2023 Unity Rockets Football Schedule

TOLONO - The Unity football team opens its 30th season under head coach Scott Hamilton at Hicks Field on Friday, August 25th against Prairie Central. The Hawks, who ran last season's conference table with a perfect 8-0 record, look to avenge their 14-0 Class 3A quarterfinal loss to the Rockets.

After a home game with St. Joseph-Ogden the following week and a road game with Illinois Valley Central, Unity will host last year's Class 2A state champs St. Teresa in a non-conference affair on September 15.

The Rockets will finish the schedule alternating three away and two home games. The team's last home game and Senior Night will be on October 13 against Paxton-Buckley Loda.

See complete schedule and school information below.

Unity wide receiver Jay Saunders goes up for a pass during first half action against Illinois Valley Central. Grey Ghost Andrew Burwell broke up the long pass play but it did not stop the Rockets from rolling to a 62-20 win on September 9, 2022, in their highest scoring game of the season. Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks

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Junior varsity quarterback Ryan Rink runs the ball on a keeper in the fourth quarter, putting another six points on the scoreboard against IVC in 2022. Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks

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Sophomore Dallas Hollingsworth blocks while seeing fourth quarter action against the Grey Ghosts. Look for the 6'1", 300-pound lineman to be a major asset for the Rockets in the upcoming season. Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks

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2023 Unity High School Football Schedule

Aug 25 - Prairie Central - 7:00 - Home
Sep 1 - St. Joseph-Ogden - 7:00 - Home
Sep 8 - Illinois Valley Central - 7:00 - Away
Sep 15 - St. Teresa - 7:00 - Home
Sep 22 - Central Catholic - 7:00 - Away
Sep 29 - Pontiac - 7:00 - Home
Oct 6 - Rantoul - 7:00 - Away
Oct 13 - Paxton-Buckley-Loda - 7:00 - Home
Oct 20 - Monticello - 7:00 - Away

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School Information

Unity High School
1127 County Rd. 800N
Tolono, IL 61880
Phone: 217-485-6230
Fax: 217-485-6220
School Web Site: www.unityrockets.com
Athletic Web Site: 8to18.com

Other links:

IHSA School Data

MaxPreps

Twitter

Facebook

Nickname: Rockets
Colors: Maroon/White
Conference: Illini Prairie
Enrollment: 516

Administration
Superintendent: Andrew Larson - larsona@unity.k12.il.us
Phone: 217-485-6510

Principal: Bill Behrends - behrendsb@unity.k12.il.us

Athletic Director: Scott Hamilton - hamilton@unity.k12.il.us
Phone: 217-485-6735 ... Fax: 217-485-6220

Boys Football Head Coach: Scott Hamilton - hamilton@unity.k12.il.us

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Tolono Public Library seeks volunteers

TOLONO - The Tolono Public Library is looking for volunteers to help with their efforts in maintaining a valuable resource in the community.

Thirty years after its start in 1967, two generous Tolono library patrons provided enough money to fund a new 7,950 square foot building. The cost were also supplemented by a Live and Learn Grant from the Secretary of State. Now the library offers close to 40,000 titles, including audiobooks, large print books, DVDs, and video games.

Residents interested in volunteering with the Tolono Public Library are encouraged to contact Amy Wildman at awildman@tolonolibrary.org or call (217) 485-5558.

Urbana Tigers 2023 Football Schedule

URBANA - Last week, the 2023 Urbana varsity football schedule was released by the Illinois High School Association. The Tigers look to rebuild their program after canceling the varsity program the past two season. UHS, under second-year head coach Curtis Blanden, open their 2023 season with 2pm road game on August 26 against the Centennial Chargers.

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2023 Urbana High School Football Schedule

Aug 26 Centennial 2:00 Away
Sep 1 Peoria Notre Dame 7:00 Away
Sep 8 Peoria 7:00 Away
Sep 15 Normal Community West 7:00 Home
Sep 22 Champaign Central 7:00 Home
Sep 29 Normal University 7:00 Away
Oct 6 Normal Community 7:00 Away
Oct 13 Peoria Manual 7:00 Home
Oct 20 Danville 7:00 Home

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Urbana High School
1002 S. Race St.
Urbana, IL 61801

Phone: 217-384-3505
Fax: 217-384-3532

School Web Site: www.usd116.org/uhs/
Athletic Web Site: 8to18.com

Other links:

IHSA School Data

MaxPreps

Twitter

Facebook

Nickname: Tigers
Colors: Orange/Black
Conference(s): Big Twelve
Enrollment: 1126.5

Administration
Superintendent: Jennifer Ivory-Tatum Jivory-tatum@usd116.org
Principal: Jesse Guzman jeguzman@usd116.org
Boys Athletic Director: Stephen Waller swaller@usd116.org
Boys Football Head Coach: Curtis Blanden curtis.blanden@yahoo.com

Urbana to host free Shakespearean play at the Boneyard

URBANA - Looking for a classy date-night idea this weekend? The Starling Shakespeare Company will give a free performance of Julius Caesar on Friday, July 21, at the Boneyard Creek Park located next to 25 O'Clock Brewery.

Through a partnership with the Urbana Arts & Culture, the traveling group composed of a cast of just five actors present a 90-minute interpretation of the legendary playwright from Stratford-upon-Avon in the United Kingdom.

The performance looks at the political turmoil of ancient Rome and chronicles the betrayal of Caesar, led by his most-trusted allies.

Tickets must be reserved in advance online here on Event Bright.

Before the show, join the actors for a workshop from 5-6 pm on classical stage combat. The workshop is also free to the public. Participants will learn performance fighting techniques and how to make them realistic for audiences. The class will also stress the safety protocols necessary for choreographing fight scenes.

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Guest Commentary | Just so you know, foreign companies are buy up America

by Glenn Mollette, Guest Commentator

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According an article on the Business Insider website, the world's total land mass consists of 36.8 billion acres of inhabitable land.

Amazingly, just few people own a lot of our planet.

King Charles III or the Crown Estate owns 6.6 billion acres of land worldwide. This includes Great Britain, Northern Ireland, Canada (90%), Australia (23 %) and a few other spots here and there. They also own the Falkland Islands.

With 6.6 billion acres, King Charles III or the Crown Estate, is far and away the world's largest landowner, with the closest runner-up (King Salman, Saudi Arabia) who holds control over a mere 547 million acres and a net worth of over $18 billion.

Coming in number three on the list is Pope Francis.110 acres owned by The Holy See constitute Vatican City. Also, roughly 17 million more acreage of various lands are owned by the Catholic Church throughout the globe, including the hundreds of Vatican embassies that are legally titled to The Holy See as an independent nation.

Ted Turner ranks high in major world land owners with over 2 million acres of land owned in Georgia, Montana and Argentina.

Jeff Bezos owns about 400,000 acres with much of that being in Texas. Bill Gates owns about 242,000 acres of farmland according to celebrity.net.

According to the US Department of Agriculture, USDA, there are approximately 911 million acres of farmland in the United States

There has been concern about China’s growing land purchases in the United States. Chinese purchases of U.S agricultural land has sparked concern in Congress among a bipartisan group of lawmakers—but 18 other countries own more American agricultural acres than China.

Here are some of the American landowners:

1. Canada (12,845,000 acres)
2. Netherlands (4,875,000 acres)
3. Italy (2,703,000 acres)
4. United Kingdom (2,538,000 acres)
5. Germany (2,269,000 acres)
6. Portugal (1,483,000 acres)
7. France (1,316,000 acres)
8. Denmark (856,000 acres)
9. Luxembourg (802,000 acres)
10. Ireland (760,000 acres)

China ranks number 18 and owns roughly 384,000 acres of U.S. agricultural land, according to a 2021 report from the Department of Agriculture. Of that, 195,000 acres, worth almost $2 billion when purchased, are owned by 85 Chinese investors, which could be individuals, companies or the government. The other 189,000 acres were worth $235 million when purchased and are owned by 62 U.S. corporations with Chinese shareholders. Chinese agricultural land ownership only increased about 550 acres from 2015 to 2019. Then, their ownership jumped 30% from 2019 (Forges.com)

Chinese food manufacturer Fufeng Group bought 300 acres of land near Grand Forks, North Dakota, to set up a milling plant. The project is located about 20 minutes from the Grand Forks Air Force Base, raising national security concerns. (CNBC.COM)

Then known as Shuanghui Group, WH Group purchased Smithfield Foods in 2013 for $4.72 billion. It was the largest Chinese acquisition of an American company at that time.

Bourbon lovers might be surprised to learn that a large number of Kentucky favorites are owned by Japanese companies. Way back in 2014 Japan-based Suntory bought Jim Beam at a 25 percent premium over market value for $16 billion. That means the world's best-selling bourbon, Jim Beam, is actually owned by a Japanese company. Suntory also owns Maker's Mark, Knob Creek and Basil Hayden.

If you have American land or business to sell, no worries, someone from China or another foreign country just might be interested.

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He is the author of 13 books including Uncommom Sense, the Spiritual Chocolate series, Grandpa's Store, Minister's Guidebook insights from a fellow minister. His column is published weekly in over 600 publications in all 50 states. The views expressed are those of the author and are not necessarily representative of any other group or organization. We welcome comments and views from our readers. Submit your letters to the editor or commentary on a current event 24/7 to editor@oursentinel.com.

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It is never too late to kick excessive drinking habits to the curb

Photo: Pavel Danilyuk/PEXELS

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There’s no magic number of drinks to have on a night out that will make you immune to alcohol problems.

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by Tim Ditman
OSF Healthcare

URBANA - "Days of Our Lives" actor Cody Longo recently died of alcohol abuse, again raising awareness of the issue.

The dangers

How quickly can binge drinking turn problematic?

“Very easily,” says Andrew Zasada, MD, an internal medicine physician at OSF HealthCare.

Dr. Zasada says for women, binge drinking is defined as five or more drinks on one occasion, like a night out on the town that lasts three to four hours. For men, it’s 15 drinks. That takes into account the differences in how men’s and women’s bodies metabolize alcohol.

Dr. Zasada says the internal issues linked with excessive alcohol use can be devastating.

“It can cause brain dysfunction. It can cause liver disease and stomach ulcers,” Dr. Zasada says. “It’s just not a good thing. It can cause a wide variety of problems.”

Not to mention the outward symptoms like: acne, redness on your nose and palms and dry, wrinkled skin that makes you look older. And drinking during pregnancy can lead to a host of problems for the child, like facial abnormalities and developmental deficits.

“A lifetime of misery” for the little one, as Dr. Zasada puts it.

Safety, recovery

Just like there’s no magic way to prevent or cure a hangover, there’s no magic number of drinks to have on a night out that will make you immune to alcohol problems. But for Fourth of July revelers, Dr. Zasada has this advice: take it slow.

“If you’re an average size gentleman, probably a beer an hour is just about the max you can drink,” he says.

Dr. Zasada says are there many ways to help people who are drinking in excess. In the short term, such as during a party, call 911 if the person needs immediate medical attention. If they just need a break, take the person away from the clatter to rest. Take their car keys, and give them some water. A painkiller like Tylenol in appropriate doses can help with that hangover headache the next day.

Long term, a patient’s primary care provider can link them with resources to curb drinking, such as Alcoholics Anonymous or treatment centers. The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism also has resources. And within OSF HealthCare’s footprint, Illinois and Michigan have phone numbers to call for behavioral health issues.

“If the person is trying to deny that they drink at all; if they are drinking alone when there is nobody else around; if they're trying to hide or cover up their drinking, those are all fairly serious warning signs that this person needs help,” Dr. Zasada says.

Dr. Zasada says it’s never too late to kick the habit of excessive drinking, but sooner is better.

“It's easier to mitigate any problems that have already occurred earlier, rather than wait for the problem to get very, very serious, very bad, and then quit,” he says. “Yeah, you'll get better. But you won't go back to what you were.”

That “getting better” looks like a lot of things.

“You might lose weight. You might lower your blood pressure. It may increase heart health,” Dr. Zasada says. “You'll think clearer. You'll sleep better.”

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Here is how you can avoid those nasty ingrown toenails

Photo: Wangyan Wei/Pixabay

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Some ingrown toenails will heal on their own. The question is how often should you trim them?

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by Tim Ditman
OSF Healthcare

Is your toe sore to the touch? Is the skin around the nail puffy or red? An ingrown toenail may be to blame.

Marc Leonard, MD, an OSF HealthCare podiatrist, says it’s an issue he sees frequently, but it’s one that’s easily preventable.

Dr. Leonard says an ingrown toenail is when the nail grows into the skin on the nail’s side. Some people get ingrown toenails due to a family history of the problem. They may just have wide toenails, in other words.

For others, it’s a product of how you take care of your feet.

“Bicyclists wear very tight shoes. They clip onto the bike. The shoes are very unforgiving.” Dr. Leonard says as an example. “The person is getting extra pressure on the side of the toes. It can definitely contribute to ingrown nails.”

Dance shoes sometimes have the same effect, he says.

Another culprit: clipping your toenails too low toward the side of the toe. Instead, trim straight across using clippers with a straight, not curved, blade.

Avoiding these risk factors is crucial for people with diabetes, Dr. Leonard warns. While that group is not more prone to ingrown toenails, an occurrence may mean serious complications.

“If their blood sugar is not under control, the infections from ingrown nails can get severe quickly,” Dr. Leonard says. “Sometimes there can also be circulation problems with diabetics.”

Dr. Leonard says some ingrown toenails will resolve on their own. But if a person has to come to a podiatrist’s office, it usually means the site is infected.

“We might trim out the side of the nail. That’s the easiest way to treat it,” Dr. Leonard says. “In other situations, we have to numb the toe and take out the side of the nail.”

If the toe is really inflamed and irritated, he says, a doctor will remove a larger portion of the nail, plus some excess skin and tissue. The person may also be sent home with antibiotic medication to keep the infection down.

For people with frequent ingrown toenails, there’s a permanent solution.

“We’ll actually kill the side of the nail,” Dr. Leonard says. “We’ll put a chemical in the base of the toe to kill the root. That eliminates growth of the nail on the side.”

That’s an outpatient procedure done at a podiatrist’s office. And in the days and months ahead, you would trim the nail normally, Dr. Leonard says. The nail would just be narrower.

Regardless of what happens to your toe, recovery from ingrown nail treatment involves rest and soaking the toe in warm water. You should be back to normal activities “fairly quickly,” Dr. Leonard says.

One more burning question to answer: how often should I trim my toenails?

“For most people, probably once a month or once every couple weeks,” Dr. Leonard suggests. But if you have a history of ingrown toenails or other toe issues, talk to your primary care provider or podiatrist about proper toe care.

Learn more about foot and toe care on the OSF HealthCare website.

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The worst BBQ ingredient ever: wire brush bristles

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Why hundreds of people in the U.S. are sent to the emergency room each year

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by Matt Sheehan
OSF Healthcare

Summer has arrived, and that means grilling season has come back after its winter hibernation.

But as Americans enjoy grilling their burgers, chicken, vegetables and more, there’s one ingredient you want to steer clear of.

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Dr. Brian Curtis, M.D

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"These short, metal brushes that you clean your grill with," Brian Curtis, M.D., vice president of the Clinical Specialty Services at OSF HealthCare says. "There are about 150-200 cases a year that occur in the United States. They may be underreported, but those are the ones that we know about."

While barbecues over an outdoor grill are a great way for people to come together and enjoy a meal, Dr. Curtis says it could be an extremely painful experience if you end up swallowing a bristle from a wire brush.

"The bristles can become embedded in your tongue. They can be embedded in the back of your throat, esophagus, stomach, and small intestine," Dr. Curtis says. "They can cause perforations, because it’s like swallowing a small needle. There are people every year that have surgeries trying to find these small objects because they are very tiny."

So how can you keep your food on the grill from getting an unwanted extra ingredient? Dr. Curtis says it’s all about preparation.

"You can use aluminum foil. Some people use nylon (scrapers)," Dr. Curtis says. "I just use a wool brush on mine. If you don’t want to go away from the wire brush, then you really have to inspect your grill very closely to make sure there’s nothing stuck on it."

Dr. Curtis says if you believe you’ve swallowed a wire brush bristle, you need to be evaluated immediately.

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Over 8,000 homes still without power after high winds rip through Champaign County

URBANA - A severe storm that left more than a 500 mile stretch of damage across several Midwest states caused a large number of power outages throughout the mid-section of the Ameren Illinois service territory this afternoon, according to a statement released by Ameren Illinois.

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"This was a significant, slow moving weather cell that pounded our electric infrastructure over the course of several hours," said Lenny Singh, Chairman and President of Ameren Illinois. "Crews have been mobilized throughout the service territory and we are calling in reinforcements from Illinois and nearby states. We're in the assessment phase now and will focus on getting the system repaired and power restored as quickly as possible while exercising high standards of safety."

Ameren Illinois activated its Incident Management Team (IMT) at 1:00 pm Thursday, June 29, 2023, to support restoration activities. It will be staffed around-the-clock to coordinate service restoration, logistical support and communications.

Over 8,000 homes in Urbana, Tolono, and St. Joseph remain without electrical service as of 2 a.m., more than 12 hours after the storm ripped through east central Illinois. According to Ameren's outage data, 7,184 homes in Urbana were still without power. Only 165 homes in Tolono do not have electricity. Meanwhile, in St. Joseph, 47.66% of the residents in the community east of Urbana still needed electrical service restored. No estimate was available when the more than 1000 customers could expect power.

"Customer safety is of utmost importance, particularly when severe weather occurs. We urge our customers to take precautions to protect themselves and their families, including staying away from downed power lines and immediately reporting any downed lines to Ameren Illinois," Singh said.

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Photo: Sentinel/Clark Brooks

A branch from a large tree at a condo unit near the corner Broadway and Vermont was peeled away from the trunk after winds close to 80 mph raced through the area after noon on Thursday. Widespread damage has been reported including overturned semis, flattened crops, and fallen trees.

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Customers and media can receive timely updates on outage restoration by following the Ameren Illinois news feed on Facebook or at twitter.com/AmerenIllinois. Outages by county can be tracked at AmerenIllinois.com/outage.

Safety Reminders

Customer Reminders

Call Ameren Illinois at 1-800-755-5000 as soon as possible to report a downed line, natural gas odor, or an outage.

Stay away from downed power lines because these lines may still be energized. During an outage, individuals are asked to stay indoors after sunset because downed lines may not be visible. Stay away from brush, shrubs and fallen trees that may be hiding these lines.

If your electric service is interrupted, unplug or protect sensitive computer and electronic equipment with a high-quality surge protector.

Customers seeking more information on their outage:

Customers will receive notification on the restoration status of individual outages. Those who are signed up for alerts will receive alert updates through their preferred channels. All others will receive a phone call.

Customers can report and check the status of their restoration at Ameren.com or download the free Ameren Mobile app where you can report or check your outage right from the palm of your hand.

Sign up for alerts. Text REG to AMEREN (263736) to start or visit Ameren.com/Alerts. 

In addition, safety and real-time outage information is available on the outage map at AmerenIllinois.com/outagemap.

Urbana sees substanial storm damage

The limb of a large pine tree lays on an outfield fence at Blair Park on Thursday after a storm that produced nearly 80mph windspeeds passed through the area. In its wake, the storm left over 28,000 homes without power in Champaign County and more 170,000 homes in Ameren's service area.

"Unfortunately, we do not have a safe estimated restoration time. Crews are being dispatched from other Ameren Illinois regions and from neighboring states to help with restoration efforts. We truly appreciate your patience and understanding while our crews work through the night to restore as many customers as quickly and safely as possible," said Ameren employee Linda, who signed a response to a question on the company's Facebook page. To sign up for alerts and outage updates from Ameren, text REG to AMEREN (263736).

Scheduled flights to and from Willard Airport were canceled by airport officials after damaging winds from the powerful derecho caused a power outage and damaged the roof of the commercial terminal.

Photo: Sentinel/Clark Brooks

Save money on trips with latest travel trend

Photo:Brodie/Burst

NAPSI - A recent trend in travel is taking many people far—and you can be among them. Here’s what’s going on:

Subscription travel is increasingly popular.

According to recent research, 55% of American travelers belong to a travel subscription club or are interested in joining one.

Saving money is the primary reason for joining. For example, members of Travel + Leisure GO, part of the world’s most influential travel brand, save on average 25% on bookings and up to 60% off at 600,000+ hotels and resorts, car rentals, tours, excursions and more—with no waiting on cash back or points.

A World Of Perks For Savvy Travelers

Adventure seekers in that travel club get expert advice from the editorial team at Travel & Leisure magazine, preferred pricing and big savings on travel, members-only perks and access to a personal concierge to help take vacations to the next level. Each member’s personal concierge can help travelers create the vacations they’ve only dreamed about, build itineraries, book airfare and rental cars, as well as make hard-to-get dinner reservations at 1,500 restaurants around the world, provide exclusive access to popular sporting events, concerts, culinary VIP and wine events and more.

With savings on every trip, members quickly earn back their membership fees after booking just one or two getaways.

Members also get 110% Best Price Guarantee on cruises with up to $1,500 onboard credits, and savings on parks, shows, and attractions. Plus you can get inspired for future adventures with a subscription to Travel & Leisure magazine, included with membership.

A vacation planning and booking gateway lets you explore curated travel itineraries on featured destinations and then build and book your next dream vacation with a quick call. You can choose from thousands of destinations around the globe or design your own trip with recommendations, activity ideas, and tips from the experts.

Cutting Costs

You can preview savings with a trial membership, and sign up for the platform when you’re ready to book an itinerary, says Fiona Downing, Chief Membership Officer Travel & Leisure GO.

Four more ways travelers can save money and have fun:

1. Travel during “shoulder season”, the less popular travel times such as early autumn at the beach and winter in Europe.

2. Find free things to do. Look for concerts in the park and museums that are free on certain days of the week.

3. Eat like a local. Visit local markets and food stands for a taste of the area’s cuisine.

4. Keep souvenirs to a minimum. Take lots of photos instead.