President Donald Trump’s former lawyer and fixer, Michael Cohen, filed a lawsuit Thursday in New York City over unpaid legal bills. In a civil complaint filed in Manhattan Supreme Court, Cohen accused the Trump Organization of breaking a promise made in July 2017 to pay his legal bills while he was still employed by Trump. Cohen claims he’s owed $1.9 million to cover attorneys’ fees and other related costs.

In the lawsuit, Cohen repeats claims that he took care of the payment to Stormy Daniels, and a similar one to former Playboy model Karen McDougal, who has claimed she had an affair with Trump, and negotiated for a Trump property in Moscow as late as summer 2016. According to the lawsuit, Cohen claimed that the Trump Organization initially made good on its commitment and paid $137,460 to his lawyers on Oct. 25, 2017.  But by December 2017, the Trump Organization stopped making additional attorney payments, all while Cohen was facing multiple overdue invoices for his legal representation.

Cohen has already been sentenced to three years behind bars after pleading guilty to campaign finance violations, tax evasion and lying to Congress. He is scheduled to begin his sentence on May 6.

Representatives for the Trump Organization could not be immediately reached for comment on Thursday.

Cohen sues Trump Organization over payment of his legal fees

Via abcnews.go.com

President Donald Trump’s former fixer and personal attorney Michael Cohen has filed a…

03/07/2019 2:48 PM

 

Editorial credit: a katz / Shutterstock.com

On Thursday, the House passed a resolution condemning anti-Semitism and other forms of bigotry.  The resolution comes after days of debate over comments by Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., that some lawmakers said were anti-Jewish.

The vote was 427 in favor, 23 against and one member voting “present.” An initial plan for a resolution that focused on anti-Semitism was broadened to include language against Islamophobia, and hatred of many minority groups.

The seven-page resolution, the text of which was released and then updated again Thursday afternoon, condemns “anti-Semitism as hateful expressions of intolerance that are contradictory to the values and aspirations that define the people of the United States” and “anti-Muslim discrimination and bigotry against minorities as hateful expressions of intolerance that are contrary to the values and aspirations of the United States.”

         

House overwhelmingly passes broad measure condemning hate in response to Rep. Ilhan Omar’s alleged anti-Semitic comments

Via www.washingtonpost.com

The House on Thursday passed a measure broadly condemning hate, as Democrats seek to move past a…

03/07/2019 4:40 PM

 

Dr. Sarah Bond, an ag educator with SIU-Carbondale and Oakland City University, spoke last night at the annual meeting of the Wayne County Farm Bureau. Bond told those gathered that farmers must seize the initiative to tell their story and help non-farmers understand how much goes in to what they do on a daily basis.

Cisne and Fairfield FFA members had a successful night at Mt. Vernon last night for District V Proficiency Recordbooks, or Supervised Agricultural Experiences. Maddie Bowen, Melanie Jordan, Sara Timm, Alex Neikirk, and Joey Allison placed first from Cisne, with Macie Clark and Abby Lewis earning top spots from Fairfield. The seven advance to state later this month.

Pictured from left (from Fairfield)- Abby Lewis, Hunter Doty, Macie Clark, Jarryn Smith, and Addison Seifert

Fairfield Memorial Hospital has been awarded a three-year gold seal of accreditation in mammography by the American College of Radiology. The ACR gold seal represents the highest level of image quality and patient safety, and it is awarded after a peer-review evaluation by board certified physicians and experts in the field.

Pictured are the FMH board certified mammography technologists; Melinda Bunting, R.T.(R)(M)(RDMS)(RDCS), Rhonda Grinols, R.T.(R)(M)(CT), and Melanie Perkins, R.T. (R)(M)(CT)(RDMS).

Local State Representative Darren Bailey and State Senator Dale Righter spoke yesterday against the proposed progressive tax bill from Governor J.B. Pritzker. Bailey said the proposal goes against the state constitution and would need to be voted on next year. Righter said the bill represented more spending, which hasn’t helped Illinois in the recent past.

River stages as of early this morning:  Little Wabash, east of Fairfield stands at 8.28 feet, below the 17 ft. flood stage. Meanwhile, the Skillet Fork at Wayne City has a reading of 5.47 feet (flood stage is 15 ft.). The Little Wabash below Clay City is at 6.71 feet (flood stage is 18 ft.).

The guest today on the Community Connection will be David Foreman, talking about age-related muscle loss. Community Connection airs at 7:30 on AM 1390 and 103.3 FM.

On “Morning Coffee” Mark Turner and Mike Dreith will welcome Lisa Konopasek. “Morning Coffee” is between 8-9 a.m. on 104.9 weekdays.

To listen to a podcast of Morning Coffee and Community Connection, click on “About Us” on the top right of wfiwradio.com.  Then, from the dropdown, make your choice of program.

74-year-old Kenneth L. McKitrick of Johnsonville, died at 7:00 p.m. on Thursday March 7. He had worked at the Ford garage in McLeansboro for 12 years and had also worked at North American Lighting in Flora and was also a U.S. Army Veteran. Kenneth was born in Wayne County on February 26^th, 1945 to Elza and Maxine (Legg) McKitrick. He married Elaine Talbert on June 22^nd, 1968.

Kenneth is survived by his wife- Elaine McKitrick of Johnsonville; son- Lonnie (Jessica) McKitrick of Geff; four grandchildren- Trevor, Ema, Lacee, and Makena; sisters- Sandra (Claude) Mark and Sharon (Frank) Wodicker both of Fairfield; brother- Arnold (Cindy) McKitrick of Fairfield. Several nieces and nephews also survive.

Kenneth was preceded in death by his parents, sisters- Paula Colclasure and Judith Bishop, brothers- John and James McKitrick.

Funeral Services will be at 10 a.m. Tuesday March 12^th at Johnson and Vaughn Funeral Home with burial in Pin Oak Cemetery with military rites provided by Anthony Wayne Post #176 American Legion and the Wayne County Post #4535 VFW. Family requests casual dress for the service. Visitation will be Monday March 11^th, from 5-7 p.m. at the funeral home.

Johnson and Vaughn Funeral Home is in charge of all the arrangements.

Illinois State Police confirmed Friday evening that the body of a missing southern Illinois woman has been found.  20-year-old Brooke Naylor of Harrisburg had been last seen on Sunday, March 3rd.  Police said her abandoned Chevy Malibu was found on the Eldorado Ridgeway Blacktop between Illinois route 142 and Illinois Route 1.  At about 5:40 p.m. Friday a member of a search team located Naylor deceased south of Pot Hole Lane in rural Gallatin County.  An autopsy is scheduled for today.

Strong to severe thunderstorms is a possibility in the southern Illinois region today.  The National Weather Service says widespread showers are expected to move through the region today, with a round of thunderstorms expected by afternoon just ahead of a cold front.  Locally heavy rain, hail and a few severe storms will be possible.  Damaging winds and a few tornadoes will also be a possibility.  Areas to the south of Wayne County will have a better chance for severe weather today and into tonight.

Cisne and Fairfield FFA members exhibited projects at Thursday night’s District V Agriscience Fair at Mt. Vernon High School.  From Fairfield, Macie Clark (pictured) placed 4th overall with her project on Soil Saturation.  From Cisne, Sara Timm placed first overall at the event with her project on Animal Systems.

State Representative Will Guzzardi wants to get the price of prescriptions under control.  He says a number of ideas are under consideration in Springfield, and says the prices of prescriptions have been on the rise for quite a while.  He says the FDA appears to have taken a hands off approach to regulating the industry.

Illinois is launching a new website aimed at helping people affected by gambling addictions.  The site is WeKnowtheFeeling.org    It comes as gambling is expanding across the nation.  Governor J.B. Pritzker is looking to expand sports betting to help close a multibillion dollar state budget hole.  Illinois currently operates hotline for people with gambling problems.  They can call 1-800-GAMBLER.  Deputy Governor Sol Flores says the hotline receives thousands of calls each month.

Frontier Community College’s Student Senate Club will be selling March Madness brackets for the upcoming NCAA Men’s Basketball tournament, which begins March 21st.  Brackets are $5 each and will be available for purchase from any Student Senate member.  They can be purchased between Monday, March 18th through Thursday, March 21st by 11 a.m.  The winner of the FCC bracket contest will receive a $50 gift certificate to the Bobcat Den.

Daylight Saving Time begins this weekend.  Residents are reminded to turn their clocks FORWARD one hour before going to bed tonight, or at 2 a.m. Sunday when the time change officially takes place.

River stages as of this morning:  Little Wabash east of Fairfield, 8 feet, flood stage 17 feet.  At Clay City, 6.8 feet.  Flood stage 18 feet.  At Carmi, 12.1 feet.  Flood stage 27 feet.  Skillet Fork at Wayne City, 5.5 feet.  Flood stage 15 feet.  Wabash at Mt. Carmel, 10.5 feet.  Flood stage 19 feet.

80 year old, Fairfield resident, Deloris “Sis” Jean Wilson passed away March 6, 2019 at Deaconess Midtown Hospital in Evansville, Indiana.
Deloris was born June 28, 1938 in Wood, South Dakota and was the second child of Ozzie and Odessa Williams Wilson. After graduating from high school in 1956 from Wood, SD she joined the Air Force. She thoroughly enjoyed the military and often spoke of her military service with pride. She then married and became a mother to Ray and Jeanne Long. Deloris was an elementary teacher and librarian in Upton, Wyoming, Onida, South Dakota and Pierre, South Dakota which she enjoyed very much. She spent her retirement years in Spearfish, SD and Fairfield, IL. She loved flowers and was a very proud Great Grandma.

Deloris is survived by her children, Ray Long of Phoenix, AZ and Jeanne (Chris) Jenkins of Fairfield, IL and her granddaughter, Mindy Diehm (Andy Hill) and their children Mia and Romi, Fairfield, IL and grandson, Drew Diehm of Presho, SD. Also surviving her are her brothers and sisters: CL (Skook & Joann) Wilson of Anthony, NM; Myrna (Ron) Chewakin of Spearfish, SD; Bill (Paulette) Wilson of Richmond, TX; and Dixie Wilson (Donn Voorhees) of Rapid City, SD; along with several nieces and nephews.

On angel wings she flew to be met by her parents Ozzie and Odessa Wilson and other family members who greeted her arrival.
A graveside service for Deloris will be held at 10:00am, Monday, March 11, 2019 at Maple Hill Cemetery with military rites provided Anthony Wayne Post 176 American Legion and Wayne Memorial Post 4535 VFW. There will be no visitation. Friends and family are asked to go directly to the cemetery.

Memorials may be made to the American Diabetes Association and envelopes will be available at the graveside or at Nale’s Funeral Home which is in charge of all the arrangements.

Sharon Lou Brines, 77, of Grayville, Illinois, died Thursday, March 7, 2019, at Deaconess Main Hospital in Evansville, Indiana.  She was born May 7, 1941, in Mattoon, Illinois, the daughter of Charles and Susan (Bennett) Bostic.  She married Delbert Brines on December 23, 1961, and he survives.

Sharon was a homemaker, cat lover, bingo player and lover of her grandchildren.

Survivors include her husband Delbert Brines; son Danny Brines, both of Grayville; daughter Sherri (Doug) Davis of Albion, Illinois; brother Charles Bostic of Danville, Illinois; sister Sandy Bostic of Grayville; grandchildren Darrell, Hayden, Colby, and Justin; great grandchildren Sofia, Savanna, Sydni, and Darrenn.

She is preceded in death by her parents; sisters Charlene Eads and Elsie Brinsen; and aunt and uncle Blanche and Tex Craft.

A visitation and memorial service will be announced at a later time.

Cook Funeral Chapel in Grayville is in charge of arrangements.

An autopsy performed Saturday on 20-year-old Brooke Naylor of Harrisburg, IL found that she died of hypothermia from exposure to the cold.  According to reports, Naylor was found late Friday afternoon in rural Gallatin County south of Pot Hole Lane.  Her car had been found abandoned earlier in the week on the Eldorado Ridgway blacktop between Illinois Route 142 and Illinois Route 1.  Naylor had gone missing last Sunday, March 3rd.  Temperatures in southern Illinois this past Monday were in the single digits and teens.  Police have not released any additional details on the investigation since Friday evening.

Fairfield Memorial Hospital recently donated AEDs to the City of Fairfield Park District to be installed at each of the ballpark concession stands to help better ensure the health and well-being of those who make use of the parks throughout the year.  FMH CEO Katherine Bunting said the hospital donated the AEDs to the park district so that people can benefit from the sense of security they could provide in a cardiac emergency.  The hospital also donated an AED to the Oblong Children’s Christian Home in Fairfield.  (pictured left to right are Shauna Williams, FMH Marketing Director and Ruby Bruce, representing the Fairfield Park District)

Edwards County High School will host its first annual college and career fair Monday in the Linda Oxby Gymnasium.  The event will run from 2 to 6 p.m. and is open to the public.  Several colleges and universities will be in attendance, including Frontier Community College in Fairfield, as well as Wabash Valley College.  Various businesses and other organizations are expected as well, including Champion Laboratories and Citizens National Bank.  Those attending are asked to come in the high school through entrance number three in front of the school.

A fight near the end of an Illinois High School Association Class 3A boys basketball sectional championship game Friday night resulted in the IHSA declaring a “double forfeit”.  The ending of a game between Chicago Farragut and Chicago North Lawndale was marred by a fourth quarter fight involving players and fans from both schools, according to an IHSA news release.  After the fight, the gym was cleared of all spectators and the teams were sent to their locker rooms.  IHSA officials then spoke to “game management and game officials” at Lawndale and ruled the contest a double forfeit.  Farragut led the game 56-50 with less than a minute remaining when the fight broke out after a Farragut player attempted a dunk and a North Lawndale player undercut him, the report said.

The Fairfield Rural and Geff Fireman’s annual Chicken Barbecue is set for today at the firehouse in Geff.  Serving will run from 11 a.m til 1 p.m. with carryouts available.  The menu will include barbecue chicken, cheesy potatoes, green beans and corn, slaw, rolls, desserts and drinks.  Price is by donation, with proceeds from the event going towards the purchase of new fire equipment.

Daylight Saving Time is now in effect.  The time change took effect at 2 a.m. today.  Clocks need to be set FORWARD one hour.  The move is intended to provide more daylight in the late afternoon and early evenings.

DARRELL ‘BUTCH’ LEE NEFF, 72, of Cisne, passed away on March 8, 2019, in Newburgh, Indiana.

Butch was born on December 8, 1942, to Harold ‘Hobb’ and Sylvia ‘Syb’ (Tubbs) Neff in Mt. Vernon, IL. He was in the Army for 22 years and retired as a Master Seargant and continued with a full time career in the postal service in Anchorage Alaska from which he also retired.

He married Sharon Lehrbas and she preceded him in death on November 27, 2016.

Butch was a member of the Cisne Masonic Lodge #1111, Al Aska Shrine Temple, VFW Flora Post 3999, and was a Knight Templar.

Butch is survived by his children, Tammy Ann Neff Meyer (Scott) of Mt. Vernon, Natalie Victoria Neff Sundquist of Fort Walton Beach, Florida, and Tammy Kay Fiori and Tracy Leon Lehrbas of Anchorage, Alaska; one brother, Kennel Neff (Kimberly) of Cisne; nieces, nephews, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his parents; wife, Sharon; and sister, Berneda J. Neff French.

Cremation will take place and services with military honors will be held at a later date.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to Shriner’s Hospital for Children and may be dropped off at the funeral home in Cisne.

Fond memories and condolences may be shared with the family at www.meridithfuneralhome.com.

Hosselton-Meridith Funeral Home of Cisne is honored to be entrusted with the arrangements.

Entertainer Jennifer Lopez and former New York Yankees star Alex Rodriguez announced their engagement Saturday night with matching Instagram posts. In the social media posts, Rodgriquez is holding Lopez’s left hand, which has a massive diamond on the ring finger. 

In her caption, Lopez, 49, left a row of heart emojis while Rodriguez, 43, typed, “She said yes.”

The couple was on vacation when A-Rod, 43, popped the question. Photos from earlier this week show the couple relaxing by the poolside and watching the sunset on a beach. One day before announcing the engagement, Rodriguez posted an Instagram Story with a quote about soulmates. That same day, Lopez shared a photo of her next to Rodriguez on a boat.

Lopez and Rodriguez, who each have two kids each from prior relationships, made their relationship public in early 2017.

This will be Lopez’s fourth marriage and Rodriguez’s second.

Jennifer Lopez and Alex Rodriguez are Engaged

Via www.tmz.com

03/09/2019 9:01 PM

 

Editorial credit: Featureflash Photo Agency / Shutterstock.com

“Captain Marvel” starring Brie Larson had an opening weekend of $153 million at the North America box office.

“Captain Marvel” took in $302 million internationally, giving it an estimated global opening weekend of $455 million — the sixth highest global debut of all time. The 21st installment of Disney’s Marvel Cinematic Universe will wind up with the 18th biggest domestic opening weekend of all time, and the best start for a standalone superhero film since Marvel’s “Black Panther” launched with $202 million in 2018.

Larson stars as Carol Danvers, the pilot who becomes Captain Marvel after the Earth is caught at the center of a galactic conflict in 1995. The cast includes Samuel L. Jackson, Ben Mendelsohn, Djimon Hounsou, Lee Pace, Lashana Lynch, Gemma Chan, Annette Bening, Clark Gregg, and Jude Law. The movie is written and directed by Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck.

Box Office: ‘Captain Marvel’ Heads for Heroic $155M-$160M U.S. Launch

Via www.billboard.com

Captain Marvel is headed for a heroic debut of $155 million to $160 million at the domestic box…

03/09/2019 11:04 AM

 

Editorial credit: Faizal Ramli / Shutterstock.com

Eight Americans were among 157 people killed when a plane crashed shortly after takeoff in Ethiopia on Sunday morning.

The Ethiopian Airlines flight was headed from Addis Ababa en route to the Kenyan capital of Nairobi with 149 passengers and eight crew members on board, the airline said. There were no survivors.

There were no immediate details on what caused the crash of the Boeing 737 Max 8 plane, but flight-tracking website said the plane “had unstable vertical speed” after take-off.

Ethiopian Airline’s CEO Tewolde Gebremariam told a press conference that the plane had no known technical issues and the captain had an “excellent flying record” with more than 8,000 hours of flying experience.

No names have been released. The airline said the bodies of the victims will be delivered to their families once the identities of the deceased are determined.

157 Dead, Including 8 Americans, in Ethiopian Jetliner Crash

Via sanfrancisco.cbslocal.com

ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia (AP) — A jetliner carrying 157 people crashed shortly after takeoff…

03/10/2019 12:08 PM

 

Editorial credit: Leonard Zhukovsky / Shutterstock.com

Martin Shkreli, 35, is being investigated by federal authorities for allegedly running his pharmaceutical business from behind bars. Nicknamed “Pharma Bro” for his behavior, the newest allegations stem from a Wall Street Journal report has suggesting Shkreli was using a contraband cellphone to secretly lead his company from within the thick walls of the Federal Correction Institution in Fort Dix, New Jersey.

In 2018, Shkreli was sentenced to seven years in prison for securities fraud, after he scammed investors out of millions of dollars. Shkreli also made headlines for raising the price of anti-parasite drug Daraphim by 5,000 percent from $13.50 to $750 a pill. The drug helps with infection in malaria, AIDS and some cancer patients.

The Wall Street Journal said Shkreli used the contraband phone to post regularly on social media and even fired the company’s chief executive nearly a month ago.  According to the WSJ report, a board member at his Pheonixus company said it’s well known that he uses a cellphone in prison.

The Bureau of Prisons said in a statement: “when there are allegations of misconduct, they are thoroughly investigated and appropriate action is taken if such allegations are proven true. This allegation is currently under investigation.”

Shkreli’s attorney, Benjamin Brafman, declined to comment.

‘Pharma Bro’ Martin Shkreli being investigated for allegedly using cellphone to run company from prison

Via www.walb.com

NEW YORK (AP) — Federal authorities said Friday they are investigating claims that Martin…

03/09/2019 1:56 PM

 

Editorial credit: JStone / Shutterstock.com

Former Fairfield resident Sarah Beth Tomberlin will be performing on Jimmy Kimmel Live! on Wednesday night. Tomberlin’s debut album, At Weddings, was released in August of 2018, and she has been spotlighted in several online music publications after its release. Jimmy Kimmel Live! airs on ABC at 10:35 each weeknight.

The Lincolnland District Ruritan Spring Awards Banquet was held Saturday evening. The Geff club received a plaque for having the highest percentage of members present, and Wayne City club member Caitlyn Dickey was selected to receive a scholarship. Mt. Erie club member Donna Williams also received the Outstanding Secretary Award.

District Governor James Barger presents the Club Attendance Award to the Geff club accepted by President Sherry Jungwirth.

The Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office is currently looking for 32-year-old Charles “Andy” Sage III, who is wanted for aggravated domestic battery in Hamilton County. Police say he should be considered armed and dangerous and has made threats to harm others. Anyone with information should call the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office at 643-2511.

Charles “Andy” Sage III

Springfield officials have approved an ordinance that would allow the city to spend up to $50,000 to keep Abraham Lincoln’s home open in the event of another federal government shutdown. The ordinance doesn’t automatically trigger the transfer of funds, but it does give Springfield’s mayor the ability to authorize the payment to the National Park Service.

The FCHS Varsity Scholastic Team placed third in the IHSA Sectional Tournament Saturday. FCHS went 1-2 on the day, defeating Sullivan and falling to Robinson and Stewardson-Strausburg. Senior Amber Clark and Junior Jason Wright were named to the All-Sectional Team at the tournament, as well, by virtue of their play throughout the season.

Front row, from left: Karlie Taylor, Lex Gonzalez, Amber Clark, Jason Wright, and Cody Todd. Back row: Bryce Garner, Kodie Nobles, Cody Gawthorp, Cassidy Hayes, Hannah Odom, and Emily Burbank.

Fairfield Memorial Hospital will celebrate the one-year anniversary of the Horizon Healthcare Cisne Clinic on March 29^th. The event will be held at the Cisne Clinic, located at 413 Park Street, from 2 to 5 p.m. FMH administration would like to invite the public to join its staff for the event, tour the facility, and register for door prizes from local businesses.

The Fairfield City Council will meet tomorrow evening at City Hall. Aldermen have a four-item agenda on hand that includes a generator purchase for the wastewater treatment plant, seeking bids for water line upgrades on Route 15, and hearing a request from Nicole Gray to use a portion of an alley for restaurant seating.

State Representative Darren Bailey has signed on to co-sponsor legislation to help put a stop to voter fraud in Illinois. The State Board of Elections found cases of double voting in Effingham and Lawrence counties from the 2016 election, and Bailey is supporting bills that enhance penalties for dual voting.

The West Salem Development Association is scheduled to host a Trivia Night on Saturday at the Community Center in West Salem. Doors will open at 5, and the contest begins at 5:30. Team may have up to eight members, and the cost to enter is $60 per team. To register a team, or for more information, contact Steve or Tracy Thomson at 456-2309.

SIU Carbondale is making strides toward improving retention through a program that offers freshmen a special orientation, aimed at getting them acquainted with college life. The Saluki Success Program was started in 2015, and it now has four dedicated instructors who teach more than 200 students per semester. The university’s freshman retention rate has increased to around 71 percent, as of 2017.

The Better Business Bureau is warning people considering entering into a work-from-home reshipping business that many of those opportunities are only fronts for illegal activities. Investigator Don O’Brien says people could find themselves breaking the law, unknowingly acting as middle-men for those who have stolen items.

River stages as of this morning:  Little Wabash, east of Fairfield stands at 20.60 feet, above the 17 ft. flood stage. Meanwhile, the Skillet Fork at Wayne City has a reading of 9.17 feet (flood stage is 15 ft.). The Little Wabash below Clay City is at 19.32 feet (flood stage is 18 ft.).

Elizabeth Ann (Betty) Leonard was born February 23, 1928 in Grayville, Illinois.  She was the daughter of Max Vernon Reese and Sarah Louise Tragitt Reese.  She married George Daniel Leonard Jr. on April 1, 1950.  He preceded her in death in June of 1982.  Betty married Russell Bredenkamp on February 25, 1994.

Betty was a member of Grayville First Presbyterian Church and later attended Friedens United Church of Christ.  Betty attended Lindenwood College in St. Charles, Missouri and Murray State University in Murray Kentucky.

She is survived by husband Russell of Grayville; son Stephen wife Patricia; grandsons Andrew (Sarah), Jonathan (Jessica), and Matthew (Molly); great grandchildren Claira, Connor, Cohen and Ellison all of Springfield, Illinois.

A lifelong resident of Grayville, Betty was a caring person and a friend to many.  She will be greatly missed by her family and friends.

Graveside services will be at 10:00 am, Saturday, March 16, 2019, at Oak Grove Cemetery in Grayville.

Memorial contributions may be made in Betty’s memory to the Grayville Senior Citizens.

Cook Funeral Chapel in Grayville is in charge of all arrangements.

Robert E. Crawford Sr., 83 of Fairfield passed away at 9:17 AM, Monday, February 18, 2019 at Enfield Rehab and Healthcare Center.  Born on August 28, 1935 in Wayne County to Cecil C. and Sarah Dessie (Denny) Crawford he was a veteran of Air Force, a carpenter, and had worked at Airtex and for the City of Fairfield.

Robert is survived by sons Robert (LeaAnn) Crawford of Roanoke, TX and Rodney (Crista) Crawford of O’Fallon, IL, daughter Gina (Steve) Lemond of Fairfield, 9 grandchildren, 5 great grandchildren plus one on the way, and sisters Doris Charlene (Bill) Wagner of Fairfield and Lois Darlene Bruce of Fairfield.  He was preceded in death by his parents and sister Celia Louise Bruce.

A memorial service for Robert Crawford will be held at 6 PM, Thursday, March 14^th at Victory Outreach Christian Center.  His ashes will be interred in Maple Hill Cemetery at a later date.  Memorials in his honor may be made to Enfield Rehab and Healthcare Center Activity Fund.  Johnson and Vaughn Funeral Home is in charge of the arrangements.

Billy Ray McCarty, known to his family as “Sam,” passed away on March 6, 2019, at the age of 87.

Sam grew up in the rural area around Griffin, Indiana, with a large active family of 10 kids… five boys and five girls!

He enjoyed a 20 year career in the United States Air Force as a jet mechanic, and eventually a highly valued instructor; training other Airmen in all aspects of aircraft repair and maintenance. During his career he served in Holland, Germany, France, Thailand, and many cities around America.

In 1972 Sam embarked on his second career. He transitioned from airplanes to coal and spent the next 20 years as an instructor for Illinois Eastern Community Colleges. He taught hundreds of miners Hydraulics and Electrical Theory; and was recognized as a leading instructor of Mine Safety, teaching OSHA Requirements and First Aid Courses.

Sam’s travels continued as he spent time studying one of his favorite subjects- astronomy. He traveled to sites around the United States using an incredible telescope he built himself, going anywhere he could to have a better view of the stars- even taking trips as far as South America to see the night sky.

Sammy is survived by two children and many friends and family members who respected and loved him dearly. Oh, how he loved to tell stories about his hardworking dad and his strong brother, Tubby. But his funniest stories were about his escapades with his closest brother, Warren Dale. Those two were quite a pair, always together getting into some kind of mischief. He will be deeply missed.

Our father was a kind and generous man, giving his time and helping many people in any way he could. In addition to helping those close to him, he gave to many charities. Memorial donations in memory of our father may be made to his favorite charity, Doctors Without Borders. A one-time donation can be submitted in memory or honor of a loved one with this web address: donate.doctorswithoutborders.org

Private memorial services were held for family in Grayville. Sammy is buried with his beloved mother, father, and brother in Oak Grove Cemetery.

Arrangements were provided by Cook Funeral Chapel in Grayville.

ROBERT M. “MAX” JENKINS, 93, of Cisne, passed away surrounded by his family on March 10, 2019, at the Cisne Rehabilitation and Health Care Center.

Robert Max Jenkins was born on February 1, 1926, in Geff, IL, to Orville “Shorty” and Blanche (Cravens) Jenkins. He was united in marriage to Inez Larch and she preceded him in death in 2011.

Max worked as an oil pumper for Tamarack Petroleum Co. and was also a cattleman. He was a WWII veteran.

Max is survived by one daughter, JoLee (Harold) Thomason of Cisne; grandchildren, LaDeana (Robert) Davis of Wayne City, Kelly (Fred) Marshall of Kentucky, Jamie Jenkins of Kentucky, James Jenkins of Olney, Jeanie (Robert) Stevens of Xenia, and Jaleen (Denny) Mattingly of Lawrenceville; 18 great-grandchildren; 6 great-great-grandchildren with two on the way; and one son-in-law, Larry Greenwalt.

He was preceded in death by wife, Inez; parents; daughter, Judy Greenwalt; son, James Jenkins; and sister, Betty Russell.

A funeral service will be held at 2 pm on Tuesday, March 12, 2019, at Hosselton-Meridith Funeral Home. Visitation will be held prior to the funeral from 1 pm – 2 pm at the funeral home. Burial will follow at Pleasant Grove Cemetery in Geff. Military rites will be conducted at the cemetery.

Memorials may be directed to the Activity Fund at Cisne Rehabilitation and Health Care Center and will be accepted at the funeral home.

Fond memories and condolences may be shared with the family at www.meridithfuneralhome.com.

Hosselton-Meridith Funeral Home of Cisne is honored to be entrusted with the arrangements.

Showtime has canceled the comedy series “SMILF” after two seasons. In addition, ABC studios, which produces the show, has suspended a development deal with its creator, star and executive producer Frankie Shaw. The announcements came after a December story in The Hollywood Reporter that detailed allegations of abusive on-set behavior and violations of industry rules by Shaw, who also directs some episodes of the show. Shaw denied the allegations.

Showtime said in a statement: “after weighing a variety of factors, Showtime has decided that ‘SMILF’ will not move forward for a third season. We remain extremely proud of the two seasons of SMILF, and thank Frankie Shaw for her singular voice and unique creation.”

ABC Studios had a two-year development deal with Shaw, and had also been investigating the reports of on-set problems. In a brief statement, the studio said, “Frankie Shaw’s overall deal with ABC Studios has been suspended without pay while we review our options.”

“SMILF,” which features Shaw as a down-on-her-luck single mom in Boston with a cast that includes Rosie O’Donnell and Connie Britton, was built on a short film Shaw showed at the 2015 Sundance Film Festival. It premiered in 2017 and received two Golden Globe nominations. 

Showtime will continue to air the second season through its March 31 finale.

‘SMILF’ canceled after reports of on-set misconduct by Frankie Shaw: Reports

Via www.washingtontimes.com

LOS ANGELES (AP) – Showtime has canceled the comedy series “SMILF” after two…

03/10/2019 6:55 PM

 

Editorial credit: Kathy Hutchins / Shutterstock.com