Benton, West Frankfort, Illinois News | Franklin County News
Newspaper covering Franklin County, Illinois
WEST CITY –Ameren will conduct a planned power outage Tuesday, February 13, from 11:00 pm until 5:00 am in the Village of West City.
This is for only 131 customers in West City. Ameren has replaced an 80 foot pole and needs to move the service over to the new pole. If all goes well, the outage should only be within the specified time range
Shannon Carr – WSIL image
BENTON – In this week’s Unsung Hero, a Benton woman spends her days volunteering. Shannon Carr has been recognized for her generosity several times in the community.
Shannon has been helping with the cub scouts for about four years, planning activities for more than 25-boys.
The mother of four has been “filling a need” most of her life. She’s also organizer for her church’s free clothing store.
But it doesn’t stop there, Shannon is the fill in van driver for her church, cooks for Vacation Bible School, and organizes the church’s Christmas toy drive all while working a full-time job.
Please click on the link for the full story and video from Evie Allen of WSIL-TV.
http://www.wsiltv.com/story/37467807/unsung-hero-shannon-carr
WEST FRANKFORT — For Franklin County leaders moving into 2018, an obvious point of emphasis will be economic development. But officials also say a recognition of their limitations will be important.
2017 saw a lot of news come from Franklin County, some good, some not so good. There was West Frankfort sealing the deal with Dollar General and expanding the outlet mall’s portfolio of businesses. But there was also the investigation into Morthland College’s alleged mismanagement of Title IV money and former Zeigler treasurer Ryan Thorpe’s arrest and later federal indictment on embezzlement charges. There was the announcement that the theater in West City had been purchased and would at some point reopen.
Please click on the link from Isaac Smith of the Southern Illinoisan for the full story, as he talks to several elected officials in the county.
http://thesouthern.com/news/local/communities/a-bit-of-pragmatism-and-a-bit-of-hope-franklin/article_5d92747f-fb16-59eb-9d17-263ddb8520b5.html#tracking-source=home-top-story
HARRISBURG — Benton clinched a share of the SIRR Ohio with a 58-51 win at Harrisburg Friday night behind 20 points from Gehrig Wynn.
Wynn, who knocked down six free throws in the final quarter, was one of four Rangers to score in double figures. Parker Williams added 13 points while Hamilton Page scored 12. Carson Lewis nailed three triples and finished with 11 points for Benton (23-3, 8-0 SIRR Ohio).
The Rangers, who won the league last winter, can earn an outright championship with a victory tonight in Metropolis.
“It feels good, but at the same time we talked to our guys in the locker room that this is nice, but this is just one step closer to the goal that we had. The goal that we had was to be a conference champion and we can accomplish that at Massac.”
Please click on the link for the full story from Jeffrey Drake of the Southern Illinoisan.
By ReAnne Palmer – Rend Lakc College Public Information
INA, Ill. – Explore the east or west coasts of the United States this year with two unique trips offered by Rend Lake College. Partnering again with Collette Vacations, RLC invites you to tour the “old west” through the Colorado Rocky Mountains in July or sightsee New England’s charm as the leaves change in October.
losapos.com image
Enjoy a scenic tour of Colorado and Utah with the Colorado Rockies trip, set for Friday, July 20, through Saturday, July 28. The tour begins in the “Mile High City” of Denver and consists of many stops on the nine-day journey, including four national parks.
Attendees will visit Rocky Mountain National Park and Colorado’s wine country, and will experience traditional cowboy entertainment and food. One highlight of the tour will be a visit to the historic Stanley Hotel, inspiration for Stephen King’s “The Shining.”
The Colorado Rockies trip costs $2,999 per person, double occupancy. The costs include nine days of stay and travel, and 12 meals.
From the UK Independent
Celebrate the year’s fall foliage and American tradition during the New England Fall Charm tour, set for Friday, Oct. 19 through Friday, Oct. 26. The tour begins in one of the country’s oldest towns of Boston and consists of visits to some of the city’s biggest landmarks: Beacon Hill, Boston Public Garden, the historic North End, the USS Constitution, and much more.
Participants will also travel through the Green Mountains to Vermont’s Billings Farm and Museum, and then again to Portsmouth, NH to finish the eight-day tour with a taste of New England on a local delicacy – lobster.
The New England’s Fall Charm trip costs $3,149 per person, double occupancy. The costs include eight days of stay and travel, plus 11 meals.
Early booking discounts may apply to both trips, and single and triple rates available upon request.
An informational meeting will be held at 5 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 22 at the RLC Historic Schoolhouse on the Ina campus to discuss the trips. Details on early booking discounts will also be available. To RSVP to the meeting, contact RLC’s Community and Corporate Education Division at 618-437-5321, Ext. 1714.
Tue., Feb. 27
Game 1 at 7:00 pm: Winner Norris City (N.C.-Omaha-Enfield) Regional vs. Winner Mounds (Meridian) Regional
Wed., Feb. 28
Game 2 at 7:00 pm: Winner Junction (Gallatin County) Regional vs. Winner Zeigler (Z.-Royalton) Regional
Fri., Mar. 2
Game 3 at 7:00 pm: Winner Game 1 vs. Winner Game 2
.Mon., Feb. 19
Game 1 at 7:00 pm: (7) Thompsonville vs. (8) Elkville (Elverado)
Tue., Feb. 20
Game 2 at 6:00 pm: (3) Woodlawn vs. (12) Zeigler (Z.-Royalton)
Game 3 at 7:30 pm: (6) Steeleville vs. (11) Waltonville
Wed., Feb. 21
Game 4 at 6:00 pm: (2) Sesser (S.-Valier) vs. Winner Game 1
Game 5 at 7:30 pm: Winner Game 2 vs. Winner Game 3
Fri., Feb. 23
Game 6 at 7:00 pm: Winner Game 4 vs. Winner Game 5
Mon., Feb. 19
Game 1 at 6:00 pm: (9) Galatia vs. (10) Norris City (N.C.-Omaha-Enfield)
Game 2 at 7:30 pm: (5) Wayne City vs. (13) Grayville
Tue., Feb. 20
Game 3 at 7:00 pm: (1) Christopher vs. Winner Game 1
Wed., Feb. 21
Game 4 at 7:00 pm: (4) Bluford (Webber) vs. Winner Game 2
Fri., Feb. 23
Game 5 at 7:00 pm: Winner Game 3 vs. Winner Game 4
Mon., Feb. 19
Game 1 at 7:00 pm: (6) Marion (Crab Orchard) vs. (7) Elizabethtown (Hardin County)
Tue., Feb. 20
Game 2 at 6:00 pm: (4) Cobden vs. (12) Carrier Mills (C.M.-Stonefort)
Game 3 at 7:30 pm: (5) Junction (Gallatin County) vs. (8) Golconda (Pope County)
Wed., Feb. 21
Game 4 at 6:00 pm: (1) Cairo vs. Winner Game 1
Game 5 at 7:30 pm: Winner Game 2 vs. Winner Game 3
Fri., Feb. 23
Game 6 at 7:00 pm: Winner Game 4 vs. Winner Game 5
Mon., Feb. 19
Game 1 at 7:00 pm: (10) Tamms (Egyptian) vs. (11) Joppa (J.-Maple Grove)
Tue., Feb. 20
Game 2 at 6:00 pm: (3) Goreville vs. (14) Dongola
Game 3 at 7:30 pm: (9) Ullin (Century) vs. (13) Wolf Lake (Shawnee)
Wed., Feb. 21
Game 4 at 6:00 pm: (2) Mounds (Meridian) vs. Winner Game 1
Game 5 at 7:30 pm: Winner Game 2 vs. Winner Game 3
Fri., Feb. 23
Game 6 at 7:00 pm: Winner Game 4 vs. Winner Game 5
The main time period of concern for freezing rain is Saturday night into Sunday night. Light rain will gradually change over to light freezing rain Saturday night in southeast Missouri, southern Illinois, southwest Indiana, and northwest and far west Kentucky. Light freezing rain will continue into Sunday, although portions of southwest Indiana, southeast Illinois, west Kentucky and far southeast Missouri are expected to change over to rain for a few hours Sunday afternoon. Precipitation will gradually end from northwest to southeast late Sunday afternoon into Sunday night, and any areas of rain will change over to freezing rain before ending. Southern Illinois and areas northwest of a line from Cape Girardeau Missouri to Poplar Bluff may see a tenth to fifteen hundredths of an inch of ice, with the rest of the region receiving a glazing to around 0.05 hundredths of an inch. Depending on temperatures, these amounts will likely be adjusted as the event gets closer. (NWS Paducah)
…Light freezing rain expected at times this weekend…
Rain will spread north across the region tonight and continue into Saturday. The main time period of concern for freezing rain is Saturday night into Sunday night. Light rain will gradually change over to light freezing rain Saturday night in southeast Missouri, Southern Illinois, southwest Indiana, and northwest and far west Kentucky.
Light freezing rain will continue into Sunday, although portions of southwest Indiana, southeast Illinois, west Kentucky and far southeast Missouri are expected to change over to rain for a few hours Sunday afternoon. Precipitation will gradually end from northwest to southeast late Sunday afternoon into Sunday night, and any areas of rain will change over to freezing rain before ending.
Southern Illinois and areas northwest of a line from CapeGirardeau Missouri to Poplar Bluff may see a tenth to fifteen hundredths of an inch of ice, with the rest of the region receiving a glazing to around 0.05 hundredths of an inch. Depending on temperatures, these amounts will likely be adjusted as the event gets closer. Stay tuned for updated forecasts.
NASHVILLE — Nashville caught the final wave of momentum and rode it to a 46-38 win over Sesser-Valier-Waltonville in the championship game of the Nashville Class 2A girls regional.
After a tight first half, Sesser-Valier-Waltonville put together a 16-0 run in the third quarter to take a 35-27 lead into the fourth quarter. That advantage grew to nine points when Brooke Wilderman canned a trey with 7:09 remaining in the game.
“If you would have told me we’d have Nashville down nine in the fourth quarter I would have taken it,” S-V-W Coach Rick Metcalf said. “We knew they were going to hold their composure. We just had to offset their runs. They made a gigantic run there at the end.”
Paige Tucker led the way for the Lady Devils with 11, and Sami McCowen added 10 on the night. 
Congratulations to the Lady Devils on another fine season, finishing 25-3. It was two basketball powerhouses battling it out last night.
Please click on the link for the full story from Les Winkler of the Southern Illinoisan.
Rend Lake Project office photo
BENTON – I just spoke with a representative of the U.S Army Corps of Engineers, Rend Lake Project Office and plans are to open the bridge across Rend Lake Dam this afternoon.
Also, there are some controlled burns taking place around the dam today.
All facilities are OPEN as the House of Representatives. passed a stop-gap spending plan to advert a government shutdown. -Steve
