Coach Dustin Hopkins, Chris Dalton, Chrystal Overturf, Peyton Overturf, Jeff Overturf, and Coach Michael Warren at the letter of intent signing yesterday. (William McPherson Photo)
Marginal risk for severe weather on Easter Sunday
April 14, 2017 By Leave a Comment
The Storm Perdiction center has a moderate risk for severe weather on Easter Sunday for Southern Illinois.
There is a small chance of isolated thunderstorms in the heat of the day this afternoon. Tomorrow should be beautiful, with highs both days in the lower 80’s.
Easter Sunday is going to be wet and stormy.
Here is the Hazzardous Weather Outlook from the National Weather Service in Paducah, KY.
.DAY ONE…Today and Tonight A small chance of thunderstorms is forecast. Heavy rain and lightning will be the primary storm associated hazards, should any occur. .
DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN…Saturday through Thursday There is an almost daily chance of thunderstorms. The best such chances comes Sunday and Sunday night, when a surface frontal boundary is present. A marginal risk of severe storms may occur along this boundary, where damaging wind and hail would be the severe weather related hazards, should one occur. Otherwise, the main storm hazards are lightning and heavy rain.
Highs all next week will be in the 70’s. Spring is here.
Sesser First Baptist Church pastor appointed to SBC post
April 13, 2017 By Leave a Comment
by Steve Dunford
Brother Tom DeWitt with his wife Naomi.
SESSER, IL- Tom Dewitt, pastor of the Sesser First Baptist Church. has been appointed to the committee on committees in the Southern Baptist Convention.
Here is the announcement by Southern Baptist President Steve Gaines in a press release. This also explains the function of the committee:
Appointments to the Southern Baptist Convention’s Committee on Committees have been announced by SBC President Steve Gaines, pastor of Memphis-area Bellevue Baptist Church in Cordova, Tenn.
The Committee on Committees will assemble in Phoenix just prior to the SBC’s June 13-14 annual meeting to nominate members of the Committee on Nominations who, in 2018, will nominate trustees for the boards of SBC entities.
The Committee on Committees has 68 members, two from each of the 34 states and regions qualified for representation on boards of SBC entities.
Gaines has named Randy Davis, president & executive director of the Tennessee Baptist Mission Board in Brentwood, to serve as chairman of this year’s Committee on Committees.
Bro. Tom had this to say about his appointment “I am just honored to serve and be a part of advancing God’s kingdom through the SBC.”
Here is a personal note I would like to add. I attended Sesser First Baptist for about a year. Bro. Tom has a servants heart for the Lord. He is a great preacher and pastor.
Hall of Famer Lou Brock being treated for blood cancer
April 13, 2017 By Leave a Comment
Brock and his wife Jackie taking place in the opening day ceremonies at Busch Stadium last year. (Chirs Lee, Post Dispatch photo)
Cameron Walter looks to pilot Saluki backfield to success
April 13, 2017 By Leave a Comment
Thomas Donley- SIU Sports Information department
CARBONDALE, IL – Cameron Walter has become a key member of Saluki Football’s ground attack. So there’s a touch of irony to find out that the senior running back grew up dreaming of flying the skies. That dream recently became a reality.
Walter earned his pilot’s license in his second year at SIU. The criminal justice major said his father, Darryl Walter, influenced his love of flying.
“It was always a dream of mine,” Walter said. “My dad used to take me to air shows when I was a kid, and that’s where I fell in love with it.”
Like some of the aerial acrobatics Walter witnessed as a child, Walter’s career as a Saluki has seen its ups and downs. He joined the team as a walk-on. His big opportunity came during his redshirt freshman year in 2014, when injuries in the backfield thrust him into a starting role at Missouri State. He rushed for 210 yards on 37 carries and earned The Sports Network National Freshman of the Week honors.
The Greenville, Ill. native hoped to build on that performance in 2015, but his season-opening 34-yard performance at Indiana was the pinnacle of his season, as he earned just 38 more yards the rest of the year.
“It sets you back and makes you humble,” Walter said. “It teaches you to stick with what got you to that point, and it makes you hungry.”
Walter began 2016 so low on the depth chart that his primary contribution was special teams work, until his first touches of the season came in the Salukis’ third game. In the fourth quarter of a 50-17 blowout of Murray State, he ran the ball five times for 64 yards.
Walter had a breakout performance in Game Six, a 31-28 loss at Illinois State, in which he was the team’s leading rusher with 72 yards. Walter made his first start of the year the following week against Indiana State.
Despite the hurdles he faced early in the year, Walter ended the season as SIU’s leading rusher with 335 yards, giving him 730 for his career. Not bad for a guy who had to try-out for the team..
“He exemplifies what you want in a football player,” coach Nick Hill said. “He waited his turn… He came to work every single day. He’s just a workhorse. He does the things that you’re supposed to do, and I’ve learned in my short time in the business that those guys are the guys that will play for you and win you games. He’s a steady player and a steady guy.”
Heading into his senior season, the 5-foot-8 Walter is considered the leader of the Salukis’ backfield, that includes talented backs such as Daquan Isom and Jonathan Mixon.
“Younger guys can look at him and see you’ve got to do your work,” Hill said. “He’s a leader for us because he goes out there, and young guys can see that buying in to special teams is important. It just proves that if you do things right and buy into what we’re trying to do in this culture, then things pay off.”
While Walter is on the smaller side physically, he brings a big personality to the Salukis. He loves to make people laugh, such as when he jokes about the size he was predicted to reach as a child.
“I was supposed to be 6’4 and I wear size 13 shoes…but I’m still waiting to grow into them,” he laughed.
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.
Efforts continue for Benton’s first K-9 unit
April 13, 2017 By Leave a Comment
BENTON, IL- (Evie Allen, WSIL TV. Please click on to read the whole story and watch the accompanying video. Here is an excerpt.) Emergency response could soon come a little quicker for people in Benton. Wednesday, the fire department unveiled its new ambulance, and it didn’t cost the city a dime. The next time a Benton resident has an emergency, they could see fire crews roll up in a new vehicle. “It’s been a great experience so far. We’re excited about getting it started,” said Benton Fire Chief Shane Cockrum. This spring, Chief Cockrum and his crew are putting the final touches on their very first ambulance vehicle.He’s Alive is well worth two hours of your time
April 13, 2017 By Leave a Comment
by Steve Dunford
THOMPSONVILLE, IL – Members of the Thompsonville First Baptist Church, and from other area churches, will be performing the Easter Drama He’s Alive Friday through Sunday of this week, at 7:00 p.m. If you plan on going, please get there early, as there will be a packed house.
The church is located on State Route 34, just east of the school,
Alan Newman, pastor of the Faith Missionary Baptist Church in Christopher portrays Jesus in the play. (All photos by Samantha Sullivan. Please call 499-6465 to book her for your next event)
If you head over to T’ville, come and eat supper. I have not had the chance to try it yet, but people drive over from Benton and West Frankfort to eat there. I am not sure of the hours on Saturday, but a lot drive to eat fish at K & D cafe on Friday nights. For a snack, take some chicken strips home from Payne’s service center. They are no ordinary gas station chicken strips. They are better than the colonel.
The play used to be an annual event starting in the 1980’s, written and directed by Jean Elimon. The play portrays the life of Christ, from his birth to the resurrection.
The cast is around 100 actors. There will be local soloists featured in the drama.
I love church plays, where bed sheets as used as the curtains, etc. This is not you ordinary church play. The front of the church is transformed into a stage. There will be several scenes. Live animals will be featured in the production.
I am going to go down memory lane for awhile. I appeared several years in the past. I played Matthew and John The Baptist one year. I was Judas Iscariot for several years in the play.
John Robinson, pastor of TFBC, in his role in a dress rehearsal. John is also the K-12 principal at Thompsonville. He also the HS basketball coach at one tine.
I can not help to go back down memory lane. It was worth going over the years to watch Neal Clem play the devil. Those eyes that he use to make where spooky. With his dry sense of humor, Neal is one of the funniest guys I ever met. He played the part so well, that a family came later to be a part of TFBC later. They said they didn’t like him for a while because he played the role so well in the play.
Two men that also stand out have gone on. The first is Jim Elimon. His role as a money changer in the temple was classic. The scene where kids came to his table to look at his merchandise, “the get out of here…go on” line was classic.
Jim was the barber in Thompsonville . If he would get the hankering to go fishing, he would just paint with white shoe polish on his windows, closed, gone fishing today. I had the opportunity to fish with him a few times. Those are cherished days looking back on it.
Jim was a fisher of men most of all. If you went to get a haircut from him, he would tell you about Jesus. He was a model deacon in the church. He would visit the sick and on Monday’s go to the nursing homes giving men haircuts.
The second was William “Doc” Harvey. He played one of the Pharisees. He always ad-libbed his lines. Some of the things he would say, especially leaving the scene griping about Jesus were so authentic, real, and downright funny.
Several of the youths community participate in the drama. Bailee Clem, a TCHS cheerleader, is in front of all the youth,
Doc loved our little town of 600. He served on the village board at least all of my life and was a great booster to the school, especially Tiger athletics. The gym in Thompsonville now bears his name. Like Jimmy, he was a model deacon as well.
One of the most touching moments in the history of the play, I watched from the vestibule, after I did my role as Judas and was going to be in the crowd of the crucifixion shortly. Jewell Kerley, recently became a Christian in his 70’s. My good friend and his grandson, Stevie was playing a Centurion soldier. He had the role of beating Jesus. All at once you heard Jewell say out loud Stevie I am ashamed of you, that is my Jesus you are beating.
To tell the story of the crucifixion, there are roles like that you have to play. I think Jody Kilburn, pastor of the First Baptist Chruch in Woodlawn, TN, used to be one of the thieves on the cross. As I am writing this, the past role that I played selling Jesus for thirty pieces of silver, always made me think and take a look at myself, even today I am reflecting on it.
I shared a lot of memories. For the current, I recommend you come and watch the play. It is an evangelical outreach of the church. The Gospel will be presented.
Wainwright remembers WTC visit, on eve of Sept. 11
April 13, 2017 By Leave a Comment
Five years later, Wainwright being mobbed by his Cardinal team mates after picking up the final out of the World Series. (Reuters news service)
