|
 Perhaps the ones who were most hurt by all of
this, outside of financial concerns, were the students in the
county, especially the high school and college seniors who had at
the first of the year been looking forward to so many wonderful
activities and events geared just to them.
There would be no prom for high school seniors. No graduations for
junior high, high school and college students. There was not
supposed to be any graduation parties, no get togethers of any kind.
Only the essential businesses and services were able to stay open.
Even then, the governor had issued orders about the wearing of face
masks and social distancing, saying that there would be
repercussions to any business that did not enforce the rules.
In response to the rule, Logan County Sheriff Mark Landers issued a
statement saying that no one in Logan County would be prosecuted for
not wearing a face mask. At the same time, he explained that there
were state statutes that could and would be enforced, and he
explained what that meant.
Logan County Sheriff will not enforce Governor's Executive Order
regarding face masks - WILL enforce violations of State Statutes
Midway through the month, some small businesses, desperate to save
what they had worked so hard for chose not to obey the governors
orders about the closure of non-essential businesses. The re-opening
of some of those retail establishments, eateries, and bars prompted
a letter from Lincoln Mayor Seth Goodman.
Lincoln
Mayor Seth Goodman
Letter to Lincoln business owners - Pdf
In the meantime, many people were struggling with the loss of
special events for area students. While it would be impossible to
hold a prom, there were options that could be explored for honoring
graduates.
Once again, Logan County figured out how to think outside the box,
and students were publicly recognized, perhaps more than they would
have been in a normal year.
Lincoln Community High School honors Class of 2020 with a parade
Cars at the fairground - crowds downtown - slideshow
The parade arrives in downtown Lincoln - slideshow
And the parade goes on - slideshow
And the parade goes on and on... - slideshow
And the parade goes on and on and on... - slideshow
And the parade goes on and on and on...AND ON - slideshow
Parade concludes with lights & sirens for our seniors - slideshow
LCHS seniors walk across the stage - video presentation to come
later
LCHS seniors walk across the stage for graduation video - slideshow
On Sunday
evening the seniors at Mount Pulaski High School experienced a
unique graduation event. After parading through town, passing all
the schools in the town they may have attended throughout their
early education years, students returned to the high school where
they were handed their diplomas in a 'drive-by" ceremony.
LDN has additional coverage from the MPHS senior parade in today's
edition.
Photo by Teena Lowery
Hilltoppers Class of 2020 get parade and drive-thru diplomas
Students gather in the high school parking lot - slideshow
Awaiting the start of the parade -slideshow
And away they go! - slideshow
Students receive their diplomas from the back of their cars -
slideshow
Mount Pulaski Eighth Grade Promotion Tribute video - Link
Mount Pulaski High School Class of 2020 Graduation video - Link
Claire Coogan - Class President speech
Isabella Wade - Valedictorian speech
Elaine Aylesworth - Salutatorian speech
Mount Pulaski High School Class of 2020 Honors, Awards and future
plans
With Photos
On Friday
morning volunteers were busy placing approximately 500 signs on the
Logan County Courthouse lawn in Lincoln. The signs each contained
the name of a graduating eighth-grader or senior from a Logan County
school.
LDN has additional coverage of the event in today's edition.
Photo by Nila Smith
Graduates honored with signs on the Logan County Courthouse Square
A celebration of graduates on the lawn of the Logan County
Courthouse - Junior High Schools - slideshow
A celebration of graduates on the lawn of the Logan County
Courthouse - Senior High Schools - slideshow
At Lincoln College, eight young students found themselves in a very
unique position. The college had been closed, and students had been
expected to return home and continue their year through remote
education. However, these eight called China home and international
travel had been banned. The kids were caught in their own personal
Twilight Zone, stuck at school, but not technically in school. They
handled it with much grace and patience.
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Students all
around the country have experienced the weirdest and most
unconventional school year in history. For eight young Chinese
students participating in a first-time exchange program through the
McKinnon School of Business at Lincoln College, this is a year they
will never, ever forget. With the coronavirus upon us, most of the
students are still at Lincoln College and unable to return to their
homeland. In today's edition, the group talks about their
experiences at LC during the regular school year and the tremendous
support they have received from campus staff as they shelter in
place in a foreign land.
Photo by Angela Reiners
Chinese students share learning abroad in Lincoln during a global
pandemic
A letter to Lincoln Daily News from Armstrong Zheng
Remote learning dominated days of most young people and their
parents or grandparents. Schools were closed but students were still
expected to continue on with their education. Teachers, kids, and
parents learned quickly how to conduct daily education via school
websites, emails and Zoom meetings.
For younger students and their teachers the lack of contact was a
difficult hurdle. Teachers such as Jenelle Schott continued to find
new ways to connect with their students.
Last Sunday
Jenelle Scott (center) and her parents Jan and Mike Brosamer were on
hand to assist sister and daughter Marci Eads of Mama's Arcade in
putting together a truckload of food for the OACF Sunday lunch.
While waiting to help out, the trio was working on another project.
Scott is a teacher at Chester-East Lincoln School. With school not
in session right now, Scott, like many other teachers, is working to
find creative ways to stay in touch with her students. On Sunday,
the three were putting bags of microwave popcorn into envelopes to
be sent to each of Scott's students.
Scott invited her kids to pop the corn and settle in to watch a
movie with her. While they were all in different locations, they
would still be able to do something together. Scott uses Zoom to
meet with her students, and the movie they are going to watch
together will be played during the class Zoom meeting today.
Photo by Karen Hargis
School clubs and other youth based groups also found ways to keep in
touch and enjoy a bit of time together apart.
On Friday morning, members of
the Mount Pulaski High School FFA and FFA Alumni enjoyed a tractor
drive around the high school.
Annually, FFA students at local high schools are permitted to drive
their tractors to school on one specific day during the school year.
Mount Pulaski FFA Advisor and Ag teacher Ralph Allen wanted to keep
up the tradition in some way. Because school is not in session, the
kids couldn't drive to school, but they could drive around the
school.
Photo by Lisa Ramlow
Mount Pulaski FFA & FFA Alumni Tractor
Parade
Load'em up - Move'em out! - slideshow
Drivers and spectators enjoy the morning - slideshow
On Thursday
evening, Audra Turley and her crew hosted a drive-by greeting event
for her students at Audra's Dance Studio.
Turley said that the kids have not been able to attend classes since
March and she hasn't seen them nearly as much as she would normally.
She said she and her staff miss their students and know that the
students are missing their dance classes.
Turley and her instructors Brande Montgomery and Hope Duffy,
assistants Emma Stoltzenburg, Lydia Roland, and Jayden Lawrence,
along with Turley's daughter Faith enjoyed seeing a number of their
students as they were driven past the studio by their parents.
Photo by Nila Smith
The crew at Audra's enjoy drive-by greetings from dance students -
slideshow
Another demographic that was suffering the hardship of isolation was
our residents in local assisted living and long-term care
facilities. With visits with family no longer allowed, the residents
got the opportunity on occasion to wave through a window to loved
ones, and facility managers made it possible for as many as were
able to spend time using the facetime app on cellphones to get to
see the ones they loved.
In the middle part of May, The Christian Village hosted a parade for
its residents. Friends, family and loved ones gathered in their
vehicles while residents lined the main street into the village
campus. Then, the cars, many decorated with signs and balloons,
drove through the area shouting out and waving to their loved ones.
Christian Village family parade brings cheers and tears of joy
Residents and vehicles line up for the parade - slideshow
A parade of happy faces begin the trip down Seventh Street -
slideshow
Smiles and waves for everyone at the Christian Village Parade -
slideshow
At St. Clara’s Rehab and Senior Care, a different kind of project
was underway in May. A variety of custom made posters were popping
up that featured photos and greetings from family members. The
posters were intended to send love and support to the residents whom
they could not visit in person for the time being.
Recently, a
couple of residents living at St. Clara's Rehab and Senior Care
received these special gifts from family members. The extra-large
photos are designed to go outside on the lawn. It is just one unique
way that families are reaching out to one another during the stay at
home orders implemented by the state in response to Covid-19.
Photo provided by Darcie Culbertson
Back on the birthday trail, there were a couple of youngsters who
enjoyed unique “parties” to celebrate their birthdays. May birthday
celebrations included a Kona-ice party for Cori Clark and a drive-by
parade for the Stone siblings of Mount Pulaski.
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For her 15th
birthday, Cori Clark of Elkhart had big ideas of how she would spend
it with friends. She began months ahead thinking about what she
wanted to do and sharing her desires with her family. The plan had
to include Kona Ices for all her party guests. When the coronavirus
put a halt to large gatherings, Cori and her family hatched another
big plan that included a Kona Ice truck parked in their driveway and
a parade of cars! Cori's dad tells the full story in today's edition
of Lincoln Daily News.
Photo by Teena Lowery
Local diva, Cori Clark, celebrates 15th Birthday in Kona-Ice style
Mount Pulaski Stone siblings share a birthday and a drive by parade
Local groups continued to battle with whether or not they would be
able to host annual events in 2020 as they had in past years.
For many it was a huge disappointment when the Lincoln Park District
announced that with all the restrictions on gathering and social
distancing from the state, it would not be able to host a Fourth of
July celebration. In addition, the park district would not be able
to open the aquatic center for the summer.
Lincoln Park District cancels Fourth of July activities
Aquatic Center will not open this
season
Another annual event, the Route 66 Garage Sales was canceled also.
It was a big disappointment and a huge financial blow when the
Humane Society of Logan County announced that it would not be
hosting its annual garage sale at the Logan County Fairground.
Humane Society cancels annual garage sale for 2020
[to top of second column] |
 As is almost always the case, when our local
organizations are hurting, people step up. So, while it was a
surprise to the HSLC, it was certainly not shocking to learn that a
particular birthday deemed a great donation to the no-kill animal
shelter.
Pet birthday leads to a big donation for the Humane Society of Logan
County
Even under such stressful times as what had been seen in the last
few months in Logan County, there was still a lot of good going on
in the community. Supporting one another is what Logan County
residents do best, and it showed in the daily editions of Lincoln
Daily News.
Toys for Tots provides books for children in the New
Holland-Middletown School District
On Wednesday,
May 20th, Lincoln College staff and volunteers prepared and
delivered meals to a variety of front line workers and first
responders in Lincoln. The Lunches were to say 'thank you' to those
who have given so much of themselves to protect our community from
Covid-19. Meals were delivered to several locations, including the
Logan County Safety Complex, Logan County Department of Public
Health and Abraham Lincoln Memorial Hospital. The meals were also
available for curbside pickup at the Meyer-Evans Student Center on
the campus of Lincoln College.
Photo provided by Lauren Grenlund
Lincoln College says thanks with free lunch for front line workers -
Album
Pink Bows for Healthcare workers go up at ALMH
On Tuesday
morning, our area farmers were at it again at Topflight Grain
Cooperative's Krueger Elevator north of Lincoln. The farmers once
again set to work gathering food for the Lincoln/Logan Food Pantry.
On this day they saw a tremendous outpouring of generosity from
local folks. All totaled, 76 different individuals brought donations
that filled the back of a box trailer. Others brought in cash
donations that came to about $570.
The event was organized by Jeff Elsas, Bill Sahs and the Krueger
Coffee Club. Chelsie Coers with the Logan County Farm Bureau Young
Leaders also came to help out during the drive.
Photos by Karen Hargis and from Facebook
On Wednesday
afternoon, the crew at Graue Chevrolet in Lincoln turned over 12
refurbished bicycles to the Lincoln D.A.R.E. program. The bikes were
taken from the city of Lincoln's unclaimed property pile, checked
over and necessary repairs made by the technicians at Graue. Officer
Christi Fruge of the Lincoln D.A.R.E. will work with local school
teachers and officials to determine who in the community could
benefit from a new bicycle.
Photo provided by Chris Graue
With educational facilities closed early in 2020, a couple of the
institutions took advantage of the time to start renovation projects
in May rather than waiting until later in the year.
Renovation
work started on the LCU Hargrove Chapel on Wednesday. The auditorium
is getting a facelift this summer with new flooring, theater seating
instead of long pew benches and fresh paint.
Seeing the project underway brought back memories for LDN's Karen
Hargis, who is a graduate of LCU. "I came to Lincoln in 1971 to go
to school at LCU (Lincoln Christian College then). That first year
there was no chapel, but big plans were in the making for it. I was
one of the many students that went to help tear down the corn crib
that stood where the chapel is now. I was one of the students that
snuck in while the chapel was being built to watch the massive
construction and to pray. I remember thinking this was Holy ground
back then and even now.
"Thousands have entered that place for chapel service, conferences,
plays, concerts, and even funerals. I wonder how many have had the
same thought about it seeming like Holy ground, and yet I am
reminded that it is not the place that is Holy; it's the Holy One
that hears those prayers. Wherever we are, that place becomes His
holy ground."
Photos by Karen Hargis
Many improvements on the way at LCHS
Summer projects will improve viewer quality at LCHS sports programs
- slideshow
Another big project also got its kick-start in May. An economic
development project in Atlanta had been approved and on the drawing
board since early in 2019. In May, ground was broken on the long
awaited Atlanta truck stop. The travel complex would include fuel, a
convenience store and fast food restaurant.
Atlanta Truck Stop groundbreaking jump starts local economy
By the end of the month, restrictions on businesses began to ease
and Logan County communities began a re-awakening as those
“non-essential” businesses were permitted to re-open with
limitations. Among the limitations was an order from the state that
there would be no indoor seating at restaurants. However, any eatery
able to do so was permitted to offer outdoor dining.
Community leaders began right away working to re-open their cities
and offer assistance to eateries that needed outdoor seating.
Lincoln Aldermen consider how to reopen from coronavirus
City parks playgrounds now open
City of Lincoln offers accommodations for outdoor dining areas for
local bars and restaurants
Cooke Street in Mount Pulaski closed Friday and Saturday evening for
outdoor dining
Downtown Lincoln rolling with the punches and getting back in
business in Illinois’ phase three
For the first time, a new idea sprang up at the Logan County
Fairgrounds. Food trucks were coming in on Monday, Wednesday, and
Friday each week. Nuthatch Hill BBQ and Culler’s Fry fans were
excited to be able to pull in and grab a lunch featuring what is
typically considered fair and festival food.
What could be
better than a great big order of Cullers Fries? How about pairing it
with a tasty BBQ sandwich from Nuthatch Hill BBQ Company? That's
right, you can do precisely that three days a week at the Logan
County Fairground in Lincoln. The two food-truck style businesses
are teaming up to offer another lunch option for the community. Both
businesses will be open at the fairground on Monday, Wednesday and
Friday. Hours for Cullers is 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Nuthatch will be on
hand from 10:30 a.m. until the food runs out.
Photos by Karen Hargis
Public gatherings, with restrictions still in place, were permitted
just in time for Memorial Day. Citizens were encouraged by the
state’s department of public health to observe social distancing and
still wear a facemask to outdoor events. Indoor events were heavily
restricted and for many not worth the effort.
The American Legion in Lincoln hosted its annual Memorial Day
services outside in the Legion parking lot. Seats were placed six
feet apart, and many of the guests either wore their masks or stayed
in their vehicles to witness the ceremony.
American Legion Post 263 Memorial Day Service respectful of past
military and our current situation
American Legion Post 263 hosts Memorial Day Services in Lincoln -
slideshow
Memorial Day events were also held in Mount Pulaski.
Mount Pulaski honors veteran sacrifices with double services
Just in time for Memorial Day, the Lincoln Rotary announced that new
Hometown Hero banners had been placed downtown around the Logan
County Courthouse square. Many enjoyed getting out and taking a look
at the new banners and remembering the veterans portrayed in the
images.
In time for
Memorial Day, the Lincoln Rotary has put up 24 new military Hometown
Hero banners in the downtown Lincoln area. The banners are in
addition to what was put up last year.
LDN has a list of the new banners with their locations and a
slideshow of the new banners in today's edition.
Photo by Nila Smith
Lincoln Rotary adds new banners to Hometown Hero Military Tribute
In time for Memorial Day Lincoln Rotary adds 24 new banners honoring
our Military Heroes - slideshow
Other news
In other news, the Logan County community in general and the Habitat
for Humanity of Logan County specifically lost a very dear friend in
the early part of the month.
It is with
great sadness that today we remember Leonard Krusemark. Leonard was
a great man with a deep love for all people. He was heavily involved
in the Habitat for Humanity of Logan County. He presented each new
homeowner a family Bible at the house blessing and often shared his
words of wisdom gained over his 90 years of life.
Leonard joined the angels on Friday, May 1, 2020.
Photos from LDN archives
The Lincoln Writers Club had planned to have a 20 year anniversary
reception, but that had to be cancelled. Instead, Rebecca Johnson,
the club’s founder wrote a special remembrance article to mark the
date.
Lincoln Writers Club celebrates 20 years
And Lincoln Daily News’ roaming reporter/photographer Curtis Fox
shared his daily walks with readers as he recorded in photos the
awakening of spring in Logan County.
Welcome
Spring!
Even though there are a lot of strange things in our lives right
now, it is good to know that some things always stay the same.
Spring is upon us, and every year, one of the nicest treats for
motorists along Fifth Street in Lincoln is this house with a lovely
blanket of lavender flowers.
Photo by Curtis Fox
Welcome Spring - Spring explodes in Kickapoo Creek Park - slideshow
A walk in the country - Roads and country vistas -
Album
A walk in the country - Buildings - Album
A walk in the country - Animals - Album
As the month of May came to a close, people around the community had
only one thing to say about the coronavirus “We are soooo over
this.” The desire to return our community to normal was strong, and
optimism was high that we were seeing the light at the end of the
tunnel.
On Saturday May 30th, the total number year-to-date of confirmed
cases of Covid-19 in Logan County was 11 with ten reported to have
recovered from the disease.
The governor had implemented a Phase Three re-opening plan
statewide, but the Logan County Department of Public Health was
still urging extreme caution.
Logan County Department of Public Health urges continued caution
So, we said good-bye to May and looked forward to June with the hope
that by late summer our community would be back to what it used to
be. And, for a time, it looked like that could happen. But, the
revelry was short lived as the coming months brought higher
concentrations of the illness within our community.
None the less, the community would push on, doing all that it could
to hold up the people and keep our local businesses going. It is
part of who we are. We stand together and work together and keep
pushing forward. In the coming months that unity would be tested and
would prevail.
[Nila Smith] |
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