•April 5, 2023•
7th Grade High Honors – Peter Mast, Blake Owens
7th Grade Honor Roll – Madison Carter, Maxwell Jeffries, Evan Pfeiffer, Ellenor Walker, Alexa Whitney
8th Grade High Honors – Brody Barnard, Addilyn Bly, Elizabeth Cloe, Logan Corrie, Clarissa Johnson, Grace Mast, Allie Upton
8th Grade Honor Roll – Paisley Montgomery Read More
Litter Campaign by IDOT Urges Public Think Before You Throw!
•April 5, 2023•
The Illinois Department of Transportation is once again asking the public to be on the alert for crews picking up litter and to Think Before You Throw! As part of an ongoing awareness campaign, IDOT is mobilizing litter pickup operations this spring and encouraging you to be part of the solution in keeping roadsides and communities free of unnecessary trash and debris.
“As one of the largest landowners in the state, the Illinois Department of Transportation takes great pride in making sure we are keeping our state as clean and free of clutter as possible, but we need your help,” said Illinois Transportation Secretary Omer Osman. “Excess garbage on highways can be easily avoided. Dispose of garbage properly. Make sure loads are properly secured and covered to keep debris and other trash from winding up on the roads. Litter has consequences: Think before you throw!” Read More
AmeriCorps Announces Volunteer Generation Fund Grant Competition
•April 5, 2023•
AmeriCorps, the federal agency for national service and volunteerism, released a notice of funding opportunity for fiscal year 2023 Volunteer Generation Fund. The Volunteer Generation Fund, open to State Service Commissions, local nonprofit, community, faith-based, tribal, state, and local governments and schools, focuses on investments for volunteer management practices.
The Volunteer Generation Fund is a competitive grant opportunity to strengthen nonprofit and other social service organizations’ ability to recruit, retain and manage mission-critical volunteers. AmeriCorps will make more than $8 million available for organizations with programs that meet community needs, expand volunteering, strengthen the capacity to recruit and retain skill-based volunteers and develop strategies to use volunteers effectively to solve problems. Read More
LLC Celebrates Employee Recognition Event
•April 5, 2023•
Lake Land College recognized employees who will be retiring, those who have achieved years of service milestones, faculty award winners and peer-nominated Shine award recipients at an employee recognition event in March.
Lake Land College congratulates the 2023 Lake Land College retirees including Psychology Instructor Lara Bacino-Althaus with 28 years of service, Nursing Instructor Cheryl Beam with 22 years of service, Business Instructor/Program Coordinator Office Professionals –Medical Kathleen Daugherty with 14 years of service, Physical Therapist Assistant Instructor Kay Foreman with 29 years of service, Director of Assessment & Program Review Lisa Madlem with 13 years of service, Agronomy Instructor/Farm Manager Mark Niemerg with 26 years of service, Administrative Assistant to the Dean of Admission Services Jane Plummer with 14 years of service, History Instructor David Seiler with 23 years of service and Technical Training Specialist – CBI Randall Strohl with 19 years of service. Read More
Statewide Organ/Tissue Donation Campaign
•April 5, 2023•
Marking the beginning of National Donate Life Month, Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias unveiled the state’s organ and tissue donation campaign encouraging Illinoisans to “Join Together” and “Change Someone’s Story” by becoming organ and tissue donors.
“Some 4,000 Illinois residents are in need of a transplant, including many whose lives hang in the balance waiting for the availability of a suitable organ,” said Secretary Giannoulias. “April highlights the importance of how someone’s decision, to take less than one minute to sign up, will save lives and why it’s so important to get more people to register as donors.” Read More
Senate Passes Bill Protecting ‘Child Influencers’
Minors featured in commercial vlogs would have to be compensated
•April 5, 2023•
By Peter Hancock
Capitol News Illinois
phancock @ capitolnewsillinois.com
The Illinois Senate unanimously passed a bill Wednesday that gives financial protection to children whose parents make money posting videos of them on social media.
Those children are known as “influencers” because the videos, known as vlogs, are intended to generate interest in things like products and services or social and fashion trends. Vlogs that get enough views on platforms like YouTube, Facebook and TikTok can generate substantial revenue through things like advertising, partnerships with the platform or subscription fees. Read More
Tax Filing Deadline is April 18
•April 5, 2023•
The Illinois Department of Revenue (IDOR) is reminding taxpayers that the upcoming deadline for filing 2022 state individual income tax returns is Tuesday, April 18, 2023.
“We encourage those taxpayers who have not yet filed to do so soon and file electronically with direct deposit to ensure the most efficient processing and issuance of any refunds,” said IDOR Director David Harris. “Taxpayers may file electronic returns for free by using our recently enhanced online account management program MyTax Illinois and electronic filing is also available through third party software or with most tax preparers.” Read More
Facts for Families: Ten Suggestions for Improved Positivity and Well-Being
•April 5, 2023•
By Cheri Burcham
Family Life Educator
Our lives are bombarded with negativity, stress and countless threats to our emotional well-being. New research in neuroscience and positive psychology show that when we experience happiness and positivity, it turns on all the learning centers in the brain and fuels positive outcomes in all aspects of our lives. Also, research shows that more happiness and positivity cause us to be three times more creative, 23% less fatigued and 31% more productive in life.
Based on research that was reviewed and presented by Dr. David Schramm of Utah State University, here are ten ways to become happier and more positive, and I think you’ll be surprised at how easy they are to do:
· Give thanks or practice gratitude Read More
Stepping to the Beat of a Different Drummer on the Road Less Traveled
•April 5, 2023•
by Sarah Hudson Pierce
Columnist
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, an estimated 1 in 68 children has an autism spectrum disorder, a 30% increase over its 2012 estimate of 1 in 88 children.
If it is true that some of our greatest thinkers, including Thomas Edison and Albert Einstein had autism then maybe we better reexamine our attitudes toward those who are born with this disorder.
I especially enjoyed watching episodes of the ABC show, The Good Doctor, starring Doctor Shaun Murphy, who gave us a glimpse into autistic behavior. Read More
A Handful of What?
•April 5, 2023•
By Jim Baumann
NP Guest Writer
Your child, metaphorically speaking, might always be a handful, whether that child is an infant who fits in the palm of your hand or, well, Will Smith.
The range of behaviors or traits that makes someone a “handful” can be very broad and might be different for different people.
Now, when you consider the other less metaphorical definition of “handful” — namely a small number or amount of something — the scope narrows.
Sure, you can have a handful of shampoo, a handful of paper or a handful of rope (all amounts rather than numbers) or you could have a handful of ball bearings, a handful of TicTacs or a handful of baseball cards (either an actual handful or a small number).
But then things go off the rails. Read More