•January 31, 2024•
The Illinois Department of Transportation is advising the public that maintenance crews are out patrolling and repairing potholes on state highways and interstates across the state, requiring drivers to slow down, use caution and move over for workers. Non-emergency patching operations usually take place during nonpeak travel periods and often require temporary lane closures. Read More
•January 24, 2024•
Tart, red cherries and Valentine’s Day seem to be the perfect pair. Not only do cherries align with a Valentine’s Day color scheme, they even resemble little hearts when hanging from their stems.
Celebrating Valentine’s Day involves many different traditions, and enjoying decadent desserts is among them. Purchasing ready-made treats from a local bakery is one way to indulge in a sugary confection, but crafting a recipe at home is another way to show that special someone how much you care. Read More
Photo submitted
Sullivan Dance Studio’s Competition Team Hosts Preview Showcase
Sullivan Dance Studio’s 2023-2024 Competition Team hosted their annual Preview Showcase at Sullivan Elementary School on Sunday, January 14. Friends, family, and the public were invited to attend to view the team’s 28 different routines. Competition season for the team begins in just a few weeks. This year the team is made up of 30 dancers who range in age from 3-15 and come from Sullivan and surrounding towns. Members include (in no particular photo order): Abigail Plank, Adalee Foster, Addi Finn, Addisyn Carter, Alayna Ard, Alayna Young, Blair Camp, Brinnley Hobbs, Caroline Hobbs, Davanee Lenover, Elizabeth Plank, Emma Hostetler, Fionn Lynch, Gianna Krieger, Kaylee Hostetler, Keelyn Karnes, Knox Weakly, Lexi Yoder, Mara Inman, Mia Lovett, Miah Voegel, Natalia Beals, Paysley Dowds, Sophie Elliott, Sophie Foster, Synthea Doss, Tiffany Hostetler, Tinley Krieger, Zoe Lynch and Zola Krieger. The team is coached by Melissa Krieger.
•January 24, 2024•
Soyland Access to Independent Living, SAIL, will hold a Personal Assistant Training for people interested in working as a Personal Assistant on Thursday, February 15, beginning at 1 p.m. at the Elizabeth Titus Memorial Library, 2 Water Street, Sullivan. Personal Assistants are em-ployed by people with disabilities to perform household chores and personal care tasks in their homes and are paid by the State of Illinois through the Department of Rehabilitation Pro-gram. A reservation is needed to attend the Personal Assistant Training. For more information about the Personal Assistant Training or to re-serve your seat, contact Emily Dobson at 217-876-8888 or 800-358-8080 or email edob-son@decatursail.com.
•January 24, 2024•
A Matter of Balance, an award winning program designed to manage falls and increase activity levels, is hosting a coaches training on Wednesday, February 21, from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm at First Presbyterian Church, 204 W. Prairie Avenue in Decatur. Lunch will be provided. Criteria for leadership include good communication skills, enthusiasm and dependability, willingness to lead a small group and interest in working with older adults. Training expectations are attend eight hours of coach training and earn A Matter of Balance Certification, attend 2.5 hours of coach training update annually and agree to coach one A Matter of Balance class within one year of certification. The classes themselves are eight two hour sessions. Classes can be held once a week for eight weeks or twice a week for four weeks. 2 coaches per 8-10 participants. To register or for more information contact Tara Voorhees at voorhees_dec@cc.dio.org or 217-428-0013.
•January 24, 2024•
It’s widely accepted that a year is 365 days long. However, that statement is not entirely accurate. In fact, it takes Earth a little more than 365 days (365.24223 days to be precise) to orbit the sun. A calendar cannot accommodate that small distinction every year. In order to ensure that seasons do not start drifting from the difference between the Earth’s rotation and the time it takes to get around the sun, leap years were established to keep the calendar more consistent and working like clockwork. The first modern leap year took place in 1752. Read More
•January 24, 2024•
Cheri Burcham
Extension Educator
University of Illinois Extension
I want to share an article written by Illinois Extension Media Communications Coordinator Herbert Chavez about an upcoming opportunity starting in February called Nurturing Foundations. Herbert writes: The 1,000 days between a person’s pregnancy and their child’s second birthday offer a unique opportunity to build a healthier and more prosperous future, so knowing how to care for mother and baby during this period is vital. The University of Illinois Extension Integrated Health Disparities team, in collaboration with Carle Illinois College of Medicine and Avicenna, offers the Nurturing Foundations series, a free online program designed to promote children’s health at this vital stage in their lives, raise awareness of existing disparities in maternal health, and provide education on maternal health to address these issues. Read More
•January 24, 2024•
By Jennifer Fuller
Capitol News Illinois
jfuller @ capitolnewsillinois.com
Fatal crashes on interstates and expressways in Illinois fell by 7 percent in 2023 compared to the previous year, and shootings were down more than 30 percent.
Illinois State Police report the declines came at the same time troopers were beefing up their enforcement on the state’s transportation arteries. Arrests were up 3 percent, gun recoveries up 12 percent, and vehicle recoveries were up 7 percent. Read More
•January 24, 2024•
While more than half of the counties in Illinois remain at an elevated level for COVID-19 hospitalizations according to CDC data, the state’s overall respiratory illness level has decreased in recent weeks and is at Low in the most recent available data, the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) announced.
The CDC’s latest update of its COVID Data Tracker indicates that as of the week ending January 13, the state of Illinois is at Medium level for COVID-19 hospitalizations for a fourth straight week with a total of 1,393 hospitalizations reported during the week. A total of 54 counties were at an elevated level for COVID-19 hospitalizations with 50 of those at Medium level (between 10 and 20 COVID-19 hospitalizations per 100,000 of population) compared to 57 counties the previous week. Four counties were at High level (more than 20 hospitalizations per 100,000) compared to seven the previous week. Read More
•January 24, 2024•
SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) is accepting applications now for instructors for 2024 summer fishing clinics through the department’s Urban Fishing Program.
Fishing instructors are the department’s boots on the ground at free clinics hosted in communities throughout Illinois. These are temporary positions not to exceed six months, making them perfect for teachers, retirees, students, and others who are eager to help people learn about fishing skills and ecology. Read More