Contested Township races: Consolidated Election tomorrow

In Goode Township, for Highway Commissioner Democrat Brent Loucks is running against Republican Mark Kash.  For Township Trustee there are six running for four spots:  Democrats Garry Eubanks, Roger Loyd, Ronald Roberson, and Terry Witcher and Republicans Wesley Kash and Joshua Qualls.

In Ewing Township, Republican Brenda Garvin is running against Democrat Dana Rone for clerk.  There is a full slate of eight running for Township Trustee, in which four will be elected.  The GOP is running Mark Smith, Jeff Jones, Darrell Smith, and Scott Britton. The Democratic slate consists of Ginger Johnson, Terald Kniffen, Helen Townley and Donna Simpkins.

In Denning Township there is a hotly contested Road Commissioner race between Democrat Dave Wilmore and Independent Randy Pearce, with some write in candidates.  For the Township Board there are five candidates for four spots; Democrats Robert Shelby, Lawrence Jamrozek, Terry Joiner, and Mike McCarthy along with Independent Andy Woods.

In Eastern Township, Republicans Jason Bennett, Marshall Clark, Jim M. Heifner, and Democrats Debbie Jones, William Roesch, Justin Summers, and Dennis K. Summers are running for four spots to be Township Trustees.

In Six-Mile Township, two Democrats Scott Fiss and Charles Miller and four from the GOP, Dale Rhodes, Jerry Carpenter, Ron Knox, and Dale Martin for four Township Trustee posts.

In Northern Township Republican Roger Webb is facing a write in challenge for Highway Commissioner. There are a full slate of candidates for Township Trustee with four.  The Democrats are running William Richardson, David Goss, Gerald Glen Lowery and Andrea Lowery.  The Republican Caucus appointed Ron Sink, Don Bain, Bill Nipper and David Clark.

In Frankfort Township, Tim Grisby the lone Democrat and four Republicans John Odle, Jim Walton, Tim Weaver, and Dan Wells are running for for Township Trustee spots.

Please exercise your right to vote tomorrow.

 

I-57 southbound closed after crash, at least one fatality

WSIL-TV Photo

WSIL-TV Photo

WEST FRANKFORT, IL (WSIL- TV Please Click to read the full story and accompanying videos and updates. Here is an excerpt) – ISP confirmed the crash was a head-on collision, resulting in at least one fatality…… The Franklin County Emergency Management Agency has closed I-57 southbound between Exit 71 and 65 due to a crash involving a passenger car a semi.

Franklin County business collects donations after deadly fire

PERSHING , IL (Evie Allen WSIL-TV please click to read the entire story and accompanying video Here is an excerpt) – A Franklin County business rallies behind a co-worker who lost his wife in a house fire. Tuesday night, flames broke out at the home of Henry and Gay Vaughn, killing Gay. Mr. Vaughn’s coworkers jumped into action to show support. Henry Vaughn finds peace being at work, since he lost his wife in a house fire. He’s been staying with family until he figures out his next move. “When I go to work, I don’t have to have that family cause I got this family,” says Henry. Henry has been a school bus driver for almost 30 years. Tuesday, he drove students home from a track meet when his house on Gass Street caught fire. On his way home, fire trucks passed him on the road.

‘Wild Bill’ documentary spotlights Franklin County icon

Still shot to the introduction to the Wild Bill documentary. (Ethan Talley photo)

Still shot to the introduction to the Wild Bill documentary. (Ethan Talley photo)

WEST FRANKFORT (K. Janis Esch- The Southern. Please Click to read the whole article. Here is an excerpt.) Chicago-based filmmakers Ethan Talley and Zach Xanders returned to their native Southern Illinois to discover the person behind a local legend. The poignant little film clocks in at just over 15 minutes, following William Reinschmidt, an iconic figure in Franklin County, on his daily adventures through Benton, West Frankfort, Herrin, Sesser and his hometown of Orient. “Wild Bill” was released last week on Vimeo, an online video streaming platform. It has been accepted to the Shawnee Shorts Midwestern Film Festival, and it will screen April 15 at the Liberty Theater in Murphysboro.

Pershing woman dies in house fire last night

The Following is a press release from the West Frankfort Fire Department:

At approximately 8:48 PM on Tuesday, March 28th, 2017, the West Frankfort Fire Department was notified of a fire in an occupied residence located at 10400 Gass Street in the Pershing area. When firefighters arrived on scene, they found the residence heavily involved in fire and spreading quickly. Fire fighters from several surrounding communities assisted in extinguishing the blaze. The structure was a total loss.

Franklin County Coroner Marty Leffler confirmed that Gay Vaughn, 59, of West Frankfort was found deceased inside the structure by firefighters. She was pronounced deceased at 10:41 PM. The cause of death is unknown at this time but an autopsy has been scheduled. No one else was home at the time of fire and no other injuries were reported.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation at this time by officials from the Illinois State Fire Marshal’s Office.
Fire Chief Jody Allen says that more details will be released as they become available……

A GoFundMe account has been established for Henry Vaughn the surviving husband.  Here is a link to the account.  https://www.gofundme.com/vaughn-family-fire-recovery-fund.

More information will be updated as it becomes available.  -sd

 

$1.5 Million Project Requires Right-of-Ways

 

View of St. Route 149 going east to west. Growing up in Thompsonville, I more than realize the danger of this intersection. I am glad some reconstruction will be done to it. -sd (Google Maps image)

View of St. Route 149 going east to west. Growing up in Thompsonville, I more than realize the danger of this intersection. I am glad some reconstruction will be done to it. -sd (Google Maps image)

WEST FRANKFORT- (West Frankfort Gazette- Please click on link for the full story. Here is an excerpt.) A $1.5 million project is headed to the east side of West Frankfort, and will require approximately 50 right-of-ways from local residents. At last week’s committee meeting, Franklin County Highway Engineer Mike Rolla laid out a plan that he said would make improvements to the roadway and address sewer drainage on the east side of West Frankfort. Rolla added, “The project consists of going down Ninth Street to the road just north of Illinois 149. Then you go to east from East St. Louis Street all the way to Illinois 149. This is going to be a storm sewer job which consists of right-of-ways.” He continued, “There are 49 parcels, so there are 49 people that we may possibly have to buy right of way from. 49 people may be pretty mad. The city has gone through and gotten right-of-ways approved to the west with success.”

Frankfort School Board holds off on controversial superintendent hire

WEST FRANKFORT, IL (Tia Rienheart – WSIL TV- Please click to read the entire story and watch the accompanying video. Here is an excerpt) In West Frankfort Monday night a crowd at the school board meeting made it known that they do not support the board’s selected candidate for superintendent. The big concern in town is that just days before school board elections a new superintendent would be hired. The Frankfort Community School Board spent three hours deliberating the decision of hiring their final candidate for superintendent. Even busy students like Justin Dodd, a senior at Frankfort Community High, had the decision on their mind.

Morthland ranked one of the top Christian Colleges in the US

Rachel Rabe (center) with Founder and Guild CEO Tim Morthland (left) and President Glenn Poshard (Right) (WSIL Photo)

Rachel Rabe (center) with Founder and Guild CEO Tim Morthland (left) and President Glenn Poshard (Right) (WSIL Photo)

WEST FRANKFORT, IL (Evie Allen WSIL-TV Please click link for the entire story and accompaying video. Here is an excerpt. Morthland College in West Frankfort has received high honors in an online magazine. The website Faith on View ranked the Christian college sixth in the nation. Friday, school leaders celebrated the honor with students. The site ranks 201 faith-based institutions with 250 undergraduate students or less. The school also celebrated former student Rachel Rabe’s accomplishments.

RLC HOSTS TWO IDEA REGIONALS, STUDENTS ADVANCING TO STATE

Ina, IL – (ReAnne Palmer – Rend Lake College Media Services) There are several students featured from Schools around the county. Please click on the link to read the article and view several pictures. Here is an intorduction. Rend Lake College recently hosted two regionals for the 40th Annual IDEA (Illinois Drafting Educators Association) Drafting-Design Competition. Dozens of students competed for first and second place in eight categories to earn a spot at the State IDEA Competition. The Southern Region, consisting of Carbondale High School (CHS) and Herrin High School (HHS), met on Friday, March 3. CHS took home four top placements and the Architecture Team Winner trophy. HHS had nine students place first or second in their categories. Full results are listed below. The Northern Region, consisting of four in-district high schools – Benton Consolidated High School (BCHS), Hamilton County Senior High School (HCSHS), Frankfort Community High School (FCHS), and Zeigler-Royalton High School (ZRHS) – competed on Friday, March 10. BCHS took home 12 first and second places, in addition to the Engineering Design Team Winner trophy. HCSHS, FCHS and ZRHS all had a student place, and FCHS won the Architecture Team Winner trophy. Full results are listed below.

 

“She said yes!”

Taryan Ashli being proposed to by West Frankfort firefighter Matt Morthland

Taryan Ashli being proposed to by West Frankfort firefighter Matt Morthland (William McPherson – West Frankfort Gazette Photo)

WEST FRANKFORT, IL – (William McPherson – West Frankfort Gazette. Please click to read the full story. Here is an excerpt) – Sirens blazed as fire engines and other emergency vehicles descended upon West Frankfort City Hall last Friday. What was the occasion for such a grand display? A marriage proposal, of course. New West Frankfort Firefighter Matt Morthland proposed to his girlfriend, now fiancé, Taryn Ashli, who works at City Hall. “I was in shock. I had no idea,” Ashli added. “They pretended the building was on fire. I wasn’t scared. I was like, I don’t even see any flames, but they were telling me we had to leave the building.” Their response time for the call was under ten seconds, according to Mayor Tom Jordan and Chief Jody Allen.

Benton, West Frankfort, Illinois News | Franklin County News