Philo - The Philo 150th Anniversary Celebration committee will have its first meeting tomorrow at 1 pm in the R E Franks Center Boardroom. This will be the first in the series of many to plan for a festival and celebration in summer 2025, said village board member David Happ.
"I'm asking anybody interested in serving on the committee or if they have ideas to share, to come," Happ said.
Named after Philo Hale, the Philo Township was created in 1859 and the Village of Philo was incorporated 16 years later in 1875. The earliest census listed the population at 291. Today's population is around 1,421 according to Data USA.
Once established over the next couple of months, the committee will meet monthly.
"Tomorrow, we are trying to get a feel of who would be willing to serve on the committee," Happ said, hoping to add more names to the few on his list so far who have expressed an interest in helping plan the event over the next year.
For more information, contact David Happ at (217) 417-3128.
Philo 150th Anniversary Committee to hold first meeting
Philo - The Philo 150th Anniversary Celebration committee will have its first meeting tomorrow at 1 pm in the R E Franks Center Boardroom. This will be the first in the series of many to plan for a festival and celebration in summer 2025, said village board member David Happ.
"I'm asking anybody interested in serving on the committee or if they have ideas to share, to come," Happ said.
Named after Philo Hale, the Philo Township was created in 1859 and the Village of Philo was incorporated 16 years later in 1875. The earliest census listed the population at 291. Today's population is around 1,421 according to Data USA.
Once established over the next couple of months, the committee will meet monthly.
"Tomorrow, we are trying to get a feel of who would be willing to serve on the committee," Happ said, hoping to add more names to the few on his list so far who have expressed an interest in helping plan the event over the next year.
For more information, contact David Happ at (217) 417-3128.
C-U Pride Fest Parade Saturday
URBANA -- The annual Champaign-Urbana Pride Fest Parade will be held this Saturday, October 1, starting at 11am in Urbana. The route will start on the corner of Busey and Green Street and head east on Green to downtown Urbana.
Judges for this year's parade are Xander Hazel, Executive Director of the Champaign Center Partnership, long-time local radio personality Diane Ducey, and Berry Stevenson, the Executive Director of the Greater Community AIDS Project. Judges will review entries as they pass from under a tent on the corner of Race and Elm.
This year's awards include the Best Float/Vehicle, Best Marching Group, and an Overall Best of Show. Winners will be announced at the Fair Stage in downtown Urbana at 12:30pm.
Parade route
100 participate at MLK Walk for Peace in Urbana
Just over one hundred people joined together to walk from Crestwood Park to Larson Park in Urbana for the MLK Walk of Peace on Monday. The event, commemorating the life and sacrifice of the Reverend Martin Luther King, was co-sponsored by the City of Urbana, HV Neighborhood Transformation, Housing Authority of Champaign County/Youth Build, The Urbana Free Library, the Urbana Park District, and the Urbana Rotary Club. "We know the sacrifices he and countless others made for the betterment of us as African-Americans and society itself," said Maurice Hayes, Executive Director of HV Neighborhood Transformations. "So often, our kids are misled by the wrong things. It will take us as adults in the room to lead them in a different direction to prosperity and to grow success."
Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks
Six Urbana high school students to receive MLK scholarship award
Urbana senior Ziniera Edwards take a shot for the Tigers from the free throw line during the Turkey Tournament in St. Joseph last November. She and five other Urbana seniors were named King Scholars this week.
(Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks)
Christmas Parade in Philo December 4
The parade will make its way through town starting at 7 p.m. on December 4. Organizers are tying up one last detail before releasing the official route, which should be announced in the next week.
"We selected a route that allows for plenty of parking and open spaces to allow for social distancing," Pioletti said. "We need to confirm that we can use one more space before the map is posted."
The organizers want to light up the streets of Philo to put fellow residents in a festive, holiday mood and infuse the Christmas spirit throughout the village.
"We would like to take this time to invite you to participate in what we believe will be an exciting and memorable parade!" organizers said in a release. "We hope you will take the opportunity to decorate your golf cart, car, etc. with lights and festive decorations!"
It is not too late for your business or organization to register a float for the parade. There is no fee for this year's participants as there will not be a judged competition or entry contests.
The applications for entries are due November 20. All parade motorized entries must have a "lighted component to the float". In the event of severe and potentially dangerous weather - ice or snowstorm, driving rain with lightning - the parade will be cancelled.
One more thing - Santa imposters will not be permitted on parade entries. The official Santa Claus will be there and will appear at the end of the procession.
For more information contact Julie Pioletti at piolett1@yahoo.com or call 217.649.2156.
Spectators are asked to observe the current public health recommendations during the parade.
Winners named in The Sentinel Halloween photo contest
There were cute ones, there were silly ones and scary ones. We received 42 entries for The Sentinel's first-ever Halloween photo contest.
First off, a special thank you to Blondies for their generous donation to help make this contest possible.
Second, The Sentinel would like to thank everyone who entered the contest. You made it a difficult challenge selecting our top three winners which is why it took so long to make today's announcement. It was so difficult that The Sentinel made a witching hour decision to add one new category!
With so many cute baby and toddler photos, we created a separate catergory for those entries. We selected two runner-up photos and winner, each will receive a $25 Sentinel gift certificate good toward the purchase of a Signature Announcement. The winner of the Best Picture award will receive a $50 Sentinel gift certificate.
Runner-up for the Toddler category
Right: Hannah, the Narwhal, age 6 months from St. Joseph - - - Left: Little Pumpkin
Best Picture in the toddler category
Maddox, age 3, and Carter, age 1, dressed as Harry Dunne and Lloyd Christmas from Dumb and Dumber.
Finalists for the best costume of 2020
3rd Place
$25 Sentinel Gift Certificate
$25 Sentinel Gift Certificate
Briley, age 6, from Muncie, IL, vampire
2nd Place
$50 Sentinel Gift Certificate
$50 Sentinel Gift Certificate
Kai, age 11 from Mooresville, NC, Covid-19 Cell
1st Place
$75 Gift Card to Blondies
$75 Gift Card to Blondies
Emily (left) & Emma (right), both 15 years old and St. Joseph, portray the twins from Stephen King’s The Shining
Best handmade costume of 2020
$25 Sentinel Gift Certificate
Little Sully
See all of this year's entries here:
2020 Halloween Costume Photo Contest Gallery
2020 Halloween Costume Photo Contest Gallery
St. Joseph to host Halloween parade
The walking parade - sorry no motorized modes of transport will be allowed - will march through the downtown area starting at 10:30am. Parents and pets on a leash are welcome to join in the fun the mayor said.
"Parents will be asked to help keep the kids moving along the parade route and to keep the kids safely distanced from the others," she said. "Hopefully we will have a beautiful day for the kids to enjoy a fun fall tradition."
The parade will start and end at the Municipal Building. Participants are asked to show up at 10:15 to line up.
The route will leave the building area and head east on the south side of Lincoln Avenue.
"We will cross Lincoln at Country Chics and continue on the north side of Lincoln. Once we get to Main Street, we will walk past Busey Bank east down the alley by the grain elevator to the Library. Then back to Mai through alley past the Apothecary. We will cross Main at that location. After crossing the street, we will stay on the sidewalk and will continue past the IGA on the west side of Main all the way back to the Municipal building."
Streets will not be blocked off for automobile traffic except when the marchers are crossing the street.
"We will have someone to hold traffic when crossing any streets and will keep the kids from gathering together in groups," Mayor Fruhling-Voges said.
Along the way, businesses that want to participate can set up a table near the sidewalk so that the kids can walk past and safely grab a treat. Parade participants should not enter buildings.
Paraders are asked to wear masks and hand sanitizers will be made available.
Easter-ween this Saturday in Ogden
The Old High School Park at 300 North Market Street in Ogden will be the site of Easter-ween this Saturday starting at 10am.
The egg hunt, originally scheduled for April 11, was postponed until this weekend due to the Shelter-in-Place Executive Orders issued by Governor Pritzker to mitigate the spread of the coronavirus.
In late March, Ogden trustee Sue Esposito told The News-Gazette that the village had no intent in canceling the event.
"We are going to just delay it, " she said. "So if we have an egg hunt in November or even December, whatever. ... There’s $700 worth of candy, eggs and money. That’s a lot. We’re not just going to give it up."
The Village of Ogden will provide Halloween bags to egg hunters.
Sentinel area trick-or-treat hours for Halloween 2020
Below are the hours set for trick-or-treating for Halloween 2020 in the communities The Sentinel covers.
Ogden:
Saturday, October 31 from 6 to 8 p.m.
Philo:
Saturday, October 31 from 6 to 8 p.m.
Sidney:
Saturday, October 31 from 5 to 8 p.m.
Saturday, October 31 from 6 to 8 p.m.
Tolono:
Saturday, October 31 from 5 to 7 p.m.
This story is amended or updated as The Sentinel receives information from village officials. Updated 10/21/20
Halloween parade, trunk-or-treat set for Tolono
The Tolono Fun Day group will host a Halloween parade starting at 3pm in Tolono on October 31. Open to walkers as well as to decorated floats, vehicles, tractors and golf cars, the parade will start at East Side Park and wind through town to West Side Park.
Participants are asked to line-up for the parade starting at 2:45pm at East Side.
"This is our first year doing anything like this," said Brian Booher, one of seven members of the group running the Halloween event. "We’re really not sure what our turnout will look like. It’s peaked the interest of some local businesses this time, too."
Booher, who lives in Tolono and graduated from Unity High School, said past participation in similar events has been modest, but with the parade open various vehicles, he is hoping for more participation and a decent size crowd along the route.
Our past golf cart parades we got around 20 carts," he said. "With this parade also being open to vehicle, bike, and walkers, we hope to get a little bit larger turnout."
Once the procession reaches its destination at West Side Park, there will be a Trunk-or-Treat event for kids to enjoy.
"Trunk-or-Treat is where folks will decorate their car trunks or back of golf cart with some Halloween decorations and hand out candy to the kids," Booher said. "I personally have never participated or seen one before, but I’m told it’s fun."
Hours and guidelines set for Halloween 2020 in St. Joseph
St. Joseph will be hosting a village-wide Halloween contest for trick-or-treaters and residents.
Entries can be submitted through the Village office overnight slot by the front door or in-person during regular Village office hours. They may also be sent via emailed to mayor@stjosephillinois.org.
We are asking those participating in giving out candy this year to get creative in how they deliver candy to the trick or treaters. The trick or treaters can submit those homes to the Village office on the Monday after Halloween," Mayor Tami Fruhling-Voges said in a release today. "I thought this would be fun to encourage social distancing while distributing candy. The village has some very creative community members that hopefully will enjoy coming up with something."
Homeowners and trick-or-treaters are encouraged submit a photos with a description of the delivery system. The village will also accept description of how homeowners handed out candy and treats to trick-or-treaters if they are unable to print a photo in time. The description should the address and homeowners name if possible."
With guidance from the Champaign-Urbana Public Health District, the Village President said the board will make an official proclamation at the next meeting to allow trick-or-treating on Saturday, October 31, from 6pm and 8pm.
Here is the complete list of guidance from the Village to help make this Halloween fun and safe for the community:
COVID-19 TRICK-OR-TREATING GUIDELINES
"Trick-or-treating hours in the Village of St. Joseph will be from 6-8 p.m. on Saturday, October 31. The use of face coverings, hand sanitizer, and social distancing (at least 6 feet) from others will always be required (per IDPH Guidelines), when outdoors while participating or chaperoning."Trick-or-treating will be challenging amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic this year and may look different from previous Halloweens. However, for those who ARE welcoming trick-or-treaters to their home, leave your porch lights on to indicate you are participating. If you do not have a porch light, place a clearly marked sign welcoming trick-or-treaters or indicating you are not participating. For trick-or-treaters, if you do not see a home with a porch light on or a sign posted, we ask that you respect the wishes of those homeowners by bypassing those residences.
"If you and your family do decide to trick-or-treat this Halloween, here are a few guidelines to follow that will help protect our community and accommodate a safe Halloween experience for both participants and non-participants:
Trick-or-Treaters and Those Giving Candy:
"If you have COVID-19, developed symptoms consistent with COVID-19, are under quarantine, have been exposed to someone with COVID-19, or are in a higher risk category, you should not participate in in-person Halloween festivities. 1. Wear a mask – Incorporate a mask or face covering into your costume. Please remember that rubber or plastic masks do not offer any protection from the virus, so have a protective cloth mask layered into a costume’s decorative mask. 2. Practice good hand hygiene – If you choose to go house to house for trick-or treating or give treats, be prepared to practice good hand hygiene. Bring along hand sanitizer to use before you move from one location to another. A suggestion for those giving treats; give to a single person to limit contact with others. Also wash your hands as frequently as possible. 3. Maintain social distances – While it is fun to go trick-or-treating with friends, due to the COVID-19 risk, keep the group limited to family members who are within your protected “bubble”. Gathering in groups with people from outside your household increases the risks. When you are walking around with your child, you do not want to go into a big group of people or into crowded areas. Please remember that keeping social distance (at least 6 feet) from others is important to limiting the spread of the virus. Those passing out treats consider alternative ways to limit contact with trick-or-treaters. Be creative and inventive! *The Village is sponsoring a contest to see who can create the safest, imaginative, and clever way to deliver your candy. Encourage your trick-or-treaters to nominate your home and delivery system to the Village office on Monday. Nominations can be written on a piece of paper and placed in the overnight mail slot or dropped off on Monday. The winner will receive a gift card from one of our local businesses. 4. Avoid “Face to Face” exposure – Interactions at any given doorway or front porch should be very brief and as limited as possible, which will help reduce the risk of exposure. Trick-or-treaters and those giving candy should always wear their mask. 5. Avoid eating candy while trick or treating – Encourage trick-or-treaters to be sure hands have been sanitized before opening and eating candy. Those giving out candy can consider this a diet saver. Wash Your Hands Frequently!! 6. Porch light must be on – If a homeowner is participating, they will keep their porch light on. If they do not have a porch light, they will have a clearly marked sign welcoming trick-or-treaters or indicating they are not participating. This is long-standing basic Halloween etiquette. If no light is on, do not go to that home. A yard light, common in many subdivisions, that usually comes on automatically at dusk is not considered a porch light and should not be an indication that it is ok to go to your door. Those Not Participating Keep Your Porch Light Off!! If Your Porch Light Cannot Be Shut Off, clearly mark Your Porch or Front Door "NO TRICK OR TREATING"!! AS ALWAYS DRIVE SAFELY, USE THE SIDEWALKS, BRING A FLASHLIGHT, AND LOOK BEFORE CROSSING THE STREET. HAVE A SAFE AND HAPPY HALLOWEEN!" Tami Fruhling-Voges, Village President and The St. Joseph Village Trustees."Community group organizes Juneteenth celebration in St. Joseph
A peace walk is scheduled for this Friday, June 19, at 6:10pm starting on the Northeast corner of US 150 and Main Street in St. Joseph to celebrate Juneteenth. Participants should arrive at 6pm or earlier prior to the start of the march.
Members of SJOnward, a local community group promoting diversity, inclusion, and racial equality in St. Joseph-Ogden and surrounding towns, will lead a procession through town stopping at least once for eight minutes and 46 seconds to pay homage to George Floyd, and African-American man in Minneapolis who was allegedly killed by an on-duty police officer in a video captured by a 17-year-old onlooker.
Juneteenth commemorates the day when Union general Gordon Granger read federal orders in Galveston on June 19, 1865, that anyone held in bondage in the state of Texas were free. The day is also known as Freedom Day, Jubilee Day or Cel-Liberation Day. Despite that the Emancipation Proclamation was signed nearly two years and six months earlier, a large number of Americans, especially in remote areas of the country, continued to endure slavery due to the lack of availability of Union trips to enforce the Abraham Lincoln's executive order.
After walkers arrive at Kolb Park, there will be a speaker talking about the cultural and historical significance of Juneteenth, information about the history of sundown towns and how this has shaped perspectives of our community. Other speakers will be on hand to discuss their personal experiences with racism in St. Joseph and beyond.
Organizers ask that participants observe social distancing precautions by wearing a mask and keep a six foot distance from others as much as possible.
For more information visit the event page on Facebook here.
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