•October 19, 2022•
October is College Changes Everything® (CCE) Month in Illinois, when the Illinois Student Assistance Commission (ISAC) teams up with high schools and community partners to support students in completing their college and financial aid applications. During CCE Month and the Fall CCE Campaign from Labor Day through Thanksgiving, ISAC and its partners provide an intensive schedule of free college and financial aid application completion workshops available statewide. That’s especially important this year, as students will see changes in the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA®) that will begin to simplify the application, and there will be expanded financial aid eligibility for some students. The 2023-24 FAFSA and the Alternative Application for Illinois Financial Aid became available Oct. 1, 2022. Read More
Three Different Columns In One, and None Of Them Very Good
•October 19, 2022•
By Jim Baumann
NP Guest Writer
Sports columnist/word wizard Jim O’Donnell passed along to me a Washington Post column by Random House copy chief Benjamin Dreyer on what I’ll call poofy words. I found it most interesting.
In it Dreyer writes about his relentless search-and-destroy mission for the word “very,” which is often very unnecessary — just as my use of it in this sentence was.
He also might criticize my use of “most” to describe his column as interesting. It wasn’t the most interesting column I’ve ever read, but “interesting” by itself felt like I’d shortchanged it. Read More
Remember When? 10-19-2022
25 Years Ago This Week
The Moultrie County Sheriff’s Dept. received a $10,362 grant from the Illinois Dept. of Transportation. Sheriff Rieck Kendall said that with the help of the grant the county would be able to hire deputies for additional patrols on what would have been off-duty hours. The grant paid for 40 additional eight hour shifts without increasing the county budget.
Bethany High School celebrated Homecoming with a variety of activities including a powder puff game, parade and the Homecoming Court. That year’s King was Keith Fair and Queen was Natalie Cohan. Read More
Facts for Families: Take a Moment of Mindfulness
•October 12, 2022•
By Cheri Burcham
Family Life Educator
Many times in this column, I have shared articles about mindfulness and techniques you can use to relieve stress. Extension Educator Emily Schoenfelder recently wrote this article about one of those techniques called progressive muscle relaxation. Emily says: Life can be overwhelming! Sometimes, you just need to take a minute. Next time you get to that point, try this relaxing mindfulness technique to help you rest, relieve tension, or reset your body after stress. Read More
Windsor High School 2022 Homecoming Royalty
Photo furnished
Windsor High School 2022 Homecoming Royalty
Front Row (l to r): Crown bearer Livvy Johnson, 2022 Queen Reese Bennett, 2022 King Rhett Rincker, Crown bearer Jax Johnson. Back Row (l to r): Freshman Attendant Leah Kasey, Sophomore Attendant Avery Starwalt, Junior Attendant Aubree Brown, Queen Candidates Kiersten Wheeler and Gracie Brownlee, 2021 Queen Ella Gilbert, 2021 King Sam Welton, King Candidates Robbie McDaniel and Dylan Curry, Junior Attendant Benji Folkers, Sophomore Attendant Rylan Rincker, and Freshman Attendant Heath Westendorf.
Moultrie County Baby Talk 2022
Photo by Crystal Reed
Mo. Co. Baby Talk Hosts Touch a Truck
Moultrie County Baby Talk held a Touck A Truck event in the parking lot of Sullivan United Methodist Church on Thursday, October 6. Children and their families were able to check out a race car, sprint car, dump truck, two tractors, Dive Team vehicles and boat, police car, fire truck, ambulance and sheriff’s vehicles. Pictured is Brooks Dewitt in a sprint car.
Photo by Crystal Reed
Looking at an Endloader
Axel and Lennox Cain took interest in the endloader that was on display at the Baby Talk Touch A Truck event.
Photo by Crystal Reed
Checking Out Dive Equipment
Beau Brettschneider tried on a dive mask at the Baby Talk Touch a Truck event held last Thursday.
Decatur Audubon Society Meeting
•October 12, 2022•
The Decatur Audubon Society invites members and other interested persons to a general meeting and program at the auditorium at Rock Springs Nature Center at 3939 Nearing Lane, Decatur at 2:00 p.m. on October 16. A bird study video will be followed by brief announcements. Then speaker, Duane Friend, State Master Naturalist and Climate Change Specialist with the University of Illinois Extension, will present an illustrated program “Weather and Climate.” Since 1993 Duane has had many roles for which he has provided information and education on soil quality, weather and climate, energy conservation, and disaster preparedness. Light refreshments will be served following the program.
Shelby/Moultrie County ROSC Community Kickoff
•October 12, 2022•
Recovery Oriented Systems of Care (ROSC) is holding a Community Kickoff Meeting on October 27th at 5 p.m. This meeting will take place at the Lake Project Office and Visitors Center in Shelbyville. ROSC is a new program in Moultrie and Shelby County that works to increase recovery resources in the community and address the needs specific to substance use in the county.The purpose of the Community Kickoff Meeting is to bring community members to the table to discuss what ROSC is, how ROSC can support their voices on substance use in their county, and determine what steps to take to make Moultrie and Shelby County an environment that supports recovery. Read More
After Debate, More Clarity Needed
•October 12, 2022•
Pritzker, Bailey refuse to get specific in some important areas
By Jerry Nowicki
Capitol News Illinois
jnowicki @ capitolnewsillinois.com
Democratic Gov. JB Pritzker and Republican state Sen. Darren Bailey generally stuck to their talking points Thursday at their first debate on the same stage.
The questions and answers were similar to those posed during a forum organized by the Illinois Associated Press Media Editors, on which I served as a questioner and we covered in-depth last week.
During Thursday night’s debate, organized by Nexstar Media Group and AARP and hosted at Illinois State University in Normal, I found some of the most interesting answers were the ones where specifics were lacking.
For the governor, that was when he wouldn’t say what changes he’d make to the Pretrial Fairness Act provision of the SAFE-T Act criminal justice reform that will end cash bail on Jan. 1. Read More
Sullivan AMBUCS Provide Amtrykes for TRY-ATHLON
Photo furnished
Sullivan AMBUCS Provide Amtrykes for TRY-ATHLON
Sullivan AMBUCS provided the Amtrykes and support for a Youth Adaptive TRY-ATHLON. Swim, Bike (trike) and Run. Volunteers Bill Carter, Scott Bales, Dave Hudspath, Derick Eaton, and Tony Feeler fitted each rider to an awaiting Amtryke and helmet of their size, then off they went to the finish line. This event was the HSHS St Anthonys Physical Rehabilition & Wellness TRY-ATHLON at the Richard E. Workman Sports and Wellness Complex in Effingham on September 24th.