Category Archives: News Briefs

Historic Arms and Craft Show

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•March 1, 2023•

The Prairie Frontiersman will hold their 34th Annual Historic Arms and Craft Show on Friday, March 10 from 1 to 6 pm and Saturday, March 11 from 9 am to 4 pm at the Sullivan American Legion. Traders and artisans of the colonial/fur trade and Civil War/Indian War eras. Pre 1898 guns, knives and accoutrements or replicas thereof. No camo, web gear, cameras, coins or other inappropriate items. Security provided. Entry fee is $3. To participate as a trader 8’ table is $25 for both days, over 60 tables available, reserve early. Traders can set up Friday morning. Masks are encouraged. For more information call Vicki Newberry at 217-620-2281.

LLC Livestock Judging Teams Earn Victories

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•March 1, 2023•
The freshmen and sophomore Livestock Judging Teams have started out the 2023 season with several victories.
The sophomore team is comprised of 14 members from Illinois, Indiana, Missouri, Ohio and Pennsylvania.
This team recently traveled to the Dixie National Livestock Show Intercollegiate Beef Judging Contest in Jackson, MS where the team was named the Champion Overall Team in addition to being first in British, second in Reasons, second in Brahman, second in Steers, and fourth in Continental.
Individual results are as follows: Read More

Illinois State Fair Announces 2023 Theme Days

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•March 1, 2023•
The Illinois State Fair recently announced new theme and discount days for 2023. Changes have been made from theme days in years past. County Fairs and Horse Racing Day will start it all off on Thursday, August 10 with gates opening at 7am. This change will provide a full day of horse racing, county fair celebrations, free entertainment, carnival rides, all of your favorite fair food, traditional kick off activities and the annual Twilight Parade.
Agriculture Day moves to Friday, August 11, allowing for more livestock exhibitors and youth in agriculture participants to be on the grounds to celebrate our state’s number one industry. The move to the first Friday will also help minimize the impact of school starting for some districts. Read More

What’s The Incidence of ‘Instance’ Mistakes

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•March 1, 2023•
By Jim Baumann
NP Guest Writer

It’s 3:36 p.m. on Friday, and this lede is all I have to show for this column so far.
I’m sure you can smell my desperation for a topic.
Sometimes running a newsroom during election season gets in the way of writing pithy things about grammar.
Enter Patt Baumann, the love of my life and occasional column saver.
“Oooh, write about the difference between ‘incidents’ and ‘instances,’” she said.
Patt tells me she hears people use “incidents” and “instances” interchangeably. I’d never given that much thought, but it’s a good idea.
“Incident” — as a noun — is an occurrence or event.
Think about a fender-bender — something rather inconsequential. Read More

Remember When? 3-1-2023

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25 Years Ago This Week

The Sullivan Singers and the Sullivan Singer Jr. brought home honors from the Pekin Show Choir Invitational. Singers Jr. walked away with the grand championship trophy in the junior high division, earning perfect scores in choreography and show from all three judges. The Sullivan Singers ended the day of preliminary competition as one of six groups selected to compete in the finals. Singers captured fourth place. New Generation, Sullivan’s all girl show choir also competed placing third. Read More

Steps to Simplify Tax Prep

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•February 22, 2023•
Spring is noted for the sense of rejuvenation it inspires when temperatures warm up and flowers begin to bloom. But in the United States, the onset of spring is followed shortly thereafter by tax season, which typically generates entirely different feelings than the first sight of spring blooms.
The deadline to file tax returns in the U.S. in 2023 is Tuesday, April 18. With that deadline looming, now is a good time to consider these three basic tax preparation tips, courtesy of the Internal Revenue Service.
1. Access your IRS account. Individuals can access or create their IRS account at irs.gov/account. That ensures taxpayers have the latest information about their federal tax account and enables them to see information about their most recently filed return. A visit to irs.gov/account also allows individuals to make payments and apply for payment plans, among other options.
2. Organize your tax records. The IRS urges taxpayers to wait to file their returns until they have all of their records, including:
- Forms W-2 from employer(s) Read More

Did You Know?

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•February 22, 2023•
The United States’ military involvement in the Vietnam War began in February 1961 and ended in May 1975. During that time, approximately 2.7 million Americans served in Vietnam and more than 58,000 lost their lives, according to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Canadians also fought in the Vietnam War. Officially, Canada played the role of neutral peacemaker. However, according to The Canadian Encyclopedia, Canada secretely backed the American effort in helping the Southern Vietnamese forces reclaim footing against the Northern Vietnamese. America was not able to stop the Tet Offensive in 1968. It would take two more assaults before the U.S. and South Vietnamese would retake lost territory. However, the victory was short-lived. When the 1973 Paris Peace Accords were signed, the North Vietnamese refused the last conditions which required releasing civilian detainees and allowing free and democratic elections in South Vietnam. The refusal prompted an armed insurrection in April 1975, and Saigon, the South capital, fell to Northern forces and was renamed Ho Chi Minh City. The U.S. then withdrew from the country. TF233776

Interesting Facts About the Month of March

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•February 22, 2023•
Millions of people look forward to the month of March every year. In the northern hemisphere, March 20 or 21 marks the beginning of spring, a season of rejuvenation in which individuals enjoy the first consistent periods of warm weather since the previous fall. Though the official start of spring is a much-anticipated event each March, the month is more than just the end of winter. The following are some interesting facts about the month of March.
• March derives its name from “Martius,” which was the first month of the earliest Roman calendar. The Romans gave the month that name in honor of Mars, the Roman god of war, and Martius was considered the beginning of warfare season, which is a far cry from the beginning that March is now associated with. Read More

Plan Ahead for an ‘Eggceptional’ Easter Egg Hunt

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•February 22, 2023•
Easter is steeped in both religious and secular traditions. Each year on Easter Sunday, many families feast on ham or lamb. Hot cross buns may be served as morning treats. And faithful Christians may dress up in their Sunday best to attend religious services.
Easter egg hunts are another time-honored component of this festive occasion. According to History.com, the Easter bunny and his eggs may initially have been derived from stories about an egg-laying hare introduced to Americans by German settlers during the 1700s. Children would make nests and the hare would leave behind colored eggs.
Children often relish in the idea of scouring their homes and yards in search of brightly-hued plastic or hard-boiled eggs. A little planning on the part of Easter egg hunt organizers can make this festive tradition even more fun. Read More

Budget-Friendly Ways to Freshen up your Home’s Exterior

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•February 22, 2023•
As any homeowner knows, renovation projects tend to cost a lot of money. The average cost of a home renovation is difficult to gauge, as such endeavors run the gamut from complex projects like a kitchen overhaul to simpler ones like painting a room inside a home. Indeed, the National Association of the Remodeling Industry notes that scope is what drives the cost of a renovation project.
Though there might not be an “average cost” of a renovation project, homeowners can expect to spend thousands of dollars on projects that are not very small in scale. Navigating such an expense at a time when inflation remains high might be difficult for some homeowners looking to maintain the appearance of their home exteriors. However, there are many budget-friendly ways homeowners can tend to the exterior of their properties. Read More