BOST VOTES TO OVERTURN ENVIRONMENTAL RULE THAT HURTS COAL JOBS

Here is a press release from Congressman Mike Bost (R- Murphysboro) dated February 1.

Joint Resolution of Disapproval Would Overturn Dept. of Interior Rule
Southern Illinoisan file photo

American coal Galatia Mine – Southern Illinoisan file photo

Washington, DC– U.S. Representative Mike Bost (IL-12) today voted to overturn the Department of the Interior’s (DOI) “Stream Buffer Rule,” which threatens jobs at coal mines and has virtually no environmental impact off-site.  Among many requirements, the rule requires a 100-foot buffer between coal mines and nearby streams, although DOI’s own reports show that almost all coal mines have no off-site impact, mines are being operated safely, and that lands are being restored successfully under existing state and federal regulations.  Bost was cosponsor of the legislation, H.J. Res. 38, which passed the House of a vote of 228-to-194 and now moves to the Senate for its consideration.

The resolution was passed by the House pursuant to the provisions of the Congressional Review Act, which allows Congress to overturn an agency’s rule if a joint resolution of disapproval is passed by both the House and Senate and is signed by the president.

“The Obama Administration’s anti-coal regulation was a solution in search of a problem. It wasn’t intended to protect the environment. It was intended to put our coal miners out of work. And sadly, it’s been successful at achieving that goal,” said Bost.  “If ever there was a time for Congress to act, this is it.”

Saluki Men’s Basketball cruises past Bradley, 85-65

Tom Weber-SIU Media Services

CARBONDALE, Ill. — Southern Illinois unleashed big runs to start both halves and owned a huge advantage on the offensive glass in an 85-65 win over Bradley on Wednesday night at SIU Arena.

The Salukis (13-11, 6-5) started the first half on a 17-2 run and the second half on a 22-6 burst, as they avenged an earlier two-point loss to Bradley in Peoria, a game in which baskets were unforgettably hard to come by.

“(The first game) was all we talked about, all we talked about,” said Saluki head coach Barry Hinson, whose team was 2-for-26 from 3-point in the first meeting. “We got off to such a bad start in Peoria and we talked about the first four minutes of this game would be huge for us.”

The opening salvo was sparked by Armon Fletcher, who scored all 10 of his points on the night during the first five minutes of the game. He started with back-to-back layups and then made a pair of 3-pointers. Leo Vincent came off the bench to cap the 17-2 run with a 3-ball. He was 3-of-4 from downtown for nine points. 

Southern need a big cushion, because the offense went without a bucket during the final 8:32 of the first half, allowing Bradley to cut the deficit to 36-30 at halftime. SIU played much of that span with

its two senior leaders — Mike Rodriguez (15 points, six assists) and Sean O’Brien (11 points, four assists) — on the bench with two fouls.

Saluki guard Mike Rodriguez drives around Bradley's Darrell Brown (SIU MEDIA SERVICES)

Saluki guard Mike Rodriguez drives around Bradley’s Darrell Brown (SIU MEDIA SERVICES)



“Sorry, those guys that are coming in right now are doing the best they can, but they’re not Sean O’Brien and Michael Rodriguez,” Hinson said.

The Salukis quickly seized control in the second half with a 6-0 run that featured a jumper by Thik Bol, a steal and layup by Sean Lloyd and a dunk by Bol. Bradley came as close as 10 points on a jumper by Darrell Brown, but a 16-4 run put the game safely out of reach.

“We challenged them in a four-minute media mark timeout and we out-scored them 16-4 and took control of the game from that point on,” Hinson said. 

The Braves (8-16, 3-8) lost their sixth-straight game — all by double figures. They shot a respectable 48 percent from the field, but surrendered 16 offensive rebounds that led to 22 second-chance points for SIU. Bradley starts three freshmen, a sophomore and a junior, and could not overcome poor starts to both halves.

“We’ve tried every motivational tactic you can think of with this group this year at halftime and before the game,” said BU head coach Brian Wardle. “It’s pretty draining, to be quite honest, but we need to find that locker room leadership. We’re still developing that.”

The Braves had an especially woeful night from the free throw stripe where they missed more shots (16) than they made (15). Hinson credited the antics of SIU’s swim team, which was seated behind the visitor’s backboard wearing nothing buy skimpy swimwear.

The SIU "Swim Team" has overtaken the Dawg Pound. They were big in last night's victory over Bradley

The SIU “Swim Team” has overtaken the Dawg Pound. They were big in last night’s victory over Bradley (SIU Media Services photo)


“When a grown man is up there in a Speedo wearing a bikini top, it’s hard as heck to even concentrate, much less make a free throw,” Hinson said. “I met with them tonight and fed ’em pizza before the game and told them how much I appreciated them.”

For the second-straight game, the Salukis have scored a conference-high 85 points and all five starters scored in double figures. Not known as a proficient shooting team, they made 8-of-16 from 3-point range.

There are two league races going on right now. The main event is the battle at the top between Illinois State (11-0) and Wichita State (10-1). Those teams will square off for a rematch in Wichita on Saturday. The undercard is the battle for seeds 3 through 7. Five teams are bunched together with Loyola, Missouri State and SIU tied at 6-5, and Northern Iowa and Drake on their heels at 5-6. SIU plays at Loyola on Saturday in what could turn out to be a pivotal game in the standings.

Link to the full box score of the game.

http://siusalukis.com/boxscore.aspx?path=mbball&id=7641

Bob Anderson and the Flood of 1937

A train load of relief supplies from Harrisburg to the people across Gallatin County that was experiencing catastrophic flooding.  This photo is believed to be around Junction.  (Getty images)

A train load of relief supplies from Harrisburg, to the people across Gallatin County that were experiencing catastrophic flooding. This photo is believed to be around Junction. (Getty images)

NOTE: This is a story about Bob Anderson, a ham radio operator and his experience during the Great Flood of 1937, that devastated Southeastern Illinois. The author, Clinton B. Desoto wrote this piece in a series of ham radio stories published in a book in 1941. Click on the link to read the full story from the Illinois History website. This spurred my interest when I read this morning it was the 80th anniversary of the great flood of 1937. sd.

Say it ain’t so: Punxsutawney Phil ‘predicts’ 6 more weeks of winter

Punxsutawney Phil gives his forecast this morning of six more weeks of winter.  (AP photo)

Punxsutawney Phil gives his forecast this morning of six more weeks of winter. (AP photo)

 PUNSXUTAWNEY, PA.  (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.  Click on the link to read the entire story.  Here is an excerpt. One of the most famous groundhog and prognosticator, Punxsutawney Phil, saw his shadow, meaning we’ll have to endure six more weary weeks of winter. & A massive crowd started gathering overnight in Punxsutawney, Pa., for pre-dawn festivities before Phil emerged at sunrise — 7:29 a.m. — to make the prediction. & A German legend has it that if a furry rodent sees his shadow on Feb. 2, winter will last another six weeks. If not, spring comes early. & In reality, Phil’s prediction is decided ahead of time by the group of handlers on Gobbler’s Knob, about 65 miles northeast of Pittsburgh. & Phil’s official website claims he has “of course” issued a correct forecast 100 percent of the time. But NOAA’s National Centers for Environmental Information notes that Phil’s forecasts have shown “no predictive skill” in recent years.

Carlos Martinez agrees to five-year, $51 million deal

USA Today Photo

USA Today Photo

ST. LOUIS, MO – (Rick Hummel St. Louis Post Dispatch- Click to read the full article. Here is an excerpt.) The concern about whether there would be any bad feelings resultant from Carlos Martinez’s salary arbitration hearing will be a moot point. There won’t be any hearing next week. The Post-Dispatch learned Wednesday night from sources close to the situation that Martinez has agreed to a five-year contract worth some $51 million and that the deal, which has some options, will be announced Thursday morning at a press conference at Busch Stadium. & General manager John Mozeliak could not be reached for any confirmation nor was there any from Martinez’s representation but a source said that Martinez took his physical on Wednesday. & Martinez, the Cardinals’ top starter with a 16-9 record and 3.04 earned run average last season, had been seeking $4.25 million as a first-time arbitration-eligible player with the Cardinals offering $3.9 million, with a hearing having been slated for next week.

Trump honors fallen Navy SEAL during unannounced trip

Trump and his daughter Ivanka after exiting Marine One at Dover Air Force Base Today (AP Photo)

Trump and his daughter Ivanka after exiting Marine One at Dover Air Force Base Today (AP Photo)

DOVER AIR FORCE BASE, Del. (AP) (Julie Pace – Please click to read the whole story…here is an excerpt… — Assuming the somber duties of commander in chief, President Donald Trump made an unannounced trip Wednesday to honor the returning remains of a U.S. Navy SEAL killed in a weekend raid in Yemen. Chief Special Warfare Operator William “Ryan” Owens, a 36-year-old from Peoria, Illinois, was the first known U.S. combat casualty since Trump took office less than two weeks ago. More than half a dozen militant suspects were also killed in the raid on an al-Qaida compound and three other U.S. service members were wounded. More than a dozen civilians were also killed in the operation, including the 8-year-old daughter of Anwar al-Awlaki, a radical cleric and U.S. citizen who was targeted and killed by a drone strike in 2011.

BREAKING: Senate confirms Rex Tillerson as secretary of state

New Secretary of State Rex Tillerson in the Senate conformation hearings

New Secretary of State Rex Tillerson in the Senate conformation hearings

WASHINGTON DC – (Guy Taylor- Washington Times Click to read the whole story here is an excerpt.) The Senate voted Wednesday afternoon to confirm Rex Tillerson as the nation’s 69th secretary of state, officially making the former Exxon Mobil CEO America’s top diplomat and chief foreign policy adviser to President Trump. In a 56-43 vote, Republicans picked up three Democratic votes to pierce the minority’s hoped-for united front against Mr. Trump’s unconventional nominee: Sens. Joe Manchin III of West Virginia, Heidi Heitkamp of North Dakota and Mark R. Warner of Virginia, all of whom face re-election next year. Democratic-leaning independent Sen. Angus S. King Jr. of Maine also voted to advance Mr. Tillerson’s nomination. & Officials said Mr. Tillerson, who had an extended lunch meeting with Mr. Trump Wednesday afternoon, would be sworn in during a private ceremony. He is not expected to appear at State Department headquarters in Foggy Bottom until Thursday or Friday.

Sen. Jeff Sessions Wins Senate Committee Approval for Attorney General Post

Attorney General Jeff Sessions, who has been approved at the Senate confirmation hearings level, being grilled during the meetings. US News and World Report photo

Attorney General Jeff Sessions, who has been approved at the Senate confirmation hearings level, being grilled during the meetings. US News and World Report photo

WASHINGTON, DC- (Erik Ortiz – NBC News – Click to read the full story – Here is an excerpt -) A Senate panel voted Wednesday morning to advance the nomination of Alabama Republican Sen. Jeff Sessions as U.S. attorney general — a day after Democrats clashed with Republicans over the future of the Department of Justice. The Senate Judiciary Committee approved Sessions’ nomination along party lines, 11-9, sending it to the full Senate for confirmation. Sessions is expected to easily win approval by the GOP-controlled chamber. & The urgent need for an attorney general also comes after Acting Attorney General Sally Yates was fired by Trump on Monday night after she refused to direct the Justice Department to enforce his controversial immigration ban.

Fire danger elevated today- Chance of Snow Saturday night

The fire danger is elevated today because of WNW winds today around 10 mph, dry air (the humidity is currently 47%), and dry

vegetation.  The fire danger graphic above and the reasoning was taken from KFVS-12 meteorologist Grant Dade’s Facebook page.

The high today will be in the mid 50’s with lows in the upper 30’s.  A cooling trend will start tomorrow, with highs in the mid 40’s and

Graphic by KFVS 12 meteorologist Grant Dade

Graphic by KFVS 12 meteorologist Grant Dade

lows in the mid 20’s.  Highs Thursday and Friday should be in the mid 30’s.

The snow chance on Saturday will start as rain changing to snow around 4 p.m.  It should change to all snow on Saturday night tapering off after midnight.  There is a slight chance of rain/snow on Sunday.

It is way to far out to determine how much snow we will receive.  At this time there is not ice in the forecast.

We will keep you updated on any changes in the forecast that will take place-sd

Trump order targeting business rules leaves key regulations untouched

U.S. President Donald Trump signs an executive order cutting regulations, accompanied by small business leaders at the Oval Office of the White House in Washington U.S., January 30, 2017.  REUTERS/Carlos Barria

U.S. President Donald Trump signs an executive order cutting regulations, accompanied by small business leaders at the Oval Office of the White House in Washington U.S., January 30, 2017. REUTERS/Carlos Barria

WASHINGTON, DC (Ayesha Rascoe and Amanda Becker, Reuter’s News Service. Please click to read the entire story. Here is an excerpt.) President Donald Trump signed an order on Monday that will seek to dramatically reduce federal regulations, but the policy will not apply to most of the financial reform rules introduced by the Obama administration. Trump’s latest executive action will require that agencies cut two existing regulations for every new rule introduced and it will set an annual cap on the cost of new regulations. For the rest of fiscal 2017, the cap will require that the cost of any additional regulations be completely offset by undoing existing rules. But, the move does not cover independent agencies that crafted many of the rules required by the 2010 Dodd-Frank Wall Street reform law, including the Securities and Exchange Commission and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, the White House said.

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