•August 22, 2018•

Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS) is launching new features on its Helpline for Opioids and Other Substances. The Helpline provides 24-hour access to individuals experiencing opioid use disorders, their families and anyone affected by the disease.
“We’re excited about launching new features for the Helpline and giving people who struggle with substance use disorder more ways to access resources and treatment options,” Gov. Rauner said. “There were more than 2,000 opioid related deaths in Illinois last year. That’s too many lives lost. We’re working to save lives and get people the support they desperately need.”
In conjunction with the launch of the new Helpline features, IDHS is hosting Opioid Overdose Training at the Illinois State Fair this week. Trainings will be held on Tuesday and Thursday from 10am – 2pm in Lt. Gov. Evelyn Sanguinetti’s tent and will be led by members of the Sangamon County Health Department. Fair attendees will learn how to recognize if someone is overdosing, how to administer the opioid overdose reversal drug naloxone and what to do while waiting for emergency personnel to arrive. IDHS will also be handing out more information about the Helpline to remind the public of how they can help those affected by the disease.
More than 5,000 people have called the Helpline since its launch last December and with three new features being added, Helpline Specialists will be equipped to better serve callers and increase treatment across the state. Read More

•August 22, 2018•

Sullivan Spark has enlisted the help of the Illinois Institute for Rural Affairs at Western Illinois University to take a proactive approach to planning for community and economic development with citizen based community planning.
The Sullivan Spark Community Planning program is a participant driven strategic visioning and planning process whereby local leaders and citizen volunteers create a long-range vision for the future of Sullivan and a plan of action for achieving it.
A series of five, three-hour sessions, involving a minimum of 25 community members will be held to discuss the questions:
• Where are we now?
• Where do we want to be?
• How are we going to get there?
• How do we make it happen?
• How do we make it happen and maintain the momentum? Read More

•August 22, 2018•

John W. Buckalew of Washington, D.C. sent this photograph that was taken in the fall of 1945. Buckalew attended the Whitfield Elementary school for six years. According to R. Eden Martin’s “The Whitley Point Record book” the photo was taken on the east side of the last school on that site. The school closed in the Spring of 1948, consolidating in the Windsor and Sullivan school districts.
Buckalew recalled the school building and entrance faced south and upon entering there were two cloak rooms on both sides of the entrance. Read More

•August 22, 2018•

Better Government Association is hosting “Watchdog Training” at Eastern Illinois University in collaboration with EIU’s departments of journalism and political science.
Watchdog Training is from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. Monday, Sept. 17 at EIUs Buzzard Hall Auditiorium on Lincoln Ave. in Charleston.
The Better Government Association (BGA) and attorney Josh Burday will host a Watchdog Training where participants will be equipped with the tools they need to hold government accountable, including learning some of the tactics our reporters use in their investigative work.
“The BGA works everyday for transparency, efficiency, and accountability in government,” BGA CEO David Greising said. “Thanks to the engaged residents and professionals who participate in our Watchdog Trainings, we don’t do it alone.” Read More

•August 22, 2018•

Drier weather this month has caused declining soil moisture, especially in central Illinois, according to Jennie Atkins, Water and Atmospheric Resources Monitoring (WARM) Program manager at the Illinois State Water Survey, University of Illinois.
Illinois has received 1.28 inches of rain so far in August, 0.63 inches below the long-term average. Lower than normal rainfall occurred in most of the state, causing drier soils. Overall soil moisture levels have decreased 11 percent at depths of 2 inches.
The largest declines were in the central region where moisture levels were down in mid-August by 30 percent in the east and 35 percent in the west from the beginning of the month. The north, however, saw a 17 percent increase of soil moisture. Read More