•October 12, 2022•

Haunted House season has returned to Illinois and with that comes screams, creaking doors, ghosts and goblins. Safety is a top priority of the Illinois Department of Labor (IDOL) and the Office of the Illinois State Fire Marshal (OSFM) when it comes to these amusements.
“We want to remind local jurisdictions and the owners/operators of ’Haunted Houses’ that these occupancies can present special hazards that make them particularly vulnerable to fire and fire injuries if applicable codes are not followed. Keeping the public’s and workers’ safety in mind should be top priority for operators of these amusements,” said Acting Illinois State Fire Marshal Dale Simpson.
Two tragic fires in the 1970s and 1980s at haunted houses led to closer scrutiny of haunted house safety. Most haunted houses in Illinois today are required to have smoke detectors and be protected by automatic sprinkler systems. The rules of the State Fire Marshal’s office serve as the minimum requirements that must be met, with local fire and building departments possibly imposing more stringent requirements. Read More

•October 12, 2022•
Lake Land College students can now complete a FAFSA to find out if they qualify for the Laker+ financial aid program. With the Laker+ program, students who qualify for financial assistance often receive more than enough to cover tuition and fees, so the remaining money is refunded to the student.
The Lake Land College Laker+ program maximizes qualifying students’ financial aid opportunities to cover tuition and fees plus provides support for living expenses. This program is effective now and will be available to those applying for the following semesters.
Students can complete the 22-23 FAFSA, using 2020 tax information, for the Fall 2022, Spring 2023 and Summer 2023 semesters.
Students can complete the 23-24 FAFSA, using 2021 tax information, for the Fall 2023, Spring 2024 and Summer 2024 semesters.
Because Lake Land College is such a great value and can offer numerous financial assistance options, students often receive refunds of their assistance that can be used to cover housing, gas, food and other college expenses. Read More

25 Years Ago This Week

Moultrie County’s 777 businesses generated $923,693 in sales tax revenue for city and county governments during the fiscal year.
The Bethany varsity eco-team came in fourth in a field of more than 20 schools in a recent Lake Shelbyville eco-meet. Members of the team were science teacher Arlone Doan, J.C. Fitzgerald, Darla Gill, Melissa Ashley and Rachel Polley. The Bethany junior varsity eco-team came in eighth in a field of more than 20 schools in a recent Lake Shelbyville eco-meet. Team members were Ben Cohan, TJ Wingard, Lucas Karcher, Wes Brewer and Coach Chris Gregory. Read More

Photo furnished
LaVonne Chaney, Principal Ross Forlines (receiving award for Corrie Stauder), Jim Barr, and Jane McKown.

•October 5, 2022•
The Illinois Retired Teachers Association Foundation (IRTAF) awards $36,500 in grant money to several public school educators (Pre-K through 12) statewide. IRTAF is affiliated with the Illinois Retired Teachers Association, a lobbying group for retired educators, with a current membership of over 40,000. On September 20, 2022, Corrie Stauder was awarded his IRTAF grant check. Read More

•October 5, 2022•
By Cheri Burcham
Family Life Educator

National Hispanic Heritage Month runs September 15 through October 15. It’s a special time to recognize and celebrate the cultures, traditions, and contributions of Hispanic and Latino/a/x individuals. I wanted to share this article written by Extension Educator Jenna Smith that shares some great sounding Latin American foods. Jenna says: while Hispanic and Latino are often used interchangeably, they have two different meanings. Hispanic refers to those whose descendants are from a Spanish-speaking country, while Latino refers to those from Latin America. Latino can include males or all genders, Latina includes females and Latinx is a gender-neutral term. The use of these terms is not without confusion and controversy. Read More