Monday 28 October 2013

Free tutoring for low income BBCHS students

Bradley-Bourbonnais Community High School will be offering tutoring to economically disadvantaged BBCHS students through a Title I grant.

Students who meet the income requirement can receive up to 30 hours free tutoring. All low income students are eligible.

For the unabridged version of this story, subscribe to The Daily Journal's print edition or E-edition


View the original article here

South Africa penalised by umpires for ball tampering in Test against Pakistan

Pakistan have demanded an explanation from the International Cricket Council after South Africa’s Faf du Plessis escaped with a fine of 50 percent of his match fee for ball tampering in the second Test in Dubai.

Pakistan were on the receiving end following the only previous occasion in Test history when the umpires have changed a tampered ball and imposed a five-run penalty, at the Oval in 2006. They were widely accused of cheating and, when they refused to take the field, the was Test forfeited.

The chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board, Najam Sethi, tweeted: “PCB is writing a letter to the ICC, seeking explanation of inconsistency by match referee in application of tampering rule.”

Du Plessis, who pleaded guilty to the charge, was not given any suspension by the ICC match referee David Boon, he was simply fined half his match fee.

While it is not surprising that former Pakistan players have waded into the debate, they have gained support from a more unexpected source, England’s captain Michael Vaughan, who tweeted: “Anyone caught ball tampering should be banned for at least ten matches.”

Du Plessis was caught in full view of the television cameras when South Africa were fielding during Pakistan’s second innings. He is seen vigorously polishing the ball, which would be tolerated in normal circumstances, only in this case it was on the zip of his trouser pocket, a somewhat more abrasive substance than synthetic fibres.

The television commentator, former South African captain Kepler Wessels, said while the camera was on du Plessis: “The issue there is that zip. That’s the problem.”

Former Pakistan captain Rashid Latif also thought it was a problem. “The punishment is very lenient. I think Faf should have been banned for six months,” Latif said, “plus the captain of the team should be held responsible and punished.”

Pakistan’s former fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar, who was not only fined but suspended for ball tampering in 2003, told Geo Television in Pakistan: “[The] ICC can’t do justice on merit. It doesn’t have any guts to do so.”

As match referee, Boon offered the extenuating circumstance that du Plessis’s act was “not part of a deliberate and/or prolonged attempt to unfairly manipulate the condition of the ball.” Given the vigour with which du Plessis rubbed the ball on his trouser zip, this was an unusual use of the wording “not deliberate”.

Du Plessis was spotted by the TV umpire, Paul Reiffel of Australia, on Friday evening. The on-field umpires, Ian Gould and Rod Tucker, called over South Africa’s captain Graeme Smith, changed the ball and awarded Pakistan five penalty runs.

Given that the South African pace bowler Vernon Philander was also caught on camera in the act of apparently scratching the ball with his left finger, the statement released by AB de Villiers, South Africa’s vice-captain, rang rather hollow: “Honestly, we’re not the team that scratches the ball. We don’t cheat, it’s as simple as that. I know Faffy very well, he’s the last man to try anything like that.” Except that du Plessis has now pleaded guilty.


View the original article here

Gilman man killed in Iroquois County crash

Gary Schroeder, 47, of Gilman, was killed Wednesday morning in a single-vehicle crash in Douglas Township.

According to the Iroquois County Coroner's Office, Schroeder was traveling south on 850 E Road about 8 a.m. He lost control of his vehicle and hit a bridge abutment at 1670 N Road. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

Iroquois County sheriff's police are investigating the crash. An autopsy was planned.


View the original article here

Illinois encouraging schools like Milford, Pembroke to consolidate

School districts in Illinois have been declining in number through consolidation since 1940, a time when there were nearly 12,000 districts. There are now only 861.

In an effort to save money, however, the state would like to see that current number reduced by more than half.

For the unabridged version of this story, subscribe to The Daily Journal's print edition or E-edition


View the original article here

'Thriller' dancing zombies raising money for Hospice in Piper City

A strange, international Halloween tradition returns to Piper City on Saturday afternoon. Dancing "zombies" will take to the streets of this tiny Ford County community for the seventh consecutive year.

It's all part of the worldwide tribute to the late Michael Jackson and his classic music video, "Thriller." In a synchronized effort from Seattle to New York, Brazil, Rwanda, Japan, Scotland and 16 other nations, thousands of dancers will recreate the iconic moves of the 1982 cultural sensation.

For the unabridged version of this story, subscribe to The Daily Journal's print edition or E-edition


View the original article here

Another benefit set for Bonfield cancer victim

A fundraiser will be held Saturday for Zayla Mitsdarffer, the 12-year-old from Bonfield battling cancer for a third time.

The Herscher American Legion Post 795 will host the event from 4 p.m. to midnight. Tickets are $10 for those 13 and older, with those younger admitted for free, and they will be available at the door. There will be raffles and auction items, as well as kids activities.

For the unabridged version of this story, subscribe to The Daily Journal's print edition or E-edition


View the original article here

Alastair Cook to face aspiring England bowlers before first Ashes Test

Alastair Cook’s bravery with the bat has never been questioned but the England captain’s mettle will be severely tested over the next few days when he faces up to a group of giant pace bowlers and two county tearaways, Tymal Mills and Harry Gurney, on the fastest net pitches in world cricket.

Normally it is a captain’s perk to be able to delegate, but not when Andy Flower is in charge and not when three of the colossi, Steven Finn, Boyd Rankin and Chris Tremlett, are vying for the third seamer’s role and are out to impress the captain into handing it to them.

Perception is everything and a good spell against Cook will count double, providing their thunder is not stolen by the rapid Mills who has been joined by Gurney in order to replicate the kind of left-arm bowling – think Mitchell Johnson – England expect to face when the Test series begins in just over three weeks time.

“The third seamer spot is up for grabs,” Cook said after England’s first training session at the Waca Ground yesterday. “In the past Andy Flower always made sure any bowlers pushing for a place bowled at Andrew Strauss when he was captain.”

Mills, 21, is a team-mate of Cook’s at Essex, but is more raw potential than finished article. That means he is very fast but unpredictable, a combination that saw several England players struck by him when they played a practice match against Essex last summer. “I think Tymal is pretty much the quickest bowler in England,” Cook said.

“I think the next couple of weeks are going to be quite interesting. We’ve got four giants who can bowl pretty quickly and two skiddier ones who can bowl just as quick. When I found out Tymal and Harry were joining us I began digging around in my bag for an armguard, but I don’t seem to have one.”

England stress that Mills and Gurney, who plays for Nottinghamshire, are not part of the squad. Yet Cook, perhaps acknowledging his own quick rise into the England team in 2006, following a sudden injury to Michael Vaughan, reckons the two have a great chance to impress the people who count.

“Tymal and Harry are here to offer practice against left-arm bowling,” Cook said. “But it is also a great opportunity for them to train with us. It is amazing how careers can change very quickly. By really impressing you just never know what can happen. They will be looking at it as an opportunity to press their claims.”

The No?6 spot in the batting order will also be contested, the aspirants being Jonny Bairstow and Gary Ballance. Whoever plays against the Western Australia Chairman’s XI on Thursday will probably play in the first Test. That means nets over the next few days, as they will be for the fast bowlers, are crucial. “All being well, it might be the case that whoever is selected at six for the first match will play in the first Test in Brisbane,” Cook said. “But you can never say for definite.”


View the original article here