•November 23, 2022•
The SOV Football Team recently held their awards banquet for the 2022 season. This year’s Team Award winners were:
Most Valuable Offensive Linemen: Wyatt Poyner
Most Valuable Defensive Linemen: Jace Rickey
Most Valuable Offensive Skill Position Player: Cooper Christensen
Most Valuable Defensive Skill Position Player: Aiden Ballinger Read More
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Poster, Poetry, and Prose Contest
•November 23, 2022•
The Illinois Environmental Protection Agency is inviting fifth and sixth grade writers and artists from around Illinois to participate in this year’s Poster, Poetry, and Prose Contest. The contest theme for the 2023 awards is “Environmental Justice: A Healthy Environment for All!” focusing on understanding environmental justice and how it relates to healthy communities.
In addition to the annual contest for fifth and sixth grade students, Illinois EPA has launched its first annual High School Poster, Poetry, and Essay Contest. The theme for the 2023 high school program is “Environmental Justice: A Healthy Community for All – Uplifting Community Voices!” focusing on understanding the need for environmental justice and why voices from overburdened communities are vital to the development, implementation, and enforcement of environmental laws, regulations, and policies. Read More
October Students of the Month
Photo furnished
October Students of the Month
Windsor Jr./Sr. High School is pleased to announce their October Students of the Month Jasmine Rodriguez and Grace Mast. Jazmin Rodriguez is the daughter of Adrian and Ali Rodriguez. She is currently a junior and is involved in Dance, Spanish Club, Art Club, and Drama Club. She is interested in becoming a high school counselor or going into Graphic Design.
Grace Mast is the daughter of Mose and Hana Mast. She is currently an 8th grade student and is involved in Eco Team, FFA, and Volleyball. She enjoys working with her animals and helping her dad on the farm. Pictured (left to right) are Jazmin Rodriguez and Grace Mast.
Facts for Families: Manage holiday stress
•November 23, 2022•
By Cheri Burcham
Family Life Educator
With the anticipation of the holidays, there can also be that feeling of dread – how are you going to get everything done on an already busy schedule? For many people, the extensive preparations they engage in to pull off those picture-perfect holidays create so much stress, that they can’t even enjoy themselves. The “picture-perfect” part is where much of the stress originates from. Many of us want everything to be “just right” and try to pattern our holiday plans with visions of TV specials, Norman Rockwell prints, and Martha Stewart magazine pictorials in our heads. To easily prevent part of the stress is to forget about perfection and unrealistic expectations. Acknowledge that this time of year can get very hectic, and that in real life, things won’t be and don’t have to be perfect. Set realistic goals for what you can accomplish. This will include the practice of saying “no” to working on certain projects or activities, delegating tasks or allowing family members to volunteer their help, and reconsidering your holiday schedule to determine which activities or traditions should be continued. If an activity is more hassle than it is enjoyable, it may not be worth doing. Read More
Amish Barn Raising Preserves History from 1879
Photo courtesy of Cass Concepts Marketing
An aerial view shows the scope of the effort to relocate a nearly 150-year-old barn from a Douglas County farm to the Illinois Amish Heritage Center campus in the heart of Amish country, between Arcola and Arthur.
•November 23, 2022•
By Daniel Grant
FarmWeek
The sight of a barn going up in the heart of Amish country in Douglas County is an exciting step for the future of the Illinois Amish Heritage Center (IAHC).
But the recent raising of the nearly 150-year-old structure also serves as a trip back in time for those involved in the project and anyone who visits the site.
“There’s a lot of educational opportunities. Yes, this is for the Illinois Amish Heritage Center but, for central Illinois, a lot of this is about agriculture, how it’s evolved and how it will continue to evolve,” said Cassie Yoder, of Cass Concepts Marketing in Decatur.
“We’re right in the heart of the prairie,” she said. “The barn just ties into all that.” Read More
Honor Drive Held for Shoni Anderson
Photo by Ellen Ferrera
Honor Drive Held for Shoni Anderson
A blood drive was held on Tuesday, November 15 in honor of Shoni Anderson at the Sullivan American Legion. Organizer Jeri Davis said there were over 100 people that signed up and over 70 had already donated by 4 pm that day. Most were regular donors but a large number of first timers as well. Many were from Mt. Zion where Shoni lives. Pictured is Richard Johnson of Mt. Zion, who was a first time blood donor during the drive.
Lung Cancer Awareness Month
•November 23, 2022•
Lung cancer continues to be one of the most common cancers worldwide, claiming more lives yearly than breast, colon and prostate cancers combined.
Many people consider lung cancer a “smoker’s disease” as well as assume it is mostly a cancer found in men. However, while it is true that smoking is the top cause of lung cancer by a large margin, approximately 15 to 20% of cases in the U.S. happen in people who have never smoked or have smoked fewer than 100 cigarettes in their life. Being exposed to secondhand smoke can play a part, as nonsmokers have a 20 to 30% greater chance of developing lung cancer if they are exposed to secondhand smoke at home or work. Other factors may include radon, occupational exposures to carcinogens and outdoor air pollution. Read More
Did you Know?
•November 23, 2022•
Trends come and go, and that impermanence can make it hard to predict how certain times of year, including the holiday season, will play out. However, one notable trend in regard to the holiday season that has seemingly withstood the test of time is the popularity of Black Friday among holiday shoppers. But even that dynamic has shifted in the digital age. Though Black Friday remains a big day for retailers, in 2021 consumers spent more on Cyber Monday (the Monday after Thanksgiving) than they did on Black Friday (the day after Thanksgiving). According to the Adobe Digital Economy Index, consumers spent $10.7 billion on Cyber Monday in 2021. That’s nearly $2 billion more than consumers spent on Black Friday, when retailers made $8.9 billion in sales. GG229233
LLC Ranked Among Best Associate Degrees in Illinois
•November 23, 2022•
University HQ ranked Lake Land College as the twelfth best associate degree college in Illinois compared to nearly 50 other community colleges throughout the state.
The college earned the recognition based on several factors, one of which was having affordable degree programs, quality teaching and supportive faculty. Read More
Operation Rising Spirit Encourages Letters of Support to Illinois Veterans During the Holiday Season
•November 23, 2022•
The Illinois Department of Veterans’ Affairs (IDVA) has launched the 2022 “Operation Rising Spirit,” campaign encouraging service organizations, schools, communities, and individuals to write letters of appreciation and support to veterans residing at the state veterans’ homes in Anna, Chicago, LaSalle, Manteno, and Quincy. Read More