Category Archives: News Briefs

Face Your Older Years with Confidence

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•August 12, 2020•
Submitted by University of Illinois Extension

Age may just be a number, but 2020 is putting that statement to the test. University of Illinois Extension educators offer suggestions for handling the physical and emotional challenges of aging, especially in light of the current health challenges.
“Now more than ever, we could all use encouragement and practical ways to slow down and enjoy the art of healthy aging,” says Karla Belzer, Extension family life educator. “Throughout September, learn ways to face aging with confidence and positivity in a free online webinar series.”
Discover Healthy Aging begins Sept. 3 and will give practical tips from research-based information to enhance the elder years. “Small changes can have a positive impact,” Belzer says. “This series targets the aging population, though it’s never too early to practice living well.”
Each of the four webinars begins at 10 a.m. each Thursday in Sept..
Webinar topics include: Read More

Quit Smoking for Good

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•August 12, 2020•
Kicking a smoking habit is a gift that keeps on giving. Your body will experience health benefits almost immediately and in the years to come. While quitting is often easier said than done, relying on tools and support can help. Here are a few tips to help you quit for good:
• Set a date to quit with meaning behind it. Read More

Manage Bandwidth During Remote Learning

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•August 12, 2020•
In the wake of the COVID-19 outbreak, many schools hastily transitioned from traditional in-person learning to remote learning. This transition posed new and unique challenges to educators as well as students and their parents.
One of the biggest challenges posed by remote learning was keeping students connected to their teachers and their classmates, not all of whom had readily available access to devices that could facilitate such connections. In recognition of that challenge, school systems worked to procure devices for students only to be confronted by another challenge: low bandwidth. According to Microsoft, bandwidth refers to the amount of data that can be transferred over an internet connection per second. Low bandwidth can compromise students’ ability to stay connected to their virtual classrooms. In an effort to help students overcome that challenge, Microsoft offers the following tips on how educators, students and parents can manage low bandwidth during remote learning sessions. Read More

Kids are Online More These Days, Here is How to Keep Them Safe

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•August 12, 2020•
Children are spending more time online due to social distancing measures caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. And while the internet can be an amazing gateway to knowledge and a tool to connect with family and friends, if parents and caregivers don’t follow certain precautions, it can also pose safety hazards.
Indeed, the United Nations has warned that the increased unstructured time online has put millions of children at greater risk of both cyberbullying and of being exposed to harmful content. Experts note that in the same way financial scammers have been working in overdrive to exploit the current crisis, the internet has also seen a surge of online predators targeting children.
Fortunately, there are effective actions parents can take to help keep kids safe online so that they can continue to reap the educational and social benefits of online use. Read More

The ‘ComEd Way’ Fuels Culture of Corruption

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•August 12, 2020•
By Jim Nowlan

The recent admission by behemoth electric utility Commonwealth Edison that it repeatedly bribed minions of Illinois House speaker Mike Madigan for years (of course, Madigan knew nothing about all this; sure, right) was breath-taking for its brazenness.
The bribery is a classic example of otherwise upright citizens fueling the culture of corruption that has tainted our state since at least the late 19th Century.
This is known as “the Illinois Way” of doing political business, that is, paying off the political gatekeepers to get your way with legislation and other needed favors. In this case, ComEd agreed to pay $200 million of company money to the federal government, presumably to keep the prosecutors from going after the individual company executives who perpetrated the bribery. Ironically, this is yet another payoff, to my mind.
A quick look at my archives (jimnowlan.com) shows that I have written about our culture of corruption a dozen times since 2010. What do I mean by that? Not that all of us are corrupt, but that too many of us would take advantage of government if given the opportunity, say, to get a DUI fixed or grease the skids to win a state contract. And we might expect our big campaign contribution would take us to the front of the line when we need something from government. Read More

Remember When? 8-13-2020

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25 Years Ago This Week

Gabi Stiele and her children Rudolf and Caroline of Bregenz, Austria visited with Bill and Barb Graven of Sullivan. Gabi was retracing steps she took almost two decades ago as an American Field Service foreign exchange student.
The musical Damn Yankees was the final show of the Little Theatre’s 1995 season. The musical was written by George Abbott and Douglass Wallop on the basis of the best selling novel, “The Year the Yankees Lost the Pennant” by Wallop. Melanie Mays and Jack Milo starred as Lola and Applegate in the production. Supporting cast members were Todd Lawson as Young Joe Hardy, Janet Bond as Meg Boyd, Michael Haws as Old Joe Boyd, Delana Hubscher as Reporter Gloria Thorpe and Charles Bell as Senators’ Coach Van Buren.
Electrical problems which resulted in power outages in Sullivan were corrected. The problems started when the number two circuit went down during a storm. At that time electric commissioner Jon England thought it to be a weather related problem, however the city lost three circuits in clear conditions causing a power outage in two thirds of the city. The crew at the electric department realized it was a problem at the substation at the plant. The city had lost voltage in a control wire and the city’s consulting electrical engineer was contacted in St. Louis. Read More

Moultrie Douglas 4H Virtual Show

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Photo furnished
Ethan Tice, 9, of the Moultrie County Shining Stars received the award for Grand Champion heifer.

•August 5, 2020•
The Moultrie Douglas 4-H program held their virtual show recently and several members from our area received recognition for their projects. According to Angela Welker, 4-H/Youth Program Coordinator for the University of Illinois Extension Unit 19, the virtual show had a submission deadline of June 27 and participants had from June 1-27 to submit their projects.
Livestock project submission were done by sending videos to judges while General Show submissions involved taking photos of the project and writing a project report. Welker said that the virtual aspect of this years show affected the amount of submissions in that there were less submissions this year.
“We hope to be able to be face to face for next year’s fair,” she said.
Awards include: Anyssa Coffer, age 11, Moultrie County Shining Stars, General Projects, Visual Arts, “Grand Champion, Class Champion, State Fair Del”, Blue; Gareth Coffer, age 12, Moultrie County Shining Stars, Goats, Dairy Goat, Class champion, Blue, “Grand Champion, Class champion”, Reserve Grand Champion; Keegan Gibbons, age 11, Sunny Side Flea Flickers, Horse and Pony, Horse Showmanship, Reserve Grand Champion, Blue; Jace Green, age 15, Atwood Hammond Prairie Dogs, Swine, Swine, Red; Read More

How to Prepare Kids to go Back to School

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•August 5, 2020•
The end of summer can be a bittersweet time for students. While many students look forward to seeing their friends, few want to say goodbye to the relaxing days of summer.
Parents know that getting their children back in the school day swing of things can be a challenge. The following are some ways to make that transition go smoothly. Read More

A Refresher Course in School Bus Safety

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•August 5, 2020•
The dawn of a new school year is a time marked by change and fresh opportunities. For many children, school marks the first time they are away from their parents for an extended period of time. It also may be the first time they ride in a vehicle other than their parents’ cars.
Each school day, 25 million children ride a bus to school in the United States. A school bus is among the safest modes of transport and one of the most regulated vehicles on the road, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
Riding a school bus can be a novel experience no matter a student’s age or grade. Kindergarteners may be introduced to the school bus on their first day of school, while older students are no doubt familiar with life inside a school bus. But all students and families can benefit from a refresher course on school bus procedures to ensure this school year begins on safe footing. Read More