State employee union sets new vote on contract agreement

Staff Report

Caregivers for the disabled, child protection workers and prison employees are just some of the nearly 40,000 frontline employees of Illinois state government who will vote again on whether to go forward with a new union contract with the Quinn Administration.

The state employees’ union, AFSCME Council 31, announced today that a new vote is required since the first tally was based on the administration’s commitment to drop its appeal of a court decision. In that case, the judge ruled that the state is obligated to honor the prior union contract and owes employees back wages withheld since July 2011.

Governor Quinn has asked that the appeal be dropped, but the authority rests with Attorney General Lisa Madigan, who has refused to do so.

“Tens of thousands of state employees have been denied their rightful wages for nearly two years,” AFSCME Council 31 executive director Henry Bayer said. “The court has ruled, correctly, that the state must honor the prior union contract, and that employees are owed their back pay. We think the appeal should be dropped and the matter put to rest. Since the earlier vote was based on assurances that the appeal would be withdrawn, union members have a right to re-vote now.”

The union and the Quinn Administration are urging lawmakers to approve an appropriation to pay the back wages. Passage of that measure would make the court case moot.

Benton woman arrested for retail theft

A 19-year-old Benton woman was arrested by Benton police for retail theft on Tuesday.

Samantha R. Wheatley was arrested at Fred’s Department Store, located at 215 Bailey Lane, according to the police report.  Police were called to the store and after an investigation Wheatley was arrested and charged with retail theft.  She was charged and taken to Franklin County Jail for processing.

 

Our Universities: Hire Power

Courage is essential when hiring.  Self-confidence is required to say, “We need people who are more knowledgeable than we are.”  Impossible for a narcissist or a self-absorbed leader… and hiring in any other way dooms any organization to failure.
“Never hire someone who knows less than you do about what he’s hired to do.”
Malcolm Forbes, Former Publisher of Forbes
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By Walter Wender

It’s natural and healthy for any family unit to desire a better life for their progeny, so too it’s healthy for an enterprise to desire the next generation to eclipse the present — a positive side of human nature.

Walter Wendler mug 2Progress is achieved by nurturing existing people, retaining the most productive, and hiring newcomers who add value.   New recruits, with new ideas, are often an affront to the existing “state of affairs” — a negative side of human nature. This perspective is troubling when held by any member of a group, but debilitating when core leadership holds it.

David Walgner, President of Psychological Services Incorporated says hiring has a significant impact on the effectiveness of an organization: Common sense?  The consequences of weak hires:  low morale, decreased productivity, higher training costs are all easy to spot.  A compromised culture is the ultimate price. Walner’s findings are from the hotel industry but their intuitive resilience implies wide applicability.

Career Builder’s Kristen Wishon claims that 4 of 10 hires are ineffective and cost $25,000 apiece:  Twenty five percent are believed to cost over $50,000 each. Her litany of reasons mirrors Walner’s. It is difficult to “shake off” a bad hire, nearly impossible in the public sector. Good hiring at any level of the organizational chart is powerful — poor hiring disastrous — especially at the apex.
Here are five thoughts for higher power hiring.

First, never hire a person who lacks simple, your-mother-told-you-so, integrity.  People of integrity are revealed by their own history.  Integrity doesn’t mean blind loyalty, or thick-skulled agreement with every corporate edict.  Integrity liberates wholeness and completeness in personal thought and deed and it is revealed in action. Integrity missing?  Leave the person on the curb… he or she will contribute to organizational ruination… from plumbers to presidents.

Second, Steve Jobs declares in Steve Jobs, “You need to have a collaborative hiring process.”   The process of sharing hiring insights and ideas with a wide variety of people within the organization is a form of shared governance. And it’s fundamental. If you hire an accountant, technicians, executives, and clerical staff should weigh in too, not just other accountants. Well-hired people understand what’s important, and spot it in others. It is a common cultural process that makes a strong culture stronger.

Third, if the leader is the smartest person in the room, the organization will fail…it is only a matter of time.  Lee Iacocca, former chief of Chrysler, echoed Malcolm Forbes’ advice, and added a twist:”I hire people brighter than me [here comes the caveat] and then I get out of their way.”

Fourth, people who value the organization’s mission are to be coveted. Vision is critical and needs to be clearly expressed to attract motivated people. Lawrence Bossidy, former Chief Operating Office of GE said it this way, “I am convinced that nothing we do is more important than hiring and developing people. At the end of the day you bet on people, not on strategies.”
Fifth, Henry David Thoreau warned in Life Without Principle, “Do not hire a man (or woman) who does your work for money, but him (or her) who does it for the love of it.” This is difficult to assess but absolutely essential. Hire people whose work is a ministration, not administration, self-service, or self-aggrandizement.

Our universities, and all successful enterprises from churches to seats of commerce, hospitals to manufacturers, should hire with power.  The future of any enterprise depends on every hire, at every level, from the executive suite to the machine shop.

Local Elks Donate to Fowler-Bonan Foundation “Clothes for Kids”

Harrisburg, IL: Representatives of the Harrisburg Elks Lodge No. 1058 recently presented a check for $4,250 to the Fowler-Bonan Foundation in support of its “Clothes for Kids” program.

The check represented partial proceeds from the Elks 32nd annual charity Monopoly tournament held earlier this year. Habitat for Humanity of Saline County also was granted proceeds by the Elks.

Pictured are Fowler-Bonan Foundation executive director Kerry Camp, (l-r) Foundation board chairman Dale Fowler, Lodge Exalted Ruler Jessica Mitchell and Monopoly committee chairman Genny Craig, all of Harrisburg.

Pictured are Fowler-Bonan Foundation executive director Kerry Camp, (l-r) Foundation board chairman Dale Fowler, Lodge Exalted Ruler Jessica Mitchell and Monopoly committee chairman Genny Craig, all of Harrisburg.

“The Harrisburg Elks are thrilled to support the Fowler-Bonan Foundation’s “Clothes for Kids” program, and our local Habitat chapter as well,” said Harrisburg Elks Exalted Ruler Jessica Mitchell. “Our support for these two charities is a working example of our “Elks Care, Elks Share” motto.

The Fowler-Bonan Foundation provides new clothing and shoes for underprivileged school children throughout southern Illinois. They annually assist more than 300 children in eleven southern Illinois counties.

“We are honored to receive this donation from the Harrisburg Elks,” foundation board chairman Dale Fowler said. “We are also very thankful for support that we have received from the lodge and all its members, over the long haul.”

The Fowler – Bonan Foundation is a 501 (c) (3) non-profit organization, thus donations to the foundation are tax-deductable. The foundation’s phone number is 618-231-3904, and its mailing address is PO Box 848 in Harrisburg. They can be found on the web at www.FowlerBonanFoundation.com or on Facebook.

Harrisburg Elks Lodge No. 1058, of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks of the United States of America, was chartered on November 10, 1907 and boasts a membership of over 500.

Pictured are Fowler-Bonan Foundation executive director Kerry Camp, (l-r) Foundation board chairman Dale Fowler, Lodge Exalted Ruler Jessica Mitchell and Monopoly committee chairman Genny Craig, all of Harrisburg.

Local band 30aut6 making waves in international competition

By Jim Muir

A local, popular band that lists tiny Valier, Illinois as home, is competing in a worldwide global competition.

And doing quite well, thank you!

The band is “30aut6” and they are one of only 96 bands left from more than 12,000 that entered worldwide a few months back when the competition, sponsored by “Hard Rock Cafe began.

30aut6

30aut6

The process for 30aut6 began a few months back when the band’s manager entered the group in a Hard Rock Cafe contest.  The first round was online voting for each Hard Rock area and 30aut6 ended up getting 400-plus votes from accounts only within 100 miles of St. Louis. That meant the band was selected as one of nine finalist bands. 30aut6 then played Battle 1 and won against two other bands putting them in the finals. Following that victory they played the finals for St. Louis and won again, a win that pitted them against 96 other bands, each one representing a Hard Rock Cafe in the world.

30aut6 drummer Kevin Kent summed up the exciting past few months for the local band.

“We’re just some guys from Southern Illinois trying to chase our dream,” Kent said. “Just think, 12,000 bands started and a band from Valier is one of only 96 left in the world.”

Kent pointed out that there are only 10 bands from the United States in the top 25 and the rest are all international bands.  If the band makes it into the top 25 they will advance to the final round where they are voted on by judges.  The winners of the event go on a world tour to different Hard Rock Cafes, play the Hard Rock Calling Festival, win $10,000 in gear and also get a record deal.

Kent urged fans and all Southern Illinois residents to visit the Hard Rock Cafe link and vote for 30aut6.

“It would be the biggest thing to ever happen to us,” said Kent. “We need everyone from Southern Illinois and the Midwest who believe in chasing their dreams to support us!”

A link to vote for 30aut6 is on the Hard Rock Cafe St. Louis page.  Here’s the link: https://www.facebook.com/hardrockcafestlouis/app_205164529573076

The 30aut6 Facebook link is here:  https://www.facebook.com/30aut6

Zeigler city council approves electric aggregation ordinances

 By Bruce A. Fasol

On the television game show ‘Who Wants to be a Millionaire?’ players could use what was termed a life-line.

That allowed unsure contestants to call a friend for advice. Tuesday night the Zeigler City Council used their own expert telephone call and came away with some money. The council approved ordinances dealing with electric aggregation. They will join with other communities in participating in a pool that will purchase electricity for the city-owned properties.

Zeigler has some 23 different electric accounts. A question arose regarding Ameren and the services that they provide to the city at no charge. That is referred to as a franchise agreement. City officials wanted to know if this would be lost, when the city transferred their account over to Select Energy. At that point of the meeting, Mayor Dennis Mitchell reached for the cell phone in his shirt pocket and called Nick Hill, the representative of Select Energy for an answer.

Hill reassured Zeigler officials that their continued payments for such an agreement would continue in the form of a monetary payment in lieu of service and rate considerations. That amount, according to Mayor Mitchell, was $4,200. The council decided to accept the recommendation of Select Energy – as the city broker for kilowatt hour electric purchase – and awarded their contract to AEM. This company is actually an AMEREN subsidiary. Savings to the city is estimated at $3,208 per year. All the ordinances approved Tuesday are subject to review by the city attorney Rebecca Whittington.

Mayor Mitchell reported to the Council that he has had talks with a land developer that the city is working with to bring a third party to Zeigler. The land in question is at the north edge of the city. It is the former high school football field that is used as a walking path now. Developers are considering a counter offer from the city for the sale of the 2.1 acres. While nothing has been announced formally, city officials have openly said that Dollar General Stores is looking to build on that site. However, Mayor Mitchell seemed frustrated at the pace of the negotiations with the counter offer having been made at the first of the calendar year.

Two matters from the agenda were tabled: the police department contract negotiations, and the tax anticipation warrant. A tax anticipation warrant is sought by governmental taxing bodies as a short term loan. The money is borrowed until the county reimburses tax monies owed. The borrowed money is used to meet daily expenses, many times being payroll and benefit payments.

The council set June 20th as a citywide clean up day, with details to follow.

Buckner man arrested on child porn charges

A 54-year-old Buckner man has been arrested for failing to register as a sex offender.

Richard Faling

Richard Faling

Richard L. Faling, was arrested by Franklin County Sheriff’s deputies and is facing three counts of unlawful failure to register as a sex offender and one count of child pornography.

Detectives with the sheriff’s department received a tip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children concerning certain activities by Faling on the internet.

An investigation by authorities revealed that Faling was not in compliance with his sex offender registration. An arrest warrant was obtained for the sex offender violation as well as a search warrant for Faling’s residence.  The search warrant was executed and child pornography was located.  Faling was not at home at the time of the search but was later taken into custody by the U.S. Marshal’s Department when he returned.  He is being held in the Franklin County Jail.

U.S. Secret Service Cybercrime Unit members from Franklin County Sheriff’s Department, Benton Police Department, Illinois State Police along with Secret Service agents and deputies from the U.S. Marshal’s Department assisted with the investigation.

Toby Brooks Named SIC Distinguished Alumnus

 

Harrisburg — Dr. Toby Brooks, assistant professor at the Texas Tech University Health Science Center in Lubbock, has been chosen by members of the Southeastern Illinois College Mu Psi Chapter of the Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society to join Southeastern’s Distinguished Alumni roster of 32 outstanding graduates.

Toby Brooks named Distinguished Alumnus at SIC

Toby Brooks named Distinguished Alumnus at SIC

A Golconda native, Brooks attended Southeastern from 1994-96, where he majored in math and science. He graduated with academic honors from the college, receiving his associate in science degree with a focus on physical education and athletic training.

Dr. Jonah Rice, president of SIC, remembers Brooks well. “Dr. Brooks was one of those outstanding students you just knew was going to do well in life,” said Rice.

“I was fortunate enough to have taught Toby when I was a member of the faculty at SIC,” continued Rice. “He demonstrated so many qualities for guaranteed success–intellect, work ethic, humor, and appreciation of his roots. His work outside of his profession demonstrates that love for the region. I’m delighted the committee chose Toby for this prestigious award.”

From SIC, Brooks transferred to Southern Illinois University at Carbondale (SIU-C), where he received his bachelor of science degree in physical education and athletic training in 1998 and was named one of the university’s top 25 graduating seniors. He continued his education at the University of Arizona at Tucson, where he earned a master’s degree and doctor of philosophy degree in teaching and teacher education/physical education in 2000 and 2002, respectively.

Brooks is a licensed, board certified athletic trainer, strength and conditioning specialist, performance enhancement specialist, and youth fitness specialist level two. He also serves as the director of research and education for the International Youth Conditioning Association (IYCA).

Brooks’ professional associations in athletic training and strength conditioning include such notables as the University of Arizona; University of Texas at El Paso; Southern Illinois University; USA National Baseball; Florida Firecats AF2 franchise (arena football developmental league); Southern Illinois Miners; and the NFL Oakland Raiders.

He has authored and co-authored numerous scholarly works related to fitness, performance, and strength conditioning. He is also the author of two historical non-fiction books of interest to Southern Illinois: Season of Change, published in November 2013, about the 1948 West Frankfort Cardinals minor league baseball team, and Sensory Overload, to be released in June 2013, about the DuQuoin Street Machine Nationals (1986-1998).

Brooks was surprised when notified of the honor. “Frankly, I was stunned when Dr. Rice called. He taught my very first ever college course at 9:00 a.m. on my first Monday as a college student. What a wonderful way to begin my studies! I owe a great deal of my love for writing to that English 101 course he taught.”

Having attended a small high school, Brooks was intimidated by the thought of going away to a large college. “SIC afforded me the chance to ease into college life with most of my support structure (family, friends, home) still fully intact. I still had to grow up in a lot of ways. Southeastern provided me the extra time I needed to mature and to prepare for the next step in my life,” said Brooks.

Brooks remembers with clarity the instructors at SIC who helped change his life. “I am 100% confident that my friends who attended four-year schools couldn’t tell you their professors’ names from the first semester of college. Not only do I remember most of mine (Dr. Rice, Gene Forster, Al Morgan, and Dr. Mila Maring-Sims), but I can pick up the phone right now and talk to any of them. I count them as friends.”

Now, nearly 20 years later, Brooks has published seven books, with several others in the works. He writes numerous magazine articles every month, and he has published more than a dozen journal articles.

“I’m blessed to have had Dr. Rice and so many others at SIC as teachers. I am deeply honored to receive this award. The fact that Dr. Rice is now the president of the institution and made the call himself makes the whole experience that much sweeter,” Brooks stated.

VJ’s Boutique is a Hidden Treasure!

Have you ever needed a gift for someone special and wanted something unique, different and inexpensive? We all have! There is a boutique that specializes in that very thing, and it is located in Christopher, IL!

Owner Vickie Rowland

Owner Vickie Rowland

Whether you are looking for jewelry, a purse and wallet, scarves or sunglasses, you’ll find that one-of-a-kind item at VJ’s Boutique, which is located inside American Fitness, LLC! Owner Vicki Rowland has developed relationships with vendors on the West Coast and they send her the latest styles. If you have been in this area for very long, you know that Southern Illinois doesn’t know what the trend is for months or even years after it hits the West Coast.

Now you can be ahead of everyone else in Southern Illinois by just stopping by the local gym. There really is something for everyone in the jam-packed display cases. Very trendy ‘bling’ like necklaces, bracelets, watches, rings and earrings fill the glass cases! Purses, bags, scarves, and wallets cover the walls with racks of sunglasses hanging above the glass cases. It is a bonus that everything in VJ’s is affordable! There is always a “sale” of some sort going on and a huge “sale” rack with all kinds of goodies on it.

The boutique is open daily and by appointment also. Vicki will even meet your group of girlfriends at the boutique and let you shop! Put together a private party and schedule an appointment for you and your friends to meet up at VJ’s. Vicki will give you a percentage of the sales in free credit for yourself!

vj2How fun!vj4

The boutique features all kinds of gym apparel for both men and women with the American Fitness logo. Beverly International products are also sold in VJ’s. The members love having the boutique located in the gym too. After classes ladies have a ball checking out the new merchandise, visiting (of course) and getting some fantastic deals from Vicki! Men not only shop for themselves but love picking up items for their wives and girlfriends. It sure beats driving to Marion or Carbondale and gifts from VJ’s are sure to please! Guys love getting those special deals with their own personal place to shop as well as having their own personal shopper like Vicki. How can you go wrong?

VJ’s is open during regular office hours at American Fitness which are posted on the front door of the gym and on our Facebook page at:  https://www.facebook.com/VjsBoutique The front door of the gym is always open during regular business hours so feel free to stop by and shop, check things out or you can call 724-4000 to make an appointment to shop or have a private party set up for you and your friends. Vj’s is open Monday thru Saturday.

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ALERT: NWS experiencing problems with weather radios today

The National Weather Service in Paducah is advising local residents that they are experiencing difficulties with weather radios today.  Please seek an alternate way to check on weather conditions in Southern Illinois.  The entire Southern Illinois region is under a tornado watch until 5 p.m.  A ‘watch’ means that conditions are favorable to produce a potential tornado.  Strong thunderstorms are expected to roll through Southern Illinois throughout the afternoon.

Here is the link concerning the weather radios.

https://local.nixle.com/alert/4989130/?sub_id=882147

WSIL is an excellent source through television, smart phone or on its website, listed below.

www.wsiltv.com

Benton, West Frankfort, Illinois News | Franklin County News