INA, Ill.- Local ninth and 10th graders visited Rend Lake College last week to attend “Kickstart Your Journey,” an event designed to get freshmen and sophomores thinking about college. The students attended several sessions while on campus, focusing on higher education, goal setting, dual credit and dual enrollment opportunities, and financial aid.

Autumn Rian Jones of Christopher High School, LEFT, spins the wheel for a chance card at Rend Lake College’s Kickstart Your Journey. As part of the session, the students chose their desired career and, based on education level, participated in a Reality Store game similar to the Game of Life.
(ReAnne Palmer / RLC Public Information)

Sesser-Valier students, FROM LEFT, Kayla Woodcock, Abbie Ward, and Karlea Harris, check in at the Housing booth during the Reality Store game at Kickstart Your Journey. The goal of the Reality Store session was to teach the students about education and career opportunities, budgeting, and finances.
(ReAnne Palmer / RLC Public Information)

Kickstart Your Journey students trekked across campus, receiving an impromptu tour, during the day-long event. Nearly 500 students visited RLC’s campus from a handful of in-district high schools last Thursday and Friday.
(ReAnne Palmer / RLC Public Information)

The high school students were welcomed to campus in the RLC Theatre by RLC faculty, staff and administrators. The students also converged here for an event wrap-up at the end of the day.
(ReAnne Palmer / RLC Public Information)

A new report about Illinois’ finances raises fresh questions about the state’s ability to pay its bills on time.

Here’s a link at Illinois News Network.

On March 22, 2018 at approximately 11:15 p.m. Benton police conducted a traffic stop in the 700 Block of East Main street.  The driver, 44 year old Randy A. Pulliam of Benton, was operating a vehicle on a revoked driver’s license.  During the stop, Benton Police K9 “Ranger” alerted to the odor of illegal narcotics in the vehicle.  A subsequent search revealed methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia.  Pulliam was charged with unlawful possession of methamphetamine, nnlawful possession of drug paraphernalia and driving on a revoked license.  Pulliam was transported to the Franklin County Jail.

On March 23, 2018 at approximately 1:15 a.m. Benton Police, while conducting a narcotics investigation in the 500 Block of Lawrence Street, found 27 year old Shane M. Tate of Benton to be in possession of methamphetamine.  Tate was charged with unlawful possession of methamphetamine, resisting a peace officer and transported to the Franklin County Jail.

From Illinois Review:

WASHINGTON DC – President Donald Trump signed a $1.5 Trillion Omnibus spending bill Friday after threatening to veto it earlier. Seven Illinois Democrats crossed the aisle to join six Republican House members to send the controversial budget to the U.S. Senate. Both Democrats Dick Durbin and Tammy Duckworth supported sending the measure onto the President.

Here’s what the conservative Washington DC think tank Heritage Foundation said about it:

This latest massive omnibus spending bill represents everything that is wrong with Washington. Any semblance of the regular order budget process has been ignored in favor of funding by crisis, as Congress has again failed to perform one of its most important functions: oversight. Rather than being cut, reformed, or eliminated, programs that are wasteful, inefficient, or inappropriate will receive tens of billions of dollars in additional funding. Congress should reject this bill and start over with the goal of achieving meaningful reforms through an open, transparent, and accountable budget process. America’s taxpayers deserve better than another bloated spending bill that pushes much-needed reforms further down the road.

The budget once again funds Planned Parenthood with $500 Million – an item that is stirring consternation back home among Republican voters.

Tensions were hot on a cold and raining Saturday afternoon outside the Illinois State Capitol where gun-control advocates and Second Amendment supporters shared opposing views.

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

After Gov. Bruce Rauner narrowly defeated challenger Jeanne Ives in the primary for Illinois’ Republican candidate for governor, the question is now whether the first-term governor can persuade frustrated conservatives to vote for him this fall.

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

Residents are leaving Southern Illinois counties in droves as the state continues to shrink.

Here’s the link at Illinois News Network.

A former campaign consultant for Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan is suing his political committee and the state Democratic Party, alleging that reporting a top lieutenant for sexual harassment hindered her from advancing in the speaker’s organization.

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

There are just about 230 days until the November general election. Gov. Bruce Rauner is going to need every last one of them if he has any hopes of winning re-election.

Here’s the link at Illinois News Network.