•April 27, 2022•
Peoples Bank & Trust, and its holding company, People First Bancshares, Inc., recently announced that Brittany D. Walters has been appointed as a Director.
Brittany D. Walters is Chief Financial Officer of MCC Network Services, LLC d/b/a Metro Communications Company, headquartered in Sullivan, IL. Metro Communications is a facility-based provider of wholesale telecommunications services including SIP and TDM voice, IP, transport, cellular backhaul, Ethernet/Layer 2, wavelengths and dark services. The company operates over 3,500 mile middle mile network enabling Enterprise, Wholesale and Retail FTTH services throughout Illinois. Read More
Capital Recap: Pritzker Signs $46 Billion Budget into Law
•April 27, 2022•
By Capital News Illinois
Gov. JB Pritzker signed his final first-term budget into law Tuesday, a roughly $46 billion spending plan buoyed by pandemic-driven revenue windfalls and a current-year surplus that helped the state pay down debts and offer temporary tax relief.
The plan includes $500 million beyond statutory requirements to the state’s beleaguered pension funds; $1 billion to the state’s “rainy day” fund which currently has a balance of just $27 million; and an estimated $1.8 billion in tax relief, much of which is temporary.
The budget also includes a one-year suspension on the state’s grocery tax ($400 million), A one-time 5 percent property tax rebate up to $300 per household ($520 million), and a 10-day sales tax holiday for back-to-school items and clothing from Aug. 5-14 ($50 million).
Another $685 million would fund one-time direct rebate checks at $50 per individual and $100 per dependent, up to three, for individuals earning $200,000 or less or joint filers earning $400,000 or less. Read More
Facts for Families: Organize Your Home
•April 27, 2022•
By Cheri Burcham
Family Life Educator
Are you ready for spring cleaning? Extension Educator Judy Schmidt shares some great information on how to get started. Judy says: Even though it doesn’t quite feel like spring yet, the faintest hint of warm weather makes me anxious to open my windows and doors to let the fresh air in. It also makes me itch to start going through closets, cleaning out the garage and sprucing up the outdoors! But with so many tasks and often little time, it can be overwhelming to know where to start. Here are three great strategies to help you get started organizing your home: · Reduce clutter - Commit to reducing the clutter in your home. Clear the Clutter, a University of Illinois Extension resource found online at https://web.extension.illinois.edu/clutter/clearing.html , shares a great strategy for sorting out things you want to keep or not. Start in one space (think closet, spare room, garage stall) and commit to sorting out the items in that space into four boxes – garbage, recycling, donate (or sell), and keep. Be sure to set a time limit and work quickly – this is not the time to nostalgically go through your photo albums or children’s art, as that can take up your whole time! Read More
Arthur Amish Country Quilt Show April 28 – 30
•April 27, 2022•
A variety of over 100 quilts will be displayed at the 31st Annual Arthur Amish Country Quilt Show Thursday through Saturday, April 28-30, at the Otto Center.
The show will open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Thursday and Friday and 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday. Admission is $5.00 per person.
In addition to the quilts in the exhibit, another 100 pieces will be sold during the annual quilt auction that begins at noon on Saturday. Read More
Master Gardeners Thank Rural King for Seed Donation
•April 27, 2022•
Rob Stroud
Office Support Assistant
University of Illinois Extension
The University of Illinois Master Gardeners program thanks Rural King for their donation of thousands of seed packets that have helped the local community and will soon aid Ukraine.
The Master Gardeners of Coles, Cumberland, Douglas, Moultrie, and Shelby Counties used part of the donated seeds for their outreach efforts and have been dispensing additional packets to other local organizations to support their community programs.
“The ripples keep spreading from your good deed. Thank you!” said Master Gardener volunteer Kathy Hummel. Read More
LLC Broadcasting Students earn Broadcast Sales Certification
•April 27, 2022•
Several Lake Land College broadcast sales students recently earned certification as broadcast sales professionals from the broadcast training company, P1 Learning, in partnership with the Illinois Broadcasters Association’s Sales Training Program.
Over the course of four weeks, students completed a variety of online video courses, tests and assignments as part of the broadcast sales class in the Radio/TV Broadcasting program at Lake Land College. Read More
The Decaturian Takes Home 17 Awards at 2022 Illinois College Press Association Conference
•April 27, 2022•
Millikin University’s student-run newspaper, the Decaturian, garnered several awards at the annual Illinois College Press Association (ICPA) conference, held March 18-20 in Chicago.
The Decaturian took home 17 awards in the under 4,000 circulation category at the ICPA conference, surpassing the Dec’s 15 ICPA awards in 2021. As an entire staff, The Decaturian won third place in General Excellence and third in the Sweepstakes category for points earned across all contest categories. Read More
IDNR Recommends Halt to use of Bird Feeders, Bird Baths through May 31
•April 27, 2022•
The Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) has issued updated public recommendations regarding wild birds and the EA H5N1 strain of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) currently impacting some wild and domestic bird species.
While HPAI has not been detected in songbird species (passerines), IDNR recommends the use of bird feeders and bird baths cease through May 31, or until HPAI infections in the Midwest subside, especially those that waterfowl may visit. During spring, wild birds will have ample food sources while bird feeders are removed.
Further IDNR recommendations:
• Clean and rinse bird feeders and baths with a diluted bleach solution (nine parts water to one part bleach) and put away or clean weekly if they can’t be moved away from birds.
• Remove any bird seed at the base of bird feeders to discourage large gatherings of birds or other wildlife. Read More
LLC Recognizes Employees at Event
•April 27, 2022•
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 winners at an employee recognition event in March.
Lake Land College congratulated the 2022 Lake Land College retirees including Vice President for Academic Services Jon Althaus after 30 years of service, Power Plant Mechanic Instructor/Coordinator John Gentry after 13 years of service, Administrative Assistant to Agriculture and Technology Cathy Montgomery after 23 years of service and Academic Service Specialist for the Dean of Guided Pathways Shelley ZuHone after 13 years of service. Read More
Letter to the Editor 4-27-2022
Dear Editor,
This past Easter weekend I was driving my boys around town reminiscing about all the great memories in the town of Sullivan. We drove out to visit The Masonic Home. (I will always call it that). My Dad took us when we were children as well. We would visit the ice cream parlor, feed the ducks and swans, and always went to see the museum. There was always something about that place that just gave me a warm feeling. Read More