[front page photos of project at Jefferson School]

At Jefferson School

This morning at 9, District 27 school officials, Mayor Joan Ritter, Jefferson students and other community members celebrated the local volunteer help that created a unique children's garden at Jefferson School in Lincoln.

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Logan County farmers are finally getting to roll in earnest on a countywide basis. Earlier, there was quite a bit of field activity in the southern portion of the county, but producers in the northern half were at a standstill in many instances. It’s always hard to estimate planting percentages when some are done planting and others haven’t started, but the 50 percent level should come close for our corn acres. This lags behind averages for the last three years by up to 30 percent. 

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(Note: April 23, 2000, was a Sunday. No LDN files available for that date.)

(Note: April 22, 2001, was a Sunday. No LDN archive files available for that date.)

Two years ago

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The greater majority of you are taking something for granted this very second. You are reading. Did you know that a 12th-grade literacy level is needed to read and fully comprehend a newspaper article? A National Adult Literacy Survey conducted in 1992 by the Department of Education found that 21 to 23 percent of the adults in the U.S.A. function well-below the fifth-grade level – known as "level one" – in basic reading, writing and computational skills necessary for functioning in daily life.

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First, the obvious: It’s thunderstorm season. I know this because my dog is currently at my feet under my desk, whimpering and trying to hide from the storm (I have turned the computer off and am writing my article out longhand on a legal pad). The phones are out, and the lights are flickering.  What you may not know or realize is that every electronic device in your home or office is potentially in great danger every time you hear that thunder and see that lightning. Computers, stereos, television sets, VCRs and all the other hi-tech gizmos that enhance our lives are in danger of being damaged beyond repair by lightning. Especially computers!

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[stories]

The Tropics reopens with a new look and new menu

The Tropics Steak & Pasta House at 1007 Hickory Drive, on historic Route 66, has been open under the management of Tim Dalipi for two weeks, serving a mixed menu of Italian and American dishes.

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No, it isn’t Ireland,

..."land of the green." It’s spring in Logan County. Scenes from along Route 121 near Mount Pulaski.

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Plans for Elementary School District 27’s new Central School are almost complete, and Superintendent Robert Kidd hopes construction on the new building can start in August or September.

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Approximately 20 Lincoln Christian College students really raised the roof on their spring vacation last week. They literally raised a roof at the newest Logan County Habitat for Humanity house, located near the end of Vine Street in Mount Pulaski. The crew worked from April 5 through April 12.

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Two years ago

In an old red barn on State Route 10, a rural Lincoln man works to restore pieces of the past and create custom-made future heirlooms.  When he’s not in out of town working on a project, Lon Simpson Jr., owner of Simpson Woodworks, can usually be found in his sawdust-filled workshop – bending, carving, sawing and sanding pieces of poplar, pine and other wood into custom trimwork, fireplace mantels, architectural columns and furniture. Whether he’s crafting a built-in oak hall tree to give a new house a slice of vintage character or carefully reproducing porch balusters to restore a Victorian home, the retired Army major is in his element.

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The president of the Illinois State Chamber of Commerce updated local Chamber members Wednesday on issues before the state legislature that may impact local businesses.

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Lincoln College Theatre Department opens the final performance of the season, "Picasso at the Lapin Agile," on Thursday, April 19.
"Picasso at the Lapin Agile" is a comedy written by Steve Martin. The preposterous play places Albert Einstein and Pablo Picasso in a Parisian café in 1904, before the renowned scientist transformed physics with his theory of relativity and the celebrated painter set the art world afire with cubism.

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Two years ago

Tracy Cline is passionate about two things – gardening and antiques. The 27-year-old Atlanta woman has parlayed these two passions into a successful second career with her business, Garden of Thyme Co., which sells unique home and garden accessories.

The city of Lincoln is observing Arbor Day 2000 by planting trees at two nursing homes, Maple Ridge Care Centre and St. Clara’s Manor. The trees are Aristocrat pear trees, ornamentals planted for the residents of the nursing homes to enjoy.

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Citizens in Lincoln will join thousands of individuals around the country as part of the National Trust’s Historic Preservation Week celebration. "Taking the Past Into the Future" is the theme of the week, with events scheduled May 7-14.

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How well do you know your elected and appointed officials in Lincoln and Logan County? Check today’s crossword to find out.

[crossword puzzle]

National Arbor Day celebration

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The Logan County Board voted 9-4 to rescind their Jan. 16 vote to remain at large for purposes of electing board members. The board then voted, also by a 9-4 margin, to adopt the district form of election process.

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One way or another, change must come to Lincoln’s Central School. Built in 1915, the venerable structure must either be replaced or modified to meet the needs of today’s children and the safety measures required by the state of Illinois. Whatever the change is to be, the teachers who work in the building have drawn up a "wish list" they believe would provide the best educational setting for the children they serve.

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Joanne Durchslag didn’t come all the way from Federal Way, Wash., just for the food at Mary’s, but accompanying her parents, Edith and Jim Geary, to their favorite morning place was certainly a side benefit. "We come here for coffee about every morning," says Jim Geary, "and on Saturdays we usually have breakfast. It’s the best bacon and eggs in town."

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"I always knew music was going to be my life," says Tony Corpus. "And I knew when I was in high school I wanted to teach music." As the band instructor at Lincoln Community High School for the past nine years, he’s teaching music, and as a drummer for two different jazz bands, he’s making music. In addition, he’s teaching the jazz he loves to some of his regular band students.

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[spring photos] 

96.3 is on the air

The double-wide trailer sits on Lazy Row in Atlanta. The tall, painfully thin transmission tower that is sending songs throughout central Illinois stands in quiet vigilance next to the structure. A chain-link fence surrounds the graveled property waiting to be covered in asphalt when the weather is good enough. Inside the building, workers toil to assemble modular furniture as plumbing, electrical and carpeting tasks wait to be completed.

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Who’s on first?  County board decision Tuesday may not tell us

The straw vote at last Thursday’s Logan County Board meeting shows us that the change from at-large representation to districts is not as easy as some would have us believe.
That doesn’t mean it shouldn’t happen. How the county is broken into districts, however, is probably more important than the decision to go that route actually is.

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Two years ago

Tina Workman named YMCA's top volunteer

Wins Larry Crisafulli Award at annual charter banquet

Described as a constant worker, behind-the-scenes organizer and avid YMCA booster, Tina Workman received the Larry Crisafulli Award at the Lincoln Area YMCA’s fourth annual charter dinner Saturday night at the Maple Club. The award, for excellence in volunteering, is named for the local Y’s first president, Dr. Larry Crisafulli, who attended the event.

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Relay for Life raises money for cancer research

It is said that love makes the world go around. And with love, comes service. This past weekend the Logan County Unit of the American Cancer Society held its third annual Relay for Life at the Lincoln Park District facility. About 55 teams participated in the local event. Kathy Blaum and Mary Ellen Martin, co-chairs, spent countless hours planning, preparing and participating in this year’s walk-a-thon, which raises money for cancer research. Both women are cancer survivors.

[story]

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