INA, Ill.  – The Rend Lake College Foundation is “Celebrating Champions: Past, Present, and Future” next month with the Alumnus of the Year award and several other special recognitions. The RLC Foundation Annual Dinner is set for 6 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 6 at the DoubleTree Hotel in Mt. Vernon.

Guests are invited to enjoy cocktails at 6 p.m. before the dinner and program begin at 6:30 p.m. During the program, the RLC Foundation will posthumously honor Curtis Smith as the 2018 Alumnus of the Year. To read more about Smith and his contributions to RLC, visit www.rlc.edu/pressroom. There will also be a few surprise announcements to highlight the evening.

In addition to celebrating the RLC Foundation Children’s Center’s 20th Birthday, other special recognitions include Jo Ann Joy’s tenure on the RLC Foundation Board of Directors. Joy recently stepped off of the board after serving for 15 years. RLC Alums Rodney Cabaness and Shad Zimbro of Black Diamond Harley-Davidson will also be honored for their support of students at RLC and across Southern Illinois. Through charitable contributions to community colleges across the region, the duo have awarded $500,000 in scholarship funds over the last 10 years.

“The Annual Dinner is a very special evening for us to honor and recognize friends of the college and the foundation for their involvement and support of our mission. This year, we’re celebrating the life of several true RLC Warriors, like Curtis Smith, Mark Kern and Jim “Hummer” Waugh. We also have some special announcements to share,” said Kay Zibby-Damron, RLC Foundation CEO. “We welcome everyone to join us for this memorable evening.”

Tickets to the RLCF Annual Dinner cost $40 per person or $400 for a table of ten and must be purchased by Tuesday, Nov 27. To purchase tickets, contact the RLC Foundation at 618-437-5321, Ext. 1324 or foundation@rlc.edu.

In what one analyst called an alarming trend, nearly one-quarter of jobs created in the past year in Illinois were government positions.

Here’s a link to the story at Illinois News Network.

MARION — The announcement that the long-beleaguered Illinois Star Centre Mall will finally be closing its doors came quietly Friday.

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

A Chicago police officer and two other people were killed in an attack at a South Side hospital Monday afternoon that sent medical personnel and police scrambling through halls, stairwells and even the nursery in search of victims and the shooter before he was found dead

Here’s a link to the story at the Chicago Tribune.

Republicans will have to reach pretty far across the aisle in the 101st General Assembly if they want to get anything done next year.

Here’s a link to the story at Illinois News Network.

If you are driving or flying for Thanksgiving, expect a lot of company

Here’s a link to the story at the Chicago Tribune.

Illinois is a step closer to giving more legal protection to illegal immigrants. 

Here’s a link to the story at Illinois News Network.

Lawmakers in the House could soon decide to raise the age limit for buying tobacco products to 21 despite a veto from the governor.

Here’s a link to the story at Illinois News Network.

MURPHYSBORO, Ill. — Prosecutors plan to drop charges against Gaege Bethune.

In June, a jury convicted Bethune of murder in the death of Pravin Varughese in February 2014.

Here’s a link to the story at WSIL-TV.

An early-season snow storm rolled through the Midwest on Wednesday night and Thursday morning forcing school closings and other delays. The Southern Illinois region was expected to receive three to six inches of snow accumulation before tapering off at mid-morning on Thursday.

Here’s a link to area closings at WSIL-TV.