The owners of the Gambit golf course in Vienna are looking to the state for help in expanding their property.
Owner Bruce Monzulla wants to build a gated residential community and a 90-room motel on the property to go along with the course and the restaurant already there.
The catch is he would like to acquire a 115-acre tract along I-24 that the Department of Natural Resources owns.
Check out the Southern for the rest of the story.
Tuesday, June 12, 2007
Monday, June 11, 2007
Major Resort Proposed for Perry Co.
A MetroEast development company is looking at Perry County for a new $100 million Branson-like tourist development.
Details are sketchy, but the proposal would call for using part of Pyramid State Park and involve a land swap between the developers and the Department of Natural Resources.
State Rep. Dan Reitz (D-Steeleville) has introduced legislation allowing DNR to authorize the swap if they found it acceptable.
The Associated Press has the latest.
Details are sketchy, but the proposal would call for using part of Pyramid State Park and involve a land swap between the developers and the Department of Natural Resources.
State Rep. Dan Reitz (D-Steeleville) has introduced legislation allowing DNR to authorize the swap if they found it acceptable.
The Associated Press has the latest.
Friday, June 08, 2007
Disco-era Drag Strip Revving Back Up
Brian DeNeal has a great article on new plans for the old Accelaquarter Raceway north of Harrisburg.
Check out the rest of the story for more.
This will make a nice attraction to the area next year. Motorized sports is a growing in the region with the SI Raceway east of Marion, the I-57 Drag Strip near Benton, the Mount Vernon Raceway and the racing events at the DuQuoin State Fair.
HARRISBURG - Weeds grow through the cracks in the old Accelaquarter Raceway north of Harrisburg, at one time the favorite weekend attraction of the area.
Through the 1960s, the raceway brought in crowds and racers from Kentucky and Indiana, but the spot has been quiet for decades.
Wednesday afternoon, the 1/8 mile strip roared again. Bobby Umsted of Huntington, Tenn., donned his red racing jacket and helmet as another man poured a bucket of water on the track in front of Umsted's car, a sleek, red machine with the motor poking up from the hood. The car roared, and roared louder, until several of those watching covered their ears. The wheels spun on the wet pavement, producing blue smoke -- and the car zoomed down over the cracked pavement.
"This brings back some great memories," former Accelaquarter owner Darrel Mattingly said.
The new owner is the Cars For Kids organization which holds car shows and drag races to raise money for disabled children.
Check out the rest of the story for more.
This will make a nice attraction to the area next year. Motorized sports is a growing in the region with the SI Raceway east of Marion, the I-57 Drag Strip near Benton, the Mount Vernon Raceway and the racing events at the DuQuoin State Fair.
S.I. Music Festival Kicks Off Next Week
From the SIU News Service ... (Also check out our Calendar of Events for the local concerts in Williamson County.)
By Andrea Hahn
CARBONDALE, Ill. — Bach is back – and so are Mozart, Beethoven, Stravinsky, and the sounds of a classical music summer.
The Third Annual Southern Illinois Music Festival, a nearly three-week long, multi-site celebration of classical, jazz and chamber music organized by the School of Music at Southern Illinois University Carbondale, begins June 15, with a preview chamber music performance on June 10.
A special feature of the festival is its mobility. More than 50 performances are set for nearly two-dozen different venues all over Southern Illinois. Music lovers can hear chamber music at a café, quintets at a winery, quartets at community buildings and brown bag concerts in a recital hall. There will be jazz at an art show, concerts just for children at libraries and recreation centers, patriotic music in a city park and orchestras at music auditoriums and halls from Mount Vernon to Cairo, Marion to Murphysboro. An abridged version of Tchaikovsky's "Sleeping Beauty" ballet and an English-language comic opera bring a beautiful visual component to the festival as well.
Edward Benyas, SIUC music professor, conductor of the Chicago Chamber Orchestra and the festival's founder and artistic director, said the heart of the festival is the beautiful, neoclassic Shryock Auditorium on the SIUC campus. The elegance of the setting and the richness of the music are enhanced during the festival by wine tasting from Shawnee Hills Wine Trail wineries before, during intermission, and after each performance.
This year, an All-American program featuring Gershwin's "Rhapsody in Blue" literally takes to the field. The new Rent One Park in Marion will swap out the crack of the bat for an orchestra concert highlighted by a fireworks display. And Marvin Hamlisch, the Broadway and motion picture musical score composer who brought us "The Way We Were," "A Chorus Line" and "The Sting" as well as music for movies such as "Sophie's Choice," "Ordinary People," and "Three Men and a Baby," comes to the Herrin Civic Center as part of the Southern Illinois Music Festival.
Several performances will feature original compositions by Festival Composer-in-Residence James Stephenson, III. Stephenson's music has been performed by dozens of orchestras around the country and his commissions include work with Branford Marsalis and Rodney Mack, the Houston Symphony and the Philadelphia Orchestra. He is known particularly for his work with young musicians.
This year's festival continues the tradition of including an opera selection. This year's offering, sponsored by the Shawnee Hills Wine Trail, is Gaetano Donizetti's "Elixir of Love," a comic Italian opera that will be sung in English. Lighting, scenery and costume combine with the music to tell the light-hearted, romantic and yet inspiring story of how the peasant Nemorino wins the hand of the hand of the wealthy beauty Adina aided by what he believes to be a love potion. Instead, it turns out to be simply a bottle of Southern Illinois wine. Local opera afficiandos should look for a familiar face among the opera performers. Carbondale Mayor Brad Cole will play the part of the Notary during the Carbondale performance; there also will be a performance in Sesser.
Benyas said this year's festival is the biggest yet. He said the variety of venues and the free or low admission price make the festival widely accessible. Most concerts are indoor events, but several events will take place outdoors and casual dress is welcome at all performances.
"The festival coincides with a two-week summer music camp for high school students, a 40-year tradition at SIUC," he said. "Members of the Chicago Chamber Orchestra are in residence during the festival – and that is a huge benefit for the camp participants." Summer Music Camp participants in music theater, concert band, jazz improvisation and high school choir have opportunities to perform during the festival.
In addition to SIUC, major sponsors include the Illinois Arts Council, the City of Carbondale, The Southern Illinoisan, WSIL-TV, WSIU Public Broadcasting, Carbondale Community Arts, Shawnee Hills Wine Trail, Southern Illinois Miners, Mélange, Boundless Gallery.com, Dr. Samuel Goldman, the Julia Harrison Bruce Foundation-Bank of Herrin Trustee, the Garwin Family Foundation, Hastings Foundation, Moore-Corpora Foundation, SISO Patrons Committee and Southern Foundation.
More information is available at www.SIFest.com or by calling 618-53-MUSIC or 618/453-2776.
By Andrea Hahn
CARBONDALE, Ill. — Bach is back – and so are Mozart, Beethoven, Stravinsky, and the sounds of a classical music summer.
The Third Annual Southern Illinois Music Festival, a nearly three-week long, multi-site celebration of classical, jazz and chamber music organized by the School of Music at Southern Illinois University Carbondale, begins June 15, with a preview chamber music performance on June 10.
A special feature of the festival is its mobility. More than 50 performances are set for nearly two-dozen different venues all over Southern Illinois. Music lovers can hear chamber music at a café, quintets at a winery, quartets at community buildings and brown bag concerts in a recital hall. There will be jazz at an art show, concerts just for children at libraries and recreation centers, patriotic music in a city park and orchestras at music auditoriums and halls from Mount Vernon to Cairo, Marion to Murphysboro. An abridged version of Tchaikovsky's "Sleeping Beauty" ballet and an English-language comic opera bring a beautiful visual component to the festival as well.
Edward Benyas, SIUC music professor, conductor of the Chicago Chamber Orchestra and the festival's founder and artistic director, said the heart of the festival is the beautiful, neoclassic Shryock Auditorium on the SIUC campus. The elegance of the setting and the richness of the music are enhanced during the festival by wine tasting from Shawnee Hills Wine Trail wineries before, during intermission, and after each performance.
This year, an All-American program featuring Gershwin's "Rhapsody in Blue" literally takes to the field. The new Rent One Park in Marion will swap out the crack of the bat for an orchestra concert highlighted by a fireworks display. And Marvin Hamlisch, the Broadway and motion picture musical score composer who brought us "The Way We Were," "A Chorus Line" and "The Sting" as well as music for movies such as "Sophie's Choice," "Ordinary People," and "Three Men and a Baby," comes to the Herrin Civic Center as part of the Southern Illinois Music Festival.
Several performances will feature original compositions by Festival Composer-in-Residence James Stephenson, III. Stephenson's music has been performed by dozens of orchestras around the country and his commissions include work with Branford Marsalis and Rodney Mack, the Houston Symphony and the Philadelphia Orchestra. He is known particularly for his work with young musicians.
This year's festival continues the tradition of including an opera selection. This year's offering, sponsored by the Shawnee Hills Wine Trail, is Gaetano Donizetti's "Elixir of Love," a comic Italian opera that will be sung in English. Lighting, scenery and costume combine with the music to tell the light-hearted, romantic and yet inspiring story of how the peasant Nemorino wins the hand of the hand of the wealthy beauty Adina aided by what he believes to be a love potion. Instead, it turns out to be simply a bottle of Southern Illinois wine. Local opera afficiandos should look for a familiar face among the opera performers. Carbondale Mayor Brad Cole will play the part of the Notary during the Carbondale performance; there also will be a performance in Sesser.
Benyas said this year's festival is the biggest yet. He said the variety of venues and the free or low admission price make the festival widely accessible. Most concerts are indoor events, but several events will take place outdoors and casual dress is welcome at all performances.
"The festival coincides with a two-week summer music camp for high school students, a 40-year tradition at SIUC," he said. "Members of the Chicago Chamber Orchestra are in residence during the festival – and that is a huge benefit for the camp participants." Summer Music Camp participants in music theater, concert band, jazz improvisation and high school choir have opportunities to perform during the festival.
In addition to SIUC, major sponsors include the Illinois Arts Council, the City of Carbondale, The Southern Illinoisan, WSIL-TV, WSIU Public Broadcasting, Carbondale Community Arts, Shawnee Hills Wine Trail, Southern Illinois Miners, Mélange, Boundless Gallery.com, Dr. Samuel Goldman, the Julia Harrison Bruce Foundation-Bank of Herrin Trustee, the Garwin Family Foundation, Hastings Foundation, Moore-Corpora Foundation, SISO Patrons Committee and Southern Foundation.
More information is available at www.SIFest.com or by calling 618-53-MUSIC or 618/453-2776.
Kincaid Mounds Dig Resumes This Summer
From the SIU News Service ...
By Andrea Hahn
CARBONDALE — A team of Southern Illinois University Carbondale archaeology students returns to the Kincaid Mounds on the border of Pope and Massac counties this summer, hoping to come one step closer to understanding the mystery of the mound builders.
The field school begins on June 11 and concludes Aug. 3. Students commit to working at the site five full days a week for the eight-week period. They may receive six credit hours for their efforts as well as skills directly applicable to employment in the field of environmental impact management. A bonus for out-of-state students is that the class is an "off-campus course" with a set tuition fee regardless of residency. Another plus – this year, students have the option of staying as a group in rental housing near the site rather than commuting.
Students participating in the dig are: Nina Fuscaldo, Lockport, Sara E. Murphy, Marion, Wesley Pinks, Chester, and graduate students Jennifer Malpiedi, Carbondale, and Corin Pursell, Webster Groves, Mo.
The focus of this year's dig is a large, circular structure on top of one of the largest mounds on the multi-mound site. What makes the work particularly challenging is the evidence for the structure is not readily visible to the naked eye, though it is easily seen in maps created with magnetometry imaging technology. A gradiometer creates the image by measuring minute variations in the strength of the Earth's magnetic field, which, at any particular spot, is influenced by what is in the ground directly beneath the gradiometer or magnetometer. Buildings typically leave magnetic evidence even after immediately visible physical evidence is gone.
Paul Welch, an associate professor in the Department of Anthropology and the director of the dig, said the circle is 22 meters across, with an area of about 4,000 square feet. The circle has projections at the four cardinal points of north, south, east and west and seems also to have an inner ring. Welch said a similar structure 27 meters across was discovered in Florida. Evidence in the historical record helped archaeologists reconstruct that site. If the two sites are as similar as they initially appear to be, the inner ring may be a row of benches and the building may be a sort of council house.
"We won't know until we dig into it," Welch said. "We are interested to find out something about the layout of the building and the settlement."
Welch hopes the work this summer will uncover not only the building but also its purpose. He wants to see how the building fits in with other structures discovered at the site. Understanding the layout of the settlement at Kincaid Mounds may provide a clue about its inhabitants – namely, their cultural identity.
Welch explained the Kincaid site was inhabited from about 1100 until about 1350 AD, at which point it, and many other sites from the Missouri bootheel to the Tennessee and Ohio River Valleys, was abandoned for unknown reasons. The area was resettled some time after 1500 by Native Americans known now as the Sauk, Fox, Illini and Peoria – native peoples still in residence when the French explorers arrived. However, these tribes do not seem necessarily to be direct descendants of the Southern Illinois mound builders.
Current archaeological study suggests two possible cultural descendants of the mound builders – those in the Siouan language family or those in the Muskogean language family. The Muskogean peoples, Welch said, tended to create settlements around a central square that included a single site for public religious observation. Siouan people, however, tended to have multiple locations for religious ceremonies.
As the site at Kincaid is slowly pieced together, and as archaeological study continues to shed light on what the settlement may have looked like, it may become clearer whether the site tends more toward the Muskogean or the Siouan model. That, in turn, may help archaeologists determine what happened to the mound builders during the widespread abandonment of the river valleys.
Past SIUC field schools confirmed the existence of a wooden palisade surrounding much of the site, discovered a mound outside the palisade area and uncovered burned houses with evidence of thatched roofs that have helped establish the inhabited dates of the site.
"A lot of what people do doesn't leave evidence in the ground," Welch said. "Parts of the human past are exceedingly difficult for the archaeologist to get at. We do our best to leave an archaeological record for the next generation of scholars so that, even if we don't know what we are looking at, we've left a record that is clear."
By Andrea Hahn
CARBONDALE — A team of Southern Illinois University Carbondale archaeology students returns to the Kincaid Mounds on the border of Pope and Massac counties this summer, hoping to come one step closer to understanding the mystery of the mound builders.
The field school begins on June 11 and concludes Aug. 3. Students commit to working at the site five full days a week for the eight-week period. They may receive six credit hours for their efforts as well as skills directly applicable to employment in the field of environmental impact management. A bonus for out-of-state students is that the class is an "off-campus course" with a set tuition fee regardless of residency. Another plus – this year, students have the option of staying as a group in rental housing near the site rather than commuting.
Students participating in the dig are: Nina Fuscaldo, Lockport, Sara E. Murphy, Marion, Wesley Pinks, Chester, and graduate students Jennifer Malpiedi, Carbondale, and Corin Pursell, Webster Groves, Mo.
The focus of this year's dig is a large, circular structure on top of one of the largest mounds on the multi-mound site. What makes the work particularly challenging is the evidence for the structure is not readily visible to the naked eye, though it is easily seen in maps created with magnetometry imaging technology. A gradiometer creates the image by measuring minute variations in the strength of the Earth's magnetic field, which, at any particular spot, is influenced by what is in the ground directly beneath the gradiometer or magnetometer. Buildings typically leave magnetic evidence even after immediately visible physical evidence is gone.
Paul Welch, an associate professor in the Department of Anthropology and the director of the dig, said the circle is 22 meters across, with an area of about 4,000 square feet. The circle has projections at the four cardinal points of north, south, east and west and seems also to have an inner ring. Welch said a similar structure 27 meters across was discovered in Florida. Evidence in the historical record helped archaeologists reconstruct that site. If the two sites are as similar as they initially appear to be, the inner ring may be a row of benches and the building may be a sort of council house.
"We won't know until we dig into it," Welch said. "We are interested to find out something about the layout of the building and the settlement."
Welch hopes the work this summer will uncover not only the building but also its purpose. He wants to see how the building fits in with other structures discovered at the site. Understanding the layout of the settlement at Kincaid Mounds may provide a clue about its inhabitants – namely, their cultural identity.
Welch explained the Kincaid site was inhabited from about 1100 until about 1350 AD, at which point it, and many other sites from the Missouri bootheel to the Tennessee and Ohio River Valleys, was abandoned for unknown reasons. The area was resettled some time after 1500 by Native Americans known now as the Sauk, Fox, Illini and Peoria – native peoples still in residence when the French explorers arrived. However, these tribes do not seem necessarily to be direct descendants of the Southern Illinois mound builders.
Current archaeological study suggests two possible cultural descendants of the mound builders – those in the Siouan language family or those in the Muskogean language family. The Muskogean peoples, Welch said, tended to create settlements around a central square that included a single site for public religious observation. Siouan people, however, tended to have multiple locations for religious ceremonies.
As the site at Kincaid is slowly pieced together, and as archaeological study continues to shed light on what the settlement may have looked like, it may become clearer whether the site tends more toward the Muskogean or the Siouan model. That, in turn, may help archaeologists determine what happened to the mound builders during the widespread abandonment of the river valleys.
Past SIUC field schools confirmed the existence of a wooden palisade surrounding much of the site, discovered a mound outside the palisade area and uncovered burned houses with evidence of thatched roofs that have helped establish the inhabited dates of the site.
"A lot of what people do doesn't leave evidence in the ground," Welch said. "Parts of the human past are exceedingly difficult for the archaeologist to get at. We do our best to leave an archaeological record for the next generation of scholars so that, even if we don't know what we are looking at, we've left a record that is clear."
Volunteers Spruce Up Cambria
This week's Courier has a nice article by Wayne Utterback on efforts to spruce up Cambria as part of the 3rd Annual "Beautify Cambria" event that took place last Wednesday.
Besides Sherry a number of volunteers helped to plant the flowers in the area of the village hall, post office and bank.
A $250 grant from the village government along with private donations helped pay for the flowers.
A second part of the beautifying effort will take place tomorrow morning. The village's annual Roadside Trash Pick Up starts at 8 a.m. June 9.
Way to go Cambria.
Jennifer Sherry, who has been planting flowers in Cambria for more than five years, said the event was something that she saw as necessary.
"It was something that I really felt was needed and important for the village," Sherry said. "I always liked plants and I think it's neat to share the green thumb with the community.
Besides Sherry a number of volunteers helped to plant the flowers in the area of the village hall, post office and bank.
A $250 grant from the village government along with private donations helped pay for the flowers.
A second part of the beautifying effort will take place tomorrow morning. The village's annual Roadside Trash Pick Up starts at 8 a.m. June 9.
Way to go Cambria.
Monday, June 04, 2007
Air Service to St. Louis Remains Grounded
It will be mid summer before air service resumes between the Williamson County Regional Airport and Lambert Field in St. Louis.
After the FAA grounded Regions Air's flights this spring, including the American Connection flights out of Southern Illinois, airport officials selected Great Lakes Airlines as the new carrier.
At one point they hoped to use Regions Air's planes and pilots, but that has fallen through according to airport manager Doug Kimmel.
"Mid July to August," was what he said this morning, and that might still be optimistic.
The next major step will be when Great Lakes is ready to announce a start date and get it into the reservation systems for when flights resume.
Meanwhile, flights continue daily to Chicago's Midway Airport on Mesa Airlines.
After the FAA grounded Regions Air's flights this spring, including the American Connection flights out of Southern Illinois, airport officials selected Great Lakes Airlines as the new carrier.
At one point they hoped to use Regions Air's planes and pilots, but that has fallen through according to airport manager Doug Kimmel.
"Mid July to August," was what he said this morning, and that might still be optimistic.
The next major step will be when Great Lakes is ready to announce a start date and get it into the reservation systems for when flights resume.
Meanwhile, flights continue daily to Chicago's Midway Airport on Mesa Airlines.
Wednesday, May 23, 2007
Two Elected to Tourism Board
Patricia "Tricia" Hadfield, manager of the Comfort Inn and Comfort Suites will join Judy Attebury, manager of Fairfield Inn, as two of the seven lodging representatives on the Williamson County Tourism Board.
Two of the seven seats were up at this election. Hadfield and Attebury will serve three year terms. Thirteen of the county's lodging operators participated in the election. Ballots were opened at today's board meeting.
Hadfield replaces Katy Lockwood of the Olde Squat Inn.
The new terms begin at the regular June meeting of the tourism board which is set for noon, Wednesday, June 27 at the Williamson County Pavilion in Marion.
Two of the seven seats were up at this election. Hadfield and Attebury will serve three year terms. Thirteen of the county's lodging operators participated in the election. Ballots were opened at today's board meeting.
Hadfield replaces Katy Lockwood of the Olde Squat Inn.
The new terms begin at the regular June meeting of the tourism board which is set for noon, Wednesday, June 27 at the Williamson County Pavilion in Marion.
Tuesday, May 15, 2007
Lawmakers Set to Legalize Ultimate Fighting
Illinois lawmakers are considering a proposal to legalize Ultimate Fighting competitions in the state as well as increase regulations on mixed martial arts competitions such as the DragonsCage fights held at the Pavilion in April.
The Chicago Sun-Times has the story.
The bill has already passed the House by a large margin where it is co-sponsored by Southern Illinois Rep. Brandon Phelps, D-Harrisburg. Most of the region's representatives voted for the measure, but state Rep. Mike Bost, R-Murphysboro, did not.
In the Senate the bill has passed committee and been amended. A floor vote is expected soon. If successful the bill will then go back to the House for final approval of the bill as amended.
The legislation is HB 1947.
The Chicago Sun-Times has the story.
The bill has already passed the House by a large margin where it is co-sponsored by Southern Illinois Rep. Brandon Phelps, D-Harrisburg. Most of the region's representatives voted for the measure, but state Rep. Mike Bost, R-Murphysboro, did not.
In the Senate the bill has passed committee and been amended. A floor vote is expected soon. If successful the bill will then go back to the House for final approval of the bill as amended.
The legislation is HB 1947.
Friday, May 04, 2007
Carterville Farmers Market to Begin in June
The Farmers Market sponsored by the Carterville Chamber of Commerce begins its summer schedule Friday, June 1, from 3 to 6 p.m. at the First Baptist Church parking lot at 406 S Division St (between Route 13 and downtown Carterville).
The market runs each Friday in June, July and August.
The chamber is looking for vendors of home grown, homemade or hand made items to set up booths. The booth cost is $5 with vendors supplying their own tables, chairs and signs.
For more information contact the chamber at 618-985-6942 or e-mail chamber@midamer.net.
The market runs each Friday in June, July and August.
The chamber is looking for vendors of home grown, homemade or hand made items to set up booths. The booth cost is $5 with vendors supplying their own tables, chairs and signs.
For more information contact the chamber at 618-985-6942 or e-mail chamber@midamer.net.
Monday, April 23, 2007
Pavilion Enters the Black
After five months on the job it looks like the Williamson County Pavilion is operating in the black after years of red ink.
Forget about fancy accounting, for our board members the bottom line has always been the balance in the operating account of the Williamson County Events Commission which oversees the Pavilion.
Ever since the building opened in August 2004, the amount in that checking account has gone down as operating expenses exceeded operating income every year.
On Nov. 15, 2006, when I started as tourism director, the balance for the Events Commission’s Operating Account stood at $87,056.79. Five months later on April 15, 2007, our balance totaled $94,421.39 and that didn’t include a large deposited following the DragonsCage event on April 14.
A lot of the growth from this year compared with last year’s is due to interim Director Jeanette’s action last fall repealing my predecessor's unilateral decision to block all but one caterer from working the Pavilion.
We’ve also been more aggressive in negotiating rates where we know we have competition. The other major factor is the additional media coverage we’ve been generating with the additional events.
More and more area residents are finally waking up to the idea that the Pavilion actually exists. It's also helping that our lodging operators are providing more referrals to us.
The Southern Illinoisan's story on our accomplishments ran Sunday.
Forget about fancy accounting, for our board members the bottom line has always been the balance in the operating account of the Williamson County Events Commission which oversees the Pavilion.
Ever since the building opened in August 2004, the amount in that checking account has gone down as operating expenses exceeded operating income every year.
On Nov. 15, 2006, when I started as tourism director, the balance for the Events Commission’s Operating Account stood at $87,056.79. Five months later on April 15, 2007, our balance totaled $94,421.39 and that didn’t include a large deposited following the DragonsCage event on April 14.
A lot of the growth from this year compared with last year’s is due to interim Director Jeanette’s action last fall repealing my predecessor's unilateral decision to block all but one caterer from working the Pavilion.
We’ve also been more aggressive in negotiating rates where we know we have competition. The other major factor is the additional media coverage we’ve been generating with the additional events.
More and more area residents are finally waking up to the idea that the Pavilion actually exists. It's also helping that our lodging operators are providing more referrals to us.
The Southern Illinoisan's story on our accomplishments ran Sunday.
Friday, April 20, 2007
Little Egypt Arts to Host Quilt Display
The volunteers at the Little Egypt Arts Centre are installing a new quilt and fiber arts exhibit today just in time for the big quilt show in Paducah next week.
"The Art of Quilting" is a new exhibit at the Centre runs from April 21 through June 15. Works include heirloom quilts as well as photographs and paintings that celebrate quiltying. Current works by artist Colleen Thompson and other LEAA members will be displayed in the gallery and in the windows.
The arts centre is usually open between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m., but will stay open to 7 p.m. next Thursday and Friday.
Here's the information on the 23rd Annual American Quilters Society Quilt show in Paducah which will bring hundreds of guests to the motels in Williamson County:
For more information check out their website .
"The Art of Quilting" is a new exhibit at the Centre runs from April 21 through June 15. Works include heirloom quilts as well as photographs and paintings that celebrate quiltying. Current works by artist Colleen Thompson and other LEAA members will be displayed in the gallery and in the windows.
The arts centre is usually open between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m., but will stay open to 7 p.m. next Thursday and Friday.
Here's the information on the 23rd Annual American Quilters Society Quilt show in Paducah which will bring hundreds of guests to the motels in Williamson County:
Paducah, Kentucky, becomes Quilt City USA® each April as thousands of quilters from around the world come to view hundreds of quilts in the AQS Quilt Contest. New for 2007 in the AQS School of Quiltmaking: Classes begin on Tuesday, the day before the show opens! Hands-on longarm classes will be included in the 135 classes offered this year. See page 18 for information on earning college credit from classes taken at AQS Quilt Shows.
And, don't miss these special events: An Evening with Jim Shore on Wednesday; MAQS Quilt Auction on Thursday; AQS/Hobbs Bonded Fibers Fashion Show on Friday (NEW DAY); A Musical Encore by Ricky Tims on Friday evening, sponsored by Ken's Sewing Center; Brunch with Ami Simms on Saturday; and the NEW Show & Tell, sponsored by Handi Quilter, on Saturday. Check out these ongoing special events too: Build Quilts for Love sponsored by Baby Lock USA, and the Paducah Booth Hop sponsored by Windham Fabrics.
Shop the Merchant Malls: Visit over 300 vendor booths featuring the latest quiltmaking supplies, gifts, and antique and new quilts. Vendors are located in six different areas - so be sure to visit all of these areas: Paducah Expo Center, 1st and 2nd floors of the Convention Center, Pool Atrium, and Pool Annex at the Expo Center/Executive Inn complex; and at the AQS Vendors on Kentucky (2nd & Kentucky Ave.), where you'll find the Hurt Books Sale.
For more information check out their website .
Sahara Woods, 'It's Unbelieable'
The Southern's Les Winkler provides an update in today's paper on what's next for Sahara Woods.
Other plans include the rifle range (already built), boat ramps and eventually a campground.
Crossposted also at the Sahara Woods blog.
The roughly 4,200 acres that comprise Sahara Woods were given to the state by Sahara Coal several years ago. At that time, opening the site to the public was a distant dream - a dream now reaching fruition.
When the state took ownership of the land there were huge gob piles and rusted out hulks of trucks and draglines littering the area. Although the restoration of the park is almost complete, no firm date for opening has been established.
"Everything is up in the air," [Site Supt. Eric] McClusky said. "Right now, we have no running water or electricity anywhere in the place. We are scheduled to start renovations on the office this summer."
Other plans include the rifle range (already built), boat ramps and eventually a campground.
Crossposted also at the Sahara Woods blog.
Friday, April 06, 2007
Trail of Tears Spring Meeting Set for April 14
The Illinois Chapter of the Trail of Tears Association will hold its spring general membership meeting at Camp Ground Cumberland Presbyterian Church near Anna on Saturday, April 14, at 1 p.m.
The gathering will kick off the Illinois Trail of Tears Oral History Project and all persons interested in the trail or that might have family stories or information relative to the trail are encouraged to attend.
The meeting will be an informal gathering where those with stories or information relative to their families and the Trail of Tears are invited to share them. Videotaping and audiotaping services will be available to record those stories. Individuals with stories to share may do so in front of a gathered audience, or privately in a small room if they prefer.
Also, everyone is asked to bring family diaries, newspaper clippings, photos, drawings, maps, documents and any other papers they may have relative to the Trail of Tears. Copying and scanning equipment will be available so that copies of these items may be added to the Illinois Trail of Tears Oral History Project and individuals can then take their original photos and papers safely back home with them.
Also, Harvey Henson of the SIU Geology Department along with some of his students will be demonstrating and explaining remote sensing techniques at the Camp Ground Church Cemetery.
The public is invited to the meeting. For more information e-mail Sandra Boaz at popeun@midwest.net or call her at 618-833-8216, or Cheryl Jett at c_jett@charter.net or by phone at 618-567-6895.
To reach Camp Ground Church take I-57 south to Exit 30. Turn west on Route 146. Almost immediately (200 feet) turn back north on Campground Rd. The church and cemetery is at the intersection of Campground Road and Tunnel Lane.
For more information on the Trail of Tears Association check out their website.
The gathering will kick off the Illinois Trail of Tears Oral History Project and all persons interested in the trail or that might have family stories or information relative to the trail are encouraged to attend.
The meeting will be an informal gathering where those with stories or information relative to their families and the Trail of Tears are invited to share them. Videotaping and audiotaping services will be available to record those stories. Individuals with stories to share may do so in front of a gathered audience, or privately in a small room if they prefer.
Also, everyone is asked to bring family diaries, newspaper clippings, photos, drawings, maps, documents and any other papers they may have relative to the Trail of Tears. Copying and scanning equipment will be available so that copies of these items may be added to the Illinois Trail of Tears Oral History Project and individuals can then take their original photos and papers safely back home with them.
Also, Harvey Henson of the SIU Geology Department along with some of his students will be demonstrating and explaining remote sensing techniques at the Camp Ground Church Cemetery.
The public is invited to the meeting. For more information e-mail Sandra Boaz at popeun@midwest.net or call her at 618-833-8216, or Cheryl Jett at c_jett@charter.net or by phone at 618-567-6895.
To reach Camp Ground Church take I-57 south to Exit 30. Turn west on Route 146. Almost immediately (200 feet) turn back north on Campground Rd. The church and cemetery is at the intersection of Campground Road and Tunnel Lane.
For more information on the Trail of Tears Association check out their website.
Tuesday, April 03, 2007
Public Smoking Ban Passes Senate
The Illinois Senate voted 34-23 last week to pass Senate Bill 500, the Smoke Free Illinois Act, which would prohibit smoking in public places such as restaurants.
The bill "prohibits smoking in public places, places of employment, and governmental vehicles," according to the state's synopsis. It also prohibits "smoking within a minimum distance of 15 feet from entrances, exits, windows that open, and ventilation intakes that serve an enclosed area where smoking is prohibited."
Southern Illinois' lawmakers from both parties voted against the measure, which isn't surprising as the region boasts (suffers) from some of the highest adult smoking rates in the state.
The bill now goes to the House of Representatives. If it passes and the governor signs the bill, Illinois will become the 16th state in the nation to pass such legislation since New York became the first in 2001.
In case some might wonder why the bill is needed. Here's what the Illinois Department of Public Health says:
In 2003, 24.3 percent of all adults in Illinois smoked compared to 22.1 percent nationwide. Even scarier was the fact that a 2002 survey showed 29.2 percent of high school students smoked cigarettes.
The bill "prohibits smoking in public places, places of employment, and governmental vehicles," according to the state's synopsis. It also prohibits "smoking within a minimum distance of 15 feet from entrances, exits, windows that open, and ventilation intakes that serve an enclosed area where smoking is prohibited."
Southern Illinois' lawmakers from both parties voted against the measure, which isn't surprising as the region boasts (suffers) from some of the highest adult smoking rates in the state.
The bill now goes to the House of Representatives. If it passes and the governor signs the bill, Illinois will become the 16th state in the nation to pass such legislation since New York became the first in 2001.
In case some might wonder why the bill is needed. Here's what the Illinois Department of Public Health says:
More than 20,000 Illinoisans die each year as a result of cigarette smoking. Nationally, smoking is responsible for one of every five deaths. In fact, cigarette smoking kills more Americans than AIDS, alcohol, car accidents, murders, suicides, drugs and fires combined.
In 2003, 24.3 percent of all adults in Illinois smoked compared to 22.1 percent nationwide. Even scarier was the fact that a 2002 survey showed 29.2 percent of high school students smoked cigarettes.
Motel Revenues Up in February
Motel revenues continued to increase in February for Williamson County's lodging operators.
As of April 2, all but two of the lodging operators had paid their February bed tax by the end of March as required by county ordinance. The county's five percent bed tax took in $42,992.47 so far compared with $40,390.74 last year.
That's up 6.4 percent from year to year. For our fiscal year which begins in July (but includes taxes collection in May), revenues year-to-date this year are up 6.2 percent or more than $42,000 over the same period last year.
Roughly another $2,000 is due from motels delinquent in either their January or February bed tax.
January figures were also up three percent over January 2006.
As of April 2, all but two of the lodging operators had paid their February bed tax by the end of March as required by county ordinance. The county's five percent bed tax took in $42,992.47 so far compared with $40,390.74 last year.
That's up 6.4 percent from year to year. For our fiscal year which begins in July (but includes taxes collection in May), revenues year-to-date this year are up 6.2 percent or more than $42,000 over the same period last year.
Roughly another $2,000 is due from motels delinquent in either their January or February bed tax.
January figures were also up three percent over January 2006.
Monday, April 02, 2007
Checkers Attracts Tourists From 12 States
This past weekend's Illinois State Checkers Tournament drew contestants from at least 12 different states. The Illinois Centre Mall in Marion hosted the event.
The tournament even drew a world champion to play here at the Hub of the Universe.
Check out the rest of Ashley's story in today's Southern Illinoisan.
The tournament even drew a world champion to play here at the Hub of the Universe.
MARION - Few if any people passing through Illinois Centre Mall this weekend probably realized they were walking by a world champion at work on his craft.
There is little surprise: The world of checkers is much a mystery to the uninitiated, said Gary Ellison, president of the Illinois Checkers Association.
"It's not a spectator sport so a lot of people don't know that much about it," Ellison said.
Alex Moiseyev, the world champion of three-move checkers, participated in the Illinois State Checker Association's state tournament along with 32 other competitive checkers players who were eager to practice their skills against their peers.
Moiseyev says checkers is a wildly popular game at all levels.
Check out the rest of Ashley's story in today's Southern Illinoisan.
Tuesday, March 27, 2007
Independent Film Targets Shawnee's Stone Face
A screenwriter with Saline County roots is looking to turn his screenplay set in Garden of the Gods Country into reality with filming planned for this summer.Brian DeNeal of The Daily Register in Harrisburg has the story.
CHICAGO - Stoneface is one of a handful of Saline County natural landmarks printed on postcards, on tourism brochures and on posters. The wizened face staring out from the Eagle Mountains over the valley has drawn generations out for weekend jaunts and it is also the inspiration for an upcoming feature-length film.
Alan Baldwin wrote the screenplay in 1992. Now, working with his brother, Bruce, of Baldwin Media Development, he believes the movie can be made at a much more reasonable cost than in the 1990s.
"I was in Boston at the time working with other people who were writing different things. I thought back to the time I spent roaming Garden of the Gods, Ferne Cliff and Dixon Springs," Baldwin said.
The Illinois Film Office rated the screenplay in the top 20 of screenplays submitted for a contest in 1998, he said.
Baldwin describes the film as a family action/adventure film set in Southern Illinois.
Although Alan Baldwin lives in Chicago, his brother Bruce lives in Eldorado. He's responsible for some of the breath-taking videography in the Garden of the Gods Country DVD produced by the Saline County Tourism Board.
Story boards for the film can be viewed online at the website of Baldwin Media Development at www.bmdtv.com.
Interestingly I was in a meeting with Bruce Baldwin last Wednesday at a Saline County Tourism Board meeting. He was there because the DVDs are selling quickly and the board needed more.
If they're successfull the film should prove to be great marketing for the region. Nothing has been shot here since 1999 when "Poor White Trash" invaded Benton. That one we won't count has helping the region's image (though it's got some great Carbondale jokes).A year earlier Southern Illinois served as a setting for a film called Camp Betaville. Though never released theatrically it is available now on DVD.
Marion hosted the cast and crew at what's now the Holiday Inn Express, and much of the shooting took place at SIU's Touch of Nature on Little Grassy Lake and nearby Giant City Lodge.
If you have the Real media player you can check out the trailer.
In 1997, Warner Brothers used Pope and Massac Counties when they filmed early scenes of U.S. Marshals starring Tommy Lee Jones and Wesley Snipes.
The Bay City General Store that served as "Roy Willie's" barbecue joint still stands and has been restored with the upstairs developed as an inn. Also, the 727 airplane used in the crash at Bay City is now visited by scuba divers at Mermet Springs.
Miners Add Mascots
The Southern Illinois Miners announced today the creation of two additional mascots for the Miners – a canary and a mole – both connected with underground life. Before school is out this spring, students from around the area will get a chance to suggest a name of the three mascots in the “Miners Mascot Challenge” sponsored by the team and WSIL-TV. Part of the challenge will be to design and name a fourth mascot as well.
For more check out today's Marion Daily.
Conversation With The Fair Board President
The Marion Daily Republican's Diane Wilkins took the reins for Monday's "Conversation..." piece in the paper, this time focusing on Garry Jenkins, president of the Williamson County Fair Board.
The Fair Board is asking for a tax levy on the county's property owners to help fund needed repairs and improvements, as well as make up for the reduction in state funding for county fairs.
Read the entire interview at the Marion Daily Online
More information can be found another article from earlier this month on TheSouthern.com.
The Fair Board is asking for a tax levy on the county's property owners to help fund needed repairs and improvements, as well as make up for the reduction in state funding for county fairs.
Diane: What is the biggest problem the Fair Board faces?
Garry: The biggest problem is the debt we inherited, especially on the grandstand. We are making money at the fair, but it takes almost everything we make to go on retiring the debt so that leaves very little operating capital.
Diane: Can you disclose the amounts we are talking about?
Garry: When I took over the board, it was $275,000 and payments were not being made. Now, we have been making regular payments of $27,000 each year. So you can see that if you make $35,000 on the fair and pay out $27,000, it does not leave much money left to operate on. There are maintenance problems that need to be taken care of. It does not help that a few years ago the State took 33 percent of our funding away. Maintenance costs continue to increase, the cost of electricity is skyrocketing, the grandstand needs a new roof at an estimated $100,000 cost. There is just no money left for the needed upkeep.
Diane: Would I be safe in saying that 90 to 95 percent of the work done for the fair is done by volunteers?
Garry: Absolutely! If it wasn't for the volunteers helping, we would have had to close the gates several years ago...
Read the entire interview at the Marion Daily Online
More information can be found another article from earlier this month on TheSouthern.com.
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