•May 12, 2021•
There is increasing evidence that brain health is directly related to body health. However, most people think more about keeping their bodies fit or their hearts healthy than working at maintaining a healthy brain. Cheri Burcham, Family Life Educator for the University of Illinois Extension, has resumed the “Wits Fitness: Brain Exercise Classes” at several locations in the area. Cheri will lead participants through interactive activities designed to exercise the brain to maintain and enhance cognitive function and memory. Locations and dates for 2021 include: Read More
Remember When? 5-12-2021
25 Years Ago This Week
Spring storms turned streets into rivers, toasted electrical equipment and made two flood rescues necessary in Moultrie County. A lightning bolt struck Sullivan’s tallest building, the Moultrie County Courthouse, damaging phones throughout the building as well as computers with phone modems and the courtroom security system. Lovington schools were dismissed early on two days because of the flooding. Bethany schools were dismissed early on Friday. Read More
This Is A Column Cut From Whole Fustian
•May 12, 2021•
By Jim Baumann
NP Guest Writer
I love to learn new words. Or, as is often the case, relearn words I’d looked up before and forgotten. I swear my vocabulary stopped growing organically about 35 years ago. Adding to it is a constant struggle.
I check out e-books from my library, and if I’m tripped up by a word I don’t know (or can’t remember), I touch the screen and up pops a definition.
I do miss curling up with a good book, but curling up with an iPad is less cumbersome than curling up with a book AND a dictionary, especially when I’m traveling.
I learned a new word just before I started writing this.
Merriam-Webster’s word of the day was “fustian.” Read More
Lake Shelbyville Kids Fishing Tournament
•May 12, 2021•
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers at Lake Shelbyville and Friends of Lake Shelbyville is hosting a free fishing tournament for children 12 and under on Saturday, June 5 at Opossum Pond. The pond is located near the entrance to the Opossum Creek Recreation Area. Participants must pre-register by calling (217) 774-3951 ext. 2, or email lakeshelbyville@usace.army.mil. Information needed: name of participant, age of participant on event day, name of parent/guardian, and phone number for parent/guardian. Registration check in begins at 8:30 a.m. for the age 6 and under category, and participants will fish from 9:00 to 9:45 a.m. Registration check in begins at 9:30 a.m. for the age 7-9 and 10-12 category, and participants will fish from 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. Prizes will be awarded for biggest fish, smallest fish, and most fish in each age division. Read More
Master Gardeners to Host Workshop in Charleston: Planting “Pizza” in a Bucket
•May 5, 2021•
Do you love making homemade pizza? Do you have limited space but would like to grow tomatoes, peppers, and basil to create a more delicious pizza? Growing these plants in containers is a great option. Almost any vegetable can be grown successfully in a container, and “pizza plants” are no exception. Read More
Keep Yourself, Loved Ones Safe From Invisible Electrical Dangers
•May 5, 2021•
Every year, 1,000 people die, and 30,000 people are injured in electrical accidents. While electricity typically transmits without incident, there are times when the electrical path becomes disrupted. When this happens, the current can flow through anything or anyone in its path, causing electrical shock, internal and externals burns, and other serious injuries, including electrocution.
“Electricity is referred to as the silent killer since it is often undetectable, that is, it typically cannot be seen, heard or smelled,” says Erin Hollinshead, executive director of Safe Electricity. “While you might notice some electrical hazards — electrical outlets that are discolored and warm to the touch for example — many others are invisible and imperceptible.”
May is Electrical Safety Month. Hollinshead says to err on the side of caution and always respect electricity and the potential danger that comes with it.
While there are precautions people can take inside and outside their homes, many people are less familiar with potential electrical hazards in the great outdoors. Read More
Lake Land College Agriculture Students Honored
•May 5, 2021•
The Lake Land College Agriculture division hosted the Virtual 50th Annual Student Recognition Ceremony in April to recognize several students with awards and honors.
A milestone like 50 certainly brings a sense of nostalgia and appreciation for our history and tradition of excellence, Division Chair Agriculture/Agriculture Instructor Ryan Orrick said. I am appreciative of all the past faculty members and students who have helped craft the Lake Land Agriculture Division into what it is today, and I would like to thank all of our current staff and Agriculture students for representing this great tradition. Read More
Federal REAL ID Deadline Extended to May 3, 2023
•May 5, 2021•
Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White is reminding the public that the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has extended the federal REAL ID deadline to May 3, 2023. With the extended federal deadline of REAL ID, current Illinois driver’s licenses and ID cards will continue to be accepted at airports until May 3, 2023. Read More
Remember When? 5-5-2021
25 Years Ago This Week
Lovington High School graduate Martha Smith-Taylor was honored by the state of Utah as Volunteer Administrator of the Year. Smith-Taylor, a 1969 LHS graduate who began as a volunteer at the Children’s Center in Salt Lake City two decades ago, now oversees 12 to 16 volunteers working daily in the center’s facilities in Salt Lake and Kearns.
The News Progress won three awards in the 1996 Southern Illinois Editorial Assn. Better Newspaper Contest. Managing Editor Dan Hagen won the first place award in the Charlie Feirich Original Column Competition with his column entitled “Oh sure, she can fly, but can she cook?” Sports Editor Ed Nelson won an honorable mention in the large weeklies category for his opinion piece “When voting is vexing.” Read More
Five-Letter Words That Start With F
•May 5, 2021•
By Jim Baumann
NP Guest Writer
Shame on those of you who thought with a headline like that I was going to break the Numero Uno rule at this newspaper and use the dreaded four-letter F-word.
Which, of course, is “fail.”
Nope, today we examine some five-letter F-words that seem to cause us grief.
Up first: “feted” and “fetid.”
I saw in a story description recently that a couple of people were going to be “fetted” for their service. That is, they were to be celebrated with a shindig. Read More