•May 13, 2026•

The Regional Office of Education #11 (ROE #11) has announced the recipients of the 2026 Recognition of Excellence Award. This annual honor celebrates outstanding education professionals across the region who demonstrate exceptional skill, unwavering dedication, and a remarkable ability to inspire students from all backgrounds and abilities. Selected from a pool of nominations, these awardees have earned the deep respect of students, parents, colleagues, and communities through their outstanding leadership, innovative teaching, and meaningful involvement both inside and beyond the classroom. One recipient was chosen from each school district, recognizing their profound contributions to educational excellence and student success.

•May 13, 2026•

The Illinois State Museum (ISM) invites the public to get their kicks at a new “Miles of Memories: Stories of Route 66” exhibit opening Saturday, May 23. The exhibition brings to life the experience of living, working, and traveling along U.S. Route 66 during its heyday. The exhibit incorporates the museum’s Route 66 Oral History Project, a collection of 100 interviews with people who experienced the road when it served as the primary route between Chicago and Los Angeles. Visitors can listen to excerpts from these firsthand accounts throughout the exhibit.

•May 13, 2026•

Students from Arthur Christian School, ALAH High School, and Arthur Grade School recently demonstrated both their writing talent and patriotic spirit in the 2026 Americanism Essay Contest. Sponsored by the Arthur Legion Auxiliary #479, Atwood Legion Auxiliary #770, and Lovington Legion Auxiliary #429, the contest invited students to reflect on the meaningful question: “What are the Core American Values?”

•May 13, 2026•

HSHS Home Care invites community members to join them for butterfly release ceremonies at locations throughout central Illinois, including HSHS St. Mary’s Hospital, Decatur, on Tuesday, May 19th at 5:30 p.m. in the Cancer Center Garden.

Family and friends are invited to celebrate and remember the life of a loved one who has passed. The ceremonies will include the reading of the names of those being honored in addition to the butterfly release. Valerie Engelbart, Bereavement Services Supervisor for HSHS Home Care, said, “These butterfly release ceremonies provide a special time for families in our communities to honor their loved ones. The butterfly represents the transformation of the spirit as our loved ones transition from this life. As we release butterflies together, we celebrate the lives that have touched our hearts and find comfort in our shared experiences of love and loss.”