Lt. Gov.: LINK program shows 269 percent increase

Submitted by Amber Ruch, KFVS12 County News Web Producer

Tuesday, July 12th, 2011, 10:00am

Lt. Gov.: LINK program shows 269 percent increase

UNION COUNTY, IL (KFVS) - Lt. Governor Sheila Simon announced Monday at the Illinois Farm Bureau that figures are showing more low-income residents are buying fresh foods at farmers markets.

Simon said the amount of food stamp benefits known as LINK redeemed at Illinois farmers markets and from direct marketing farmers jumped from $11,146 to $41,146 between 2009 and 2010. She attributed the growth, partly, to wider access.

She cited data collected by the U.S. Department of Agriculture that said last year, 35 Illinois farmers markets and direct marketing farmers were certified to accept the state-issued LINKED debit cards. The data also says, currently, 49 Illinois farmers markets and direct marketing farmers accept LINKED cards across 21 counties.

“We are seeing a promising trend: more farmers markets accepting LINK and more food stamp benefits being used to buy locally produced, fresh food,” said Simon.

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Anna man pleads guilty to child porn

Submitted by Christy Hendricks

Monday, July 11th, 2011, 11:14am

BENTON, IL (KFVS) - An Anna man pleaded guilty to child pornography Thursday in Federal District Court in Benton, Illinois.

Rondale Lee Chapman, 45, will face a minimum 15-year sentence for production of child pornography, according to U.S. Attorney's Office of the Southern District of Illinois.

His sentencing is set for November 3, 2011.

After his release, Chapman will be on supervised released for the rest of his life and be required to register as a sex offender.

He has been in custody since March 10, 2011.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Cyber Crime Task Force, the Union County Sheriff’s Office, the Jonesboro Police Department, and the Union County State’s Attorney’s Office investigated the case.

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Over 1,200 citations, warnings issued over 4th of July weekend

Submitted by Amber Ruch, KFVS12 County News Web Producer

Saturday, July 9th, 2011, 10:00am

Over 1,200 citations, warnings issued over 4th of July weekend

UNION COUNTY, IL (KFVS) - The Illinois Department of Natural Resources says their Conservation Officers made more than 1,200 citations and warnings over the Fourth of July weekend.

IDNR said officers arrested 25 boaters for operating under the influence and five more people for driving under the influence.

Along with the arrests, CPOs issued 519 citations and 776 warnings statewide while on patrol from July 1 through 4.

Citations were issued for a range of offenses including possession of drugs and drug paraphernalia, underage drinking and disorderly conduct to illegal fishing and other boat safety and boating law violations.

“The hot sunny days led to thousands of boaters out on the state’s waterways this weekend”, said IDNR Conservation Police Chief Rafael Gutierrez. “While there were a few who made poor decisions and were arrested for OUI or DUI, the majority of those we came across were enjoying the holiday responsibly and safely,

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Ren Sirles

Submitted by KFVS Web Staff

Friday, July 8th, 2011, 4:11pm

Ren Sirles of Rendleman Orchards in Alto Pass says he is proud to do what he does.

"We have been farming here now for a hundred and thirty seven years," said Ren Sirles.

Ren Sirles who co-owns Rendleman Orchards with his wife Betty and son Wayne still oversee every step of the harvest and raising of the crops.

Ren got his taste of farming at the very young age of seven. That's when he started working full time on the harvest.

"We used to raise cattle and hogs and milk cows, chickens just like a typical farm would almost be self-sustaining," Sirles said. "Then we went to specialty crops mainly apples and peaches at the time. And that was all done by mules and small tractors."

Ren's grandfather Grover Rendleman started the farm back in 1873.

What sets their farm apart from a traditional farm is they raise specialty crops on very hilly ground.

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Local vineyard wins gold at state fair competition

Submitted by Amber Ruch, KFVS12 County News Web Producer

Friday, July 8th, 2011, 12:35pm

Local vineyard wins gold at state fair competition

ALTO PASS, IL (KFVS) - Alto Vineyards recently brought home several awards from the Illinois State Fair Wine Competition.

Awards included three Double Gold medals. The 2010 Heartland White, 2010 Cherry Berry and 2007 Porto di Guido were in the top rankings.

“The Chardonel and Villard are two particularly crisp and refreshing wines appropriate for the season, and both received Gold metals," said owner Kara Hopkins-Renzaglia.

Others in the four Gold ranking wines from the vineyard were the 2006 Chambourcin and Dawg House Red.

The Rocko Red, Heartland Red, Traminette, Chambourcin 2008 and Heartland Blush received silver medals.

The wines were judged on several characteristics including appearance, color, aroma, acidity, body, flavor, sweetness and bitterness. Each category had a numerical weight with a total ranking out of 20 points.

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Ameren Illinois warns of possible fraud calls

Submitted by Amber Ruch, KFVS12 County News Web Producer

Thursday, July 7th, 2011, 11:54am

Ameren Illinois warns of possible fraud calls

UNION COUNTY, IL (KFVS) - Ameren Illinois issued a warning Thursday of con artists trying to defraud customers and may be trying to steal identities by demanding payment by phone.

Ameren says the targets appear to be small businesses and residential customers.

“Ameren Illinois representatives never come to your business or home and demand payments or threaten to disconnect service unless they receive a payment," said Stan Ogden, vice president of Customer Service and Public Relations. "Our field representatives do not accept payments for service.

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Illinois governor cuts funeral funds for poor

Submitted by KFVS Web Staff

Thursday, July 7th, 2011, 11:21am

It's not something you want to think about after you've lost a loved one, paying for their funeral and burial when you're poor.

But, the average cost for funeral and burial arrangements according to Bryan Crain, at Crain Funeral Home in Anna, Illinois is between $8,000 to $10,000.

Crain says the State of Illinois funded program cut by Governor Pat Quinn, never reimbursed funeral homes for all their costs.

"The state has been reimbursing funeral homes up to $1,655 for funeral and burial expenses," said Bryan Crain.

"That's to cover the cemetery portion, the grave opening, the embalming and the casket. And there's been quite a few funeral homes over the past five years that have stopped servicing Medicaid and public aid funerals and burials."

But, now the $15 million program to help people who are poor bury their loved ones is gone.

"I think it's a tragic thing," said John Winstead of Herrin, Illinois.

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