Benton, West Frankfort, Illinois News | Franklin County News
Newspaper covering Franklin County, Illinois
CHICAGO — Like your cousin who doesn’t pay his bills on time and squanders money he doesn’t have, Illinois is paying the price — in both cash and reputation — for years of ignored warnings about its pension crisis, the worst in the nation.
Evan Sink, 57, of Mulkeytown, Illinois died June 20, 2013 at Marshall Browning Hospital in Du Quoin, Illinois.
Evan was born January 16, 1956 in Du Quoin, the son of Albert “Cabe” Sink and Nettie (Spann) Sink. He was a graduate of Sesser-Valier High School and after retiring from the coal industry he was currently employed in traffic safety with the Illinois Department of Transportation. He was a member of the Greenwood United Methodist Church and the Sesser Masonic Lodge.
Evan enjoyed his family, gardening, hunting and fishing very much.
On January 2, 1977 Evan married Gayla (Jones) Sink and she survives. He is also survived by his children, Amy and Mike Johnson, West Frankfort, Vanessa Sink, Mulkeytown, David and Audra Bates,Sesser and Scott and Kim Bates, Benton. Also surviving are grandchildren Jade Bates, Travis Air Force Base, California, Peyton Bates, Sesser, Asher Bates, Sesser, Deryck Bates, Benton, Ryleigh Bates, Benton, Hunter Johnson, West Frankfort, C.J. Johnson, West Frankfort and Micah Johnson, West Frankfort.
In addition he is survived by one brother, Gilbert and Carol Sink, Sesser and three sisters, Joyce and Jim Thompson, Sesser, Betty Arflack, Eldorado, Illinois and Susan and Jim Mondino, Cleburne, Illinois; brothers-and-sisters-in-law Rita and Dwight Hitt, Mulkeytown, Illinois, Larry and Vicky Jones, West Frankfort and several nieces, nephews and cousins.
He was preceded in death by his parents, father and mother-in law, Gene and Elnora Jones, infant brother Dennis Sink and brothers-in-law Donald Arflack and Kent Batson.
Funeral services will be held on Monday, June 24 at 11 a.m. at Brayfield-Gilbert Funeral Home, in Sesser, Illinois with the Rev. Jean Webster officiating. Visitation will be on Sunday after 4 p.m. at the funeral home. Interment will be at Maple Hill Cemetery in Sesser, Illinois. Brayfield-Gilbert Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Memorials in lieu of flowers can be made to the American Heart Association and will be accepted at the :funeral home
For more information go to www.gilbertfuneralhomes.com
Staff Report
Dozens of people from all over the world will converge at Rend Lake College later this month to officially become American citizens.
The United States District Court for the Southern District of Illinois will host a Naturalization Ceremony at 10 a.m. Friday, June 28, 2013, at the Rend Lake College Theatre.
United States Bankruptcy Judge Kenneth J. Meyers will preside at the ceremony where the United States Custom and Immigration Services will welcome approximately 50 new citizens.
The Southern District of Illinois is one of three federal judicial districts in Illinois and is comprised of the 38 southernmost counties. Although the ceremony is an official court proceeding, the Court elects to host Naturalization ceremonies at locations throughout the district several times each year in order to provide students and the public an opportunity to witness the Naturalization process and learn more about how immigrants to the United States become citizens.
For more information, see the court’s website, www.ilsd.uscourts.gov, or contact the Clerk of Court, Nancy Rosenstengel, at 618-482-9172.
INA, Ill. (June 14, 2013) – Rend Lake College Community & Corporate Education has openings available in its Chefs of Tomorrow kids camp.
These one-day camps are designed for students in Grades 4-6 and feature a different theme each Friday. Camps are offered from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Fridays – June 21, June 28, July 19 and July 26. Campers can choose to attend all four sessions or pick and choose specific dates.
Each Friday session focuses on a different meal – Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner and Dessert. Taught by RLC Culinary Arts Chef Instructor Robert Wilson, participants will learn the basics to begin cooking safely. By taking all four sessions, campers can learn to cook a complete family meal.
The cost is $35 per session. Samples will be taken home. For more information, or to register, contact RLC Community & Corporate Education at 618-437-5321, Ext. 1267 or 1714.
Benton police arrested a Sesser couple, both wanted on outstanding warrants for burglary. Taken into custody was Danielle M. Clark, 20, and Carl J. Hendrix, 22. Clark and Hendrix were taken to the Franklin County Jail where they remain in custody.
By Jim Muir
Donald Lee, the 39-year-old Elkville man accused of murdering a 23-year-old Bonnie woman last month, entered a not guilty plea in Franklin County Circuit Court on Wednesday.
Brittany Andrews
Lee is charged with two counts of first degree murder and one count of aggravated unlawful use of a weapon in the death of Brittany Andrews.
Lee is charged with shooting Andrews in the head on an East Main Street parking lot, adjacent to a bar where they had reportedly just left.
Lee entered a plea of not guilty after waiving his right to a preliminary hearing during a brief appearance before Judge Thomas Tedeschi. A jury trial was set for Sept. 10 with a final pretrial conference slated for August 29. Lee remains in custody in Franklin County Jail in lieu of $2 million bond.
The Franklin County Highway Department has issued road closures in the county due to flooding.
Roads that are impassable due to water as of Sunday, June 2 are: Deering Road, Park Street Road and Peach Orchard Road.
Emergency management officials remind drivers not to attempt to cross when water is over the roadway. The rule used is: Turn around, don’t drown.
By J. Larry Miller
The warmer temperatures on Tuesday and Wednesday were certainly welcome and I was beginning to lose my confidence in Al Gore and global warming. There is still some concern as cooler temperatures are forecast this weekend. Corn that was planted almost 2 weeks ago has sprouted and is possibly going to make it.
Larry Miller, executive director Franklin County Farm Bureau
April is the cruelest month,” the poet T.S. Eliott wrote in 1922, and it’s a judgment many nervous Illinois farmers might share in 2013.
The five-year average for corn planting is 40 percent. This year, with rain-saturated fields and cool soils, just 1 percent of the corn is in the ground, according to the weekly Illinois Weather and Crops report from the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
As of April 24, the month already had been the fourth-wettest in Illinois history, according to Jim Angel, state climatologist with the Illinois State Water Survey. The state average rain was 6.58 inches and within striking distance of the record 7.40 in April 2011, Angel said. April’s average is 3.77.
Farmers are not looking forward to the forecast for the rest of this week with lost of rain possible. Looks like it will be at least next week before much else can be done in the fields. But as a farmer there are always many things that need attention around the farm so inside work will get caught up during this time.
The 2nd Annual Franklin County Farm Bureau Antique Tractor Drive Josh Odom Memorial will be held on May 11th in conjunction with the Rend Lake Water Festival. The Young Leaders have been working diligently in getting local implement dealers to come and set up equipment on the parking lot across from McDonald’s in West City at the Rend Lake Plaza.
The tractor drive will begin with registration at 10:00 a.m. and leave Rend Lake Plaza at 10:30 to drive around the lake and enjoy the day. Right now the weather says we will have a high of 79 degrees which will be perfect weather for the event.
We still have plenty of room for entries for the antique tractors to participate – with a $10 entry fee that will get you a t-shirt and a fish dinner this is quite reasonable. The television show “Small Town, Big Deal” will be here filming for this event so Franklin County will be on national television and get some major recognition for all that we do. Let’s get as many tractors to participate as possible for a good showing.
For more information call the Franklin County Farm Bureau at (618) 435-3616 to reserve your space today.
Remember we are farmers working together. If we can help let us know.
By Bruce A. Fasol
West Frankfort Public Library will resume summer Story Hours, in May, it has been announced.
Librarian Pam Sevenski tells franklincounty-news.com that on the first and third Tuesday mornings of the month, children can come to the Library for a free morning of “stories, crafts and activities”.
The story Hour is open to West Frankfort children age 3, 4 and 5 years old. Each story hour wil begin at 10am.
Benton – Southern Illinois is no stranger to the devastating effects of severe weather. It was just over one year ago this past week that neighbors were helping neighbors, and communities were banding together to help those in need affected by the Leap Day 2012 Severe Weather outbreak.
Emergency management officials in Franklin County are encouraging the public to use this week to update severe weather plans, conduct drills, and learn more about severe weather in their community. Severe Weather Preparedness Week runs from March 3rd to March 9th, 2013 in Illinois. Activities scheduled for this week include a statewide tornado drill and a storm spotter training session. Franklin County’s
Director of Emergency Management is encouraging citizens to get serious about severe weather preparedness and ensure homes and businesses are equipped with a NOAA All-Hazards Alert Radio.
“Having a NOAA all-hazards alert radio in your home or business is just as important as having a working
smoke detector”, said Director Ryan M. Buckingham. Citizens are encouraged to have several ways to
receive warning information in case your primary method of receiving information is rendered
incapacitated.
A statewide tornado drill will be conducted on Tuesday, March 5th at 10:00 AM. The drill will give everyone
a chance to practice current severe weather plans and procedures.
“Practicing your plan will ensure that you know what to do when a warning is issued. Following a well-made and practiced plan will reduce
confusion and provide a basic level of safety should a real severe weather event occur.” added Buckingham.
Local warning systems will be activated during the drill and citizens are encouraged to practice their severe weather emergency plans at that time.
Emergency Management officials will be hosting a public storm spotter training session on Thursday, March 7th at 6:00 PM at the Christopher Civic Center located at 208 N. Thomas Street in Christopher. In partnership with the National Weather Service, officials will train attendees on how to detect and report severe weather in their community. Attendees will also have a chance at winning one of two NOAA All-Hazards alert radios that will be given away during the event. The training is free of charge and is open to anyone who would like to attend.
For more information on severe weather preparedness visit www.ready.illinois.gov. Additional information on local events scheduled for severe weather preparedness week can be obtained by contacting Franklin County Emergency Management Agency at (618) 439-4EMA.
