News Progress

•January 19, 2022•
By Taylor Vidmar
Lee Enterprises
For Capitol News Illinois

Editor’s Note: Taylor Vidmar is a student in the Public Affairs Reporting program at University of Illinois Springfield. She is a reporting intern at the Capitol for Lee Enterprises.

There was once a time when Kristen Holly might see more than 200 applicants for a single elementary teaching position.
It was overwhelming just to figure out how to screen applicants, the assistant superintendent for student services in the Charleston School District, said.
That time is long gone.
Just a decade later, that same elementary position might now yield only six to 10 applications, on a good day. Job openings for more specialized positions — like counseling, special education, or secondary foreign language — Holly said, sometimes draw no applicants at all.
“Now, we’re going to see your application no matter what,” she said. Read More

•January 19, 2022•
Beginning Thursday, January 13, the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) became responsible for contacting ALL newly diagnosed Covid-19 cases in Illinois.
If you have recently tested for Covid-19 at a testing site and you receive a text message from IDPH, please review the message and follow the guidance. These text messages are sent to individuals who have tested POSITIVE for Covid-19.
It is important that you follow the guidance provided in the message. In order to increase your ability to receive this message, please turn off any spam blockers you may have on your cell phone. Read More

•January 19, 2022•
By Jim Baumann
NP Guest Writer

How is it that two nearly identical words can describe something I love so much that I write about it almost every week and something that makes me recoil in terror?
No, I’m not talking about “dessert” and “desert,” but there probably is something to that.
I’m talking, of course, about “entomology” and “etymology.”
“Etymology” is the study of the origin of words and how they’ve changed throughout history.
“Entomology” is the study of insects. Cut to the scene in “The Silence of the Lambs” in which Agent Starling consults the two concupiscent bug freaks who identify the death’s head moth, complete with scalpel and oozing pupa juice. Yech. Read More

•January 12, 2022•
By Cheri Burcham
Family Life Educator

Due to ongoing changes with the pandemic, there have been a few changes made to the Wits Fitness: Brain Exercise Classes schedule and locations. At this time, classes will be (changes are underlined):
· Every first Monday of the month at the U of I Extension office in Mattoon at 10:00 AM (except for January – there will be no class held.)
· Every first Monday of the month at the Shelby County Senior Center at 1:00 PM (except January 3 will be January 10 due to holiday.) Read More

•January 12, 2022•
The pristine, white backdrop of a snowy winter day can be a wonder to behold. While fresh snow on the ground can make for awe-inspiring landscapes, the absence of greenery amid the starkness of winter poses challenges for animals that do not ride out winter in a state of hibernation.
Several bird species stay in colder climates over the winter. Red-winged crossbills, snow buntings, bohemian waxwings, evening grosbeaks, and cardinals are just some of the birds one may find while gazing outside on a chilly winter’s day. Birding in the winter can be a rewarding hobby because, despite the chilly conditions, birds tend to be easy to find in bare trees. Furthermore, the colder temperatures may keep many people inside, meaning neighborhoods, trails and parks can be very quiet, making it easier for those who brave the cold to see birds. Read More