Homer Russell
Homer Earl Russell, 84, of Granite City, formerly of Sullivan, passed away Thursday, August 17, 2023, at 9:31 p.m. in St. Louis University Hospital. Read More
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Matter of Balance Program to be Held at ETML
•August 23, 2023•
A Matter of Balance program will be held Tuesdays and Thursdays, October 3 through 26 from 9 to 11 am at the Elizabeth Titus Memorial Library in Sullivan. Many older adults experience concerns about falling and restrict their activities. A Matter of Balance is an award-winning program designed to manage falls and increase activity levels. The program emphasizes practical strategies to manage falls. Participants will learn to view falls as controllable, set goals for increasing activity, make changes to reduce fall risks at home and exercise to increase strength and balance. Those who should attend is anyone concerned about falls, anyone interested in improving balance, flexibility and strength, anyone who has fallen in the past and anyone who has restricted activities because of falling concerns. A $20 donation is requested for the program. Light snacks and refreshments are provided. Class size is limited. To register contact Carol Logan at 217-428-3458 ext. 231.
Lake Land College Community Education Program Provides Classes and Events for Local Community Members
Lake Land College is excited to invest in the strength and development of its local communities with a rebuilt Community Education Program and new class offerings.
Lake Land Community Education offers classes in knitting and food sanitation. The knitting course is designed for beginners and will be held from 6-8 p.m. on September 13, 20 and 27. The course costs $75, which includes all three class sessions and knitting supplies. The three class sessions will all be held in room 102 of Lake Land’s Workforce Development Center. Read More
Red Cross Offers Extreme Heat Safety Tips
•August 23, 2023•
Extreme heat is expected throughout much of the Illinois region this week and it is important to take action and be prepared to protect yourself and your loved ones. The Red Cross offers the following reminders that help us stay safe when the temperatures soar.
1. Hot cars can be deadly. Never leave children or pets in your vehicle. The inside temperature of the car can quickly reach 120 degrees.
2. Stay hydrated by drinking plenty of fluids. Avoid drinks with caffeine or alcohol. Read More
SBL Hospice Binga Set for September 7
•August 23, 2023•
The Sarah Bush Lincoln Health Foundation will host its annual SBL Hospice Binga on Thursday, September 7, at the Mattoon Eagles Club, 1917 Oak Avenue. Net proceeds from this event will support the SBL Hospice House Endowment.
The new Hospice House, opening later this year, is a beautiful 14,470 square-foot facility complete with eight private suites, a family gathering space, beautiful landscaping and more to help make patients’ last days as comfortable as possible. Donations will directly impact people throughout East Central and Southern Illinois by helping those with limited resources pay for their stay at the Hospice House. Read More
On Adult Diapers and Causation v. Correlation
•August 23, 2023•
By Jim Baumann
NP Guest Writer
I try to be a positive force both in this column and my workaday life, so I was surprised to find this email from Mark Taylor in my inbox:
“Look at this headline with a triple negative: ‘Harder to avoid virus when tests aren’t free?’ I think it means, ‘Tests are no longer free, so the virus is making a comeback.’ I see now that this article is from The Washington Post, so maybe your editors simply adopted their headline along with the story.”
I wasn’t on the debate team in high school, because I would have been that kid who was a deer in the headlights, drooling instead of counterpunching, but I do like a good, reasonable, respectful discussion these days. Read More
Facts for Families
•August 23, 2023•
By Cheri Burcham
Family Life Educator
Have the uncomfortable money talk with your college student
Having a college student of my own – I can relate to this important article by Kathy Sweedler with Illinois Extension. Kathy says: student loans, rental agreements, car purchases, employment contracts plus day-to-day spending – all in the life of a college student! Between the ages of 18 to 25 years old, people go from spending money on fun to significant financial decisions that can affect them for many years. Launching young adults includes helping them develop healthy financial behaviors. Read More
Birth to Five Illinois Meetings
•August 23, 2023•
Learn about the strengths and needs of Region 11 and about their report and share your insights. There will be two meetings, one on Tuesday, September 5 for Moultrie County from 6 to 8 pm on Zoom. RSVP for a link. The other meeting will be on Thursday, September 7 from 6 to 8 pm at the Arthur Community Building, 120 E. Progress St. in Arthur. For more information visit www.birthtofiveil.com/region11.
Mobile Food Pantry
•August 23, 2023•
The University of Illinois Extension in cooperating partnership with Decatur Catholic Charities and Sullivan United Methodist Church will hold a mobile food pantry on Thursday, September 14 from 4 to 5 pm at Sullivan United Methodist Church, 216 W. Jefferson, Sullivan (across from the firehouse). A mobile food pantry delivers a 2 week supply of food per family in rural communities. Any individual or family that does not have a steady food supply qualifies to receive food. No financial information is required to qualify. This distribution is open to all, not only residents of Sullivan. Please note: There is a mobile food pantry held in Windsor, Sullivan and Lovington. Choose the location closest to your residence. Deadline to sign up is 4:30 pm on Thursday, September 7. To signup call 217-259-2920 or 217-728-8521 during the Sullivan Senior Center’s regular business hours.
Tentative FY 2024 Budget Approved, Student Enrollment Numbers are Dropping
•August 23, 2023•
by Ariana R. Cherry
The 2023-2024 FY Tentative Budget was approved at the school board meeting Wednesday, August 16. “We try to be as conservative as possible when we put these numbers together. It is a solid budget, and we fell into tier four this year,” Superintendent Shannon Cheek stated. The EAV dollars and enrollment are how the state decides how much funding the school district will receive and what tier it is put into. The ALAH district received an additional $890.
“Our EAV continues to grow each year, but when your enrollment is dropping, that is not such a good thing. But even with those two factors, I feel like we have built a pretty solid budget. We fell into the black this year, but the fund that we need to monitor the most is our transportation fund. Those rates continue to go up. We are projecting a deficit in that account and will have to monitor and see what happens. There is a chance that we might need to do a transfer of funds,” explained Cheek. Read More