Benton, West Frankfort, Illinois News | Franklin County News
Newspaper covering Franklin County, Illinois
By Nancy Thorner & Ed Ingold –
In December 2017, the U.S. House and Senate, along partisan lines, passed historic tax reform legislation after last minute updates, allowing GOP members to keep their promises to the American people.
Continue reading …
Here’s the link at Illinois Review.
The Illinois State Police identified two young women as the victims in a fatal crash this past Saturday in Herrin.
According to a news release from ISP, Ashley A. Beck, 31, of Herrin, died in the crash and was pronounced dead on the scene by the Williamson County coroner. Amber A. Mitchell, 26, of Johnston City, also died in the crash. She was pronounced dead at Herrin Hospital. An 11-month-old girl also was riding with Mitchell at the time of the crash, and was treated and released.
The release states that the crash happened just after 1 a.m. on Saturday, Dec. 30, on 13th Street at East Herrin Road. According to the release, Beck fled from Herrin police officers in a Jeep Compass and struck a Jeep Liberty driven by Mitche
ISP says the investigation is continuing and it is not releasing any more information at this time.
Louisville, Ky. – The National Fastpitch Coaches Association named Saluki coach Kerri Blaylock to its board of directors today as its Division I Representative.
Blaylock joins a board of directors made up of her fellow coaches from programs including Tennessee, Notre Dame, Auburn, Nebraska and Purdue. Blaylock will act as a representative for matters regarding her coaching peers at the Division I level and work on the Head Coaches Committee which provides representation to all Division I Conferences in the discussion of legislation and playing rules.
The NFCA was founded in 1983 to advance the sport by creating awards programs, hosting a national coaching convention and providing a forum for coaches discuss issues effecting their game.
Blaylock, who is entering her 19th season, has won 628 games as the head coach of the Saluki Softball program. She has the best winning percentage of all 500-win coaches in Missouri Valley Conference history, and she is the only coach in conference history to lead a program to five-consecutive NCAA Tournaments.
Including her nine seasons as an assistant under her mentor, Saluki Hall-of-Famer Kay Brechtelsbauer, and her 18 years as the team’s skipper, Blaylock has helped Saluki softball maintain its position as one of the elite programs in the MVC while elevating the program to national prominence.
As a head coach, Blaylock has led SIU to five MVC titles with seven NCAA Tournament appearances while producing 87 All-Conference selections. She holds a .677 winning percentage in MVC games (292-139) and has been a member of five MVC Coaching Staffs of the Year. She is the fastest coach in MVC history to reach 500 wins overall and 250 MVC wins. On February 18, 2017, Blaylock won her 600th game as a head coach in a 4-2 win over Michigan State.
KFVS TV Photo
CALVERT CITY, KY – The McDonalds in Calvert City, Kentucky at the intersection of Interstate 24 and US 62 in the small Western KY town went up in flames this afternoon.
There is a video feed on Franklin County News Online’s Facebook page from WPSD-TV.
Here is a link to the story from KFVS-TV to click for further updates.
http://www.kfvs12.com/story/37175807/crews-respond-to-fire-at-calvert-city-ky-mcdonalds
Trooper Richard Stanley
DU QUOIN – The Illinois State Police District 13 wishes to welcome Trooper Richard Stanley. Trooper Stanley is a 5 year veteran of Mount Vernon Police Department. He recently graduated the Illinois State Police Academy from Cadet Class 126 where he served as class president. After completing the 25 weeks of training at the Academy, he has now begun a 14 week Field Training Program in District 13.
We also wish to congratulate Troopers Ronald Brooks and Zachary Brooks for their placement in Illinois State Police District 21 Ashkum upon graduation from Cadet Class 126. Trooper Ronald Brooks received a Bachelor’s Degree in Criminal Justice from Southern Illinois University, and served three years as a police officer/detective for the Murphysboro Police Department. (Pictured second.) Trooper Zachary Brooks received a Bachelor’s Degree in Administration of Justice from Southern Illinois University, served three years as a police officer for the Murphysboro Police Department, and also served two years as a conservation officer for the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources. (Pictured third.)
Cadet Class 126 graduated December 22, 2017. Please join us in welcoming these Troopers to their new assignments and in wishing them a safe career in public service!!
SPRINGFIELD – The Office of the State Fire Marshal (OSFM) and the Illinois Fire Safety Alliance (IFSA) today launched ‘Be Alarmed!’ – a joint smoke alarm installation program that provides smoke alarms to Illinoisans through their local fire departments. The OFSM will distribute smoke alarms with 10-year sealed batteries and fire safety educational materials to participating fire departments, at no-cost to residents. The OSFM requires participating fire departments to personally install each smoke alarm, educate the community on fire prevention and safety, and provide installation survey data to the IFSA.
‘Working smoke alarms provide crucial advance warning and can potentially save lives,’ said State Fire Marshal Matt Perez. ‘The ‘Be Alarmed!’ program will help ensure that Illinoisans have the tools and know-how to prevent and escape a fire should one occur. We encourage everyone to be alarmed in the new year and make sure your home is equipped with working smoke alarms.’
‘Six out of ten residential fire deaths occur in homes with no smoke alarms or no working smoke alarms,’ said Illinois Fire Safety Alliance Executive Director, Philip Zaleski. ‘The Illinois Fire Safety Alliance is excited to have developed this program in cooperation with the State Fire Marshal’s Office to provide smoke alarms to Illinois residents and help reduce the number of fire related injuries and deaths across the state.’
‘Be Alarmed!’ is a fire safety educational program developed to educate Illinoisans and to ensure that properly installed and working smoke alarms are in homes across Illinois.
The program seeks to:
All fire alarms and educational materials will be provided at no-cost to eligible fire departments from OSFM and IFSA with additional assistance from corporate partners including Kidde and Menards.
Interested fire departments should go to www.IFSA.org/programs/alarms for eligibility requirements and the request form.
WPSD photo
CALVERT CITY, KY – Since this is a destination stop for a lot of people heading south out of Franklin County, I decided to go ahead and share this. Here is a link to follow this story from WPSD-TV.
CHICAGO-Unemployment rates decreased over-the-year in November in all of Illinois’s metropolitan areas, according to preliminary data released today by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) and the Illinois Department of Employment Security (IDES). Data also show nonfarm jobs increased in ten of the metropolitan areas and decreased in four.
“It is encouraging that job growth was reported in ten of the fourteen metro areas,” said IDES Director Jeff Mays. “More than 30,000 of those jobs were created in the Chicago Metro area, so we need continued stronger growth statewide.”
Illinois businesses added jobs in ten metro areas, with the largest increases in: Kankakee (+2.6 percent, +1,200), Lake/Kenosha (+2.4 percent, +9,800), and the Quad Cities (+1.6 percent, +3,000). Total nonfarm jobs in the Chicago-Naperville-Arlington Heights Metro Division increased (+0.6 percent or +20,900). Illinois businesses lost jobs in four metro areas, with the largest losses in: Danville (-1.7 percent, -500), Champaign (-0.6 percent, -700), and Decatur (-0.6 percent, -300).
Please click on the link for the full article and statitstics from the Illinois Department of Employment Security
https://www2.illinois.gov/Pages/news-item.aspx?ReleaseID=15216
Dangerously cold wind chill temperatures will occur overnight on New Year’s Eve. If you have to be outside, remember to dress WARM and limit your exposure to the colder air! (NWS-Paducah)
…WIND CHILL ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL NOON CST TUESDAY…
a Wind Chill Advisory REMAINS IN EFFECT until noon CST Tuesday.
* WHERE…All of far southern Illinois, southwest Indiana, western
Kentucky, and southeast Missouri.
* WHEN…6 PM this evening to noon Tuesday.
* ADDITIONAL DETAILS…Wind chills will fall between 4 below and
12 below zero tonight. Wind chills will then drop to between 10
below and 20 below zero New Years Eve night into early New
Years Day. The cold wind chills will cause frostbite to exposed
skin in as little as 30 minutes.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…
A Wind Chill Advisory means that cold air and the wind will
combine to create low wind chills. Frost bite and hypothermia can
occur if precautions are not taken. Make sure to protect your
head, feet and hands.
This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for portions of southern
Illinois, southwest Indiana, western Kentucky, and southeast
Missouri.
.DAY ONE…Tonight
A wind chill advisory is in effect tonight for wind chills between
-4 and -12. Please see the advisory product for more details.
.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN…Sunday through Friday
A wind chill advisory will remain in effect for Sunday through
Tuesday. Wind chills are expected to fall to between -10 and -20
Sunday night. Please see the advisory product for more details.
.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT…
Spotter activation will not be needed.
SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois Department of Transportation, along with state and local law enforcement, wants to ring in 2018 with zero alcohol- and drug-related crashes on Illinois roads. As part of the annual Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over holiday enforcement period – Dec. 18 through Jan. 2 – Illinois State Police and more than 150 law enforcement agencies across the state are conducting increased DUI, speeding and distracted driving patrols, as well as roadside safety checks and seat belt enforcement zones.
“While New Year’s Eve is a time for celebration, it’s vital that we keep that celebration off our roads,” said Priscilla Tobias, Director of IDOT’s Office of Program Development. “Roadway safety is everyone’s responsibility. By making a resolution to drive sober and buckle up, we can all help to make zero fatalities a reality in Illinois.”
As 2017 comes to an end, Illinois is experiencing a second consecutive year of more than 1,000 motor vehicle crash fatalities. In 2016, there were 1,078 fatalities. The current pace may match or surpass that. During New Year’s weekend over the past five years, there have been 46 fatalities on Illinois roadways, 41 percent of which involved alcohol.
“Celebrate smart this New Year’s Eve by planning ahead,” said ISP Director Leo P. Schmitz. “Designate a driver before consuming alcohol. Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over.”
If you are celebrating over the holidays, follow these life-saving tips:
• Designate a sober driver ahead of time or plan to use your community’s sober ride program, call a cab, or use your favorite ride-sharing app.
• Don’t let friends and family members drive impaired. Help them get home safely.
• Wear your seat belt and make sure all your passengers do the same.
• Promptly report drunk drivers to law enforcement.
The Illinois Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over and Click It or Ticket programs are funded with federal highway safety dollars administered by IDOT.
