Say so long, SIRR Ohio and Mississippi. Wave goodbye, Black Diamond. Au revoir, South Seven.

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

WEST FRANKFORT — Candy Cane Lane is getting a lot more attention this year, thanks to “The Great Christmas Light Fight” show on ABC.

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

INA, Ill. – If getting in shape and losing those extra holiday pounds are on your to-do list for the new year, then Rend Lake College has a challenge for you. The Rec and the Aquatic Center are again partnering for the third annual Rec the Scale Challenge.
Starting Friday, Jan. 4, contest participants of any age will weigh in at the Rec and begin the 12-week challenge to lose the highest percentage of body weight. For a $30 fee, participants can utilize the Rec and Aquatic Center on the Ina campus at their leisure during this time. The individual with the highest percentage of body weight lost will be the winner and will receive a cash prize.
Weigh-ins will be held every other Friday at the Rec, except for the final weigh-in scheduled for Friday, April 5. Weigh-ins are mandatory. In the event of a tie, a one-week extension will be given to the tied contestants. The Rec is open for weigh-ins and workouts from 8 a.m. – 8 p.m. Monday through Friday.
The Aquatic Center is available for open swim Monday through Thursday 6:30 – 9 a.m. and 11 – 2:30 p.m., Friday 6:30 a.m. – 1 p.m., and Saturday 9 a.m. – Noon.
For more information about the competition, contact REC Fitness Center Lab Assistant Larry Williams at 618-231-4899 or williamsla@rlc.edu, or Aquatic Center Coordinator Laura Johnston at Ext. 1207 or johnston@rlc.edu. There is also a REC the Scale facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/1363629847037863/ for added motivation. Registration for the REC the Scale Challenge must be done in person at the Rec or Aquatic Center.

HARRISBURG — Saline County Clerk Roger Craig died Wednesday morning, less than two weeks into his term. 

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

BENTON — Franklin County’s newest sheriff, David Bartoni, has inherited no shortage of problems.

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

INA, Ill. – Get down to business this year by auditioning for the Rend Lake College Spring 2019 Musical “9 to 5.” Auditions for the show will be held at 6 p.m. on Jan. 22, 2019 with callbacks set for 6 p.m. Jan. 24. The musical is presented at 7 p.m. Thursday-Saturday, April 11-13, and 2 p.m. Sunday, April 14, in the RLC Theatre.

Actors over the age of 16 are invited to audition in the RLC Theatre. Actors should dress professionally and bring an extra set of comfortable clothes to learn dance numbers.

Auditions will be a two-step process. Those interested will sing a portion of a song and then learn a dance combination. Actors are asked to have prepared 32 bars or a minute of a song that best shows off their personality and vocal ability, but should not be from the show “9 to 5.” Participants are asked to bring sheet music with them to the audition. An accompanist will be provided.

Callbacks are also scheduled for 6 p.m. in the RLC Theatre where potential actors will be required to do a cold reading and perform portions of songs from “9 to 5.” There may also be an additional dance callback.

After the cast announcement, rehearsals will begin at 6 p.m. Monday, Jan. 28 in the RLC Theatre and will be held at the same time and location Mondays through Thursdays, with some exceptions.

For more information about auditions, contact Alstat at 618-437-5321, Ext. 1817 or alstats@rlc.edu.

Based on characters created by Patricia Resnick with music and lyrics by Dolly Parton, “9 to 5” revolves around a three female coworkers pushed to the boiling point by a  sexist, egotistical, lying, hypocritical bigot they call their boss. In a hilarious turn of events, Violet, Judy and Doralee live out their wildest fantasy – giving their boss the boot! While Hart remains “otherwise engaged,” the women give their workplace a dream makeover, taking control of the company that had always kept them down. This show is rated PG-13.

Tickets will cost $12 and will be available for purchase on March 25. Contact the RLC Box Office for additional information at 618-437-5321, Ext. 1467.

On December 7^t, 2018 at approximately 11:15 a.m. Benton Police were dispatched to Dollar General located at 1005 East Main Street in reference to a retail theft.  Upon investigating, police arrested Abbey R. Holder, age 37, of West Frankfort for retail theft and unlawful possession of a controlled substance.  Holder was charged and transported to the Franklin County Jail for further processing.

On December 8, 2018 at approximately 1:45 a.m. Benton Police were dispatched to the 1200 block of Glendale Street in reference to a domestic disturbance.  Upon investigating, police arrested. Brent R. Perry, age 43, of Benton for domestic battery.  Perry was charged and transported to the Franklin County Jail for further processing.

On December 8^t, 2018 at approximately 8:50 a.m. Benton Police were dispatched to the 200 block of Bailey Lane in reference to a disturbance.  Upon investigating, police arrested Krystal L. Boner, age 27, of West Frankfort for aggravated assault.  Boner was charged and transported to the Franklin County Jail for further processing

CHICAGO — The Illinois Investment Policy Board (IIPB) today unanimously found that Airbnb’s decision to delist Jewish-owned properties on the West Bank was not in compliance with Illinois anti-BDS law. Airbnb has until the next IIPB meeting on March 13 to respond before the IIPB takes final action.

Gov. Bruce Rauner issued the following statement applauding the IIPB action:

“In response to our request for an investigation, the Illinois Investment Policy Board has determined that Airbnb is not in compliance with Illinois law prohibiting bans, divestitures and sanctions against the state of Israel. We applaud the Board’s finding and urge Airbnb to reverse its decision. It is imperative that we hold companies accountable when they are engaged in targeted discriminatory activities. Such actions not only violate the law of Illinois, they offend the core values of equality and fairness upon which our nation is built.”

INA, Ill. – Rend Lake College is pleased to announce another 10 years of accreditation after the Higher Learning Commission (HLC) found that RLC met all five Criteria for Accreditation and their various subcomponents. The college’s next reaffirmation will be in 2028-2029.

“This is great news for the institution to receive its full 10-year Reaffirmation of Accreditation, and is a testament to everyone’s dedication to the College and its mission,” Rend Lake College President Terry Wilkerson said after the decision was handed down.

The ten-year accreditation is the longest accreditation awarded by HLC, an independent agency that monitors the quality of degree-granting institutions over a 19 state area. The organization ensures the quality of a college’s programs via an intensive peer-review process and then determines if an institution maintains accreditation, a vital benchmark to ensuring a college offers respected, transferable degree programs. Accreditation also is necessary in order for the college to be able to distribute certain types of federal financial aid, such as Pell Grants. Additionally, those in the community should see the 10-year accreditation as affirmation that their tax dollars are being used responsibly.

“Preparation for our visit and writing the assurance argument has been an ongoing initiative for the past couple of years. Our RLC team has worked diligently and cohesively to strengthen the institution and improve student learning with the concentration on our students’ success. Even though this portion of the process is behind us, our efforts remain focused on continuous improvement initiatives,” said Lori Ragland, RLC Vice President of Instruction and Accreditation Liaison Officer.

“It was clear to the team that all Rend Lake College stakeholders work tirelessly in support of the organization’s mission and values in times of economic uncertainty,” the team wrote in the conclusion of their final report. “The college is committed to keep tuition low, maintaining faculty and staff positions, while continuing to deliver quality services to its students. The team heard countless testimonials from students, alumni, community partners, Foundation Board members, and the Board of Trustees regarding the impact that college administration, faculty, and staff contribute to enhance student success and improve the communities it serves. The college administration, faculty, and staff are to be commended for their commitment to serving their students’ and stakeholders’ needs.”

The reaffirmation process included several various components as part of HLC’s Open Pathway for accreditation. An extensive, evidence-based narrative, called an Assurance Argument, was written and submitted to HLC. This argument outlines the evidence of how the college meets each of the Five Criteria and the subcomponents. This was followed in November by a visit from a peer review team, which met with various campus groups and individuals over the course of two days. Prior to these, a federal compliance filing was required, which demonstrates the college’s satisfaction of various federal guidelines. A Quality Initiative also is a requirement of the Open Pathway process. This was RLC’s First-Year Experience program, which was implemented and supported with a written report to HLC.

Several staff and faculty members worked for the past three years to prepare and submit all the varied reports and requirements for the process.

The final report from the HLC is available at www.rlc.edu/hlc. For more information on the Five Criteria and the Open Pathway, visit www.hlcommission.org.