Thompsonville sends 18 to RLC for College Signing Day

ReAnne Palmer – Rend Lake College Public Information

Pictured is, FRONT ROW, FROM LEFT, Jessica Palmer, Katie Ramsey, Maddie Miller, Mckenzie Nolen, and Samantha Walden; MIDDLE ROW, Kassidy Rizor, Katie Linsley, Kenzie Rizor, Maggie Householder, and Macie Jones; BACK ROW, Jared Emberton, Jared Payne, Cory Wilce, Alexis Williams, Noah Summers, Austin Kessler, Montanna Roberts, and Coleman Bundy.  (ReAnne Palmer / RLC Public Information)

Pictured is, FRONT ROW, FROM LEFT, Jessica Palmer, Katie Ramsey, Maddie Miller, Mckenzie Nolen, and Samantha Walden; MIDDLE ROW, Kassidy Rizor, Katie Linsley, Kenzie Rizor, Maggie Householder, and Macie Jones; BACK ROW, Jared Emberton, Jared Payne, Cory Wilce, Alexis Williams, Noah Summers, Austin Kessler, Montanna Roberts, and Coleman Bundy.
(ReAnne Palmer / RLC Public Information)

Registration for Summer 2017 is going on now for all students with classes starting the week of June 5-9. Fall 2017 registration for sophomores began Monday, April 3 by appointment. For incoming students, Fall 2017 enrollment appointments began Monday, April 17. The Fall semester begins the week of August 14-18. To get an appointment, contact Academic Advising at 618-437-5321, Ext. 1266.

According to the U. S. Department of Education, college graduates typically earn more and are less likely to face unemployment than those with a high school diploma. Over the course of a lifetime, the average worker with a postsecondary degree will earn approximately $1 million more than a worker without a postsecondary education. In fact, by 2020, an estimated two-thirds of job openings will require postsecondary education or training.

RLC is a comprehensive community college located in Ina in Southern Illinois. Rend Lake College offers more than 100 associate degree and occupational certificate programs, preparing students for transfer to a four-year university or direct entry into the workforce. In addition, RLC offers personal interest classes, continuing education, business & industry training, computer workshops and much more. To learn more about RLC, visit www.rlc.edu/journey

 

Benton Mayor gets little support for agenda items

BENTON, IL – (Rick Hayes – Benton Evening News Please click link for the full story. Here is an excerpt) Mayor Fred Kondritz presented an A-to-Z laundry list of items for consideration at Monday’s city council meeting. However, the mayor received little to no support. Of the 26 items presented by the mayor, several were tabled, including a proposal to raise the mayor’s salary to $28,000 by the year 2019. “I’m not complaining as mayor because I love my job, but I make $2.34 per hour. If you’re going to get a good mayor in here to run this city, you’re going to have to bring the salary up,” Kondritz reasoned. He said he spends his $11,000 salary on buying tires for his vehicle and fuel.

Kondritz conjures a full agenda

BENTON, IL (Benton Evening News – Please click to read the full story. Here is an excerpt) Mayor Fred Kondritz is bringing every letter in the alphabet to tonight’s city council meeting to lay out a breathless agenda that includes boosting the salary of future mayors, buying the mayor “an attractive SUV” and Internet-connected television, replacing a parking lot and a spillway, and even “straightening all street signs.” Kondritz used all 26 letters to itemize business listed for his public affairs report at tonight’s meeting, which begins at 6 p.m. at Benton City Hall. Among the items he lists for discussion are increasing the mayor’s salary to $28,000 per year beginning in 2019 and providing the mayor with “an attractive SUV or comparable late model car for him to conduct city business and travels,” according to the published meeting agenda. Also listed for discussion is obtaining three flat-screen televisions for city hall, including one for the mayor’s office.

Competitive Gaming Coming to RLC

by Reece Rutland – Rend Lake College Public Informaton

Ultimate Gaming Championship's $200,000 Gears of War Pro Circuit Atlantic City Open final.

Ultimate Gaming Championship’s $200,000 Gears of War Pro Circuit Atlantic City Open final.

INA, IL  – With the explosion in popularity of competitive video gaming, Rend Lake College is excited to announce plans to host what everyone involved hopes is one of the largest e-sporting events Southern Illinois has ever seen in conjunction with Southern Illinois start-up Ultimate Gaming Championship (UGC).

UGC, fresh off their $200,000 Gears of War Pro Circuit Atlantic City Open, is excited to bring all the bells and whistles of the professional gaming scene to Ina to give local gamers the chance to compete like the pros for a day.

“UGC is very excited to bring competitive gaming to Rend Lake College. We are seeing more and more colleges nation-wide embrace competitive gaming. This is our chance to not only give those students a chance to compete, but also reach into a younger generation who has a lot of excitement and passion of e-sports,” UGC CEO Matt Jackson explained.

Slated for June 24th, the RLC E-Sports Open will feature $5,000 in total prizes with 2v2 tournaments in Halo 5 and Call of Duty Modern Warfare Remastered and head-to-head matchups for Super Smash Brothers Melee, Super Smash Wii U, Madden 17, NBA 2k17 and Hearthstone. Participants in Hearthstone are asked to bring their own mobile device and application of the game.

Taking place in the James E. “Hummer” Waugh Gymnasium the event will kick off at 10 a.m. Entry to the event is free with in-district student identification. Admission for other participants and observers is $10. Concessions and merchandise will be available on site.

With roots in Du Quoin, UGC is a premiere e-sports tournament organizer with experience on the Halo, Gears of War and Smash Bros. professional circuits.

For more information on the event, visit UGC’s Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/UGCevents/.

Senator Fowler: Week in review

SPRINGFIELD, IL – Senate lawmakers were at the State Capitol for four days, passing a number of legislative measures dealing with a multitude of law changes, according to State Sen. Dale Fowler (R-Harrisburg).

Staff from the Governor’s Office continued to meet with Senate Republican and Democrat lawmakers and their appropriations staffs in the hopes of achieving a budget deal. Fowler said Senate Republican lawmakers continue to advocate for reductions in spending and reforms to reverse the culture of waste and lost economic growth opportunities.

Flood dominates the news

Even though Senator Fowler was at the Capitol nearly all week, he stayed in nearly “round-the-clock” contact with local mayors, village presidents, levee districts, and emergency service disaster agency professionals about heavy rains and the resulting localized flooding.

Several creeks and flooding along the Big Muddy River caused local residents to remain vigilant because of the April 27-30 storms, which left much of Southern Illinois with nearly 10 inches of rain. The localized flooding meant that smaller river tributaries quickly filled and flooded neighborhoods in Franklin County and Williamson County, which do not often deal with serious flooding conditions.

Senator Fowler took part in a series of conference calls with the Illinois Emergency Management Agency so as to keep lines of communication open in terms of the state response.

The states of emergency that were declared in Franklin County and Williamson County mark a potential first step to seeking higher levels of disaster relief for flood-ravaged units of government, businesses, and possibly individual properties. Sadly, the thresholds for federal government disaster assistance are quite high and the totality of the damage across the region could take another couple of weeks to assess, as rivers are to crest in the coming days.

Senator Fowler encouraged citizens to check local media resources and with their county-level ESDA to see if any flood assistance may be availabl

Camping World CEO press release on the Gander Mountain acquisition

Even though the going out of business sign remains, the Marion Gander Mountain location will remain open as 70 stores nationwide are slated to remain open.  Regionally, the one in Evansville, IN will as well.  The other stores in the region's fate is not final as the list will expand daily.  (Southern Illinoisan photo)

Even though the going out of business sign remains, the Marion Gander Mountain location will remain open as 70 stores nationwide are slated to remain open. Regionally, the one in Evansville, IN will as well. The other stores in the region’s fate is not final as the list will expand daily. (Southern Illinoisan photo)

LINCOLNSHIRE, Ill.–(BUSINESS WIRE)– On May 1, 2017, Camping World Holdings, Inc. (NYSE:CWH) (“Camping World”), the nation’s largest network of RV-centric retail locations and only provider of a comprehensive portfolio of services, protection plans, products and resources for the outdoor enthusiast, announced the planned acquisition of certain assets of Gander Mountain Company(“Gander Mountain”) and its Overton’s, Inc. (“Overton’s”) boating business, following Camping World’s successful bid for certain assets of Gander Mountain and Overton’s in a bankruptcy auction on April 27, 2017 and April 28, 2017. On May 4, 2017, the transaction was approved by the United States Bankruptcy Court for the District of Minnesota (the “Bankruptcy Court”).

On May 5, 2017, CWI, Inc., an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of Camping World, entered into an asset purchase agreement (the “Agreement”) with Gander Mountain. As part of the Agreement, Camping World obtained the right to designate any real estate leases for assignment to Camping World or other third parties and initially plans to operate stores that it believes have a clear path to profitability. Marcus Lemonis, Chairman and CEO of Camping World, stated “after reviewing the stores in more detail since our successel bid in the bankruptcy process, our current goal is operate seventy or more, locations subject to, among other things, our ability to negotiate lease terms with landlords on terms acceptable to us and approval of the Bankruptcy Court. The current liquidation of the existing Gander Mountain inventory will allow us to start with a clean slate of what we consider the appropriate mix and level of inventory, including the addition of Camping World and Overton’s offerings where appropriate.”

About Camping World Holdings, Inc.

Camping World Holdings Inc. (NYSE: CWH) is the only provider of a comprehensive portfolio of services, protection plans, products and resources for recreational vehicle (“RV”) enthusiasts. Through its two iconic brands, Camping World and Good Sam, the company offers new and used RVs for sale, vehicle service and maintenance along with more than 10,000 products and services through its retail locations and membership clubs. Good Sam branded offerings provide the industry’s broadest and deepest range of services, protection plans, products and resources while the Camping World brand operates the largest national network of RV-centric retail locations in the United States through over 125 retail locations in 36 states and an e-commerce platform. With both brands founded in 1966, product and service offerings are based on 50 years of experience and customer feedback from RV enthusiasts.

For more information, visit www.CampingWorld.com.

Benton/West City Fire Departments perform water rescue

Press release from the Benton Fire Department 

Benton FireOn Saturday May 6, 2017 at 3:50 pm The Benton Fire Dept. Dive-Rescue team was requested mutual aid to the West City Fire Dept. for a male subject on the roof of a vehicle submerged in water on Yellowbanks Rd.

Upon arrival of Benton Engine 801, Utility 809 and Boat, the decision was made to deploy the boat due to 5 ft. deep water over the roadway where the subjects vehicle had been swept off. The subject was subsequently rescued from the water and care transferred to Abbott EMS where he was treated for exposure to the elements and a previous medical condition. Franklin County Sheriff’s Dept. assisted.

2017 Old King Coal Festival kicks off Thursday night, May 11th

by Marcia Raubach, Publicity Director, Old King Coal Festival

Blue Suede Crew

Blue Suede Crew

Nostalgia comes to town as the  Old King Coal Festival officially kicks off their 2017 version with the theme “I Love Coal”. Thursday, May 11. A big hit with festival goers on Thursday  is “family night” on the midway with all rides one ticket.

Blue Suede Crew hits the main stage at 6 pm taking festival goers on a musical journey as they relive some of the greatest hits of Rock ‘n’ Roll. There will be dancing in the street with the Crew performs hits from Bill Haley, Roy Orbison, Jerry Lee Lewis

Former WPSD TV meteorologist Lew Jetton

Former WPSD TV meteorologist Lew Jetton

and the King himself, Elvis Presley. It only gets better when the Crew launches into a special tribute to the music of the Beatles, Beach Boys, Elton John, Rolling Stones and many more.

Blend Acapella Doo-Wop brings back the hits form the 50’s and 60’s Friday night beginning at 6:30 and Lew Jetton & 61 South bring  their critically acclaimed “Southern-Fried” Chicago Blues sound to the stage at 8:30.

Johnny Cash Tribute Band

Johnny Cash Tribute Band

Bill Forness and the Johnny Cash Tribute Band have mastered the essence of a real Johnny Cash performance and will thrill the audience with favorites like “Ring of Fire”, “Folsom Prison Blues”, “I Walk the Line,” and “Jackson” when they come on stage at 6 on Saturday evening followed by the Brat Pack bringing back the 80’s starting at 8:30.

Music continues at 1 Sunday afternoon with the country based  Cadillac Jones Band, who bring the sounds of all your favorite country artists from Garth, Jennings, Jones, and Haggard to Eric Church, Dierks Bentley and many more. All concerts are free. Festival goers are urged to bring lawnchairs for the concerts.The Brat Pack

Old King Coal, Charles A. Bartoni Jr and Princess Flame, Lexie Tourville will reign over the festival which runs May 11th thru the 14th  in downtown West Frankfort. The festival features  Luehrs’, one of the top midways in the country.

Coal Miners Memorial Service at 10 am on Saturday at Coal Miners Memorial Park downtown West Frankfort, Grand Parade at 1 pm and lots of Cadillac Jones Band1food and crafts. Cash prizes will be awarded on the main stage immediately following the parade for Best of Show, Best Church, Best Business, Best Club/Organization and Best Coal Theme.

Family Day returns on Sunday afternoon with all rides taking one ticket. For a complete schedule of the Old King Coal Festival go to www.oldkingcoalfestival.org.

 

Franklin County Sheriff’s office recent arrests

Press Release by Franklin County Sheriff’s Office 

Sesser Resident Michael Hobbs, was arrested Thursday on multiple sex charges.  See the full list of charges below.

Sesser Resident Michael Hobbs, was arrested Thursday on multiple sex charges.

See full list of his charges below.

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Twenty-six Sesser-Valier seniors attend RLC College Signing Day

ReAnne Palmer – Rend Lake College Public Information 

Pictured is, FRONT ROW, FROM LEFT, Ashley Laskowski, Sadie Payne, Mallory Newbury, Kendra Green-Shurtz, Cheyenne Smith, and Mady Senior; MIDDLE ROW, Lexi Nutt, Heidi Carroll, Abbi Hall, Taylor Frank, Hannah Garascia, Chelsea Krominga, Kennedy Cloe, Tanner Bailey, and Logan Petro; BACK ROW, Dakota Bowen, Alexa Joiner, Morgan Stagner, Josh Vaughan, Parker Robbins, Mariah Eader, Tara Brown, Dakota Miller, Charles Farmer, Kenny Eubanks, and Aaron Summers. (ReAnne Palmer / RLC Public Information)

Pictured is, FRONT ROW, FROM LEFT, Ashley Laskowski, Sadie Payne, Mallory Newbury, Kendra Green-Shurtz, Cheyenne Smith, and Mady Senior; MIDDLE ROW, Lexi Nutt, Heidi Carroll, Abbi Hall, Taylor Frank, Hannah Garascia, Chelsea Krominga, Kennedy Cloe, Tanner Bailey, and Logan Petro; BACK ROW, Dakota Bowen, Alexa Joiner, Morgan Stagner, Josh Vaughan, Parker Robbins, Mariah Eader, Tara Brown, Dakota Miller, Charles Farmer, Kenny Eubanks, and Aaron Summers.
(ReAnne Palmer / RLC Public Information)

Registration for Summer 2017 is going on now for all students with classes starting the week of June 5-9. Fall 2017 registration for sophomores began Monday, April 3 by appointment. For incoming students, Fall 2017 enrollment appointments began Monday, April 17. The Fall semester begins the week of August 14-18. To get an appointment, contact Academic Advising at 618-437-5321, Ext. 1266.

According to the U. S. Department of Education, college graduates typically earn more and are less likely to face unemployment than those with a high school diploma. Over the course of a lifetime, the average worker with a postsecondary degree will earn approximately $1 million more than a worker without a postsecondary education. In fact, by 2020, an estimated two-thirds of job openings will require postsecondary education or training.

RLC is a comprehensive community college located in Ina in Southern Illinois. Rend Lake College offers more than 100 associate degree and occupational certificate programs, preparing students for transfer to a four-year university or direct entry into the workforce. In addition, RLC offers personal interest classes, continuing education, business & industry training, computer workshops and much more. To learn more about RLC, visit www.rlc.edu/journey.

Benton, West Frankfort, Illinois News | Franklin County News