•March 25, 2020•
The Lovington Grade School third quarter honor roll was announced.
Straight A’s- Daylon Doggett, sixth grade; Kendall Carnahan and Jacob Tighe, seventh grade; Garrett Casteel, eighth grade.
Honor roll: Sixth grade - Steven Harris, Jalena Haynes, Will Hilligoss, Kori Rich, Alyssa Richards, Cambrie Smith, Halle Wardrip.
Seventh grade - Austin Bates, Lilian Edwards and Brett Menna.
Eighth grade - Colton Taylor, Trevor Duzan, Marilyn Jean Hill and Nathan Tighe.

•March 25, 2020•
By Ben Orner
Capitol News Illinois
borner @ capitolnewsillinois.com

Meat has been among the most in-demand items at supermarkets as people stock up on essentials amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
That has people up and down Illinois’ livestock supply chain – especially producers of beef and pork – trying to keep up. Industry leaders say the Illinois factories processing beef and pork are running at normal capacity with multiple shifts a day to keep shelves and meat cases stocked.
“There has been and continues to be a steady supply reaching consumers,” said Jill Johnson, executive vice president of the Illinois Beef Association. “In the beef industry right now, there’s nothing that’s pointing to not being able to fulfill that demand.”
As orders for pork – of which Illinois is the fourth-biggest producer in the country – come in more frequently from grocery stores, the state’s three major pork packing facilities are functioning at normal capacity, according to Illinois Pork Producers Association Executive Director Jennifer Tirey. Read More

•March 25, 2020•
By Jerry Nowicki
Capitol News Illinois
jnowicki @ capitolnewsillinois.com

Amid widespread closures and event cancellations in response to the novel coronavirus disease pandemic, businesses and governments of all sizes and levels are feeling the financial stress and considering steps forward.
The federal government on Tuesday began debate of an $850 billion stimulus package which could include checks written to all Americans at the urging of President Donald Trump. Another federal bill to provide paid sick leave to workers among other provisions awaits action in the U.S. Senate.
Nearly two weeks ago, Congress approved and Trump signed an $8.3 billion supplemental coronavirus response funding bill, which will provide $14.6 million to the state’s public health department and $8.7 million to Chicago’s. The money can be used for patient monitoring, lab testing, acquisition of test kits and protective equipment, and research into vaccines and therapeutics.
In Illinois, Gov. JB Pritzker has urged stronger action from the federal government while also taking
COVID-19 response steps at the state level. He noted Tuesday the administration will file for statewide eligibility in a federal loan program for small businesses facing financial hardship. Read More

•March 25, 2020•

Dear Editor:

County Clerk Georgia England, her colleagues in the County Clerk’s office, and all who worked as election judges during the recent primary election deserve the voting public’s thanks for getting the job done despite some rather trying circumstances, specifically the COVID-19 virus.
Georgia has always gone above and beyond her job description, and she did so again by taking extra care of her election judges. Read More