Category Archives: News Briefs

SNAP-Ed Summits Bring Awareness to Hunger and Food Insecurity

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•February 28, 2024•

One in eleven people in Illinois struggle with food insecurity daily, including one in nine children, according to Feeding America https://www.feedingamerica.org/hunger-in-america/illinois. When families are hungry, making a healthy food choice is not always an easy choice.

To increase healthier outcomes for communities, SNAP Education https://extension.illinois.edu/ccdms/food-and-nutrition at University of Illinois Extension https://extension.illinois.edu and the Chicago Partnership for Health Promotion https://cphp.uic.edu/ will host two regional Illinois Hunger and Health Summits to catalyze collaboration among local, public and regional organizations working together to address food insecurity and its impact on health. Read More

IDOA Now Accepting Specialty Crop Block Grant Proposals

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•February 28, 2024•

In an effort to expand the availability of fresh, locally-grown produce and strengthen the competitiveness of the state’s specialty crop industry, the Illinois Department of Agriculture (IDOA) plans to distribute more than $545,000 over a three-year period thanks to funding allocated in the Specialty Crop Block Grant program in the federal Farm Bill.

Application for grant funding is available on the IDOA website and must be returned to the Department by 11:59 pm on March 22, 2024. To be eligible for funding, all projects must begin in calendar year 2025. Read More

Grammar Moses: A February Thaw — or Is It An Unthaw?

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•February 28, 2024•

I know you’ve all been enjoying the balmy weather of late, despite all of the sports-related injuries as people shrug off their wintry cocoons to go hard on the golf course or basketball court without having the good sense to warm up before or cool down after.

These hints of spring weather in February can make us goofy in the head and forget how old we are.

The mere act of Mother Nature warming up at odd times like these prompts someone to ask: Does ice “thaw” or “unthaw”? Read More

A Look Back…2-28-2024

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2014

A new school name had been chosen for that next year’s annexation of Arthur-Lovington and Atwood-Hammond school districts by students, and the victor wasn’t much of a stretch. The winner was Arthur-Lovington-Atwood-Hammond. 

The community of Lovington reached a 750 book goal as part of a community reading program that kept track of children’s reading on bookmarks. To celebrate that endeavor Abra-Kid-Abra performed at the Lovington Public Library. 

A new business opened in Bethany called Hired Hand Winery and Saloon was open in downtown Bethany. Owners were Erin and Shane Weybright. Read More

2024 Bethany Celebration Chili Cookoff Held At Bethany American Legion

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photo furnished
2024 Bethany Celebration Chili Cookoff Held At Bethany
American Legion
The Bethany Celebration Committee hosted a Chili Cookoff at the Bethany American Legion on Friday, February 16. Winners of this year’s cookoff were: 1st place Traditional: Mark and Judy Seeley, 1st place Spicy: Tim Quinlan, 1st place Unique: Abby Elzy, Crowd Favorite: Kathy Tipsword’s Taco Chili and Hottest Chili: Troy Stockdale. There were 12 chili entries in this year’s contest. Prizes for the winners were engraved wooden spoons and cash prizes. All the proceeds from the event go towards this year’s Bethany Celebration.

LLC Board of Trustees Seat Open

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•February 21, 2024•

The Lake Land College Board of Trustees is accepting letters of interest to fill a vacancy created by the resignation of Mike Sullivan, Mattoon, at the regular February 12 meeting.

Sullivan was initially elected to the board in 1987. He has served numerous consecutive terms since that time, serving longer than any other trustee in the college’s history. Most recently, he was re-elected to the board in April 2023 for another six-year term.  Read More

Take Charge of Your Diabetes

News Progress Posted on by

•February 21, 2024•

Cheri Burcham

Extension Educator

University of Illinois Extension

Although today’s generation of older adults is living longer, healthier lives, 80% of them are living with at least one chronic health condition. Chronic health conditions include diseases such as arthritis, diabetes, heart disease, COPD and hypertension. Diabetes is one that is on the rise, with 38 million Americans diagnosed as diabetic and 97.6 million Americans age 18 and older diagnosed as pre-diabetic. Diabetes can cause serious health complications including heart disease, blindness, kidney failure, and lower-extremity amputations. Diabetes is also increasingly being diagnosed in children. Read More

February is Earthquake Awareness Month

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•February 21, 2024•

The worst earthquake in Illinois history occurred on December 17, 1811, and was so strong that it rang a church bell in a Cairo church in southern Illinois. It also blew smoke, sand, and coal 30 yards into the air and made the Mississippi River flow backward for a moment.

“Not everyone in Illinois realizes that Illinois is susceptible to earthquakes because of the New Madrid Seismic Zone on the border with Missouri and the Wabash Valley Seismic Zone on our border with Indiana,” said Alicia Tate Nadeau, director of the Illinois Emergency Management Agency and Office of Homeland Security (IEMA-OHS). “Each of us need to be prepared for a quake whether it barely affects you and your home or whether it causes major, widespread damage.” Read More

Grammar Moses: Ocaydoquay!

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•February 21, 2024•

I rarely dip my toe into the pronunciation pool because there is so much variety, much of it owing to the speaker’s place of birth and upbringing.

However, if you’re one to say “nuke-yu-lurr” or “jew-lery,” I’m going to have to keep you after class.

Kate Gingold, who last year sent me a copy of her book, “Agatha Annotated,” is working on a presentation for the Agatha Christie Festival in Torquay, England, this fall, and she inspired me to cautiously dip my toe in the topic.

When I tell you she’s working on it in Key West, you’ll begin to understand where I’m going.

What do the words “key,” “cay” and “quay” have in common? Read More

A Look Back…

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2014

The Sullivan High School band program received honors including their first time being selected to perform at the Illinois Music Education Conference and having trumpet player Keaton Shumard selected for All State Orchestra. The band which had 38 members was selected to represent District 5 out of nine districts throughout the state in the Illinois Music Education Association. 

Three Arthur-Lovington High School chorus students made the highest honors in the state for chorus at the Illinois Music Education Conference. Senior Blake Miller and junior David Rosenbaum were selected for Honors Chorus and senior Tristan Gingerich was selected for All State Chorus. 

Okaw Valley boys basketball team advanced past the Central A&M Raiders in the Arthur regional opener.  Read More