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Town meeting scheduled for Monday in Benton
April 22, 2017 By Leave a Comment
WSIL Unsung Heroes: Karen Smith and Linda Kelley
April 21, 2017 By Leave a Comment
BENTON, IL (Ashley Smith – WSIL TV Please click to read the entire story and accompanying video. Here is an excerpt) Two women have spent a lifetime working at the same place, and despite being over retirement age, neither plan to quit anytime soon. Karen Smith works in the laundry room at Stone Bridge Senior Living Center in Benton. “There’s never a dull moment in here, that’s for sure,” said Karen Smith. She’s worked in that department for more than two decades. She spent a decade before that working in housekeeping. That’s 31 years Karen has worked in the same building. But she’s not the only longtime employee here.Steel guitar show opens in Mt. Vernon
April 20, 2017 By Leave a Comment
Preparations Underway for Wastena Street Project
April 20, 2017 By Leave a Comment
Engineer Rodney Potts discusses the widening project of Wastena Street from South Main to South McLeansboro (William McPherson Gazette Photo)
Fighting hunger one plate at a time
April 20, 2017 By Leave a Comment
BENTON, IL (Holly Kee, Benton Evening News- Please click to read the full story. Here is an excerpt) Good nutrition is one of the most important building blocks for a solid foundation that has far-reaching implications for a child’s future physical and mental well-being. However, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, more than 13 million children under the age of 18 live in households where they are unable to consistently access enough healthy food necessary for a healthy life. While the school breakfast and lunch program helps with that, when school is not in session, many of these children go without. The consequences of malnutrition can be severe, affecting cognitive development in young children and school performance in older children. In addition, research shows that with hunger also comes more frequent illness and higher health care costs.Car thefts reported on Northwest Corner of Benton
April 19, 2017 By Leave a Comment
by Steve Dunford
From social media reports, and confirming with Benton Police, there were some vehicles broke into and vandalized, on the Northwest part of town. The are hit extends from Mitchell and 5th Streets, and around Maple Street, over to Election Drive.
For those that are not from town this is the area west of North Main (Route 37) from around Farm Fresh to the Driver’s License Facility.
Please make sure to lock your vehicle, and keep all valuables out of sight.
RLC Agriculture programs host 41st annual event
April 17, 2017 By Leave a Comment
ReAnne Palmer – RLC Public Information
The Outstanding Agriculture Students of the Year are, FROM LEFT, Wade Hutchens of Ewing; Zane Clark of Macedonia; Zach Sternberg of Ellis Grove; Chase Nicol of Carlisle, Ind.; Jordan Krug of Belleville; Brennan Fitzwater of Salem; Austin Ellison of Belleville; and Emily Lusby of Bluford.
(ReAnne Palmer / RLC Public Information)
INA, IL – Eight students and one community member were honored during the 41st Annual Agriculture Banquet at Rend Lake College last week. Faculty and staff celebrated the end of another successful year for the five agriculture programs alongside students, graduates and family.
During the banquet, numerous students were honored with gifts and awards from faculty, including seven program-specific outstanding student awards and one overall outstanding student award.
Each of RLC’s five agriculture programs recognized outstanding students for going “above and beyond” throughout the year. Mike Burris, Ag Mechanics and Diesel Technology Professor, awarded the Diesel Technology Outstanding Awards to Jordan Krug of Belleville and Zach Sternberg of Ellis Grove. He also awarded the Ag Mechanics Outstanding Award to Zane Clark of Macedonia.
Zach Vahlkamp, Heavy Equipment Technology Associate Professor, awarded the Heavy Equipment Outstanding Awards to Brennan Fitzwater of Salem and Chase Nicol of Carlisle, Ind.
Kathy Craig, Agriculture Associate Professor, awarded the Ag Production Outstanding Award to Austin Ellison of Belleville. She also presented the Ag Business Outstanding Award to Emily Lusby of Bluford.
The overall Outstanding Ag Student of the Year Award was given to Wade Hutchens of Ewing. Craig explained she polled all of her students about who should receive the award, and Hutchens received the most support from his peers. Hutchens was named RLC’s 2017 Homecoming King and is one of two Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society All-USA nominees for his academics.
A slideshow containing photos from the year and a presentation from RLC President Terry Wilkerson also highlighted the evening. Wilkerson, 1992 Outstanding Ag Student of the Year, addressed the audience with a presentation filled with advice for graduates, focusing on their employment in the future and life after college.
“Don’t ever stop learning. Don’t ever stop having fun,” said Wilkerson. “But, don’t forget who and what you’re working for.”
After Wilkerson’s speech, Duane Green, a salesman at Wm. Nobbe & Co., was awarded the Henry Douglas Leeck Service Award. Craig said Green was selected because of his support and recruitment for RLC’s agriculture programs.
“Duane was instrumental in helping us receive Service Advisor software for the Ag Mechanics program,” explained Craig. “He is always willing to help us out, and he is a big advocate for our programs.”
To learn more about RLC’s Agriculture programs, visit www.rlc.edu.
B.G.S Hosts Annual Health Fair
April 14, 2017 By Leave a Comment
Rend Lake College 2017 Associate Degree Nursing students
April 13, 2017 By Leave a Comment
ReAnne Palmer – Rend Lake College Media Services
INA, IL – Fifty-eight students are nearing completion of Rend Lake College’s Associate Degree Nursing (ADN) program this year. They will have a pinning ceremony on Thursday, May 11 and will graduate on Saturday, May 13, both in RLC’s James “Hummer” Waugh Gymnasium, located in Ina. The ADN program prepares the students for the state licensure examination.
Pictured is, FROM LEFT, FRONT ROW, Dionna Martin of Benton, Kathryn Wise of Zeigler, Breanna Davis of Zeigler, Annabelle Shukites of Christopher, Rachel Burns of Mt. Vernon, Amanda Gant of Christopher, Rachel Easton of Benton, Zoie Frey of Christopher, Lindsey Barnes of Marion, Morgan Massie of Waltonville, Amanda Frassato of Pinckneyville, and Tammie Rable of Red Bud; SECOND ROW, Amber Bennett of Ashley, Lindsey Cox of Benton, Mariann Cook of Benton, Charity Jackson of Mt. Vernon, Hannah Draper of Johnsonville, Mallory Berbower of Bluford, Laura Jamerson of Benton, Sherri Smith of Wayne City, Dana Harris of Pinckneyville, Bria Curry of Benton, Sarah Menckowski of Christopher, Christine Keppler-Clayton of Benton, and Kerri Hoehner of Coulterville; THIRD ROW, Miriam Ziehm of Dahlgren, Loghan Matyi of Christopher, Shirley Rogers of Mulkeytown, Leanne Ledbetter of Benton, Carrie J. Harper of Mt. Vernon, Brittany Long of West Frankfort, Jennie Schmulbach of Smithton, Kelly Bishop of Benton, Latika Burns of Belleville, Brittany Webb of McLeansboro, Samantha Orrill of Benton, and Jennifer Long of Mt. Vernon; FOURTH ROW, Brittany Pierce of Centralia, Kelsey Head of Benton, and Shelby Bayler of Broughton; FIFTH ROW, Bryce Wiley of West Frankfort, Abby Taylor of Mt. Vernon, Liane Loyd of Bluford, Jennifer Carroll of Woodlawn, Carrie Stanley of Tamaroa, Joe Hendershott of Tamaroa, Tate Kerley of Thompsonville, Erica Maple of Christopher, Kaleigh Cole of Christopher, and Lindsay Sexton of Carmi; BACK ROW, Amy A. Dalby of Bluford, Brianna Sanders of Tamaroa, Allyce Moll of Steeleville, Darian Campbell of West Frankfort, Callie Priebe of Pinckneyville, Brian Plunk of McLeansboro, Nathan Liszewski of Woodlawn, and Bailee Jones of Valier.
