Photo Cottonbro Studio/PEXELS
Parents who read to their babies and young children lay the neurological pathways in the brain for building effective language use as well as reading and writing proficiency.
Eligibility is open to all children under the age of 5 who live in Champaign County, Illinois. Books are sent monthly until the child turns five years old and as long as they live within the covered geographic area. Some titles include Baby! Talk!, Pudgy Pat A Cake, Who Says Quack?, and Look at the Animals for kids born this year to In Our Garden, Wild Horses, You Can Be ABC, Wonder Walker, and I’m Not Scared, You’re Scared for children in the the age four to five group. The Champaign County program is funded by donors via the Community Impact Fund and The State of Illinois. Parton's initiative has gifted over 224,249,899 books since its start in 1995 in Parton's hometown of Sevier County, Tennessee. Studies have shown that kids whose parents or guardians read to them regularly during their early years perform better academically as they progress through the educational system. It is never too early or too late to read to children. Parents interested in registering the children can follow this link to register today. The first book should arrive approximately eight to twelve weeks after registraion and will arrive monthly.
Are you running for a seat on your village board of trustees, an open or contested spot on your school board, or a position on the county board?
The Sentinel is currently welcoming Letters to the Editor from area candidates in Urbana, St. Joseph, Tolono, Ogden, Philo, Sidney, Royal, Ivesdale, and Pesotum who are running for office in the upcoming consolidated election.
Tell us and our readers, in 1,200 words or less, which office you are running for and why. Explain what you hope to accomplish or fix during your tenure, and, of course, why you are the right person to serve them and your community. Submissions that have an axe to grind, threats, senseless tirades, or self-serving advocacy in nature will not be considered for publication.
Please include in your cover email a short note containing your name, address, and daytime/cell phone number. An editor will contact the authors for all submissions prior to publishing to verify that you submitted the letter we have received. A short biography, two sentences at most, to run at the end of your letter would be appreciated but not mandatory.
The deadline for your submission so it is published ahead of Tuesday's election is noon on Thursday, March 30. Email your Letter to the Editor submission to editor@oursentinel.com.
"In the past ten years, CCSAR has participated in several searches in Champaign County, as well as assisting with searches across central Illinois," it said in today's press release announcing this weekend's festivities.
Saturday's family-friendly event will several giveaways and prize drawings. Kids can learn how to survive in the woods if they become lost through the Hug-A-Tree presentation, a program specifically designed for children between the ages of 7 and 11, developed to educate children with a few of the most basic and vital survival principles. The program is also valuable for slightly younger and older children as well.
The open house will also offer various observational skill tests, valuable information on what to take on the trail with you on a hike, and a live demonstration by a tracking dog. A display with the equipment and tools used by the CCSAR team will also be available.
For more information on the event or about Champaign County Search and Rescue, contact John Dwyer at the Champaign County EMA by phone at 217-384-3826 or by email at 
Of the 33 active cases reported by the CUPHD, 15 of those individuals are currently hospitalized. Despite Governor J.B. Pritzker's shelter-in-place order and residents observing social distancing protocols, the number of confirmed cases have risen to 6,980 cases in Illinois.
Virologists and behavioral biologist models expect the pandemic to reach its peak over the next two to three weeks.
The latest data shows that adults between the ages of 31 and 40 make up nearly half of the total infected in the Champaign County.
While no deaths have been reported in the county, more than 140 COVID-19 related deaths have occurred in Illinois.
The website also list five individuals as recovered in the latest data from the public health agency.
Across Illinois as of April 1, the