Friends of St Joseph,
The Holidays are approaching, and the Church of Christ (SJCOC) needs some of your help for our 1st Annual "Winter Wassail Festival" on Friday December 4th. We're going to need to utilize some of the community parking that is a few blocks away from the Church located on Sherman Street.
We've tossed around the idea of using some of our community golf carts to help shuttle folks, especially the elderly, to and from those parking areas. The carts would need to first of all, be equipped with and licensed in compliance with the Village's rules. Also, they would need to be wiped down between uses (COVID safe) and it would be especially fun if they were decorated in a Christmas type theme with judging for the best "ride".
Right now, we are simply curious if anybody would be interested in volunteering for something like this.
The Festival will run from 4-9 pm, but you would not need to be asked to cover that entire time! We'd take whatever time you'd be available. And, obviously you would get free tickets to attend the event as well.
So, please reply if this is something you'd be interested in doing, and thanks! REPLY here, or PM me, or e-mail me at gordongilly1@gmail.com
St. Joseph-Ogden basketball players (left to right) Jordan Kelly, Payton Cain, Chance Izard, Payton Grimsley and Braydon Rupert, are all smiles while riding the pine in the fourth quarter during their team's home game against Williamsville on January 7, 2020. After building a 43-14 third quarter lead, behind Izard's game-high 21 point performance, the seniors chilled after helping SJO cruised to a 50-22 win over the Bullets.
Earlier today the Illinois High School Association Board of Directors agreed to go forward with the 2020-21 basketball season. It will be up to each individual school to allow their basketball teams to participate as long as the programs following the guidelines developed by the IHSA Sport Medicine Advisory Committee (SMAC) the 120 year-old organization announced after a special meeting.
Head coach Kiel Duval watches his squad in the Spartans home game against Williamsville earlier this year on January 7. The IHSA said it would go ahead with the winter basketball season despite the Illinois governor's statement yesterday nixing the season, at least putting it on hold until the infection level in the state is more manageable. Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks
"After diligent discussion, the Board has made the decision today to follow the recommendation of the IHSA SMAC as it relates to basketball," the IHSA said in a combined statement by board members. "The Board has not been presented any causal evidence that rising COVID-19 cases make basketball more dangerous to play by the IDPH or any other health organization nationally or internationally. On the contrary, the IHSA has been looking to bordering states who have sponsored both medium risk and high risk sports in the fall that have noted a low incident rate of COVID-19 spread."
Using the guidance provided by the SMAC, the Board will allow Boys and Girls Basketball to begin practices on November 16.
Both boys and girls teams can begin competitive play on November 30th within each of the designated Illinois Department of Public Health's COVID Regions or between member schools of a conference. Teams will be limited to just 31 games this season.
"I was pretty excited when I heard it," said returning varsity starter Ty Pence. The St. Joseph-Ogden sophomore received his first official college offer from Western Illinois University on Saturday. "I am ready to go out and see what my squad and I can do this season."
The 2019-20 Spartan basketball roster was bulging with ten seniors. It will be interesting to see how much the contingent matures this season.
"I think it is a great opportunity for us as a squad," Pence said. "We have a lot of young guys who have to prove themselves."
"We have a lot of young guys we need to see grow. You can see it taking place gradually now, but after practice and games there could be huge strides," he said. "High School is not a fun time for students right now. There are no athletic events to attend. No homecoming. Not seeing your friends everyday or in the capacity you usually do. This would be huge news for their spirits."
The move forward by the IHSA in the face of rising infections across the state and Governor JB Pritzker's declaration almost 24 hours earlier that put winter sports on an indefinite hold and moved basketball from a medium-risk sport to a higher-risk sport within the IDPH guidelines. Despite the rise in positive cases both locally and statewide in the past weekm and with their finances in jeopardy without the revenue from football and volleyball state finals this fall, the IHSA put its cards on the table hoping for the high hand.
"This would be great news for our kids if it actually happens. Our guys have put a lot into this," Duval said. "It has given them something to look forward to."
After the IHSA released their intentions, Governor Pritzker countered with a wildcard, looking at a possible flush, in enforcing his mandate.
"The school districts know what the rules are," he replied when queried about the plans to pursue winter competition. "It is unfortunate, but I think they would probably be taking on legal liability if they went ahead beyond what the state has set as the mitigation standard."
SJO seniors Jenna Albrecht and Kennedi Burnett form a defensive wall above the net during their team's home match against Hoopeston Area on September 16. The Spartans, who later finished third in the state at the Illinois Class 2A state finals, easily swept the Cornjerkers 25-5 in both sets.
Illinois families can expect to pay more in state and local taxes next year according to an analysis by Illinois Policy Institute.
The expected $244 hike in state and local taxes does not even account for Illinois’ $150 increase in gas taxes and vehicle registration fees enacted by Pritzker last year.
"So long as state lawmakers refuse to consider constitutional pension and other spending reforms, Illinoisans will continuously be asked to pay more," Bryce Hill, Research Analyst for Illinois Policy, said. "The progressive tax is not about reducing taxes for the middle class; it’s about eliminating taxpayer protections from the state constitution and opening the door for a litany of new taxes."
The median Illinois family, earning about $87,771 annually, could expect to pay $106 more in state and local sales and excise taxes, plus $183 more in local property taxes – already the second-highest in the nation. The increase in state and local taxes would likely push the combined state and local tax burden above $10,600 for the median Illinois family.
With just one week until Election Day, new Illinois Policy Institute analysis shows any promised savings from Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s progressive tax would be offset by the state’s increasing property and sales taxes. Experts found the typical Illinois family can expect to pay more in state and local taxes next year even with his "fair tax." The tax relief promised by Pritzker under the progressive tax would only reduce state income taxes by $45.
Even if Illinois families are able to take advantage of expanded child and property tax credits, the increased cost of owning a vehicle in Illinois plus the state and local tax hike could ultimately raise taxes by $314 for the average family.
"While the governor claims the progressive tax amendment is the ‘fair’ option for Illinois families to provide relief, Illinois’ structural spending reveals the major flaws in his argument. Even if Pritzker’s progressive tax provides some income tax savings to the typical Illinois family, that relief will be more than offset by the state’s increasing sales and property taxes."
Unity's Zebo Zebe starts a spin move against an Orion defender during their game on January 5, 2008. The junior had a career night setting a new shoot-out single game scoring record with his game-high of 35 points. Zebe and the host Rockets fell in overtime to the Chargers 73-68 at the 2008 Unity Boys' Basketball Shoot-Out. Unfortunately, the 2020-21 basketball season will be on hold thanks to rising numbers of positive cases of the Coronavirus throughout the state. Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks
Earlier today, the Illinois Department of Public Health announced that basketball has been moved into the high-risk category. The change in category puts into question the start of the already modified schedule of IHSA basketball this season.
"About 15 minutes prior to Governor Pritzker’s press conference today, we were alerted that the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) has elevated the sport of basketball from a medium risk level to a high risk level," said Craig Anderson, IHSA Executive Director in a statement forwarded to the media. "We remain considerate of the recent rise in positive COVID-19 cases in our state. However, in our meeting with IDPH on Friday (October 23), we felt that we presented multiple options that would allow for basketball to be conducted safely by IHSA schools this winter, many of which are being utilized in neighboring states who plan to play high school basketball."
Anderson followed the news with perhaps good news for other IHSA sports.
"Despite that setback, there is some positive news, as IDPH accepted the IHSA’s mitigations related to other sports, including cheerleading and dance, allowing them to move from a medium risk level to a low risk level," he added. "We will hold our special Board of Directors meeting on October 28 as scheduled, where our Board will provide direction on the other winter sports, as well as discuss the IHSA sports schedule for the remainder of the 2020-21 school year."
The fate of basketball, along with wrestling, will be announced tomorrow.
Even if the season started on November 16 as planned, with the positivity rate nears or soars above Governor JB Pritzker's mitigation thresholds throughout the state, the season would likely be canceled in the face a second wave of COVID-19 infections around mid-December.
As the saying goes, "Heavy is the head that wears the crown."
During his press conference the Governor stated that his decision would not make people happy.
"We know that this virus is of most concern when people are indoors with high contact, especially in vigorous situations that bring about heavy breathing like in wrestling, hockey and basketball," Pritzker said. "Sports played at a distance like tennis can be played and sports that can be modified to have virtual elements, like dance for example, offer more leeway in this moment and the IDPH guidance reflects that."
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We've tossed around the idea of using some of our community golf carts to help shuttle folks, especially the elderly, to and from those parking areas. The carts would need to first of all, be equipped with and licensed in compliance with the Village's rules. Also, they would need to be wiped down between uses (COVID safe) and it would be especially fun if they were decorated in a Christmas type theme with judging for the best "ride".
Right now, we are simply curious if anybody would be interested in volunteering for something like this.
The Festival will run from 4-9 pm, but you would not need to be asked to cover that entire time! We'd take whatever time you'd be available. And, obviously you would get free tickets to attend the event as well.
So, please reply if this is something you'd be interested in doing, and thanks! REPLY here, or PM me, or e-mail me at gordongilly1@gmail.com
"So long as state lawmakers refuse to consider constitutional pension and other spending reforms, Illinoisans will continuously be asked to pay more," Bryce Hill, Research Analyst for Illinois Policy, said. "The progressive tax is not about reducing taxes for the middle class; it’s about eliminating taxpayer protections from the state constitution and opening the door for a litany of new taxes."
The median Illinois family, earning about $87,771 annually, could expect to pay $106 more in state and local sales and excise taxes, plus $183 more in local property taxes – already the second-highest in the nation. The increase in state and local taxes would likely push the combined state and local tax burden above $10,600 for the median Illinois family.
With just one week until Election Day, new Illinois Policy Institute analysis shows any promised savings from Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s progressive tax would be offset by the state’s increasing property and sales taxes. Experts found the typical Illinois family can expect to pay more in state and local taxes next year even with his "fair tax." The tax relief promised by Pritzker under the progressive tax would only reduce state income taxes by $45.
Even if Illinois families are able to take advantage of expanded child and property tax credits, the increased cost of owning a vehicle in Illinois plus the state and local tax hike could ultimately raise taxes by $314 for the average family.
"While the governor claims the progressive tax amendment is the ‘fair’ option for Illinois families to provide relief, Illinois’ structural spending reveals the major flaws in his argument. Even if Pritzker’s progressive tax provides some income tax savings to the typical Illinois family, that relief will be more than offset by the state’s increasing sales and property taxes."
