Whether it be rain, snow, sleet or fair weather, you can find Illinois Country Mother of the Year, JoAn Bollmann (Grandma Jo to her ­grandchildren), sitting on the sidelines with a scorebook in her lap cheering on whichever grandchild is on the field. The scorebook tradition began out of the natural ­curiosity of her grandchildren. [...]

Imagine feeling the rush of adrenaline as you safely soar through a forest at speeds topping 35 mph while learning about ecology, geology and history. Guests have that opportunity at the newly opened Shawnee Bluff Canopy Tour in Makanda, Ill. The first of its kind in Illinois, the zip line tour is located on 83 [...]

Mother of the Year – JoAn Bollmann Jeanie AldrichBarbara BennettCristen CarlsonRenee DepriestIrene FraneyCarolyn HallSandra HelminkBrenda JenkinsDebbie JohnstonBarbra KhourieMary Jean KraftJoyce KuhleLaDonna MillerJanice PasiewiczBarbara RaweJanie SchultzLouise ShepherdRobin ShipmanMarlena SiverlyThala Jean StewartKaren TuckerAmanda TwitchellRuthie Jane McGilvry Welty   Nominee: JoAn BollmannTown: AvaNominated by: Mark Bollman (son) My special mother…. My mother, JoAn Bollmann, is a member of [...]

It was so peaceful, that grove of trees with snow-covered branches. It somehow took me back to my childhood and reading Little House in the Big Woods by Laura Ingalls Wilder. I wanted to be part of the family as they visited Grandpa’s house and went out to tap the maple trees and watched, and [...]

The festival was in full swing when I drove into the tiny village with Swedish-American roots in western Illinois. Traditionally dressed dancers were performing a Swedish folk dance in the shadow of an ornate gazebo as visitors meandered along flower-laden streets walking in and out of the village’s historic buildings and gift shops. This is [...]

Walking into the refrigerator at Central Illinois Foodbank on a typical day, you’re sure to find food items like onions, potatoes … maybe even some apples. This is great news for the Foodbank’s partner agencies. When asked what they like to see in stock at the Foodbank, fresh produce is high on the list. At [...]

According to the Illinois Green Jobs Survey conducted by the State of Illinois’ Department of Employment Security green jobs continue to be on the rise. Businesses and ­organizations are making sure their dealers and employees are well educated and even certified to ensure the appropriate measures are taken to accommodate their customers, whether residential or [...]

If treated well, your electric co-op’s equipment and infrastructure-poles, lines, transformers, and the like-can last for decades. But as useful life ends for these components, reliability becomes more of an issue and co-ops are increasingly turning to innovative technologies to keep service reliable, safe and affordable. “Electric cooperatives have been leaders in adopting technologies to [...]

There are two ways to make a budget — spend less or earn more. Unfortunately for the Postal Service “earn more” is going by the way of e-mail, electronic bill pay, online advertising, texting and instant messaging. According to Great Lakes Communications Manager Victor Dubina, the Postal Service processed and delivered 213 billion pieces of [...]

Surrounded by corn and bean fields approximately 11 miles east of Rantoul, Ill. lies the quiet community of Penfield. Situated on the eastern edge of town is the former Penfield Grade School. It’s been more than two decades since students attended the school, but the school is still being used to provide a history lesson [...]