Area Covid-19 Dashboard for January 25, 2022

Active Cases:

(Champaign County)

1,953

Total Area Cases:

(Sentinel Area)

767

New Cases:

(Sentinel Area)

135

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Current local cases as of 1/25/22

Number in parenthesis indicates new cases since 1/24/22

Ogden • 15 (6)
Royal • 0 (0)
St. Joseph • 51 (7)
Urbana • 579 (107)
Sidney • 18 (3)
Philo • 20 (1)
Tolono • 59 (6)
Sadorus • 10 (0)
Pesotum • 15 (5)

Net change in local cases: 261

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Total Local Confirmed Cases: 20,848

The information on this page is compiled from the latest figures provide by the Champaign-Urbana Public Health District and the Illinois Department of Public Health at the time of publishing. Active cases are the number of confirmed cases reported currently in isolation. Local is defined as cases within the nine communities The Sentinel covers.

Effective 1/16/22, the CUPHD dashboard updated their reporting parameters to reflect the reduction from a 10-day isolation period to 5 days per the CDC guidance issued last month. Under the previous 10-day policy and based on the data released today, there should be approximately 5,504 residents in isolation.

Recipe: Savory Cuban Chicken with Salsa Fresca

Family Features -- If your family gets stuck in a dinner routine rut, it can feel like you're eating the same recipes over and over again. If you are going to break the mold, try more healthy options.

Committing to healthier habits in the new year often starts in the kitchen. Adding better-for-you recipes to your arsenal is the start of a more nutrition-focused lifestyle, and whether you're a true home chef or just learning the basics, these dishes can be the gateway to a healthier you.

From fresh spins on family night and quick solutions in a pinch to homemade lunches and satisfying salads, consider adding this delicious and nutritious recipe to your home meals menu in 2022. Even adding a new spice like cumin, oregano, or rosemary to your favorite dish can make it seem new again.

This fresh and unique recipe for Cuban Chicken with Salsa Fresca might inspire you to think outside the culinary box and give your family members the delightful, satisfying flavor they desire at dinnertime. It is so delicious they will be begging you to make it again and again. With garden-fresh ingredients and its wholesome flavor, Cuban Chicken is the perfect addition to your menu.

Cuban Chicken with Salsa Fresca

Makes 5 servings

1 cup grapefruit juice
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons garlic powder
2 teaspoons cumin
2 teaspoons paprika
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 1/4 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts

Salsa Fresca:
1 cup grapefruit segments
1/2 jicama, cubed
1/2 red onion, chopped
3/4 cup grapefruit juice
4 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
1 jalapeno pepper, chopped

Instructions:

Heat oven to 400 F.

In large bowl, mix grapefruit juice, oil, garlic powder, cumin, paprika and red pepper until combined. Add chicken to bowl and turn to coat. Refrigerate 30 minutes or longer.

To make salsa fresca: In medium bowl, mix grapefruit segments, jicama, red onion, grapefruit juice, olive oil, cilantro and jalapeno pepper until combined. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Remove chicken from marinade. Place chicken in baking dish. Bake 25-30 minutes until chicken is cooked through.

Serve chicken with salsa fresca.

Find more recipes and family dinner ideas at Culinary.net.

Plan on making this dish? Send us your pictures and we'll feature them on The Sentinel site! Email photos to editor@oursentinel.com.

M.A.S.K. tips & resources can help parents' responsibilites raising their kids

Photo: SOFATUTOR/Unsplash

NewsUSA -- Parenting is hard, and the past year was especially challenging for parents of school-aged kids, as they struggled to juggle their children's virtual school and the loss of many activities and in-person contact with friends.

The goal of MASK (Mothers Awareness on School Age Kids) is to provide resources for parents, children, schools, and communities that address the challenges facing families and empower children to make safe and healthy choices. MASK is a nonprofit organization founded in 2007, and has evolved into a multimedia format that includes a website, a print magazine, an app, a digital learning platform, and a series of YouTube videos.

MASK tackles topics that include managing peer pressure, coping with trauma, and negotiating the peaks and valleys of social media, which can be especially challenging as families restore their networks and return to in-person school and activities.

"MASK programs teach children and their families how to handle the ever-changing landscape that our children are living in," says Kimberly Cabral, CEO, founder, and publisher of MASK.

Parents and their kids can engage with the MASK tools to build life skills and promote self-esteem through any or all of these options:

- MASKMatters app. Download the app on Apple or Google Play (also available in Spanish) for easy access to age-appropriate life skills resources that can be used by students, parents, and teachers.

- MASK Magazine. For those who like their information in print, MASK Magazine is a quarterly parenting manual and is also available through Zinio digital. Each issue focuses on a specific topic, such as Internet safety, with details on how it impacts children from preschool to college.

- MASK E3 Institute: The digital platform for MASK can be used by schools, community organizations, or families at home. The Institute is designed as a series of year-long comprehensive programs for different age groups: MASK Storytime for pre-K children, MASK Academy for kindergarten through sixth grade, MASK Prep for middle and high school students, and MASK Leadership for colleges students. Each of the age-appropriate programs teach kids social skills and educate them about topics such as bullying, drug and alcohol use, and staying safe online.

- MASK + Live: MASK offers a series of YouTube videos featuring feature medical doctors, clinical psychologists, professors, and other child health professionals who share their expertise on parenting and offer advice on physical health, mental health, and enhancing your relationship with your child.

Visit maskmatters.org for more information about the full range of MASK materials and programs.

Photo-of-the-Day: January 25, 2022

ST. JOSEPH -- St. Joseph-Ogden's Logan Ingram and Unity's Will Thompson battle for ball possession during their Illini Prairie Conference game on March 27, 2021. Nearly ten months ago the Spartans prevailed 4-1 over the rival Rockets. Normally played in the fall, the Coronavirus pandemic forced high school sports to be played on a shortened spring schedule. SJO went on to finish the modified season with 4 wins and 8 losses. See more photos from this game here.

Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks

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Health tip: Exercise boosts immunity during winter months

Photo: Nathanael Mosqueda/Pexels

by American Heart Association

DALLAS -— Many people think January is a great time to get a fresh start on a new fitness routine, while many of us in Illinois use the cold weather as an excuse to huddle under the covers on the couch. No matter how you approach the new year, the American Heart Association has some important information about how to get healthy – and stay healthy – when the temperatures start to dip.

"There’s actually some advantages to working out in cold weather – with no heat and humidity to deal with you may be able to work out longer in cold weather which means you can burn even more calories. It’s also a great way to get much needed vitamin D from the sunlight, which can help elevate your mood," said John A. Osborne, M.D., Ph.D., FACC, FNLA, Founder and Director State of the Heart Cardiology, Metroplex Cardiology.

It doesn't matter if you are in downstate Illinois or the northern part of the state, getting out and exercising is good for you.

"Research shows that exercise also boosts your immunity during the cold and flu season, which can be especially important in dealing with possible COVID infection."

Osborne said if you can’t exercise outdoors, there are many online resources available to assist in developing a workout at home, or athletes can still visit a gym or even walk the mall if they use the appropriate precautions to protect against COVID.

If you are heading outdoors for exercise, winter sports like skiing or skating or if you have to shovel your car out of a snow drift, Osborne has some warnings. Aside from some of the well-known cold weather dangers such as frostbite or unsafe driving conditions, there are cardiovascular risks to consider. The cold causes blood vessels to contract and coronary arteries to constrict, which can raise blood pressure, increasing the risk of heart attack and stroke.

Photo: Noelle Otto/Pexels

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"Strenuous activities such as walking through heavy snow or snow shoveling can add stressors to the heart that people aren’t normally used to," said Osborne "Our hearts also have to work extra hard in cold weather to keep a healthy body temperature."

Here are some tips to keep your heart in check during coat season:

Stay active safely: Make sure you wear layers to keep warm while exercising outdoors to avoid cold weather hazards like hypothermia and frostbite and take breaks. It’s important to stay active year-round but make sure you’re not overexerting yourself in winter months. When in doubt, ask your doctor. Here are some tips on how to stay active in cold weather.

Stay hydrated: Just because it’s cold and you may not feel thirsty, it’s just as important to drink water like you would during a warm weather workout. Thirst isn’t the best indicator that you need to drink, even if you aren't sweating as much you still need to hydrate.

Watch out for the added calories in cold weather drinks: Comforting drinks like pumpkin spiced lattes and hot chocolate can be loaded with unwanted sugar and fat.

Get vaccinated: COVID-19 and the flu are especially dangerous for people with cardiovascular disease.

Learn CPR: EMS response times can be slower with inclement weather. More than 350,000 cardiac arrests happen outside of a hospital each ear. If administered immediately after cardiac arrest, CPR can double or triple a person’s chance of survival.

Prep basketball tonight: Unity plays on the road, SJO at home vs STM

Watch tonight's area team live on the NFHS Network

January 25, 2022

ST. JOSEPH-OGDEN HIGH SCHOOL

5:30 PM Boys Junior varsity Basketball vs St. Thomas More 7:00 PM Boys Varsity Basketball vs St. Thomas More

UNITY HIGH SCHOOL

5:30 PM - Boys Junior varsity Basketball @ Central Catholic 7:00 PM - Boys Varsity Basketball @ Central Catholic

Click here to watch these games live or on demand tonight

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