Man walks cross country to raise awareness about organ donation

Saturday, October 22nd, 2011, 12:32pm

A man is walking across the US to raise awareness about organ donation. He is walking along Route 50 in Illinois this week.

Mike Tittinger says he lost his young wife 10 years ago after a failed heart transplant.

"I'm making good on a vow I made way back, 10 years ago that I would do something to help people like Deanna, to give them chances she never had," Tittinger said. "I never shared this vow with Deanna, it's just something I promised to myself."

Tittinger is 4 months and 2000 miles into a cross-country walk from Fisherman's Wharf in San Francisco, Calf. to Ocean City, NJ, to raise money for the Onny and Oboe Scholarship Fund.

According to his website, the scholarship helps families directly affected by a heart transplant pursue post-secondary education.

Tittinger hopes to raise at least $25,000 in donations.

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October 23-29 is Lead Poisoning Prevention Week in Illinois

Submitted by James Long, Digital Content Producer

Friday, October 21st, 2011, 10:40am

October 23-29 is Lead Poisoning Prevention Week in Illinois

SPRINGFIELD, IL (KFVS) – Health officials in Illinois have announced that the week of October 23-29 is Lead Poisoning Prevention Week.

According to Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH), Illinois has one the highest numbers of lead poisoning cases in the nation.

In observing Lead Poisoning Prevention Week, IDPH officials say they are working to raise awareness about the importance of testing children in homes for lead, and learning how to prevent exposure that can result in serious health effects.

The IDPH says around 3,300 of the state’s children had elevated blood lead levels in 2010.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said almost a quarter of a million children in the US have blood lead levels high enough to cause significant damage to their health.

According to IDPH, major sources of lead exposure among Illinois children are lead-based paint and lead-contaminated dust found in homes built before lead-based pai

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6th annual Halloween Gala

Submitted by Amber Ruch, KFVS12 County News Digital Content Producer

Thursday, October 20th, 2011, 3:14pm

MT. VERNON, IL (KFVS) - The 6th Annual Halloween Gala will be Saturday, Oct. 22 at the Granada.

The gala will start at 7 p.m. Admission is $10 with a costume and $15 without a costume.

Activities include music, costume contest, food and drinks.

For more information, you can call 618-534-1837.

For more 2011 Fall/Halloween events in the Heartland, you can click here.

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SLIDESHOW: Show your Cardinals spirit!

Submitted by Amber Ruch, KFVS12 County News Digital Content Producer

Wednesday, October 19th, 2011, 3:37pm

(KFVS) - Folks across the Heartland are sending in pictures of their Cardinal spirit.

Send your pictures to cNews and we'll feature them online and maybe on-air. Don't forget to include your name and where you're from.

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Mentors 4 Kids hosts trivia night

Submitted by Alycia Dobrinick on Wednesday, October 19th, 1:29 pm

MT. VERNON, IL (KFVS) - If you like trivia, get a group of up to eight people together to take part in the Mentors 4 Kids Trivia Night!

It will take place on Saturday, October 22nd at St. Mary's Parish Center in Mt. Vernon. It costs $10 per person. All the proceeds go to Mentors 4 Kids. The group mentors kids in Franklin, Gallatin, Hamilton, Jefferson, Saline, White, and Williamson Counties.

Doors open at 6:00 p.m. The trivia quiz starts at 7:00 p.m. Soft drinks will be provided and teams are invited to bring their own snacks or drinks. Teams are also encouraged to decorate their tables and dress in costume!

There will be prizes for the best table decorations and costumes.

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Bluford man sentenced for sex assault of 2 young boys

Submitted by Christy Hendricks

Wednesday, October 19th, 2011, 11:27am

Bluford man sentenced for sex assault of 2 young boys

BLUFORD, IL (KFVS) - A Bluford man was sentenced to 50 years in prison for the sexual assault of two young boys.

Albert Winkler, 26, was sentenced for predatory criminal sexual assault of a child and aggravated criminal sexual abuse.

Winkler will serve 45 years on the predatory criminal sexual assault of a child charge consecutive to a five year sentenced for aggravated criminal sexual abuse.

The prison sentence will be followed by three years to natural life on mandatory supervised release.

According to the Jefferson County State's Attorney Office, Winkler was an acquaintance of the family that the young victims lived with in 2009.

In July 2010, at a 4th of July celeration, the two young brothers came into contact with Winkler for the first time in more than a year.

The boys told their mother Winkler had molested them the prior summer.

Winkler admitted his actions to detectives.

The victims were sev

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Free lecture to celebrate "The Weeks Act"

Submitted by Alycia Dobrinick on Tuesday, October 18th, 1:59 pm

HARRISBURG, IL (KFVS) - In honor of the Weeks Act, Shawnee National Forest will host a free lecture.

The Weeks Act was signed by President William Taft on March 1, 1911. The legislation was proposed by Congressman John Weeks of Massachusetts. It set aside more than 20 million acres of eastern national forest land which in turn launched major conservation efforts.

On October 18th, Mary McCorvie, a Forest Archeologist, will lead a free lecture called "Suitable Only for Treecrops - A History of the Shawnee National Forest" at Morris Library's Guyon Auditorium in Carbondale. It will run from 7:00-8:00 p.m. McCorvie will present the same lecture on October 20th at the Shawnee National Forest Headquarters office in Harrisburg.

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