Opportunities to see and hear springtime will take place in April at Bremer Sanctuary in Hillsboro. The 203 acre site is operated by volunteers of the Illinois Audubon Society. The first event will be the annual spring bird walk on Saturday. Expert birders will be on hand to identify birds seen during the walk. Participants are encouraged to bring their own binoculars if they have them. Another event in April will be a wildflower walk on April 16th. Bremer Sanctuary member Carl Savage says they've planted numerous flowers this year.

Even if you don't see some of them now, we have some planted (and) we'll have a big variety of them in the spring, the summer and the fall, so if people pay attention to where they're at, they're always welcome to come back and take those tours by themselves or (with their) families. So we're pretty excited about some of the flowers we have... We've been busy out there and we've got some nice things to look at out there.

Savage says the walks provide an opportunity to get outside and see what Bremer Sanctuary has to offer. The bird walk begins at 7am on Saturday and the wildflower walk begins at 1pm on Saturday, April 16th. Both guided walking tours will last approximately an hour and refreshments will be provided. For more information about Bremer Sanctuary, events or volunteering call (217) 532-2339. Volunteer work days at Bremer take place every Tuesday and Thursday morning.Thomack 3/30/16

A local author will sign copies of his police thriller book at the Farmersville-Waggoner Public Library on Saturday. Author Ed Traylor of Waggoner retired in 2009 after a career with the Illinois State Police. He was headquartered in Litchfield for part of his career. Traylor began writing The Crossing in 2010. He says he watched a lot of news after he retired and that's when he got the idea for the book.

Every time the news was on, it was always about the border - how porous the border was. I just got to thinking about that and why hadn't the terrorists come across the border to attack us. One morning, I woke up and this story was in my head the core of the story, at least, was in my head. I told my wife about it and she said, 'You know, that sounds good, you should write that down.' So, at that time, I started writing an outline and just went from there.

Traylor's novel is about a terror attack originating from the U.S. - Mexico border with some of the story, including characters, based in central Illinois. Traylor says some of his experience while working as a State Policeman was an influence in the book.

With being a policeman that long, you hear all kinds of stories from people who do work the area and some of that would certainly come into play during the writing of the book.

Traylor's work earned second place at the Public Safety Writer's Association Conference in Las Vegas last July. Traylor says he already has another police thriller in the works. A book signing with Ed Traylor takes place from 1:30 to 5pm on Saturday at the Farmersville-Waggoner Public Library at 210 South Cleveland Street in Farmersville. You can find out more about the book by listening to the full interview with the author here: Ed Traylor Interview.Thomack 3/30/16

An upcoming event will give local students the opportunity to create a project to honor veterans. The First Annual Vietnam War 50th Commemoration Event is being put on by the Christiana Tillson Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution. A member of the chapter, Anne Greenwalt, says the event will honor local Vietnam War Veterans.

We're going to have a ceremony to present a certificate to all of the veterans who are present. Someone from the Department of Defense is also coming out to present a certificate to the families of those who were killed in action.

Greenwalt says they invited Montgomery and Macoupin County students to design and enter a project that will serve and honor Vietnam veterans.

We have prize money for anyone who would like to enter a project. It's any kind of service project that honors Vietnam veterans - it can serve any veteran - but Vietnam veterans are the focus, so that's really what we're looking for. After the veterans are presented with their certificates, then we're going to give them a ballot and have them walk through all of the entries and let them vote on their favorite.

The contest is open to students from 4th through 12th grade.

So we're probably going to get quite a variety. It can be any kind of service or outreach project. They can do some kind of research on their family history, they can help veterans make oral histories, they can visit veterans in the hospitals or nursing homes, they can make care packages for Honor Flights, they can do artwork, if they wanted to do a map of the area where one of their family members served - it's really kind of open to anything they can think of, really.

The First Annual Vietnam War 50th Commemoration event will begin at 9am on Saturday, April 23rd, at the First Baptist Church in Litchfield. Entries for the project contest will be accepted through April 15th. For more information, email Anne Greenwalt at agreenwa@slu.edu or call Kendra Wright at (217) 556-6890. You can also go to the Christiana Tillson Chapter website. Anne Greenwalt and Kendra Wright of the Christiana Tillson Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution, were guests on the weekend edition of Around Montgomery County program. You can listen to the program here: AMC.Thomack 3/26/16

This year's camping season begins next month at Camp SOAR. The camp is available for both Girl Scouts and for the public to use for camping or events. Beth Allen is the Scott Outdoor Adventure Retreat Marketing and Events Manager. She says they will be holding a work day to get ready for the camping season which begins on April 15th.

We will be doing painting, we've got several painting projects, we've got some more picnic tables to paint that seems to be a never ending thing. We've also got a couple porches to paint (and) a few other projects like that. In addition to that, we're going to do some gardening projects. We've got some flowers that we'll be planting to make it look pretty around the grounds, some things like picking up sticks and raking and things like that as well. So there's really something for all ages to be able to help if families want to come join us.

Allen says they always need volunteers whether it be for campground work or within the Girl Scout program.

First and foremost, this is a Girl Scout camp and along with that non-profit organization and the spirit of Girl Scouting is also in volunteerism. But we really see it as - it's for the community - we want this to be something that is used by the community and so we'd love to have the community pitch in to help to get it ready.

The Camp SOAR Work Day begins with coffee, donuts and work assignments at 8:30am on Saturday, April 2nd, at the camp: 3279 Honey Bend Avenue near Litchfield. Volunteers are encouraged to bring gardening tools or paintbrushes and to stay for food after the work day. For more information, contact the camp at (217) 324-2553 or go to the Camp SOAR website.

Thomack 3/25/16

Officials with the Illinois State Police and the American Legion have announced plans for the 44th Annual American Legion Youth Police Camp. The camp will again be held at the Illinois State Police Academy in Springfield and will run from June 26 through July 1, 2016.

Dozens of aspiring teens from across Illinois will discover career opportunities through training with police and military personnel. The primary purpose of the youth police camp is to establish an interactive and positive relationship between Illinois teens and law enforcement officers. The week-long residency camp is structured to promote educational and learning opportunities for youth ages 14-16 in the areas of law enforcement, military, leadership, cultural diversity, personal development, physical fitness and social skills. The Cadets will be honored at a graduation ceremony on July 1, 2016, and will receive a graduation certificate.

The American Legion will accept applications until May 28, 2016. Teenagers 14-16 are encouraged to apply for and attend the 2016 youth police camp. For more information, contact Safety, Law and Order Committee Chairman Delmar Buske at 217-556-9555, or Illinois State Police Special Agent Jarran Riley at 618-606-0411.

A yearly campaign takes place this month to raise awareness for home bound senior citizens who rely on their local Meals on Wheels program. According to a press release from Meals on Wheels America, the month-long March for Meals campaign started as a way to commemorate the month in 1972. In that year, President Nixon signed into law a measure amending the Older Americans Act and establishing a national nutrition program for seniors 60 years and older. Since 2002, March for Meals has grown into a full-scale awareness, fundraising and volunteer recruitment campaign involving and supporting local Meals on Wheels programs. Hillsboro Mayor Brian Sullivan says he will be helping deliver meals today to help bring attention to the home delivery program.

It's important to me because with my profession being a pharmacist and with being the mayor, I see a lot of people that are less likely to get out - they're home bound - some people, especially if they've lost a loved one, don't cook for themselves and they'll let themselves go without eating for long periods of time. It's just good for them to have that contact both for nourishment and for socialization they need to talk to people sometimes.

For more information on the program or to find out how you can help, call the Hillsboro location at (217) 532-3662 or the Litchfield location at (217) 324-3032 or go to the CEFS website.
Thomack 3/24/16

Contestants are being sought for the 2016 Macoupin County Fair Pageant.

To be eligible, all Miss and Junior Miss contestants must reside in or attend school in Macoupin County. Miss contestants must be 16 to 22 years old by January of 2017. Junior Miss contestants must be 11 to 13 years old. In addition, the contestant must not be entering the Freshman year of high school in the fall of 2016.

The 2016 pageant will take place on Wednesday, July 6th where Miss contestants will compete in personal interview, swimwear and evening gown competions. Junior Miss contestants will competer in personal interview, sportswear and party dress competitions. The 2016 Queen and runners-up will receive cash gifts along with a number of prizes from local businesses around the county.

Those interested should contact Hilary Lunt at 217-502-2173.

With the Hillsboro High School referendum not passing during last week's primary elections, it's back to the drawing board for the school board. Hillsboro School Superintendent David Powell says they did not put together a Plan B or back up plan.

We spent all of our time and efforts trying to develop a plan that, based on feedback we were getting, was the best solution. Obviously that was not acceptable to the community, there's just not support for that, which is the result of the referendum process - that's how that works - so we're going to have to go back to the drawing board, so to speak. I'm in the process of scheduling, for next week, a Building and Grounds Committee meeting and then we've got the board meeting coming up and there will be an opportunity for public comments at that meeting on the 12th for anybody that has suggestions for how we may move forward. But it's not the case that we had a plan that we put on the ballot for March 15th and then another plan ready if that one failed, that's not it at all.

Powell says they are soliciting input from the community about a new plan.

Several board members talked to me individually that say they've really been talking to folks in the community - (asking) 'why didn't you support it, what would you like to see happen instead?' So we're really listening to the community and going to use that public input then to steer the project moving forward.

Powell says the problem is not going to go away and something still needs to be done at the high school.
It's not something that we just don't need or won't have to spend some money on. Clearly the public did not support the project that was on the ballot March 15th, so moving forward we've got to find a project that meets, especially the immediate needs, which is primarily that main building. We've got to find a project that meets our needs moving forward that the community can support.

There will be an opportunity for public comment and suggestions on what to do moving forward at the next Hillsboro Board of Education meeting on April 12th.

3/23 Additions: The Building and Grounds Committee meeting will be held on Tuesday, March 29th. A public forum regarding the High School Building Project will be held on April 5th.Thomack 3/21/16

A public hearing will be held next week regarding the Deer Run Mine in Hillsboro. The on and off fire in the mine has caused it to be closed for an undetermined amount of time. According to Illinois Department of Natural Resources Communications Director Chris Young, the public hearing will be an opportunity for the public to provide comments on the proposed revision for the Deer Run Mine. The revision proposes to add 7,731.8 acres of shadow area to the permit. This is area where the mine is allowed to extract coal underground by longwall methods. The public hearing will be held at 5pm on Thursday, March 24th, at the Montgomery County Historic Courthouse in Hillsboro in the County Board Room on the second floor. IDNR held an informal conference at the same location on February 11th.

Thomack 3/17/16

General Primary Election Contested Results - Montgomery County
(All results are unofficial until canvassed on or before April 5th)Republican
...................

President of the United States:

Donald J. Trump - 2,269
Ted Cruz - 1,822
John R. Kasich 555United States Senator U.S. Senate

Mark Steven Kirk - 3,041
James T. Marter - 1,456Representative in Congress Federal Congressional District 13

Rodney Davis - 3,873
Ethan Vandersand - 943Del. National nominating Convention Federal Congressional District 13 (3)

Doug Hartmann - 1,794
Toni Gauen - 1,671
James Kammer - 1,471Alt. Del. National Nominating Convention Federal Congressional District 13 (3)

Kathy Scaturro - 1,683
Cyril Sturm - 1,531
Rosanna Pulido - 1,518Representative in the General Assembly State Representative District 95

Avery Bourne - 2,676
Dennis J. Scobbie - 1,970
Christopher M. Hicks - 316Montgomery County Coroner

Randy Leetham - 2,848
Tobin Gunn - 1,746Democratic
........................

President of the United States

Bernie Sanders - 1,266
Hillary Clinton - 1,241United States Senator U.S. Senate

Tammy Duckworth - 1,365
Andrea Zopp - 584
Napoleon Harris - 303Del. National Nominating Convention Federal Congressional District 13 (5)

Andy Manar - 1,518
Doris Jean Turner - 868
Cinda Klickna - 857
Michael G. Matejka - 850
Pamella Gronemeyer - 751Precinct Committeeman South Litchfield 1

Sharon K. Kuchar - 40
Shelley Brakenhoff - 35Nonpartisan
...........................

Hillsboro High School Question Hillsboro CUSD 3

No - 2,498
Yes- 1,443Shoal Creek Fire Protection District

No - 193
Yes - 113Mt Olive School District Mount Olive CUSD 5

No - 39
Yes - 33Full results can be found on the Montgomery County Clerk's website.

Another Town Hall meeting will be held next Monday in Nokomis. The University of Illinois Extension and the Downtown Nokomis Association held a meeting in February to begin the development of a downtown and community revitalization plan. The first meeting, with an attendance of over 25 community members, established a vision for Nokomis with three components of downtown beautification, schools and family orientation. The next meeting will involve taking a look at available community assets. U of I Extension Community Economic Development Educator Anne Silvis will facilitate the group. The next meeting will take place at 6:30pm on Monday, March 21st, at Steele Hall in Nokomis. Anyone from the Nokomis area is encouraged to participate. For more information, contact the Montgomery County Extension Office at (217) 532-3941 or email shalter@illinois.eduThomack 3/11/16

Another recent phone scam asks residents to pay up to $500 to get warrants or charges taken care of with the Circuit Clerk or Sheriff's Office. According to Montgomery County Circuit Clerk Holly Lemons, several area residents reported receiving a call telling them a warrant has been issued or charges are pending with the Sheriff's Office or the Circuit Clerk's Office. To get the warrants or charges taken care of, the caller is asking for a certain amount of money. Lemons says what is confusing people, is that the caller has personal information about them.

They have their name, they have their address, in some situations they've had their social security number and driver's license number, as well as their date of birth. So that's what's making people think it's a legitimate thing because they have some of this personal information for them.

Lemons says neither office will make phone calls asking for money.

We will never call you and tell you that you need to send us money to prevent a charge from being issued or to prevent a warrant from being served upon you, neither will the Sheriff's Office. If you are suspicious in any way, shape or form please call either my office or the Sheriff's Office to verify that there is, one, any charges or, two, a possible warrant, but, again, neither office makes phone calls as a general rule regarding either of those situations.

This scam has been going on for a couple of weeks in the area. If you receive a suspicious call or ever need to verify information, contact the Montgomery County Circuit Clerk's Office at (217) 532-9545 or the Montgomery County Sheriff's Office at (217) 532-9511.Thomack 3/9/16

State Representative Avery Bourne is holding an art contest for kindergarten through eighth grade students throughout the district. The contest began last week and the deadline for entry is March 31st.
Artwork must be made from any 2-D medium such as pen or marker on an 8 1/2 X 11 sheet of paper. The theme of the work should be Illinois. Examples of Illinois themes include the state bird, the state flower or a famous Illinois resident. Artists must write the title of the artwork, their name, grade, and school on the back of their work before submitting it.
First, second and third place winners will be selected for kindergarten through fourth grade and fifth through eighth grade. The first place winners in each group will have the opportunity to spend the day with Representative Bourne at the Statehouse and all winners will go on a tour of the Capitol building. Winning artists will be recognized in the House Chambers and their work will be displayed in Representative Bournes office.
All artwork must be turned into Representative Bournes office at 301 North Monroe in Litchfield by the March 31st deadline. Winners will be announced on Monday, April 4th.

Thomack 3/7/16

A local organization recently took a 75-year-old tradition in Finland and tailored it to help new mothers in the area. The Elizabeth Ann Seton Program helps pregnant and parenting women in the central Illinois area who may be poverty stricken or going through some type of crisis. According to EAS Program Executive Director Dawn Morris, over 50 percent of the women in the three counties they serve do not have a home or bed for their baby. The EAS Program used to offer new mothers bassinets or baby beds. Due to new laws and regulations, Morris wondered if they were offering a safe or practical bed for mothers who were homeless or in transitional housing.

Let's stay that they were staying with their aunt or a friend, Morris said. Well, they would have to leave and most of them don't have transportation, (so) to take the baby bed was such an issue so either the home owner wouldn't let them take the baby bed or they couldn't figure out a way to get the baby bed from point A to point B. So in doing that, I just talked to my Board of Director's and I said, 'Look, this is a real struggle.' Immediately my board president says, 'Dawn, have you thought about the baby box program?' I immediately (said), 'What are you talking about?' She said she had just read an article online and Finland - their government (gives) every child that is born (there) a baby box. So of course I did my homework and I fell in love with the idea because not only is it a box, but it's everything that the child needs, depending on the size of the child, usually we can make this work for the first 30 days of life.

The baby box serves as a bassinet and also has diapers, onesies, blankets and everything else a child might need.

It is a cardboard box but it is FDA approved - we definitely did our homework on that. Morris said. That's why we go through (a) baby box company... because everything of theirs has been tested and approved. But it is a cardboard box and everything comes in the box: the pacifiers, a swaddler, a health kit, a pair of socks, a bib, washcloths, wipes, a diaper kit and even a little book. (Also), after the child has outgrown that box many of the women we work with have nothing (from) when their child was younger - No baby pictures, no first picture at preschool or even Sunday School and that kind of blew my mind. So what we do is we even give her information about making that box then become that child's memory box. Everything that's worth keeping of that child's should fit in that box.

Before becoming a memory box, it serves as a safe sleeping place for the baby.

So many times too, the women we work with, they co-sleep with their babies." Morris said. Since I've been working here at the agency, we have lost two babies to co-sleeping. Just being uneducated and we've all done it - We've all made that mistake of just laying our baby on the couch with us or on our chest but then you fall asleep - it's very dangerous and then, of course, the issue with SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome). So, overall, it's been a wonderful additive to the program.

While it is known as the Baby Box, Morris has a different name for it.

We take referrals on this several different ways, Morris said. It could be the hospital or it could be another agency that knows that a mother gave birth and doesn't have something for the baby to sleep in. I call it the Box of Love - as we're taking it and we're delivering it to these newborn babies and getting to see the mom and getting to provide such a needed item for her baby. Actually that (name) started from one of the nurses when I delivered (it), she says, 'Dawn, every time you walk in here with that box, all I think of is that box is so full of love.

The Elizabeth Ann Seton Program will accept monetary donations or donations of baby items for the boxes. The Litchfield EAS Office is at 309 South State Street and their phone number is (217) 324-3270.

For more information on the baby box and its history, check out these links:

Why Finnish babies sleep in cardboard boxes

The Baby Box Co

EAS Newsletter.Thomack 2/23/16

A local organization recently took a 75-year-old tradition in Finland and tailored it to help new mothers in the area. The Elizabeth Ann Seton Program helps pregnant and parenting women in the central Illinois area who may be poverty stricken or going through some type of crisis. According to EAS Program Executive Director Dawn Morris, over 50 percent of the women in the three counties they serve do not have a home or bed for their baby. The EAS Program used to offer new mothers bassinets or baby beds. Due to new laws and regulations, Morris wondered if they were offering a safe or practical bed for mothers who were homeless or in transitional housing.

Let's stay that they were staying with their aunt or a friend, Morris said. Well, they would have to leave and most of them don't have transportation, (so) to take the baby bed was such an issue so either the home owner wouldn't let them take the baby bed or they couldn't figure out a way to get the baby bed from point A to point B. So in doing that, I just talked to my Board of Director's and I said, 'Look, this is a real struggle.' Immediately my board president says, 'Dawn, have you thought about the baby box program?' I immediately (said), 'What are you talking about?' She said she had just read an article online and Finland - their government (gives) every child that is born (there) a baby box. So of course I did my homework and I fell in love with the idea because not only is it a box, but it's everything that the child needs, depending on the size of the child, usually we can make this work for the first 30 days of life.

The baby box serves as a bassinet and also has diapers, onesies, blankets and everything else a child might need.

It is a cardboard box but it is FDA approved - we definitely did our homework on that. Morris said. That's why we go through (a) baby box company... because everything of theirs has been tested and approved. But it is a cardboard box and everything comes in the box: the pacifiers, a swaddler, a health kit, a pair of socks, a bib, washcloths, wipes, a diaper kit and even a little book. (Also), after the child has outgrown that box many of the women we work with have nothing (from) when their child was younger - No baby pictures, no first picture at preschool or even Sunday School and that kind of blew my mind. So what we do is we even give her information about making that box then become that child's memory box. Everything that's worth keeping of that child's should fit in that box.

Before becoming a memory box, it serves as a safe sleeping place for the baby.

So many times too, the women we work with, they co-sleep with their babies." Morris said. Since I've been working here at the agency, we have lost two babies to co-sleeping. Just being uneducated and we've all done it - We've all made that mistake of just laying our baby on the couch with us or on our chest but then you fall asleep - it's very dangerous and then, of course, the issue with SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome). So, overall, it's been a wonderful additive to the program.

While it is known as the Baby Box, Morris has a different name for it.

We take referrals on this several different ways, Morris said. It could be the hospital or it could be another agency that knows that a mother gave birth and doesn't have something for the baby to sleep in. I call it the Box of Love - as we're taking it and we're delivering it to these newborn babies and getting to see the mom and getting to provide such a needed item for her baby. Actually that (name) started from one of the nurses when I delivered (it), she says, 'Dawn, every time you walk in here with that box, all I think of is that box is so full of love.

The Elizabeth Ann Seton Program will accept monetary donations or donations of baby items for the boxes. The Litchfield EAS Office is at 309 South State Street and their phone number is (217) 324-3270.

For more information on how the baby box started in Finland, check out this article: Why Finnish babies sleep in cardboard boxes

Also, here's a link to an Elizabeth Ann Seton Program newsletter with a feature about their baby boxes: EAS Newsletter.Thomack 2/23/16

An intern is helping the city of Hillsboro and Imagine Hillsboro reach their goals. Mary Fuller is originally from a small town in southwest Iowa, she attended Iowa State, served in the Peace Corps for three years in Zambia, went back to school and is currently participating in the Peace Corps Fellows program through Western Illinois University. As a part of the Fellows Program, the second year is spent doing an internship in a rural community. According to Fuller, she's here for her internship because Hillsboro took part in the mapping program through the Illinois Institute for Rural Affairs Program.

Through that mapping program, kind of the next step is to implement the things that are planned during a set of meetings, Fuller said. So I'm here now to kind of help keep moving that process forward and facilitate all the projects and ideas that people had while they were taking part in this mapping project.

According to Fuller, the mapping project is a chance for communities to plan toward where they want to be in the future.

So in a lot of ways it's very different from hiring a consulting firm and paying them thousands of dollars to come in and tell you what your community needs, Fuller said. Whereas the mapping project - you sit down with people from the community - there were old people, young people, professionals, just all sorts of different people from different walks of life at these meetings that all have one thing in common: that they love Hillsboro, (that they) want to see Hillsboro become even better in the future. So it really takes a look at what your community has, what your community wants, how your community can get to what they want and really accomplish their goals and set it out in a very well-planned and strategic thought-out way. So they have all these plans and what resources they have to actually accomplish these goals and I'm one of the resources now.

Fuller's internship lasts until December. One of the main goals during her time here is to help Hillsboro grow and develop.

There are a few restrictions on what I can do, mostly around fundraising. Fuller said. So I can't write you a grant, I can't give you any money, but if you need help with any sort of business training we can try that. The disaster planning and emergency management is kind of a big thing so if your business needs an emergency plan I can certainly work with you on that. If you want to volunteer, we can hook you up with a volunteer opportunity of some sort. That's the thing, it's so broad it can basically be anything as long as it's serving that community economic development is it helping Hillsboro grow, is it helping Hillsboro become a better place in some aspect.

You can hear the full interview with Mary Fuller here: Around Montgomery CountyThomack 3/2/16

A countywide tornado exercise will take place today. March is Severe Storm and Tornado Awareness month for the state of Illinois. Diana Holmes is the Montgomery County Emergency Management Agency Coordinator. Holmes says there will be a countywide tornado exercise at 10 this morning as a part of the yearly statewide exercise offered through the Illinois Emergency Management Agency.

They ask that every county has their schools, hospitals (and) nursing homes participate in a tornado exercise. Basically all they want them to do is go through their policy on tornado preparedness and what they would do in case of a tornado for those areas.

Another purpose of Severe Storm and Tornado Awareness month is to remind families of the importance of making their own disaster preparedness plan.

It's just a request or suggestion that each family do a tornado plan just like the fire folks ask them to do a fire plan. So everybody knows what their role is, where they're going to meet if the house is destroyed or if they have to evacuate - where the meeting place is - that type of thing.

According to the Montgomery County EMA, should a major event occur, it would take about 72 hours for state and federal resources to come in to help. The EMA encourages families to make sure they have a plan and to practice that plan at least once or twice a year with their family. For more information, call the EMA office at (217) 532-9560 or go to the IEMA Website.Thomack 3/1/16