Indoor dining allowed in Tier 1, but no regions there yet; Vaccine Phase 1B starting Jan. 25

•January 20, 20201•
By Jerry Nowicki
Capitol News Illinois
jnowicki@capitolnewsillinois.com

Gov. JB Pritzker announced revisions to his COVID-19 mitigation tiers Friday that would allow earlier indoor dining, but no regions have thus far met the requirements.
He also announced that the whole state would move to Phase 1B of vaccination efforts as of Jan. 25, while some counties might already individually have entered that phase. As well, a new, more contagious strain of the coronavirus has been confirmed to be spreading in Illinois.
Per the revisions, indoor dining will be allowed in Phase 1 of the mitigation plan with the lesser of 25 people or 25 percent capacity allowed. An establishment must serve food to be able to offer indoor service, reservations will be required, tables will be limited to four people each, and the establishments must be closed between the hours of 11 p.m. and 6 a.m. Read More

•January 20, 20201•
Impaired visibility can be a safety hazard while driving. Everything from sun glare to hail can affect a driver’s ability to see the road and navigate it effectively. Before drivers get behind the wheel, they should make note of their local forecast and make a plan for what to do if rain, snow or other conditions make it challenging to drive.
The International Association of Traffic and Safety Sciences indicates that, based on an examination of crash test data conducted by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the “likelihood of a crash increases during periods of low visibility, despite the tendency for less traffic and for lower speeds to prevail during these times.”
Drivers can take several steps to improve their visibility when driving in poor weather conditions. Read More

•January 20, 20201•
By Tim Kirsininkas
Capitol News Illinois
tkirsininkas @ capitolnewsillinois.com

While there have been no confirmed threats made against the Illinois Capitol, heightened security measures remain in place “out of an abundance of caution” after a quiet weekend in the capital city.
State officials said it will remain that way until sometime after the Wednesday inauguration of President-elect Joe Biden.
Following a riot at the U.S. capitol building on Jan. 6 and an FBI warning about possible armed protests around the nation in the lead-up to Biden’s inauguration, Gov. JB Pritzker activated 250 members of the Illinois National Guard Friday. Their task is to support law enforcement’s efforts to secure the city.
“Following the violent siege at our nation’s Capitol and reports from federal law enforcement on threats to state capitols, I am bringing all resources to bear to protect our residents and our democratic process,” Gov. JB Pritzker said in a news release Friday.
Pritzker said Friday there were no specific threats necessitating the activation, other than the FBI’s Jan. 11 warning about possible armed protests in all 50 states. Read More

•January 20, 20201•
Cheri Burcham
Extension Educator
I have talked a lot about mindfulness in this column and I wanted to share this article by U of I diabetic intern Andrew Dinsmoor, which focuses on mindful eating. Andrew says: Dr. Jon Kabat-Zinn, known for founding the 8-week Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) course, defines mindfulness as “paying attention in a particular way, on purpose, in the present moment, and nonjudgmentally.” Mindfulness may be practiced anytime, including while eating. Mindful eating means paying attention to the body and the senses when eating, in the present moment and without judgment. To read more about the principles behind mindful eating, visit www.thecenterformindfuleating.org/Principles-Mindful-Eating/ TCME also offers webinars and teachings on mindful eating. A popular hands-on way to learn about mindful eating is through the “eating a raisin meditation.” Duke Integrative Medicine provides a mindful eating exercise, where one can use a raisin or food item of their choice. After trying a mindful eating exercise, you may notice that mindful eating invites you to slow down and take more joy in your food. The practice suggests taking an attitude of beginner’s mind. Meaning, even if you have already eaten thousands of raisins before, you eat this one raisin as if it is for the first time—and without judgment. Unlike most things we do in life, there is no goal to attain when eating mindfully. However, mindful eating may naturally provide benefits. Since mindful eating allows you to become more aware of when you are full or hungry, you may eat more in sync with your body’s needs. For example, a 2019 systematic review and meta-analysis, which uses agreed upon scientific methods to report findings from a group of studies on a topic, suggests that mindful eating is effective for weight loss and is as effective as dieting strategies aimed at caloric restriction. Read More

•January 20, 20201•
Cheri Burcham
Extension Educator

Do you have treasured memories from your past you would like to record? Have you written down the special moments of your life to share with your family? Everyone has a unique and individual story to tell. Start writing yours with a little help and guidance. University of Illinois Extension is hosting an 8-week online workshop called Life’s Moments: From Memory to Legacy. Classes will be held via Zoom every Tuesday starting January 19th - March 9th from 11 a.m. - noon CST. Read More