One of Editor & Publisher’s ‘10 That Do It Right 2021’
Partly to mostly cloudy. Low around 60F. Winds light and variable..
Partly to mostly cloudy. Low around 60F. Winds light and variable.
A look at the children’s area of the Catlin Public Library — as it stands now. A state grant will help pave the way for renovations.
This story appeared in 'Meeting Minutes & More,' a weekly, six-page special section in the print editions of Friday's News-Gazette reported and written by Editor Jeff D'Alessio and designed by Managing Editor Niko Dugan. Click here to read an electronic version of this week's section. Click here to subscribe to The News-Gazette.
Jeff D'Alessio is editor of The News-Gazette. His email is jdalessio@news-gazette.com.
This story appeared in 'Meeting Minutes & More,' a weekly, six-page special section in the print editions of Friday's News-Gazette reported and written by Editor Jeff D'Alessio and designed by Managing Editor Niko Dugan. Click here to read an electronic version of this week's section. Click here to subscribe to The News-Gazette.
CATLIN — Next year will mark No. 20 for the Catlin Public Library at its Mapleleaf Drive location. Which got Director Kathleen Bennett to thinking: Maybe it’s time to spruce up the joint.
That led to library officials deciding to apply for a state Live and Learn construction grant, which board member and retired art teacher Crystal Carter fine-tuned before it was sent off.
This week came the good news, with Secretary of State Jesse White announcing that Catlin’s application was one of 18 selected statewide for matching grants and that $29,000 from the state — on top of the same amount from the library — was on the way, to go toward replacing the 19-year-old flooring and the original paint job.
A look at the children’s area of the Catlin Public Library — as it stands now. A state grant will help pave the way for renovations.
The library has enlisted the help of interior designer Kristen Fanning with Champaign-based Reifsteck Reid to assist with picking out flooring and the bid process.
“We will use carpet squares and vinyl tile for the flooring,” Bennett says. “We want to install vinyl tile in the children’s area where the tables are located to allow for easier cleanup after messy crafts. Since there is carpet on the floor in the children’s area now, we need to roll out a giant piece of plastic to go under the tables to protect the flooring.”
Bennett expects the project upgrades will necessitate the library closing for two weeks.
“To be truly honest, to me, a $10,000 increase isn’t enough,” Michael Foellmer said following a presentation from 40 North Executive Director Kelly White. The city's annual contribution to what Matt Gladney called "a gem of the county" has remained $30,000 every year since 2011.
Two-plus months since scrapping late fees altogether — and forgiving $70,363.13 in overdue fines accrued by 6,113 adults, 82 teens and 480 youths — Urbana library staff is “over the moon” at the response, Executive Director Celeste Choate told the city council this week.
While many area schools outlaw the same things (revealing clothing, violent imagery) and protect others (“hairstyles historically associated with race, ethnicity or hair texture”), the rest of the dress code rules vary from district to district.
After years of buying used, high-mileage vehicles to keep its full fleet operational, the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office has taken a new approach: signing five-year leases on six 2021 Ford Explorers and one 2021 Chevy Tahoe.
The school board vote came 10 days after a News-Gazette survey found Tuscola to have the lowest standard daily rate of 40 area districts. Mahomet-Seymour remains the highest, at $150.
The 49th edition of the Arthur Amish Country Cheese Festival, set for next weekend, includes Saturday's "National Cheese Eating Championships," in which contestants are given a 1-pound block of Colby and a bottle of water as a chaser.
For most other area districts, it will be business as usual Monday — thanks to HVAC upgrades, some just completed.
Of Jasper the therapy dog's first day of school, owner/Clara Peterson Elementary social worker Julia Bleich says: “When we weren’t with a student in a class, Jasper spent time napping or staring at my door willing it to open so he could see more kids."
"Inmates are more violent and the state is slow to accept inmates remanded to their custody because they are found unfit to stand trial. (That and other factors) makes for a very challenging environment in which to work and manage."
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