•February 1, 2023•
There may still be a lot of winter left but the Illinois State Board of Education is already thinking ahead to the summer break and how children will continue to have access to healthy meals. ISBE is launching the search for new Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) sponsors and sites to help bring free nutritious meals to children across the state.
School districts, community organizations, churches, camps, park districts, and others helped serve more than 3.1 million meals last summer through SFSP, which is funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and administered by ISBE. There were 133 SFSP sponsors and 1,560 meal sites in 53 of the 102 counties in Illinois. Read More
Category Archives: News Briefs
Menu 2-1-2023
Senior Peace Meal
For additional information or for reservations, please call 1-800-543-1770
Feb. 6 - Sausage Gravy, Paco Vegetables, Hot Fruit Compote, Juice, Biscuit
Feb. 7 - Beef and Noodles, Herbed Peas, Stewed Tomatoes, Fruit
Feb. 8 - Fried Chicken, Hash Brown Casserole, Seasoned Green Beans, Coleslaw, Roll
Feb. 9 - Skillet Rice w/Ground Beef, Lyonnais Carrots, Fruit Dessert, Cornbread
Feb. 10 - Breaded Pangasius Fish, Ranchero Beans, Brussels Sprouts, Romaine Salad, Bun
Millikin Women’s Basketball Extends Winning Streak
•February 1, 2023•
The Millikin women’s basketball team rolled to its 13 straight win defeating North Central College 86-60 on January 28 at the Griswold Center in Decatur. Millikin is now 16-3 overall and 10-0 and in first place in the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin (CCIW). Read More
Dawkins Advances to District Competition
Photo furnished
Dawkins Advances to District Competition
Mae Dawkins, freshman at Sullivan High School and member of the FFA chapter, received 2nd place in creed speaking competition held at Clinton school last week. Dawkins will advance to district competition next.
Sullivan Dance Studio’s Competition Team Hosts Preview Showcase
Photo Furnished
Sullivan Dance Studio’s Competition Team Hosts Preview Showcase
Sullivan Dance Studio’s 2022-2023 Competition Team hosted their annual Preview Showcase at Sullivan High School on Sunday, January 22. Friends, family and the public were invited to attend to view the team’s 32 different routines. Competition season for the team begins in just a few weeks. This year’s team is made up of 40 dancers age 2-17 from Sullivan and surrounding towns. Members include (in no particular photo order): Adalee Foster, Addi Finn, Addie Patterson, Addisyn Carter, Alayna Young, Aleena Ingram, Alyssa Taylor, Aubrie Payne, Avery Florey, Avery Patterson, Avery Smith, Blair Camp, Brinnley Hobbs, Elizabeth Owens, Emma Hostetler, Fionn Lynch, Gabrielle Carpenter, Gianna Krieger, Hannah Taylor, Kaylee Hostetler, Kinley Short, Knox Weakly, Kylin Wehrle, Lexi Yoder, Lillian Hood, Macie Rodgers, Mara Inman, Mia Lovett, Miah Voegel, Natalia Beals, Pearl Akins, Roxanne Clark, Sarina Voegel, Sophie Elliott, Sophie Foster, Synthea Doss, Tiffany Hostetler, Tinley Krieger, Zoe Lynch and Zola Krieger.
Department on Aging Seeks Nominations for Senior Illinoisan Hall of Fame
•February 1, 2023•
The Illinois Department on Aging (IDoA) is now accepting nominations for the Senior Illinoisan Hall of Fame, open to adults aged 65 and older who excel in the categories of community service, education, performance and/or graphic arts, and the labor force.
“When I think about the people of Illinois, a couple of words come to mind: kindness, generosity, ingenuity, and perseverance. Each year, my administration is proud to honor four older adults who embody these values through service, education, arts, and labor by inducting them into the Senior Illinoisan Hall of Fame,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “Whether you know a teacher who goes above and beyond for their students or a community member who you can always find out and about lending a hand to others, we want to hear about the seniors in your life that make Illinois, Illinois.” Read More
Illinois Human Services Seeks to Educate SNAP Households to Prepare for USDA’s Return of SNAP Benefits to Pre-Pandemic Levels
•February 1, 2023•
The Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS) has announced that per the federal USDA Food and Nutrition Service, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits will return to pre-pandemic levels beginning in March 2023.
These federal changes impact one million families and two million people in Illinois. Nearly half of the states across the country have already ended their SNAP emergency allotments ahead of the federal change, while Illinois will sustain benefits through February when the federal increases expire. Read More
What Seniors Can do to Safeguard Their Mental Health
•February 1, 2023•
No one is immune to issues that can adversely affect their mental health, including men and women nearing retirement age and those who are already retired. Though the term “golden years” suggests life in retirement is one sunny day after another, many individuals 60 and older are dealing with mental health issues.
According to the World Health Organization, approximately 15 percent of the world’s adults aged 60 and over suffer from a mental disorder. What makes that statistic even more troubling is that the WHO acknowledges it likely doesn’t paint the most accurate picture of seniors and mental health, as depression is often undiagnosed among older men and women and untreated because it co-occurs with other issues affecting seniors. Read More
Facts for Families: Managing the Winter Blues
•February 1, 2023•
By Cheri Burcham
Family Life Educator
Winter is upon us, and those longer hours of darkness coupled with the colder temperatures can make many people experience those “winter blues. I have become much more aware of the signs of mental health issues since facilitating Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) and Trauma-Informed Care trainings, and also co-facilitating a youth mental health awareness program called Your Thoughts Matter. I would highly recommend anyone to complete MHFA as the purpose is to help you recognize when someone is having difficulties and be able to respond in a helpful way. And it is very likely that you will need to be there for someone in that circumstance since according to the National Alliance of Mental Illness, one in four American adults are diagnosed with a mental disorder in their lifetime and half of those disorders begin by age 14 and three quarters by age 24. Read More
Staying Warm and Safe this Winter Starts with Heating Equipment and Carbon Monoxide Safety
•February 1, 2023•
Illinoisans will be turning up their thermostats to stay warm for the rest of the winter season, which brings an increased risk for home fires and carbon monoxide incidents. Unlike smoke, carbon monoxide is a colorless and odorless gas only detectable by special devices and CO alarms. The Office of the State Fire Marshal (OSFM) encourages residents to have their furnaces checked, change furnace filters, and make sure carbon monoxide (CO) and smoke detectors are functioning properly.
According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), heating is the second leading cause of home fires and home fire injuries, and the third leading cause of home fire deaths. Local fire departments across the country responded to an estimated average of 48,530 fires involving heating equipment per year in 2014-2018, accounting for 14% of all reported home fires during this time. These fires resulted in annual losses of 500 civilian deaths, 1,350 civilian injuries, and $1.1 billion in direct property damage. Most home heating fire deaths (81%) involved stationary or portable space heaters. The leading factor contributing to home heating fires (25%) was failure to clean, principally from solid-fueled heating equipment, primarily chimneys. Half of the home heating fire deaths were caused by having heating equipment too close to things that can burn, such as upholstered furniture, clothing mattresses or bedding. Read More