Benton, West Frankfort, Illinois News | Franklin County News
Newspaper covering Franklin County, Illinois
Staff Report
Sixteen emergency managers from throughout the state of Illinois are participating in Operation Tremor, an earthquake exercise being conducted in Marion, Illinois April 8 through April 10. The sixteen emergency managers are members of the Illinois Emergency Services Management
Association’s (IESMA) Emergency Management Assistance Team (EMAT).
The link below has all the information.
Finding the right college to fit individual needs is critical, and one size does not fit all. Only thoughtful personal consideration should guide decision making. However, some issues cannot be overlooked.
The college search doesn’t have to begin and end with the Ivies and the name brand schools. There are many schools out there to choose from — some known and some less known, all worthy of your attention.
Martha O’Connell — How to Choose A College That’s Right for You
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By Walter Wendler
The New York Times carried an article by David Brooks on April 4, 2013, entitled The Practical University.
The thrust of Brook’s reflection focused on the conflicts and possibilities of delivering content based on technical knowledge and its relationship to applied knowledge online. The argument goes that technical knowledge is reasonably well transmitted through online education. However, applied knowledge and the social skills and abilities that go along with the application of knowledge are best learned on site, with and through others.
The concept of a student-focused, functionally driven institution, where distinctions are made not between technical and applied knowledge, but by what’s necessary for student learning and a more enlightened and prosperous life, should be paramount. Indeed, some of the frills provided on college campuses get in the way of any learning, be it technical or applied, that can be personally beneficial.
I would offer the following thoughts.
First, visit the campus. If you do not meet a tenured, full-time faculty member, an advisor or staff person who supports academic work, and at least one academic leader — a department chair or a dean expert in the field you wish to study — beware that you may be at a place that puts something between you and your learning experience. I don’t care how many energetic, sprightly student leaders you meet — and recruiting new students is an excellent opportunity for current students who value community engagement to practice it — they are not faculty. They don’t have the professional qualifications and experience you seek to make learning valuable; they don’t teach classes; they don’t make assignments; and they don’t set expectations. If the academic enterprise does not have time for you on the way in, why would it when you get there? Make an academic investment at an academic institution.
Second, if student fees for nonessential aspects of study, athletics, various organizations, Disneyland-like facilities are unrelated to academic excellence but exceed the cost of tuition: Look out. The institution is investing incorrectly and fees are a way to increase revenue while appearing to hold tuition low – and can sometimes constitute carefully considered deceptions: accounting manipulations, not academic investments. A $300 million football stadium at any university that does not have a research library ranked in the top 10 nationally is a fundamental misfit. I don’t care what university you are considering. But be careful, the University of Michigan is one of the best public universities in the world, and it charges athletics fees, but at a fraction of other institutions. And it has an excellent intercollegiate athletics program and a first-rate library too. Find out a university’s priorities.
Third, read every ranking and comparative assessment system you can find regarding the universities you are considering attending. Trust none of them – at least not a single one — but pay attention to all of them, and study each as a means to help shape your opinions. We read Consumer Reports for a week before we buy a $100 coffee pot. A $100,000 life investment demands a little scrutiny too. Tuition and fees, library quality, faculty achievement and honors, faculty salaries, scholarships, alumni giving rates, endowments, research funding, student clubs and organizations, student debt, student work opportunities, the nature of student government… all this stuff matters. And make sure you compare apples to apples…don’t look at a national research university in the same way that you look at a regional college. Different institutions have different purposes, which address different aspirations, for different students, at different costs with different benefits. Know what you expect from the university, and what it will provide.
Fourth, if the headlines from a university don’t trumpet learning and student achievement, be careful. Here’s a headline from the Star-Ledger, Monday, April 8, 2013: “For Rutgers, Big-Time Scandal Will Mean Big-Time Costs in Dollars, Reputation.” When priorities are contorted everything is affected: “Wealthy supporters are threatening to close their checkbooks.
The disgraced coach and the tarnished athletic director are walking away with university-funded golden parachutes of more than $1 million each. In less than a week, a middling basketball program has turned toxic.” Not all of these failures can be laid at the doorstep of leadership — as was the case at Penn State — but universities that twist priorities away from academics eventually diminish value to current, future and past students. Athletics is sometimes an easy target. Other forms of malfeasance, machination, and misappropriation are also embedded in university leadership. And mistakes can become cultural: “Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.” Luke: 6:45. Understand a university’s culture, its heart.
Choose carefully, it will follow, or lead you all of your life.
By Jim Muir
The Sesser-Valier Red Devils will have a new basketball coach when the 2013-14 season begins this fall.
Chip Basso, who also serves as the school’s athletic director, has submitted his resignation as basketball coach, effective immediately.
Basso, who has 18 years total in coaching at SV, including stints at the junior high, as a high school assistant and as head coach for four years.
Basso, who will remain as AD at the school, said “it’s just time” when asked about his decision to step away from coaching after nearly two decades. Basso said his son entering junior high next year was instrumental in his decision.
“Between being AD and coaching I missed several of his games last year and I need to be there for him,” said Basso. “When Danny (longtime former coach Danny Kirk) retired I took the job but it was understood that I wasn’t staying forever. It’s just time for me to step away from coaching.”
In his first year as head coach Basso led the Red Devils to a storybook season that included a second place finish in the IHSA Class 1A state tournament in Peoria. During the course of the memorable post season run the Red Devils registered wins over an excellent Crab Orchard team, Meridian, an overtime win over Woodlawn in the super sectional and a win over state-ranked Madison in a semi-final match up before falling to Salt Fork in the title game.
The SV school board will meet Monday night (April 8) and is expected to accept Basso’s resignation. The job will be posted and made available to current school district employees before any consideration is given to an outside hire.
BY JOHN D. HOMAN
Logan Media Services
CARTERVILLE – John A. Logan College softball coach Bruce Jilek has never been one to seek accolades, but he will earn yet another one next week when Herrin High School officials name the new softball field at the Harrison-Bruce Sports Complex on Bandyville Road after the former Tigers coach.
The field dedication is set for Friday, April 12th immediately after the Tigers’ scheduled 4:30 p.m. home game with Benton.
After a successful career as softball coach at Herrin High School Bruce Jilek is now head softball coach at John A. Logan College. Jilek is a Franklin County native and a graduate of Benton High School.
“It’s kind of a humbling experience,” Jilek said. “I never thought that some guy who started out in a one-room country school would end up with something like this. That sports complex out there that Herrin has built is really a super place. It’s not just a dirt field that somebody has hung a sign on. It’s an impressive facility.”
Jilek coached 24 years (1979 through 2002) with the Tigers and compiled an overall record of 539-102. His teams were even more dominant within the South Seven and River to River Conferences at 262-23. He led Herrin to 18 league titles in all; 19 regional titles; eight sectional titles; eight state tournament appearances; and four runner-up finishes (1980, 1981, 1993, 1998). He was also named to the Illinois High School Coaches Association and Herrin High School Halls of Fame.
Jilek said pitcher Sunny Clark set the tone for other pitchers to follow at Herrin in 1980. There was a long procession of pitching standouts after her – from Nina Calcaterra, SIU head coach Kerri Blaylock, Jennifer Brown, Tracy Ward, Rachel Phillips and Jamie Schuttek to Lynde Capogreco, Carisa Winters, Rachel Murray, and Kendra and Mary Kosco.
“Pitching was the backbone of our team,” Jilek said. “I was fortunate enough to have people who were willing to come in early in the morning to the school and give me a great deal of effort and time. Our success just kind of snowballed.”
Jilek said he would like to think that his players learned more from the game of softball than how to hit, field and throw. He said softball provided players with the opportunity to learn valuable life lessons such as sportsmanship and teamwork.
“We won a lot of games at Herrin and we all have some fond memories, but more important, I hope they learned why they should give their best effort, even if things were not going their way,” Jilek said. “Your time playing the game of softball goes by rather quickly, but the lessons you learn along the way can last you a lifetime. When I see former players doing well in the field of their choice after school… that’s what makes me happy.”
There will be a gathering of family, friends, colleagues and fans after the dedication for Jilek at the Knights of Columbus hall in Herrin.
Benton police reported a busy weekend with the following arrests:
On April 6th, 2013 Benton Police were dispatched to the 600 block of Grayson Street in reference to criminal damage to property. Through investigation, police arrested Mark S. Eubanks, age 32, of Benton for domestic battery and criminal trespass to real property. Eubanks was charged and transported to the Franklin County Jail for further processing.
On April 7th, 2013 Benton Police arrested Daniel S. Hobbs, age 23, of Benton on an active Saline County warrant for failure to appear. Hobbs was transported to the Franklin County Jail for further processing.
On April 7th, 2013 Benton Police were dispatched to the 100 block of Reed Street in reference to a domestic in progress. Upon arrival and through investigation, police arrested James E. Springer, age 28, of Benton for domestic battery and resisting a peace officer. Stringer was charged and transported to the Franklin County Jail for further processing.
(NOTE: It was announced yesterday that 27-year-old Mathew Warren — the son of popular Pastor Rick Warren – pastor of the 20,000 member Saddleback Valley Community Church — committed suicide after a life-long struggle with depression and mental illness. I read with equal interest, amazement and disgust the comments of a wide variety of people who felt compelled to offer kindness and prayers or vitriol and hate-filled comments about the tragedy. Suicide is a delicate subject and I faced that subject head-on nearly a decade ago when the 20-year-old son of two people I count as friends committed suicide. I asked them if they would talk to me so I could write about what they and their son went through. They agreed and below is the column I wrote in August 2004. Please share your thoughts about this column and about your views on the tragedy surrounding the Warren family. Please be candid, honest but most of all thoughtful. Thanks. JM)
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It’s often said that the greatest grief that any person can experience is the death of a child. On a hot and humid day last week I sat face to face with that grief.
Loren and Cheryl Boyd agreed to talk with me about the death of their 20-year-old son John, who attempted suicide on July 17 and then spent eight days on life support in a St. Louis hospital before dying on July 26. The pain of the death and the toll of those eight days showed in the Boyd’s faces as we sat in the front yard of their Benton home.
Before I move ahead it’s important that I fill in a few blanks about John. Even a casual news observer has probably heard of Boyd who had his name splashed across Southern Illinois news media outlets when he was accused of entering a storage facility at the Franklin County Jail and stealing 7-8 pounds of marijuana that had been seized by COMIT agents during a drug bust in Hamilton County in September 2002.
After more than 20 months winding through the Franklin County Court system Boyd entered a negotiated guilty plea to a single count of unlawful possession of marijuana. In exchange for the guilty plea one count of burglary and one count of theft – the now infamous Franklin County Jail marijuana burglary and theft — were dismissed.
During my conversation with Loren and Cheryl they didn’t mince words when talking about the troubles that John encountered during his life. They admitted that he once stole a four-wheeler, had spent time in jail and ran with a rough crowd.
However, the Boyd’s don’t believe John stole the marijuana from the Franklin County Jail and neither do most people who followed the case. But, that really doesn’t matter now because that sordid little piece of Franklin County history died when John did.
During an hour-long conversation the Boyd’s were much more focused on talking about the good things he did that went unnoticed.
Cheryl talked about a penchant her son had for donating blood and said he often wanted to give to those less fortunate.
“He was always concerned about people who were disabled or poor,” Cheryl said. “He loved taking the meals at Thanksgiving to people that couldn’t get out and he loved delivering Christmas baskets to the needy.”
She related that John once gave away a $130 pair of tennis shoes to a classmate that was poor and also gave away a leather coat to a high school classmate.
“Those are things that nobody ever knew about John,” she said.
Loren recalled two vacations, one in New Orleans and one in Chicago, where John witnessed panhandlers for the first time.
“You had to carry his money or he would give it all away,” his dad recalled. “If somebody looked like they needed money he’d give them all he had. Even when he was in jail there was an old guy in there that didn’t have any family and John would tell us to put money on his ‘book’ with the jailers so he could buy snacks and soda.”
There will be those who will choose to remember John by recalling a troubled life that quickly spiraled downward after he was accused of stealing marijuana from the county jail. Others might remember him because of a few scrapes with the law or the crowd that he ran with.
However, when I think of him I’m going to think about a story his parents related to me, a story that portrayed a far different person than the one pictured in the media.
Ever since he was a child John was interested in organ donation and as soon as he was old enough, he signed up to be a donor. During the eight long days that Loren and Cheryl spent helplessly watching their son’s life ebb away they were also making plans to see that his desire was fulfilled and that his organs were fully harvested.
Because of John a 50-year-old man woke up in St. Louis today with a new lease on life. In critical condition and with less than a week to live he received John’s liver. Perhaps that nameless, faceless man is enjoying a sunrise this morning or making plans to spend the day with his grandkids or just simply go for a leisurely walk. Two people in Nebraska each received a kidney and dialysis will now no longer be a part of their weekly life. Every major organ, his tissue and even the bones of his arms and legs were harvested and will provide help to scores of people. Despite the troubles in his life, in the end John helped an untold number of people in need.
Before taking his life John wrote a letter addressed to his parents and girlfriend – a letter his parents shared with me. Repeatedly saying he was sorry for the times he messed up in his life there was one particular sentence that yanked at my heart. It read: “I loved you all more than you think or will ever know but my mind was just too much for me to handle.”
There have been many times in my life, and my conversation with the Boyd’s was one of them, when I’ve thought about the afterlife and wondered about people like John that chose to take their own life. There are those who tell us that we must walk a straight and narrow path in order to reap the rewards of the hereafter and that committing suicide is not part of that path. But, on the other hand I think of God as loving and compassionate and always fair.
I’m certain many theologians, ministers and know-it-alls will disagree but I want to believe that maybe, just maybe, there’s a place of rest and peace set aside for all the ‘Johns’ of the world – all those that have too much on their mind to handle and who struggle and battle but eventually lose to the daily demons they fight.
I hope I’m right.
Mike Wisnoski, 93, of Sesser died at 3:00 P.M. April 6, 2013, at Fairview Nursing Home in DuQuoin IL.
Visitation is from 9:00 till 10:30 A.M. on Tuesday April 9, 2013 at the Brayfield-Gilbert Funeral Home in Sesser. A brief Family Remembrance service will be at 10:30 Tuesday at the funeral home followed by a funeral mass at 11 A.M. at St Mary’s Catholic Church in Sesser. Burial will be at Maple Hill Cemetery in Sesser.
Mike Wisnoski was born in Coello, IL on June 13, 1919, to parents Joseph and Tekla Wisnoski, both of whom emigrated from Russia in the early 1900s. He was the youngest of seven children.
After graduation from Christopher High School, he attended Chillicothe Business School in Chillicothe, Mo. He worked at Swift & Co. in St Louis before returning to Coello.
He held many different jobs throughout the course of his life. While delivering milk to Rozenski Grocery in Sesser, he met and fell in love with Irene Rozenski. On November 2, 1946, he and Irene were married. They moved to Sesser upon their marriage where he resided until his death.
In the 1950’s he and his brother-in-law, Paul Rozenski, opened and operated their own cocktail lounge in Sesser. In 1958, they built the Sesser Feed Mill which they ran for many years. In 1974 he became an employee of Roberts and Schaffer, a mine construction company, working as a millwright. He was a member of the UMWA. He retired from construction in 1984.
Mike enjoyed growing tomatoes in his garden. He was known for his good humor and pleasant demeanor. He could be found enjoying a fish dinner most Fridays at the Sesser VFW.
Mike was a member of St Mary’s Catholic Church in Sesser. He cherished his wife, loved his family, and thoroughly enjoyed his neighbors and friends. He loved living in Sesser. He built his home in Sesser in 1953 and lived there throughout his life. He often said that the only move he would ever make would be a move to MapleHillCemetery.
He is survived by his wife Irene, daughters Paula Polak (Michael), Patricia Fiorino (close friend, Stephen Shapiro) and Charlotte Conner (David); and his six grandchildren: Lisa and Jason Polak, Katie and Connie Fiorino, and Brooke and Julie Conner.
He was preceded in death by his parents, his four brothers, Pete, William, Andrew and John, and two sisters, Nancy Laridon and Helen Granier, mother-in-law, Anna Rozenski (William), and brother-in-law Paul Rozenski (Edna and Lorraine).
Memorial donations can be made to St.Marys Church or St. Judes Children’s Hospital or charity of your choice.
Services will conducted by Father Lou Koehr and Father Peter Balili.
Mulkeytown – Helen June Hagler Robbins, 80, passed away the morning of Thursday, April 4, 2013, at Barnes Hospital in St. Louis, MO.
June was born December 17, 1932 in Franklin County to Bernie A. Hagler and Maud May (Nelson) Hagler. She married Robert Dean Robbins of Sesser on April 28, 1951.
She was preceded in death by her husband of 61 years, Robert Dean Robbins; along with her parents; 2 sisters, Ruth Hagler Logan and Mary Hagler Cavaretta; and 2 brothers, Jack Hagler and Nelson Hagler.
Surviving are their five children: Dennis and Cheryl Robbins, Jackie and the late Buster Zimbro, Lisa andGeorge Moore, Todd and Tammy Robbins, and Robert and Janet Robbins; 11 grandchildren: Shad Zimbro, Colby Robbins, Douglas Robbins, Zach Zimbro, Paige (Robbins) Ruffino, Cara Robbins, Chelsea Robbins, Maggie Robbins, Jori Moore, Mallory Robbins, and Emma Robbins; and 11 great-grandchildren, Gavin Zimbro, Tay-Lyn Taylor, Zoe Zimbro, Dayle Ruffino, Reagan Robbins, Jonah Ruffino, Braden Robbins, Keiara Taylor, Brodie Robbins, Grace Ruffino, and Zevon Zimbro. Also surviving is a sister, Betty Borella of Santa Barbara, CA and a brother, Gary Hagler of Zeigler, IL.
She retired from Sesser-Valier School District after 21 years of teaching. She spent her retirement traveling with her husband and enjoying time with her family. She and Robert Dean together lived life to the fullest.
It was her wish to donate her body to medical research and her remains will be buried next to her husband at a later date. A memorial service will be held at Brayfield-Gilbert Funeral Home in Sesser on Sunday, April 7th from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.
In lieu of flowers memorials may be made to the Cardinal Glennon Hospital of St Louis, MO, and will be accepted at the funeral home.
By Bruce A. Fasol
Retired U.S. Congressman Kenneth Gray is resting comfortably in a St.Louis hospital after falling at his West Frankfort home on Wednesday. Gray suffered injuries to his arm, and a blow to the head. The injuries were traumatic, but non-life threatening.
It was primarily concern from the head trauma that places Gray at Barnes-Jewish Hospital in St. Louis. Doctors are running tests to determine the extent of any damage to the brain from the fall.
Gray’s wife, Pastor Toedy Gray spoke with franklincounty-news.com at the hospital. She said, “Kenny is talking, awake, and responsive. We are awaiting the tests they are to do on him before they can release him.”
Mrs. Gray was not sure when that release could come, but was hopeful to have him back in southern Illinois by the end of the weekend.
Ken Gray suffered a stroke in early 2000, and has had other health concerns that have seen him hospitalized. Still. he has been a function at many civic events across the region, especially those dedicated to veterans.
Gray served nearly 20 years as a U.S. Congressman and was labeled “The Prince of Pork” – a title he gladly accepted – for the millions of dollars that he brought back to his district in work projects. Gray was the driving force behind the creation of Rend Lake – a 19,000-acre man-made lake that draws millions of tourists to Southern Illinois each year- and Interstate 57 that the length of the state.
Family members, friends, and fellow church members from Christian Worship Center have been awaiting progress reports, at the hospital. However, Gray remains in the Intensive Care Unit and can have only limited visitation.
