Four Southern Illinois teams playing in Super Sectionals today

May 29, 2017 By Leave a Comment

There are two baseball teams and two softball teams that made it to the Elite eight and all of them are in action today.  Two of the four teams are from Goreville.

The defending Class 1A State Champions, the Goreville Blackcats are, in action today as they are taking on the Effingham St. Anthony crusaders at 3 p.m. in the Carbondale Class 1A Super Sectional.  The game will be held at Itchy Jones Staduim.

Goreville advanced by defeating Steeleville 10-2 on Saturday in their own sectional.  Braden Webb went 4-5 from the plate and Brant Glidwell went 3-4.  Both homered and Glidwell pitched five strong innings.

The Nashville Hornets will be facing the Teutopolis Wooden Shoes tonight at 5:00 p.m., at the Sauget Class 2A Super Sectional.  The game will be at GCS park, home of the Gateway Grizzlies.

Cody Bauza went 4-5 at the plate, as Nashville pulled away late to defeat Carterville 11-2, to win the Benton Sectional Saturday.

In softball, the Goreville Lady Blackcats square off against Marissa- Coulterville Lady Meterors in the Johnston City Class 1A Super Sectional.  The game is in progress, as it started at 11:00 a.m.

Goreville advanced by beating Galatia-Thompsonvillem in the championship of the Trico Sectional.

At 2:00 pm, the Pinckneyville Lady Panthers will be facing Casey Westfield, in the Johnston City Class 2A Super Sectional at 2:00 p.m.

Pinckneyville advanced by beating Waltonville-Sesser-Valier in the finals, of the Harrisburg Sectional on Saturday.

Filed Under: High School Sports, Sesser-Valier High School Sports, Slider, Sports, Thompsonville High School Sports

Shooting in Benton yesterday – suspect at large

May 29, 2017 By Leave a Comment

Local authorities are pursuing Alan Bennett, who left the scene after, a 40 year-old Benton resident obtained a gunshot wound.  The suspect is pictured above.

The shooting took place in the 1200 block of Anna street.

He is described as a white male with a bald head, standing 6’1 and weighing 250 lbs.

Bennett is a relative of the victim, according to police.

Authorities consider Bennett to be armed and dangerous. If you see him, do not approach him, call 911.

Anyone with information as to Bennett’s whereabouts can also call Benton Police at 618-435-8131, or your local law enforcement agency.

Filed Under: Benton News, Breaking News, Franklin Co. News, Slider

Summary of May 27 Severe Weather – Hail over golfball sized and winds upwards of 70 to 80 mph

May 29, 2017 By Leave a Comment

National Weather Service- Paducah KY

http://www.weather.gov/pah/2017May27_SevereWeather

Radar Image as the storm crossed the river into Alexander and Union counties. (National Weather Service – Paducah KY)

NOTE:  Here in Franklin County we were spared for the most part, as we had a cell bearing down on us from the west that produced close to 110 mph winds in Central MO.

The most intense storm in the county was on the east side of the county in the Thompsonville-Akin area around 2:00 p.m.

The cell that prompted the Storm Prediction Center to use the term Hurricane Force Winds dropped to the southeast, going through Southeast Missori,  the Southern Seven counties of Southern Illinois and Western Kentucky.

The above link will take you to an interactive page of the National Weather Service.  Here is an overview of the event below from the NWS page.  -sd

Multiple rounds of severe thunderstorms impacted the Middle Mississippi Valley on the 1st day of the Memorial Day holiday weekend. Many observations of large hail and damaging winds were reported throughout the region, including wind speeds upwards of 70 to 80 mph and some hailstones measuring golfball sized and slightly higher.

There were multiple bowing segments that impacted the region with damaging winds the main impact from those. Each one seemed to develop further south than the one prior. Multiple individual cells and clusters also developed, especially early on in the event.

The brunt of the storms focused across southeast Missouri into much of southern Illinois and western Kentucky. Multiple rounds of storms over the same locations also resulted in some flooding issues requiring the issuance of a few flash flood warnings as well.

Rainfall totals of 1.5 to 3+ inches were observed from Carter County Missouri east into southern Scott County and into Carlisle and northern Graves Counties in Kentucky. The lowest amounts were up along the I-64 corridor and across the Evansville Tri-State area where only isolated heavier amounts were reported.

 

 

 

Filed Under: Breaking News, Franklin Co. News, Slider

Gregg Allman, Soulful Trailblazer of Southern Rock, Dies at 69

May 27, 2017 By Leave a Comment

http://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/rock/7759662/gregg-allman-dead

Getty images

SAVANNAH, GA (Deborah Wilker, Billboard Magazine – Please click on the link above to read the full story.  Below, is an excerpt.)

Gregg Allman, the soulful singer-songwriter and rock n’ blues pioneer who founded The Allman Brothers Band with his late brother, Duane, and composed such classics as “Midnight Rider,” “Melissa” and the epic concert jam “Whipping Post,” has died at age 69, Billboard has learned. He was diagnosed with hepatitis C in 1999 and underwent a liver transplant in 2010.

He “passed away peacefully at his home in Savannah, Georgia,” according to a statement on Gregg Allman’s official website, noting that the family planned to release a statement soon. “Gregg struggled with many health issues over the past several years. During that time, Gregg considered being on the road playing music with his brothers and solo band for his beloved fans, essential medicine for his soul. Playing music lifted him up and kept him going during the toughest of times.”

Gregg’s longtime manager and close friend Michael Lehman said, “I have lost a dear friend and the world has lost a brilliant pioneer in music. He was a kind and gentle soul with the best laugh I ever heard. His love for his family and bandmates was passionate as was the love he had for his extraordinary fans. Gregg was an incredible partner and an even better friend. We will all miss him.”

Filed Under: Breaking News, National News, Slider

Severin Passes Senate Bill 730 through the House

May 26, 2017 By Leave a Comment

Springfield…. Today Representative David Severin (R-Benton) unanimously passed Senate Bill 730 through the Illinois House of Representatives, which extends the Petroleum Education and Marketing Act (PEMA). The Act was planned to expire on January 1, 2018 but will now be extended another 10 years to January 1, 2028.

“IPRB has done a great job of promoting the industry within Illinois,” Severin said. “Some of its other work includes the cleanup of abandoned tank battery sites around the state and developing new processes for remediating historic produced water spills. This extension should enable the IPRB to be of even better service to the public.”

The Act is governed by the Illinois Petroleum Resources Board (IPRB) who works closely with the Illinois Department of Natural Resources. The board’s purpose is mainly educational, working to inform the general public of the importance of the industry

Senate Bill 730 now heads to the Governor’s office and waits to be signed. Click here for the bill.

Filed Under: Breaking News, Franklin Co. News, Slider, State News

Marathon food drive aims to help local food banks

May 26, 2017 By Leave a Comment

http://www.wsiltv.com/story/35520310/marathon-food-drive-aims-to-help-local-food-banks

WSIL image

WEST FRANKFORT, IL –(Sean Conway, WSIL-TV Please click on the link above to read the story and accompanying video.  Here is an excerpt below. )

Food pantries tend to thrive during the holiday season, but shelves tend to go bare as summer closes in. So a West Frankfort man decided to help with a “marathon food drive.”

Bill Cardin, of West Frankfort, just couldn’t let that happen. He became involved in the fight against hunger after learning just how many Americans struggle to eat.

“At least one in six people in this country go to bed hungry every night, and that’s just not okay with me” explained Cardin.

So he organized the first annual 5,000 Can Marathon food drive, using his contacts from several years of working with the Boy Scouts.

He says pantries thrive in the holiday season, but tend to suffer in the summer season.

“We found out when we brought the food to the food banks at that time, they were very happy to have it,” said Cardin. “And they said it was a great time for them up until about December people gave a lot of donations.”

 

 

Filed Under: Featured, Slider, West Frankfort News

Lake wind advisory for today/enhanced risk for severe weather tomorrow

May 26, 2017 By Leave a Comment

by Steve Dunford 

Before we talk about tomorrow, we are going to take care of the business for today.  The National Weather Service has issued a Lake Wind Advisory from 10 a.m. this morning until 6 p.m. tonight. Below is the text from the national weather service in Paducah KY:

…LAKE WIND ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM 10 AM THIS MORNING TO 6 PM CDT THIS EVENING…

The National Weather Service in Paducah has issued a Lake Wind Advisory, which is in effect from 10 AM this morning to 6 PM CDT this evening. *

TIMING…From late morning through the afternoon. *

WINDS…South winds will be sustained from 15 to 20 mph with gusts 20 to 30 mph. *

IMPACTS…Winds are expected to be strong enough to cause problems for boaters on area lakes. Small boats will be the most significantly impacted. Boaters on Kentucky Lake, Lake Barkley, and Rend Lake will be significantly impacted due to their extensive south fetches.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS… A Lake Wind Advisory indicates that winds will cause rough chop on area lakes. Small boats will be especially prone to capsizing.

Spending several holiday weekends on Rend Lake, boat traffic will increase today with the upcoming holiday weekend.  The lake is usually choppy with the additional boats on the water.

With south winds gusting up to 30 mph, make sure your craft could handle the choppy waters.  Caution needs to be taken crossing the main body, especially south of route 154.

Randolph, Perry, Franklin, Hamilton, and White counties are on the southern edge of a marginal risk (level one of five) for severe weather today. There is a very slight chance of large hail and damaging thunderstorm winds.  The storm prediction center has the tornado threat near zero today.

There is only a 20% chance of showers and thunderstorms today and tonight, but for any that pop up they could turn severe pretty quick.  I would not alter any outdoor plans for today, I would just keep my eye to the sky.

We are still under an enhanced (level three of five) risk of severe weather for tomorrow.  The main threat will be in the late evening hours.  The atmosphere will be juiced tomorrow, with it hot, humid, and highs in the mid 80’s.

As you can see in the graphic above, straight line winds is the main threat.  The tornado threat is still minimal.  The risk for tornadic activity tomorrow would be a pop up storm in front of the main system.  A storm could go severe in a hurry and an outside chance a supercell could form.

Several are following a Facebook page, that has Franklin and surrounding counties in the bulls-eye for violent tornadoes.  If this was the case, the SPC would place us under at least a moderate or  a high risk of severe weather.  This system is to be very concerned about, but not to panic about.

I will be monitoring the situation tomorrow.  I now have NWS-chat access.  I will be able to see what the meteorologists in all three of the TV news outlets are saying, as well as local emergency management officials.  I count it an honor to be entrusted with this, and will be able to provide better severe weather coverage.

Below is the hazardous weather outlook issued by the NWS in Paudcah.

.DAY ONE…Today and Tonight A few thunderstorms will spread eastward into southeast Missouri early this morning. They should dissipate by 10 AM before reaching the Mississippi River. Lightning will be the primary concern. Small chances of thunderstorms are forecast tonight, mainly along the Interstate 64 corridor of southern Illinois and southwest Indiana. A few severe storms with large hail and damaging winds will be possible if storms can develop.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN…Saturday through Thursday Thunderstorms are forecast throughout the region Saturday through Sunday evening. Any storms that develop through this period may become severe, but the greatest threats will be late Saturday into Saturday night, and possibly again along the cold front Sunday afternoon and evening.

The latest guidance suggests that one or more thunderstorm complexes may move through the region with primarily a damaging wind threat. Any individual storms would pose a threat of very large hail to go along with damaging winds and possibly a few tornadoes.

In addition, heavy rainfall may lead to flash flooding where multiple storms train over the same locations. Small chances of afternoon and evening thunderstorms are forecast for all or a portion of the region Tuesday and Wednesday. Better chances of thunderstorms are forecast throughout the area Thursday and Thursday night. Locally heavy rainfall and lightning will be the primary concerns.

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Filed Under: Breaking News, Franklin Co. News, Slider

2017 DU QUOIN STATE FAIR GRANDSTAND LINEUP ANNOUNCED

May 25, 2017 By Leave a Comment

Tickets Go On Sale Thursday, June 1

DU QUOIN, IL – Eight dynamic performances plus two FREE concerts are planned for the 2017 Du Quoin State Fair.  State Fair Manager Kevin Gordon announced today that tickets for the

Du Quoin State Fair Grandstand concert series will go on sale Thursday, June 1 via Ticketmaster.com and the Du Quoin State Fair Box Office.

For the first time, the Du Quoin State Fair will offer a FREE concert in the Grandstand on the opening night (August 25th)of the fair.  Dan Hampton, Otis Wilson and Steve McMichael, all members of the ’85 Chicago Bears defensive line, have moved from the gridiron to the Grandstand.  The Super Bowl champions have formed a band called The Chicago 6.   Fairgoers can expect to hear everything from ZZ Top to Smokey Robinson and John Mellencamp.

Chris Janson will take the stage on Sunday, August 27th along with High Valley. Janson grew up just across the Illinois state line in Perryville, MO, but moved to Nashville right out of high school to purse his dreams of being in the music industry. Known for his talents on the harmonica and high energy shows fans can expect a great show with performances of hit singles like “Fix a Drink,” “Holdin’ Her” and “Buy Me A Boat.”

Monday, August 28th will feature The Gin Blossoms. The Arizona natives came together in the late 1980’s and got their big break by performing at the South by Southwest Music Festival. After that their career took off with hits like, “Hey Jealousy” and “Til I Hear It from You.” They took a brief hiatus, but have come back in full force with “Miss Disarray” being one of their most requested songs.

Granger Smith has exploded on to the music scene recently with a little help from his friend Earl Dibbles Jr., an alter ego he created to make videos and help promote his music. His hits “If the Boot Fits” and “Backroad Song” are sure to be included in Granger’s set list on Tuesday, August 29th.

Dueling Pianos International will be taking the stage on Wednesday, August 30th. This is sure to be a fun filled night as world class dueling piano players entertain fairgoers with a dynamic performance. The show is known for being fun, comedic, and interactive for a show all ages will love.  This Grandstand performance is included with the cost of admission with General Admission seating the night of the show.

On Thursday, August 31st, the Roots & Boots Tour will be coming to the Du Quoin State Fair. This tour features Sammy Kershaw along with Aaron Tippin and Collin Raye. Kershaw found success in the 90s with songs like, “She Don’t Know She’s Beautiful” and “Queen of My Double Wide Trailer.” Fans will find that familiar sound with his newest album Better than I Used to Be.

Grammy Award winners, Switchfoot, will perform on the Grandstand stage on Friday, September 1st. Formed in California as a garage band, Switchfoot has come a long way with hits like, “Dare You to Move” and “Meant to Live.” They also founded their own charity event, THE SWITCHFOOT BRO-AM that helps at risk youth in San Diego. Also performing that evening will be Lifehouse.  The rock band has sold more than 15 million records worldwide and has played sold out shows around the globe for the last decade.  The group is best known for songs such as, “Hanging by a Moment,” “Whatever it Takes,” and “Halfway Gone.”

The Cadillac Three burst on to the music scene with hits like “The South” and “White Lightning,” but lead singer/guitarist Jaren Johnston has written hits for some of today’s biggest mainstream country artists. Hailed for their authenticity and southern rock vibe, they always put on a powerful show. Logan Mize and Chris Cavanaugh will join The Cadillac Three on Saturday, September 2nd.

Ticket prices for each of the Grandstand shows are listed below.

Friday, August 25: Chicago 6

Free Concert – General Admission

Saturday, August 26: TBA

Sunday, August 27: Chris Janson / High Valley

Tier 1 – $25 / Tier 2 – $22 / Tier 3 – $19

Monday, August 28: The Gin Blossoms

Tier 1 – $15 / Tier 2 – $12 / Tier 3 – $9

Tuesday, August 29:  Granger Smith / TBA

Tier 1 – $20 / Tier 2 – $17 / Tier 3 – $14

Wednesday, August 30:  Dueling Pianos International

Free Concert – General Admission

Thursday, August 31:  Roots & Boots Tour with Sammy Kershaw / Aaron Tippin / Collin Raye

Tier 1 – $20 / Tier 2 – $17 / Tier 3 – $14

Friday, September 1:  Switchfoot / Lifehouse 

Tier 1 – $33 / Tier 2 – $30 / Tier 3 – $27

Saturday, September 2: The Cadillac 3 / Logan Mize / Chris Cavanaugh
Tier 1 – $16 / Tier 2 – $13 / Tier 3 – $10

 

Sunday, September 3:  USAC Racing Series
Adults – $25 / Child – $10

 

Monday, September 4:  ARCA Racing Series:  General Tire Grabber 100
Adults – $25 / Child – $10

This year, the Du Quoin State Fair will offer a dynamic deal that allows fairgoers to create their own Grandstand concert experience.  The Score with More ticket package allows fairgoers to customize their visit to the Du Quoin State Fair by selecting three or more concerts to attend plus receive free gate admission for each concert.  Fairgoers cannot duplicate concert selections when personalizing their package. The price for the Score with More package will be dependent upon each fairgoer’s concert selection.  This exclusive offer sets aside a limited number of tickets for each concert.   Special Note:  All ticket packages must be purchased by phone (618-542-1335) or in person on the Du Quoin State Fair Box Office.   This offer is not available via Ticketmaster.

On June 1, tickets for two of the fair’s most popular events will also go on sale:  Truck & Tractor Pulls and Demolition Derby.  These tickets will be available for purchase via Ticketmaster.com and at the Du Quoin State Fair Box Office.   Dates, times and ticket prices are as follows:

Monday, August 28:  Truck & Tractor Pull

7:00pm at Half Mile Track
Adults (13+) – $10 / Kids (3-12) – $5 / Under 3 – FREE

Tuesday, August 29:  Truck & Tractor Pull

7:00pm at Half Mile Track
Adults (13+) – $10 / Kids (3-12) – $5 / Under 3 – FREE

Saturday, September 2:  Demolition Derby

7:00pm at SI Center
Adults (13+) – $10 / Kids (3-12) – $5 / Under 3 – FREE

In addition, the Du Quoin State Fair is accepting applications for those looking to camp on the fairgrounds during not only the Du Quoin State Fair, but also this summer’s Solar Eclipse.   The eclipse will take place on Monday, August 21st – just four days before the state of the Du Quoin State Fair!  Southern Illinois is a top viewing destination for this rare astronomical event. The Du Quoin State Fairgrounds offers over 1,000 camping spaces with water and electric hookups, multiple bath houses, unlimited primitive camping, and access to fishing and hiking.   Advance reservations are required, and applications can be found online at www.duquoinstatefair.net.

More details regarding ticket sales, special events, and additional grandstand acts will be released in the coming weeks and months.  Make plans today to visit the wonderful southern Illinois tradition.  We’ll see you at the Du Quoin State Fair August 25 – September 4.

 

 

Filed Under: Breaking News, Franklin Co. News, Slider, State News

Rich Herrin, Mike Rude To Be First Inductees Into Southern Illinois High School Coaches Hall Of Fame

May 25, 2017 By Leave a Comment

Press Release from the Southern Illinois Miners 

The Southern Illinois Miners announce that basketball coach Rich Herrin and football coach Mike Rude are the first inductees into the Southern Illinois High School Coaches Hall Of Fame, presented by Southern Illinois Healthcare. They will be honored in a pregame ceremony on the field before the Miners game against the Florence Freedom on Tuesday, May 30th at Rent One Park at 7:05 p.m.

As a high school coach, Rich Herrin collected a remarkable 677 wins on the hardwood, going 95-17 in four seasons at Okawville High School and 521-192 in 25 seasons at Benton High School before capping his high school coaching career off with 61 wins in five seasons at Marion High School from 2002-07. Herrin, who has been on the sidelines for over 50 years, completed his fifth season as head coach at Morthland College in West Frankfort this past winter, and led the school to its first-ever national championship in 2016. In addition, he coached for 13 years at Southern Illinois University in Carbondale, with a 225-174 overall record, two Missouri Valley Conference regular season titles and three MVC Tournament titles resulting in three NCAA Tournament appearances from 1993-95. The Salukis also made the NIT four times under Herrin.

Overall, covering both his incredible high school coaching career and his time in the collegiate ranks, Herrin, a native of Bridgeport, owns 978 total wins.

Mike Rude has coached Illinois high school football for 47 years, and has an overall coaching body of work that spans 49 years. A seven-time Coach of the Year honoree, Rude has paced the sidelines for Wyanet High School, Bishop McNamara High School, Anna-Jonesboro High School, Marion High School, Johnston City High School and Vienna High School as well as Morthland College. He was the youngest coach ever to be inducted into the Illinois High School Football Coaches Hall of Fame in 1995, and coached 19 teams in class 2A, 3A, 4A and 5A to the state playoffs. His Johnson City teams set a conference record of 26 consecutive wins that still stands today, and Rude has also coached one McDonald’s High School All-American, 11 Chicago Tribune All-State selections and three Southern Illinois Players of the Year.

In addition, Rude originated the football programs at Vienna High School (2007) and Morthland College (2014). A graduate of Christopher High School, he currently is the all-time winningest football coach at Vienna and Johnson City High Schools, and was also the winningest coach at Marion High School upon his departure.

For tickets to Tuesday’s game, contact the Miners’ box office at (618) 998-8499 or online at southernillinoisminers.com.

The Southern Illinois Miners are the 2016 Frontier League West Division Champions, the 2014 and 2015 Frontier League East Division Champions and the 2012 Frontier League Champions. They have been awarded the Frontier League Organization of the Year award three times since their inception, and also set a new Frontier League attendance record in 2007, their inaugural season. For ticket information, contact the Rent One Park box office at (618) 998-8499. For any additional information, visit our website at www.southernillinoisminers.com.

 

Filed Under: Benton High School Sports, High School Sports, Slider, Sports

Goble leaves the helm at Benton Grade School District 47

May 25, 2017 By Leave a Comment

http://www.bentoneveningnews.com/news/20170523/goble-leaves-the-helm-at-benton-grade-school-district-47

From the District #47 website.

BENTON, IL – (Holly Kee – Benton Evening News – Please click link to read the full story above.  Here is an excerpt below.)

For the past six years, Jay Goble has led the Benton Grade School District 47, bringing it safely through the state’s financial crisis while upgrading both curriculum and facilities.

In just over 30 days, Goble will leave the district and school he’s called home to take the reigns at the North Mac School District.

“I’m a change agent,” Goble said in an interview on Monday. “I like to evaluate and organization and find areas to improve.”

Goble said the Board of Education is currently seeking candidates and hopes to hire a replacement by the end of June.

His last day on the job in Benton is June 30. He will begin his new duties at North Mac July 1.

 

Filed Under: Benton News, Breaking News, Franklin Co. News, Slider
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