Memorial service to commemorate 60th anniversary of mining disaster

Submitted by Amber Ruch, KFVS12 County News Web Producer

Monday, December 19th, 2011, 12:43pm

Memorial service to commemorate 60th anniversary of mining disaster

WEST FRANKFORT, IL (KFVS) - A special memorial service commemorating the 60th anniversary of West Frankfort’s Orient #2 mine disaster will be held at 7p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 21 at The First Christian Church, 1001 South Cherry in West Frankfort.

Memorial organizers Steve Sawalich, President of the Old King Coal committee and Sharon Ossig, organizer of the Coal Miners Memorial Park in West Frankfort invite family and friends as well as the Southern Illinois community to come together and honor the 119 who lost their lives in the Orient #2 explosion.

Organizers would like to use the memorial service to keep the memory alive of the 119 gallant men who never came home from work that December evening and lost their lives to provide the energy that fueled the world economy by providing heat, steam and steel.

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Boil order issued in West Frankfort

Submitted by KFVS Web Staff

Thursday, December 15th, 2011, 11:29am

WEST FRANKFORT, IL (KFVS)-

A boil water order has been issued for parts of West Frankfort.

City officials say water will be shut off Friday, November 16 at 9 a.m. for people living on West 6th, West 7th and West 8th streets between North Douglas and North Hughes.

According to the city, the order is in effect in this area until further notice.

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More than 130 Ill. schools send postcards to soldiers

Submitted by Amber Ruch, KFVS12 County News Web Producer

Tuesday, December 13th, 2011, 4:17pm

More than 130 Ill. schools send postcards to soldiers

FRANKLIN COUNTY, IL (KFVS) - Students from more than 130 Illinois schools made their own postcards to send to Illinois soldiers serving overseas as part of the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum's "Boys in Blue" promotion that ended Dec. 7.

The museum and library says more than 600 of their guests also took part by buying "Boys in Blue" postcards depicting Illinois' Civil War soldiers that were also sent to three Illinois units serving in Afghanistan. They said nine large boxes of postcards were sent to the 1-14th Agribusiness Development Team, 1644th Transportation Company and the 661 Engineer Company.

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12 days of winning through Illinois contest

Submitted by Alycia Dobrinick on Tuesday, December 13th, 2:08 pm

SPRINGFIELD, IL (KFVS) - The Illinois Department of Agriculture will hold a "12 Days of Christmas Contest."

It runs from December 14-25. To participate, you need to become a fan of the department on Facebook or follow them on Twitter. The agency will randomly pick a winner each day. The winner will get an Illinois product and an assortment of cooking supplies donated by the American Egg Board.

It's part of an effort to raise awareness about Illinois food products available to the public.

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West Frankfort soldier severely wounded on battlefield

Submitted by KFVS Web Staff

Tuesday, December 13th, 2011, 11:06am

WEST FRANKFORT, IL (KFVS)-

The family of Pvt Charles Ligon are praying for his recovery and safe travel home.

Pvt Ligon was severely wounded while on patrol in Afghanistan on Sunday morning. One other soldier with Pvt Ligon was killed and four others injured when an IED exploded near their vehicle.

On Monday evening Pvt Ligon's family, friends and former classmates from West Frankfort Community High School gathered for a prayer and candlelight vigil. The service was held at St. John the Baptist church in West Frankfort.

Father Trevor Moore read a few passages from the Bible, a Confederate Soldier's prayer he wrote after being wounded on the battlefield.

Pvt Ligon turned 20 years old on the same day he arrived in Afghanistan with the U.S. Army's Alpha Company, 2nd Platoon Infantry Company. That was on April 11th of this year.

The explosion on Sunday morning was Pvt Ligon's second encounter with an IED while on patrol.

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American Cancer Society offers tips for healthy living

Submitted by Amber Ruch, KFVS12 County News Web Producer

Sunday, December 11th, 2011, 3:24pm

American Cancer Society offers tips for healthy living

(KFVS) - The American Cancer Society is recommending people to start eating healthy and start a healthy living regimen today.

The society says tobacco use, obesity and sedentary lifestyle are the top three causes of cancer; all are behavior-related and preventable.

“Cancer prevention starts this minute,” said Sharon Smaga, MD, Assistant Director of SIU Family Medicine Program and American Cancer Society Medical Ambassador. “It is never too late to make changes in ones lifestyle that can help the body defend itself against disease.”

According to the American Cancer Society, tobacco use accounts for 30 percent of all cancers. Adult obesity caused by poor diet is responsible for another 30 percent of all cancers, and sedentary lifestyle for five percent.

For more information contact your local American Cancer Society at 618-998-9898, option 3 or go to www.cancer.org.

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IDPH: Party hints to avoid food poisoning

Submitted by Amber Ruch, KFVS12 County News Web Producer

Thursday, December 8th, 2011, 12:01pm

IDPH: Party hints to avoid food poisoning

(KFVS) - The Illinois Department of Health is offering some holiday party hints to avoid food poisoning.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that each year roughly one in six Americans, or 48 million people, gets sick; 128,000 are hospitalized; and 3,000 die of foodborne diseases. In Illinois, it is estimated that as many as 250,000 cases of foodborne illness may occur each year. However, because these illnesses can be mild and because the vast majority of them occur in the home, many go unreported.

IDPH offers these tips:

Holiday hosts - what you should do:

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