•December 25, 2024•
Hunters in Illinois took a preliminary total of 82,496 deer during the seven-day 2024 Illinois firearm deer season that concluded Dec. 8. Comparatively, hunters harvested 76,494 deer during the 2023 firearm season.
The preliminary harvest for the second segment of the 2024 firearm season Dec. 5-8 was 27,835 compared with 22,883 deer harvested during the second part of the 2023 season.
Read More•December 25, 2024•
by Cheri Burcham
Extension Educator, University of Illinois Extension
In the Illinois Extension publication Breakroom Buzz this month, Extension Educator Tessa Hobbs-Curley gives us some great tips on providing ourselves self-care during the holiday season. Tessa says: December can bring on many complex feelings. These feelings of excitement, boredom, joy, despair, comfort, worry, hope, etc., can be due to the hustle and celebration of the holidays. Self-care during the holiday season makes December less overwhelming.
Read More•December 25, 2024•
A new Sarah Bush Lincoln self-scheduling service will go live on Jan. 6, allowing people to schedule appointments with their primary care providers.
SBL Specialty Clinic Director April Clark explained, “Self-scheduling is easy to use and it’s available whenever people have the time to schedule an appointment, even when the office is closed.”
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•December 18, 2024•
The staff of the Lake Land College Navigator News earned awards at the 2023-2024 Illinois Community College Journalism Awards (ICCJA) in Palos Hill, Illinois. Viv Ard, Windsor, and Darrius Frazier, Charleston, earned first place for Best Page Design. Ard also received an honorable mention for Best Front Page Design.
The students also earned multiple team awards, finishing second place in the Mike Foster General Excellence Award category and third place in the Best Student Media category for the Navigator website design.
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•December 18, 2024•
Dakoda and Courtney Lucas were welcomed into their new home in Bethany on Saturday, November 30th. The family were welcomed by the Habitat for Humanity organization during the Habitat House Blessing, as the blessing commenced the pair were given the keys to their new home.
Habitat for Humanity has provided over 800,000 homes nationwide with multiple families given homes within Moultrie County and other neighboring counties. The chilly weather during the House Blessing was no match for the warmth in the volunteers hearts and smiles in celebration of another family receiving a home during an increase of home insecurity.
Habitat for Humanity works with the family to provide good housing at an affordable mortgage cost and offering multiple ways to assist in the betterment of families lives.
•December 18, 2024•
The holiday season is a special time of year for people of all ages, but children might be the most enthusiastic celebrants come December. Children spend much of the holiday season anticipating the arrival of the man in the red suit, and that enthusiasm can be contagious.
Families have their own unique traditions during the holiday season, but one popular way to harness kids’ enthusiasm between Thanksgiving and Christmas Day is to read them holiday stories. There’s no shortage of great holiday books for kids, but here are a handful that kids may remember well into adulthood.
Read More•December 18, 2024•
The minimum wage in Illinois is increasing on January 1st, 2025.
Workers will see an increase of $1 per hour from $14 to $15. The minimum wage for tipped workers will rise to $9 per hour and youth workers (under 18) working fewer than 650 hours per calendar year will see their hourly wage increase to $13 per hour.
Read More•December 18, 2024•
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers at Lake Shelbyville is looking for qualified candidates to fill student vacancies for the 2025 summer recreation season. Lake Shelbyville offers a great work experience opportunity for those students who plan to make a career in biological sciences, outdoor recreation, or law enforcement.
Read More•December 18, 2024•
by Cheri Burcham
Extension Educator
University of Illinois Extension
I have mentioned the practice of mindfulness before, but did you realize how helpful mindfulness can be during the holiday season? I shared this article back in 2019, but dusted it off and thought I would reshare as an important reminder. In an effort to slow down and enjoy all that the season has to offer, Illinois Extension County Director Karla Belzer encourages us all to be more mindful this holiday season. To linger in the moment longer. To be present while wrapping presents. To be aware of each moment. To put the stress of the holiday season aside to truly enjoy the gifts the season brings. To be more mindful.
Read More•December 18, 2024•
by Cheri Burcham
A financial emergency is any expense or loss of income you do not plan for, like a missed paycheck, a damaged roof, a flat tire, or a medical bill. According to FEMA, 6 out of 10 households in America experience at least one financial emergency in a year and about one-third of American families do not have any savings. Financial emergencies can result from health or medical care issues, household expenses, or natural disasters. Illinois Extension Educator Jamie Mahlandt has written this excellent article about financial emergencies that I would like to share since it is such an important topic that we don’t always think about. According to Jamie:
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