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County Board Takes Action to Move Meetings to Evening

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Manar says action should increase public participation in government

Macoupin County – At last month’s primary election, voters were asked to weigh in on when they believed the Macoupin County Board should hold its regularly scheduled monthly meetings.  An overwhelming majority said they thought the meetings of the Board should be held in the evening. The Board responded with swift action following the March primary results, voting to move Board meetings to the evening beginning in December.

“With nearly 85% of the voters suggesting the change in meeting time, it is action the Board must take,” Manar told the Board at the April meeting.  “This is a request to make government more open and more accessible.  It’s a request to make government better and there’s no question in my mind that we should embrace it.”

The Board voted 22-3 to move the meetings of the County Board to 6 p.m. each month beginning with December 2012 following the seating of new Board members elected in November.

During the meeting, Manar compared the public question concerning the meeting time on the ballot to a 2008 referendum question that asked voters whether or not they favored reducing the size of the County Board from 27 to 18 members.

“In both cases, the voters were asked what they wanted and in both cases, the response was overwhelming that they wanted to see things change,” said Manar.  “Our response to voters on their request to change the meeting time should be no different: we must listen.”  In 2008, nearly 62% of voters favored reducing the size of the County Board, while just fewer than 85% of voters approved changing the Board meeting time at the 2012 primary.

Agendas for the County Board meetings as well as all committee meetings can be found at http://www.macoupincountyil.gov/meetings_calendar.htm at least 48 hours in advance of each public meeting.  Furthermore, minutes of the County Board meetings and thousands of other Board-adopted documents can be found at http://www.macoupincode.com/.

 

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Blackburn College sets fall admisson open house events

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Meet Professors and Current Students, Learn about Opportunities, Tour Campus, and Get Instant Admissions Decisions at the Events

CARLINVILLE, ILL. — Interested students and families will have two opportunities to learn more about Blackburn College this fall. The Admissions and Financial Aid teams will host Open House events on Monday, October 14, and Monday, November 11, beginning at 8:30 am. These events allow future first-time and transfer students to gather important information about the college application process.

Throughout their time on campus, prospective students and their families will explore and tour the beautiful 80-acre campus, make personal connections with current students and professors, and get to know what life is like as a Blackburn student. They will also see first-hand Blackburn’s unique approach to education—where students earn their degrees while building impactful skills and gaining real-world work experience–giving graduates a four-year head start to launch their future careers.

For Justin Norwood, Vice President for Inclusive Enrollment and a Blackburn graduate, these opportunities are valuable for prospective students and families because nothing is more important than finding a school that will be the best fit. “Finding the right college is more than just academics; it’s discovering a place where students feel supported and inspired to thrive,” Norwood said. “At Blackburn, our open house events provide an opportunity to experience what makes our community unique – the close mentoring relationships with peers and professors, the ability to build critical skills and gain real-world work experience, and a personalized financial aid approach that goes beyond affordability and is designed to meet the specific needs of every student.” 

Blackburn’s Admissions and Financial Aid team will be available throughout the event to answer all your questions, including about opportunities like the Macoupin Promise – where qualified graduates of Macoupin County high schools can attend Blackburn tuition-free. For more information and to register for an event, go to blackburn.edu/visit or email admissions@blackburn.edu.

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Gillespie, Benld among county libraries participating in library crawl

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Gillespie Public Library (Photo by Gillespie Public Library)

Seven libraries in Macoupin County will welcome new visitors throughout October with a program sponsored by the region’s library system.

The 6th Annual Library Crawl invites patrons to explore new libraries throughout the Illinois Heartland Library System, which composes the southern half of the state. The Crawl also demonstrates the benefits of a library card, which allows users to check out materials from the libraries they visit.

Some 173 libraries across central and southern Illinois are taking part in the Crawl, including Gillespie, Staunton, Mount Olive, Carlinville, Brighton, Virden, and Benld. The event runs from October 1 through October 31.

The first Library Crawl was introduced in 2019 by the Bethalto Public Library, which continues to coordinate the event. The idea was designed to encourage library users to explore the resources of other libraries that are available to request and check out with a valid library card.

Twenty-eight libraries participated in that first year, a number that has now increased over six-fold.

Patrons may pick up a passport for the Crawl at any participating library, and try to visit at least five libraries during the event. A few enthusiastic individuals have actually visited every library on the Crawl in past years.

At each new library, visitors may stop at the main circulation desk to have their passports stamped. To complete the Crawl, patrons may simply return their passports to their home library.

Some libraries also offer special treats for visitors on the Crawl. After any visit to a participating library, patrons are invited to take pictures to post on social media, under the hashtag #IHLSLibraryCrawl2024.

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Many libraries are closed in observance of Columbus Day on October 14, so anyone planning a visit should call ahead, to check on hours of operation.

For more information on the Crawl, visit www.illinoisheartland.org or call any of the participating libraries. 

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St. Francis Hospital Auxiliary sponsors final drive-thru dinner

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Proceeds benefit St. Francis Cancer Center

LITCHFIELD, Ill. — The HSHS St. Francis Hospital Auxiliary will sponsor their sixth and final drive-thru dinner for 2024 on Monday, Oct. 14 from 5 to 6:30 p.m. to support the hospital’s Cancer Center expansion project.

Dinners must be ordered by noon on Monday, Oct. 7. Online ordering will not be available for this final meal, but dinner may still be ordered in the hospital gift shop or by contacting Paula Endress at 217-324-8200.

The Oct. 14 drive-thru dinner pick up will take place in front of the main hospital entrance.

The meal will feature a grilled pork chop, loaded mashed potatoes, green beans, roll and a dessert. Cost per meal is $14.

For more information about HSHS St. Francis Hospital, visit stfrancis-litchfield.org.

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