•December 8, 2021•
The law firm of Bolen Robinson & Ellis, LLP (BRE Law) is celebrating founding partner Jon Robinson’s Year of Jubilee, or fiftieth year practicing law, by raising and donating funds to support Land of Lincoln Legal Aid.
Says BRE Law partner Drew Hickey, “Jon sets the standard for integrity, hard work, and tenacity. All of us at the firm are enriched by his vast experience and brilliant legal mind.” The firm, along with many of Jon’s friends, colleagues, and former clients, chose to honor Robinson’s fiftieth year practicing law through a giving campaign for Land of Lincoln Legal Aid, which provides free civil legal services to low-income persons, senior citizens, veterans, and active military personnel in 65 counties in Central and Southern Illinois. Read More
Santa in Bethany 2021
Photo by Crystal Reed
Bethany Royalty and Santa Claus
Bethany royalty took a moment to pose with Santa when he came to Bethany on Saturday, December 5. From left to right: Junior Miss Bethany Raegan Russell, Little Miss Bethany Abby McQulling, Santa,Young Miss Bethany Bristol Wilderman and Miss Bethany Calista Clark.
Photo by Crystal Reed
Santa Hug
Brinley Burns hugs Santa Clause at the Depot in Bethany.
Photo by Crystal Reed
Santa at the Depot
Santa Claus visited the Depot in the Bethany last Saturday. The event was moved inside due to weather. Pictured are Abel and Slade Ellis.
Illinois State Scholars
Photo by Crystal Reed
Okaw Valley High School Illinois State Scholars
This year’s scholars are Evelyn Ashley, Savannah Hagerman and Mikhayla Ward.
Photo furnished
ALAH Illinois State Scholars
This year’s scholars are Jace Green, Sarah Rafferty, Reggie Edmonds, Max Allen, Delaney Gillis, and Jacob Duzan.
Photo furnished
Sullivan High School Illinois State Scholars
This year’s scholars are Skyla Palmer, Clayton Schmohe, Aaron Stutzman and Alyssa Thompson.
Lake Land College Offering a Second-Chance Presidential Scholarship Opportunity
•December 8, 2021•
Lake Land College recently announced it will reopen the Presidential Scholarship opportunity to qualifying 2021 high school graduates who did not enroll at Lake Land in Fall 2021.
The Presidential Scholarship is available to eligible in-district high school seniors who have demonstrated outstanding academic performance. The scholarship covers the full cost of tuition for up to two consecutive academic years and is available to graduates who enroll in Lake Land College in the fall following high school graduation.
With this initiative, Class of 2021 Presidential Scholars who did not enroll in college or attended another college this fall now have a second opportunity to take advantage of the scholarship to continue their education at Lake Land beginning in January. This is a one-time opportunity and will only be available for the Spring 2022 semester. Read More
Millikin to honor Class of 2021 at Winter Commencement Dec. 12
•December 8, 2021•
Millikin University will honor over 100 graduates from the Class of 2021 with an in-person winter commencement ceremony on Sunday, Dec. 12, 2021, beginning at 2 p.m. at Kirkland Fine Arts Center.
The winter commencement celebration will recognize traditional undergraduates and those receiving their Doctor of Nursing Practice degrees. Graduating students will be allowed up to six guests at the ceremony. All attendees will be required to wear a mask while inside Kirkland Fine Arts Center and adhere to social distancing guidelines.
Additionally, Millikin community members will be able to watch the ceremony through a public livestream on Millikin’s graduation website at millikin.edu/commencement and on the University’s flagship Facebook page. Read More
Breakfast in Bethlehem
Photo by Crystal Reed
Breakfast in Bethlehem
Sullivan First United Methodist Church hosted Breakfast in Bethlehem on Saturday, December 4. The event included breakfast, packing community blessing bags and an interactive retelling of the First Christmas story.
Photo by Crystal Reed
Blessing Bags
During the Breakfast in Bethlehem event at Sullivan First United Methodist attendees were invited to create blessing bags for a local organization. Pictured putting a bag together is Aubrey Fultz.
Prevailing Wage Database Allows Public to Monitor Wages Paid on Projects
•December 8, 2021•
Beginning January 1, 2022, the Illinois Department of Labor (IDOL) will be responsible for maintaining a database that allows the public to search certified payrolls submitted by construction contractors on public works projects subject to the Illinois Prevailing Wage Act. This is the result of Public Act 102-0332 that was passed by the General Assembly and signed by Governor Pritzker. Read More
Facts for Families: Coping With Grief This Holiday Season
•December 8, 2021•
By Cheri Burcham
Family Life Educator
The holiday season is fast approaching and given the loss, turmoil, and uncertainty that we have recently experienced, I wanted to share this article by Extension Educator Karla Belzer.
While the holiday season brings about joy and celebration, it can also be a time of great sadness and pain as traditions and family memories can intensify grief. The season is truly bittersweet – sweet memories of a loved one combined with the reality of loss. Grieving the loss of a loved one is a difficult experience at any time of the year, however, during the holiday season, we’re often reminded of our loss through family traditions and celebrations as well as the ever-present push to get into the “holiday spirit.” We associate holidays with good times and special memories, making us all the more likely to miss our loved one even more at this time of year. Read More
Which Words Sent us Running to the Dictionary in 2021
•December 8, 2021•
By Jim Baumann
NP Guest Writer
The Top 10 list, a popular news media vehicle for recapping the year and providing us with lifesaving copy when the news world tends to hibernate, can sometimes be upended when news actually happens.
It always seems to bite us in the rear end when we revisit luminaries we lost during the year.
For the purposes of this column, however, I turn to Merriam-Webster’s announcement of its word of the year and its Top 10 lookups.
But what happens if such terms as “Invasion from Xenon 362,” “flesh-eating middle-schoolers” or “No-mo-California” enter the zeitgeist before Jan. 1? I guess the lexicographers at Merriam-Webster will have egg on their faces, won’t they?
That being said, and I’ll no longer delay the point of this offering: M-W’s word of the year is “vaccine.”
Surprised? I wasn’t, either. Read More
Remember When? 12-8-2021
25 Years Ago This Week
Little Theatre coloring contest winners were Courtney Radford, Dylan Short, Ashlyn Gregory, Megan Risley, Zayne Troxel and Zachary Righter. They received free tickets as their prize.
The Lovington Panthers defeated the Bethany Mustangs 68-40.
Lovington boys’ basketball won two in a row with a 53-40 win over Kansas. Read More