Benton, West Frankfort, Illinois News | Franklin County News
Newspaper covering Franklin County, Illinois
A group of incoming Applied Science students head toward the south end of campus with Rachel Sveda-Webb, RLC Financial Aid and Admissions Coordinator. After Warrior Day, the students could stay on campus in the afternoon during Super Saturday to register for courses, speak with advisors, purchase or rent textbooks, obtain a parking pass, and much more.
(ReAnne Palmer / RLC Public Information
Margaret Beddia Freeman, age 67, of Sesser, passed away at 4:27 p.m. Monday, August 7, 2017 in Benton.
Funeral services will be held at 1:00 p.m. Tuesday, August 15, 2017 at the Leffler Funeral Home of Benton. Burial will be in the Maple Hill Cemetery of Sesser. Visitation will be from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Monday at the Leffler Funeral Home of Benton.
Margaret was born on May 19, 1950 in Burlison, TN, the daughter of James Claude Easley and Mary Lois (Carter) Easley.
She was employed with the NAPA Auto Parts store in Benton where she was a delivery driver for 17 years.
She enjoyed spending time with her family, with her “Hangin out buddy”, and her many friends and acquaintances she met through her employment with NAPA. Most of all she just loved life.
Margaret is survived by a daughter November Miller and son-in-law Russell of Sesser; a son T.J. Freeman of Sesser; a grandson Bladen Freeman; two sisters: Judy Rogers of Burlison, TN, Mary Cross of Covington, TN; a nephew Glenward Easley of Sesser; and her “Hangin out buddy” Don Wyant of Benton.
She was preceded in death by her parents and a daughter Michele Grubaugh.
To leave online condolences to the family, or to share memories of Margaret, visit www.lpfuneralhome.com
Larry Burroughs, 68, of Mulkeytown passed away on Sunday August 6, 2017 after a lengthy battle with cancer.
He was born on July 6, 1949 in Christopher to William “Bill” and Teresa (Poteau) Burroughs. He married Diane (Martin) Burroughs and she survives of Mulkeytown.
Other survivors include his children Kevin Burroughs, Melinda Delauder and Ashley Cline (Corey Thomas); grandchildren Dallas Lively, Lexie Lively, Dakota Eubanks; one great grandchild Bailee Nicole Thomas; brothers and sisters David Burroughs, Jerry Burroughs, Jimmy Burroughs, Lorraine Wilson, and Jeanette (Bobby) Keith.
He was preceded in death by his parents, one brother Danny Burroughs, and one sister Diane Carlisle.
A Memorial Service will be held on Friday August 11, 2017 at 1:00 PM at the Bear Point Free Will Baptist Church in Sesser with Brother Larry Cook officiating.
Gilbert Funeral Home in Christopher is assisting the family with arrangements.
http://www.ksdk.com/sports/mlb/cardinals/cusumano-the-yadi-matheny-drama-continues/461533693
ST. LOUIS, MO – (Frank Cusumano, KSDK-TV. Please click on the link for the full story. Here is an excerpt below.)
Jeff Curry – KSDK Photo
I like Yadier Molina. I like the way he encourages pitchers. He’s almost affectionate with them; the arm around them, the pat on the back, and the smile. If I were a pitcher, I would want to throw to that man.
He’s not exactly media friendly. He’s not rude. He’s just not talkative or outgoing. He never gives good soundbites. However, that’s okay. We do a feature on him during Spring Training and get a few sound bites during the year and that’s about it. I have been around him for 12 years but don’t really know him. He seems like he is a great father too.
The amazing thing to me is how he can turn on Matheny. This is the manager who plays him more than any catcher in baseball. This is the manager who bats him fifth when he shouldn’t bat fifth. This is the manager who literally groomed to take his own job. This is the manager who never ever says anything negative about Yadi. No one has ever defended Yadi more than Matheny.
Molina is thinking Cooperstown. And that’s not wrong. However, the Cardinals have to think about what is best for the franchise. Playing Yadier Molina at age 36 or 37 with 150 games a year is probably not best.
Doris Pauline (Holman) Douglas died on Tuesday, August 1, 2017 at Helia Health Care of Benton IL.
Doris was born January 18, 1931 to Fern (Fields) and Edgar Holman. She attended Benton High School and graduated at age 17, being the first of her siblings to do so
She then worked in Mt. Vernon living with her Aunt Daisy and Uncle John. That is where she met and married Gilbert Junior Douglas on May 29, 1949.
Doris was employed most her career as a bookkeeper, working last at the State Bank of Whittington from which she retired at age 64. Her church home was Rescue Free Will Baptist Church.
Doris had four children, Teresa (Jack) Brown of Carterville, Debby (Jack) Strandlund of Phoenix, AZ, Steven Douglas(Deceased) and Susan-Randy Flowers of Benton. Three granddaughters, Mary (Shonda) Brown of Carterville, Ciara (Sean) Hull of Tucson, AZ; and Brooke Webb of Christopher. She also had four great-granddaughters Layla and Deanna Hull of Tucson, Mia Zeigler and Kayla Webb; two sisters- Mary Cook & husband Gary & Joyce Gilbert & husband Bill. Also surviving are many nieces and nephews that she loved very much.
Doris was preceded in death by Gilbert Douglas, son Steven Douglas, Parents-Fern and Edgar Holman, Sister and Brother-in-law Carl and Louise Williams,brother Stanley and sister-in-law Mary Helen Holman, brother and sister-in-law Russell and Jane Holman, sister Sharon Burton, Brother-in-law & sister-in-law Pat & Leon Douglas, Niece Janice Gilbert, Nephew Jason Bailey.
Funeral services will be held at 1:00 P.M. Thursday, August 3rd, at the Morton & Johnston Funeral Home in Benton with Pastor Doug Munton officiating. Burial will be in the Williams Chapel Cemetery in Ewing. Visitation will be after 11:00 A.M. Thursday at the funeral home.
For more information or to signt he online guest register please visit www.mortonjohnstonfuneralhome.com
From the Southern Illinois Miners
The Southern Illinois Miners announce that they will hold their second annual “Stand Up For Blue” Law Enforcement Appreciation Night, sponsored by AmVets and WSIL-TV 3, at Rent One Park on Thursday, August 10th when they take on the Normal CornBelters at 7:05 p.m., honoring and recognizing the contributions made to the region by law enforcement officers.
“We are very excited to be bringing back Stand Up For Blue night again this year,” Miners manager and COO Mike Pinto said. “The Miners have a deep connection with law enforcement- eight of our former players are in law enforcement, including three from last season who joined police departments. Not to mention our first base coach and advance scout John Lakin, who is a career officer and now the Sheriff of Madison County. These heroes put their lives on the line each day and we are thrilled to be honoring them.”
More than 6,400 fans from our region came out to recognize local law enforcement last season for the first “Stand Up For Blue” Night in 2016. As part of the promotion this year, all law enforcement officers attending the game will receive free admission for themselves and a guest. All fans are also encouraged to wear blue that night, with the first 1,500 fans receiving a “Stand Up For Blue” t-shirt compliments of Midwest Office Supply and First Southern Bank at the front gate. ALL tickets for the evening will be $5, with half of the proceeds being donated to the James Brockmeyer Memorial Fund, named after officer James Brockmeyer of the Chester Police Department, who was killed in a crash in pursuit of a suspect last October.
Also, 1,000 “Back The Badge” bracelets, compliments of Fowler Heating & Air, will be distributed. Local heroes from the law enforcement community will also throw out ceremonial first pitches, including officers Chris Robinson and Cale Bastien from the Du Quoin Police Department, who saved the life of an infant who was not breathing on February 5th of this year, and officers Ryan Prather and Travis Morgan of the Carterville Police Department as well as officer Sean Dobbins of the Crainville Police Department, who rescued a man whose truck had fallen on top of him on February 8th. The current Miners players will don blue wristbands and blue socks as they play the game, along with caps from local police departments.
All fans in attendance will also be given a blank “Stand Up For Blue” placard, and they are encouraged to write the name of a friend or family member who works in law enforcement. This will be part of an on-field recognition in the fifth inning. For more information, contact the Miners’ box office at (618) 998-8499.
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.
Press Release from the St. Louis Cardinals
Gates open at 4:45 p.m.
From the Southern Illinois Miners
MARION, IL – The Southern Illinois Miners went toe-to-toe on Wednesday night with the Schaumburg Boomers at Rent One Park, grabbing an early lead and then turning aside numerous rally attempts in a 6-5 triumph, evening the series at one game apiece and giving the Miners their 600th all-time victory to become the fastest team in Frontier League history to reach that milestone.
The scoring started in the bottom of the second inning when after back-to-back leadoff hits by Ryan Lashley and Brett Wiley, both were driven in two batters later by James Alfonso in his first at-bat in a Southern Illinois uniform to put the home team in front 2-0. In the third, Boomers starter Michael Wood (1-2) walked the bases loaded, and Anthony Critelli hit a ground ball to third base that Andrew Broadbeck threw low to first, allowing two runs to score and make it 4-0 Miners after three innings.
Corey Sessions was stellar on the hill for the Miners in his first start since June 17th, retiring nine Boomers hitters in a row between the second and fifth innings with four strikeouts. With two outs in the fifth, however, Schaumburg mounted a rally to score two runs on a double by Nick Oddo and a single by Jack Parenty along with two walks. Romeo Cortina‘s leaping grab at the left field wall ended the frame and kept the Miners in front 4-2, but Schaumburg would add another run on a triple by Zack Weigel and a wild pitch in the top of the sixth, making it 4-3. Later in the inning, with the tying run at third base, Paul Young struck out Oddo to again keep Southern Illinois in the lead.
The Miners then added valuable insurance to their lead in the bottom of the sixth inning, as Alfonso led off with a walk and London Lindley reached on a bunt single before Craig Massey socked an RBI single into right field for a 5-3 advantage. A ground-rule double by Cortina scored another run for a 6-3 lead, but again, Schaumburg would close the gap by getting both runs back in the top of the seventh on an RBI triple by Kyle Ruchim and a sacrifice fly by Josh Gardiner, making the score 6-5.
In the eighth, the Boomers loaded the bases with nobody out against Kyle Grana, but he wiggled out of trouble by striking out pinch-hitter John Holland and then getting Parenty to bounce into an inning-ending double play to Critelli at first to again keep the Miners in the lead. There would be no such threat in the ninth inning, as John Werner struck out the side for his 12th save to end the game and give the Miners’ their milestone series-evening victory.
The Miners will go for a series win on Thursday night at 7:05 in the rubber match against the Boomers, with Zach Cooper taking the mound against Schaumburg left-hander Lars Liguori.
Press Release from the St. Louis Cardinals
ST. LOUIS, MO – The St. Louis Cardinals announced prior to last evening’s game that they have placed right-handed pitcher Adam Wainwright on the 10-day disabled list, retroactive to July 23, due to mid-back tightness. The team will announce a corresponding roster move today.
Wainwright, 35, is leading the Cardinals with 11 wins and has posted a 4.89 ERA in his 20 games started, striking out 95 batters in 110.1 innings pitched.
This marks just the fourth time in his career that Wainwright has been disabled: 2008 for right middle finger sprain, 2011 for right elbow Tommy John surgery and 2015 for a ruptured right Achilles.
The three-time All-Star owns a career mark of 145-81 with a 3.27 ERA in 340 games pitched, ranking 5th on the Cardinals all-time wins list.
Gates open at 5:45 p.m.
Star Wars Theme Night: Join us for Star Wars Night at the ballpark where Busch Stadium will be transformed with Star Wars-themed sights and sounds. Fans who purchase the special theme ticket will receive a one-of-a-kind Star Wars-themed Cardinals t-shirt. Star Wars characters will be roaming throughout the ballpark for photo opportunities as well! Fans must present the voucher in order to receive this promotional item. For more information, visit cardinals.com/starwars (#CardsTheme).
Fowler’s Friends: Dexter Fowler will host a group from It Takes A Village for today’s game as part of his Fowler’s Friends player ticket program. Prior to the game, the group will get to watch batting practice from the field and meet with Dexter in the dugout to take pictures and ask questions.
Boots at Busch: 93.7 The Bull and the Cardinals are teaming up to present the first season of Boots at Busch-a series of home games featuring live country music in a “battle of the bands” format. The 2017 schedule features 9 local country acts/bands over the course of three different Cardinals home games in Ford Plaza. Tonight’s battle features Biscuits & Gravy, Blacktop Boulevard and Haley Jarrells & Breaking Ground. Gate 6 will open at 5:15 p.m. for the event. Performances begin at 5:35 p.m. with each act given 20 minutes to perform. A winning act will be selected each night and will receive a prize package from 93.7 The Bull and the Cardinals. Tickets are available for $9.37 to each Boots at Busch game by going to cardinals.com/bootsatbusch.
MLBPAA Auction: The Major League Baseball Players Alumni Association will conduct a baseball-themed silent auction by Gate 1 (Section 137) and Gate 3 from the time gates open through the fifth inning. All proceeds will benefit Cardinals Care and the Players Alumni Association, a non-profit group that strives to preserve the game of baseball while supporting a variety of charities.
