Ward noted that a crowd of 6,000 to 8,000 – three to four times the population of Sesser – will converge on the city park this weekend.
“The entertainment has always been free and it’s just a good family atmosphere,” said Ward. “We’re expecting the same thing this year.”
On Wednesday night a J & J Magic Midway and Rides will open at 6 p.m. for a four-night run at this year’s event and at 7:30 p.m. “Salty Dogs” will perform. “We Got You Covered” – a popular local band – will perform on Thursday night, and the Sesser Homecoming’s famous roast corn will be available along with those tasty bar-b-que sandwiches.
On Friday night there will be an Overload Horse Pulling Contest at 5 p.m. with country legend Gene Watson performing at 8 p.m. The final day of this year’s Homecoming on Saturday will kick off early at 8 a.m with a 5K Fun Run & Walk, followed by the 50th Annual Car Show that will begin with registration at 9:30 a.m. At 4 p.m. on Saturday the Annual Homecoming Parade will begin followed by a program at Miner’s Memorial Park beginning at 6 p.m. Country star Johnny Lee will perform at 8 p.m. with the crowning of the 2013 2013 Sesser Homecoming queen, princess and prince. The drawing for the free trip for two to Hawaii for a will will be at 11 p.m.
Bill Daley, former chief of staff for President Barack Obama and a son of Chicago’s first family, will seek the Democratic nomination for Illinois governor next year.
Here’s the link to the story in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.
Out of new ideas on how to break the impasse on government worker pension reform, Gov. Pat Quinn offered up an old one Monday: Combine the dueling plans into a measure lawmakers can approve and let the courts sort out what’s legal.
Here’s the link to the story in the Chicago Tribune.
Gov. Pat Quinn is meeting with House Speaker Michael Madigan and Senate President John Cullerton to discuss how to solve the state’s nearly $100 billion pension crisis.
Here’s the link to the story in the Springfield State Journal-Register
By Jim Muir
Donald Lee, the 39-year-old Elkville man accused of murdering a 23-year-old Bonnie woman last month, entered a not guilty plea in Franklin County Circuit Court on Wednesday.
Brittany Andrews
Lee is charged with two counts of first degree murder and one count of aggravated unlawful use of a weapon in the death of Brittany Andrews.
Lee is charged with shooting Andrews in the head on an East Main Street parking lot, adjacent to a bar where they had reportedly just left.
Lee entered a plea of not guilty after waiving his right to a preliminary hearing during a brief appearance before Judge Thomas Tedeschi. A jury trial was set for Sept. 10 with a final pretrial conference slated for August 29. Lee remains in custody in Franklin County Jail in lieu of $2 million bond.
Staff Report
Anyone considering a career in mining can learn the ins and outs of working a surface mine with a three-day class offering from Rend Lake College beginning June 17.
Surface-Only New Miner Training will be held Monday-Wednesday, June 17-19, at the Coal Mine Training Center at Rend Lake College in Ina. The class will meet from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. each day. The cost of the class is $100.
Students will learn the basics of working a strip mine or the surface of an underground mine. Topics range from ground control to walking on stockpiles.
Anyone interested may contact Jo Ann Dick at 618-437-5321, Ext. 5804, or at dickj@rlc.edu.
Staff Report
Franklin County Treasurer John Gulley announced today that 2012 payable 2013 real estate tax bills will be mailed on Friday, June 7, 2013. Installment payments are due on Tuesday, July 9, 2013, and Monday, September 9, 2013.
Beginning Monday, June 10, 2013, payments can be accepted in person at the Treasurer’s Office at the Franklin County Courthouse in Benton , at most banks in Franklin County , or via mail. Banks cannot accept late payments. When making payment, please bring or send your statement along with your check.
Taxes can also be paid on the internet at www.franklincountyil.org using most major credit and/or debit cards. A convenience fee will apply. This fee is not charged nor collected by the Franklin County Treasurer’s Office.
Taxpayers are reminded that there is a late payment penalty of 1.5 percent per month for installments not paid by the installment due dates.
If you have not received your tax bill by June 21, 2013, please call the Treasurer’s Office at (618) 438-7311. If the bill you have received should go to someone else, please call or return the bill to the treasurer’s office with the name and address of the new owner.
For more information about 2012 payable 2013 real estate taxes, please contact Franklin County Treasurer John Gulley’s office at (618) 438-7311.
A federal bankruptcy judge has ruled in favor of Patriot Coal, a decision that could cost thousands of Peabody Coal Co. union miners health care and pension benefits.
Here’s the link to the story in the Southern Illinoisan.
The Democrat-controlled Legislature is expected to move forward with a new state budget, despite Republican concerns they’re spending too much.The Democrat-controlled Legislature is expected to move forward with a new state budget, despite Republican concerns they’re spending too much.
Here’s the link to the story in the Bloomington Pantagraph.
