OVMS Offers Unique Elective Courses

News Progress Posted on by

•January 17, 2024• by Crystal Reed Okaw Valley Middle School students have the opportunity to learn guitar, design their own comics, learn how to sew and basic concepts of digital photography during their regular school day. The Explore program is in it’s third year at the school. According to OVMS Principal Ross Forlines when the school started to offer the classes there were not as many offerings available to students.  Prior to the Explore courses there were only three electives – Spanish, Ag and Band and that was only for eighth grade students. Currently there are thirteen offerings for grades … Read More

Grammar Moses: Upbraiding is Not a Good Look

News Progress Posted on by

•January 17, 2024• I once came across the word “upbraid” in my readings and smiled because teenage me saw this word differently. I confess that many years ago when I first saw the word completely out of context I thought it was a noun used to describe a popular hairstsyle often found in weddings. Think up-do. This was before “Star Wars” burst on the scene, mind you, but if you consider Princess Leia’s unusual coiffure, which resembled two enormous Cinnabons affixed bilaterally to her scalp, that’s what I envisioned an upbraid to be. I’m not sure when I learned that … Read More

SBD Wraps Up 2023 With Meets in Springfield and Sullivan 

News Progress Posted on by

•January 17, 2024• submitted by Jaime Perrott The Sullivan Blue Dolphins wrapped up 2023 by competing at the Red Raider Aquatics Harvest Classic in Springfield followed by hosting the annual December Christmas Jingle Invitational at the Sullivan Civic Center. A total of eight teams competed in Springfield at the Red Raiders Aquatics Harvest Classic with the Sullivan Blue Dolphins bringing home 1474 team points earning them a 3rd place finish overall. … Read More

Illinois Amish Heritage Center Announces Events for 2024 

News Progress Posted on by

•January 17, 2024• The Illinois Amish Heritage Center near Arthur has announced their events for the year. The first event of the year is the Sheep, Yarn and Quilts event to be held on Saturday, May 4 from 7:00 am to 3:00 pm.  Sheep, Yarn and Quilts show teaches attendees how wool is taken from sheep and used to make a quilt. The Amish use many of these methods in their homes today. The show continues to expand each year. The event includes shearing demonstrations of sheep and alpacas.  … Read More

Illinois Raises Awareness During Community Risk Reduction Week

News Progress Posted on by

•January 17, 2024• Governor JB Pritzker proclaimed Monday, January 15, 2024, through Sunday, January 21, 2024, as Community Risk Reduction (CRR) Week in Illinois. CRR is a data-driven process to identify and prioritize local risks, followed by the integrated and strategic investment of resources (emergency response and prevention) to reduce their occurrence and impact. … Read More

Have Fun While Engaging Your Brain with Wits Fitness Classes

News Progress Posted on by

•January 17, 2024• Cheri Burcham Extension Educator University of Illinois Extension Have you ever tried coming up with the name of an animal starting with the letter “a” and going through the whole alphabet?? What about coming up with the names of all the states that do not have the letter “o” in them? Or list the states that share a border with Canada? Do you like trivia questions? Riddles? Finding hidden pictures? If you do, congratulations, you are utilizing your brain in a variety of ways that is very beneficial for cognition! Also, if you do, you would love … Read More

Quilting Speaker

News Progress Posted on by

•January 17, 2024• Karen Edwards, winner of the 2023 Amish Country Spring Quilt Show in Arthur, will be at the Arthur Public Library on February 3rd at 1:00 p.m. to discuss her quilting techniques and how she made her prize winning 3-D quilt. Call the Arthur Public Library at 217-543-2037 to reserve your seat. … Read More

Nachos Make the Ideal Game Day Snack

News Progress Posted on by

•January 17, 2024• Big games dot the college and professional football landscapes each year beginning in late summer and ending in mid-winter. But no games are bigger than those that take place once the calendar turns to a new year. That’s when the postseason begins in both college and professional football. … Read More

Illinois EPA Announces Additional $3.4 Million Awarded to 92 Community Water Supplies

News Progress Posted on by

•January 17, 2024• Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (Illinois EPA) Director John J. Kim has announced the recipients of the third round of funding which will assist 92 additional community water supplies (CWSs) in meeting the requirements outlined in the Lead Service Line Replacement and Notification Act (LSLRN Act). The Lead Service Line Inventory (LSLI) Grant Program offers grants to local government units ranging from $20,000 – $50,000 to fund the creation of a complete lead service line inventory. Under this grant program, a total of 260 Illinois systems have benefited from this funding in calendar year 2023. … Read More