Winter sports season on the table at IHSA meeting today

The Illinois High School Association Board of Directors will meet in a special session today at 1pm today to discuss the upcoming winter sports season.

On October 28 the IHSA agreed to go forward with the 2020-21 basketball season starting on November 26 as originally planned in August of this year. They told their member schools and the public it was up to the individual school to allow their basketball teams to participate during the pandemic as long as programs followed the guidelines developed by the IHSA Sport Medicine Advisory Committee (SMAC).

One day later, Governor JB Pritzker put the breaks on the 2020-21 basketball season as well all other planned prep winter sports, including wrestling, dance and cheer competition. Anticipating a rise in the state's Coronavirus metrics, Governor Pritzker said those sports would have to be moved to the spring season.

"It is difficult to forecast if it will produce any official action, or (if it) will just be (a) discussion," Matt Troha, Assistant Executive Director at the IHSA wrote in an email to the media this morning. "Regardless, it is my hope to email a recap out by around 3pm."


Former Unity player earns 6th volleyball conference award

Abby Maxwell smiles after a point for the Rockets
Rockets' Abby Maxwell flashes a huge smile during the Unity volleyball team's home match against Rantoul on September 29, 2016. Now a setter at Truett McConnell University in Cleveland, GA, the collegiate standout earned her sixth conference recognition award this week. (Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks)
2017 Unity graduate Abby Maxwell was named Appalachian Athletic Conference Setter of the Week for the sixth time this season.

Now a senior at Truett McConnell University, she is the first TMU athlete has received an AAC weekly award six times in a single season.

Maxwell ranks first in total assists (485), which ranks 15th nationally, and second in most assists per set (9.9), which ranks 12th nationally. She also ranks ninth in total digs in the AAC with 197 and now holds the AAC single game high for most assists and digs in a match, 57 and 40, respectively. She has made over 1,000 digs during her collegiate career. Of the 14 matches played this season, Maxwell has recorded a double-double in all but three.

She also is 32 assists shy of reaching the 3,000th career assists mark.

In high school, Maxwell earned all-conference honors in both volleyball and basketball.


All this is crazy; let's vote earlier

By Glenn Mollette, Guest Commentator


2020 will be remembered for more than we what to remember including the painful November 3 election. Our country was already suffering from the pandemic and all its spin-off problems.

Unemployment, business closings, demise of the travel industry, struggling houses of worship, massive national depression to name a few of the problems. However, great news Pfizer has come up with a vaccine that has been 90% effective in preliminary trials. At this writing this is great news with the stock market on the verge of setting an all-time high. This vaccine has the potential to bring this country out of the house and back to work, school, church, and more.

We also need a vaccine to get us over this election. Most Americans would gladly take a shot in the butt to relieve this pain in the neck election we have just endured or, enduring?

Whoever heard of an election going on for days? Some of the states are still counting. The media has called the election for the states but some states have not verified the vote totals. This is insane.

Most of the states got it right on November 3. They counted the votes that made it to the post office on November 3. No one knows when a letter will show up when mailed on November 3. The letter could show up November 4 or November 10 or later.

Regardless of how you feel about the outcome of the election states like Nevada, Michigan, Georgia, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, North Carolina and Arizona did our country a disservice. Even if you are happy about Joe Biden being elected, surely you aren't happy about the long delay in counting the votes.

For many weeks we have been hearing about swing states that would be allowed more days in getting their mail ballots back to count. But the changes did what everyone knew would happen and that was delay the reporting of election results with the possibility of court fights later.

In North Carolina, the State Board of Elections said ballots postmarked by Election Day would count as long as officials received them within nine days after the election. Nine days!

In Wisconsin, a federal judge similarly ruled that ballots postmarked by Election Day would count as long as officials had them in hand within six days after Nov. 3. A Michigan state judge ruled that absentee ballots postmarked by Nov. 3 would be counted if they arrived up to two weeks after Election Day.

All this is crazy.

Go to the courthouse to verify your voter registration. Receive your one ballot obtained only by showing your identification. Put your ballot in the mail in plenty of time to arrive by November 3. It only takes some planning.

Better yet go early and vote and forget the mail if at all possible. Between now and the next election we have to come up with a federal election policy that requires counting the votes received by election day and not ten days or two weeks later.

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Dr. Glenn Mollette is a syndicated American columnist and author of American Issues, Every American Has An Opinion and ten other books. He is read in all 50 states. The views expressed are those of the author and are not necessarily representative of any other group or organization.

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This article is the sole opinions of the author and does not necessarily reflect the views of PhotoNews Media. We welcome comments and views from our readers.


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County records 4 Covid-19 deaths, state could see another stay-at-home order

While the state's positivity numbers continue to grow at a record pace for the fourth straight day, the number of active Coronavirus cases in our area have shrunk from a high of 53 on Sunday, November 1, to 27 as of today.

The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) today reported 12,623 new confirmed and probable cases of COVID-19 in Illinois, including 79 additional deaths. Four of the 79 individuals who passed away were from Champaign County.

The Champaign-Urbana Public Health District announced the four COVID-19 deaths included a female in her 70s, two males in their 80s and one 90-year-old male. The county death toll is now at 37.

Yesterday, Governor J.B. Pritzker hinted that a statewide stay-at-home order is back on the table after ruling it out four days earlier as the state wrestles with bringing the recent COVID-19 surge under control. While he did not specify a time or trigger during his press briefing, it is likely

"I'm not looking at the broader mitigation of stay-at-home as something I would do in the coming days or week, but I can't guarantee you what it looks like two weeks from now or three weeks from now - I just don't know," he said on November 6.

Yesterday, his message was more apprehensive saying that another stay-at-home order could be issued if the state's metrics continue to rise. He made it clear it was something he wants to avoid, but may be unavoidable given the rising tide of the infectious virus nationwide.

"As I've told you, for days, you know, we are looking at really all the possibilities - the possibility that we would have to go back a phase, the possibility that we would have to ultimately have a stay-at-home order - those are not things that I prefer to do. But those are things that these numbers are not sustainable."


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
Briley, age 6, from Muncie, IL, vampire

2nd Place
$50 Sentinel Gift Certificate
Kai, age 11 from Mooresville, NC, Covid-19 Cell

1st Place
$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

Photo of the Day - November 6, 2020

Dukeman, Spartans dribble by STM
St. Joseph-Ogden's Hannah Dukeman brings the ball down the floor in her team's road game against St. Thomas More on December 17, 2018. Dukeman contributed four points in the Spartans' 58-43 conference win. (Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks)

Money Matters: Three businesses that would be great to have in St. Joseph


by Jake Pence, Guest Columnist

As St. Joseph and small towns across the country face stagnation (lack of growth) it is important that they prioritize their local economy.

St. Joseph is a desirable place to live for many reasons. We have a great school system, small town values, a low crime rate, proximity to jobs and everyday necessities, the best El Toro in Champaign County and numerous local businesses. I could go on and on. However, if population growth isn’t a desired outcome then population retention is pivotal to the long-term livelihood of the community.

What’s the best way to improve the desirability and longevity of a small town? Create a thriving local economy that isn’t too dependent upon one industry.

That said, this article is dedicated to three businesses I believe would improve resident retention and add a welcomed vitality to the local economy in St. Joseph.

BUSINESS IDEA #1:
BBQ & Craft Beer Restaurant
Location: East of Jack Flash

Yes, we already have a great selection of restaurants in St. Joseph and this is by no means a knock against any of them. I thoroughly enjoy a burrito loco from El Toro, the frisco melt from Roch’s and anything on the menu at The Wheelhouse. I’ve also eaten my fair share of China King, Padano's, Scratch, Subway, Monical's, and Dairy Queen over the years.

Despite all of these options, what we're missing is delicious portions of pulled pork, beef brisket, burnt ends, cornbread, potato salad, coleslaw, and craft beer.

To scratch that itch, residents of St. Joseph and surrounding communities have to drive to Urbana or Champaign.

Have you heard of Burgers & Beer in Gibson City? How about Gross’ Burgers in Westville? I’m guessing you have heard of one if not both. What do those restaurants have in common? First, when my family drives past them we stop and eat. Second, they are demand drivers for their local economy.

I firmly believe that a BBQ and beer focused restaurant would develop into a staple of the St. Joseph food scene and drive demand to the rest of the local economy. For proof of concept, visit Edley’s next time you’re down in Nashville, TN.

BUSINESS IDEA #2:
Boutique Assisted Living Facility and Memory Care Center
Location: Southwest of the middle school or a new residential development

Based on the recent traffic I’ve seen at my proposed location, this could very well be in the works.

Why do most people live in St. Joseph? They grew up here and this is where their family lives; therefore, we should prioritize the health, housing, and livelihood of all residents from newborns to great grandparents.

One of the hottest trends in real estate is assisted living facilities because the baby boomer generation is approaching the age where this assistance may be necessary. Additionally, Alzheimer’s rates are rising and quality memory care facilities are becoming more important than ever.

The addition of a boutique assisted living facility and memory care center to the community would be ideal to provide a much needed service to the older generations of St. Joseph. Instead of having to drive to Champaign, Urbana or to other facilities in the surrounding area, families and caretakers could make a five minute drive across town to check-in and visit loved ones.

For proof of concept, check out my colleague Loe Hornbuckle at Sage Oak Assisted Living based in Texas - https://thesageoak.com/.

BUSINESS IDEA #3:
Home Remodeling General Contractor
Location: Vacant lot on 2nd Street south of the Kickapoo Rail Trail or your garage

How many of you have completed a home remodeling project during COVID-19? My guess is 50% of the people reading this article have done one or more improvements to their home. How many of you ENJOYED the process of completing your home remodeling project? I’m going to say 10% - and if you’re in that 10% then pay close attention.

In my opinion, St. Joseph has a housing situation that is bottle-necked by supply and demand issues. That has resulted in the village not experiencing the population growth many once thought it would thanks to stagnation. If we aren’t going to develop new housing – a topic for another day, then we must continue to revitalize and renovate the current housing supply.

There are already businesses in town that do this and do it well – a shoutout to Roger Beals - but these businesses are always booked out weeks, sometimes months in advance. There is a shortage in supply and a surplus in demand for contractors; therefore, there is an opportunity for a new company to balance out the market with a much needed service.

With minimal overhead costs, diligent customer service, and an active social media presence, I don’t think it would take long to create a thriving business with many opportunities to expand into nearby markets.

All of these businesses will take a certain level of industry specific knowledge and access to capital to start, but that can be acquired through partnerships, research, and over time. Entrepreneurship isn’t about reinventing the wheel or coming up with a Shark Tank-esque idea. It is about finding opportunities in the marketplace and taking action to meet an unfulfilled demand.

As an investor and entrepreneur, I am personally very interested in exploring all three ideas. There may be others in your circle who feel the same way. Start a conversation. Discuss the possibilities and the opportunities. Quite frankly, I think conversations about entrepreneurship and taking calculated risks aren’t talked about enough in our community, yet we are home to some of the brightest minds and hardest workers in the area.

It is time to make entrepreneurship a priority in St. Joseph. So let’s get to it!



About the author:
• Jake Pence is the President of Blue Chip Real Estate and a consultant for Fairlawn Capital, Inc.. A 2019 graduate from the Gies College of Business at the University of Illinois, he is a 2016 graduate from St. Joseph-Ogden High School where he was a three-sport athlete for the Spartans. You can view his latest acquisitions and advice on his YouTube channel here.

Photo of the Day - November 5, 2020


Rocket dancers roll into championship round at state

Members of the Rockettes perform at the Illinois High School Association's Competitive State Dance Finals in January. The Unity dance squad advanced to Saturday's trophy round after turning in a score 81.94 to be one of the top 12 teams to advance to the finals. The only Illini Prairie Conference program to reach day 2 of competition, Unity finished in 12th place on February 1.

(Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks)


St. Joseph-Ogden announces 1st quarter Honor Roll

St. Joseph-Ogden High School Honor Roll
Today, St. Joseph-Ogden High School announced its first quarter Honor Roll. One hundred and fifty-seven students earned High Honor Roll recognition for their academic efforts in the first quarter of the 2020-21 school year. The junior class led the way with 43 students who secured GPA above 3.74.

Despite the challenges of hybrid schooling, 239 students started the fall semester with a grade point average of 3.25 or higher on the school's 4.0 scale.

High Honor Roll

Freshmen

Sophomores

Juniors

Senior

Honor Roll

Freshmen

Sophomores

Juniors

Seniors


Spartan cross country team places 2nd, Unity comes in 4th

Carson Maroon, Charlie Mabry and Brandon Mattsey finished within six seconds of each other to lift the St. Joseph-Ogden boys cross country team to a second place finish at the St. Teresa Sectional last Saturday. For Spartan harriers finised in the top 20.

Maroon, SJO's top finisher, crossed over in 12th place at 16:31. Mabry and Mattsey finished with a .1 of second split 14th and 15th. Meanwhile, not far behind Logan Wolferberger's 19th place in 16 minutes, 43.6 seconds helped the team pull away from Monticello, who finished in third place. Six runners later, Elijah Mock rounded out St. Joseph-Ogden's top five finishers to tabulate a total of 82 points.

Unity finished in fourth place behind fellow Illini Prairie Conference Monticello with 120 points. Led by senior Connor O'Donnell, the Rockets' squad crossed 11-17-21-47-49 after running their second consecutive weekend at Hickory Point Golf Course in Maroa.

O'Donnell's ran the three-mile course in 16 minutes, 28.8 seconds good for an 11th place finish. Twelve second later, teammate Ben Gavel finished at 16:40.3 as the 17th finisher of the Class 1A boys race. Thomas Cler rounded out the effort of Unity's top three runners nearly a minute later at 17:37.9.

Both the Spartans and Rockets would have advanced to the next race hosted by the Illinois High School Association this weekend under normal circumstances. Due to the impact of the Coronavirus pandemic, the IHSA canceled this year's race making sectional titles will be the highest honors for cross country during the current academic season.

2020 St. Teresa Sectional Results -
11. Connor O'Donnell (Unity) 16:28.8, 12. Carson Maroon (SJO) 16:31.0, 14. Charlie Mabry (SJO) 16:37.0, 15. Brandon Mattsey (SJO) 16:37.1, 17. Ben Gavel (Unity) 16:40.3, 19. Logan Wolfersberger (SJO) 16:43.6, 21. Jarrett Cox (Unity) 16:44.9, 25. Elijah Mock (SJO) 16:56.6, 40. Luke Stegall (SJO) 17:29.8, 44. Spencer Wilson (SJO) 17:34.2, 47. Thomas Cler (Unity) 17:37.9, 49. Clayton Jamison (Unity) 17:39.3, 103. Bryson Denny (Unity) 19:43.9.

Photo of the Day - November 4, 2020


St. Joseph-Ogden Maroon Platoon

Home field advantage

Students in the Maroon Platoon cheer for the St. Joseph-Ogden football team during the final minutes of their home opener on August 28, 2017, against St. Thomas More. The fans had over 50 good reasons to celebrate as the Spartans rolled to a 54-7 win over the visiting Sabers from Champaign.

(Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks)



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