Marietta Ann Claar – Christopher

Marietta Ann Claar, 90, of Christopher, passed away on June 14, 2021.

She was born on July 31, 1930 in Gardiner, MT to Heber and Blanche (MacMahon) Rice. She is survived by her children Jerry Claar of Bozeman, MT, Mary Claar of Christopher, Annette Stancil of Bozeman, MT, Leonard Claar of Christopher and Kristen Hardesty of Emigrant, MT. She was preceded in death by her parents, one daughter Katrina Sosa, two brothers and one sister.

Her wishes were to be cremated with no services.

For more information go to our website www.gilbertfuneralhomes.com

RLC announces Honor’s List for Spring 2021 Semester

INA, IL – Rend Lake College is proud to present its President’s and Vice President’s Lists for the Spring 2021 semester.

The lists include 173 individuals named to the President’s List. Those students earned a 4.0 grade point average (GPA) during the semester with 12 credit hours or more. Another 207 students were named to the Vice Presidents’ List, and these students earned a 3.50 – 3.99 GPA during the semester as a full-time student status.

“We’re excited to see such a big number of hardworking students named to the President’s and Vice Presidents’ lists, and those students should be proud of the work they put in to reach this honor,” said RLC President Terry Wilkerson. “I speak for our faculty and staff when I commend them for their success and encourage them to continue working hard to reach their educational goals.”

RLC students receiving academic honors for Spring 2021, listed by communities, are:

President’s List

BELLE RIVE – Wendy Beaty, Hayden Pilson, Elizabeth Pittman

BENTON – Emily Clark, Mady Darr, Reid Donaldson, Olivia Drew, Jayla Eubanks, Autumn Filkins, Josie Fryar, Megan Hallemann, Madelin Hayes, Trevor Key, Madison Kreiner, Evie Krieger, Samantha Licka, Kaitlyn Matzker, Madeleine Miller, Megann Nelson, Trinity Price, Demi Ren, Christina Rodriguez, Owen Sanders, Daniel Stowers, Sesley Tedeschi, Peyton Tieffel, Kortney Wilcox

BLUFORD – Abigail Hulbert, Gavin Johnson, Samantha Schrum

BONNIE – Evan Bicanich, Reagan Newell

BUCKNER – Michaela Eubanks

CARBONDALE – Octavia Marshall

CARTERVILLE – Liliana Caamal, Jacob Jablonski, Jozlin Ziegler

CHRISTOPHER – Kyle Docherty, Kimberly Docherty, Daniella Hewitt, Dakota Noel

CISNE – Jayden Bailey

COULTERVILLE – Sarah Birchler, Tyler Yehling

DAHLGREN – Taylor Jonas, Katelyn Morris

DIX – Alex Bronson

DU QUOIN – William Neal, Emily Stanhouse

ELDORADO – Delaney Oglesby

EWING – Ragan Carter, Gage Harmon, Emeline Kerley, Ma’kayla Marshall

FAIRFIELD – Maverick Conrad

GOREVILLE – Whitney Bryan

HARRISBURG – Whitley Woolard

HINESVILLE, GA – Brittany Patterson

INA – Frank Barrett, Mitchell Gilman, Christopher Gory, Kyle Hetherington, Juhle Prange, Brandon Tucker

JOHNSTON CITY – Jaci Page

MACEDONIA – Kennedy Kimmel, Adrianna Maxwell

MAITLAND, Ontario, Canada – Evan Wilcox

MARION – Delani Graves-Napier, Ryan Grayson

MCLEANSBORO – Aimee Birkner, Emily Cox, Kolby Darnell, Matthew Gage, Trevor Gray, Clayton Keener, Camryn Parker, Michaela Rexing, Roger Scroggins, Brad Smith, Alyssa Vanzant, Courtney Wellen

MOUNT VERNON – Sunni Belmont, Joshua Bourland, Lukas Cooper, Jackson Creel, Briar Curd, Alivia Dillman, Rhett Ellis, Dominick Finney, Haleigh Harpole, Shane Hiatt, Reece Johnson, Coby Marquez, Madisyn Mcculley, Ashton Mcpherson, Briana Meyer, Brianna Morgan, Kyleigh Odle, Denise Oneal, Mikayla Robbers, Paige Saupe, Gracie Stover, Braden Young, Gary Johnson, Aaron Mccoy, Maryna Strickland

MULKEYTOWN – Luke Burkitt, Hannah Flatt, Bryce Leeper, Kaitlyn Mays, Trinitti Noto, Ofelia Perez, Amber Webb

NEW ATHENS – Cassidy Dickerson

NORRIS CITY – Tori Karnes, Bailey Richerson, Brooke Sell, Baylee Sutton

OPDYKE – Weston Brockhouse

PINCKNEYVILLE – Alexandra Eisenhauer, Megan Engelhardt, Amber Hagene, Sarah Issler, Dalton Kitchen, Kenzie Rushing

PITTSBURG – Justin Clark

RICHVIEW – Cydni Wrobel

SCHELLER – Dillon Banach, Samantha Mccowen

SESSER – Madison Hollis, Carlie Page

SPARTA – Lyndsey Stevens

STEELEVILLE – Charles Austin, Jesse Fedderke

TAMAROA – Taylor Bizaillion, Debra Compton, Paige Epplin, Kassity Lee, Megan Restoff, Jami Roznowski, Kayla Valentine

TEXICO – Emma Pemberton

THOMPSONVILLE – Olivia Barclay, Alexis Mcfarland, Kolton Mcfarland, Reed Raubach, Mallory Rone

VALIER – William Heard

WALNUT HILL – Erica Schmidt

WALTONVILLE – Raeghan Fitzjerrells, Destiny Holtz, Jaice Mccowen, Braelyn Walker
WATSEKA – Justin Bunting

WAYNE CITY – Madelyn Caudle, Caitlyn Dickey, Jeremy Meritt

WEST FRANKFORT – Madelyn Britton, Grace Engler, Nathaniel Jones, Abigail Mitchell, Kelly Murphy

WHITTINGTON – Dara Macdonald, Alexandra Sadler, Crystal Strauch, Rylee White

WOODLAWN – Sarah Chesnek, Payton Groennert, Katelynn Knox, Timothy Plemons, Haleigh Rynski, Roger Wright

Vice Presidents’ List

ASHLEY – Race Rynski

BELLE RIVE – Jayden Harrison, Tyler Henry, Jayme Piercy, Madison Scrivner, Hallie Sledge

BENTON – Kelcie Bayless, Kady Bone, Jade Bozovich, Bailee Cairel, Tyler Chamness, Robert Collins, Megan Diuguid, Kaelynn Dunford, Cailyn Fowlkes, Molly Goostree, Chloe Hill, Bailey Hopson, Isabella Jerrells, Emily Kovarik, Brendan Luster, Braxton Lutz, Mariela Martinez, Lucas Prior, Savannah Pulliam, Lauryn Roach, Heather Short, Mitchell Supancic, Morgan Swigonski, Allison Toms, Carson Webb, Jaxon Williams, Lindsay Willis

BLUFORD – Adelina Caronongan, Miranda Cross, Rylee Greenwalt, Cord Hails, Tylar Hanson, Samantha Hill, Richard Lumpkins, Brandon Shelton

BONNIE – Leslie Dent, Pierce Payne, Brooke Wilderman

CAMBRIDGE – Caden Bowers

CARLYLE – Karly Kampwerth

CARMI – Curtlyn Hayes

CARTERVILLE – Macie Blythe, Johnjie Samar

CHESTER – Edward Kerkhover

CHRISTOPHER – Tyler Hasenfang, Noah Hervey, Whitney Young

COMMERCE, Ga. – John Simmons III

COULTERVILLE – Paige Hand, Steven Hirte

DAHLGREN – Ezekiel Scott

DIX – Jaid Burkett, Alyssa Duncan

DU QUOIN – Yvonne Mcdonnough, Avery Waller

EWING – Faith Allendorf, Adam Carter, Logen Erthall, Angel Helm, Rachel Jennings

GOREVILLE – Esmeralda Hawkins

HARRISBURG – Keely Reed, Morgan Saar

HOYLETON – Abby Wesselmann

INA – Danielle Bieber, Korey Bunselmeyer, Arlon Butts, Nicholas Compton, Ashley Jarrett, Makenzie Martin, Brooke Stepter, Nicholas Wimber

JOHNSONVILLE – Chasidy Greenwalt

MACEDONIA – Logan Sink, Leigh Thomas, Amanda Weber

MARION – Jarrett Fitch, Cooper Smith

MCLEANSBORO – Samuel Benbrook, Breanna Bowers, Tyler Branch, Kolby Darnell, Kaitlynn Elizondo, Derrick Epperson, Kaylee Ingram, Erica Mccormick, Leah Ragan, Evan Shelton, Jevin Shreve, Garrett Webb

MILL SHOALS – Alexis Wheeler

MOUNT VERNON – Austin Ballard, Gabriel Blumeyer, Chapel Davis, Cervion Davis, Kaylee Dycus, Amber Eaton, Brandon Hall, Lolani Hall, Elleyese Halper, Seth Hamerski, Annibelle Harrison, Drake Hess, Summer Hobson, Cheyenne Ilbery, Brian Jeffries, Kaleb Jones, Kylee Keele, Halle Klockenga, Jillian Launay, Hayden Locke, Jessica Lockeby, Carson Long, Jaleese Mcwilliams, Samantha Moore, Krissa Morris, Latesha Nesbitt, Jessica Oliver, Denise Oneal, Kadi Petersen, Devin Pigg, Saige Price, Kristyn Reiman, Jay Reiss, Pacey Reynolds, Wyatt Schrader, Austin Ullery, Terron Williams, Cyndel Mckiness, Taurean Miller

MULKEYTOWN – Emily Bullock, Grant Gordon, Ember Milby

MURPHYSBORO – Rachel Finders

NEWTON – Ailyssa Lewis

NORRIS CITY – Shelby Vance-Orrick

OPDYKE – Erica Marlow, Emma Moser, Bailey Schuette, Jerri Shepard, Thaddeus Zedalis

PINCKNEYVILLE – Railyn Bardle, Cassandra Brown, Kelly Buschschulte, Jacelyn Catron, Jacob Crews, Morgan Epplin, Hattie Fisher, Abby Heine, Dakota Hinkle, Reid Keene, Hannah Kocian, Tristyn Morgenstern, Jessica Ramsey, David Wagner, Hayley Winter

SALEM – Blake Deitz, Wyatt Garren

SCHELLER – Hannah Miller, Caleb Miller, Martina Skorch

SESSER – Reid Basso, Destiny Boswell, Kassedy Cloe, Madyson Edwards, Mazie Eubanks, Haden Harmon, Jamie Thompson, Carrie Williams

SPARTA – Jose Zavala

TAMAROA – Madelyn Bearden, Grace Collins, David Iffert, Sara Waggoner

THOMPSONVILLE – Holly Cunningham, Leah Davis, Corbin Fitch, Tyler Jones, Alethia Kimble, Baily Lampley, Teresa Nolen, Kenlee Smith

VALIER – Clayton Woodland

WALNUT HILL – Matthew Walton

WAYNE CITY – Lillian Borah, Zachary Maxey, Kaylee Seymour

WEST FRANKFORT – Stella Furlow, Marylynn Manning, Jordan Scoville

WHITTINGTON – Toni Frayser, Annie Gates, Nicolas Roberts

WOODLAWN – Shaylin Arnold, Hayden England, Hunter England, Blake Mckay, Macy Williams

ZEIGLER – Blake Karas, Jacob Perry, Jacob Wawczak

Benton police make arrests

On June 10th, 2021 at approximately 12:21 a.m. Benton Police observed a suspicious male suspect in the 1100 block of North Main Street.

Upon investigation, police arrested Grey Abbott, age 43, of Benton for unlawful possession of drug paraphernalia, unlawful possession of methamphetamine, and resisting a peace officer. Abbott also had an active White County warrant for domestic battery. Abbott was charged and transported to the Franklin County Jail for further processing.

On June 11th, 2021 at approximately 6p.m., Benton Police arrested Joshua L. Watkins, age 37, of Benton on an active Franklin County warrant for failure to appear for driving while license suspended. Watkins was transported to the Franklin County Jail for further processing.

William S. Richardson – Ewing, Illinois

William S. Richardson, 90, passed away on June 12, 2021, at SSM Good Samaritan Hospital, Mt. Vernon, IL, surrounded by his family.

William was born to Frank and Ethel (Bolen) Bain Richardson on October 19, 1930, on Terrapin Hill in rural Franklin County, Illinois. He was a second-generation lifelong farmer and resident of Northern Township in rural Franklin County, and often marveled at the fact when the leaves were off the trees, he could look out his back window and see the home place where he was born. After he retired from farming and even later after he and his wife moved into Benton, his favorite pastime was driving around to look at the crops and other happenings in all, of Northern Township.

William was a member of Immanuel Baptist Church in Benton and was a member of Frisco Missionary Baptist Church for several years before it dissolved.

He and his loving wife Jane were married for over 71 years, and she survives. He is also survived by one son, William K. Richardson and his wife Amy; one daughter, Sherri Wilson and her husband Dale; three grandsons, Clayton Richardson and fianceé Zina Smith, Joshua (Brianna) Wilson, Colton Richardson and girlfriend Alexandria Cairel; one granddaughter, Sidney Wilson; two beautiful great-granddaughters, Hadley and Arya; three sisters-in-law, Ava (Dale) Denault, Barb Zinke, and Carolyn (Bob) Higgins; a very special niece, Mary Belle Sweetin; several other nieces and nephews; and his Richardson cousins, Kenny and Dale.
He was preceded in death by his parents; half-brothers Oris Bain, Ellis Bain, Lewis Bain, and Royal Bain; infant sister, Norma Richardson; half-sister Lorene Richardson Kern; and brother-in-law, Elmer Zinke.
William was the grandson of a Civil War veteran. He was drafted into the Army in 1952 during the Korean War era, stationed in occupied Germany, and honorably discharged. In the early years of their marriage Jane followed him to basic training and they lived in Alexandria, Virginia before he was deployed to Europe.

William was an active member of the Democrat party, having served as Northern Township Precinct Committeeman over 50 years, Northern Township Trustee for over 16 years, Franklin County Democrat Party Treasurer, and actively worked on the campaigns for several national, state, and local elections, including those of Harry S. Truman, Paul Simon, Glen Poshard, and David Phelps.

William was an active member of the community and accomplished much in his 90 years on earth. He was a 4-H leader before and after military service and coached a 4-H softball team all the way to the state tournament. His contributions to Franklin County, Southern Illinois, and the State of Illinois include serving on the Franklin County Farm Bureau as President and Vice President, Land of Lincoln Soybean Board, Illinois Farm Development Board of Directors, Franklin County Extension Council, Franklin County Soil & Water Board, Franklin County Zoning & Planning Commission, Akin Water District Board as Chairman, Southern Illinois Production Credit Association as President, Illinois Finance Authority Board, and 43 years on the board of Southern Illinois Electric Cooperative, being elected Chairman four times.

William was a devoted husband and proud father and grandfather, having rarely missed any events of his grandchildren. He was generous with his time and resources and had the ability to carry on a conversation with anyone at any time or place, thus why politics and community service came so naturally to him. He will be deeply missed by his family and all those whose lives he touched.

Funeral Services will be held at 1 p.m. Wednesday, June 16, 2021, at the Immanuel Baptist Church with Rev. Terry Kern and Rev. Richard Lance officiating. Burial with Military Honors by the Benton American Legion Post #280, Benton V.F.W. Post #2671, and the Army National Guard will be in the Oak Hill Cemetery of Ewing. Visitation will be from 11:00 a.m. to 1 p.m. Wednesday at the Immanuel Baptist Church of Benton. The Leffler Funeral Home of Benton is in charge of the arrangements.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Immanuel Baptist Church and will be accepted at the church on the day of the services or may be sent to the Leffler Funeral Home.
To leave online condolences to the family, or to share memories of William S. Richardson, go to www.lpfuneralhome.com

Juanita M. Cook – Sesser, IL

Juanita M. Cook, 85, of Sesser, passed away on June 10, 2021 at Deaconess Midtown in Evansville, IN.

She was born on November 20, 1935 in Johnston City, IL to Rolla and Nina (Martin) Jones. She married Leon Cook on November 7, 1954 and he survives of Sesser.

She is also survived by her son Jeff (Cindy) Cook of Zionsville, IN; one granddaughter Alexandra (Steven) Coleman of Irvington, IL and one great-grandson Easton Coleman; two brothers Kenny (Jenny) Jones of Energy and Larry (Len) Jones of Sesser and two sisters Frieda McQuen, of Joliet, IL and Doris Johnson, of Florida.

She was preceded in death by her parents.

She was part owner of Sesser Concrete for many years.

Graveside services will be on Tuesday June 15, 2021 at 10:00 AM at the Maple Hill Cemetery in Sesser with Brother Larry Cook officiating. Burial will be at Maple Hill Cemetery in Sesser.

For more information go to our website www.gilbertfuneralhomes.com

Search underway for Southern Illinois man accused of sexual assault of a child

Local authorities are seeking the public’s help in locating a 36-year-old accused of predatory criminal sexual assault of a child.

Here’s a link to the story at the Southern Illinoisan.

Missing Marion man identified as body found at Motel Marion demolition site

MARION – Marion Police have confirmed the identity of the the man found dead Tuesday at the demolition site of Motel Marion as Russell W. Bozarth, of Marion.

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

IHSA Sports Open Up Further As State Moves To Phase 5

The state of Illinois moved to Phase 5 as a part of the Restore Illinois pandemic relief plan on June 11, 2021. As a result of the move to Phase 5, many IHSA sports and activities have greater autonomy in scheduling, as well as in hosting fans. Some highlights of the move to Phase 5 include…

All IHSA sports can now schedule contests/meets with and against any other high school in the state, as well as with out-of-state opponents.
There are no longer any spectator limitations. All IHSA host venues, indoor and outdoor, may host fans at 100% capacity.
Masks are no longer required for student-athletes, coaches, and officials in low- and medium-risk outdoor sports.

In order to help with social distancing and limit gatherings, the IHSA is utilizing digital ticketing at all remaining Super-Sectional and State Final venues for the remainder of the 2021 school year. GoFan is the official digital ticketing partner of the IHSA. Fans can purchase Super-Sectional and State Final tickets via the GoFan app or at GoFan.co/IHSA

The IHSA Girls and Boys Track & Field State Finals will employ Eastern Illinois University’s internal digital ticketing platform. State track & field tickets are available for purchase by clicking here.

More information can be found on the IHSA’s COVID-19 resource page.

County board discusses attorney fees, agreements for Walker’s Bluff casino project

MARION — Williamson County Board Commissioner Brent Gentry on Tuesday questioned what the county is paying a law firm to represent the local government in the Walker’s Bluff Resort project.

Here’s a link to the story at the Southern Illinoisan.

Body found at the Motel Marion demolition site

MARION – A body was discovered Tuesday at a demolition site for the Motel Marion, authorities said.

Here’s a link to the story at the Southern Illinoisan.

Benton, West Frankfort, Illinois News | Franklin County News