Central Illinois braces for potential ice storm
(Weather update issued 3:08 p.m. Thursday)

[FEB. 13, 2003]  A significant winter storm is expected to affect central and southeastern Illinois late tonight through Friday night.

A storm system will get organized across the southern Rockies tonight, then begin tracking eastward toward the region on Friday. As a result, precipitation will develop across southwestern Illinois late tonight, then spread across the remainder of the region Friday morning. Enough cold air will be present at low levels of the atmosphere for the precipitation to begin as freezing rain. Surface temperatures are expected to remain at or below freezing throughout the day along and north of Interstate 74, creating a prolonged period of freezing rain. Further south, along and north of a Springfield-to-Mattoon line, temperatures may rise a few degrees above freezing Friday afternoon, allowing the precipitation to change over to rain. South of I-70, temperatures will rise above freezing by noon, allowing the change over to rain to occur earlier.

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For the counties of Cass, Christian, DeWitt, Logan, Macon, Menard, Morgan, Piatt, Sangamon and Scott, including the cities of Beardstown, Clinton, Decatur, Jacksonville, Lincoln, Monticello, Springfield, Taylorville, Virginia and Winchester:

Freezing rain will develop across the area by dawn Friday. The precipitation will continue throughout the morning hours, with ice accumulations of around one-quarter inch possible. The precipitation may change to rain for a period Friday afternoon before changing back to freezing rain Friday night.

An ice storm warning is issued when significant accumulations of ice are expected. The ice may down trees and power lines, resulting in widespread power outages. Travel will be extremely dangerous if not impossible. People in the warned area are advised not to travel.

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For the counties of Clark, Coles, Cumberland, Douglas, Edgar, Moultrie and Shelby, including the cities of Charleston, Marshall, Mattoon, Paris, Shelbyville, Sullivan, Toledo and Tuscola:

Freezing rain will develop across the area Friday morning. The precipitation will continue into the early afternoon hours, with ice accumulations of around one-quarter inch possible. The precipitation may change to rain for a period Friday afternoon before changing back to freezing rain Friday night.

An ice storm warning is issued when significant accumulations of ice are expected. The ice may down trees and power lines, resulting in widespread power outages. Travel will be extremely dangerous if not impossible. People in the warned area are advised not to travel.

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For the counties of Champaign, Fulton, Knox, Marshall, Mason, McLean, Peoria, Schuyler, Stark, Tazewell, Vermilion and Woodford, including the cities of Bloomington, Canton, Champaign, Danville, Eureka, Galesburg, Havana, Lacon, Lewistown, Mason City, Pekin, Peoria, Rantoul and Rushville:

Freezing rain will develop across the area Friday morning. The precipitation will continue into Friday evening, with significant ice accumulations of one-quarter inch or greater possible. The precipitation will then change to snow Friday night. Some snow accumulation will be possible before the precipitation tapers off early Saturday.

A winter storm warning is issued when heavy snow or ice is forecast to accumulate in the affected area, causing hazardous driving conditions. People with travel plans in the warning area are advised to choose an alternate route or, if travel is unavoidable, should use extreme caution.

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For the counties of Clay, Crawford, Effingham, Jasper, Lawrence and Richland, including the cities of Effingham, Flora, Lawrenceville, Newton, Olney and Robinson:

Freezing rain will develop across the area Friday morning. The precipitation will change to rain by noon as temperatures rise above the freezing mark.

A freezing rain advisory is issued when ice accumulations are expected to cause problems with driving and walking but no damage to trees or power lines.

[3:08 p.m. Thursday news release]

Central Illinois braces for potential ice storm

(Weather update issued 3:26 a.m. Thursday)

[FEB. 13, 2003]  An extended period of freezing rain is possible across central Illinois late Thursday night and Friday.

A weather system moving across the southwestern states Thursday morning is expected to strengthen as it tracks into the southern Plains by late tonight and into the Ohio River Valley on Friday. Abundant moisture with this system will interact with a cold air mass across the mid-Mississippi and Ohio River Valley to bring a wintry mix of precipitation to central Illinois, with an extended period of freezing rain possible late tonight and Friday.

For the counties of Cass, Champaign, Christian, Coles, DeWitt, Douglas, Edgar, Fulton, Knox, Logan, Macon, Marshall, Mason, McLean, Menard, Morgan, Moultrie, Peoria, Piatt, Sangamon, Schuyler, Scott, Shelby, Stark, Tazewell, Vermilion and Woodford, including the cities of Beardstown, Bloomington, Canton, Champaign, Charleston, Clinton, Danville, Decatur, Eureka, Galesburg, Havana, Jacksonville, Lacon, Lewistown, Lincoln, Mason City, Mattoon, Monticello, Paris, Pekin, Peoria, Rantoul, Rushville, Shelbyville, Springfield, Sullivan, Taylorville, Tuscola, Virginia and Winchester:

Precipitation is expected to begin across central Illinois very late tonight and continue through the day Friday. Current indications suggest the precipitation will be predominantly in the form of freezing rain at the onset, with freezing rain continuing through much of the morning Friday.

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Some locations will likely warm above the freezing mark by early Friday afternoon, which would diminish the threat of freezing rain and ice accumulation later in the day.

The freezing rain may be mixed with snow or sleet Friday morning, especially along and north of Interstate 72. The wintry mix of precipitation is expected to linger on into Friday night, when the mixture may change back over to mostly snow, mainly north of I-72. Along and south of I-70, the precipitation is expected to be mainly in the form of rain.

There is still some uncertainty as to the exact track of the storm system. Any deviation in the expected track of the storm will alter precipitation amounts and type.

A winter storm watch is issued when severe winter weather is possible but not imminent. At the time, there is a potential for significant snow or ice accumulations. Future driving and walking conditions may become hazardous, so it is important to monitor the latest forecasts.

Stay tuned to NOAA Weather Radio or your local media for the latest concerning this potentially dangerous winter weather situation.

[3:26 a.m. Thursday news release]

[FEB. 13, 2003]  A community time of prayer for our youth is being planned once again. Hundreds poured out in response to the invitation to meet in Scully Park last fall. From youth to grandparents, even those not espousing a religion, all joined in a show of concern for our youth.

[Click here for LDN article about the Oct. 5, 2002, gathering (pictured at right).]

[photos by Jan Youngquist]

Abraham Lincoln birthday celebration

Poetry and art contest winners

[FEB. 13, 2003]  As winds blew cold through Logan County early Saturday morning, children and adults gathered inside the warmth of the Logan County Courthouse. A dozen people milled around, bringing in cakes, modeling 1800s clothing or just waiting for things to get started. A few girls sat in front of a small television watching the Looking for Lincoln video. Lincoln's Logan County Arts and Crafts Guild and the Logan County Railsplitting Association were hosting a birthday party honoring Abraham Lincoln.

The program started a little after 10 a.m., with John Sutton, a member of the guild, acting as master of ceremonies.

Dr. James Sennett, a professor at Lincoln Christian College, gave the invocation. The VFW Post 1756, along with Girl Scout Troop 53, performed an opening flag ceremony. Michael Snyder played taps on the bugle.

After the flag ceremony, students from Zion Lutheran School, dressed in red, white and blue, gave a stirring presentation of the Gettysburg Address. Goosebumps dominated the room at the conclusion.

[Partygoers could watch the Looking for Lincoln video before or after the celebration.]
[Photos by Gina Sennett]

Nancy Saul invited all the children in the room to sit on small carpets on the floor. She told them stories about some of Abraham Lincoln's friends and how they helped his cause of emancipation of slaves.

Finally came the presentation of awards for the Abraham Lincoln art and poetry contest, also sponsored by the guild. The contest was open to all first- through 12th-grade students in Logan County. There were six levels in each of the two categories, and the first-place winner in each received 1800s clothing -- an apron and day cap for the girls, a shirt for the boys. Poetry and art were judged on appropriateness of subject, clarity of message, neatness and technical accuracy.

The poetry entries were judged by the Memories class from The Oasis. Fay Stubblefield represented the class at the birthday party.

Poetry winners

Grades 1-2: Honorable mention went to Mrs. Chamberlain's first-grade students at Washington-Monroe School for their book "If I Were President…" compiled with the help of Mrs. Wiser. The book consisted of photos of the children, which they altered so that they looked like Abraham Lincoln (with a stovepipe hat and black coat), and short statements which the children wrote saying what they would do if they were president. Instead of clothing, the class received a copy of the book "Ellen's Story" by Susan Kirby, which is set in the 1830s and takes place in the New Salem area.

Grades 3-4: There were so many entries in this level that the Memories class decided to award two second-place winners in addition to the first-place winner. First place went to Tina Morrow, fourth grade, from Washington-Monroe School. She received a day cap and apron. Second place was shared by Melyssa Cooper and Brittany Bone, both in third grade and both from Lincoln. They each received a second-place ribbon.

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Grades 5-6: Camillia Bone in fifth grade won first place.

Grade 7: It was originally advertised that entries from seventh- and eighth-graders would be judged together, but due to a lack of high school entries, they were separated. The seventh-grade winner was Rebecca Crider.

Grade 8: Elizabeth Carter won first place.

The art entries were judged by Sue Bidwell, a member of the arts and crafts guild.

Art winners

Grades 1-2: Karley Lance from Chester-East Lincoln

Grades 3-4: Todd Coppinger from Miss Barcolow's fourth-grade class at Northwest

Grades 5-6: Zack Huffer, sixth grade, from Carroll Catholic

Grades 7-8: Rebecca Crider, seventh grade, home-schooled in Lincoln. Because she already received a day cap and apron from the poetry contest, she was given the book "Hattie's Story" by Susan Kirby as an additional prize.

After the winners were announced, Dr. Sennett gave the benediction and everyone was invited to have birthday cake and ice cream and to watch the Looking for Lincoln video.

[Children listen as Nancy Saul tells about some of Abraham Lincoln's friends.]

"The Lincoln's Logan County Arts and Crafts Guild would like to thank all the young people who submitted entries and all the adults who took time to help the young people work on entries for the poetry and picture contest," Bidwell said. "We are so very pleased with the community participation this year that we look forward to an even more exciting event next year.

"We hope the winning students will continue to study the life of Abraham Lincoln and become active in the guild's various activities throughout the year to learn more about life in the 1800s and put their prizes to good use. The prizes were picked to stir interest in the guild and to challenge the students!"

If any of the winners listed above have not picked up their prizes, call Sew Many Friends at (217) 732-4527.

[Dr. James Sennett gave the invocation and benediction.]
[Photo by Jan Youngquist]

[Press release/Gina Sennett]

Tax filing options

[FEB. 13, 2003]  CHICAGO -- The Illinois Department of Revenue urges taxpayers who want to avoid delays in receiving their income tax refunds to use one of Illinois' four electronic filing programs and to file early.

"This will be a difficult year for paying refunds," said acting Director Scott A. Miller. "We are telling taxpayers upfront that there will be delays, while they can do something about it."

The Department of Revenue anticipates that, like last year, it will again have to slow payment of refunds to individuals.

The department projects that the balance in the Refund Fund (the only fund from which income tax refunds can be paid) will force a slowing of refund payments in May. Given the six-week timeline to process paper returns, taxpayers who file on paper in March can expect significant delays.

Electronic returns are processed in a week, and those filed by April 15 should be paid before the slowdown begins.

The Department of Revenue, by law, sets aside a percentage of income tax collections into the Refund Fund. Declining tax receipts and increasing refund demands have left too little money flowing into the fund.

There will be a new demand on the fund this spring when the $150 million borrowed to pay off individual income tax refunds last July must be repaid, just as refunds from paper tax returns are being processed.

Illinois offers taxpayers four electronic filing methods:

1. e-File -- Filing with a tax professional, available to 5.4 million taxpayers.

2. I-File -- Free Internet filing through the Department of Revenue's website, available to 4.6 million taxpayers,

3. TeleFile -- Free filing by touch-tone telephone for taxpayers with simple returns, available to 2.7 million taxpayers.

4. PC File -- Online filing with a package like Turbo Tax or Tax Cut, available to 5.4 million taxpayers.

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The I-File and TeleFile programs all require an Illinois Personal Identification Number. An IL-PIN was assigned to all taxpayers who filed in the last two years and was printed on the label of their tax booklets. The number can be obtained at www.lLtax.com or by calling (800) 732-8866.

Taxpayers can check on their eligibility for electronic filing by asking their tax professional, reading information in their tax booklets or visiting www.lLtax.com.

Electronic filing also offers significant benefits beyond avoiding refund delays.

Electronic filers receive a confirmation number to prove they filed, use secure encrypted transmissions instead of the mail, benefit from edits that prevent errors and assure that attachments are not lost.

The Department of Revenue encourages taxpayers who usually mail a paper return but want to assure timely payment of their refunds this year to use the free Illinois Internet filing program to transmit tax return information.

Taxpayers can complete their Illinois tax return on paper, choose the I-File fill-in form option and simply copy the information from their paper tax return onto the form on the department's website.

Taxpayers will need a completed form, copies of their W-2s and an IL-PIN to complete their filing, which can be done in 15 minutes or less.

The department has used its tax booklets and other mailings and publications to advise taxpayers to use electronic fling to avoid refund delays.

[Illinois Department of Revenue news release]

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