A corruption expert says there is more than enough evidence to warrant an investigation into sexual harassment claims against Mike Madigan.

Here’s the link at Illinois News Network.

On March 18, 2018 at approximately 1 a.m. Benton police were dispatched to the 1200 block of East Taylor in reference to a single vehicle traffic crash.  Upon investigating, police arrested Joseph C. Ping, age 26, of Galatia for driving under the influence.  Ping was charged and transported to the Franklin County Jail for further processing.

Franklin County Authorities are asking for your assistance in locating 15-year-old Jaxson Calvert.

Jaxson Calvert
Age: 15
Male
Height: 6’0
Weight: 115 lbs
Hair: Brown
Eyes: Blue
Body Skinny
Described as FIT

Last Seen Wearing: Green/White American Eagle Hoodie, Jeans, Camo Ball Cap near Poplar Street in Thompsonville around 10 a.m.

Please contact the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office at 618-438-4841 if you know of any information that may assist authorities in locating this missing juvenile.issing Juvenile Thompsonville

Missing Juvenile Thompsonville

Franklin County Authorities are asking for your assistance in locating:

Jaxson Calvert (Photo Attached)
Age: 15
Male
Height: 6’0
Weight: 115 lbs
Hair: Brown
Eyes: Blue
Body TylerSkinny
Described as FIT

Last Seen Wearing: Green/White American Eagle Hoodie, Jeans, Camo Ball Cap near Poplar Street in Thompsonville around 10:00 AM.

Please contact the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office at 618-438-4841 if you know of any information that may assist authorities in locating this missing juvenile.

INA, Ill. – Deadlines are rapidly approaching to complete the test needed to enter Rend Lake College’s Associate Degree Nursing Program. As part of the program’s application process, interested students are required to complete the PSB Aptitude for Practical Nursing Exam.

The exam must be completed and submitted with the rest of the Nursing Program materials before the April 1 program’s fall semester deadline. That means that only a few select dates are left to complete the PSB Exam before the cutoff.

Currently, there are available testing slots at 9 a.m. or 1:30 p.m. Wednesday, March 21; at 9 a.m. or 1:30 p.m. Tuesday, March 27; or at 9 a.m. Thursday, March 29.

The PSB Test is a five-part computerized exam that will take an estimated 2.5 hours to complete.

To schedule a test, interested individuals must register at least 24 hours in advance in person by visiting the Administration Building, Room 116. The cost of the test is $30. Scores will be available the day of the test.

On the day of the test, students are encouraged to arrive 30 minutes in advance with a valid student ID or driver’s license.

RLC’s Nursing Program is designed to provide a career mobility path for individuals interested in health care. The curriculum is a concept-based method of instruction emphasizing critical thinking, problem solving, decision making, clinical reasoning and nursing judgment. Graduates will be prepared to practice professional nursing in a variety of health care settings.

Anyone seeking more information on Nursing, or any other of RLC’s Allied Health options, can visit www.rlc.edu/allied-health for more information or contact the Director of Nursing at 618-437-5321 Ext. 1706 or the Allied Health Department at Ext. 1251.

Those with questions regarding the PSB Exam are encouraged to contact the RLC Testing Center at 618-437-5321, Ext. 1268.

On March 15, 2018 Benton Police were dispatched to the Dollar General Store on East Main Street in reference to a retail theft.  Upon investigating, police arrested Nathaniel S. Casey, age 29, of Benton for felony retail theft and unlawful possession of drug paraphernalia.  Casey was charged and transported to the Franklin County Jail for further processing.

Legendary surf rock band The Beach Boys will be the featured entertainers for the 2018 edition of HerrinFesta Italiana.

The Beach Boys are members of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. A small sample of their massive greatest hits list includes “God Only Knows,” “Help Me Rhonda,” “Barbara Anna,” “Good Vibrations,” “Kokomo” and “Surfin’ U.S.A.” Formed in 1961, the band is still fronted my founding member Mike Love.

The Beach Boys will perform on May 26 at 8 p.m.

On March 13, 2018 Benton Police arrested Charles L. Barnfield, age 40, of Benton on an active Franklin County warrant for domestic battery. Barnfield was transported to the Franklin County Jail for further processing.

On March 15, 2018 at approximately 1 a.m. Benton Police conducted a traffic stop near the 900 block of Fairland Street for a traffic infraction.  Police arrested 46-year-old Steven W. Wright of Christopher, IL for unlawful possession of methamphetamine subsequent to a vehicle search after Benton Police K9 “Ranger” alerted to the odor of illegal narcotics in the car.  Wright was transported to the Franklin County Jail for further processing.

QUINCY – Governor Bruce Rauner today detailed the latest CDC-backed remediation efforts at the Illinois Veterans Home in Quincy (IVHQ) and announced that the Capital Development Board is issuing an RFP for a Master Planning contract to explore building a new state-of-the-art facility on the Quincy campus.

He also revealed that the state intends to purchase a vacant nursing home a few blocks from the Quincy campus, renovate it, and prepare it for occupancy in the event residents need to be moved to protect them from potential Legionella infections. There have been no positive water tests for Legionella since completion of the latest remediation.

The state continues to partner with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to improve protections at the home and eliminate risks of exposure to Legionella.

“We are committed to protecting our heroes and making sure they have a safe place to live,” Rauner said. “We have implemented the recommendations the CDC has offered and more. Our teams continue to work with them to identify solutions and put measures in place that keep our veterans healthy.” The Rauner administration has also worked with community leaders, veterans groups, legislators, and US Senators Dick Durbin and Tammy Duckworth, who have been briefed on the current plans.

In addition to the extensive remediation efforts that have already been undertaken, in recent weeks staff at the IVHQ has:

1. Installed more than 750 new faucets with special micron filters across the entire campus. These filters block bacteria, including Legionella, and have been proven to be 99.9% effective. Filters have been in use on shower heads since 2016, per CDC recommendations.
2. Installed Bolus systems in campus buildings. These systems monitor disinfection levels in real time and add an additional layer of treatment, if needed, when the water reaches housing units.
3. Begun re-sanitizing the entire HVAC system on campus.
4. Continued flushing procedures and water testing before and after the filters to show the effectiveness at each point-of-use.

Water tests after the filters have shown zero presence of Legionella since the installation was completed on March 3.  The filters will be replaced every 30 days, or sooner if needed. Rauner’s immediate goal is to protect the residents in place, following expert advice that “transfer trauma” poses serious risks for a fragile population in need of skilled nursing.

“We have to avoid knee-jerk reactions that will cause more harm than good. There are serious dangers associated with moving residents. This is their home. Our staff who care for them are like family,” Rauner said. “Our teams have taken considerable steps to reduce the presence of Legionella at the home. We will continue to do our due diligence. We will continue to be forward thinking, and we will continue to explore every option to keep our veterans safe.”

Given all the remediation efforts that have been put in place, the CDC has expressed surprise at the persistence of Legionella in Quincy and continues to support the state’s efforts to eliminate risks.

To that end, Rauner announced the state will move forward with purchasing a nursing home near the IVHQ campus. The facility has been vacant for one year and will require renovations and facility improvements before residents can be transferred, which will include water system treatment and the installation of sink and shower filters.

The administration is also exploring the use of modular buildings on the grounds that could serve as temporary residence halls.

The new facilities will ensure the Illinois Department of Veterans Affairs has a temporary housing solution in the event residents need to be moved to further protect them from Legionella. There is no immediate plan to transfer residents.

These options minimize moving risks, allow residents and staff to remain in the Quincy community, maintain their connection to fellow veterans, and provide a continuity of the high-quality care provided at IVHQ.

As part of the administration’s long-term plan, the Capital Development Board is searching for a Master Planner to design a new, state-of-the-art facility that will meet the needs of today’s veterans who have served in the War on Terror.  This project could include the final recommendations of the Infrastructure Task Force, which will be presented to the General Assembly May 31.  A request for proposal for a Master Planner will be posted on the state’s procurement website.

To ensure the process of modernizing the Quincy Veterans’ Home does not fall victim to unnecessary bureaucracy, the administration will work with the General Assembly to expedite the procurement process and reduce red tape. Proposals will be submitted to the legislature when the General Assembly reconvenes in April. 

Rauner is also looking to partner with Illinois’ US Senate and Congressional delegation to secure critical funding for the project. The state will submit its initial application for a grant that covers up to 65% of building a new facility to the US Department of Veterans Affairs in the coming days.

INA, Ill. – The week of March 11-17 is designated as a week to recognize volunteers in the AmeriCorps program throughout the state, but Rend Lake College members didn’t take that to mean they got the week off. RLC’s Land of Lincoln AmeriCorps students came to campus during Spring Break to volunteer and serve others in preparation for one of their biggest events every year: April’s Child Abuse Prevention Awareness Month.

RLC AmeriCorps students spend much of their time working in the community, specifically to provide literacy tutoring for pre-K through grade 8 students in local schools. There are approximately 60 AmeriCorps members at RLC. Megan Rounds, AmeriCorps Director, said these members go above and beyond all year – not just this week – to volunteer in the 14 counties covered by the Land of Lincoln AmeriCorps.

“Our AmeriCorps students did a wonderful job this week,” said Rounds. “AmeriCorps Week is important because it gives us a chance to pat ourselves on the back for all the good work done for our communities.”

Below are images from the past week of RLC AmeriCorps members on campus.

AmeriCorps students assembled blue pinwheels to bring awareness to child abuse prevention month in April. They are, FROM LEFT, Emily Darnell (Benton), Elizabeth Bishop (Walnut Hill), Zach Brookman (Opdyke), Savannah Estes (Mt. Vernon), Shelby Mitchell (Woodlawn), Falisha Biggerstaff (McLeansboro), Allie Sledge (Mt. Vernon), Brooke Lacey (Mt. Vernon), Skylyn Simpson (Sesser), and Melina Launay (Mt. Vernon).
(RLC Public Information)

The pinwheels created by AmeriCorps members will be placed on the lawn of the Jefferson County Courthouse in coming weeks. Here they are creating and packing the pinwheels. Pictured is, FROM LEFT, Zach Brookman (Opdyke), Savannah Estes (Mt. Vernon), and Allie Sledge (Mt. Vernon).
(RLC Public Information)

Land of Lincoln AmeriCorps members repainted the wooden blue children for the Jefferson County Child Abuse Prevention Month Committee earlier this month. Members will be placing the children in front of businesses in Jefferson County to bring awareness to child abuse in the area.
(RLC Public Information)

Illinois Governor Bruce Rauner proclaimed the week of March 11-17 as AmeriCorps Week across the state. This week celebrates the service that tens of thousands of students perform through the AmeriCorps program.

Governor Rauner said in a press release about the week, “Each year, thousands of AmeriCorps members in Illinois take time out of their busy lives to help their neighbors. These volunteers work to keep children safe, the environment clean, help people find jobs, and much more. AmeriCorps Week in Illinois reminds us to thank AmeriCorps members and alums for their service, to thank AmeriCorps’ community partners, and encourage more people to join in service.”

Across the state, AmeriCorps members dedicate one year to help communities meet unmet economic, education, health, public safety, and environmental needs. For information about the RLC AmeriCorps program or to complete an application, contact Megan Rounds at 618-437-5321, Ext. 1351 or roundsm@rlc.edu.