Lessons that can be learned from Robert Godwin, Sr.

April 17, 2017 By Leave a Comment

by Steve Dunford 

More and more every day nothing surprises me.  The brutal murder that Steven Stephens posted on Facebook Live, was over the top and shocked me.

People Magazine Photo

People Magazine Photo

Robert Godwin, Sr., a seventy-four year old man that was minding his own business, picking up aluminum cans for extra money, was murdered by Stevens in Cleveland OH.

I have watched several news clips, and read a few articles on this story today.  This is what I gathered. Mr. Godwin was a good man.  He loved his family.  He loved the Lord.  He would go out of his way to help anyone.

I am sure that was the last thing he thought would happen, when he left his house that day.

His daughter Tonya, when she saw the clip, said “it felt like her heart was ripped out of his chest” in an ABC exclusive interview tonight.  My heart goes out to the family.  I paused and said a little prayer for them.

I did some research on Ohio statutes.  Ohio Governor John Kasich, who ran for president as a liberal Republican, cancelled all executions in the state.  He put ten guidelines out there for the death penalty to be granted.  The best I could understand the complicated guidelines, this hideous crime will fall under them.

When I heard the news, I thought of four teenagers (I am at a lost for an adjective to describe their acts) who tortured another teenager in Chicago with autism a few months ago.  The crime recorded on Facebook Live also.

It sounds like Mr. Goodwin lived a good life.  You don’t know what is around the corner.  Live to be a good person every day.  Even though Mr. Goodwin life was taken at the hands of a killer, he left a legacy.

I lost my mom to lung cancer, thirteen years ago in June.  She died at the young age of 56.  There has not been one week that has went by that someone has told me the impact she left.

When she was going through the battle, Live Like you were Dying by Tim McGraw was popular.  She lived life to the fullest.  My first priority in life after loving the Lord with all my heart, second is live a daily life that will leave a legacy like Mr. Goodwin and my mother, Linda.

As I am typing this, there is a girl that I went to High School with that was in an automobile accident, and she is fighting for her life.  In the corner of my computer screen I received a message on Facebook of another girl I went to school with, found out she might have cancer.

Individuals like Stephen Stevens and the four that tortured the special needs young adult in Chicago, there is a  three word phrase in 2 Timothy 3:3 that comes to mind, “without natural affection.”  There are several things in society this partial bible verse can apply to.

Other than in self defense, I do not understand how one person can physically harm another.   My mouth has created some harm to others in the past.  You can not take back words.  I try to practice this now, but I fail a lot.  Pause and pray before you speak when things get controversial or heated.

Live your life every day like Mr. Godwin.  Be a good person, help your neighbor, be compassionate, kind, and tender.  Most of all, love the Lord with all your heart.

If you thought this was to grim, I apologize.  I am very green as a writer.  I have learned this lesson in the short time I have been one. If you have something burning on your fingers to say, it is meant to be said.

When you go to bed tonight, be thankful for the Lord giving you another day.  When the alarm goes off in the morning, be thankful that as good as hitting the snooze on the alarm clock feels, be excited about the potential opportunity another day brings.

Filed Under: Columns, National News, Opinion, Slider

He’s Alive is well worth two hours of your time

April 13, 2017 By Leave a Comment

by Steve Dunford

THOMPSONVILLE, IL – Members of the Thompsonville First Baptist Church, and from other area churches, will be performing the Easter Drama He’s Alive Friday through Sunday of this week, at 7:00 p.m.  If you plan on going, please get there early, as there will be a packed house.

The church is located on State Route 34, just east of the school,

Alan Newman, pastor of the Faith Missionary Baptist Church in Christopher portrays Jesus in the play. (All photos by Samantha Sullivan. Please call 499-6465 to book her for your next event)

Alan Newman, pastor of the Faith Missionary Baptist Church in Christopher portrays Jesus in the play. (All photos by Samantha Sullivan. Please call 499-6465 to book her for your next event)

If you head over to T’ville, come and eat supper.  I have not had the chance to try it yet, but people drive over from Benton and West Frankfort to eat there.  I am not sure of the hours on Saturday, but a lot drive to eat fish at K & D cafe on Friday nights. For a snack, take some chicken strips home from Payne’s service center.  They are no ordinary gas station chicken strips. They are better than the colonel.

The play used to be an annual event starting in the 1980’s, written and directed by Jean Elimon.  The play portrays the life of Christ, from his birth to the resurrection.

The cast is around 100 actors.  There will be local soloists featured in the drama.

I love church plays, where bed sheets as used as the curtains, etc.  This is not you ordinary church play.  The front of the church is transformed into a stage.  There will be several scenes.  Live animals will be featured in the production.

I am going to go down memory lane for awhile.  I appeared several years in the past. I played Matthew and John The Baptist one year.  I was Judas Iscariot for several years in the play.

John Robinson, pastor of TFBC, in his role in a dress rehersal. John is also the K-12 principal at Thompsonville. He also the HS basketball coach at one tine.

John Robinson, pastor of TFBC, in his role in a dress rehearsal. John is also the K-12 principal at Thompsonville. He also the HS basketball coach at one tine.

I can not help to go back down memory lane.  It was worth going over the years to watch Neal Clem play the devil. Those eyes that he use to make where spooky.  With his dry sense of humor, Neal is one of the funniest guys I ever met.  He played the part so well, that a family came later to be a part of TFBC later.  They said they didn’t like him for a while because he played the role so well in the play.

Two men that also stand out have gone on.  The first is Jim Elimon.  His role as a money changer in the temple was classic.  The scene where kids came to his table to look at his merchandise, “the get out of here…go on” line was classic.

Jim was the barber in Thompsonville .  If he would get the hankering to go fishing, he would just paint with white shoe polish on his windows, closed, gone fishing today.  I had the opportunity to fish with him a few times.  Those are cherished days looking back on it.

Jim was a fisher of men most of all.  If you went to get a haircut from him, he would tell you about Jesus.  He was a model deacon in the church.  He would visit the sick and on Monday’s go to the nursing homes giving men haircuts.

The second was William “Doc” Harvey.  He played one of the Pharisees.  He always ad-libbed his lines. Some of the things he would say, especially leaving the scene griping about Jesus were so authentic, real, and downright funny.

Several of the youths community participate in the drama. Bailee Clem, a TCHS cheerleader, is in front of all the youth,

Several of the youths community participate in the drama. Bailee Clem, a TCHS cheerleader, is in front of all the youth,

Doc loved our little town of 600.  He served on the village board at least all of my life and was a great booster to the school, especially Tiger athletics.  The gym in Thompsonville now bears his name.  Like Jimmy, he was a model deacon as well.

One of the most touching moments in the history of the play, I watched from the vestibule, after I did my role as Judas and was going to be in the crowd of the crucifixion shortly.  Jewell Kerley, recently became a Christian in his 70’s.  My good friend and his grandson, Stevie was playing a Centurion soldier.  He had the role of beating Jesus.  All at once you heard Jewell say out loud Stevie I am ashamed of you, that is my Jesus you are beating.

To tell the story of the crucifixion, there are roles like that you have to play.  I think Jody Kilburn, pastor of the First Baptist Chruch in Woodlawn, TN, used to be one of the thieves on the cross.  As I am writing this, the past role that I played  selling Jesus for thirty pieces of silver, always made me think and take a look at myself, even today I am reflecting on it.

I shared a lot of memories.  For the current, I recommend you come and watch the play.  It is an evangelical outreach of the church.  The Gospel will be presented.

 

 

Filed Under: Columns, Opinion, Slider, Thompsonville News

To the Robertsons…..Thank you

April 6, 2017 By Leave a Comment

by Steve Dunford 

The whole Robertson Family

The whole Robertson Family (Daily Mail UK photo)

I was anticipating writing this next week.  During the first episode of this season of Duck Dynasty, there was an announcement saying this would be their last.  I went to A & E’s website and had this week circled trying to interview a cast member.  The site said April 12 not last night was the final episode.

First off let me say, unlike the Kardashian’s or Honey Boo Boo, in my view, Duck Dynasty was good, clean TV the whole family can sit down and watch without being embarrassed.

I am friends with Tim Guradey (aka Mountain Man) on Facebook.  Maybe I can have a conversation with him in a couple of months.  I have a goal of contacting some cast members to share what they are doing in life.

The first time I watched this show, I just got home from the hospital.  It was in its first season.   For those who don’t know, I had a stroke six years ago. My life has not been the same.  Yes every day has been a challenge since them. However, every day of life has been more precious.

I am not saying this to whine, but yes there has been some bad days along the way. My marriage fell apart, and the main reason I became bitter and angry at life.  I haven’t driven in three years because I have seizures in the result of the stroke.  To this day I still struggle with them.

Throughout it all, Duck Dynasty brought a lot of laughs and tears.  I can go on about episode after episode.  Si is the funniest individual to ever be in the entertainment business.

The first two episodes I watched, had me hooked.  The first is  where they all skipped work, to take Willie’s RV to Shreveport and Willie’s new UTV’s.  Si was cooking his Vietnam concoction  The next one was going frog gigging in the country club.  Jace getting in trouble with the homeowners association for burning leaves and having chickens in the subdivision was one of my favorite also.

The Robertson’s came like family to me over the years.  I watched their kids grow up. I have to turn in my man card to admit this but I watched  one, and only one, season of Dancing With the Stars.  It was the season that Sadie finished second. Michael Waltrip on that season helped some too.  Until then, I thought Erin Andrews was just a sideline reporter for Fox Football, and back then, NASCAR telecasts.

There was some of the serious moments.  The weddings, when Jep had his seizure, when the Robertson’s bought their neighbor  a new home for Christmas.   When Mia had her Cleft Palate fixed.

It is fashionable to talk about faith and family and God even.  The Robertsons unashamedly made their stand for Jesus Christ.  Praying at the end of every episode as a family was great.

The liberal press wants to blame the stand that Phil made on traditional marriage as the ratings declining.  First I feel that it was that he had a lesser role in the the show. Second it was like M*A*S*H* was when I was a kid, the show just ran its course.

The story of Phil Robertson and Duck commander shows that you can live the American Dream.  He left his job as a high school teacher to start Duck Commander out of his home.  The family was very poor at the start, living off the land.  Now he is a multi-millionaire.

When someone does not understand the redneck lifestyle, we usually get categorized as unrefined and flat out dumb.  Phil and all his boys have Master’s degrees hanging on the wall.  You don’t have their net work by being stupid, just saying it plainly.

Yes I identify myself as a redneck.  I was more of a fisherman than a hunter.  I long to be by the creek bank again.  I love NASCAR too.

I believe that God has gives a man free will and he has a sovereign plan on some things.  The biggest thing that mankind has a free will in is whether to accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.  All men have the opportunity to accept him.

In the life of Phil Robertson, God had a hand in both men.  Phil was destined to be a star quarterback in the NFL.  He decided to give up football his senior year at Louisiana Tech because it took away from his passion for hunting.

His backup at Tech was my boyhood idol, Terry Bradshaw.  The rest is history about the type of career Bradshaw had in the NFL.  Both men are great witnesses for the Lord.

When Phil was in college they played against Ken Stabler and Alabama.  I found an old video on YouTube that I watched  Legendary coach Bear Bryant said in his post-game press conference that two of the best all time college QB’s were on the field that day.

Throughout the series you can tell the Robertson’s are the real deal.  You can be men among men and love the Lord and love your wives, which they all married their high-school sweethearts.  Miss Kay, Korie, Missie, and Jessica are sweethearts.  As a guy, I can spot a good woman even on TV.

The sibling rivalry between Willie, Jase, and Jep is the typical brother relationship. Willie is Type A.  Jase is Type B.  You can tell Jep is the baby.

Thank you for coming into our homes.  You have made me laugh, and most of all ministered and been a blessing to me.  There was a lot of laughs and tears watching the final episode last night.  I have the DVR set to record all the reruns.

To Si, thank you for your service to our country.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Filed Under: Columns, Opinion, Slider

How do we measure success of high school coaches?

March 24, 2017 By Leave a Comment
Coach Gillespie on the sidelines. (Ann Beckett, Marshall County Daily photo)

Coach Gillespie on the sidelines. (Ann Beckett, Marshall County Daily photo)

DRAFFENVILLE, KY- This is an editorial that ran in the Hopkinsville KY New Era Sun by Chris Jung. It addresses the dismissal of Marshall Co. KY high school coach Gus Gillespie. I only have met him once in a handshake, but I have heard nothing but good things said about him. The author makes some good points, and please click to read it. -sd

Filed Under: Columns, Editorials, Opinion

The Tri-State-Tornado from my Great Grandma’s view

March 18, 2017 By Leave a Comment

by Steve Dunford – franklincounty-news.com

When I began to see news stories ran yesterday about the anniversary of the Tri-State Tornado, my mind began to wander about the conversations I used to have with my Great Grandmother Beulah “Granny” Dunford.

“Granny” was not a family name, it was a T’ville name.  She ran a restaurant back in the 1940’s and 50’s in Thompsonville.  Troops that were deployed during WWII and Korea would send her letters from overseas entitled “Granny.”

She was born in 1901.  Being a history buff, I would like to pick her mind about things.  She would always tell me stories about the depression.  She would say how wild things would get at times growing up in Saline County.

 

Shorty and "Granny" Dunford, my great grandparents. I would say the photo was in the early 1950's. Shorty passed away in 1957.

Shorty and “Granny” Dunford, my great grandparents. I would say the photo was in the early 1950’s. Shorty passed away in 1957.

She was a high school graduate which was rare during those days.  I would occasionally watch NFL games with her. She loved watching the NFL Films that Harry Kalas used to narrate.  Granny would tell me how she used to love playing football in PE, and would have loved to been a Harrisburg Bulldog if they would have let girls go out for the team.  She also would tell me that she would have loved to been a NASCAR driver as well.

During the Tri-State Tornado she lived in Parrish.  My Great Grandpa “Shorty” worked in the mines there.  He had an ice route in Parrish and Logan and worked second shift at the mine.

She told me off from the distance she thought the tornado was a huge fire, and wondered if it was at the mine.  She began to realize when the wind picked up, it was a tornado.

She huddled with her young family and rode the storm out.  In my recollection, the house was damaged but not destroyed.  My Grandpa, Charles, was a baby then.  She was afraid he would be blown out of her arms, so she threw him in a heavy cedar hope chest she had to ride out the storm.

She said there were few things left standing in Parrish.  Accounts of the tornado have the community 90% destroyed.  She told me she met Shorty close to the mine.  The tipple was blown over and the miners were able to walk out.

She had another close call with a tornado, when the one struck Thompsonville on April 27, 1971, narrowly missing her house.  There was a buckeye tree in her yard that I always climbed as a kid the storm split into.

She told me that God must always had his hand on my grandpa. When the mine was idle, they family went to the river.  She said they lived off of fish and tomatoes that summer as well as times during the depression.  In the middle of the night that summer my Grandpa rolled out of the tent when they were asleep, and they fund him laying outside sound asleep.

God is not finished with my Grandpa because he is still living. Growing up as a kid, he was a rural mail carrier by day, and an electrician by night.  He also pastored the McKinney Chapel Free Will Baptist Church near Goreville.  It was a large congregation for a rural church, running around 100 in Sunday School.  My grandparents made the long drive from Thompsonville to the Lake of Egypt several times a week.

He was the happiest man that I ever met.  I never seen him in a bad mood.  He is hard working and always has a can do attitude.  He started college i and became a real estate agent when he was well into his 70’s.

He will be 93 in September.  He now lives at Heritage Woods in Benton.  He holds bible studies with residents, and he spends a lot of time on the internet.  He does not get into social media, but he will tell me about articles he read on the Drudge Report. He is well versed in the issues of his day.

He is a World War II veteran.  The story I provided a link to about the Honor Flight yesterday, he was a participant a couple of years ago.

I am going to throw another little tidbit in about my family. Yesterday would have been my grandma, Pansy Dunford’s birthday. Being born on St. Partrick’s day, she had a knack of spotting four leaf clovers.  She began collecting them in quart mason jars, and had several of them.  They Daily American and The Southern wrote stories about this.  I would like to access them one day on Microfilm.

Thank you for allowing me to go down memory lane today.

 

 

Filed Under: Columns, Slider

Congressman Mike Bost’s tele town hall meeting -effective

March 16, 2017 By Leave a Comment

Steve Dunford – franklincounty-news.com

WASHINGTON, DC –  Last night Mike Bost (R-Murphysboro) conducted a town hall meeting via telephone with his constituents. The meeting started at 6:45 p.m. local time.  The sophomore congressman apologized, saying there was a delay in voting on a bill on the house floor that held the meeting back.

In congressman Bost’s opening statements he gave two reasons for this format.  The first was he can reach over 80,000 constituents using this format.  Second, this format would be free of interruptions from protesters.  It is past precedence that GOP congressman have been subject to protesters that take over town hall meetings, not giving the whole constituency the right to speak.

There are some that are across the district that have voice their displeasure with Mike Bost for not holding a town hall meeting in person. There was a gathering at a Carbondale restaurant last night to where a suit was hanging up representing Bost.  The town hall meeting was carried over the establishments PA system.

The meeting was fast paced, the audio quality was outstanding, and there were several topics that were covered.

The only critique I have of the meeting if it could be on video somehow.  That way, charts, graphs, and any other visual aids could be used.  Other than that, I felt the tele town hall meeting format was very effective.

Before the congressman began to take calls, he cited some of his accomplishments since congress convened on the aid in passing veterans on coal legislation.  The calls were evenly distributed across the twelfth congressional district.

He also stressed that when he is in the district his door is open to meet at any time with constituents.

The majority  of the calls dealt with the Affordable Care Act.  The congressman referred to a three step process in the process, repair, replace then repeal.  Callers would give their individual circumstances and Bost would explain how the individual caller world benefit.  He said the goals of the new act would be provider based, and more affordable from competition.

There was one call that asked if the Congressman would vote for or against HB 861 which would eliminate the EPA.  He said that he would not vote for elimination completely, however, he stated there are some regulations that need cut.

There was one caller that inquired about the UMWA pensions.  He said something about the pension health insurance being paid out of mine acclimation funds.  I am working on getting some more information on this.  There was an extension that was voted on in congress to extend this until the end of April.

I am looking forward to the next meeting.  It is a great way to be informed what is taking place in Washington on our behalf.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Filed Under: Columns, Opinion

Sorry, but if you’re a Christian, you need to go to church. Regularly

March 12, 2017 By Leave a Comment

LEXINGTON, KY (Paul Prather Lexington Herald) Please Click to read the entire column. Here is an Exceprt. Lately, I’ve read a couple of insightful articles that address a recurring spiritual question: If you consider yourself a Christian, must you go to church? I’ve expressed my thoughts before about this issue. My answer, unfortunately, tends to make people mad. My answer is, yes, you have to go to church. That is, if you want to progress in your faith — if you hope to become a mature, actualized, fully functioning Christian.

Filed Under: Columns, Opinion, Slider

The Franklin County Rangers

March 10, 2017 By Leave a Comment

by Steve Dunford – franklincounty.news-com.

Tuesday night, I made my first trip to Rich Herrin gym this season. The renovations look great.  Thank you to the “Governors” grandparents, Rick and Debbie Webster, for hauling my lard butt to the game Tuesday.  I will be writing a feature story on Jonathan Kinsman soon.

My top row view of Rich Herrin gym Tuesday night.

My top row view of Rich Herrin gym Tuesday night.

I was sitting in the rafters on the top row.  It was probably the first time I sat in a chair seat in Rich Herrin gym.  They are awesome seats with a lot of leg room.  I have watched hundreds of games over the years in that gym.  I think it was the first time I ever sat in a chair seat.

Even though the first time I watched them live, I have watched the Rangers on streaming video multiple times this year.  Listening to Jim Muir (and no I am not sucking up to my boss) and Tom Wheeler over the years is as good as being there.

I am going to call the crowd 3,500 Tuesday night.  It was pushing the McLeansboro crowd in the BIT in 1984.  With the 1A and 2A Super Sectional going on last night as well,

I didn’t run into anyone from Z-R , but I saw people who had maroon on last night from each of the other teams in the county. There were some Redbirds in maroon even.

I ran into Austin Glodich Wednesday morning at Caseys.  The first question he asked was, “Did you go to Benton last night?”  I am going to miss watching him play.

"Sideline Sev" in his Ranger gear Tuesday night"

“Sideline Sev” in his Ranger gear Tuesday night”

It was the first time I had the “privilege” of witnessing Travis Severin in his Halloween costume Tuesday.  A lot of the awesome Ranger student section was dressed to go trick or treating too.   One thing that I have witnessed in general around Southern Illinois, students are starting to turn out again at High School games again.  It warms this old geezers heart.

I am going down memory lane for a second.  From an early age, Ron Head and Bobby Blondi brought Ranger basketball to me on WQRX. I especially loved listening to games from the Centralia Holiday Tournament and the BIT.  I would go around the house pulling up my socks and stomping the floor like Rich Herrin.  It is a privilege to cover Morthland College games and be able to sit behind the bench in an intimate setting.

I played hooky from school to watch a Bruce Baker team take on Marty Simmons and Doug Novseck for Ron Felling and Lawrenceville in the in the State Tournament in 1982.

My heart was broke watching a 1984 team that was the smallest AA team in the state, lose an overtime thriller to Evanston in the Elite Eight.  There were several division one players on that team.  A lot of them played for Rich Herrin at SIU.

Somewhere in this time frame around 1982-84, I wanted a maroon Jacket with Benton Rangers stitched on the back.  They were coming from a new business on the square.  Their phone number was 435-555-55-5.

I mentioned to my mom and dad I wanted one for Christmas.  This resulted in a fist fight with my brother in our garage, saying I was showing disrespect for T’ville.  I don’t know if the jacket came from All Stars-n-Stitches, but for Christmas I received a blue and gold Thompsonville Tigers jacket in the same format.

I was able to watch Jo Jo Johnson and the 1992 team in B section, center court, at the Assembly Hall.  It was great to see the Rangers take home some hardware.

Every time I went into a restaurant, I would run into a lot of people from Franklin County.  I arrived in Champaign two hours before the quarterfinal game.  There was so many Franklin County people in there,  John and Mary Moreland should have received a cut of the sales.

I have enjoyed taking basketball with Kenny Irvin over the years.  I pull up in the parking lot in my Buick Regal I drove at the time, and I noticed him with Jo Jo Liquid Papered all over his recently shaved head.  I do not know this for sure, but rumors said he had a tough time removing.  It was good to see him last night and crossing paths with him several times during the season.

Lets get into the present day.  I jotted down some notes but only used them as talking points discussing the game.  One was slowing the game down in the second half.  Ron Winemiller and Wade Thomas let their McLeansboro roots show.  The Rangers patient offense was effective outscoring Cahokia 13-6 in the third quarter to turn a four point half-time deficit into a three point lead.

The Rangers weathered the storm missing eight free throws in the fourth quarter Tuesday night, and a few unforced turnovers in the first half.  They weathered the storm being behind by double digits in the first quarter to Carbondale.

Leaving Tuesday night, I just had a gut feeling you will see this team play in Peoria.  The reason why, they seem to find a way to win.  My mind is going all the way back to December, when they squeaked out a win down at Herrin.

I have a lot of ties to this Ranger team.  I am going to share some with you.

I am distantly related to coach Ron Winemiller.  I posted this on Facebook after the regional championship win with Carbondale on Friday night.

Most of you know that Benton coach Ron Winemiller is a distant cousin of mine. My great aunt is Coach Winemiller’s great grandma. We spent a lot of time in the backyard at my maternal grandparents house talking basketball. She would go down the list of the Corn’s which was her grandkids. First the UAB blazers, then the Pinckneyville Panthers, the McLeansboro Foxes, and finally the Benton Rangers. I believe when the bible says the windows of heaven are open, you are allowed to see happy times on this earth. I think my aunt Doris was smiling from heaven last night, seeing her great grandson, who is a second generation coach, guiding the Rangers to a victory last Friday night.

The first is Timmy Henson.  I guess you call his mom Penny my first girlfriend. (Don’t be jealous Mike)  We would hold hands on the playground in first grade. Our families were friends.  It is a friendship that still lasts today.

Something else about Timmy is he slid on the same uniform up to his freshman year that I slid on, a Thompsonville Tiger jersey.  In the three years that he has been a Ranger, there are several from T’ville that has followed his playing career.  It has been special watching him play all four years in high school.

I became friends with Derek Oxford’s uncle, Terry Drone, when I went to school at Rend Lake.  We don’t cross paths a lot, but when we see each other we have a long conversation, mainly about High School Basketball.

Even though he was a few years younger than me, Benton football coach Bob Pankey lived a block and a half from me, until his family moved between Whittington and Ewing when he was in grade school.  I always liked talking to that red headed kid back then.  There is my tie to Blaine Pankey.

Hamilton Page’s mom Cindy, was always around my cousins house in Akin alot.  She was not as much, but you can throw Gehrig Wynn’s mom Trudee in there.  I would cross paths with Matt a lot when I was a student at  SIU.

The little I have been around this team, they play the game right. They are good kids off the court.  The grade school age kids in Benton idolize this team.  They set an example for them to look up to.

Knowing that several of the Ranger players went to the “Governor’s” seventh birthday party was awesome.  There were always little hands that were stuck out wanting five during the game at both of the end zones of Rich Herrin gym.  The Ranger players did at every opportunity.

Tickets for tonight’s game sold out quickly yesterday.  I am going to be watching tonight from my recliner from the YouTube stream.

Enjoy the run.  I have a feeeling the journey is far from over.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Filed Under: Columns, Opinion, Slider

Severe weather needs to be taken seriously part one

March 6, 2017 By Leave a Comment

Steve Dunford –  franklincounty-news.com

Six days ago we had a long track tornado that started in Perryville MO, where the track ended on the west side of Franklin County. Intense rotation persisted all the way across the county until another tornado touch down in White County around the Crossville area and proceeded across the Wabash to and dissipated  south of Oakland City, IN.

Dash cam still photo of the Tornado that struck near Mulkeytown, retrieved from Franklin County EMA Director Ryan Buckingham's on board vehicle camera system. Observing severe weather at night can be particularly difficult and dangerous due to low visibility and other environmental factors. (FCEMA photo)

Dash cam still photo of the tornado that struck near Mulkeytown, retrieved from Franklin County EMA Director Ryan Buckingham’s on board vehicle camera system. Observing severe weather at night can be particularly difficult and dangerous due to low visibility and other environmental factors. (FCEMA photo)

The Perryville to Mulkeytown tornado had a 50.5 mile track.  Since the National Weather Service office in Paducah was founded in 1984, it was the longest track tornado according to NWS meteorologist Robin Smith.

I had a half hour long conversation with Smith on Friday.  I asked him a question about Tuesday night’s tornado.  I told him that I have been a weather geek since I could barely talk.  I said that storms seem to do weird things when the cross the Mississippi into Southern Illinois.

Here in Franklin County we are very fortunate of this but when the tornado was getting within a few miles of Rend Lake. it dissipated. The violent F-4 twister was approaching several population centers in the county, especially the city of Benton.  I am not trivializing the ones that suffered loss around the Route 184/Yellowbanks area of the county, but the loss would have been beyond catastrophic if a large populated area was hit.

I asked Smith about bodies of water having effects on storms.  I was caught up in the  of the conversation to get a direct quote, but he said they do strange things.  He mentioned that most of the time this particular tornado was on the ground in Southeast Missouri, there were multiple vorticies.  After crossing the river into Southern Illinois, the storm became a single vortex.

Smith said if last Tuesday night’s storm would have stayed on the ground continuously through the rest of Franklin, Hamilton and White Counties it would have been about the same length of the Tri-State Tornado in 1925.  The one that ended here in Franklin County ran a parallel track about 10 miles to the northwest of the Tri-State one.

The one that touched down around Crossville and went into Southern Indiana, was an identical track to the Tri-State tornado. In fact, one of the homes that was destroyed around Crossville, there was a home that was on the same property that was destroyed in 1925.

Tonight, we have a risk of severe weather in the overnight hours. The NWS and local media sources did an outstanding job relaying information to the public during this last event.

Since technology is in place to detect rotation, there are more Tornado Warnings issued.  A lot of times when one it sighted on the ground it is too late.  Rotation or funnel clouds should be taken as serious as a touchdown.  If you are one who gets aggravated for break ins of your favorite program, just think if the tornado mentioned above was bearing down on you with no warning at all.  I hope last Tuesday night was a wake up call if you feel that way.

The Paudcah Weather service office did a phenomenal job with the warning lead times.   During the event we were under two PDS (Particularly Dangerous Situation) Tornado Watches and two PDS tornado warnings.

The Storm Prediction Center only gives three percent of tornado watches the PDS label.  The Tornado warnings that are given that label are by the local weather service office.  The last time there were warnings around here with that strong of language was the early morning of the Harrisburg tornado.

Tonight, we have a risk of severe weather in the overnight hours. The NWS and local media sources did an outstanding job relaying information to the public during this last event.

This event will be during the overnight hours.  Just make sure you have a way to receive warnings and prepare in case there is an outage in your sleep.

I will post the second part of this in a couple of days.  I am just going to share some observations that I see that will help you prepare for the next event.

It is Severe Weather Preparedness week here in Illinois.  I will be sharing things from Franklin County Emergency Management Agency in regards to this.

One footnote I would like to share about last Tuesday night. Superintendent Richard Towers and the staff of Christopher Unit District #99 made a very good call having the players, cheerleaders and fans ride the storm out at Hamilton County High School after the sectional boys basketball game at Norris City.  Thank you to the Hamco administration for opening their doors up.

I kept typing out warnings for this sites Facebook page and sending texts to my son that played on the Christopher basketball team.   One of the greatest texts I ever received in my life was “Dad I am OK, I am in McLeansboro at the High School.  We are staying here until the storm passes.  Again, thank you all for your foresight that evening.

 

 

Filed Under: Columns, Opinion

Big government sneakily gets bigger

February 27, 2017 By Leave a Comment

WASHINGTON, DC- (Please click to read George Will’s weekly column from the Washington Post. Here is an Excerpt) In 1960, when John Kennedy was elected president, America’s population was 180 million and it had approximately 1.8 million federal bureaucrats (not counting uniformed military personnel and postal workers). Fifty-seven years later, with seven new Cabinet agencies, and myriad new sub-Cabinet agencies (e.g., the Environmental Protection Agency), and a slew of matters on the federal policy agenda that were virtually absent in 1960 (health insurance, primary and secondary school quality, crime, drug abuse, campaign finance, gun control, occupational safety, etc.), and with a population of 324 million, there are only about 2 million federal bureaucrats. So, since 1960, federal spending, adjusted for inflation, has quintupled and federal undertakings have multiplied like dandelions, but the federal civilian workforce has expanded only negligibly, to approximately what it was when Dwight Eisenhower was elected in 1952. Does this mean that “big government” is not really big?

Filed Under: Columns, Opinion
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