Sesser-Valier, Crab Orchard advance

 

ABV JackCRAB ORCHARD, IL – (Jack Bullock- abaselineview.com. Click on the link to read the entire story and browse his website. Here is an excerpt) Depth and experience are two very important aspects of

Z-R senior guard Brendan Whiting looks to drive around S-V defender Preston Launius in last night's game. (Jack Bullock, Photo)

Z-R senior guard Brendan Whiting looks to drive around S-V defender Preston Launius in last night’s game. (Jack Bullock, Photo)

a championship caliber ball club to have in your possession as a coach heading into the postseason in boy’s high school basketball. Head coach Shane Garner has that luxury. His Red Devils used both of those attributes in their dismantling of Black Diamond Conference rival Zeigler-Royalton in the opening round of the 1A Crab Orchard Regional on Tuesday night. & “We wanted to come in and dictate the tempo of the game. I thought we did that early. We were kind of sloppy and a bit hesitant on the offense end but we were more aggressive on the defensive end,” said Coach Garner. “But the tempo worked in our advantage. We wanted to wear them down.” & “We used our depth tonight, we wanted to save their (starters) legs in the second half and we are moving on to the right side (of the bracket),” said Coach Garner. “If we can save some legs (rest) for tomorrow night, which is a quick turnaround. Especially with our style of play. We were able to rotate players in. I think we will be fresh and ready for tomorrow.”

Showers and Cloudy this afternoon- severe thunderstorms still in forecast for Friday

Today it will be partly cloudy with on and off showers existing until evening with a high in the upper 60’s and lows will be in the upper 40’s

Tomorrow and Thursday will be gorgeous, with highs in the lower 70’s and lows in the lower 50’s.

There will be one round of storms roll in late Thursday night and another around Friday afternoon.  The severity at this point is to far out to determine.

TORCON for the region on Friday- Dr. Greg Forbes - The Weather Channel.

TORCON for the region on Friday- Dr. Greg Forbes – The Weather Channel.

The TORCON from Dr. Greg Forbes of the Weather Channel. is a 3 for the region on Friday.  This means there is a 30% of a tornadic event 50 miles from the region.

This does not mean that there will be a destructive tornado, it means there is that chance of going under a Tornado Warning because of rotation.

It will be much cooler for the duration, with highs in the upper 40’s on Saturday, moderating to the mid 50’s on Tuesday.

 

Images of the Harrisburg tornado

NWS Paducah image

NWS Paducah image

PADUCAH, KY – Here are some graphs, radar images, and some pictures from the devastating tornado that hit Harrisburg on February 29, 2012. Please click on the link to view. Here is an introduction from the website.  A squall line with embedded sustained supercells crossed into portions of southeast Missouri and southern Illinois during the early morning hours on February 29, 2012. The embedded supercells raced east-northeast at 60 to 70 mph, while the line moved southeast at a slower rate. The storms strengthened as they encountered richer low-level moisture, with surface dew points around 60 degrees spreading rapidly north-northeastward up the Mississippi Valley. Intense low to mid-level wind fields maintained the intensity of tornadic storms despite weak instability due to lack of solar heating. A south-southwesterly low level jet from 60 to 70 knots veered to west-southwest around 75 knots at 500 mb. Out of the 13 tornadoes that occurred that day, the most intense tornado was an EF4, which produced substantial damage to parts of Harrisburg and Ridgway Illinois.

West Frankfort prepares for new businesses

Site of the new Taco Bell restaurant being built by the VF mall in West Frankfort (Evie Allen-WSIL-TV photo)

Site of the new Taco Bell restaurant being built by the VF mall in West Frankfort (WSIL-TV photo)

WEST FRANKFORT, IL- (Evie Allen -WSIL TV. Please click for the read the entire story and accompanied video. Here is an excerpt) City leaders in West Frankfort have made a big investment in their town. They’ve signed papers to purchase almost 20 acres of land north of the mall. The deal to buy the land had been in the works for the past four months. Mayor Tom Jordan says he hopes to make it a destination spot for drivers along the interstate. “It kind of fits into the whole picture out here of what we’re trying to accomplish,” says Jordan. This Spring, West Frankfort will offer a new restaurant Taco Bell. It makes up just one part of Jordan’s plan for growth. The sale of the Taco Bell property allowed the city to purchase 17 1/2 more acres nearby, for more business development.

Awesome week ahead-severe weather possible on Friday

day5prob

It is going to be sunny today with a high temperature in the lower 70’s

Tonight there is a 70% chance of showers and thunderstorms after midnight with the lows in the middle 50’s

Tomorrow there is a 40% chance of rain with highs in the upper 60’s, lows in the upper 40’s

Wednesday and Thursday will be partly sunny with highs in the lower 70’s lows in the mid to upper 50’s.

Friday might be interesting around here.  The Storm Prediction Center has everything basically east of I 57 in a fifteen percent chance of seeing severe weather.  I know that sounds low, but it is equivalent for being under a slight risk.  (See graphic above)

When the SPC has an area highlighted five days in advance, the confidence is pretty high.

Here is the hazardous weather outlook from the National Weather Service in Paducah, KY

.DAY ONE…Today and Tonight A small chance of thunderstorms will spread eastward across southeast Missouri into southern Illinois and the Purchase Area of west Kentucky tonight, mainly after midnight. A brief heavy downpour and a few lightning strikes will be the primary concerns. .

DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN…Tuesday through Sunday Chances of thunderstorms are forecast for all or a portion of the region Thursday afternoon through Friday. The best chances will be east of the Mississippi River Friday afternoon, when a few severe storms with damaging winds cannot be ruled out. Otherwise, locally heavy rainfall and lightning will be the primary concerns.

It will be much cooler for the weekend with highs in the upper 40’s to lower 50’s.

There will be more information to pass along to you on Friday.

 

 

Have a need for speed? Proposed Illinois law may grant you that wish

speed limit 75#2SPRINGFIELD, IL (Don O’Brien Belleville News-Democrat, Click on the link to read the full story. Here is an excerpt) Those who would like to drive a little faster on Illinois interstates and highways soon may get their wish. State Sen. Jim Oberweis (R-North Aurora) introduced a bill earlier this month that would push the speed limit to 75 mph on many of the state’s interstates as well as make 60 the maxium speed limit on rural highways. Oberweis was one of the driving factors behind a bill that helped Illinois become the 37th state to push its speed limit to 70 when that law took effect on Jan. 1, 2014. Now, he’s looking to bump that maximum speed up a bit. 

Redbirds fall in regular season finale to Pinckneyville

Rebdird Seniors being honored on Senior Night; Scotty Clinton (51) Austin Glodich (10)  Scotty Clinton (12) and Ethan Riddle (21)  - Richard Sitler, Southern Illinoisan Photo

Rebdird Seniors being honored on Senior Night; Scotty Clinton (51) Austin Glodich (10) Scotty Clinton (12) and Ethan Riddle (21) – Richard Sitler, Southern Illinoisan Photo

WEST FRANKFORT, IL – Click on the link to read the full article. Here is an excerpt) His defender having stumbled, West Frankfort’s Noah Allen finally had space and started a drive to the lane. But before Allen could think about a shot, a Pinckneyville man quickly cut him off and forced him to pass. A few more ineffective passes later, the Panthers had forced a turnover and turned it into points. It was that kind of mindset that coach Bob Waggoner sought in the regular season finale, and it was that kind of mindset that rendered their non-conference visit to West Frankfort a rout before halftime.

Z-R coach Matt Morgan weighs in on his seniors

Steve Dunford – franklincounty-news.com

This is the second in a series that I just let coaches talk about their seniors.  I got this idea after talking to Thompsonville coach Pete Gordon about his seniors.

Z-R cheerleaders with Coach Morgan's daughter Briley

Z-R cheerleaders with Coach Morgan’s daughter Briley

Some of these young men were my son Andrew’s teammates in football playing for C-Z-R.  He talked to me several times about their work ethic.

The Tornadoes play harder than any team in Southern Illinois.  As of late they are playing well, staying in the ball game with two of the top Class 1A teams in Southern Illinois, Christopher and Goreville.

Here is coach Matt Morgan’s comments about his seniors:

Jakob Baxter: Jakob is a kid that has not gotten a lot of playing time over the course of this season, but he has never complained one time and is the leader in the bench. He is always on his teammates about cheering and has such a positive attitude. He’s a work horse that plays extremely hard every minute he has. I’m gonna really miss having him around.

Steven Anderson: Steven has been our Point Guard for 3 years now and the growth and maturity that he has shown on and off the floor is amazing to see. I am so proud of his development and the type of person he is. He’s got a bright future.

“This is a young man that dedicates his life to sports and I have no doubt that he will continue playing athletics beyond this school year! When you have a competitive drive like Steve does, big things are possible!”

Nolan Domineck: Nolan is a team first kid that has been willing to do anything I’ve asked over the past 4 years. His dedication to our program and willingness to do what is best for the team cannot be put into words.

He leaves an impact on the program moving forward that will stay with our younger players for years to come. He improved his game each year and showed the underclassmen what it takes to “Establish a Culture”

Cam Newton: Cams game has progressed so much over the past four years. His knowledge of the game is probably the best of anyone I have ever coached. Having him is like having another coach on the floor and he is someone that you know you can trust.

I don’t expect Cam to be away from the game of basketball long.  I fully expect him to be involved in coaching in the near future.

Austin Bolinger: AB is one of the best leaders I have ever coached! He is always willing to step up and encourage teammates if needed but also will chew someone’s butt if they need it.

His progression as a post player has been fun to watch. He has the heart of a champion and a relentless work ethic. He’s going to be successful in life because of that.

Brendan Whiting: Looking back and seeing the 5’4 110 pound freshman walk into our summer workout and knowing how he developed into the player that he has is absolutely amazing. I don’t know if I know of a kid that has put more effort and time into their game than Brendan has.

The kid is a gym rat that loves the game more than anyone can understand. I am excited to see what the future holds for him.  I fully expect him to continue his playing career. Seeing him grow and mature as a person has been even more special. He understands

The Zeigler-Royalton senior basketball players with Coach Morgan's son, Grayson

The Zeigler-Royalton senior basketball players with Coach Morgan’s son, Grayson

that the sky is the limit for him and I expect him to take advantage of that.

All the seniors mean so much to me. The biggest impact that this group has left on me is the relationships that they built with my son Grayson.

My son looks up to and idolize each and everyone of them as positive influences and role models. For that, I am FOREVER grateful!

 

Jerimy Porritt: Pastor, Servant, Friend.

In Porritt's 21 years on this earth, he fulfilled the Great Commission by taking the Gospel to the four corners of the Earth (West Frankfort Gazette photo)

In Porritt’s 21 years on this earth, he fulfilled the Great Commission by taking the Gospel to the four corners of the Earth (West Frankfort Gazette photo)

WEST FRANKFORT, IL- (William McPherson – West Frankfort Gazette. Click on the link to read the full story, and pick up a copy of the Gazette so you can keep this story for the future. Here is an excerpt) Ten years ago this week, the world lost a spiritual giant. Jerimy D. Porritt was just 21-years-old at the time of the car accident which took his life on Feb. 21, 2007. In those years, he served God as an aspiring pastor, worked as a youth advocate with at-risk teenagers, traveled the world as a missionary who spread the Gospel in multiple continents. Of all those titles though, the one he cherished most was simply, “Friend of God.” Jerimy was born in Carbondale on March 26, 1985 to Jerry and Beth Porritt. “He was always caring, always wanting to help somebody,” his mother Beth said of his early years.

Town of Christopher honors K9 officer

Deigo with his partner, David Loucks. (WSIL-TV photo)

Deigo with his partner, David Loucks. (WSIL-TV photo)

CHRISTOPHER, IL – (Carolyn Cerda – WSIL TV- Please click on the link to read the full story and video. Here is an excerpt) The town of Christopher bid a final farewell to a four-legged officer with Christopher Police Friday afternoon. Diego, a seven-year K9 veteran, needed to be put down after battling leukemia. But his fellow officers made the most of his last day on the job. Friday afternoon, officers held a final procession through town as a tribute to the eight-year-old German Shepherd. Diego served several cities in southern Illinois alongside Officer David Loucks. The two had been partners for seven years, half of Loucks’ entire career.

Benton, West Frankfort, Illinois News | Franklin County News