SULLIVAN, IL – Please click on the link to link to view the videos from WAND-TV in Decatur. Below, here are some comments.

The video clip from the convenience store surveillance camera  is chilling.  The news of the wreck, bounced around quickly here in Franklin County. My phone blew up about 15 minutes after it happened.

I dropped immediately to my knees.   Teutopolis coach Jason Hanson is a native of McLeansboro, and has family ties to Benton boys basketball coach Ron Winemiller.

It is only the hand of an almighty God there were only five minor injuries.  -sd

Laura Kidd, at T-Town alumnus shared this on the franklincounty-news.com, as well as the Teutopolis CUD #50 Facebook pages.  Here are her comments:

Well, where to start? There are many people to thank tonight. Let me start with our basketball coaches, cheer sponsors, and bus driver.

After such a traumatic event, they remained calm and kept a close eye on our students. Our players and cheerleaders could not have been in better hands.

Next, the police officers, firemen, and paramedics were kind, considerate, and extremely professional.

Athletic Director, Mike Wilson, was at the scene as quickly as he could get there. Greg Beck and his staff took care of media calls and getting messages out at THS.

Brad Tuttle, Sullivan’s superintendent, was at the scene when I arrived. Erik Van Hovelin, Windsor’s high school principal/superintendent came to offer help to offer help.

Our parents who came to the scene remained calm and allowed us to focus our attention on the students most in need.  I am so thankful for our students. They were calm and helpful. While some are banged up and sure to be sore for a few days, they should realize the situation could have been much worse.

Finally, our prayers are with the driver of the other vehicle. We wish for a complete recovery of any injuries sustained.

 

 

 

CARBONDALE, IL (Evie Allen -WSIL TV Click for the full story including video. Here is an excerpt.) A new company has taken ownership of Carbondale McDonald’s restaurants. Carbondale had four locations before two of them recently closed their doors. Now, the remaining two will stay open under new management. For the first time in over three decades, John and Mary Moreland will set up shop in Carbondale. “We’re just glad to be here. Yes, we’re very excited. We were anxiously waiting,” said Mary and John. Their franchise company, Moreland/Bishop McDonald’s, has served southern Illinois since 1980. They now have 14 locations including Carbondale, Marion, Herrin and Harrisburg. Stephanie Bishop, the Morelands’ daughter, will now be the primary operator of two Carbondale Locations.

CHICAGO -(Natasha Korenski -Politico Click to read the entire story. Here is an excerpt)— Businessman Chris Kennedy is interviewing potential pollsters and consultants as he moves toward a possible 2018 gubernatorial run, sources close to Kennedy told POLITICO Illinois. Kennedy, son of the late Robert F. Kennedy, has increased his public profile since the spring and has publicly discussed the possibility of running for governor — without making commitments. Top Illinois Democrats who have met with Kennedy say they would welcome his candidacy but were not sure if he’ll actually make the run, given his flirtations with higher office in the past.

SPRINGFIELD (Please Click to read the story from Doug Finke of the Springfield Journal-Register about Governor Bruce Rauner’s State of the State address. Here are some excerpts.) Gov. Bruce Rauner went off script during his third State of the State speech Wednesday to praise Senate efforts to negotiate an end to the budget stalemate and urge them to keep at it until an agreement is reached. Rauner made the statement even as those Senate efforts seemed to founder in the last couple of days, calling into question whether a “grand bargain” can be approved. & Although Rauner spent the bulk of his speech recounting accomplishments during his first two years in office, he acknowledged “significant challenges” still facing the state, including not having a permanent budget, an $11 billion backlog of unpaid bills and a $130 billion pension debt. & The Republican governor spoke of the need for changes that will promote job growth such as workers’ compensation reform and property tax relief. He did not specifically comment on the workers’ comp reforms and property tax relief that are part of the Senate’s package of bills.