Ice cream is a beloved dessert. The extraordinary number of flavor combinations that can be achieved simply by mixing together a few ingredients undoubtedly contributes to the popularity of ice cream.
For those partial to cherries and almonds, there’s nothing better than combining those flavors in this recipe for “No-Churn Cherry Bakewell Ice Cream” from “Jane’s Patisserie” (Sourcebooks) by Jane Dunn.
No-Churn Cherry
Bakewell Ice Cream
Serves 10
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IL Attorney General’s PSA resonates
•April 9, 2025•
Last week’s monthly “Dine with a Doc” at Mid Illinois Senior Services was a presentation, timely for April Fool’s Day, by Heather Calcara of the Illinois Attorney General’s Office on how to avoid becoming a victim of frauds and scams. The presentation was very well-received, with a healthy Q&A after her presentation and many nods and affirmations throughout.
The monthly lunch and learn was opened with a heartfelt statement of gratitude to all Veterans, followed by the Pledge of Allegiance, and a fine lunch served to all in attendance. Patty Hood from Sarah Bush Lincoln led the luncheon and introduced Heather Calcara and the topic. A table was set up with numerous informative flyers, brochures, and resources for those in attendance.
Read More•April 9, 2025•
On Thursday, April 17th, the Illinois Secretary of State’s Mobile DMV will be at the Elizabeth Titus Memorial Library, 2 W. Water Street, Sullivan, from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Services available include driver’s licenses and state ID cards, (both standard and ‘Real ID’), vehicle registration, and license plate stickers. For a full list of acceptable documents, go to ilos.gov (re-quired for first-time, renewals, and corrected). Written and road tests are not available at Mobile ID events.
Pre-registration is required by stopping in at the library and signing up by April 15th, or call (217) 728-7221. Payment methods accepted: Visa, Mastercard, AMEX, Discover Debit, credit cards, personal checks, and money orders. (Debit/credit payments are subject to a service fee).
•April 9, 2025•
Sophomores, juniors or seniors interested in a career in healthcare can apply now at https://bit.ly/4jdGvzU (search academy) for the Sarah Bush Lincoln Healthcare Academy. The Academy aims to equip high school students with the knowledge, skills, and practical experience necessary for success in the healthcare field. The program runs from 8:30 am - noon, June 16 - 20 at SBL in the Lumpkin Education Center. Participants will be exposed to a broad range of healthcare careers and connect with Sarah Bush Lincoln staff and local colleges to learn about education and career pathways. Participants will learn more about careers in:
Read More•April 9, 2025•
The Illinois State Fair is marking 100 days until the opening of the 2025 Fair with a special “100 Days Out” Celebration on Tuesday, April 29, from 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at the Reisch Pavilion on the Illinois State Fairgrounds.
State Fair favorites such as Taft’s Mr. Ribeye, Food Baby, 17th Street Barbecue, Vose’s Korndogs and Hae’s Bakery & Coffee Shoppe will be selling food and drinks as a preview to the Illinois State Fair, which will run August 7th-17th. Have lunch with us and get the chance to win the ultimate Illinois State Fair prize package-two track tickets to every Grandstand concert at the 2025 Illinois State Fair. Each food item purchased at the event earns a raffle ticket for entry, and you do not need to be present to win. Discounted mega passes, jumbo passes, admission booklets, and parking passes will also be available for purchase during the event.
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•April 9, 2025•
Windsor Junior/Senior High School has announced their “Students of the Month” for March:
Mattie Kasey is the daughter of Blake and Amy Kasey. She is currently an 8th-grade student and is involved in dance, cheer, track, and volleyball. In her spare time, she enjoys playing club volleyball. Mattie plans to one day be a Physical Therapist.
Aubrey Carter is a senior, the granddaughter of Rick and Sheila Fritts. She is the Senior Class president, a member of the yearbook staff, and is involved in FFA. In her free time, she works and enjoys spending time with her family and friends. After graduation, she plans to attend Eastern Illinois University, majoring in Elementary Education.
•April 9, 2025•
As spring sets in and more people head outside, the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) is reminding everyone to leave baby birds and young animals alone when they encounter them in the wild.
Well-intentioned people may believe they’re helping nature by taking possession of young rabbits, fawn deer, baby birds and other animals that appear to be orphaned or abandoned. However, in nearly all cases, human intervention does more to hurt animals than to help. Young birds and animals are still being fed and cared for by their parents, who usually stay away from nests and dens if humans are nearby.
“The most helpful thing people can do for wildlife is to enjoy the animals through observation, not interference,” said IDNR Director Natalie Phelps Finnie. “If you really care about the animals, just leave them alone when you come across them in nature.”
Read MoreEligible Illinois taxpayers can use IRS’s Direct File program this year
•April 9, 2025•
The Illinois Department of Revenue (IDOR) is reminding taxpayers that the Tuesday, April 15th deadline is quickly approaching for filing 2024 state individual income tax returns. The agency began accepting and processing individual income tax returns on January 27, the same date the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) began accepting federal returns. “We encourage taxpayers to file electronically and choose direct deposit in order to ensure the fastest processing and issuance of any refunds,” IDOR Director David Harris said.
Illinois is participating in the free IRS Direct File program this year at https://directfile.irs.gov/. Eligible Illinois taxpayers can use the program to file their 2024 federal returns directly with the IRS. Federal return information can then be transferred into MyTax Illinois, to file Illinois individual income taxes at no cost. Direct File eligibility can be confirmed by visiting https://directfile.irs.gov.
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The Moultrie County History Center held a Trivia Night on Saturday, March 29th at 6:00 p.m., with dinner served at 5:00 p.m. This RSVP-only event attracted 75 contestants (with 90 people attending in total) to 13 Trivia team tables. The topics covered included world history, art, math, science, and Disney movies, amongst others. The format was eight sections, with 10 questions per section and the table (each containing five to six participants) collaboratively deciding the answer, which was then sent to the scoring table.
The first-place team consisted of Brigham Hagerman, Clint Welsh, Trish Welsh, Clint Parrish, and Jamie Parrish. The second-place team was Al Scheider, John Rude, Ken Kersey, Jeannie Rude, Debbie Bathe, and Jim Illman.
Read More•April 9, 2025•
In April, all the veterinarians in the state of Illinois are celebrating Healthy Pet Month. As part of this celebration, Kaskaskia Valley Animal Hospital would like to recognize the important role that the Pet Owner-Veterinary Bond plays in the wellness of your pets. This includes the gratitude we have for our many clients and their pets, as well as our thanks to our entire staff for the responsibility they bear to ensure the quality of care for your animal. The oath of ensuring your pet is healthy takes a multi-faceted approach. These can include preventative care such as wellness exams, vaccines, parasiticides, dental exams and cleanings, or emergent medical treatment and care for those with unexpected illnesses. The importance of the relationship veterinarians share with their patients and pet owners is paramount in ensuring the best outcomes of the health of any companion animal.
The health and wellness of your pet can be accomplished in many different ways. Preventative health screening such as annual wellness exams, necessary vaccines, and heartworm testing are a great start to maintaining the health and wellness of your pet. The safety and efficacy of these vaccines are so remarkable that we rarely see many of the diseases we vaccinate for. Parvo virus and Leptospirosis, as well as Distemper are still very much present in the wild canid and raccoon populations. This poses challenges for the complete eradication of these diseases, unlike the success we have had in our human counterparts.
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