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Deck the Halls with Fire Safety in Mind this Holiday Season

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•November 22, 2023•

Many will be decking the halls to celebrate this holiday season. According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) more than two of every five home decoration fires occur due to decorations being placed too close to a heat source. More than one-third of home decoration fires are started by candles. Between 2017-2021, US fire departments responded to an average of 150 home fires that started with Christmas trees per year. US fire departments responded to an estimated average of 793 home structure fires per year that began with decorations, excluding Christmas trees.

More than half of home decoration fires in December are started by candles. Candle fires peak in December followed closely by January. The top three days for home candle fires are Christmas Day, New Year’s Day, and New Year’s Eve. Before you head to bed or out for the evening, extinguish all lit candles. Read More

Lady Knights Prevail in Over Time

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•November 22, 2023•

by E. Scott England

The ALAH Lady Knights traveled to Shelbyville on Monday. Though they weren’t talking about it, many knew that senior Claire Seal was within reach of her 1,000th point in varsity action. While that would be an amazing moment, the Lady Knights wanted a win to go with the achievement. It took overtime, but they were able to see Seal hit her milestone and return home victorious over the Lady Rams 46-39.

The two evenly matched teams gave the crowd a show from the very beginning. It was an offensive battle as each team tallied 15 points in the first quarter alone. Seal started the night with 975 career points. She added eight points in the first quarter alone. Savannah Butcher and Addi Yeakel added another three points. Read More

What To Do With Thanksgiving Leftovers

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•November 22, 2023•

Holiday hosts toil for hours to create lavish meals everyone will enjoy. It’s not uncommon for Thanksgiving tables to be covered with more food than guests can conceivably (and comfortably) consume. Leftovers are the norm, but without a plan for what to do with leftovers, food can spoil or end up in the trash.

Here are some delicious and waste-conscious ways to put Thanksgiving or other holiday meal leftovers to use.

Wrap it up promptly

Even though you may want to sit around and chat with guests when the meal is finished, leaving food out at room temperature for too long can create a breeding ground for microbes that may lead to food spoilage and sickness. With a few helping hands, all foods can be packaged away in no time, ensuring that drumsticks or stuffing can safely be served another day. Read More

Marrowbone Public Library Family Reading Night 2023

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photo by Crystal Reed
Marrowbone Public Library Family Reading Night
Marrowbone Public Library held Family Reading Night on Thursday, November 16. The event included special guest readers: Mrs. Heidi Vander Burgh (pictured), Mrs. Angie Russell and Mrs. Kathy Doty. There was also a special paper cutting demonstration by Tammy Sims.

photo by Crystal Reed
Guest Reader
Mrs. Angie Russell reads to children who attended Marrowbone Public Library’s Family Reading Night.

photo by Crystal Reed
Reading Stories
Mrs. Kathy Doty reads to children as a guest reader during Family Reading Night.

Birkey’s Donates to Deer Donation Program 

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•November 22, 2023•

Birkey’s Farm Store proudly announces an over $2,000 donation given to University of Illinois Extension Deer Donation Program. Six Birkey’s locations – Casey, Oakland, Newton, Shelbyville, Arthur, and Urbana – partnered together to make this donation possible. This awarded amount will cover processing fees for ground venison to donate to local food pantries.   Read More

Windsor Wonderland

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•November 22, 2023•

Windsor Wonderland presented by W.H.A.T. will be held on Saturday, December 2 from 4 to 6 pm on Maine Street in Windsor. This free event will include hot cocoa and cookies, live reindeer, activities and games and the lighting of the Christmas tree. Santa and Mrs. Claus will be at the library for visits.

Former Sullivan Man to Make Boxing History December 5

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Scot England, 59, formerly of Sullivan, will earn the title of oldest professional welterweight boxer in the world when he steps into the boxing ring in Nashville on December 5.

•November 22, 2023•

Hendersonville, Tennessee’s Scot England will earn a unique title when he steps into the boxing ring in Nashville on December 5th. The soon-to-be 59-year-old will become the oldest professional welterweight boxer in the world.

“My boxing dream began four decades ago when I became friends with my hero, Muhammad Ali,” says England. “The first time I walked into Ali’s living room, he asked, ‘Are you a boxer?’ I said, ‘No, Champ. I’m not tough enough for that.’ But now, almost 40 years later, I am tough enough.”

There are currently about 400 pro welterweight boxers in the U.S. and 2, 000 worldwide. Of those, official boxing rankings put Scot England as the number one oldest in the world.

“The oldest welterweight was 51 years old. But I’ll have about 8 years on him,” says England. “My opponent is just 28, so he’s about three decades younger than I am.”

For the past two years, England has been training with Army veteran Eric Draper, who has won over 20 professional fights. Draper says he respects England’s effort to gain his first victory. “Every day, somebody is telling somebody what they can’t do,” Draper says. “But Scot is proving that this can be done. I love to see an older guy like him in the ring, slugging it out with us young guys.” Read More

Make it 2 Shots of BOGO SOCO cuz YOLO

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•November 22, 2023•

Do you sometimes feel like the world around you is speaking in code?

Well, it is.

I’m a word watcher, but every so often a “word” that is new to me pops up. My first reaction is to figure out what it means. But I understand not everyone is as curious about words as I am. After all, words are my job.

And these things can come at us so quickly, they can leave us wondering if there is even a point to keeping up.

For those of you without children born this century, some of these acronyms might be new to you. Note the commonalities:

• FOMO: Fear of missing out

• JOMO: FOMO’s antonym — joy of missing out Read More

Rich Recognized

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•November 22, 2023•

Cheryl Rich of Sullivan was honored during a reception for her outstanding achievements and contributions as a former Lake Land employee during the 2023 Foundation and Alumni Awards at Lake Land College recently. Rich was a 2023 inductee into the Lake Land College Retiree Wall of Fame.

Windsor Students Of The Month

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Windsor Students Of The Month
Windsor Jr./Sr. High School recently announced their October Students of the Month, Faith Hendrickson and Zayne Szachnitowski.
Faith Hendrickson is the daughter of Nick and Missy Hendrickson. She is currently a 7th grader and is involved in Cheerleading, Volleyball, Softball, and is the Secretary of her class. In Faith’s spare time she has a jewelry making business.
Zayne Szachnitowski is the son of Josh Pitts and Kelsey Szachnitowski. He is currently a sophomore and is involved in basketball and Art Club. Zayne likes to workout in his spare time and plans to become a Physical Education teacher after he graduates from high school.
Pictured left to right: Faith Hendrickson and Zayne Szachnitowski