CHICAGO — Governor Bruce Rauner granted five and denied 59 clemency petitions.

This is the 25^th set of petitions the governor has reviewed since taking office. Each person granted clemency has recently undergone a criminal background check through the Illinois State Police’s Law Enforcement Agencies Data System.

A granted clemency request for a pardon with expungement allows the petitioner to seek expungement of their conviction through the court system.

For additional information on the granted clemency cases, please contact the Prisoner Review Board at (217) 782-1610.

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Five culinary classes on the menu for summer

INA, Ill. – Five culinary courses are scheduled for June and July through Rend Lake College’s Corporate and Community Education Division. Try your hand at outdoor cooking, wine tasting, and cooking for two with the help of the RLC Chefs.

Get an introduction to Grilling and Smoking by developing a variety of skills used in outdoor cooking. Instructors will utilize different equipment and give participants the chance to get hands-on. The three-day class also includes tasting and evaluating food products. The class costs $75 per person and will meet from 5 – 8 p.m. Tuesdays, June 5, 12, and 19 in the Student Center.

Prepare for a unique date night with Italian Cooking for Couples. This class is perfect for couples who want more experience in the kitchen working together. With a focus on Italian foods, the class will prepare the meal and each couple will enjoy it together. The class costs $75 per couple and will meet from 5 – 9 p.m. Monday, July 9 in the Student Center.

RLC will also offer three courses centered on Exploring Wines. Participants must be 21 years of age or older. The classes cost $30 per session or $75 for all three sessions, and will meet in the Pat Kern Private Dining Area of the Student Center.

The first, Introduction to Wine, will focus on identifying characteristics between the five basic wine categories: white, red, blush, fortified, and sparkling. Participants will receive step-by-step instructions on how to taste and evaluate wines. The class will meet from 5 – 7 p.m. Wednesday, July 11.

Next, participants can Explore the World of Wines by comparing wines from renowned regions from around the world, including Australia, California, France, and New Zealand. Instructors will focus on the differences in growing regions and wine-making styles. The class will meet from 5 – 7 p.m. Wednesday, July 18.

The final class, Food and Wine Pairing, will help ease the intimidation of ordering wine when out to dinner. Participants will learn about matching their favorite wines to the food they enjoy. The class will meet from 5 – 7 p.m. Wednesday, July 25.

To learn more about or to register for any of these classes, call RLC’s Community and Corporate Education Division at 618-437-5321, Ext. 1714. Pre-registration may be required, and can be done in person, via phone call, or by emailing commcorped@rlc.edu.

BENTON, IL – The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers at Rend Lake is hosting the annual Beach Blast at South Sandusky Beach from 12:00 to 4:00 pm on Saturday May 26^th, 2018. Join Park Rangers for a day of safety and fun in the sun. Beach Blast includes a visit from the Air-Evac helicopter and crew, fire safety trailer, beach games, music, and an appearance by Bobber the Water Safety Dog! Thanks to our local emergency response personnel who will be on site for other fun hands-on activities. Abbott-EMS will display their ambulance and refresh you on CPR skills, Benton/West City Fire Department will have the interactive fire safety trailer, Sesser Fire Department will give participants a tour of their fire truck, and guests will have the opportunity to look inside the Air-Evac helicopter as it will be landing at 1:00pm! This will be a day of fun for all ages and a blast for everyone!

Day use fees at South Sandusky Beach are waived for Beach Blast, so this event is free and open to the public. Don’t forget to pack sunscreen, snacks, and join us for some family fun!

Rend Lake’s Environmental Science Series continues on June 2^nd from 9:00 am to 1:00 pm with the Child Passenger Seat Safety check. For more information, call the Rend Lake Project Office at 618-724-2493 or like us on Facebook at the Rend Lake Project Office/Visitor Center.

Rend Lake – The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers at Rend Lake is announcing that the Rend Lake Dam and Spillway Bridge will be closed to all through traffic from 8:30 a.m. through 3:00 p.m. on Tuesday, May 29, 2018.  In the event of bad weather, the inspection may be moved to May 30^th.  Watch for closure signs at Sugar Creek parking lot and the west entrance to the Rend lake Dam.

This closure is necessary for engineers to perform the scheduled periodic inspection on the Rend Lake Main Dam and Spillway Bridge.  Periodic inspections are conducted every two years on all bridges at Rend Lake managed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

For further information about this closure, please contact the Rend Lake Project Office at 618-724-2493.  For current updates and happenings at Rend Lake, like us on Facebook@Rend Lake Project Office/Visitor Center.

INA, Ill. – Rend Lake College has no shortage of degrees and certificates to choose from, and there’s something for everyone. But that story is different for one Southern Illinois student who decided he couldn’t just choose one – he needed them all.

Austin Ellison of Belleville graduated last week with eight Agriculture-related credentials, becoming the second Agriculture student to complete such a feat. Though many courses overlap between the credentials, Ellison still completed upwards of 135 credit hours, or more than 40 classes, at RLC.

Those credentials include five degrees: Agriculture Business, Agriculture Mechanics, Agriculture Production & Management, Diesel Technology, and Heavy Equipment Technology; and three occupational certificates: Agriculture Mechanics, Agriculture Production & Management, and Diesel Technology.

Agriculture graduate Austin Ellison of Belleville accepted his diplomas Saturday morning from RLC Board of Trustees Chair Randy Rubenacker.
(ReAnne Palmer/ RLC Public Information)

Ellison works part-time on his family’s farm as well as in the heavy equipment industry. His decision to attend RLC – a school farther away from home than for most – wasn’t one he made lightly.

“I knew I wanted to farm when I was real little. Honestly, I never planned on going to college. I was just going to stay home and work, but then I started working for a neighbor in heavy equipment, and they wanted to know what my plans were,” said Ellison. “I decided then that I wanted something more than just a high school diploma. I wanted to learn more about agriculture and the heavy equipment side. I wanted something new.”

For the past three years, Ellison has been chipping away at the many classes he needed to graduate, taking full-time class loads in addition to his two part-time jobs. He also secured spots on the Spring and Fall 2017 Vice Presidents’ lists for a high grade point average.

“We farm at home and I work in the heavy equipment industry. I’m in it every day. I knew I wanted to take some business classes to better myself and that they’d help with our farming operations. It was a good way to expand my knowledge at home, combined with the mechanical side, to help with work and maintenance. It just dawned on me that I wanted to get a little of everything, that I wanted to get them all,” he said.

Now after graduation, Ellison is returning home to farm and continue working in heavy equipment with plans to take over the family farm in the future when his dad decides to retire and step back. He said, though it took a while to complete, he would recommend the same path to others in similar positions.

“If someone is in a situation like me where they work at home on a farm, but also in the industry, I’d say go and get the best of both worlds. It’s the business side plus the mechanical side,” said Ellison.

Kathy Craig, Agriculture Associate Professor, said Ellison was a standout student in all of the programs. In 2017, he was named the Agriculture Production Outstanding Student of the Year at the end-of-the-year recognition banquet. This year, he earned a similar honor at the same banquet as the Agriculture Mechanics Outstanding Student of the Year.

“Austin was a great student. He rarely missed class and was very determined from the very beginning that he wanted to complete all five degrees,” said Craig.

To learn more about RLC’s Agriculture programs, visit www.rlc.edu/asat/12-academics/divisions/applied-science-technology.

INA, Ill.  – Summer and fall classes are filling up fast in Rend Lake College’s Medical Assistant program. Interested students are encouraged to look ahead to the beginning of the program this fall by getting ahead this summer.

Students can get a jump start in the program by taking the entrance examination and two classes during the summer. The entrance exam, called the Psychological Service Bureau (PSB) exam, is a five-part, computerized, timed test that is a requirement for the application process. Students interested in the Medical Assistant program can test at 9 a.m. Wednesday, May 23.

The PSB test costs $30 and is due at the time of registration, which must be done in person at the Testing Center, located in the Administration Building.

Students can then lighten their fall class load by enrolling today in two summer classes that are program requirements to graduate: Healthcare Terminology (HECO 1202) and Anatomy & Physiology Fundamentals (ALH 1201).

RLC’s Medical Assistant program includes a degree and certificate options to give students exactly what they need to join this fast-growing industry. The Associate in Applied Science degree prepares students to work under the supervision of physicians in offices, clinics, and other medical facilities. These individuals perform both administrative duties and clinical tasks – ranging from scheduling appointments to taking and recording vital signs.

Students who complete the degree program can sit for the national certification examination and also earn the Medical Assistant credential, which consists of 36 credit hours over two semesters, plus on-the-job practicum.

Graduates will find the medical assistant industry to be growing at a rapid rate. By 2026, the U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) states there will be an additional 183,900 jobs across the country, a growth of 29 percent. The BLS also reports “most medical assistants have postsecondary education.”

For those looking to continue their education past RLC, graduates can transfer seamlessly to either Central Methodist University or Southern Illinois University Carbondale via articulation agreements with RLC. These students will begin a four-year degree in junior standing at the university level.

RLC’s Medical Assistant program was recently accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs. To learn more about the program or to enroll, contact RLC’s Allied Health Division at 618-437-5321, Ext. 1769 or email ah_info@rlc.edu.

CHICAGO— Gov. Bruce Rauner today moved to increase the participation of minority-owned businesses in the state procurement process. By Executive Order 18-07, he established the Illinois African American Fair Contracting Commission and made it possible for contracts to be cancelled if African-American participation goals are not being met.

The moves are among a series of recommendations from a task force created with the passage of the Fair Practices in Contracting Act.  Headed by Chicago businessman Willie Wilson, the group was formed in 2016 and is responsible for making recommendations to address disparities in the award of contracts to African-American-owned businesses.

The Task Force was formed recognizing that African Americans represent 10% of business ownership in Illinois, yet only 1% of the total spending of the State of Illinois on state contracts. “This disparity is unacceptable,” Rauner said in announcing the order.

The Rauner administration is a staunch ally of minority business development. In recent years, African-American businesses have been growing under the Business Enterprise Program. Though they earned only $210.4 million from FY12-14, African-American businesses have earned $243.1 million from FY15-17 through BEP. Rauner’s executive order is intended to further accelerate growth of African-American businesses in state contracting.

“The Task Force submitted a thoughtful plan that will help us boost minority participation in state government’s business,” Gov. Rauner said. “Their recommendations comprise some of the most substantial steps ever taken to help create opportunities for African-American-owned businesses. I look forward to working with the Fair Contracting Commission to expand opportunities for African-American contractors.”

“This Task Force was a bipartisan effort for which I would like to thank Gov. Rauner, Sen. Mattie Hunter, and Rep. Will Davis,” said Wilson. “We recognized that these important measures needed to be taken to strengthen economic development and job creation in the African-American community.  The State’s engagement with African-American vendors will help lead to reduced unemployment and crime in areas that need job opportunities the most.”

In addition to the standing Commission, the Task Force recommended that addressing the underrepresentation of African-American-owned business in state contracts should be declared a compelling interest of the State.  Agencies will be held accountable for furthering that goal and contracts that are determined noncompliant with that goal will be cancelled.

Agency management personnel will also be held individually accountable through performance evaluations that assess their role in addressing the African-American contracting disparity.  Additionally, the Task Force recommended that the Business Enterprise Program (BEP) lower the threshold for minority contracting goals to $100,000 from $250,000.

Executive Order 18-07 adopts these policies, immediately reducing the BEP threshold while mandating that within 30 days the Illinois Department of Central Management Services (CMS) issue guidance on the new requirements to state agencies. The General Services Chief Procurement Officer will have jurisdiction. CMS will set 60 and 120-day timelines for compliance and evaluation. They will also establish metrics to measure achievement.

“Thanks to the governor for giving us this unique opportunity,” said Rep. Will Davis, D-Hazel Crest. “I appreciate his desire to help and support African-American businesses. This executive order is a great first step in the right direction.”

INA, Ill. – Three specialized trainings for surface and underground miners have been scheduled to meet seven times this summer at Rend Lake College. All training courses will meet on the RLC Ina campus in the Coal Mining Training Center, and will be taught by RLC Mining Technology Instructor Don McBride.

Annual Surface and Underground Refresher trainings are set for 8 a.m. – 6:30 p.m. on the following Fridays: June 8, July 27, and August 24. Each course costs $50.

New Miner Surface and Underground trainings are also on the schedule for June and August. Miners will meet from 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. Monday, June 18 through Friday, June 22, or Monday, August 6 through Friday, August 10. The cost of the class is $165, and attendees must pre-pay and pre-register.

New miners needing the surface-only trainings will meet from 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. Wednesday, June 20 through Friday, June 22, or Wednesday, August 8 through Friday, August 10. The cost of the training is $120.

For more information, contact McBride at 618-437-5321, Ext. 1217 or mcbrided@rlc.edu. To register for any of the trainings, contact Joy Fitts at Ext. 1261 or fittsj@rlc.edu.

5-5-18 at 2:59 pm Deputies responded to a two vehicle traffic crash on Webb Hill Road north of State Hwy. 14.  A 2003 G.M.C. Sierra driven by Merlin R. Weaver age 18 of Benton, was traveling northbound on Well Hill Road.  A 1988 Ford F150 Pick-Up Truck, driven by Christopher M. Clements age 17 of Ewing, pulled out of a private drive into the path of the G.M.C. causing the crash.  There were no injuries and a ticket was issued for failure to yield right of way.

5-5-18 at 4:15 pm Deputies responded to a domestic dispute in Buckner.  The investigation resulted in the arrest of Stephen A. Morris age 24 of Buckner for domestic battery.

5-6-18 at 8:28 am Deputies responded to a domestic dispute in Mulkeytown.  The investigation led to the arrest of Nichole M. Pratt age 35 of Christopher for aggravated assault and possession of methamphetamine.

5-7-18 at 9:31 pm Deputies responded to a single vehicle traffic crash on Carlyle Road in rural Thompsonville.  A 2000 Chevrolet Trail Blazer, driven by Hunter L. Woodring age 18 of Thompsonville, was traveling west bound, when he lost control, ran off the roadway, struck several small trees and overturned.  The driver suffered unknown injuries and was transported to a local hospital by family members.

5-8-18 at 5:53 am a traffic stop in Benton resulted in the arrest of Derek M. Sloan age 30 of Galatia for driving while license revoked and for an outstanding Union County warrant for failure to appear on traffic charges.

5-10-18 at 12:09 pm Deputies responded to a two vehicle traffic crash on State Hwy. Rt. 149 near Antioch Church Road.  A 2011 Ford Focus, driven by Haley Ann Simmons age 20 of Energy, was traveling eastbound behind a 2012 Honda Civic also traveling eastbound.  The Civic was driven by Mackenzie K. Trent age 18 of West Frankfort.  The Civic slowed to make a left turn and was rear-ended by the Focus.  There were no injuries and Haley Simmons was ticketed for failure to reduce speed to avoid an accident.

5-10-18 at 1:40 pm Deputies responded to a two vehicle traffic crash on Park Street Road at Lincoln Road.  A 2017 G.M.C. Truck driven by Sean P. Murphy age 38 of Johnston City was eastbound on Park Street Road and slowed to negotiate a right turn, when he was rear-ended by a 1999 Dodge 1500 Truck, driven by Matthew T. Stowers age 34 of DuQuoin.  There were no injuries and Matthew Stowers was cited for failure to reduce speed to avoid a crash.

5-12-18 at 7:35 pm a traffic stop in West Frankfort led to the arrest of Richard W. Mobley age 53 of West Frankfort for driving while license suspended.

5-12-18 at 8:28 pm Deputies responded to a single vehicle traffic crash on Il. Rt. 34 just east of Ford Road.  A 1998 Harley Davidson Motorcycle, driven by Richard W. Harbour age 61 of Benton, was west bound and struck a deer that crossed in front of the motorcycle.  Both the driver and a passenger, Jennifer M. Rumsey-Harbour age 39 of Benton were ejected and received major injuries.  Both were air-evacuated to an out of state hospital.  Neither were wearing a helmet.

5-14-18 at 8:09 pm Deputies responded to a single vehicle traffic crash on State Hwy. Rt. 37 south of Benton near Andrews Road.  A 2018 Jeep Liberty driven by Paul E. Taylor age 45 of Herrin was southbound, ran off the west side of the roadway and overturned.  The driver suffered undetermined injuries and was transported to a local hospital by Abbott E.M.S.  The driver will be charged with failure to reduce speed to avoid a traffic crash and driving under the influence of alcohol.

5-16-18 at 8:15 am Deputies responded to a two vehicle crash on Il. Rt. 154 at Il. Rt. 37.  A 2004 Ford Explorer, driven by Roxanne L. Thomas age 33 of Geff, was eastbound on Rt. 154.  As the Explorer approached the intersection with Rt. 37., it failed to stop at the traffic control device and pulled into the path of a southbound 2016 Chevrolet Malibu, driven by Crystal D. Griffith age 42 of Bonnie.  Crystal Griffith received minor injuries but refused medical treatment.  Roxanne Thomas received major injuries and was transported to a local hospital by Abbott E.M.S.  She is being cited for disobeying a stop sign.

5-16-18 at 8:00 am Deputies responded to a reported suspicious person near a private residence in Orient.  The investigation resulted in the arrest of Robert J. Carlton age 48 of Mulkeytown for criminal trespass, possession of hypodermic needles and obstructing a peace officer.

5-17-18 at 8:45 am a traffic stop in Benton resulted in the arrest of Megan C. Brown age 32 of Anna for driving while license revoked.

WARRANT ARRESTS

 5-5-18 Dustin L. Motsinger age 32 of Mt. Vernon.  Drug charges

5-7-18 Michelle A. Palmer age 33 of Johnston City.  Failure to appear on traffic charges.

5-12-18 Keri L. Case age 37 of Carmi.  Failure to appear for theft

5-14-18 Thomas J. Wiley age 39 of Benton.  Failure to appear for resisting arrest

5-14-18 Joshua K. Cook age 41 of Christopher.  Failure to appear for criminal damage to property

5-17-18 Kellie L. Collins age 42 of West Frankfort.  Failure to appear for criminal damage to property