USI Coach Rodney Watson
Tuesday Night/Wednesday morning severe weather threat needs to be taken serious.
February 27, 2017 By Leave a Comment
I am going to make a format change to the page. I will only post weather updates when there is a potential hazard on the horizon.
Today it is going to be mostly cloudy with a high in the upper 50’s. There is a chance of thunderstorm over night with a low around 50.
There is a 30% chance of thunderstorms tomorrow afternoon with a high in the lower 70’s.
After dark is where things can get interesting. There is an 80 percent chance of thunderstorms. In the graphic, the enhanced risk of severe weather cuts right through Franklin County.
Here is the hazardous weather outlook issued by the National Weather Service in Paducah, KY.
.DAY ONE…Today and Tonight Thunderstorms enter the forecast later tonight, with heavy rain and lightning the primary anticipated storm related hazards. There is a marginal risk of severe storms, mainly for hail, just to our west, and affecting the far western Ozarks in southeast Missouri, late tonight. .
DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN…Tuesday through Sunday Thunderstorm chances spike Tuesday and Tuesday night, as we warm sector ahead of an approaching cold front. The increasingly unstable air-mass will be fortified by near record high temperatures in the 70s during the daytime Tuesday. There continues to be an enhanced risk of severe storms for southeast Missouri and adjacent portions of southwest Illinois and far southwest Kentucky, mainly Tuesday afternoon and evening into Tuesday night, with a slight risk of severe storms across the remainder of the area. Damaging winds will be the primary severe weather hazard, but large hail and isolated tornadoes may also be a possibility. Locally heavy rains and frequent lightning will accompany thunderstorms as well. The cold front makes its passage late Tuesday night and early Wednesday morning.
Depending upon its timing, the threat of severe storms may linger into Wednesday morning. As a result, a marginal risk of severe storms lingers south of the Ohio river early Wednesday, with a slight risk of severe storms east of the Lakes in western Kentucky, likewise lingering early Wednesday. Damaging winds will be the primary severe weather hazard, but large hail and isolated tornadoes may also be possible until the front makes its passage in entirety. Locally heavy rains and frequent lightning will accompany thunderstorms as well.
Rick Shanklin Head Meteorologist with the NWS in Paducah made the following statement on his Facebook page. “This bares watching – from late tomorrow into Wednesday morning. Per SPC “…supercells with all hazards possible, including the conditional possibility for a strong tornado(s)..” Stay up to date at weather.gov/PAH or your favorite media source.
As of now, it looks like a 3:00 to 7:00 a.m. time frame Wednesday morning when Franklin County will be under the gun.
Shanklin repeatedly refers to this area as nocturnal tornado alley. We have our strongest and deadliest tornadoes in the overnight hours.
I will be up as long as I have to tomorrow night the radar and will start passing along warnings if Franklin County is in the path of a storm 100 miles out. I will be in contact with Franklin County Emergency Management agency if any information needs passed along as well.
Showers will linger around for Wednesday. Thursday and Friday will be seasonal, with highs in the lower 50’s. The early spring will return for the weekend with highs back up in the 60’s.-sd
Not what I was expecting at all last night
February 25, 2017 By Leave a Comment
Steve Dunford – franklincounty-news.com
CRAB ORCHARD, IL- I have been asked the question so many times over the years, why do you like sports? I can throw the news, and days like yesterday it applies to the weather. Last night was one of the great reasons why, you don’t know what to expect.
In a movie or TV show, you know what to expect. I was expecting a down to the wire battle between the two Franklin County rivals playing in Willamson County.
Class 1A Crab Orchard Regional Champs, the Christopher Bearcats.
Going into last night’s Class 1A Boy’s Regional Championship game against Crab Orchard and Sesser-Valier, I was expecting a close game similar to the overtime war that took place on Valentines Day.
Sesser-Valier has been peaking at the right time during the stretch run of the season. There were a few times that Christopher was stumbling entering the road to Peoria.
What I witnessed was a 71-41 win by the Christopher Bearcats last night, in a game that was not in question, from about the middle of the third quarter.
With very few personnel changes, both these kids have faced each other probably 100 times going back to their early grade school days and during the summer. They know each other well.
I was asked this question several times after last night’s game for people that are outside Franklin County. What was the huge difference between the overtime by S-V on Valentines Day and the big win by Christopher last night?
I answered the bottom line was that Christopher was red hot and Sesser-Valier was ice cold. One glaring difference though between the two games Devils killed the Bearcats on the offensive boards in the game ten days ago at Christopher. Last night, the Bearcats owned the glass.
S-V had good looks. They took good shots. they just had one of those nights. Either on film or live, I have watched both teams play at least a dozen times this season. .
There was nothing either Christopher coach Eric Stallman and Sesser-Valier coach Shane Garner could draw up much on the X’s and O’s last night that would have been any surprise to the either.
With very few personnel changes, both these kids have faced each other probably 100 times going back to their early grade school days and during the summer. They know each other well.
The only thing X and O wise was minor. Eric Stallman came out in a 2-3 zone the first few possessions. Tyler Winchester hits a deep three about the 2:55 mark in the first quarter, and gives the Devils a 9-7 lead. That was their last lead of the night. Christopher goes back to man to man, which they play 90% of the time.
Christopher goes on a 10-3 in the closing seconds and has a 17-12 lead at the end of the first quarter.
Both teams were uncharacteristically patient to open the second quarter. Off of a Kaeleb Pedigo steal, Young gets a monstrous dunk at the 4:03 mark to put Christopher up 26-16.
Pedigo and Jared Curry both had two fouls and Christopher starts taking the air out of the ball. They got a couple Princeton style back cuts to go up 33-18 at the half.
In the opening seconds of the second half Charlie Farmer bombs a 22 footer form the baseline to cut the Red Devil deficit to 12. The Bearcats then go on an 8-3 run to go up 41-24 on Gabe Schimpf hitting Young in the post to go up 41-24.
That possession is where I began to see the frustration set in with the Devils. They began to play defense with their arms instead of their feet.
From that point on the Bearcats lived at the free throw line, scoring 14 of their 19 points from the charity stripe in the fourth quarter to turn the game into a blowout. The Bearcats improve to 17-12 and the Devils finish their 2016-17 campaign. Coach Shane Garner is always a class act and gave the maroon clad the chance to give Jamie Lance, Charles Farmer, and Addison Baxter a standing ovation.
Kaleb Pedigo led the Bearcats with 22 on the night for four Bearcats who were in double figures. Jared Curry added 17. I mentioned Young’s 14 points already. Bryce Pratt (cool hand Luke) had 11 points.
Lukas Gunter (The Red Baron) was the only Red Devil in double figures with 13 points. Tyler Winchester had eight, Charles Farmer seven, and Jamie Lance added six on the night.
Christopher will play in the Norris City-Omaha-Enfield sectional against the Gallatin County Hawks Tuesday at 7:00 p.m. The Hawks are an opponent that I am very familiar with from following the GEC, and I will have a preview out on Tuesday.
The Hawks were 74-64 winners over Cairo in OT at the Hardin County regional last night. I understand that Pilot Coach Brian Brantner put on quite a show in the overtime period, similar to what he did against Herrin in the WF Midwinter Classic.
Wednesday night will feature the Woodlawn Cardinals (15-14) against the Meridian Bobcats (13-14) in the Wednesday night game at Norris City.
Woodlawn (15-14) beat their Jefferson County and Midland Trial rival Webber Township 49-43 last night at the Wayne City Class 1A regional. The Trojans finish the year 17-12. In the regular season the four W’s of the Midland Trail beat up on each other in barn burners. If you would have thrown Grayville in the mix , it would have been an old school Mid South conference tournament.
The Cardinals face the Meridian Bobcats on Wednesday Night. The Bobcats (13-14) were 75-69 winners over the Goreville Blackcats (20-10) last night. My prayers is going out to Meridian Coach Erik Griffin who is in the hospital because of illness.
Thank you to Crab Orchard Coach John Brown and AD Keith Johns for your hospitality last night. I want to spend an extra special thank you for the ones who complimented me on my feature story about Dee Ozment last night. I was more than humbled.
A special thank you for Benton/West Frankfort Gazette writer William McPherson for giving me the chance to see it last night.
BOX SCORE:
CHRISTOPHER (71) Kaeleb Pedigo 6 1 7-7 21, Jared Curry 4 1 6-6 17, Bradley Young 4 0 6-9 17; Bryce Pratt 5 0 1-2 11; Gabe Schimpf 2 1 0-0 7; Zach Snell 0 0 0-0 0; Gabriel Motsinger 0 0 0-0 0; Andrew Dunford 0 0 0-0 0
SESSER-VALIER (41) Lukas Gunter 6 0 1-2 13; Tyler Winchester 1 2 0-0 8: Charles Farmer 1 1 2-2 7; Jamie Lance 3 0 0-0 6 Joshua Gunter 1 0 0-0 2; Seth Boles 1 0 0-0 2; Addison Baxter 0 0 0-0 0 Reed Basso 0 0 0-0 0; Eli Gunter 0 0 0-0 Addison Page 0 0 0-0 0
SCORE BY QUARTERS:
CHRISTOPHER: 17 16 19 19 – 71
SESSER-VALIER: 12 6 12 11 – 41
Garascia, Haley garner AP honors
February 24, 2017 By Leave a Comment
S-V-W’s Hannah Garascia left any Jaylin Haley right. (WSIL TV file photo)
Marginal risk for severe weather today
February 24, 2017 By Leave a Comment
Franklin County and the rest of Southern Illinois has been downgraded to marginal risk of severe weather today. We are not out of the woods, but the treat has diminished.
We have one more day left of the early spring, as highs today will be in the lower 70’s.
The National Weather Service in Paducah, KY issued this statement about the potential for severe weather today:
A chance of thunderstorms exists primarily this afternoon and evening ahead of an approaching cold front. This includes a slight risk of severe storms, mainly over southwest Indiana and the Pennyrile of western Kentucky. Damaging winds will be the primary severe weather hazard, but large hail and isolated tornadoes will also be potential hazards.
Tomorrow more February type weather will come into the forecast, with a high around 40. The fire danger will be elevated tomorrow. Here is a statement from the National Weather Service addressing this:
Fire danger spreads across the entire Quad State Saturday afternoon, due to a combination of winds in the teens mph and low relative humidity values in the 30s percentile.
The potential for thunderstorms returns to all or part of the area Tuesday and Tuesday night. The main storm related hazards will be lightning and locally heavy rain.
There will be a chance of rain each day Sunday through Wednesday as temperatures moderate to the mid 60’s by Tuesday. Highs will be in the 50’s Wednesday and Thursday.
Dee Ozment: The man behind the name of Crab Orchard High School gym
February 23, 2017 By Leave a Comment
Steve Dunford – franklincounty-news.com
CRAB ORCHARD, IL – Christopher, Sesser-Vailer and Zeigler- Royalton participated in the Crab Orchard Class 1A Regional this week. I would like to introduce you to the one the facility is named after, Dee Ozment.
When Williamson county had a sales tax increase for capital improvements to their schools, Crab Orchard built a new high school. The school was opened during the 2004-05 school year.
Lyle “Dee” Ozment
After Christopher defeated Steeleville last night, I began to exchange messages with his widowed wife Dianne. I asked her if it would be too painful to write this story. She graciously said, “It is never painful to talk about Dee. He was a fine man and meant so much to so many.”
I have known Dee Ozment in many circles, first as a long time teacher/school administrator at Crab Orchard, who he dedicated 41 years to his Alma Mater. He was larger than life, had one of the most infectious smiles I ever witnessed. At the same time, he was a humble servant.
Dianne shared a clipping with me from the Marion Daily Republican the night the gym was dedicated to him. The story said that he would do anything that needed to be done in the district. He would help the custodians, and fill in as a bus driver if needed.
My eighth grade year my basketball team was there. For those who do not know, I went to school at Thompsonville. If you are familiar with the old gym down there it had concrete sidelines.
It was a mild December day and the sidelines was sweating. It was in the days of three-piece suits. Dee was out there with his vest on mopping the sidelines.
I refereed a lot of games at Crab Orchard. I worked my third or fourth varsity game there. It was against Thompsonville. It was a game that was rescheduled after a snow. Their athletic director Keith Johns (and still the A.D.) said I know it will put you in a spot, but I feel more comfortable with you than anyone.
Trying to be objective, I was giving my hometown a royal rooking. Dee put his arm around me and said son, thank you for coming. He said go out and call the second half like it is just any other team in blue. That will always stick with me.
I took a six-month job working for IDOT after college. The project was widening Route 13 to four lanes. I was in Crab Orchard a lot, and I would run into him. I loved taking to him about high school sports, picking his mind about education, and mostly about the Lord.
During that winter, I would be a substitute teacher there from time to time. I also was during a time I worked a second shift job in Marion. He would tell me would loved for me to teach there if they had a position open. I took that as a very high compliment.
Dee and his wife Dianne spent their weekends spreading the Gospel in churches and fairs across the Midwest. He was the lead singer of the Glorylanders quartet. She was the pianist/alto.
The group spanned over five decades, up until the time Dee went home to be with the Lord. The group had several personnel changes but he was a constant. I asked Diane to share some thoughts about the group:
“The Gloylanders were group of high school boys started singing around 1959. Members came and went over the years, and about 54 years later, when Dee went home to be with our Lord, the group was still going strong. But that time, it consisted of 3 family members and one non-family.”
“He had a deep love for Southern Gospel music that never wavered. His funeral service was a celebration with some of the most glorious music I have ever heard.”
My parents were “groupies” of them back in the 1970’s. Their signature song was The King is Coming, written by Bill and Gloria Gaither.
When he would sing it he would be in the aisle of the church as far as his mic chord would reach. The spirit would be so strong as he sang it with such passion.
Dee passed away on March 16, 2013 after a very brief illness. When he went home to be with his Lord, I thought of a line in “his song” over and over, “praise God he’s coming for me.”
He came for him that day. Because the Lord saved someone who still is an old rotten sinner, I will see him again one day.
Just a few footnotes on some Franklin County connections. Diane started her teaching career at Thompsonville High School, then taught several years at Crab Orchard before her retirement.
Richard Ozment, their son, taught at Sesser-Valier a few years. He is now a principal at Hardin County.
The Ozment’s daughter Rindy has been involved in Southern Gospel music all of her life. She is in a group with former Sesser-Valier and now Johnston City teacher Andrea Harris, the Clarks. Andrea’s father Gary Clark is the pastor of Oasis Nazarene Church in Harrisburg. Dee was the minister of minister of music there at his passing.
Winner of $11 million lotto ticket sold in Benton, IL identified
February 23, 2017 By Leave a Comment
Spring conditions continue, along with the Severe Weather threat for tomorrow
February 23, 2017 By Leave a Comment
It is another spring like day with highs going to be in the lower 70’s and the low will be around 60 degrees.
Tomorrow is when things start to get interesting. As it has been in the forecast for three days there is a slight risk of severe weather for everything east of I 57. (See graphic above)
Here is today’s Hazardous Weather Outlook form the National Weather Service from Paducah KY
A chance of thunderstorms exists Friday afternoon and evening ahead of a cold front. This includes a slight risk of severe storms, mainly over southwest Indiana and the Pennyrile of western Kentucky. Damaging winds will be the primary severe weather hazard, but large hail and isolated tornadoes will also be potential hazards.
Tomorrow will be a situation that you need to keep abreast of with your favorite local media source. The Facebook page will be updated frequently, as well as the website as much as possible.
The weekend will be much cooler with highs in the 40’s. A warming trend will take place early next week, with a chance of showers and Thunderstorms on Tuesday.
ABV Jack talks releases statement about his house fire
February 22, 2017 By Leave a Comment
Jack Bullock’s home that was destroyed by fire Thursday night.
an excerpt from his story. To the friends of A Baseline View. This is the most difficult thing that I have ever written on my website. But I felt like I needed to let everyone know what was going on. Many of you who are close to me and know me from Facebook also know that this past Thursday night my mobile home caught fire and burned to the ground. I came home while it was on fire but I wasn’t able to save anything, including my best friend and buddy, my dog “Raider.” I lost my home and my truck. Because of the age of my mobile home I had no insurance on it and my truck only had liability insurance because I never drove it long distances.
Rangers pass final post season tune-up at Salem
February 22, 2017 By Leave a Comment
This Future Ranger might have a future in the broadcast booth. Trey Severin with Ranger color man Coach Tom Wheeler last night at B.E. Gum gym. Trey had on a headset earlier.
