SJO Daily

Elections often connect the past to the future. The Champaign County Forest Preserve Referendum is no different.  CCFPD has not had a voter-approved tax increase in its 72-year history. Yet, Champaign County forest preserve lands have increased from 260 acres to the 4,000 acres of forests, prairies, wetlands, and waterways […]

American writer William Carlos Williams is known for his staccato-short poems. One called “So much depends upon” gives two images: a red wheelbarrow glazed with rain water, and several white chickens beside it. Why these barnyard items and nothing more? To remind us of beautyin what is very ordinary, taken […]

By Fred Kroner With a lineup featuring three sophomores, one freshman and one junior, Villa Grove/Heritage placed 11th on Saturday (Oct. 24) in the 13-team Class 1A Decatur girls’ cross-country regional at Hickory Point Golf Course. Leading the way for the Blue Devils was sophomore Emma Buesing (43rd in 21 […]

By Fred Kroner Freshman Zach Ruwe was a near-miss in his efforts to qualify for the boys’ Class 1A cross-country sectional. The Villa Grove/Heritage standout registered a 3-mile time of 17 minutes, 2.7 seconds on Saturday (Oct. 24) in the Decatur Regional meet at Hickory Point Golf Course. Advancing from […]

By Fred Kroner Two Oakwood/Salt Fork girls advanced to the Class 1A cross-country sectional on the basis of their performances on Saturday (Oct. 24) in the IHSA Decatur Regional meet at Hickory Point Golf Course. Continuing their seasons were freshman Macie Russell, who was 19th in a field of 89 […]

By Fred Kroner The Comets’ top four runners were packed within 50 seconds of one another on Saturday (Oct. 24) at the Class 1A IHSA boys’ regional cross-country meet at Decatur’s Hickory Point Golf Course, but the team was unable to continue its season. The top five teams in the […]

By Fred Kroner Two Spartans posted 3-mile times of less than 20 minutes on Saturday (Oct. 24) at the Class 1A IHSA girls’ regional cross-country meet at Decatur’s Hickory Point Golf Course. The team’s other five competitors finished the course within 39 seconds of each other. Leading the way for […]

By FRED KRONER fred@mahometnews.com The Spartans’ state-ranked boys’ cross-country team finished in second place on Saturday (Oct. 24) in the 14-school Class 1A IHSA Decatur St. Teresa Regional meet. Each of the top five teams qualified for a sectional meet, which St. Teresa will also host at the Hickory Point […]

By JERRY NOWICKICapitol News Illinoisjnowicki@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – Region 1 of the state’s COVID-19 mitigation plan will see a new tier of virus mitigations as Gov. JB Pritzker warned Thursday that “we are now headed into a peak that is beyond, potentially, where we were in March and April.” “This pandemic […]

HONOR ROLL Heritage Junior High has compiled the list of honor roll students for the first quarter. A student must have a 3.67 grade point or above for high honors, and 3.0 grade point or above for honors.  Following is a list of students who earned high honors and honors: […]